USF Marketing - Be Positive/Constructive

[E.T.]

How about not having any advertising for the bowl tickets

c´mon !

If someone didn´t know about these tix and needed advertising to tell them, they were not going to the game and then probably couldn´t find their way there anyways.

If USF spent $5K on advertising these tix, it would be a bad job of using marketing dollars, a waste of money.

[Guest BullsFans]

There were people who bought MCCB tickets through Ticketmaster, because that's is how they purchased  tickets for  home games during the season.....USF doesn't get credit for tickets...Marketing by USF leaves a lot to be desired.

1.  How did Jordache sell it's  "Designer Jeans"?

a.  By putting the best product on store shelves?

b.  Spending more money on advertising than they did on the product?

c.  By paying it's leader a big salary?

How did McDonalds help build it's customer base?

a.  By waiting for customers to find its stands along the roadside?

b.  By giving kids a toy with their meal?

c.  By selling burgers made from the finest USDA Prime Beef?

3.  What has USF done to market Football to the general public in the Tampa Bay Area?

a.  ?

b.  ?

c.  ?

4.  If home team fan attendance isn't great at RJS  why would you expect it to be good for a second rate bowl game game 600 mile away?

[BigEastBeasts]

My suggestion:

An on-campus stadium and home games played on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm, since we don't draw crowds because the stadium isn't on campus and we don't draw for day games because there are other things going on  

Now, I'm not a marketing type person, but i don't blame the marketing department as much as just people in general.

:: DEAD HORSE ALERT ::

Like it or not, we live in a bandwagon town. For the most part, the people in Tampa will not support a team until they are a winner, plain and simple. Look at the history with teams in this area. It happened with the Bucs, it happened with the Lightning and I can guarantee you it will happen with the Rays sooner or later. It even happened with us leading up to the WVU game. Before the UConn debacle everyone was hyped up for the WVU game because of the implications, even the fringe fans, because USF had a chance to be a winner, to be a champion. As soon as we lost to UConn, where did that buzz, along with most of those people go?

With the Bulls we are dealing with a situation where there have been at least 3 alternatives within the state for at least 40 years before we even started a program. I would even venture to say that the majority of fans for those 3 teams never actually went to school there, but they still see no reason to change their allegance just because the Bulls are the "home" team and unfortuantely that probably will not change until we win and go bowling on a consistant basis.

:: END OF DEAD HORSE BEATING ::

No matter how good your marketing is, and where it is directed, it is ultimately the people of the area who need to alter their mindset and accept Bulls Nation. Until then, we can shove it down their throats all we want, but we will still see the same 25,000 - 30,000 average at Ray Jay and the same general indifference towards us and our program.

[E.T.]

There were people who bought MCCB tickets through Ticketmaster, because that's is how they purchased  tickets for  home games during the season.....USF doesn't get credit for tickets...Marketing by USF leaves a lot to be desired.

...

3.  What has USF done to market Football to the general public in the Tampa Bay Area?

a. Great Stadium 

b. Reasonable Ticket Prices

c. A Very Good Team that wins and is in a BCS Conf.

...

Would like for someone to fill in the blanks also...

BigEastBeasts is on target !

[Guest BullsFans]

My suggestion:

An on-campus stadium and home games played on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm, since we don't draw crowds because the stadium isn't on campus and we don't draw for day games because there are other things going on  

Now, I'm not a marketing type person, but i don't blame the marketing department as much as just people in general.

Sure,  sure, Blame the potential customers.....It's a good thing that you arent in sale or marketing.

:: DEAD HORSE ALERT ::

Like it or not, we live in a bandwagon town. For the most part, the people in Tampa will not support a team until they are a winner, plain and simple. Look at the history with teams in this area. It happened with the Bucs, it happened with the Lightning and I can guarantee you it will happen with the Rays sooner or later.

Ever hear  of the Tampa Bay Bandits?   How about the Tampa Bay Bucs losing their first 26 games....the stands were for the most part full....good season tickets were hard to come by.  

With the Bulls we are dealing with a situation where there have been at least 3 alternatives within the state for at least 40 years before we even started a program. I would even venture to say that the majority of fans for those 3 teams never actually went to school there, but they still see no reason to change their allegance just because the Bulls are the "home" team and unfortuantely that probably will not change until we win and go bowling on a consistant basis.

