An aerial view of the University of Hawaii at Manoa athletic complex is shown. Five donors have committed a combined $5 million to the University of Hawaii Foundation to support student-athletes through the school's Name, Image and Likeness efforts. Photo courtesy University of Hawaii

University of Hawaii athletic programs got a major boost Wednesday with five donors committing to give $5 million to the UH Foundation to support name, image and likeness opportunities for student-athletes.

The commitment will provide $1 million annually over the next five years to help UH retain homegrown talent, recruit high-level student-athletes and provide equitable opportunities across its sports programs in an increasingly competitive environment.

The five contributors have each committed to provide $200,000 annually for five years. They are Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank, Matson and longtime UH supporters and community leaders Jack Tsui and Walter Dods.

“This extraordinary commitment reflects something that has always made Hawaii special: people who deeply believe in UH and understand the important role athletics plays in bringing our community together,” UH Director of Athletics Matt Elliott said in a news release. “College athletics has changed, and our objective is to adapt in a way that reflects the values of this university and our state.”

As NIL compensation has become standard for NCAA Division I athletics nationwide, university leaders estimate UH needs approximately $5 million annually in NIL support to remain competitive in the Mountain West Conference and on the national stage.

The Rainbow Warriors realized some big victories last season, including the men’s volleyball team winning the national championship and the men’s basketball team returning to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big West title. The UH football team defeated Cal 35-31 in the Hawaii Bowl before a national television audience that peaked at 3 million viewers.

Dods, former chief executive officer of First Hawaiian Bank and one of the university’s most prolific philanthropic supporters, said the changing landscape of college athletics requires Hawaii to act.

“People can certainly have different opinions about whether college athletes should be compensated, but the reality is already here,” Dods said. “Every school we compete against is investing in NIL, and if we want Hawaiʻi teams to remain competitive and our student-athletes to stay home, then we — the state, the private sector and the broader community — need to step up in some way. We understand the pressures on the Legislature and that everyone is asking for support. That is part of why the five of us decided to act now and help create a foundation others can build on.”