{"id":637,"date":"2026-06-17T12:06:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T12:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movingtohawaiiguide.com\/?p=637"},"modified":"2026-06-17T12:06:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T12:06:34","slug":"stephen-tsai-even-with-help-from-5-donors-hawaii-athletics-could-use-an-assist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movingtohawaiiguide.com\/?p=637","title":{"rendered":"Stephen Tsai: Even with help from 5 donors, Hawaii athletics could use an assist"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It was quite the celebration at the University of Hawaii\u2019s Ed Wong Room last week.<\/p>\n

Read more Police ID victim in fatal Saddle Road crash<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It was quite the celebration at the University of Hawaii\u2019s Ed Wong Room last week.<\/p>\n

Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank, Matson shipping company, Jack Tsui and Walter Dods Jr. collectively donated $1 million this year \u2014 $5 million over the next five years \u2014 to the UH athletic department\u2019s name-image-likeness fund to compensate student-athletes.<\/p>\n

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UH administrators and coaches were delighted to receive the pledge.<\/p>\n

And lawmakers, who declined to contribute state money to UH\u2019s NIL fund last month, were able to bask in the residual success of the private sector putting down the substantial ante. It was as if lawmakers signed the group birthday card without putting money in the envelope.<\/p>\n

And yet \u2026<\/p>\n

There still is more money that needs to be raised. In part to the House vs. NCAA settlement, in part to all Division I football programs committed to compensating players, UH needs $5 million to cover NIL payments for the 2026-27 academic year. The breakdown is this: $2.5 million to football, $1 million to men\u2019s basketball, $500,000 apiece to men\u2019s volleyball, Rainbow Wahine volleyball and women\u2019s basketball. UH also has set up NIL accounts for its 16 other sports. As athletic director Matt Elliott noted, UH has a 20% start toward its 2026-27 commitment.<\/p>\n

This summer, there are several fundraisers set to benefit the football program, including a golf tournament, a gathering at Ruby Tuesday\u2019s, and a ballroom gala. Local entrepreneur Michael Kawazoe and former UH quarterback Elroy Chong are among several prominent donors who have helped UH\u2019s NIL efforts.<\/p>\n

Of course, UH could have benefited greatly if a legislative request for $5 million had been granted during the recently completed session. That amount equated to 0.025% of the state\u2019s annual budget. Appearing to be sympathetic to the situation, lawmakers proposed establishing an endowment fund \u2014 state and UH each contribute the same amount \u2014 with the school eventually drawing off the interest. If UH had $1 million to $5 million to contribute, it wouldn\u2019t have needed to make the request.<\/p>\n

In the end, UH received zippo.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s the right of lawmakers, who are in charge of deciding the best way to spend money collected from taxpayers. Of course, there probably are more deserving recipients than defensive ends or off guards. But the UH-requested $5 million was not redirected to first responders, fourth grade teachers, UH professors or DMV clerks, either. <\/p>\n

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With collective bargaining, tax implications and seniority priorities, the state can\u2019t just award additional compensation to those deemed more worthy than student-athletes. There are processes that need to be addressed and established. And who would get the money? And would they also be willing to go for an endowment where each side kicks in money? Oh, wait, that\u2019s a 401(k).<\/p>\n

During debates about UH\u2019s NIL request, a state senator said his constituents were opposed to compensating players beyond a scholarship. While the sentiment might be true, there apparently has never been a state-sponsored survey on whether tax money should be used to contribute to NIL funds. (Then again, there has not been a poll on whether Kailua and Waianae residents favor paying, for example, for projects in Moanalua Gardens, Mililani Mauka or Ewa Beach.)<\/p>\n

And if the will of the people were the final say, then casinos should be built in Hawaii. According to the 2018 Eadington Lecture Series, one in 10 citizens of Hawaii visit Las Vegas every year, presumably for gambling. Or BTS concerts.<\/p>\n

Dods and Tsui spurred the recent donation because of their understanding of the college-sports landscape. This isn\u2019t 2010. Mostly every football player now gets paid, even for their avatar in video games. Walk-ons are fed. High school seniors have \u201cadvisers.\u201d Transfers have agents. Players now sign contracts instead of letters of intent.<\/p>\n

Dods has said he is hopeful more will contribute, maybe even the public sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know those people,\u201d Dods said. \u201cThey\u2019re under a lot of pressure. They\u2019re pulled back and forth. I don\u2019t want to get into the whole he-said, she-said stuff. But I feel by doing this, they can find they can be part of this, and come back in. My message is: \u2018Hey, brother, there\u2019s room for all of us. Let\u2019s all help out.\u2019 That was my subtle thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is UH\u2019s hope the next time the hat is passed around, there might be some state contributions.\n<\/p>\n

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Stephen Tsai: Even with help from 5 donors, Hawaii athletics could use an assist – Sports | Hawaii Tribune-Herald<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":636,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nStephen Tsai: Even with help from 5 donors, Hawaii athletics could use an assist - Moving to Hawaii Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movingtohawaiiguide.com\/?p=637\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stephen Tsai: Even with help from 5 donors, Hawaii athletics could use an assist - 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