In 1999, Aloha Stadium was the venue for June Jones as he took over the helm of the Warrior football team and sparked the best turnaround in NCAA football history, which was capped by a victory over Oregon State in the Jeep Oahu Bowl. The Warriors appeared in their third bowl game under Jones last year as they beat the University of Houston in triple-overtime in front of a national audience.

In 2003, Aloha Stadium received a face-lift when the aging AstroTurf surface was stripped and replaced with state-of-the-art, NFL-endorsed FieldTurf, which may reduce the number of turf-related injuries.

UH made its stadium debut on Sept. 13, 1975, against Texas A&I. The team and fans needed to make adjustments because the stadium stands 10 miles from the Manoa campus, while the old Honolulu Stadium was just a half-mile away.

Three seasons after picking up their first win in November 1975, Hawai‘i played in front of its first sold-out crowd, as they lost the 1978 season-finale to USC, 21-5.

Through the 1980s, fans swarmed to Aloha Stadium as the Warriors consistently averaged more than 40,000 spectators per game. Nearly a half-million fans walked through the turnstiles in 1989, not including a sellout crowd in UH’s first postseason bowl game, a 33-13 loss to Michigan State in the Jeep Eagle Aloha Bowl.

The 1992 season, in which the Warriors claimed its first Western Athletic Conference Championship, was witnessed by an average of 44,432 fans per game. The number declined during the mid-1990s, along with the team’s success. But since Jones took over, Hawai‘i has made Aloha Stadium a true home-field advantage once again.

Hawai‘i’s Showcase
For 20 years, Aloha Stadium had hosted the annual Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day. The Oahu Bowl was added in 1998 and created the nation’s first bowl doubleheader. Despite both bowls being moved away, Aloha Stadium now plays host to the annual Hawai‘i Bowl, which is slated for December 24 this year.

The Pro Bowl, which features the top athletes from the NFL, comes to town during the first week of February every year, drawing thousands of fans to the 50th state. The event has been stationed in Hawai‘i for the past 24 years and has been sold out all but once.

Along with housing the Warrior football squad, the multifaceted facility can transform into a baseball diamond. Aloha Stadium has hosted major league series and occasional UH baseball games. On May 19, 1979, All-American pitcher Derek Tatsuno made his final home start in front of 18,345 fans, the largest crowd in NCAA history at that time.

Many big-name musicians have graced the Aloha Stadium stage in its 29-year history, too. Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Van Halen, Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion have all rocked the complex.

High schools also take advantage of the state’s largest outdoor facility. The state’s football, baseball, and soccer championships have been held on Aloha Stadium’s turf many times throughout the years. Many high schools even hold their commencement ceremonies there, too.

Aloha Stadium regularly hosts tractor pulls, motocross races, and its biggest money maker--the ever-popular swap meet, which is held in the stadium’s parking lot every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Hawai‘i’s 50th State Fair, farm fair, and a sports carnival are held there annually.

The Stadium
Aloha Stadium features four, 3.5-million-pound mobile grandstands, which use the “air film” principle to transform into three separate configurations. In just 30 minutes, the stadium can convert into a baseball diamond, football field, or a triangle for concerts and plays.

The installation of FieldTurf in the summer of 2003 gave Aloha Stadium one of the premier playing surfaces in the nation. FieldTurf is comprised of artificial grass blades and a formulated mixture of silica sand and ground rubber filtered between the grass fibers. The grass fibers combined with the infill mix create a resilient, shock-absorbing surface.

Four spacious locker rooms, fitted with 100 lockers, are available for each team. Additionally, there are saunas, hydrotherapy units, lounges, training rooms, and team meeting rooms. Decorating the stadium’s loge section are two press boxes that seat nearly 200 members of the media, stadium officials, and VIPs.
Nationally honored chef Sam Choy has some of his good eats available at concession stands throughout the stadium. Aloha Stadium also provides first-aid, lost and found, security, hearing-impaired devices, I.D. bracelets, and disability parking and seating. The box office is open six days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.