Why does Hawaii not have a football franchise in the NFL?

Answer 1

There are several key reasons why Honolulu does not have an NFL franchise or any major sports franchise for that matter.

The hardest obstacle to overcome has been the sheer travel distance for visiting teams and logistical problems that go along with it.

Hawaii is the most isolated land mass on the planet. Moving teams and their equipment, not to mention any media coverage (Television, Radio, etc) is no small task, nor is it cheap.

The island of Oahu, and more specifically Honolulu, where any proposed franchise would no doubt be based, does have the earmarks of a "big league" city. What it lacks is the surrounding suburban population that other major cities draw from for their home games and fan base.

Of the 4 major professional sports (Football, Baseball, Basketball and Hockey), Football is the only sport that has a legitimate shot of being feasible.

It would probably take a major paradigm shift in the NFL for Hawaii to be awarded a franchise. Perhaps when American football raises a much larger following globally, a Hawaii based franchise would become appealing to the league and any potential investor.

However, it would be far more likely that places like Canada, Japan and Europe would claim a franchise first.

Even with all these factors in mind, Hawaii's football fans would surely embrace professional football in the islands as is evident every February when the NFL's Probowl is played in Honolulu before sold out crowds.