Concerns for the bottom line have caused the University of Hawaii to scrap plans for upper-campus tailgating during the entire home football schedule and instead allow partying only at the 2024 season finale.
As recently as this week, UH Athletics was attempting to work with other campus entities to allow tailgating for the full season, the Rainbow Warriors' fourth at the on-campus Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, according to Brian McInnis, who covers sports for Spectrum News Hawaii. However, athletic director Craig Angelos said the department faced expenses as high as $60,000 per game to do so in conjunction with other pregame activities on upper campus.
“We said we do want to do it at least one time, so let’s do it the last game of the year,” Angelos said in a phone interview. “Try, see how it works, see what the costs are, see what we can shave off … going forward next year.
“We’ll try to come back with a more improved model after we see the results,” he added.
Fans have not been able to tailgate at UH football games since 2019 at Aloha Stadium, the last season prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and UH's subsequent forced move to a 4,300-seat on-campus venue upon the Aloha Stadium's shuttering in December 2020, McInnis reported.
"I know where it’s come from. Being at Aloha Stadium, I’ve been a part of playing in there and I’ve been a part of the tailgates as well," said third-year head football coach Timmy Chang. "All that excitement, that’s part of it. I think that’s part of what the state wants, the people want, the community. Coming to the games, enjoying the game with their family. And so, as we work toward that goal of getting there, I guess we control what we can, right? And that’s been my philosophy … hey, we’re in the stadium we are. It’s on campus. And hopefully we can get some tailgating. Just really get the community around and make it a family atmosphere."
On Friday, UH announced game-day entertainment for all seven home contests. It will offer its “Kickoff at the Les” pregame festivities at Les Murakami Stadium – similar to the last two years – for the first four home games. Once LMS begins to undergo its turf replacement project, football pregame fan activities will transition to upper campus for a “Pa‘ina on the Path” gathering at the Legacy Path starting with the Oct. 26 homecoming game against Nevada. That will include a beer garden, Angelos confirmed.
UH said in the same release that “limited tailgating will be allowed for the Nov. 30 finale against New Mexico in a permitted, designated area.”
The school has discussed issuing 270 tailgating permits, with season ticket holders receiving priority on the passes.
Security costs were said to make up a large amount of the projected tailgating expenses.
