Should USF focus on Basketball rather than Football?

[michibull]

As I look at what it takes to develop and maintain a solid football program, it looks like our best option at this point would be Men's Basketball. If you make the tournament consistently, it brings similar notoriety. Our infrastructure is already in place, we just need to commit to it. When the reshuffling of football conferences occur, I honestly think it will be 4-16 team conferences and we will be left out. I'm not saying to abandon football altogether, but I am saying that we should focus on basketball and try and become more of a basketball school.

 

Basketball:

- Great facilities

- Only need 1 or 2 star players to be competitive

- More teams make the tournament rather than CFP

- Cheaper to maintain

- Smaller arena to fill

 

 

Football:

- Non-P5

- Large and extensive system

- Difficult to fill a larger stadium

- No OCS or indoor practice facility

- Difficult to get and hold onto good coaches

[jjlovecub]

Um NO! The money and popularity lies in football. Obviously build up your basketball team but this isn't the state of Kentucky 

[CousinRicky]

1 minute ago, jjlovecub said:

Um NO! The money and popularity lies in football. Obviously build up your basketball team but this isn't the state of Kentucky 

Except in the Big East.

[Maryland Bull]

It should not be one or the other. USF should focus on both and look to achieve greatness across all sports.  

[michibull]

19 minutes ago, jjlovecub said:

Um NO! The money and popularity lies in football. Obviously build up your basketball team but this isn't the state of Kentucky 

True, but as flowers4heisman displayed, football loses money, so it doesn't matter if we can't get people to watch a great football team like we have  

There are plenty of schools that have football as secondary sports, Cincinnati, Uconn, Arizona, Maryland and Minnesota just to name a few. Just looking at the big picture, I fear the haves and have nots will destroy programs with flaky fan bases like ours.  

Edited October 18, 2017 by michibull

[usf97]

I look at Men's Football and Basketball as a form of Marketing.

You probably aren't going to make money on it but that is okay.

I agree with your original premise in that Basketball is probably a better on return on investment. Who of us would know anything about Gonzaga if it wasn't for basketball.

That said, there is a lot more competition and probably a lot harder to stay "Good". Who gives a flip about FGCU just because they have a good men's basketball team.

In the grand scheme of things, we can make more inroads with football. Seems like most NCAA football fans knew USF was ranked #2 in 2007. We have been ranked all season this year and people notice that.

People don't remember you in Basketball unless you are there every year like Villanova. George Mason made the Final Four in 2006 and I never hear or think anything about that school.

[MMW]

I am not sure what you are suggesting by "focusing".  In your argument we already have invested in basketball.

What we need is a solid plan to move Pennywise or the ancient burial ground that resides under the Sundome.

 

 

 

[jasonb56]

Simple answer... NO.

Strive to be great at all sports we play...

[jchem1995]

Need both. I like to hear USF BULLS during tourny time. We'll get there. It will work itself out. 

[jchem1995]

I mean it can't get any worse. Antigua single-handed put USF where they are today. I think we get better and get good again.