USF Lagging In Bowl Ticket Sales

[Paisa el Toro]

I think it's a weak excuse. As I put on another thread ... this is the best oppotunity. Holiday and the game is mid-day ... easiest way to "get a way". And New Year's Eve is for a party, why hang locally when you can see your BULLS and be in a fun city.

What part of S.A. ?

I agree that it's a horrible excuse, but we were talking about the average Tampa football fan. The Dec. 31st bowl date is the excuse I keep hearing over and over again from non-diehards.

ET, I'll be on the beaches of Cartagena, Colombia. My parents have wanted to go for a while, so we organized the trip 6 months ago. Little did I realize, that the trip could potentially have conflicted with a bowl berth. Trust me, I wish I could split in two and do both, but I can't. Hopefully, I can catch a satellite feed of ESPN 2 down there somewhere. How did you watch Bulls games from Brazil?

[ChiTownBull]

....or if it was a night bowl game.

i think that is the key.....

[redbird2001]

Well does USF have activities going on for New Years Eve for their fans?

Here are Louisville's events for their fans.

Uof L at the Gator Bowl

Dec. 30

U of L Fan Appreciation Party , 8 p.m.-midnight, Marriott TPC-Sawgrass. Free.

Dec. 31

U of L Pep Rally, 1:30 p.m., Jacksonville Landing (downtown Jacksonville).

Gator Bowl Parade, 3 p.m., Jacksonville Landing.

U of L Men's Basketball Game Watch Party and Fanfest, 3:30-8 p.m., at The East TouchDown Club inside Alltel Stadium (east side of stadium). U of L vs. Miami at 4 p.m. Free. East TouchDown Club located at Parking Lot C of Alltel Stadium. Look for the Cardinal Birdhead inflatables at entrance.

New Year's Eve Celebration, 10 p.m.-1 a.m., Jacksonville Landing. Free admission to the landing; Cardinal Fan Central is located on the second floor of the landing. Cost is $5 (space limited/pay at door).

Fireworks at midnight.

Jan. 1

Cardinal Fan Central opens at noon for NFL game watches, noon-?.

Titans vs. Jaguars at Alltel Stadium at 1 p.m. (Click Here for Ticket Info)

Jan. 2

U of L Alumni Association Tailgate Party at Jacksonville Fairgrounds (across from Alltel Stadium), 9:30 a.m.-noon. $40.

Budweiser Tailgate Bash at the south parking lot of Alltel Stadium, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., food, drink, interactive games, and inflatables. $10 or free admission with Gator Bowl patch.

U of L vs. ACC Opponent, Gator Bowl at Alltel Stadium, 12:30 p.m. $40.

[BigEastBeasts]

Not to play parrot and repeat things that have already been said, but as mentioned before, we are what we are.

We struggle to get more than 30,000 to a "non-marquee" home game, so no one should have visions of grandure that we would travel 10,000-12,000 deep to a game thats 9 hours away.

Just using UConn as an example, if this bowl wanted them because they sold 5000 tix last year, we should be fine if we come in around that same number if all things are considered equally (ie: being a young program and not having the best travel record to begin with).

As for the excuses, thats just what they are. Granted there are extenuating circumstance that will not allow people to make it, but for someone to say they can't go to an 11am bowl game on Saturday because of a 1pm Bucs game on Sunday, thats just weak. My boss is flying up Thursday night and flying back Saturday after the game to entertain clients at a concert Saturday night, so it can be done.

If we have patience, the fans will come, and we will then be able to take solice in the fact that we have been there since the beginning.

[alau255]

Screw the Cowboys!!  

It would be interesting to know how many have both Bucs and Bulls season tickets and where they'll be that weekend. I know where I'll be but I'm sure I'm in the minority .....

As Wooly said, we are what we are. It takes time to build up a fan base and "we've only just begun" - Karen Carpenter.......

I have Bucs season tickets and will be missing my first home game since I got the tickets in 1999!

So that should tell everyone which is more important...I think that if we bring anywhere from 6-8,000 the bowl reps will take notice since we r such a young program!

[USFGriff]

Yes, USF has plans for New Years Eve...why dont you check out www.gousfbulls.com before posting?

[alau255]

Well does USF have activities going on for New Years Eve for their fans?

Here are Louisville's events for their fans.

Uof L at the Gator Bowl

Dec. 30

U of L Fan Appreciation Party , 8 p.m.-midnight, Marriott TPC-Sawgrass. Free.

Dec. 31

U of L Pep Rally, 1:30 p.m., Jacksonville Landing (downtown Jacksonville).

