Attendance, Marketing to fans.

[turkeysoup]

 this season we reached a few highs- three games with attendance over 40K- one a Big East game.  

Which was mostly if not entirely due to fans of the visiting teams. FAMU, UCF and WVA.  UofL also put a lot of it's fans in the seats.  None of these teams will be coming to the RayJay this year.

Without visiting fans the RayJay would look empty.

[Bullpride08]

Which was mostly if not entirely due to fans of the visiting teams. FAMU, UCF and WVA.  UofL also put a lot of it's fans in the seats.  None of these teams will be coming to the RayJay this year.

Without visiting fans the RayJay would look empty.

If handled correctly Pitt, and Uconn, and Syracuse should do well attendance wise.

The following season, 2007, will have at home Kansas, UNC, WVU, and UL.  That will be a mighty nice ticket purchase as it stands.

[SRQ]

Take it from an old guy, USF football attendance is ahead of schedule.

I was a regular at University of Tampa games in the old Sombrero before the bowl-ends were put in.  20K was a big crowd.

If the program continues on its successful path, the fans will come.  The final piece of the puzzle has to be an OCS for several previously stated reasons and the sooner this conversation is started by the powers-that-be, the better.

[Bullpride08]

I agree with SRQ, however preface it by saying a few more bowls, and winning seasons to keep the football program on the map will allow the season tix base to grow into an area the Athletic Department can feel comfortable about starting tangible discussions regarding an OCS.

Oh, the powers that be have talked about an OCS, but it's not at the top of the list right now.  Give it five years, pump up the season tix base to well over 20k, get most of the other Athletic Department needs addressed; i.e. baseball and softball stadiums, final refurbishments of SunDome, move practice fields, add nutrition and dining hall, and new soccer field/stadium.  Get those funded and off the ground then you can expect the OCS will jump to the front of the list.

[Joe]

If handled correctly Pitt, and Uconn, and Syracuse should do well attendance wise.

The following season, 2007, will have at home Kansas, UNC, WVU, and UL.  That will be a mighty nice ticket purchase as it stands.

Bein,

Don't think we'll add UCF again? It was great for attendance.

[Bullpride08]

Nope.  Unless they're willing to work with a set-up that's somewhere along the lines of 2 for 1.

A good dose of winning, and annual home schedules like the one in store for 2007 and we'll do fine in attendance with or without them.

[SRQ]

Bein,  Great analysis of the time frame and logistics involved before an OCS can be a realistic item for discussion.  The other reason that I want the OCS plan pushed soon is that if the Glazers think its a realistic option, they will likely sweeten the TSA split for the Bulls at Ray Jay.  Currently we get nada, zip, nothing from concessions, parking, etc.

You're also right on that any future UCF contracts need to be 2 for 1s.  I hope that our AD will get a 2 for 1 with a c-DOA team soon just to set the precedent.

[turkeysoup]

Take it from an old guy, USF football attendance is ahead of schedule.

I was a regular at University of Tampa games in the old Sombrero before the bowl-ends were put in.  20K was a big crowd.

True, however the population of Tampa (Bay Area) was miniscule when the Spartans played compared to today.

[SRQ]

I'll grant you that TS, but consider what the alternatives were to spend your sports dollar on.

Wrestling at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Golden Gate Speedway or the Dog track.

[USFan]

The apartments and dorms empty because they all went home for the weekend.

Every time someone mentions about students on campus during the weekends, you always say they are gone. When did you go to USF? I recently graduated and this is not the case. Sure there are students that go home, but have you ever thought about those students that work during the weekend?

Students go home during the weekends at every school, not just USF. I know many friends that go home during the weekends and they go to UF, FSU, and UCF. However, to think that every student goes home EVERY weekend is not correct.

Maybe because you don't realize that only 4400 or so students live on campus and the majority live within 5 minutes from campus (42nd, skipper, and 46th ring a bell?) and you don't see this. Maybe you go home every weekend?

USF is making plans to add beds on campus, so the number of students living on campus will increase and eventually USF will lose the “commuter†nametag.