Bulls club donor, should we re-new or not?

[BullFan98]

It really is pretty simple. There's no way for us get where we want to be with people dropping donations after, possibly, only the third losing season in our history ... after only the second year of a new coach with a pretty decent track record. Hopefully, for the future of Athletics, the vast majority of our fanbase understands this ... especially the heavy hitters.

THIS! However, we all understand the frustration and yes BAD timing.

[cmhatter]

Increasing my donation next year

[Brad]

Being a donor is not the same as a consumer, in my opinion. My donation is on automatic bank draft and will remain so until I perish.

The idea of donating to this program, which I have done since before the first season of football (I was a basketball donor before football became a reality), is a gift towards an ultimate goal or vision. If you believe we have reached the ultimate goal, then so be it. But the truth is, we haven't.

I have, at moments throughout my 20 years of giving, felt the wrong people were in charge, that wrong decisions were made, that some changes should have been made, but I have always donated (except after a layoff, I had to pause my donation). I also have had my opinion asked and I enjoyed time with some decision makers. I've seen good decisions made too, and heard great arguments made. I have voiced my opinion to USF administrators never once threatenting to cancel my donation or tickets.

I have reached the height of displeasure too. For one, I firmly believe the administration failed on a massive scale with their improper handling of the allegations against Jim Leavitt. It's not as some want to read it, that I "worshipped" Jim Leavitt - but it was that I thought an institution of higher learning ought to have a little more sense in how to handle that situation. I felt dirty just helping to fund that miscarriage of justice and responsbility. Anyway, I continued to donate throughout that massive failure and crisis of confidence.

Regardless of the characters, past and present, I am giving to a program. I have seen dramatic rise in this program from Day One. A little drop off here is no reason to change course. People panicked like hell during the 2004 season and three years later the team sat at #2 in the country.

Rant all you want. But it's not about whether or not the program, coach or this year's team pleases you. If it is, you're probably not a donor anyway. I'm sure the consumer-like donors money counts too, but I'd challenge you to crossover and commit your money for the long term. Doing so does give you a seat at the table. Not doing so, pushes you right out the door. USF doesn't do everything right and the team underachieves from time to time. That is to be expected. I remember the RJS nazis. There are better ways to improve all of these situations. Bailing out just doesn't make sense to me.

Again, voicing your displeasure is perfectly fine, exiting the effort is not.

[WoolyBully]

If we are having a discussion about not renewing, based on a losing season (our lifetime winning percentage is 61%), wait until the Big East is no longer a BCS conference (or whatever the post BCS configuration may be) and it's back to the days of CUSA. Then the discussion is really going to develop.

It's a judgement call. If you're looking to save money and don't really care about the amenities associated with season tickets, I'd go the individual ticket route. That way you only have to pay for games you want to see (don't have to purchase tickets to I-AA warm-up games early in the season).

Then again, as pointed out above, the grandfathering-in for my donor level is very nice, and we enjoy sitting with the same people year in and year out. The bowl tickets worked

out well (see Mike's Bull Backer post) for us and we've always had very good seats based on priority points. I just think I would reconsider whether I really wanted out, because

I doubt it will be easier to get back in at a later date.

Here's an interesting website if you want to take a 'big picture' look at winning and losing over the years.

http://football.stassen.com/records/

[Sitting_BULL]

Got my annual letter in the mail today of all days to remind me of my Bulls Donor. They want to let ya know you have until May to renew but you can do so by the end of year to take advantage of this tax year.

Ok first of all what bad timing, esp after that embarrassing loss on Friday. 2ndly the lack of students at the game was beyond crazy and an embarrassment to everyone who loves USF.

3rdly It is sick to see that each week tickets to games are given away, or dirt cheap(10.00 for this weeks WVU game) Really???

What about the donors? What do we get? We pay full price over price for a game tickets, support the team even when we lose or win, regardless of when the game is played. We buy the bowl tickets so the school doesnt eat the tickets the bowl makes them buy and we get NOTHING!!!!! How about doing more for the donors or dont expect to see many given free money for nothing.

I can save my donoation, buy game tickets for half price or cheaper and get bowl tickets at steep discounts and not miss a game.

USF needs to wake up or they will lose what is most important (money). How about given all donors a free Tailgate prior to the WVU game and not charge us the 20-30 bucks. Really!!! Or throw us a few BB tickets as a thank you.

Students are constantly in our section at the game, No Ray Jay employees around to do anything, You tell them that is your seat (paid for at a high price) and you get a fight, a drunk, someone throwing up, ect...... Not fun.

So the question is do I make my Bulls Club Donation this up coming year or buy me a flat screen TV and just get tickets at 10 bucks a pop for each game?

My decision may be made for me. The past two seasons, I've had a hard time finding people to take the other 6 of my 8 seats. This season, I've already had 2 give me their tickets back to scalp because they no longer want them and the other 4 haven't shown up for half the games. So, unless I find anyone who wants the 6 I don't use, I guess I won't be renewing either.

