Current Fans Need to be Recruiters FOR MORE FANS !!!

[Brad]

2 hours ago, Peatearpan said:

I agree with this sentiment, but why should it be my job to promote the school and reach out to the community? 

It's not a job.

[jchem1995]

3 hours ago, El_Toro_86 said:

For me the in game experience this year was improved…green lights etc, however, the Raymond James experience is awful and has been since we’ve played there.  It’s a great NFL stadium, however it’s a lousy home stadium for USF.  The whole vibe when you walk in screams bush league.  The 1 USF banner hanging down the concourse on the outside amongst all the Bucs banners.  The generic mid field logo and no end zone lettering when the Bucs play the next day.  Of course all the empty red seats and the pirate ship need no explanation.  

This university has a history of being a commuter school and they’ve done a good job of moving away from that, however, playing your home games at Ray Jay makes the football team still feel like a commuter program.

Hopefully all of this OCS talk will materialize in to something.  If we totally want to shake the commuter school culture an OCS is needed.  

With that said, I’ll be renewing my tickets not because of the stadium or the in game experience, but because I love the Bulls 

BOOM.

[Leviathan]

Why not just turn USF football into a multilevel marketing organization? I've heard those are popular in Florida.

[Bulls On Parade]

4 hours ago, E.T. said:

Most college towns are the size of Lakeland and it IS the event for the entire city. The university is the largest employer and people grown up cheering for the team.

USF has a major city to compete with, like Miami, Atlanta . . .

We know our challenges - need to keep charging!

Go BULLS !!!

Agree...I think any college football program in a big city have some attendance issues...and especially when they are struggling. 

[Sk00b]

12 minutes ago, Bulls On Parade said:

Agree...I think any college football program in a big city have some attendance issues...and especially when they are struggling. 

It's definitely tough but we showed it can be done (i get it we fell off the cliff). Admin seems to be leaning in the direction to get back on track. Win games, compete for championships, have some continued success, and everything will work out.  Why can't we claw back into the P5 again when we get it together. It will happen, just shouldn't have had to happen. 

[Triple B]

3 hours ago, Peatearpan said:

I guess you’re right. I get my dad and brother to the games (not USF alums). Same with my wife (also not an alum). I have friends in Colorado that follow us because I went there, that is about all the converts that I have

I'm just tickled that the 13 in our group have re-upped .....

[Buller64]

Initially O thought a OCS was a waste of money. We had a pro stadium available and the cost was low. About 12 years ago I changed my mind on this OCS stuff. Not because of atmosphere or finances, but because of the success of UCF in building a fanbase. I saw how the IPF improved their recruiting and how the OCS was building a fan base. They had no fan base at all when they were playing in the Citrus Bowl, just a few diehards. Once they opened that OCS their student attendance increased by a lot and since then their season ticket base has been slowly but steadily growing. I think that the most important part of an OCS is that it helps to build a fanbase. Students who attend games on campus become fans and when they get settled in on their careers (about 3 - 4 years) they start buying tickets. That's why I think we need an OCS. Its not going to pay off immediately but I think the dividends to it will come about a decade after it opens. Most of the schools (those who are not national powers) live on a fanbase made of alumni and I think that OCS is the reason why they have that fanbase.

[Outlaw]

8 hours ago, MaltLiquorBull said:

They do.  Apparently, they are not too popular with the students (according to what I have heard).  With public transportation comes inconveniences like having to come/go when the bus is running.   Can't bring tailgating stuff with you, etc.  On campus, they could just roll out of bed and make their way over to to the tailgate lots and then stumble to the stadium and back.

 

i am not arguing about having an OCS. I was just wondering how heavily they are promoting bussing kids to the games. I remember they were pumping it hard for the kids to get on the bus and go to the WVU game. IT was the first and only time I remember and college friends not being able to get student tickets. They got tickets in overflow areas.

[Outlaw]

3 hours ago, Bulls On Parade said:

Agree...I think any college football program in a big city have some attendance issues...and especially when they are struggling. 

Lakeland has a college football game and we even got a player from there Bryce Miller. I don't know any of my friends that have ever been to an SEU fire game. I live there and I can tell you no one cares about the SEU fire football team.

[St.PeteSlim89]

I live in Polk County (Lake Wales), and agree with Outlaw about SEU. I will say that they do have a nice, relatively new (about 5 years old) football stadium. While it’s not a template for us to go by, it has some good architectural features, and looks much nicer than the Oviedo House of Tin.  I look at it and wander why can’t USF have an OCS?

Funny story - got tix to go to an SEU game once. My Admin Assistant the time, who got me the tix, told me I had to find someone at the stadium named “Will Call” to get the tix… lol