Ya get what ya pay for

[The_Reaper]

That's where SG should come into play. In the recent regimes after the Grif tenure, we have seen crap. It's time SG got more pro-active into the students besides homecoming. Again, little resources means minimal advertising. Now that Tom and his dept. have the resources, I expect lots bigger things to come out of the office.  

[sdgukhsdgl]

^which is why Faza should have won the SG election this past year.... but that's a completely different story

[The_Reaper]

Exactly Bull83! Brandon would have done wonders to get the students out. I still say it was a rigged election! Seemed like an old Chicago election trick to me!!!

[Eric_Soncrant]

Hey Everyone:

I just wanted to add a couple of facts to this conversation in defense of our department and SG.  Over the past two years, the following things have been done to encourage student involvement/attendance at games:

Student Bulls Club Sixth Bull - started last year to bring some consitency to our student sections.  Will do something similar for football but working with marketing on this one.

Student Tailgates at RJS - the marketing department has brought in WBUL to provide pregame entertainment in the tailgate lots prior to home football games.  Continuing to build on this for the upcoming year.

Selling Beer at SunDome - although not specifically to market towards students, SG pushed this policy through and with their help we continue to sell beer at home basketball games and promote drinking responsibly.

Student Lounge at SunDome - area at Entry 2 (student entrance) with pregame entertainment and concessions that opens before the rest of the SunDome to encourage students to come out.  Will continue to build on this.  Student Government played a big role in that.

On the criticism of not using current student to help market to students, we have and will continue to utilize them as interns.  Just because some of these things weren't happening when you were here, doesn't mean they aren't happening now.

Some of you I know are going to rip on some of this, but I don't think it's right to wine about what we aren't doing without stating what we are doing.  These are baby steps towards rebuilding the tradition of students going to games and providing us with a real home court/field advantage.

We even did provide complimentary beer prior to one game last year but don't expect that to be of the norm (way too much liability).  But we will continue to build on these ideas and others.  Suggestions are always welcome on what else we could do (and we get it, free food/beer but even when we have the free food, the student come for the food and leave before the game (see Hooters)).  

Our new marketing person starts in a week and he is ready to hit the ground running.  This concludes my editorial defense.

Eric

[Bullpride08]

What suggestions have you given to help marketing to students SBien? When was the last time you were up at 3 AM passing out 2000+ flyers to a game throughout the campus? Remember... those flyers couldn't have anything keg related on them? If I recall, that was at my expense, my time, etc. We built something that had a chance to last longer than one season... but we received help only from individuals that weren't on the marketing side of things (Vicki Mitchell was in a different position at the time and provided us with a good amount of our support).

In 35 years (that's roughly how long hoops has been going on at USF), besides a period in the 90's, when has USF reached out to capture the student or coordinated efforts to mold the ways of future alumni? If you can answer that, then maybe this discussion would not be going on. Creativity can stretch limited dollars a long way... Look at the Washington Nationals... 1st place without a proven superstar and limited resources.

I would say to Veit to adapt and overcome... be more open minded. This is not a personal vendetta against Veit. When he fails, the university suffers... the hardcore fans such as ourselves suffer. There was more to just living in those tents than just drinking beer and mingling with coeds. We wanted what Duke has... my roommates will tell you how much it killed me seeing crappy attendance. What type of different gimmicks I used to lure people to the game and to keep them entertained while there so they would come back. Seeing all that goto waste really hurt. Seth wanted what I wanted (a packed place to play in front of). Whether his shortcomings as a coach cost us, he also contributed a lot more to marketing than any shoestring budget that got wasted.

If I had packed it in after the first couple of weeks with excuses when myself and Robbie were wondering if things would ever pick up, I would've missed out on three of the best following months of my life. Forget excuses SBien... creativity is the answer.

And your telling me if the budget was eclipsed but fans were coming they wouldn't reallocate funds? Come on now... it happens all the time.

It's sad when some "DUDE" has the athletic department on the defense.  

Brad, I rest my case.  When the Athletic Department is forced to post on your website in their own defense then intervention is more than necessary- it should be required!

