When John Moniz received free tickets to the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, he knew exactly what to do with them.

"I called my brother and said it was an opportunity to spend Christmas Eve with family," said Moniz, 54, of Wai'anae, who works at O'ahu Community Correctional Center.

Moniz was one of 16,134 at yesterday's bowl game, which featured the University of Central Florida and University of Nevada, Reno.

Moniz received 18 tickets at last Sunday's Foster Family Programs of Hawai'i Christmas party at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. He and his group of 15 were at Aloha Stadium yesterday by 2 p.m. to tailgate. "It's something different," Moniz said. "I love watching football."

He saw a thriller yesterday, with Nevada winning in overtime, 49-48.

To be in compliance with the NCAA, a bowl game must average 25,000 fans through the turnstiles over a three-year period. The Hawai'i Bowl reported turnstile attendance of 25,551 in 2003 and 38,322 in 2004. Counting yesterday's game, that's an average of almost 27,000.

The bowl needed a turnstile count of 11,200 yesterday to maintain an average of 25,000 for the three-year period.

"I'm just very pleased that 16,000 people made their way out here, and I think it's been a great football game," Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl executive director Jim Donovan said.

Many fans used the opportunity to watch a football game as a way to spend time with their family and friends.

Jody and Faaatuatu "Atu" Spencer, parents of Nevada wide receiver and Kamehameha Schools graduate Caleb Spencer, arrived by noon to start their pre-game festivities.

Caleb had placed nearly 200 people on a pass list to enter the game, and nearly all of them were tailgating before kickoff. Many were wearing navy blue shirts with the number "87" and "Spencer" on the back, made by Caleb's fiancee, Megan Kanoa.

"He would have come home (regardless), but to have him play football, and for us to fellowship with everyone, it worked out perfectly," Jody Spencer said.

"It was part of his dream, to win the (Western Athletic Conference title) and come home to play," said Atu Spencer, who added that it was part of Caleb's gift to his grandmother, Elizabeth Spencer, who turned 82 yesterday.

Sisters Deena Kojima and Renee Torres took their children to the "Keiki Holiday Village," which offered rides and face painting. As part of a promotion, children were admitted free to the village and bowl game if they brought a Christmas stocking, while their parents got in for two canned goods apiece.

"It's football; football has always been tradition for us," said Kojima, 33, of Wahiawa, who came with daughters Adrienne, 5, and Brienne, 2, and husband Dwayne, who was volunteering at the game.

"We usually follow the (University of Hawai'i) football team, but we would come to this" even though UH was not playing, Deena Kojima said.

"That's why it's good they have all this," she added, pointing to the holiday village.

Torres, 28, who was with her son Austyn, 3 1/2, said having the bowl game on Christmas Eve did not interfere with family plans.

"We usually do their family gathering on Christmas Day," said Torres, a teacher at Manoa Valley Church Preschool. Austyn "likes to come."

Others took advantage of free tickets. Mark Dille, 25, of Florida, and friend Brandon Wade, 19, of Texas, came as part of a military promotion. Dille is in the Army and Wade is in the Navy.

"I think it's great that they're letting us get into games free," said Dille. "It's definitely a good Christmas present."

Wade said, "It's good when you have nothing else to do. It's definitely better than being stuck on a ship."

'Aiea's Chris McManus, 23, had planned to buy tickets, until he heard he could get them for free at a swap meet promotion.

"Good for me," said McManus, who picked up 10 tickets. He said he completed all his Christmas obligations, "so I have a free day."

Bowl director Donovan said 2,000 tickets were distributed at the swap meet, 1,100 tickets to the military, and 150 at the holiday village.

On Thursday, the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl and ESPN, which owns its rights, announced a two-year extension agreement that would carry it through to 2007, with an option for an additional two years. Next year, a Pac-10 Conference team is scheduled to meet a team from the WAC.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.