FAMU game ticks selling like hotcakes

[Papa_Bull]

Knight Dive....This is also a "show" game:

USF-FLORIDA A&M FOOTBALL TO MEET IN THE TAMPA BAY SPORTS COMMISSION CLASSIC

November 24, 2004

Tampa, Fla. -- The University of South Florida and Florida A&M University football teams will meet in the inaugural Tampa Bay Sports Commission Classic on September 10, 2005 at Raymond James Stadium, the three parties announced today.

The Tampa Bay Sports Commission has been instrumental in coordinating the first-ever meeting between two programs that have added much to the college football tradition in Tampa Bay. The sports commission is a division of the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, the official tourism marketing organization for Hillsborough County.

“You cannot speak of Tampa Bay’s college football tradition without mentioning Florida A&M University,†says USF Director of Athletics Doug Woolard. “The many years that Florida A&M played football in this area may have helped lay the foundation that has enabled USF to bring college football back to the Tampa Bay area on a permanent basis. So I am pleased to be able to play a role in continuing that tradition by playing this game.â€Â

“Florida A&M is excited to return to Tampa and take on USF,†says Florida A&M Director of Athletics Dr. Joseph Ramsey, II. “This is a game that all of our fans have wanted for a long time. We look forward to not only a great football game, but an exceptional weekend of events as well.â€Â

The game marks Florida A&M’s first appearance in Tampa since 1996, the year prior to USF’s inaugural season. The Rattlers and their famed “Marching 100†band are no strangers to playing in front of large crowds, with recent appearances in the Georgia Dome, the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, the Louisiana Super Dome, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and Ford Field in Detroit.

“The Tampa Bay Sports Commission is excited to be involved in this strong partnership with Florida A & M University and the University of South Florida,†says the commission’s Executive Director Rob Higgins. “We are committed to making this an incredible and memorable weekend for all of the fans, players, and coaches.â€Â

http://www.tampabaysports.org/press_room/release.php?id=5

[Papa_Bull]

Do you recall how much the total payout is to FAMU?

$250,000, but it could be more depending on ticket sales. They have to pay for their band out of that:

Flashback:

Rattlers Could Be Regular Visitors

By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com  

Published: Nov 25, 2004

 

 

TAMPA - South Florida and Florida A&M officials announced Wednesday the Bulls and Rattlers will play Sept. 10 at Raymond James Stadium in the Tampa Bay Sports Commission Classic. And if the school's athletic directors can work out the details, it could become an annual event.  

``We'd like to play USF in Tampa each year,'' FAMU AD Joseph Ramsey said. ``USF would be an ideal fit because of their fan base and football program is growing. Why go out and search for someone else, when you have the perfect fit?''  

Ramsey and USF AD Doug Woolard have discussed extending the series as many as five years.  

``We'll see how the response is to [the 2005] game,'' Woolard said. ``Everyone's been enthusiastic and excited. If that's the way it unfolds and the community is really receptive and it works well, I think it's a game we should look at playing more than one time.''  

USF will pay FAMU $250,000 - the most the Bulls have paid a visiting team. FAMU also will split net ticket revenue with USF once attendance exceeds 31,000. If the game draws a capacity crowd of 65,000, as FAMU officials predict, FAMU would earn about an additional $306,000 for a $556,000 payday.  

Whether it develops into an annual event could hinge on when, or if, the NCAA approves 12-game schedules. ``We will continue to work with USF and Florida A&M to determine the feasibility and frequency of this outstanding event,'' Tampa Bay Sports Commission executive director Rob Higgins said. ``We feel the tradition of Florida A&M football in our community is something that should continue for many years to come.''  

Ramsey said if a USF series doesn't get done, the I-AA Rattlers will look to play another school annually in Tampa.

***

FAU Returns After Bitter Split

By ALAN SNEL asnel@tampatrib.com

Published: Nov 25, 2004

TAMPA - The Florida A&M University football team is returning to Tampa next year for the first since the mid-1990s, when a former mall across the street from the stadium closed early on game days and left a bitter taste for FAMU fans.

