Maui Opens Checkbook To Hula Bowl All-Star Football Game Relocates For Renovated Stadium, New Contract
When in doubt, go to Maui.
It’s advice the Hula Bowl is heeding this year as it moves the all-star game after 51 years in Honolulu. Officials hope a smaller stadium creates a more intimate setting and increased fan excitement.
Declining attendance the past few years at Aloha Stadium raised questions about the game’s future until the Hooters restaurant chain stepped up last year with a long-term sponsorship deal and the American Football Coaches Association this year extended its affiliation by five more years.
Seeing a chance to lure the game, Maui County promised to spend $1.2 million to renovate War Memorial Stadium, and signed a five-year deal with game organizers.
Renovation work was completed last month that increased seating from 6,700 to nearly 22,000, and added new locker rooms, air conditioning and a scoreboard.
“I’m very excited about the Hula Bowl being here in Maui,” said Grant Teaff, former Baylor coach and executive director of the coaches’ association. “It’s such a wonderful feeling being here in a place where folks have bent over backward for us.”
The game features the quarterbacks from the two national championship teams, Brian Griese of Michigan and Scott Frost of Nebraska. Neither sees the contest as a chance to settle the debate over which team really is No. 1.
“People keep asking that question. It has nothing to do with that,” Frost said. “Let us both enjoy our championship. This game is just a chance to get out to Hawaii and play with some good players.”
Griese said this game is the furthest thing from a national title game.
“Not even close. This is going to be the ugliest game of the year,” he said. “None of these guys have played with each other. There are going to be a lot of mistakes. Neither one of these teams could beat anybody.”
There also is Notre Dame quarterback Ron Powlus, who ends his college career with several school records and the disappointment of not winning the national title or Heisman Trophy that were predicted for him when he signed on as the most sought-after recruit of his high school class.
Powlus said despite taking much criticism at times during his career, he cherishes the memories of playing at Notre Dame.
“What happened was the local media convinced the fans that I did not live up to expectations because we did not win a national championship and I did not win a Heisman,” Powlus said. “I had a great career at Notre Dame. I was the quarterback at Notre Dame for four years. Who could ask for more than that?”
The coaching matchup reunites Arizona State’s Bruce Snyder with Ohio State’s John Cooper, whose Buckeyes killed the Sun Devils’ chances for a national title in 1997 with a last-second win in the Rose Bowl.
South coach Snyder doesn’t see the game as an opportunity for revenge.
“You play the game as hard as you can, coach as well as you can, let every kid play, let every kid demonstrate what he can do,” Snyder said. “And try to win the game.”