What's more critical to vitality of program?

[WoolyBully]

On 1/2/2019 at 7:34 PM, E.T. said:

Game #2 Drake drew 33,827

Rest of the season . . .

Morehead State was 30,050

Southern Illinois was 34,432

Charleston Southern 25,361

Georgia Southern was 30,470

Davidson ended the season at 27,919

Season record was 5-6

Wait a minute. Those numbers don't seem to be too far off from what we're pulling in twenty-one years later. Is it possible that our attendance has plateaued? Is it possible that, miracles aside, this is what we could be looking at for the foreseeable future? IF it is, we might not need to build Neyland Stadium 2.0.( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._stadiums_by_capacity). 

[WoolyBully]

On 1/2/2019 at 5:47 PM, Triple B said:

"We" as in fans or "we" as in USF?

I was speaking in the "we" the university sense of the word. 

[Outlaw]

5 hours ago, WoolyBully said:

Wait a minute. Those numbers don't seem to be too far off from what we're pulling in twenty-one years later. Is it possible that our attendance has plateaued? Is it possible that, miracles aside, this is what we could be looking at for the foreseeable future? IF it is, we might not need to build Neyland Stadium 2.0.( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._stadiums_by_capacity). 

Many fans only attend when the product on the field is good and winning. Many fans also attend games that have a good opponent. We do not have a lot diehard or dedicated fans compared to more established university brands.

[NewEnglandBull]

6 minutes ago, TheGreatOutlaw said:

Many fans only attend when the product on the field is good and winning. Many fans also attend games that have a good opponent. We do not have a lot diehard or dedicated fans compared to more established university brands.

Not to mention that our fans are relatively young (excluding yours truly) which means they have kids. Which means there is limited disposable income and time. I was busy with my kids during our early BE days and was lucky just to catch a game on tv every now and then. Thank god the dvr was just starting to become aviable at that time. 

[JTrue]

3 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Not to mention that our fans are relatively young (excluding yours truly) which means they have kids. Which means there is limited disposable income and time. I was busy with my kids during our early BE days and was lucky just to catch a game on tv every now and then. Thank god the dvr was just starting to become aviable at that time. 

I'm guilty. I skipped the UConn game the other night because 8:30 doesn't work for me with an 8 and 5 year old. We do the weekend day games, but can't really do weeknights. I passed on the bowl game for the same reason. 

[Ned A Starr RIP]

24 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Not to mention that our fans are relatively young (excluding yours truly) which means they have kids. Which means there is limited disposable income and time. I was busy with my kids during our early BE days and was lucky just to catch a game on tv every now and then. Thank god the dvr was just starting to become aviable at that time. 

Why is the fan base relatively young, and why is it any different from at other schools?

Edited January 7, 2019 by NAS Gone to Paradise

[NewEnglandBull]

4 minutes ago, NAS Gone to Paradise said:

Why is the fan base relatively young, and why is it any different from at other schools?

Although the university started in the 1950s, it was really nothing more than outpost until the 1970s. Thus, the growth of the 1980s is where most of the fans come from and that was not too long ago relative to starting a family. But the biggest issue is when football started...1997. Many who live USF football experienced it as a student first. That would be the easiest market to tap...but these individuals are in the middle of growing their families today. 

[Ned A Starr RIP]

42 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Although the university started in the 1950s, it was really nothing more than outpost until the 1970s. Thus, the growth of the 1980s is where most of the fans come from and that was not too long ago relative to starting a family. But the biggest issue is when football started...1997. Many who live USF football experienced it as a student first. That would be the easiest market to tap...but these individuals are in the middle of growing their families today. 

None (or very, very few ) of the people who sat near me for years, experienced football as USF students.  There were some younger couples who brought children/teens (a few babies) with them to every game.   

If I’m not mistaken growth in attendance by young grads (single or married) has been extremely low.  So, I think your “easiest market to tap” is not as easy as you think it is.   

When I lived in Florida, I had many neighbors who were USF grads...more of them traveled to Gainesville, and Tallahassee rather than to Tampa to attend football games.

Today, college football is run by, and made for TV.

Edited January 7, 2019 by NAS Gone to Paradise

[NewEnglandBull]

17 minutes ago, NAS Gone to Paradise said:

None (or very, very few ) of the people who sat near me for years, experienced football as USF students.  There were some younger couples who brought children/teens (a few babies) with them to every game.   

If I’m not mistaken growth in attendance by young grads (single or married) has been extremely low.  So, I think your “easiest market to tap” is not as easy as you think it is.   

When I lived in Florida, I had many neighbors who were USF grads...more of them traveled to Gainesville, and Tallahassee rather than to Tampa to attend football games.

Today, college football is run by, and made for TV.

I should have phrased “it should be”...but again many don’t have time. I do agree that some of these individuals support the other three schools more than USF and as I have said in other threads, this is a travesty. How the hell one can be loyal to another institution that had nothing to do with your career development is beyond me...they are virwing college football like the NFL. 

[Ned A Starr RIP]

14 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

How the hell one can be loyal to another institution that had nothing to do with your career development is beyond me...

It’s not uncommon,  graduates of other schools support the teams of the Big Boys, all over the country.  IE:  Bama, or AU in Alabama, OU or OSU in Oklahoma,  UK or UL in Kentucky,  Georgia or GT in Georgia, OSU in Ohio....and the beat goes on, and on.