USF fans...thoughts on UCF on Black Friday

[Goldenbuc]

I know it's a road game for you, but what are you're thoughts on this game possibly being on Black Friday each year? How will it affect attendance at Ray Jay? My concerns are that both of our fan bases like this matchup, but aren't quite there enough to cut vacation or get students back from home so quickly for this game.

The BE has said they see this as a marquee rivalry in the conference and possibly being discussed as a package for future realignment. It'll be on a national stage, possibly ABC this year, as one of only 3 or 4 matchups that day. If there's a lame turnout, it could waive off a lot of interest for this rivalry. Being at UCF this year, I really fear this. Since UCF has been the bigger proponent of this rivalry since the beginning, if we cant sellout this game, it could spell disaster. Thanksgiving weekend is a ghost town at UCF. If it was in October, it'd sellout for sure...but TG weekend will be a MAJOR test for our fan base. Some USF fans may hope it falls flat at UCF to prove a point of some sort regarding the hype of this rivalry, others I've seen are already planning their trip to Orlando.

What are your thoughts?

(I'm a UCF fan for some of you newbies)

[Bullrush33]

It sucks when it is a day game. Night time would not be so bad. I think with are schools playing it could sell out regardless.

[puc86]

Who is UCF?

[cophbulls]

Wait. We're playing UCF? Do they even have a football team?

[Cow Pie]

My   on this issue...

 

This is a stupid choice... both student bases will still be out of town, and to make matters worse there is a chance that they (ESPN or our conference) could force USF and UCF to play an early game between 10AM and 12PM.

 

I don't I need to remind many of you what happened the last time we played a morning game on Black Friday.

 

$50 computers > College Football

 

If the conference is interested in making this into an annual "Black Friday showdown" between USF and UCF, at least make this game at 8PM on ESPN or ESPNU at least. Its bad enough that attendance will take an immediate hit as it is, given that its Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend and all , and the students for both USF and UCF will be on vacation. So there is no need to make matters worse by scheduling this game any earlier then sundown at the least.

 

Personally speaking I have a family tradition of going out on Black Friday to people watch after stuffing myself with turkey the day before. To make matters worse in my house we are all Cowboys fans so every few years we make the trek out to Dallas for the big game, and when we don't go out to Dallas for the weekend we stay home and put up the tree after spending all morning shopping. Now that I have kids I don't think that my wife, or my family, is gonna be too keen on dropping everything to go watch USF play at 10am or 12pm or even 3pm.

 

I know that I'm not the only one that this game will cause issues for... and the only smart choice will be doing it as late as possible. If its late its a sell out... if its at 3PM or 3:30PM then it will be a decently attended game, if its at 12PM it will be a half empty stadium, if its at 10AM it will be a ghost town, regardless of the record we have or what UCF has.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Bubba Bull

[zarnozdabull]

Its at UCF.

 

UCF fans are so obsessed and want to beat us so bad that even if this game was on Christmas and both teams were winless they're still gonna sell this game out just in hopes of watching us lose to them for the first time.

 

Its the return game here next year that will determine how successful it'll be

[Bull Martin]

Too be honest, I'm kind of happy that the first game is at UCF.  If the stadium's not full it's their fault.  They wanted this game so bad, now they need to prove it.  If the game is late it might be ok, but I have serious doubts a nooner at USF on black friday would come close to selling out.  Even if the game were Saturday.  I think they should give it a few years for the passion of the new conference to kick in before forcing the game to Thanks Giving Weekend.

 

Edit to note: we sold out or Thanksgiving weekend game against Miami in 2009 (Though I recall Miami helping that out greatly; probably 10-20K or so canes there; of 66K announced).

Edited March 7, 2013 by Bull Martin

[Bull-by-Marriage]

UCF should cross market with Disney.

[JTrue]

If we can't sell out 45k seats for this game, regardless of the weekend and start time, we don't even deserve the rumors about our package deal to the Big-12.

[E.T.]

Average fans want this. Need to bring in fringe fans.

I would prefer day!