Well, there's a missed opportunity . . .

[MDBull20]

2 hours ago, JTrue said:

I know it seems odd, but most college students actually care more about the academics of the school they're going to and double for their parents. I think you'd get a little push back if you forced parents and kids to go an athletic pep-rally. Far more kids are going to end up affiliated with the Greek system at USF than giving athletics more than a passing glance, and there'd be a riot if we made people go a fraternity/sorority function at orientation.

They don't have to make it a full out athletic pep-rally, but wouldn't it be easy enough for athletics to have a small video or something to showcase another side of this great University and to build up some potential hype within the incoming class?

[Calibull]

3 hours ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Now that you say that I remember watching this last year on YouTube I believe. I sure hope my kid is there next year to be a part of all of this...

The did post it last season and it was on their facebook a couple of years ago, they've done it a few years in a row actually and for some reason I don't think it started under Taggart.  

 

3 hours ago, JTrue said:

So they have a day for the actual academics only when the parents are there and USF is focusing on the "U" in USF that people are spending tens of thousands of dollars on that will impact these kids far beyond anything athletics ever does for them? Then later, when the kids are on campus, they do something where they focus on the small side piece of college that is sports? 

I'm going to need a moment to process this.

Basically... yes

[Calibull]

Charlie had the crowd fired up last season.  I think it will happen again this season.  Hopefully these new kids appreciate athletics, which I think they will.  

[Flowers4Heisman]

Their thinking is probably that they need money. Entering freshmen are broke: why bother? Let's get them when they graduate!

 

[BDYZR]

3 hours ago, Flowers4Heisman said:

Their thinking is probably that they need money. Entering freshmen are broke: why bother? Let's get them when they graduate!

 

To continue doing the same thing over and over again...

Hopefully the new guy will think of something different.

[Apis Bull]

Why do it?  I've been told, on here, that students won't go to games unless we have either an OCS or marque opponents...

[JTrue]

30 minutes ago, Apis Bull said:

Why do it?  I've been told, on here, that students won't go to games unless we have either an OCS or marque opponents...

No one has ever explained to them that watching football is going to open all kinds of doors for you in adulthood. I bet some of those idiot kids are just coming for the Moffitt Center.

[JTrue]

7 hours ago, MDBull20 said:

They don't have to make it a full out athletic pep-rally, but wouldn't it be easy enough for athletics to have a small video or something to showcase another side of this great University and to build up some potential hype within the incoming class?

I think showcasing the entire university is a great idea, but I'm also not shaking my head because athletics does something later for students that is bigger and more involved than a snippet at orientation. I think most kids have already made up their mind when they get to USF whether football games interest them or not and a 2 minute commercial from athletics that would probably be 90% football likely won't change a lot of minds. So I can see why athletics might want to do something bigger and spend the appropriate amount of time showcasing not just football, but the other 16 sports we play that a kid might be curious about seeing. 

[Bull Dozer]

40 minutes ago, JTrue said:

I think showcasing the entire university is a great idea, but I'm also not shaking my head because athletics does something later for students that is bigger and more involved than a snippet at orientation. I think most kids have already made up their mind when they get to USF whether football games interest them or not and a 2 minute commercial from athletics that would probably be 90% football likely won't change a lot of minds. So I can see why athletics might want to do something bigger and spend the appropriate amount of time showcasing not just football, but the other 16 sports we play that a kid might be curious about seeing. 

Yeah, a 2-3 minute video that highlights the ENTIRE athletic department then have the AD or a representative from Athletics (I'd prefer the AD) speak briefly about the games being free, great entertainment, a great piece of a traditional college experience, and acknowledge the fall pep rally that is held at a later date.  Thinking beyond just our sports enthusiast world,I don't see why the university wouldn't want to at least briefly briefly acknowledge/advertise something that is a large part of campus life and traditionally considered part of the college experience.   Will it mean the students sell out every ticket for every sport?  Of course it doesn't but we should be turning down a basically free opportunity to market to the students and their families either.   Considering the the state of our athletics donations and attendance we need to do anything we can to cultivate new fans/donors.    

Edited July 18, 2018 by Bull Dozer

[Mike Stuben]

I'm surprised I didn't run into Dave, as I work in the Marshall Center, where most of the activities are take place. 

I worked so many orientations for Athletics over the years. 

Let me tell you about it from two perspectives:

1. Getting the students excited for Athletics

2. Selling the parents Season Tickets

 

1. We don't need the AD at this event (remember, there are about 40 orientations a year, way too many). 18 year olds don't care about the AD, and probably don't care about a coach either. Have a player talk to them. One year we had Delbert Alvarado rap about USF Football at the orientations, kids loved it. I guarantee a student going to orientation will know they go to the games for free by the time it is over. 

2. This was always a mixed bag selling event. Parents weren't there thinking about buying season tickets. We probably averaged .667 new season ticket accounts per orientation (ie - work 3, sell 1, 1, 0 accounts, each account averaging 3 seats, leads to an average of 2 new season tickets for each orientation... not horrible, but not a huge event either) 

Dave - for years I sat on a panel that did Q&A for parents at orientation, probably for 10 years. I enjoyed it, but most questions asked of me went something like this. "My Nathan is a great swimmer, how can he join the swimming team?" or "My Billy loves to lift weights, what time does the gym open on Tuesdays?" .... now of course, I would grandstand every time anyone asked me a question and bring it back to Athletics.