But nearly a decade later, FAMU supporters said Wednesday that all is forgiven. They're looking forward to their Rattlers returning to Tampa to play the University of South Florida for the first time at Raymond James Stadium in 2005.

Tampa used to host the Florida Classic, an annual match pitting FAMU and Bethune-Cookman College, two historically black institutions. Leaders from both schools moved the game and its millions of dollars of economic impact to Orlando after 1996 amid racial tension over the former Tampa Bay Center mall closing early on game days.

``Fans did not feel welcome,'' Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said. ``It was a sad situation.''

Florida A&M officials and supporters, however, said they are ready to turn the page and play the inaugural FAMU-USF game of what's officially called the Tampa Bay Sports Commission Classic.

``We're forgiving people. We're willing to give the city another chance,'' said Plant City lawyer Ted Taylor, a 1975 FAMU alum who attended a news conference Wednesday at Raymond James Stadium to announce the game for Sept. 10.

By welcoming Florida A&M back, Tampa stands to benefit economically from its football team and nationally known band. Joseph P. Ramsey II, FAMU's athletic director, expects Raymond James Stadium to sell out 65,000 seats for the Rattlers-Bulls game. USF's biggest crowd this season was 36,549 for a Bulls game against Army.

Ramsey said $70,000 will be spent for travel, food and lodging for the football team and coaches from the Tallahassee school. And $80,000 will be spent on those same items for FAMU's famous 350-member band.

``I think with the right marketing, this game will prompt people to start making arrangements to come,'' Ramsey said.

Taylor, who attended the news conference wearing a FAMU football jersey, said 71,000 fans watched the Florida A&M-Bethune-Cookman game last weekend at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, with the game generating $25 million in economic spending in Central Florida.

Taylor expects 40,000 FAMU fans to come for the Rattlers- Bulls game in 2005.

This time, FAMU and its fans will be welcome in Tampa. The mall has since closed and a new training center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is scheduled to be built at the site.

``I hate what happened,'' said Paul Cato, president and chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau. ``That's past. It's done. It's over.''  

[NokiaBull]

I talked with an FAMU alum, and he stated that FAMU will have anywhere between 10,000 to 20,000 for the game depending on weather and etc...  So if we have around 20 to 28,000 bulls fans, we could see a crowd of over 40,000.

[Papa_Bull]

Yes, I see the name CLASSIC. Can't you?

USF-FLORIDA A&M FOOTBALL TO MEET IN THE TAMPA BAY SPORTS COMMISSION CLASSIC

Look at the USF Official release:

http://gobulls.usf.edu/Sports/News.asp?i=1157&s=Football

[Papa_Bull]

The FAMU AD EXPECTS 40,000 FAMU fans. Why don't you go to THEIR board and ask THEM about that.

Taylor expects 40,000 FAMU fans to come for the Rattlers- Bulls game in 2005.

You also might want to get new reading glasses!

[Ricky the Bull]

Given the dire financial straights that FAMU is in right now, I'm thinking that there is high motivation on their part to continue a lucrative football series.

[South_Florida_Flip]

The penn st victory will give us an extra boost for both games.

Getting a bit ahead of yourself there aren't you? I don't think you realize how good their D is going to be this season. Couple that with the uncertainty we have at QB and plugging in 3 new starters on OL could make for a long day.

[bullzpen4636]

great post, if the famu game brings in 50,000 or so it would be a big success for both of our programs and i wouldn't be surprised if it became an annual event. lee roy got us into the big east and i'll always be grateful for that, but woolard has really taken charge since he's been here the miami series, fiu 2 for one, unc series, facility upgrades, things are looking up for usf. if the ucf series sells out the lower bowl (and barring any hurricanes), we're looking at a potential 40,000 attendance avg. for the year.  

[NokiaBull]

My FAMU alum friend stated that FAMU is selling this game as a "revenge" game and is using the "mall issue" as motivation.  They really believe that they can beat us and will provide tickets to the black communties in the area to cheer on FAMU, so I would expect many FAMU fans will come out, and it may even be possible that there could be more FAMU fans than our fans if they are doing all of these things.  In some ways, I think that this could be bad for our program, to get communties in our area to cheer against us.