Woolard & OCS

[SRQ]

I hate to start this topic back up, but Woolard addressed so I'm just reporting.

He began by saying that few schools play in a finer facility that RJS.  He also told the SRQ crowd that if they didn't have season tix, they better get them soon because sellouts are not that far off.

He then went on to admit that there is something special about having an OCS.  That to bring 40-50K fans on campus 6 Saturdays/year is great, especially when 50% are likely not alums.

His estimate of cost was $100M and that 40-50K would be first phase with plans for expansion as need be.

When asked about location, he said to forget about today's campus boundaries and to understand that USF is growing and the footprint of the university will likely grow with it.

Pretty heady stuff.

[Bullpride08]

I hate to start this topic back up, but Woolard addressed so I'm just reporting.

He began by saying that few schools play in a finer facility that RJS.  He also told the SRQ crowd that if they didn't have season tix, they better get them soon because sellouts are not that far off.

He then went on to admit that there is something special about having an OCS.  That to bring 40-50K fans on campus 6 Saturdays/year is great, especially when 50% are likely not alums.

His estimate of cost was $100M and that 40-50K would be first phase with plans for expansion as need be.

When asked about location, he said to forget about today's campus boundaries and to understand that USF is growing and the footprint of the university will likely grow with it.

Pretty heady stuff.

Those were the same type of comments Leavitt made to a big group in December that I've quoted often.  At the time Leavitt said around $90M and seating over 50k, so clearly this isn't some pie-in-the-sky one person just coming off the cuff with his thoughts.  It sounds clearly like DW and Leavitt and crew have talked about this and done some solid research.  At the time Leavitt said it would be self-supportive at that level and felt that very soon the ticket sales would dictate the necessity.

I've heard that season ticket sales this season are ahead of schedule.  A good sign, soon both hoops and football tickets, the good ones, will be almost impossible to come by.  Grab them now, get them while you can get grandfathered in with the donation level because in about three years I see both sports as being tickets that are almost impossible to get good seats at.  Hoops the entire lower bowl is sold out, they will be adding some new seats, nicer seats, with the Dome improvements.  Football tickets, I am guessing by 2007 both sidelines will be sold out.

Get them while they're available boys.

[Triple B]

At the time Leavitt said it would be self-supportive at that level and felt that very soon the ticket sales would dictate the necessity.

I realize this is something we all want down the line but how, exactly will ticket sales make an OCS a necessity?

[Cubanbull]

Where could the footprint grow to, unless he is talking about University Mall. The Golf course? Cant think of any other continuous land adjacent to the University

[ZeroBullChip]

Where could the footprint grow to, unless he is talking about University Mall. The Golf course? Cant think of any other continuous land adjacent to the University

I bet they are plotting to build on theland next to the river.  Wasn't there some reason they could not?

[Guest BasketBull.]

To be honest, until we have our own stadium, we will not be a BIG 4 in Florida.

If we can get football at USF, then we can get a stadium --one day!

[bullgator85]

I don’t understand why we just don’t stick it at the corner of East Holly and Maple. It is right next to the athletic district and is literally across the street from both greek village and the dorms. That would definitely get the students to the games. On the master plan i believe there is supposed to be four fields put there (no demolition = easier construction). Now i have never heard anybody suggest it so there must be some reason it wouldn’t work but i don’t know why. Also what do most of you want the stadium (if we ever get one) to look like?

[USFan]

I don’t understand why we just don’t stick it at the corner of East Holly and Maple. It is right next to the athletic district and is literally across the street from both greek village and the dorms. That would definitely get the students to the games. On the master plan i believe there is supposed to be four fields put there (no demolition = easier construction).

That location will be used for IM fields. The current IM fields will be used up by the Athletic District.

[bullgator85]

well just south of those fields is going to be a pond. why don't we hold off on building it and put the stadium there. to me it just seems there are a lot of things that could be moved in order to put the stadium on campus.

[SRQ]

To be honest, until we have our own stadium, we will not be a BIG 4 in Florida.

Like Miami's, right?