Softball Coach Wants New Facility Now

[USFPhil]

then we may be looking at loosing softball seasons because Erikson has convinced girls to play at this facility which will be quite the task for a new coach.  

I know we dont have the money but we better find some because this softball facility is terrible

[Brad]

" ... this is just women's basketball."  Every UT Vols fan, pre-1982.

" ... this is just women's soccer."  Every UNC Tarheels fan, pre-Anson Dorrance.

" ... this is just women's volleyball."  Every USC, Nebraska, UCLA, Hawaii Booster pre-Title IX.

None of the accomplishments of those programs impresses me.  I really don't care much for women's soccer, softball, rowing - whatever.  I can't even name all the women's sports we compete in (BasketBull may open a new thread on whether or not I am a real Bull  ;D).  I just don't care.  Same goes for baseball.  It just doesn't draw my attention like basketball and football.  I think for many in the Bay Area, and direct supporters of USF, that may be the case.  Football draws.  The rest is just there.  

That's why I defined it as a narrow view.  I like what I like.  I don't watch the NHL, probably never will.  I don't watch the NBA, probably never will.  Same is true for girls softball.

I focus on the progress of the sports I like and I think the majority of fans do that.  We'd be hard pressed to sell 15K season tickets to softball even in a state of the art softball complex.  People just don't care that much.  Hence the coach should be careful with how he comes across to the community.  I doubt his pleas in the media affected the apathy meter one iota.

[Brad]

Women's sports have proven they can be profitable and viable without the crutch of Title IX...

While it's a topic for another thread...I'd like to know which program(s) you are referring to.  Without Title IX, you'd have to go back a long way.  If you have that info, please let me know.  It would help sort out my feeling on the whole Title IX debate.

[USFCollin]

Bob starting football was necessary, but it hit the Olympic sports hard.  They have been patiently waiting their turn, and they should start to see the rewards for having to suffer cutbacks while watching football grow.  We needed football to become bigtime, but now it's getting close to the time where football will need to start giving back instead of just eating the whole pie it generates.  Of course the NCAA could jump in and cap football scholies at 65 instead of 85 and solve most of these problems...

Oh yeah, we also need to double Coach Mac's budget so he can compete in the best basketball conference ever created, as well as pay off the debt on the new facility.  I figure $20 million would be a good start... Smazza how's the new job paying??  You want to kick off the checkwriting?   ;D

[USFCollin]

No problem liking what you like Brad, just that I think we've got to expand our market to find something that EVERY sports fan in Tampa Bay likes.  No, were never going to draw 40k fans to a softball game.  But we don't need to to make softball more economically efficient.  Season tickets don't pay for new facilities, big donors do.  And when the arena is nice and a place where people with some money would want to be, they'll bring their checkbooks with them.  It's about finding the guy who's daughter loves softball, and also happens to be an internet millionaire who graduated from USF 20 years ago.  And that guy is much more likely to get involved if he befriends the head coach, likes attending games himself, and sees lots of fans at games.  New buildings bring in lots of fans.  These things go together.  And in softball's case, lots of fans might only be 1000-1500.  That's fine, it might be all they need to be more profitable.

As far as women's sports that just rake dollars, I'm very confident every one of the programs listed above are deep into the black, though I don't have exact figures.  UT women's basketball often outdraws men's, and both UConn men and women sell out every game at Storrs.  Big 10 and Big 12 volleyball and basketball also have many profitable squads.  UNC Soccer could probably pay for all their scholies on their Nike contract alone(which also helps them get people like Mia Hamm in the long run).  I'll look for Title IX programs that are in the black and see if I can find a list.  

Yes, Title IX touches a nerve with me... it needs some reforms and to be brought more up-to-date, but it's a great thing that's made athletics more accessible for everyone.  

[Velcro]

Bob starting football was necessary, but it hit the Olympic sports hard.  They have been patiently waiting their turn, and they should start to see the rewards for having to suffer cutbacks while watching football grow.  We needed football to become bigtime, but now it's getting close to the time where football will need to start giving back instead of just eating the whole pie it generates.  Of course the NCAA could jump in and cap football scholies at 65 instead of 85 and solve most of these problems...

Oh yeah, we also need to double Coach Mac's budget so he can compete in the best basketball conference ever created, as well as pay off the debt on the new facility.  I figure $20 million would be a good start... Smazza how's the new job paying??  You want to kick off the checkwriting?   ;D

I agree with most of what you are saying, and here is the biggest part... "its coming near time for football to help out the others"

Near, but not quite there yet... until we have some more major funding coming in, we just don't have the money to take on major projects that are so slim in scope.  The all-sport facility was huge and everyone gets to use it... it was a necessity.  A new softball field just isn't a necessity, but it would be very nice, and since it was promised, should eventually be made, but i just don't see it anytime in the next few years.  Unless Erickson plans on making this his lifetime job, he'll be gone before we ever have a new softball field.

[USFATO]

Here are a couple of links I found.

Sam Houston's field:

http://bearkats.shsu.edu/newfields.html

This is Baylor's 4 year old facility:

http://baylorbears.collegesports.com/school-bio/bay-gettermanstadium.html

University of Alabama:

http://www.rolltide.com/Facilities/5090.asp

[The Sheriff]

UConn men play in Hartford Collin... they draw better than the women. The women play most of their games in Gampel Pavillion. Hartford Civic Center holds like 13,000 whereas Gampel only holds half of that. Don't let people make you believe the women's hoops carries UConn... they're definitely a wonderful asset for UConn athletics and something for all women's teams to aspire to, but the men are generating more revenue. While talking UConn women's hoops, you think Diana Taursi might throw it out to me when I move to Arizona? If we have kids, they're going to USF and not UConn!

[USFCollin]

Sure the guys make more $$... but the girls do more than break even too.  When Geno Auriemma started building that team to what it is now, Jim Calhoun made the now famous joke that the stands were filled with people who belonged in day cares or senior citizens homes.  But the only women's game I ever saw a crowd at USF, I was cheering for the road team, us vs. UConn:)

Sheriff glad you brought that up, as my roommate and I have had the discussion more than once on whether Diana is a babe or not.  She says no way, I say not a 10 by any stretch but I'd buy her dinner.  Settle this as the authority on chicks here on southfloridabulls.com.  

[The Sheriff]

She's cute and has all the ability to make a superstar athlete. She's better looking than Leigh Ann Ellis IMO, but not better looking than the pitcher for the USA softball team, Jenny Finch. If I get a chance to spit some game at her, it's on. She can buy me dinner though... she makes more money. If I play her in hoops, I'm wearing my Bulls jersey and will play dirty and hard! No mercy on UConn!