And Now Some GOOD News - Season Ticket Sales

[E.T.]

Bulls Surpass Last Year's Season Ticket Numbers

Published: Aug 26, 2006

TAMPA The University of South Florida has surpassed last year's season ticket numbers, USF assistant AD Jim Louk said.

The Bulls have sold more than 16,500 season tickets, the third-most in school history, with the season opener Saturday against McNeese State. Last year USF sold 16,261 season tickets.

The only time USF sold more season tickets was 18,500 in 1997 and 17,674 in 1999.

FAN DAY: Bob Erskin, grandfather of USF freshman RB Colby Erskin, was the first fan to arrive at Saturday's Fan Appreciation Day. Erskin arrived at 9:30 a.m., 90 minutes before fans are allowed inside the fence surrounding the practice fields.

"I walked in and looked around, but they said no one was allowed until 11 a.m. so we had to come back and watch from outside the fence," said Erskin, of Sheridan, Mich., who was in Tampa for another grandson's wedding.

For the eighth consecutive year, Gary Plaisted made the nearly 400-mile drive from Warner Robins, Ga. to attend USF's fan day.

"It's worth it," said Manny Rangel, who joined Plaisted on the 5½-hour drive, leaving at 4:30 a.m. "It's the only time you get to see the coach."

During the drive, Plaisted and Rangel watched a DVD of USF's 1997 inaugural game against Kentucky Wesleyan.

A few hundred fans attended the event, which ended early because of lightning. The most serious injury from Saturday's practice was Coach Jim Leavitt's voice. Leavitt has lost most of his voice in the past couple of days and was reduced to whispering during the team's drills.

Brett McMurphy

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/MGBHSB9QCRE.html

[NormalBull]

Way to go el toro and DrBrahma.  Great Bulls fans.  Wish I could have been there with ya!

Normal

[E.T.]

Driving and Watching DVD ... glad they made it safely  

It is Great !

Now I need to nut it up and make it up next year. I have an ego!  8-)

[WoolyBully]

A few hundred fans attended the event,  

Well....that's sort of my take.

It's always good to see Gary down this way.

...and any bump in season tickets is a good thing. I'll just be glad when we go over 20K

[bulls96go]

i am happy for the increase

i really thought going to the BE would have bumped the season tix by 1500-2000

also i thought our "natural" growth rate would be about 500 per year (graduate 8000 students app. 10% become season tix holders)

i though we would be pushing 20K by now

am i being too optimistic or are we not doing enough to attract our graduating students?

[StandingBull]

Would have been really nice if they could have driven down here listening to the HOT cd...mabye next year!!!!

[E.T.]

...

am i being too optimistic or are we not doing enough to attract our graduating students?

I as feeling the same way, somewhat disappointed. About a month ago, there was a thread about this and some really good points came up that put me in a more relaxed mode. It was a thread mushed up with turkey crap, but had some good points especially from S.Bein I BULLIeve and mayeb he will see this and remind us. I will try to look for it also. Part of it was that a graduating football fan may not want to spend the moneys on his first year outta school, etc.

It is a good sign of things though that when a team goes 6-6, but has a bowl game - an increase takes place. Timing may have been the reason.

I really do hope that we see gradual increases each year though and really can't wait for that 20K mark to be passed.

Each year, it will become more difficult to get the better seats. And REMEMBER, larger donations can be paid Quarterly! I only have 2 tix with a small donation, because I will only be able to make 1 or 2 games a year. I am optimistic that soon I will be able to make more AND get more tix with a larger donation.

And for those that want the OCS, this is a small step in that direction AND will HELP with seating location for The BULL Pen !

[E.T.]

DANG ! I miss that edit button.

Even though it is only about 250 more tix, it's a great sign and hopefully we get more this final week. And who knows, with a great start to the season, maybe some more are sold before the Rutgers game with the FULL Big East schedule yet to be played..

[StandingBull]

I feel once the season starts and the buzz around town gets stronger and stronger season tickets sales will increase...also I think you will see a rise in single sales..I believe the attendence will increase this year and each following year...went to Bealls yesterday and it was great to see more and more USF stuff there..even talked to the sales people there to ask about the mugs and they told me they were sold out of the USF ones..although mad I could not buy them I was happy to hear a sell out of USF ones and those others teams were still there collecting dust...GOOO BULLS!!!

[E.T.]

I...also I think you will see a rise in single sales..GOOO BULLS!!!

True, because as mentioned here before, people can still get good seats on Game Day ... really hoping to average 40K a game.