The University of Hawaii is asking the community for money to support its athletic programs and marching band ahead of homecoming, a sign of how expensive college sports have become.

• Giving Week donations go to all 21 UH athletic programs.
• The money pays for scholarships, NIL deals, tutoring, food, and health care for student athletes.
• Recruiting and keeping good players now takes far more cash than it used to, so schools lean on donors to stay competitive.
• The marching band is also looking for help, with its drum major pushing for support going into homecoming.

Outlook: Expect UH to keep leaning on community fundraising, since NIL costs are only going up.