The Diamond Head Classic will try to reach new heights with its new title sponsor.

Hawaiian Airlines was announced yesterday as the title sponsor for the eight-team basketball tournament.

The inaugural Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic is scheduled for Dec. 22, 23 and 25 at the Stan Sheriff Center. The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team will serve as the host team.

"To take an iconic landmark such as Diamond Head and couple it with an iconic business brand such as Hawaiian Airlines is truly a perfect match," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN Regional Television.

Ten of the 12 games in the 2009 tournament will be televised nationally on the ESPN network of stations.

"This event will be a very important development for tourism to the state of Hawai'i," Hawaiian Airlines CEO Mark Dunkerley said. "We are pleased and honored to have an opportunity to step up to put some investment in play and help attract viewers to this event on ESPN."

Hawaiian Airlines will be the title sponsor for the tournament through 2011, and will provide transportation and marketing support.

"We do have a profit sharing plan with ESPN for this, so when you have a title sponsor coming in, it helps raise the total revenue, of which we will likely get a share of," Hawai'i athletic director Jim Donovan said.

ESPN's Derzis said the sponsorship should assist in bringing in quality teams to Hawai'i in future years.

"We can offer teams an opportunity to fly to Hawai'i, and that is certainly valuable in helping us build quality fields," he said.

The 2009 field is already set. Joining Hawai'i are College of Charleston, Northeastern, Saint Mary's, SMU, UNLV, USC and Western Michigan.

The pairings and game times have yet to be announced.

Donovan said the combination of Hawaiian Airlines, ESPN and UH should make it "the premier basketball tournament in the country."