[The_Reaper]

Eric, yes you are correct on the things that happened. I do remember seeing some of these things and they probably happened during my absence. But the main thing is, I still did not see it really publicised around campus. Maybe it was, and I am wrong. But these things need high publicity on campus. Again, thanks for bringing these issues out as I was somewhat un informed on them till now.

ps. do you remember the big cookout/beer bust we had for the USF-UF BB game? That's the kind of things I am talking about. We must have had over 2000+ students there for that one.  

   Reaper

[Velcro]

FWIW, it was the game opponent and ESPN/Vitale that brought out the fans to that game, not the cookout.  Some came for the cookout and tent city, but most people that went to the game did not go to the cookout/tentcity party.   The line was huge, and wrapped around the campus rec center.  If we were playing anyone else, that wouldn't have happened, cookout or not.

[Brad]

Brad, I rest my case.  When the Athletic Department is forced to post on your website in their own defense then intervention is more than necessary- it should be required!

They (the Athletic Dept.) are not forced to post here.  

When there are a handful of people clamoring over an issue, anyone from any side of the issue can simply post here to address the issue.  Eric does a terrific job using this board among his means of communication to Bulls fans (as does Vicki).  

Eric is well respected and his posts are valued.  In no way is his involvement here only as a method of "self-defense".  And I really don't think it was this time.  He used this medium to inform others of what has happened and what is actively happening.  

It is better to have that involvement than to delete posts that question the progress of the program.  By coming on the board and addressing the issue, the program advances.  

Many good things come out of questioning the programs and people at USF.  Sometimes they come on here as Eric did, sometimes a story appears on TBO or the St. Pete Times addressing the very issues discussed here on this board.

Therefore, I still stand in support of a Bulls fan to question our beloved alma mater.  I will not, however, stand for rude or insulting comments made about out administrators, coaches, players and programs.  That is where the line is drawn and that is why some of the posts about T.V. were edited or deleted.

Finally, the bottom line is getting information out.  If you, or anyone else, can contradict a claim (or negative post) made by the usual suspects please do so.  If I can contradict it, I will.   If Eric or any other personality from USF wants to contradict the claim and/or dispense good information this is an ideal vehicle for it.

This is not a "homer" site, but rather a site that openly welcomes all Bulls fans including those that are not satisfied with the status quo (whether fully informed or not).  We want to help build a strong Bulls fan base and stifling opinion is not a good way to do it.

[Bullpride08]

Eric, yes you are correct on the things that happened. I do remember seeing some of these things and they probably happened during my absence. But the main thing is, I still did not see it really publicised around campus. Maybe it was, and I am wrong. But these things need high publicity on campus. Again, thanks for bringing these issues out as I was somewhat un informed on them till now.

ps. do you remember the big cookout/beer bust we had for the USF-UF BB game? That's the kind of things I am talking about. We must have had over 2000+ students there for that one.  

   Reaper

Reaper, I think Eric's message really pressed upon the fact that the word's 'beer' and 'students' is a very tricky subject and imparts a tremendous amount of liability onto the University.  I am sure they're willing to do it once in a while, but probably due to insurance, and safety concerns they're very limited in the scope and quantity of those types of events.

[Brad]

Reaper, I think Eric's message really pressed upon the fact that the word's 'beer' and 'students' is a very tricky subject and imparts a tremendous amount of liability onto the University.  I am sure they're willing to do it once in a while, but probably due to insurance, and safety concerns they're very limited in the scope and quantity of those types of events.

Furthermore, I think there has to be a better way.  As MarkeyMark remarked earlier, you shouldn't have to bribe them.  And even if you do, what brings them back the next time - more beer?

I think the student base is going to do whatever is deemed "in" at the time.  When USF wins 20 games a year and plays in the the BE/NCAA tourney, you won't have enough seats for students.  

Therefore, I think the funds used to bribe students with beer (aren't most students under 21?) go to waste.  I don't have the answer to stimulating the apathetic student fan base and therefore, am not going to insult those that are trying.

If the answer is dangle a keg, we're in worse shape than imagined.

modified to correct typo