Is it time for OCS?

[gainesvillebull]

Is there and email for Doug or anyone that would lend an ear about starting up a fund for and OCS?

Edited December 5, 2013 by gainesvillebull

[TallyBull]

The best time to start a fundraising campaign for an OCS would be when the team is playing well again. Morale and impulse donations would likely be higher, IMHO.

 

You could look at it that way.  Another way to look at it is, "we're rebuilding USF football" and part of that plan includes building an OCS.  Sometimes, when a team is doing well, people think that the team already has everything it needs to succeed, so donations go down.  I know that's incorrect, but some people think that way.

[Bulls On Parade]

The best time to start a fundraising campaign for an OCS would be when the team is playing well again. Morale and impulse donations would likely be higher, IMHO.

Which is why I think they announce in a few years if cwt can turn the football program around.

[LoneBull]

I have been trying to piece together the state of the program, as I am sure most of you have as well. My thinking is the time is now for USF and Woolard to announce an OCS. We can all agree this season has been a reboot. CWT has stuck to his guns and forced a regime change, and for that I respect him. Next year may be rough as well, as the last stains of the Holtz era are washing away. However, by 2015 we should be poised to be competitive once again, especially in the diluted AAC. So as CWT grows here at USF, I feel the university is poised to make a move to place a stadium on campus (where the Tennis courts are or east of Greek Village).

I have a limited understanding of the Genshaft regime, but everything up to know seems to point in this direction. My time in Greek during undergrad allowed me to understand the Universities plan for Greek organizations, and it would seem to parallel all other facets of the Genshaft Regime. For Greeks, housing was to be designed in stages, or phases. Phase I saw the construction of the current Greek housing on the North-East side of Campus. However, this was to be temporary. Phase II would see the construction of improved Greek housing on a predisposed Greek Row located just north of Pizzo Elementary School on campus. There is even a long road and cul de sac located there in anticipation of the expansion. I’ve seen the blueprints, it would have been glorious (for Greeks).

Now in this same line of thinking Genshaft recently announced Phase II of the Unstoppable Fundraising Campaign. (http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/usf-increases-fundraising-goal-to-1-billion/2152763). Phase I saw the University raise $630+ million. Only around $100 million of that was used for athletics. From that we saw the Sun Dome renovations, as well as improved facilities for all other varsity sports. This leaves football as the only sport which was essentially unaffected by Phase I money (save for the re-purposed old IM fields). Further, and more importantly, the renovations to athletics were done without using State money. If a similar proportion of Phase II money is given to Athletics then we could see between $150-250 million available for ______.

In 2012, USF executed it's five year option with Raymond James Stadium to remain there through 2016. (http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/content/usf-extends-raymond-james-lease-through-2016) Raymond James clearly wished to lock USF **. This leaves USF without a home for 2017. Also the terms of the lease are not that demanding, as USF pays $150,000 a game, plus $2.50 a ticket to Tampa Sports Authority who manages Raymond James. USF also has to give a share of concessions up to $2,000,000/season to the Buccaneers. Should USF decide to terminate the lease early, it shouldn't be hard to offset the damages (provided USF Athletics has the Phase II money to play with).

Now our athletic department has been operating in the green for years, but such management has come at a price. (http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/248640/8/Athletics-taxing-USF-students-heavily). However, rising tuition is not keeping new students from USF. This is evidenced by the fact that the USF systems total student population is north of 48,000. (http://usfweb3.usf.edu/infocenter/?silverheader=&report_category=STU&report_type=SMAJS&reportid=211193) Further, it is conceivable that such a high commitment straight from tuition may be a better model for a young athletic's department like USF. All sporting events are essentially free to those who wish to go. We are not the likes of FSU and UF where we have the luxury of being a storied program to point where students will pay large sums of money to secure game tickets. This approach has not cost USF and has kept Athletics solvent. This is more than can be said for the likes of Maryland, or even our friends to the East (http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-27/sports/os-ucf-athletics-increasing-cash-big-east-062712_1_ucfaa-ucf-athletics-association-conference-usa). I bring this up to show, (Woolard's faults aside) our Athletic Department is operating in the green and in a position to make make such a capital investment as an On-Campus-Stadium and bear the brunt of possibly breaking the RayJay lease early.

