The Univ. of Hawaii athletic department is “set up to score off the merchandising of new head football coach Norm Chow,” as two local firms “have reached agreements to share proceeds from T-shirts and other items playing off the coach's name, and the school is planning its own line of merchandise,” according to sources cited by Ferd Lewis of the Honolulu STAR-ADVERTISER. Maui Bay Shirt Company, through its Buti-Groove subsidiary, had $25 "Chow Time" T-shirts “on sale before the Dec. 21 official announcement that Chow would succeed Greg McMackin.” Maui Bay co-Owner B.J. Sabate said that "‘between 600 and 700’ T-shirts had been sold as of Tuesday and additional lines, including hats and pennants, are planned for outlets on Oahu and the neighbor islands.” Sabate said that proceeds “will go to buy season tickets for distribution to youth organizations and others.” He said that the company also “plans to develop a shirt for a planned downtown rally Jan. 11.” Meanwhile, Hawaii-based QSR L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has "Chow Down" T-shirts for sale on its website for “$15 and will begin selling an initial allotment of 500 at its stores” today. L&L COO Bryan Andaya said that money from the company’s shirt sale “will be donated to UH athletics with the company underwriting the cost of the shirts.” Attorney Carter Chow, Norm's son, said, "Any royalties that would have otherwise been paid to my dad for the use of his name will be donated to UH" (Honolulu STAR-ADVERTISER, 1/4).
