Report Title:

Exploring the Feasibility of a Pre-season NFL Game in Hawaii

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

90

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to explore with the National Football League the feasibility of scheduling a pre-season National Football League game in Hawaii.

 

 

WHEREAS, the presence of professional sporting events in the community generates numerous public benefits, including television exposure of Hawaii, increased visitor interest, and increased revenues to the State; and

WHEREAS, televised sporting event broadcasts offer visual exposure through in-broadcast vignettes of Hawaii's incomparable natural beauty and people or athlete testimonials; and

WHEREAS, the National Football League's (NFL) Pro Bowl is a prime example of the benefits to Hawaii as a result of television products that are broadcast live from Hawaii during game week; and

WHEREAS, these include NFL Pro Bowl Game, the Battle of the Gridiron, the NFL Alumni Legends Beach Bowl, and the NFL Charities Beach Bowling Bash, as well as numerous commercials and other promotional spots mentioning the "NFL Pro Bowl Game in Hawaii"; and

WHEREAS, the State also receives a number of tangible marketing benefits by virtue of its sponsorship of sporting events, including television commercials in highly rated broadcasts, exposure in print media in numerous mainland markets, retail promotions in key markets, access to consumer databases, and assets such as ticket and hospitality invitations, which are used in sweepstakes and other promotional activities; and

WHEREAS, for example, the recently signed PGA TOUR agreement has provided over forty 30-second commercials (valued at over $1.2 million) in the months of January and February alone, amounting to a return on investment of over sixty percent; and

WHEREAS, televised sporting events unquestionably generate viewer inquiries about visiting Hawaii, as, for example, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau reported that over four hundred requests for information were received following a recent broadcast of the IronMan Triathlon World Championships; and

WHEREAS, major sporting events that occur in Hawaii attract both vacation and business visitors to our market, resulting in increased revenues to the State from purchases of airfare, lodging, food and beverage, and the like; and

WHEREAS, major sporting events in Hawaii traditionally attract large numbers of attendees or participants, such as: the NFL's all star Pro Bowl Game, which has been a perennial sellout in Hawaii for twenty years; the Maui Invitational basketball tournament, which reports that over 2,100 people travel to Hawaii to participate in the event, resulting in an economic impact of over $5.6 million; and the 2002 U.S. Master’s Swimming Championships, which will host over 6,000 athletes, most of whom will travel with family members and stay an average of seven days; and

WHEREAS, major sporting events also need logistical and other support, thus providing significant business opportunities for local vendors and others; and

WHEREAS, for example, during the Pro Bowl, the NFL expended over $6,000,000 in contracts with numerous local firms for services and products, such as advertising, printing, equipment rental, security, catering, and more; and

WHEREAS, last year, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, recognizing the benefit to the state of holding the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and maintaining the tropical island image in front of NFL sports fans, agreed to pay near $19,500,000 to continue to host the Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium through the year 2005; and

WHEREAS, in addition the economic impact on the local economy, most major sporting events have a charitable component; for example, the 2001 NFL Pro Bowl will donate over $200,000 for local children's charities, while the Mercedes Championships is expected to donate over $130,000; and

WHEREAS, all major sporting events have corporate sponsors with whom the State can develop relationships that generate opportunities for business development, such as bookings of the Hawaii Convention Center or joint promotions; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to explore with the National Football League the feasibility of scheduling a pre-season National Football League game in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to report to the Legislature on the progress of this development no later than twenty days prior to the commencement of the Regular Session of 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Commissioner of the National Football League; the Chairperson and the Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority; and the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________