Didn't seem to be many seats

[charsibb]

C'mon Mike, get off the fence, you're just a fan now!!

 

LOL

[Mike Stuben]

C'mon Mike, get off the fence, you're just a fan now!!

 

LOL

 

 

I'll give you a great story about standing at games. I was in my second year at USF, a group of friends went the a basketball game (it was either our last year in the Metro or first in C-USA) ..... I'm sitting next to my roommate in section P1 (which was a student section back then, and is now once again a student section) .... tradition was students stood until the Bulls scored. So we are standing and a jerk behind us, says something like, "why don't you guys sit down so me and my girlfriend can see the game." Guy looked tough, tall, strong, may have had mafia ties.

 

My old roommate, who had a bit of a short fuse, spun around and unleashed something like this at the guy ... "if you ever came to the games or had a little bit of school spirit you would know that we stand until USF scores. So why don't you get up off your butt and act like a man before your lady starts looking for someone else to go home with." He didn't say those words, he yelled them, in the guys face.

 

I don't remember what the guy said next, but they were words meant to start a fight, something equivalent to saying that he knew my roommates sister and mother in a very intimate way.

 

My roommate, getting ready to attack, clenched a fist and began to swing, while I was trying to step in and prevent a fight.

 

There was one punch thrown, it was my roommate hitting me in the face by accident because I stepped between him and the guy in the row behind us.

 

The guy and his girlfriend changed seats and we all sat down. I got punched in the face and Sun Dome security didn't budge (we were in the second or third row).

[charsibb]

 

More reason NOT to get in somebody else's fight!

 

Thanks for sharing, THAT was funny!!

[LETHALWEAPONMV]

 

 

 

Got a call from athletics asking if I would be renewing this year.  I don't plan to, but that's another story.  Season ticket holder since Day 1 and this is the first time in 15+ years that I recall being contacted to see if I was renewing.  They asked specifically why I was not renewing.  Makes me think that they are looking at a significant amount of non-renewals this season.

 

This is standard procedure every year. We would call every year. I am guessing you were an early renewer if you never got the call before. The timing changed every year, but we always wanted to make many touches with each account who didn't renew on their own or notify us (on their own) they weren't renewing. When someone would tell us they weren't renewing we always wanted to know the reason ..... for example, moving to Idaho was out of our control. Didn't like the drunk guy behind them was something we could fix. Also, if someone didn't renew because they lost their job, we would make a note, maybe give a quick call back right before the season (because they might have gotten a new job) or the next year.

 

Some years the renewal calls would start before the deadline, other years they would only start after the deadline. Sort of depended on where we were in terms of renewal percentage.

 

I think the powers that be realize the renewal percentage may be down this year.

 

 

Just curious, but did anybody ever not renew because the guy in FRONT of them stood up too much?

 

One of my pet peeves is when old fogies (my age, LOL!) sit on their duffs all game. I want 'em UP and LOUD!!

 

 

 

I don't remember ..... certainly had some complaints from both side of that argument.

 

If someone was not renewing because of those around them, of course we would always try to move their seats in hopes of keeping them in the fold.

 

 

one of the only reasons I look forward to getting to becoming and "old fogie" is to continue to stand so others my age can't complain about being older and not being able to. I understand some can't but I just hope I am "fit enough" to do it entire game. ALL USF Football & basketball games I stand the ENTIRE game, sometimes all halftime as well

 

[charsibb]

You da MAN!

[Dhambuc]

All fans are greatly appreciated, We should be encouraging and supporting those to hop on the Bus, Not trying to make some of them feel bad, or eliminating a portion of the support.   

More fans will drive the demand since there will be less tickets,  There will be more butts in seats and will increase the fan base over the years by exposing people to the USF FB Experience. 

Stadium is much more energetic and entertaining when its full.

[charsibb]

All fans are greatly appreciated except those that want to sit on their butts the entire game, We should be encouraging and supporting those to hop on the Bus, Not trying to make some of them feel bad, or eliminating a portion of the support.   

More fans will drive the demand since there will be less tickets,  There will be more butts in seats people standing and screaming, and will increase the fan base over the years by exposing people to the USF FB Experience. 

Stadium is much more energetic and entertaining when its full.

 

FIFY

[BDYZR]

 

 

 

 

Got a call from athletics asking if I would be renewing this year.  I don't plan to, but that's another story.  Season ticket holder since Day 1 and this is the first time in 15+ years that I recall being contacted to see if I was renewing.  They asked specifically why I was not renewing.  Makes me think that they are looking at a significant amount of non-renewals this season.

 

This is standard procedure every year. We would call every year. I am guessing you were an early renewer if you never got the call before. The timing changed every year, but we always wanted to make many touches with each account who didn't renew on their own or notify us (on their own) they weren't renewing. When someone would tell us they weren't renewing we always wanted to know the reason ..... for example, moving to Idaho was out of our control. Didn't like the drunk guy behind them was something we could fix. Also, if someone didn't renew because they lost their job, we would make a note, maybe give a quick call back right before the season (because they might have gotten a new job) or the next year.

 

Some years the renewal calls would start before the deadline, other years they would only start after the deadline. Sort of depended on where we were in terms of renewal percentage.

 

I think the powers that be realize the renewal percentage may be down this year.

 

 

Just curious, but did anybody ever not renew because the guy in FRONT of them stood up too much?

 

One of my pet peeves is when old fogies (my age, LOL!) sit on their duffs all game. I want 'em UP and LOUD!!

 

 

 

I don't remember ..... certainly had some complaints from both side of that argument.

 

If someone was not renewing because of those around them, of course we would always try to move their seats in hopes of keeping them in the fold.

 

 

one of the only reasons I look forward to getting to becoming and "old fogie" is to continue to stand so others my age can't complain about being older and not being able to. I understand some can't but I just hope I am "fit enough" to do it entire game. ALL USF Football & basketball games I stand the ENTIRE game, sometimes all halftime as well

 

 

Glad you're not in our section.

[inTransit]

Tampa and ray jay just don't have the critical mass needed to make bus shuttles viable. As an example, Broward County Transit used to run shuttles to Dolphin stadium for fins games and it enjoyed a short run of success, filling buses and easing a truly miserable drive in and out of that place. I actually took one of those to a Marlins world series game and it made the experience 1000x better. The commute in and out of Ray Jay is a dream compared to that place. There are just so many more options here for parking near or far. The other problem is the shuttles are only viable for the transit agency when the team is playing well and people demand the service. Having a 3 and 9 season? Demand goes down, buses ride near empty and it gets abandoned. That's how it went in south Florida. I'll check in with HART and can put in a word with mgmt if someone here thinks they've got pnr locations and markets that could work.

[Mike Stuben]

HART is funded by tax dollars to serve the citizen of Hillsborough County .... even if the buses don't make a profit, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. I know that funding isn't enough (why they charge fares and have advertising).

 

Right now, in Tampa, mass transit serves the poor, which is good and noble. Hopefully one day, Tampa will have a mass transit system that will serve all of the citizens. (not at the expense of the poor and the service they need). This is a generalization, not a 100% rule, so please don't get upset if you have ridden a HART bus and aren't poor.

 

I love mass transit. I ride it all the time when I travel. I've lived in Tampa for 20 years and never once rode a HART bus. For someone who rides mass transit as much as me, it really doesn't add up.