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When a genie grants you three wishes, you say, “Thanks, I’m grateful,” and do not ask for “three more wishes” as one of your requests.
When the governor allows the University of Hawaii a limited number of fans for its football games at the on-campus Ching Complex, school officials should say, “Thanks, I’m grateful,” and not try to ask for more — at least for now. Even if the state’s top leader poached proposals UH suggested in July, it is never a good idea to quibble details with someone who could bring back van cams.
UH is allowed up to 1,000 fully vaccinated, masked and socially distanced fans for its Oct. 23 football game against New Mexico State. UH hinted at a plan to dispense available tickets to the season-ticket holders based on their donation level. And that would be hunky and dory except that was the months-ago selection formula when season-ticket obligations of 16,000 at Aloha Stadium had to be reduced to 9,000 at the Ching Complex. Under the new guidelines, paring the ticket list to a few hundred to the general public changes the game plan. Here are a few suggestions:
>> Of the 1,000 tickets, about 450 should go to UH players and coaches — and they can distribute them to family and close friends. That should appease Rainbow Warrior parents who were denied the opportunity to attend their sons’ first three home games.
>> Then 25 tickets should go to the visiting Aggies, who already are receiving aid in flights and lodging, as well as an appearance stipend. They deserve more, but these are tough times. And the independent Aggies could use UH’s support in their quest for Mountain West membership. Besides, UH helped boost NMSU’s homecoming attendance last month in Las Cruces.
>> There are 15 luxury booths that can hold up to 20 people apiece. Now with social-distancing rules and really sad faces from UH officials, maybe it could be negotiated down to a 10-person max in each box.
>> The 50 top donors and/or corporate donors should get two tickets each.
>> Then 200 tickets should be made available through an online auction, with the starting bid at $100 per ducat. Supply-and-demand was the first lesson in professor James Mak’s econ class.
>> Since UH is bleeding opportunity-cost money, anyway, 74 tickets should be given free to nurses in ER, ICU and telemetry (where the overflow is disbursed).
>> The 1,000th ticket should go to the governor. He is a football fan who has attended many UH sporting events. But the on-campus experience will be different from watching a football game at Aloha Stadium’s loge-level booth in the South end zone. From Ching’s metal bleachers, sprinkled with Manoa mist, he can see the product of coaches who begin their work day at 4:30 a.m. and student-athletes who balance academics with the full-time job of football. Of course, there are more important things than sports — education, homelessness, rental prices — but few endeavors solidify a community, his community, than a 3-hour competition. Especially with players who insist they are representing the state.
There also are ways UH can indirectly enhance the football experience. SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff has been used for banquets and fund-raising events. Classify the arena as an eating establishment — Big City Diner, after all, has catered banquets on the court — and 100 vaccinated patrons could eat there while watching the game on the scoreboard screens.
Or UH’s partner, Hawaii Pacific Health, could set up an area outside of Ching and administer immunization shots. The first 25 to get their shots would not be deterred from watching the game from the parking lot’s top floor.
For now, at least, UH officials should continue to be grateful, give thanks frequently, and avoid speeding on the Pali Highway.
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