For the second year in a row, seating capacity will be 9,000 for University of Hawaii football games at the Ching Complex.

School officials had hoped for significant expansion to the on-campus facility for this season’s seven home games. But supply-chain issues for steel and other building materials have derailed plans for this year.

“It’s everywhere,” UH athletic director David Matlin said of the supply-chain issue. “It’s not unique to Hawaii.”

There is a possibility UH could add standing-room areas. But current zoning rules probably would be able to accommodate no more than 1,000 additional spectators.

“We’re only permitted up to 10,000 (for a single event) right now,” Matlin said. “That’s something we’re working on at the same time.”

For 45 years, 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium served as the home site for UH football games. The lone exception was the 2001 season opener that was played at War Memorial Stadium on Maui. The 2019 Hawaii Bowl was the last game the Rainbow Warriors played at Aloha Stadium with fans in attendance. The pandemic resulted in spectator restrictions during the 2020 season. In December 2020, stadium officials announced the Halawa facility would no longer be able to accommodate spectator-attended events because of safety and structural concerns.

UH officials explored several options before deciding to retrofit the Ching Complex. Bleachers were added and luxury boxes and booths for coaches and media were constructed ahead of the 2021 season. The intent was to accommodate up to 10,000 spectators in 2021 and then expand seating capacity after that while awaiting a replacement stadium in Halawa to come to fruition.

An NCAA rule requires an average of 15,000 tickets issued per football game during a rolling two-year period for a member to maintain Division I status. UH was granted an exemption last year because of the emergency circumstances.

“It’s a rolling two-year average that starts this year, so you really don’t need (expansion) until the second year,”Matlin said. “It’s something we have to work on.”

In 2019, the Warriors had about 16,000 ticket obligations to season-ticket subscribers, corporate partners and visiting teams. A distribution system was created last season based on various factors, beginning with donor levels. UH also was going to set aside a revolving pool of tickets for those who were not selected for season tickets. But with state restrictions not allowing fans for the first three games in 2021 and then only permitting up to 1,000 for the fourth, UH did not sell season tickets for the final two home games.

Matlin said the distribution plan will be used this year. He also said season tickets will be on sale in the near future.