The University of Hawai'i could see its Aloha Stadium rental fees for football games shrink "to zero" under a rule change passed by the Aloha Stadium Authority.

The change, passed on Thursday, gives the stadium authority flexibility to charge UH from zero to the current rate, which is 7.5 percent of the gross ticket sales or $10,000 per date, whichever is greater.

The amount charged to UH will depend on "how much revenue the stadium makes," said Kevin Chong Kee, stadium authority chairman.

"We didn't name any figures yet because we just passed the rule," Chong Kee said. "The board will have to discuss it."

"They are asking to reduce it to a percentage or to zero, and I would suspect that would be approved by the governor," said UH athletic director Herman Frazier.

In July, Gov. Linda Lingle urged the authority to be lenient on its football rental fees, saying UH should not be forced to pay stadium usage fees "as much as they do."

"It's concerned me for a long time why the university has been treated like a commercial enterprise, and why so much of the revenue they are able to generate is given to the stadium," Lingle told the stadium authority in a July 28 meeting. "Don't look at the university to balance your books. Why is the university not given favored treatment instead of paying as much as they do for something that the whole community enjoys?"

The amount of rent UH pays — more than $300,000 most seasons — has been an area of concern for the UH athletic department, which has operated at a deficit for three consecutive years. UH football is the breadwinner that helps sustain the school's multi-sport athletic department.

Frazier has called rent reduction at Aloha Stadium "the most important item on our plate" for the athletic department.

Frazier said "we will ask for it (rent relief) retroactively for this year."

The new rule did not mention retroactive rent reduction.

UH's rent through its first six home games this season was $281,118. That does not include the final home game against San Diego State. The Aloha Stadium Authority is still awaiting financial results from that game, said Debbie Ishihara, stadium administrative services officer.

In 2004, UH was billed $320,065 in rent for eight home games at Aloha Stadium.

UH still will be responsible for such operating expenses as clean-up, electricity, ushers and security. That amounted to $438,715 for six of seven home games this season, Ishihara said. In 2004, UH was charged $554,114.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.