PPV and ticket prices deals being offered for UH

About how they adjusted PPV and season-ticket prices to reflect the challenging economy, JD said:
"We're concerned about the economy, which is one big reason why we took a good look at what we could do to give our customers more value. That's why we asked our pay-per-view partners, KFVE/KHNL and Oceanic Time Warner Cable, to take a hard look at coming up with a good package and discounts for our season-ticket holders and why we have instituted changes in our football ticket sales." (HA)

"In these tough economic times, we want to be responsive to the additional financial hurdles facing our fans. We feel these price reductions will help people better afford season tickets and enjoy fun family outings to UH football games." (HA)

HA Note: "UH has dropped ticket prices in six selected end zone areas for football, and froze other prices. In addition, Donovan said season-ticket holders who purchase their tickets by July 18 will receive 65 percent off on a special road football pay-per-view package."

About dropping season-ticket prices in certain sections at Aloha Stadium, JD said:
"We want to make UH football affordable for as many of our fans as possible and provide added value to our season-ticket holders." (HSB)

"We hope this will encourage more families to buy season tickets." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Adult season tickets in the red and yellow levels of the north end zone dropped $24 from last year to $75. Youth (4 years old to high school) season tickets in the north end zone are $60, a drop of $17 from 2007. Senior citizens also will be paying $17 less from last season for tickets in these same areas. Season tickets in the south end zone's red and yellow sections dropped $17 to $110 for the season."

HSB Note: "Pay-per-view prices for Hawaii sports events have been tinkered with every year. Partners UH, KHNL/KFVE and Oceanic Time-Warner try to come up with what will maximize attendance and revenue through a combination of ticket and TV sales. They officially released their pricing today for football this fall (along with volleyball and basketball pay per view), with the highlight being lower prices for some seats in the stadium (as previously reported), and a 65 percent discount on road game pay per view for season-ticket purchasers".

About having the 5-game road PPV package costing just $99 for season-ticket holders instead of $280, JD said:
"My main concern was that we come up with a package for the season-ticket holders, the people who actually fill the stadium for the home games, so they can watch the road games (live). I think $99 for all those road games is a great introductory rate. Secondly, we wanted to have something affordable (for home games), yet make you consider being a season-ticket holder. I think we're there. On a game-to-game basis, it's about the same (price)." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The price for a complete 11-game pay-per-view package is $580 for Oahu and $295 for neighbor islands (renewals from 2007 are $380 and $185). Single-game prices are $50 or $60 on Oahu and $25 or $30 depending on the opponent. Last year, Oahu viewers paid $385 as new subscribers and $330 if renewing."

HA Note: "

UH and its partners, KFVE/KHNL and Oceanic Time Warner Cable, will offer 21 events — the largest pay-per-view package in the plan's seven-year history. It will include the most football selections ever, 11 of the 13 regular season games, five Rainbow Wahine volleyball matches and five men's basketball events. Last year UH had a 19-event package, which included eight football games. The package will include UH's first two road games, Aug. 30 at Florida and Sept. 13 at Oregon State. The only exclusions are the Oct. 17 game at Boise State and either the Nov. 29 Washington State or Dec. 6 Cincinnati home games, which ESPN has selected."

About the increased number of games for PPV this year, KHNL/KFVE GM John Fink said:
"If you do the math, last year there were eight games, this year there are 11. So it's actually less expensive per game this year. And if you look at the games we've got, it's the best package we've ever had." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The pay-per-view road games are Florida, Oregon State, Fresno State, Utah State and New Mexico State. The home games are Weber State, San Jose State, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, Idaho and either Washington State or Cincinnati. ESPN plans on televising the Washington State or Cincinnati game."

About how PPV subscribers will get a rebate (like in past year) if other games are picked up by networks that won't black out the game locally, Fink said:
"We deal with that every year and we'll deal with that as it comes along." (HSB)

About how season-ticket holders have to purchase the road PPV by July 18 if they want the discount, Fink said:
"I want to make it clear that after we beat Florida and then we beat Weber State the guy wants to buy the pay-per-view package and says I'm a season-ticket holder, (well), you don't get the discount any more." (HA)

About their projection of a gain of 2000 season-ticket packages sold from last year, JD said:
"That's a vote of confidence in (new coach) Greg McMackin and because of what happened last season." (HSB)

About how not everyone can go to games so PPV lets them see the games, JD said:
"A lot of people who moved over from old Honolulu Stadium in 1975, they're now retired. So If you're 65 to 70-plus, it can be very difficult moving up and down numerous steps without rails (at the stadium). Pay per view becomes an option for them .There's a lot of people working on Saturdays now. They work shifts that don't let them get off on time to get out there, tailgate, but they can get home and grab the pay per view. That's where society is today. Pay per view is a necessity for a portion of our fans. For others it's an option. KFVE and Oceanic come in with about 10 percent of our budget for the year, and it's primarily through pay per view. People who watch pay per view support us. We'd just like those who can to strongly consider coming out to a game." (HSB)

About how advertising sales are encouraging so far for their broadcasts, Fink said:
"We're just starting. We've had great response so far. We're real happy with what we're presenting and we expect it to be another good year. As far as pay per view goes, the numbers were actually slipping on the season package (last year). But because the price went up we were able to maintain our revenue. We'll see what happens this year. As the team does better, you get more individual game buys, based on the team's performance. That's going to be a wait-and-see as the season goes along." (HSB)

About how UH games will not be in HD yet, John McNamara said:
"It is on the horizon, just not this time around." (HA)

About how they want to go to HD sometime in the near future, Fink said:
"We're looking at the possibility down the road. There's no question we will gravitate toward it but right now it is prohibitively expensive and we're just not prepared, at this point, to put everything into HD." (HA)

HA Note: "Norman Santos, Oceanic's vice president of operations, said approximately 17 per cent of Oceanic's 420,000 subscribers have HD capability and people in the industry say the number grows by about 2,000 a month. Oceanic's OC-16 will show high school football in HD this fall."

About how adding HD would cost about $2 mil, Fink said:
"We have to weigh the cost involved. We're in the process of putting in a whole new facility (on Waiakamilo Road), which is costing is multi-millions." (HA)

About the concern that people might prefer HD on TV over going to Aloha Stadium, JD said:
"I believe we are going to create an environment at the facility itself that people will want to be a part of." (HA)

HA Note: "Nate Smith, Oceanic president, has said it is no longer a case of "if" for HD on UH games, "but when." "