Gator Bowl Parade, 3 p.m., Jacksonville Landing.

U of L Men's Basketball Game Watch Party and Fanfest, 3:30-8 p.m., at The East TouchDown Club inside Alltel Stadium (east side of stadium). U of L vs. Miami at 4 p.m. Free. East TouchDown Club located at Parking Lot C of Alltel Stadium. Look for the Cardinal Birdhead inflatables at entrance.

New Year's Eve Celebration, 10 p.m.-1 a.m., Jacksonville Landing. Free admission to the landing; Cardinal Fan Central is located on the second floor of the landing. Cost is $5 (space limited/pay at door).

Fireworks at midnight.

Jan. 1

Cardinal Fan Central opens at noon for NFL game watches, noon-?.

Titans vs. Jaguars at Alltel Stadium at 1 p.m. (Click Here for Ticket Info)

Jan. 2

U of L Alumni Association Tailgate Party at Jacksonville Fairgrounds (across from Alltel Stadium), 9:30 a.m.-noon. $40.

Budweiser Tailgate Bash at the south parking lot of Alltel Stadium, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., food, drink, interactive games, and inflatables. $10 or free admission with Gator Bowl patch.

U of L vs. ACC Opponent, Gator Bowl at Alltel Stadium, 12:30 p.m. $40.

Also remember how much older Louisville is...they have done this before...our athletic deparment are rookies...they are not going to get it exactly right the first try.

I am very pleased with what the athletic department is doing...they are handling everything very well...if you have problems e-mail them and tell them about it

[Guest S.  Bien]

First, anyone that would rather go to a typical Bucs home game versus USF's first bowl game, presuming they have the means, is a weak fan in my opinion.  

I liken an NFL team like 'as*holes' every decent sized city has one....big deal.  Then the fans, about 1/3 are made up of people looking for excuses to act like 'as*holes' and college was never really an option.  If you can't get behind a University, that the very support you provide it brings residual attention BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY, which in turn raises the profile of that university, brings more dollars into that university, brings more opportunity back to that university, and basically brings more value to your degree and potential future earnings potential.  Supporting your university is not only good for you personally, but it's tax deductible.  Anyone that doesn't see this clear-cut distinction, in my eyes, should have their diploma's taken back because they clearly didn't learn a thing during their time in school.

As for New Year's Eve, USF is throwing a bash.  I would go but I have my 4 year-old with me, and he won't be able to attend.  I am contemplating still going for a few hours.  Also, Charlotte is a cool place to hang out.  There's tons to do in downtown.

Fans will come, and I liken this Bowl game to a building block for USF athletics.  It does three things, 1. it gets our name out to more potential fans, and to those casual observers it lets them know we are part of big time college athletics this isn't some 1-AA thing (believe it or not some ignorant people in Tampa still believe that), 2.  It galvanizes the current crop of big time fans.  The 5,000 that will be in Charlotte will only become bigger fans and get excited about the next bowl game.  3. It will create more excitement, and anticipation for Bulls, and their games.  I do know a few that couldn't make Charlotte, mostly because being Bulls fans we've never become accustom to making sure we've got some free-time during the holiday's to attend a bowl game.  If you go to these big time schools where bowl games are regular occurences their fans and the schools are prepared for this every year.   Even doing bowl give aways early in the season.  Some people I know that aren't going already made plans because they didn't expect us to go bowling, but said next year they will be ready.

We will grow, and this bowl game will help us grow.  If we get the 5,000 fans that most expect to travel then that is excellent.  It's a baby step, it's a start.  It will strengthen the community interest, and build for next year to add more fans, more season tickets, and hopefully someday more traveling fans.

[WoolyBully]

Fans will come, and I liken this Bowl game to a building block for USF athletics.  It does three things, 1. it gets our name out to more potential fans, and to those casual observers it lets them know we are part of big time college athletics this isn't some 1-AA thing (believe it or not some ignorant people in Tampa still believe that), 2.  It galvanizes the current crop of big time fans.  The 5,000 that will be in Charlotte will only become bigger fans and get excited about the next bowl game.  3. It will create more excitement, and anticipation for Bulls, and their games.  I do know a few that couldn't make Charlotte, mostly because being Bulls fans we've never become accustom to making sure we've got some free-time during the holiday's to attend a bowl game.

Great points...for a lot of these folks, it's going to be their first road trip.

I think anything over 5K is icing on the cake.

[lotsofbull99]

I might consider going, if I actually felt we had a chance to win.  Nothing worse then taking time off work, then making the long drive only to see the team get ***** Slapped.  So, I will watch it on TV in the comfort of my home.