Very good point, however an effort needs to be made to get more of them in the ballpark...now!    That's where MARKETING comes in....the "it will never work" philosophy will insure that it  never will.

:: END OF DEAD HORSE BEATING ::

No matter how good your marketing is, and where it is directed, it is ultimately the people of the area who need to alter their mindset and accept Bulls Nation. Until then, we can shove it down their throats all we want, but we will still see the same 25,000 - 30,000 average at Ray Jay and the same general indifference towards us and our program.

Big East..are you Ready! Just isn't going to get it.

Promotion of a product  is what gets people to change there minds and try brand x.....If marketing won't get the public to by your product....then either your product is not what the public wants or your marketing sucks....if you can't sell your product and progress to showing a profit then it's time to rethink your strategy.

[BigEastBeasts]

And I must now pose the question once again, what would you like the marketing dept. to do over what its already done? They have billboards on major traveled roads, they ran radio ads on sports talk radio, they have run print ads in the paper in the past (All of which is a little ridiculous to have to do in the first place. You shouldn't have to continually advertise that there is a game coming up for a D1 football team in a major conference)

See, there is a little problem here, and that problem is you can't MAKE people care.

We play in a 60,000+ seat stadium that houses both our team and an NFL team, located in what is commonly referred to as a "football town".

Said NFL team currently sells out this stadium, along with 100,000 people (allegedly) on a waiting list for season tickets that cost at least $500/season.

Our team, on the other hand, has trouble getting 30,000 people in the same stadium on a Saturday night, with the most expensive ticket being $29.

You can't tell me that out of the 160,000+ fans that have or are on the list for Bucs tickets, that half don't even know USF has a football team that plays at the same stadium at the same time of year.

The problem is these people just don't care about the fact that we have a football team or care to go to games for whatever reason.

Sure the Bucs lost 26 in a row and may have had stands that were "full for the most part", but they were still a new product to the area. As the losing built up, people stopped caring and they were left playing in a half full stadium, and half of those people were there for the other team. When did the Bucs start filling the stands again? Oh yeah, it was in '97 when they went to the playoffs and started winning.

Like you said, you can market something until you're blue in the face, but if the people don't want it they won't buy it. No matter how much we market the team and the school, when people start actually caring, they'll start showing up.

[E.T.]

Very true ... which is why I´ve given up on past alums ... need to concentrate on the current and soon-to-be students !

Wouldn´t waste time going back 10 years on alums. They are already supporting.

Go BULLS !!!

[E.T.]

These are some suggestions for next year. I hope marketing takes this thread and some of its ideas seriously.  

Dale Mabry USF:  We need to raise a few dozen USF banners along the highway near the stadium. The average person that drives through the highway doesn't associate the stadium one bit with USF.  That needs to change.  I don't think the Glazers have any say on what goes up on Dale Mabry.

Fireworks  A "Green and Gold" firework after every USF score.

HOA: This might be kind of an ODD idea but it might be worth a shot.  Encourage local Home Owners Assoc (HOAs) to organize community wide tailgates.  Offer them free beads and other cheap items, along with a Rocky the Bull appearance for the kids.

more to come.

Where are the other thoughts ?

[E.T.]

HOA: This might be kind of an ODD idea but it might be worth a shot.  Encourage local Home Owners Assoc (HOAs) to organize community wide tailgates.  Offer them free beads and other cheap items, along with a Rocky the Bull appearance for the kids.

More I think about this, the more I like it. Aren´t some of the streets blocked off anyways ... not sure if there are actually HOA´s along these streets, maybe someone can help us with logistics here.

[Don Toro]

More I think about this, the more I like it. Aren´t some of the streets blocked off anyways ... not sure if there are actually HOA´s along these streets, maybe someone can help us with logistics here.

 I was referring to HOAs in general, whether they are by the stadium or in New Tampa.  My idea is for those HOAs to see community wide tailgates as something fun and family friendly that would strenghten those community bonds.  We just gotta put the idea out there, and that really can start with any of us. It would be nice if there was a set package that marketing could work out that could be distributed to those HOAs.  

 I'll keep thinking of other ideas.  I have just been all over the place getting gear for the road trip. BTW, if somebody needs car flags then stop by the Sports FanAttic at University Mall or at the Bucs and Bulls Heaven on Florida, they are going for $13