On a side note, at the L'vile game, I decided to find a scalper and trade the 4 I had for 2 with club access. He hands me 2 tix in the end zone with a face value half of what mine have? How do people buying cheap end zone seats get club access & I don't?

[CousinRicky]

While I understand the issue of priority points and away games and bowl games, other than the Gator game and maybe the FSU game, I don't recall USF selling out their allotments. Unless you are an Iron Bull, you couldn't get 4 for UF. USF didn't sell out all their tix to ND. Bowl games? With the type of bowl games that we get invited to, getting a seat is never an issue and, as others have noted in other threads, the seats that you buy through USF are usually crap.

The quality of seats to away games is a hit or miss proposition. Because of our elevated point total, we were given front row seats at Rutgers. I don't consider those great seats. We moved up late in the game to actually get a better view of the fiasco. As for the OCS issue, I noted in my post that it wouldn't benefit me in my lifetime. I figure in 20 years, the earliest that I see an OCS coming to be, I will probably be too old to get to every game. God willing I'll be able to do it, but I'm being realistic. So I still contend the priority point thing is overblown - at this time.

[USF_Grouper]

On a side note, at the L'vile game, I decided to find a scalper and trade the 4 I had for 2 with club access. He hands me 2 tix in the end zone with a face value half of what mine have? How do people buying cheap end zone seats get club access & I don't?

If you donate $1000 per year then you get club access, that simple, doesn't matter where you choose to buy your tickets. Plenty of folks choose to buy tickets in the end zone because they is where they prefer to sit (louder crowd, more amicable to standing, more like there student time, etc).

[BDYZR]

Got my annual letter in the mail today of all days to remind me of my Bulls Donor. They want to let ya know you have until May to renew but you can do so by the end of year to take advantage of this tax year.

Ok first of all what bad timing, esp after that embarrassing loss on Friday. 2ndly the lack of students at the game was beyond crazy and an embarrassment to everyone who loves USF.

3rdly It is sick to see that each week tickets to games are given away, or dirt cheap(10.00 for this weeks WVU game) Really???

What about the donors? What do we get? We pay full price over price for a game tickets, support the team even when we lose or win, regardless of when the game is played. We buy the bowl tickets so the school doesnt eat the tickets the bowl makes them buy and we get NOTHING!!!!! How about doing more for the donors or dont expect to see many given free money for nothing.

I can save my donoation, buy game tickets for half price or cheaper and get bowl tickets at steep discounts and not miss a game.

USF needs to wake up or they will lose what is most important (money). How about given all donors a free Tailgate prior to the WVU game and not charge us the 20-30 bucks. Really!!! Or throw us a few BB tickets as a thank you.

Students are constantly in our section at the game, No Ray Jay employees around to do anything, You tell them that is your seat (paid for at a high price) and you get a fight, a drunk, someone throwing up, ect...... Not fun.

So the question is do I make my Bulls Club Donation this up coming year or buy me a flat screen TV and just get tickets at 10 bucks a pop for each game?

My decision may be made for me. The past two seasons, I've had a hard time finding people to take the other 6 of my 8 seats. This season, I've already had 2 give me their tickets back to scalp because they no longer want them and the other 4 haven't shown up for half the games. So, unless I find anyone who wants the 6 I don't use, I guess I won't be renewing either.

On a side note, at the L'vile game, I decided to find a scalper and trade the 4 I had for 2 with club access. He hands me 2 tix in the end zone with a face value half of what mine have? How do people buying cheap end zone seats get club access & I don't?

A $1,000.00 donation will get you Club Access from anywhere in the stadium.

[Skingraft]

I'm staying the course....I'm in this thing for the long haul....

[namuh-bull]

No question in our minds about making our donation. I'm not happy with the season, but if you're a fan, you're a fan. The only dilemma that we are facing is our 8 tickets. One couple is moving out of the area and the extra 2 tickets have been tougher to move. Our daughter and son-in-law didn't buy season tix this year due to having the baby. So maybe they'll take over 2 and we'll keep 8.

When all is said and done, I really don't expect USF to win a national championship in my lifetime. We'll contribute every year as long as finances allow. Doesn't matter who the coaches are, who the AD is or who the president is.

The priority point thing is overblown. We bought that row of seats in the baseball stadium to jump up on the list. But the times when that is a benefit is rare now. And by time it does matter, I'll be dead and gone.

I don't know what your seating block is like, but for more than 2 I like the same seat numbers a row down or up. For 8 I maybe would even go 3 rows.

One reason to keep going if you are a long time season ticket holder has already been mentioned. The donor level for my seats and probably most others is way more than I give, since I have been grandfathered at a lower level (I have even doubled it and it is still way below what I would pay if I wanted those seats as a new season ticket buyer).

In the end, everybody has the choice of how to spend their money and time. If anybody doesn't want to renew, then enjoy whatever else you choose, and hopefully somebody new will pick up the seats and increase the donor base. Keep cheering for the Bulls, though. Things will get better.

Go Bulls!