UH football to debut Hawaiian Airlines jersey patch against Stanford

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaiʻi football team is set to debut new uniforms featuring a Hawaiian Airlines Pualani patch, marking the first time a college football program has partnered with an airline for a jersey sponsorship.

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The patch will make its first appearance on Saturday when the Rainbow Warriors host Stanford. The sponsorship represents the latest collaboration in a partnership between the airline and UH Athletics that has spanned more than three decades.

For Rainbow Warriors head coach Timmy Chang, the partnership carries personal significance.

“My mom worked for Hawaiian for 30-plus years, so I am very, very proud to be associated with this partnership,” Chang said. “Hawaiian Airlines gave me my first flight to the mainland, my first flight to the neighbor islands, so this partnership means everything.”

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As the official airline of UH Athletics, the carrier will charter the football team to all six of its road games this season.

UH Athletics Director Matt Elliott said the charter agreement is designed to improve travel logistics and player readiness for mainland games.

“I don’t want it to get lost that Hawaiian is going to provide a charter flight for every single football trip this year, every leg no matter where we have to be,” Elliott said. “Knowing that’s possible, this partnership is one that would allow our student-athletes to be successful, because we see the difference when they have the chance to fly and be prepared.”

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