"It (independence) is not an option for me as the WAC stands now. But if dramatic changes came, we'd have to look at all of our options and see what is best for the state, the school and the program." (HSA)
HSA Note: "Historically, since the establishment of the NCAA's Division I-A (now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision) in 1978, few schools have dared go independent in football or stayed unaligned for very long. Currently, there are only three: Army, Navy and Notre Dame, all longtime independents."
About how only a few Universities can go independent, Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo (former UH QB and assistant coach) said:
"It takes a special situation like we have here (at Navy)." (HSA)
HSA Note: "All three have conference affiliations for sports other than football: Army and Navy with the Patriot League and Notre Dame with the Big East. Common elements of their success as independents are national appeal, which provides an ability to schedule games; longtime rivals; individual TV contracts; and conferences for their sports other than football to compete in."
About how they make a lot of money playing the other 2 independent teams every year, Niumatalolo said:
"For us, the Army and Notre Dame games are huge financially. Playing those two every year gives us two big revenue games." (HSA)
HSA Note: "Army and Navy have contracts with the CBS College Sports Network for their home and host games, while Notre Dame has an NBC agreement that has paid upwards of $9 million per season."
HSA Note: "While UH receives upwards of $2.5 million for its TV and pay-per-view rights, it would likely have to strike a wide-ranging deal with ESPN if it were to consider going independent. When June Jones was the UH coach, he floated the idea of selling ESPN on a last-game-of-the-night package for UH home games, a concept that has long had appeal at UH but is currently prevented by the school's rights being tied to the WAC agreement with ESPN. ESPN's cooperation on a couple of fronts would be important for any UH bid for independence since without the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, which ESPN subsidiary ESPN Regional TV (ERT) owns and operates, the school would have no conference affiliation to fall back on for a postseason bid. In addition, ERT owns and operates the Diamond Head Classic basketball tournament, which UH hosts."
HSA Note: "People in the industry say UH would likely have to play a couple of so-called "body bag" road games at difficult-to-win places such Louisiana State or Texas for the large paychecks they would generate in order to fund the kind of guarantees that would bring even middle- and lower-tier opponents to Aloha Stadium. Moreover, while UH has traditionally been able to attract nonconference opponents early in the season and at the end, it would be hard pressed to fill the October and November slots currently stocked by WAC teams because prospective opponents would also be in conference play. But the key component in any bid for independence, even UH officials acknowledge, would be finding a home for its 16 sports other than football and men's volleyball, which is in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation."
About how UH used to have its Rainbow Wahine teams compete in the Big West from 1985 through 1995 before joining the WAC, Big West Commissioner (for 30 years) Dennis Farrell said: "Hawaii certainly does have a great history with the Big West with their women's programs and we have a great affinity for their program and people over the years." (HSA)
HSA Note: "But Farrell said the Big West has a moratorium on expansion and hasn't taken on a new member since 2001-02. If they were willing to add UH, it could come with some form of travel subsidies, which UH doesn't pay in the WAC."
Refusing to speculate on the potential advantages and disadvantages of UH going independent, Karl Benson said:
"those are institutional decisions." (HSA)
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20100627_Leaving_the_WAC.html
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