The 20 Something Year Old Entrepreneur

Ferd Lewis from the Honolulu Advertiser did a great job reporting on the University of Hawaii Athletic Department’s current financial situation, which isn’t good at all.  Not only have they accumulated a net deficit of $5.4 million over a five-year period (the Herman Frazier Administration), Lewis reported that “UH athletic director Jim Donovan has said the current fiscal year, ending June 30, may run a deficit of an additional $3 million.  That’s $8.4 million in the hole/red.

There have been talks of cutting some programs such as men’s swimming and diving, baseball, men’s tennis, or men’s volleyball.  Donovan also when to the Associated Students of the University of Hawaii (ASUH) to consider an athletic fee as part of the tuition they pay. In Lewis’ article Donovan said, “I do not want to cut a sport.  Depending on how the economy continues, that could be put on the table but that is not my intent.  That would be an absolutely last resort.”

The best part of the article was when Donovan said, “people ask, ‘How can I help?’  I tell them it is as simple as buying a ticket.”

This statement alone needs to be understood by the entire pubic (in Hawaii) because what most people don’t know is that the major revenue generator for the University of Hawaii Athletic Department is ticket sales.  It’s not corporate sponsorships, TV & radio deals, or donations, it’s ticket sales.  According to an official at UH, if UH were to sell-out every home game at Aloha Stadium, the revenue generated from the ticket sales would more than cover for the entire budget of the department and any revenue generated from the other sports (from ticket sales) would be additional revenue for them.

But…buying a ticket is not so simple especially in Hawaii.

As sad as it is, it’s a fact that people in Hawaii will support their team only when they are winning.  Winning team = $$$, Average team = some $, and losing team = no money.  Look at the 2006-07 & 2007-08 Football seasons with Colt Brennan.  When Hawaii proved they had a winning team(s) people started to pack Aloha Stadium towards the end, and when they were in the hunt for the BCS, there was so much pride, passion, and a following.

It’s not simple because there is no experience of going to the game.  I remember the TV ad with June Jones and Jerry Glanville that said, “There’s Nothing Like Being There!” and then laughing at the TV because the campaign slogan was so misleading.  There is no experience of going to a UH Football game!  You won’t be in an environment where people all around you are going crazy, cheering, and chanting.  You won’t feel that constant electricity in the air because it’s nowhere to be found.

Imagine being in the student section, standing up on your feet cheering your team on, then having someone throw something at your back telling you to sit down cause they can’t see.  What does that tell you?  That happened to me this past season and I wanted to tell those people “if you can’t see, move higher!”  But this is the problem they face.  There is no culture or environment created by being in the stadium watching the game.  The best part of going to a game is really before, tailgating with your friends.

If the athletic department is really serious about getting people to buy tickets, they need to start targeting people who can afford tickets, the STUDENTS!

Focus on:

1. Using social media to communicate with the students
2. Creating an outstanding experience for the students
3. Listening to what the students have to say about creating better experiences
4. Taking control of the Manoa Maniacs.  Don’t let someone from Upper Campus run it
5. Helping build the school spirit and pride

UH is a commuter school which does pose some problems but I know students will go to games if there was a compelling enough reason for them to go.  There is no reason why we can’t be like Texas in football and Duke in basketball when it comes to experiencing a college game.

Thoughts?

Tags: experience, Ferd Lewis, finances, Honolulu Advertiser, Jim Donovan, ticket sales, UH Athletics