Odds and Ends

[MikeG]

Prepare to be disappointed.  The number that really should shock everybody isn't the 15,000 number... it's the fact that those 15,000 are purchased by less than 3,500 people.

That's the shame... less than 3,500 season ticket "holders" in the bay area.  

Now, some of these 3,500 are groups that buy tickets through one person... but the number is still the same  Moreover, obviously not everyone who donates buys all 8 of their tickets...

First of all-- not all levels of donation have the ability to buy 8 tickets. Under certain levels ($999 and below, provided you did not buy eight before they changed the setup), you can only buy 6 seats.

I personally buy 4 tickets and don't even need one of them since I'm on the field the whole game taking pictures anyway. I don't have a pre-set person to use those tickets and even bought an additional two prior to the donation level change.

I know many people who have one person be the key donor and they all contribute to the total donation. Not all tickets are going to be used and many of them get sold to others walking up. So a free "scalping" type market exists that thwarts walkup sales and also the need for anyone to donate the full amount when they can get a ticket under face value just by showing up on gameday. That doesn't bother a school like UF or FSU-- where tickets in general are tough to get for the marquee games. They get their money in the end.

I would add that before people pipe up about donors in this manner --- "not everyone who donates buys all 8 of their tickets" miss the point that those people gave the money not so much to reduce the overall "real" price of the ticket but as a donation first and foremost.

And if that situation fails to make the point, ask yourself this:

Am I a donor?

Am I a season ticket holder?

Do I give to my alma mater?

[Guest]

Mike,

Good points.  My point was the same as yours... we need to increase the number of donors, not just season ticket sales.

I just didn't say it as eloquently.

[E.T.]

Last season really hurt our momentum, BULLieve all will be fine next season.

Go BULLS !!!

[Papa_Bull]

Giving away the Army "homecoming" game when we had them pretty much buried, was the real killer. Then we had another game we could have won against Memphis to keep our bowl hopes alive. So, by the time Pitt rolled around we really had nothing to play for and it showed in our pitiful attendance.

This is a new year and we'll just have to win back fan support by playing better and giving them something to cheer about.

[bullsmania]

This is what bugs me about college sports attendance.  For pro games, I see where the attendance will decline if you aren't winning.  They get paid to do a job and if they stink, the fans let them know.  But college is a different story.  These are kids who are still playing for a shot at the next level or just to finish out a football career that started in pee wee and will not play anymore after college.  We always talk about building a tradition.

Well, a tradition should be something where we show up no matter what.  Kind of like the Cubs.  We should be there to support the university, the institution that is the Bulls, not the team in general.  Of course, we are there to see a winning team, but we are donating to the university and athletics to help build a program and we should be there every step of the way to watch it. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but we need to get this message out there to the general public.  

We need to let them know that it doesn't matter that one year we are 4-7, the next year could be different. That is the great thing about college football.  One signee could make a difference, one great off-season program could turn an athlete around.  We all know that this team has talent and is coached by a great (not all the time) coach, and will do the very best to put a competitive team on the field year in and year out.  

I think that we should be in the stands regardless of whether we are winning or losing. The tradition starts with the fans, not the W-L record.

Thank you and good night.

[smazza]

our product has been dull

and a losing product as of late

usf is lucky they have 15k but that number will decrease next year after an

ingural 3 win season in the big east

this program lost its way

[CoolBull1]

This is what bugs me about college sports attendance.  For pro games, I see where the attendance will decline if you aren't winning.  They get paid to do a job and if they stink, the fans let them know.  But college is a different story.  These are kids who are still playing for a shot at the next level or just to finish out a football career that started in pee wee and will not play anymore after college.  We always talk about building a tradition.

Well, a tradition should be something where we show up no matter what.  Kind of like the Cubs.  We should be there to support the university, the institution that is the Bulls, not the team in general.  Of course, we are there to see a winning team, but we are donating to the university and athletics to help build a program and we should be there every step of the way to watch it. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but we need to get this message out there to the general public.  

We need to let them know that it doesn't matter that one year we are 4-7, the next year could be different. That is the great thing about college football.  One signee could make a difference, one great off-season program could turn an athlete around.  We all know that this team has talent and is coached by a great (not all the time) coach, and will do the very best to put a competitive team on the field year in and year out.  

I think that we should be in the stands regardless of whether we are winning or losing. The tradition starts with the fans, not the W-L record.

Thank you and good night.

I agree...until we have a lot more fans like this we will wander in mediocrity....

loyal fans = $ = winning for years to come!

Call Eric Soncrant or Amabel Aqui now to pledge that $!!  And yes, I put my money where my mouth is.