BY EDDIE KIM – Gov. Neil Abercrombie caused a national media firestorm with sharp comments given on Thursday about the NFL, the Pro Bowl and the state’s deal to pay $4 million annually to host the event at Aloha Stadium.
The Pro Bowl is “so stupid”, Abercrombie said, noting that “You can’t do things like give $4 million to a $9 billion football industry and not give money to children.”
“That kind of egregious self-indulgence has to stop,” said Abercrombie. “Four million dollars is a lot of money. That’s the kind of thing you have to look at.”
He continued, saying that “Right now you’ve got this spectacle of these multi- millionaires and billionaires out there arguing about how they are going to divide it up, and then they come and ask us to bribe them with $4 million to have a scrimmage out here in paradise.”
His comments were reported across the nation on the Associated Press and on sports media outlets such as ESPN. Even Rush Limbaugh, the popular conservative radio talk show host, responded to Abercrombie’s words.
“…Neil Abercrombie [is] a real nut case,” Limbaugh said on air. “…Wait a minute, $4 million that you pay the NFL but what about the economic impact? You’ve got people flying in from all over the mainland to watch the game….What about the economic impact?”
According to a study done for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the all-star game accounted for $28.15 million in visitor spending this year and generated $3.07 million in state taxes just from visitors who came to see the game.
Senator Sam Slom (R-8th District) says that the research on the economic benefits of the Pro Bowl “would convince just about anybody that the return on investment for the $4 million is really worthwhile”.
“To make this kind of comment, about how the money is needed for education for children, I think compeletely ignores what that money goes towards,” Slom said. “I think the NFL has been very generous in both helping schools and educational programs and charities, and getting rid of [the Pro Bowl] seems to be short-sighted.”
And Fred Hemmings – legendary surfer, former Hawaii Senator and current board member of the Denver Broncos football team – commented on the less-tangible benefits that hosting the Pro Bowl might have on Hawaii.
“You also have to measure the worth of the Pro Bowl by…say, earned media coverage,” Hemmings said. “You have to look at how much Hawaii and the Pro Bowl gets mentioned in prime time coverage across the nation and how that affects our image, our economy.”
Abercrombie went on to say that the economics of the Pro Bowl was less significant than the potential revenue that capitalizing on civil unions could bring. “Please, we will get more out of civil unions in a weekend then we will get out of those guys,” he said, referring to the Pro Bowl.
The NFL has so far declined to comment to the media.
Controversy or not, both Hemmings and Slom remarked that at the very least, Abercrombie’s candor was an interesting departure from the usual political dialogue.
“I’ve known [Abercrombie] for the past 50 years – we both were at the University of Hawaii at the same time – and this is him. This is vintage Neil,” Slom said with a laugh. “He says what he thinks.”
Once again Neil has demonstrated that a Doctorate in American Studies from UH leaves a void in knowledge of accounting and economic principles. What is truly egregious is the fact that our current Governor is worried about a $4 Million expenditure in marketing the state to the world, while he advocates the expenditure of $5.6 Billion to construct a rail system that: (1) serves less than 20% of the state’s population base, (2) will not relieve the traffic congestion, and (3) will result in Billions of dollars in subsidy for it’s routine operation and maintenance.
This kind of reckless behavior is why businesses and events don’t come to Hawaii. The governor’s short sightedness just shows how he doesn’t get the big pictures. His time in Washington must have gotten him use to the walled garden way of doing things.
What this governor just did is roll up the welcome mat to a major sporting events and the free television coverage that would receive.
It doesn’t matter your view on gay unions or such, but to say that it would generate more revenues than a major sporting event is ridiculous and shows his lack of the business sense for Hawaii. To exclude the huge potential windfall from the Pro Bowl can be disastrous.
Every governor before Uncle Neil, knew the importance of the Pro Bowl and the NFL.
There is no guarantee that the 4 million dollarsnwould ever make to the children and not some pork project that uncle wants.
Really Uncle, are you really that out of touch with the business community? That kind of policy will make you a one term governor, governor.
Aloha
Your average tax paying citizen
Here we go, governor complains about the pro- bowl and the money it’s taking away from the children but is willing to do nothing and let the worthless rail system drain the state and saddle our children’s future with horrendous debt, on another note I would rather see gamling open up in this state for potential revenue than what civil unions and all the gays that would flock to this state, keep the queens at queens beach and not in waikiki…..
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While he was campaigning, the Governor said that had he been in charge the previous term, he never would have furloughed the teachers. He never did say what he’d do instead to come up with the money. Now we know. Drain the Hurricane Relief Fund and punt the Pro Bowl.
Someone needs to stick a foot in his ball. or should have i said in his______. you decide..
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