UH Will Play at Ching Field - 100% Capacity Being Allowed

[TheDuke]

Has there been any mention of having UH fans/public that attend games on campus show that they are fully vaccinated? The reason I mention this is that the school mandated this this fall that returning students be vaccinated (5/17). So if the schools wants to be in a safe bubble then it should require that the fans attending games on campus be vaccinated imo. Yet (correct me if I'm wrong) there's been no mention of this (?). With 9 weeks before the start of the season I think it would be wise to plan ahead. In today's paper Marlin hopes that the Covid restrictions are lifted before the season. I just hope that he's thinking of every contingency. I also wish there was a secondary venue where fans can watch the game. Not everyone can attend the games because of seat limitations however I would venture to say if there was a venue that can seat a lot fans it would be win win. (I know I would go)-I am thinking the NBC, Kennedy Theater, Stan Sheriff, or a banguet room of the bigger hotels. With 7 games on O16, 6 on national TV that's a lot of football to tap into and I hope that the fans that would otherwise attend the games but are left out because of seat limitations have a good experience too I wish that someone would think out of the box it can work.

Good recommendations.

[kapakahi]

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/07/ ... to-matlin/

From the Star-Advertiser....

SPORTS
Transformation of Ching complex to a 9,000-seat stadium is ‘on track,’ UH athletic director says
By Stephen Tsai Today Updated 7:40 am

Renovations continue at Ching Field for the upcoming University of Hawaii football season

The University of Hawaii has reached the end zone in its sprint to retrofitting its on-campus stadium.

The bleachers, which were prefabricated on the mainland, are being laid out behind the end zone on the Diamond Head side of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex. Once those bleachers, which can fit approximately 2,000 spectators, are assembled, Ching will be a step away from meeting the 9,000-seat goal for this coming college football season. Ching will serve as the Rainbow Warriors’ home stadium for at least the next three football seasons.

“I’m pleased we’re on track,” said UH athletic director David Matlin, whose Warriors’ home opener is against Portland State on Sept. 4. “There’s more work to do. We’re on track based on our timelines.”

UH was forced to scramble for a football home when Aloha Stadium officials announced in December that structural concerns would prevent spectator-attended events from being staged at the 46-year-old facility in Halawa. Plans for a new Halawa stadium are navigating through the legislative and private-sector courses. Meanwhile, after considering several options, including playing games at Maui’s War Memorial Stadium, UH officials decided to retrofit 3,200-seat Ching field.

The project began with the 1,380-seat bleachers on the makai sideline being relocated to behind the ‘Ewa end zone.

Two weeks ago, a set of 3,399-seat bleachers, which were prefabricated on the mainland, arrived on campus. After adjustments to meet disability requirements, those bleachers were assembled on the makai side. “They’re still battening down the hatches and all that stuff, smaller stuff,” Matlin said, but “the makai grandstands are up now.”

After completing work on the Diamond Head bleachers, workers will install the pre-made “suites” on the makai side. “It’s like an Erector Set,” Matlin said of the assembly.

On the mauka side is a three-story building featuring concrete bleachers. There is no update on when plastic benches will be placed on the concrete bleachers. “The worst case is you’ll still have seats there,” Matlin said.

Matlin indicated UH essentially met the goal of installing a new artificial playing turf by the end of June. “The whole turf is there,” Matlin said. “I don’t think it’s finalized. Now they’re putting some of the trim in. They’re doing some of the details for it.”

The AstroTurf was placed without scarring the track, which was installed two years ago.

Matlin said footing and steel work will begin soon to support the new two-sided scoreboard. Daktronics, a South Dakota-based company specializing in LED video displays, is expected to install the scoreboard in August. “That goes up pretty quick,” said Matlin, who has worked successfully with Daktronics in the past. “A lot of (the installation) is the programming and connectivity, and that’s all ready to go.”

The retrofitting project is estimated to cost $8.3 million. So-called “repair and maintenance” money will cover part of the costs. The UH Foundation has raised more than $4 million, including the $1.5 million donation from the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, to offset expenses. “We’re not quite all paid for, but we’re in pretty decent shape,” Matlin said. “We have more work to do.”

Matlin said UH will send seat assignment information to potential season-ticket buyers beginning this week.

Matlin also is hopeful state guidelines will ease restrictions on gatherings for large sporting events. “We’re going to continue to follow all ordinances, but we seem to be trending in a good direction,” Matlin said.

[st808]

I would venture to say if there was a venue that can seat a lot fans it would be win win. (I know I would go)-I am thinking the NBC, Kennedy Theater, Stan Sheriff, or a banguet room of the bigger hotels. With 7 games on O16, 6 on national TV that's a lot of football to tap into and I hope that the fans that would otherwise attend the games but are left out because of seat limitations have a good experience too I wish that someone would think out of the box it can work.

i suggested the stan sheriff as a viewing site, but another poster pointed out that the u.h. is not scheduling any other sport on days with football home games to alleviate traffic in the area. convention center and nbc might work if they are not booked. otherwise, i'm stuck buying cable game broadcasts again as i don't think my h club starter status is enough to secure season tickets this year.

[kapakahi]

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1411114000473985025

[uhwarriors]

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1411399346654879747

[uhwarriors]

The new turf looks done. Diamond head endzone stands are starting to be erected.

https://twitter.com/HawaiiAthletics/status/1412592202484785153

[uhwarriors]

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1412885482346668032

[uhwarriors]

Diamond Head endzone bleachers look about half complete.

https://twitter.com/NaKoaFootball/status/1413301172438323201

[My3Cats]

That's fast. More to come, but doable.

[Palolo_2LA]

They should have went big from a design effect to make the place unique! Rainbow turf or tribal turf?

I'm happy for the kids that they turn this build around pretty quickly.

[UnBiasFan]

Well I was a naysayer ... but now I am ready for this. There is actually no better place to play football than on your own practice field with upgraded field turf. Can we bring a few parts of the old stadium over for good luck? Maybe like an honorary piece of rusted steel.

[UnBiasFan]

They should have went big from a design effect to make the place unique! Rainbow turf or tribal turf?

I'm happy for the kids that they turn this build around pretty quickly.

The dark green sections will make great camouflage for our DB’s if we break out a dark green home uniform.

[uhwarriors]

The Diamond Head endzone bleachers are about 90% complete. They unfortunately now block the view from the Murakami Stadium reception room which used to have a pretty good view of Ching Field. The Makai sideline luxury boxes are starting to come up. No work is being done on Mauka sideline seats yet. Below grade infrastructure also underway.

Well I was a naysayer ... but now I am ready for this. There is actually no better place to play football than on your own practice field with upgraded field turf. Can we bring a few parts of the old stadium over for good luck? Maybe like an honorary piece of rusted steel.

While probably not the rusted steel, I've heard Aloha Stadium will be giving some things to UH since they don't have a use for them now.

[st808]

I've heard Aloha Stadium will be giving some things to UH since they don't have a use for them now.

hand towels, toilet paper, soap dispensers, game clocks, p.a. system, turnstiles, traffic cones, scoreboard and aloha would help.


quoted uhwarriors, don't know how i ended up getting that quote attributed to me.

[uhwarriors]

https://twitter.com/HawaiiAthletics/status/1415492535758188545