For all of you OCS peeps...

[DELdaBull]

I got 10k on it over 10 years. That way we only need like 30000 people  . At least we should start a fund. So that in like 20 years when we want to build an OCS the money is there.

[Knight_Light]

I never get these fascinations with OCS's?  Every time I go to a road game, I always think how much the place ***** compared to how lucky we are to have such a nice comfortable full of amenities stadium to watch ours games!

Amenities are nice but the atmosphere on campus can't be beat.

College football=Atmosphere, Pro Football=amenities.

Ummm... Really?  Then why are places like TCU adding amenities?

http://www.stadium.tcu.edu/

Or Michigan?

http://www.umich.edu/stadium/project-description/

Or the University of Washington?

http://www.gohuskies.com/genrel/090210aaf.html

Schools all over the country are renovating their stadiums to add AMENITIES to some historic and tradition-rich stadiums.

Easy...as most know all about their ON-CAMPUS STADIUM HISTORY.

TCU's stadium opened 80 years, in 1930!

Michigan's Big House opened in 1927!

Washington's Husky Stadium is one of the OLDEST in the country, as it opened up 90 years ago in 1920!

There are about 80-90 years of reasons why those stadiums are now receiving UPGRADES.

[SattyBull]

Ummm... Really?  Then why are places like TCU adding amenities?

http://www.stadium.tcu.edu/

Or Michigan?

http://www.umich.edu/stadium/project-description/

Or the University of Washington?

http://www.gohuskies.com/genrel/090210aaf.html

Schools all over the country are renovating their stadiums to add AMENITIES to some historic and tradition-rich stadiums.

Easy...as most know all about their ON-CAMPUS STADIUM HISTORY.

TCU's stadium opened 80 years, in 1930!

Michigan's Big House opened in 1927!

Washington's Husky Stadium is one of the OLDEST in the country, as it opened up 90 years ago in 1920!

There are about 80-90 years of reasons why those stadiums are now receiving UPGRADES.

Yep...

Why is TCU renovating the west side and north end of the stadium?

Built in 1930, Amon G. Carter Stadium has not undergone a major renovation since 1956. The renovation will allow TCU to enhance the game day experience for all fans by improving accessibility and crowd flow, enhancing seating to provide better views of the field, and significantly improving concession stands, elevators, restrooms and lighting.

1956!!!!! is the last time they've renovated the thing.

Q: WHAT IS THE GENERAL SCOPE OF THE PROJECT?

While design details are still being finalized, we do know quite a bit about the scope of the project. Highlights of the renovation include:

• The lower bowl and southside stands (originally constructed in 1950) will be completely demolished and reconstructed

• Premium seating opportunities, including suites, loge boxes, and club seating will be added to the facility

• A state-of-the-art football operations building, including team meeting rooms, recruiting facilities and coaches offices will be incorporated into the west end of the stadium.

• The field will be lowered approximately four feet to bring seating closer to the playing surface and improve sightlines.

• The track will be removed and relocated to another site on-campus.

This sounds more like the stadium was built in 1950 and is now a piece of crap rather than "our fans complain we don't have enough flat screens in the concourse or cup holders at their seats".

[Joe]

UConn's stadium too.

I would 100% prefer our own place, RJS is just gives me that empty (no fanwise) feeling because we're surrounded by nothing but Bucs **** and corporate logos.

I also understand that it's likely never happening, and I can live with that.

[Guest]

Adding amenities to stadiums that are old as dirt....not stadiums that have been built in the last decade.

We don't need an NFL caliber stadium on campus, and I don't want a Tin can like UCF. Papa Johns/TCF are PERFECT examples of a blend between the two.

TCF is not really a "blend" - per se... but I think having chairbacks for 50% of the fans is likely on the low side.  You can bet that every donor section at USF would have chair backs.

http://stadium.gophersports.com/about_quick_facts.html

Oh... and I would expect USF's capacity will be at  least 65,000 when it is built... because I expect in 10 years USF will be selling out Raymond James for the entire season.

[mikebeau]

we dont need 65k.  build it with 40-50k with opportunities to expand

The attendance average argument is overrated. I'd rather have a 40,000 for a game paying $30-50 a ticket, than 55000 paying as little as $5.30

Just saying...

[Joe]

I disagree Jim. 50,000 seats IF (big IF) it ever gets built.

The idea will be to maximize revenue. We might be able to put 65,000 buts in seats regularly, at what price though?

Right now we have $80 season tix, $5.30 individual tix.

We'll want to maximize booster fees too.

65,000 will kill revenues. Supply and demand. Which is why a long established team who sold out the Metrodome a few times a year went smaller than their old venue.

[Guest]

I disagree Jim. 50,000 seats IF (big IF) it ever gets built.

The idea will be to maximize revenue. We might be able to put 65,000 buts in seats regularly, at what price though?

Right now we have $80 season tix, $5.30 individual tix.

We'll want to maximize booster fees too.

65,000 will kill revenues. Supply and demand. Which is why a long established team who sold out the Metrodome a few times a year went smaller than their old venue.

See, and I disagree because even if someone pays $5.30 for a ticket to get in... they are likely to be paying $5.50 for a coke or $7.50 for chicken fingers.

The extra 15,000 people -- even if the ticket prices are "below average" -- will provide more revenue through concessions and advertising than is lost because of discounted ticket prices.

And I'm not talking about a team who sells out "a few times a year..."  I don't actually think USF will even begin to build an oncampus stadium until the Bulls sell out every game at Raymond James for two or three seasons.

Finally, I also disagree that the Gophers went smaller to maximize revenue. Their stadium is "expandable" to 80,000 seats.  My guess is the 50,000 seat stadium was all they could afford at the time.  Stadiums are prohibitively expensive -- what USF pays the Tampa Sports Authority in rent for a whole SEASON is about the same amount USF will have to pay bond holders for ONE MONTH of debt service. 

And the revenue from donations and ticket sales -- revenue streams that pay for athletic department operations -- will not cover a single penny of debt service. The only new revenue streams available to service debt will be in-stadium advertising and concessions... and revenue from both streams will be higher for 65,000 seats than 50,000 seats.

So, the only way to assure that USF can pay for it's own stadium is to have enough people in the place buying enough concessions... so 65,000 would be the minimum size of a stadium, and that won't happen until USF can be reasonably sure it can sell 65,000 seats for 6 or 7 games every year.

[BDYZR]

For all of you "willing" to donate $1,000.00 to build a new stadium - BE PREPARED to pay way more than that when the time comes.

You can bet your backside that ALL of your priorty points will only get you an opportunity to PAY MORE in an OCS.

For example, I'm a Green Jacket donor, which allows me to buy 8 tickets, which I do. OCS - TWO TICKETS, because the "donation" will probably be PER SEAT and that will probably DOUBLE my annual cost for football.

So, am I in favor of much higher cost for way fewer amenities? NO.

[South_Florida_Flip]

UConn's stadium too.

I would 100% prefer our own place, RJS is just gives me that empty (no fanwise) feeling because we're surrounded by nothing but Bucs **** and corporate logos.

I also understand that it's likely never happening, and I can live with that.

If we build a stadium like UConn's, then you can expect USF to lose a good deal of revenue through donations.