Bucs game last night -- USF don't ever make this same mistake!

[Bulls Are We]

I was at the Bucs game last night.  This year the Bucs are offering free food and drink to club seat holders. 

$35 allowance per ticket for Club I

$25 allowance per ticket for Club II

$15 allowance per ticket for Club III

Sounds like a great idea right?  In theory yes, but surprisingly when the food is free everyone wants some.  So now you have people who would not ordinarily spend $12 on a bad cheeseburger lined up out the door for a "free" one.

This pic was taken during the second quarter of the game last night.  Lines were outrageous all night.  Many concession stands ran out of food.  They were totally unprepared for this and I imagine (hope) the Bucs are getting slammed with complaints today.

USF please take note and don't ever think of trying this marketing gimmick!

[Triple B]

I was at the Bucs game last night.  This year the Bucs are offering free food and drink to club seat holders. 

$35 allowance per ticket for Club I

$25 allowance per ticket for Club II

$15 allowance per ticket for Club III

Sounds like a great idea right?  In theory yes, but surprisingly when the food is free everyone wants some.  So now you have people who would not ordinarily spend $12 on a bad cheeseburger lined up out the door for a "free" one.

This pic was taken during the second quarter of the game last night.  Lines were outrageous all night.  Many concession stands ran out of food.  They were totally unprepared for this and I imagine (hope) the Bucs are getting slammed with complaints today.

USF please take note and don't ever think of trying this marketing gimmick!

Most stuff like this has a learning curve ... Plus, those people were also probably wanting to avoid witnessing the carnage occuring on the field

[jasonb56]

It doesn't help that the stadium was "Cash Only" last night either... That needs to fixed ASAP!

[crambone]

It's like Ellen used to say about peanuts on the airplane.  You walk up to someone and offer them peanuts and they like "Get that **** away from me!"

But when the peanuts are free and all they get to eat on a plane people will have their tray tables down and ready for a tiny little bag.

[Matt]

considering the Glazers have the majority of the control over consessions for USF games you can bet nothing like that would happen at USF.

[Bull-by-Marriage]

My 13 yr old nephew was telling me that it took 30 minutes to get a coke. I thought that he was exaggerating I guess not. That is ridiculous.

[Oldsmobull]

What's amazing is that almost all the folks working in the concession stands at Ray Jay serving the drinks and hot dogs etc. are volunteers.  Most of the stands are manned by groups of parents for groups like high school booster clubs and other youth groups which are there to raise money for their charity or clubs.  I think the volunteer groups are paid something like a 3% cut of sales at the stands they operate. 

[Matt]

What's amazing is that almost all the folks working in the concession stands at Ray Jay serving the drinks and hot dogs etc. are volunteers.  Most of the stands are manned by groups of parents for groups like high school booster clubs and other youth groups which are there to raise money for their charity or clubs.  I think the volunteer groups are paid something like a 3% cut of sales at the stands they operate. 

this is for inside the club level though.  the people who work the concessions in the club level are paid employees.

[GaUSFBull]

It's like Ellen used to say about peanuts on the airplane.  You walk up to someone and offer them peanuts and they like "Get that **** away from me!"

But when the peanuts are free and all they get to eat on a plane people will have their tray tables down and ready for a tiny little bag.

Or they say something like this (bad video quality, but all I could find):

[Brad]

I'm surprised they have to resort to the free food gimmick, do they no longer have a season ticket waiting list of 46,789,543,118?