Maui not suitable for Warriors football games, UH says

The University of Hawaii notified Maui Mayor Mike Victorino on Thursday that War Memorial Stadium would not be a suitable venue for its football season, effectively confirming the on-campus Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex as UH’s only path for home games with the hope for fans in 2021.

UH athletic director David Matlin told the state Senate Committee on Higher Education he had spoken with Victorino earlier in the day, and “I sent him an email about what the short-term requirements were facility-wise for having a Division I football game in 2021.”

UH last played on Maui in a 2001 season-opening victory over Montana before a crowd of 12,863. The Hula Bowl concluded its run there in 2005.

Matlin told the committee, “A lot has changed since we played in 2001 (and the Hula Bowl) in 2005 with expectations on instant replay and medical observers and a lot of other areas. So, I sent him that and then we talked a little about the financial model of it and how our operating costs would be a lot higher if we did that. There’s no funding mechanism for that.”

In a previous session Matlin told the committee UH wouldn’t have as much control over the revenues or the facilities.

“The other thing, too, beside the financial analysis is having our student-athletes travel for four months straight and be on the road every game. I know it is just Maui, but it is still a trip and not in the best interests of our student-athletes,” Matlin said.

Sen. Glenn Wakai (D, Pearl Harbor-Kalihi) said he understood the realities of UH’s situation but added, “I still believe at that, some time in the future, you might want to take UH football teams to the neighbor islands although, as you mentioned, doing so for the next three years doesn’t make any economic sense for the university. I appreciate you even exploring the opportunity.”

Matlin said, “We kept the door open. … Playing a full season, that doesn’t make sense, but looked at other opportunities maybe we could do in the future. It might just be clinics or, possibly a spring game. Or some opportunity to go to the neighbor islands. We’ve done some things in the past, but it doesn’t seem to be viable for 2021.”

During the briefing committee chairwoman Donna Mercado Kim (D, Kapalama-Kalihi Valley) referenced a letter from Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan and Stadium Authority chairman Ross Yamasaki to UH attesting to the unsuitability of the Halawa facility for 2021 with fans.