Hawai'i football, local restaurants partner in NIL deal

Hawai’i football is partnering with local restaurants in a NIL deal known as the Braddahhood Grindz program.

Hawai’i football is entering a new era. This era embraces the tradition of the program, under head coach and former star quarterback Timmy Chang. Part of that is embracing “braddahhood.” Another change he’s made is embracing nutrition. So, the Hawai’i football team and local restaurants are working together through a new NIL program.

This NIL deal comes from a place of need. Chang wants better nutrition, but the Hawai’i program lacks resources. This program helps to feed the athletes.

“Nutrition is a big need for us and now we get a chance to feed these guys.” Chang told Hawaii News Now. “We can get them big and ready for the season and they’re happier.”

The Braddahhood Grindz program allows Hawai’i football players to sign NIL deals with local restaurants, including Giovanni Pastrami’s, Gyu Taku, Kuhio Food Hall and Ruby Tuesday’s. That way they can eat the food they need during the summer when the program doesn’t have the money to keep them fed. It also means the players will come to camp in better shape for the 2022 season.

“We feed them, that’s their compensation,” said Ryan Tanaka of the Hawaii Restaurant Association.

“In return, they have to smile for the camera. They post on social media. They do those kinds of things, but we’re keeping it as simple as possible for them because really the intent for us is just to take care of our boys.”

In the future, both Hawai’i football and the Hawaii Restaurant Association hope to expand this program.

Hawai’i football’s financial problems

It’s no secret that the Hawai’i football program traditionally has financial challenges that other programs don’t face. They relate, primarily, to the travel costs that Hawai’i must endure to the mainland. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and Aloha Stadium being condemned have added to that burden.

In 2021, Star-Advertiser reported that playing in a makeshift stadium, rather than Aloha Stadium, would cost the program $400,000 annually. So, as the program works to finance a new stadium, they’ll keep taking significant losses. That only makes things more difficult financially.

Financial issues are so severe that a lack of support pushed June Jones, the best coach in program history, out. They also mean that adding things like a nutrition program is almost impossible without the benefit of NIL.