More quotes (spin) from Herman Frazier

http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=32002

About how UH won't be playing another football game on Maui like they did in 2001, unless the Maui stadium is expanded, HF said:
“I saw the (Montana game) numbers and the university actually lost $325,000 on that trip. I thought it was a great idea, but the facility is just not large enough to be able to do that. I think the thing we might be able to do is play a doubleheader over here for basketball. Maybe we could do a women’s game followed by a men’s game over here. We might be able to do something like that, but I think football is just too cost-prohibitive.’’ (Maui News)


About how the Hawaii Winter Baseball League could end of playing a lot of games in Maui because the renovation of Murakami Field could be completed late (big surprise!), HF said:
“We don’t know because it is all dependent on the start date. Originally we were trying to start that August 1. We have to go through procurement issues that private businesses don’t have to go through and so that is part of the issue. The other thing is, we have a major tenant in Toyota that is coming over to do a show for all the North American Toyota dealers and they need to be in that stadium from the middle of September to the beginning of October. So that is an issue as well. (HWBL owner) Duane Kurisu, who is a good friend of mine, we will work hand-in-hand with him on whatever we can to resolve, but Hawaii Winter Baseball, if they did have the opportunity to come over here and play a couple of games, it would be great for the people here on Maui.’’ (MN)

Note: So, the spin is that being late for renovating Murakami Field is great for the people in Maui...


About trying to keep the pay-per-view rates down for neighbor island fans, HF said:
“I asked K5 to keep the renewal rates for Neighbor Island subscribers the same as last year. I don’t know if they will, but we have requested that they do.’’ (MN)


About the penalty clause for Michigan State pulling out of the game this season, HF said:
“At the end of the day that can’t happen, but we were fortunate that we started putting those types of clauses in for when schools canceled on us. In the past when schools like the University of Texas pulled out, there was no penalty. I think in the end, a lot of this is done by relationships. It is unfortunate that Michigan State didn’t want to play us with the coach (John L. Smith) that was on hand.’’ (MN)


Asked about national criticism about their schedule, HF said something completely untrue:
“No, only the local media has criticized it.’’ (MN)


Defending his lack of communication about their schedule, HF said:
“You have seen me here today. I can be very comical, I can have fun, I enjoy what I am doing, and we just deal with the issues at hand.’’ (MN)

MN Note: "Noting the quarter-million-dollar payment from Michigan State, Frazier said revenues for the 2007 football season will be similar to last year. A 13th game, assuming it could have been against a name program with Brennan as a drawing card, would undoubtedly have boosted the income significantly in UH’s biggest-money sport. Put Louisville and UH on the same field – which was widely reported as one of the options Frazier turned down because the Cardinals only wanted to play Hawaii on the Mainland – and television networks would have fallen over themselves to bid for the rights."