Skip and an OCS

[Triple B]

I hate to this (not really) but

I know some of you mentioned that Skip agrees that we need an OCS in the Town Hall thread.

He didn't really say we needed one .....

The on-campus stadium question came up. Holtz said he would prefer to play games in an on-campus stadium because of the student environment, but added that having Raymond James Stadium as your home stadium is not a bad alternative for recruiting.

I don't think Skip will have a problem with our student environment at RayJay ...

[smazza]

10-15 years away

usf needs to dominate big east conference to justify such an expenditure

[E.T.]

...

usf needs to dominate big east conference to justify such an expenditure

Disagree.

Higher attendance average and larger donations dictate.

[Velcro]

Can you just imagine what hits the fan when we build an OCS?

EVERYONE had better start ponying up some serious cash to build your priorty points. After all, you'll want good seats in the new stadium.

After that you'll get to pay some ridiculous seat deposits to sit/stand on bleachers.

As some say - "Be careful what you ask for."

You aren't kidding... EVERYONE that is grandfathered in to low donation levels can kiss their great seats good bye.  You would be moved to an area that matches your current donation level.  There are soooo many people with great seats that give just a tiny amount.  As long as we are at RayJay, you can remain locked in at that donation level and keep those seats.  But the moment we move, all that goes out the window and seating priorities go to those who give the most.  I don't know that it will be priority points that dictates it... maybe it will within each donation level (???)  but I know if you are sitting in seats that have a $5000 annual requirement and only donating 500 annual (or whatever the oldest requirements were for that seat) ... you would end up moved to seats that match the quality of people that are just bought seats at $500 donation... which are means the different between mid field and corner. 

I would guess most the people that feel OCS is a necessity probably aren't grandfathered in anyway... so it is probably moot.  But it is worth considering. 

Also interesting, losing all the grandfathered ticket levels could make athletics some serious money in donations.... i don't really have any sense of that impact... will people cancel?  probably not.. so their options are move and stay at that level, or up their donation to get seats that are near what they had.  And if they move... those seats will still sell to people that donate higher levels as they would be still in high demand.

[Guest nybullsfan]

...

usf needs to dominate big east conference to justify such an expenditure

Disagree.

Higher attendance average and larger donations dictate.

Yer both right. Domination will lead to more donations and attendance

[BDYZR]

So let's just say it's 2020 we're dominating the 12 team ACC, we sell out RayJay weekly.

USF decides it's the right time to build TheBullsPen.com Stadium

You certainly can't come back and build a smaller stadium.

So now are you're looking in the 75K - 85K range?

Of course I have to give up the extra six tickets I have so I can afford two seats.

[macphisto]

It's quite simple.  If Holtz turns USF into a power, a consistent one, then it becomes much easier to get the funds for a great OCS.  But we have been spoiled by RJS, so a new stadium would need many of those same amenities and would likely need to be only the second college owned stadium with individual seats and no benches (Papa John's Stadium is the only college owned stadium like that). 

Winning Big East and national titles or being in the running for those BCS titles is what builds fanbases and it will take a lot of money to do so.  The more success that USF grads have, the easier it will be to get larger gifts. 

But it's still a long way away.  If they could raise $50M+ up front they could bond it out long term.

[Guest Scherdin]

Won't happen for at LEAST 10 years, as stated there are a lot of obstacles in the way:

* Winning the BE multiple times (a lot of the same fans won't support the Rays and the idea of a new stadium) consistent winning will make it a little easier to pull support, but the team has to prove they can do it more than once

* Can we get enough donations to come up with some of the funds? After all the other projects we are working on it seems a little hard to come up with more.  Unless we can pull out a Boone Pickens type alum, it's a big hill to climb

* Location, location, location...just like the big thread; where would you put it?

* Stadium design and size...how big can or would you go and will the public like a "college" stadium or would they complain that it doesn't have the amenities of Ray J.

I have to think that there are some other priorities (indoor practice field) the team could use first, then after some more traditions are in place a OCS could be considered. 

[E.T.]

...

usf needs to dominate big east conference to justify such an expenditure

Disagree.

Higher attendance average and larger donations dictate.

Yer both right. Domination will lead to more donations and attendance

Spot on NY

[nobull.Bulls]

I like ray jay. I dont care that we are the bulls, I still like to brag that we have a pirate ship in our stadium.