From the horses mouth, just this past summer Woolard expressed optimism about an OCS. (http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2013/06/06/audio-justin-pawlowski-with-usf-ad-and-coach-willie-taggart/) This also was not the first time Woolard expressed interest in a 50,000 person facility at USF. In 2012, when the Sun Dome reopened Woolard mentioned how great it would be to have a 50,000 person OCS. (http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/sun-dome-reopens-campus-football-stadium-usfs-future) I hate playing a psychologist, but he has said it twice. I would think then that he, Genshaft, and the board of trustees have just such a facility in mind.

Also, for those of you that believe winning is a prerequisite to constructing an OCS, look to UCF and FAU. UCF went a combined 12-24 in the three seasons preceding Bright House Network Stadium. FAU went 6-6, 5-7, to 4-8 in the three seasons preceding the completion of FAU Stadium, and that team went on to go 1-11. Further, Minnesota, who many suggest USF needs to emulate in order to get competitive facilities, went 14-24 in the three years preceding their $300 million facility. We currently sit at 10-25 over the past three seasons. It has been miserable, but it is also a perfect time to make a move and improve USF's situation.

Woolard also feels that he has a coach to build with in CWT. Is Woolard going to build with him.

45,000 to 50,000 seat OCS opening 2017. What do you all think?

is this your site usfocs.com?

[BrahmanBullzzz]

I have been trying to piece together the state of the program, as I am sure most of you have as well. My thinking is the time is now for USF and Woolard to announce an OCS. We can all agree this season has been a reboot. CWT has stuck to his guns and forced a regime change, and for that I respect him. Next year may be rough as well, as the last stains of the Holtz era are washing away. However, by 2015 we should be poised to be competitive once again, especially in the diluted AAC. So as CWT grows here at USF, I feel the university is poised to make a move to place a stadium on campus (where the Tennis courts are or east of Greek Village).

I have a limited understanding of the Genshaft regime, but everything up to know seems to point in this direction. My time in Greek during undergrad allowed me to understand the Universities plan for Greek organizations, and it would seem to parallel all other facets of the Genshaft Regime. For Greeks, housing was to be designed in stages, or phases. Phase I saw the construction of the current Greek housing on the North-East side of Campus. However, this was to be temporary. Phase II would see the construction of improved Greek housing on a predisposed Greek Row located just north of Pizzo Elementary School on campus. There is even a long road and cul de sac located there in anticipation of the expansion. I’ve seen the blueprints, it would have been glorious (for Greeks).

Now in this same line of thinking Genshaft recently announced Phase II of the Unstoppable Fundraising Campaign. (http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/usf-increases-fundraising-goal-to-1-billion/2152763). Phase I saw the University raise $630+ million. Only around $100 million of that was used for athletics. From that we saw the Sun Dome renovations, as well as improved facilities for all other varsity sports. This leaves football as the only sport which was essentially unaffected by Phase I money (save for the re-purposed old IM fields). Further, and more importantly, the renovations to athletics were done without using State money. If a similar proportion of Phase II money is given to Athletics then we could see between $150-250 million available for ______.

In 2012, USF executed it's five year option with Raymond James Stadium to remain there through 2016. (http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/content/usf-extends-raymond-james-lease-through-2016) Raymond James clearly wished to lock USF **. This leaves USF without a home for 2017. Also the terms of the lease are not that demanding, as USF pays $150,000 a game, plus $2.50 a ticket to Tampa Sports Authority who manages Raymond James. USF also has to give a share of concessions up to $2,000,000/season to the Buccaneers. Should USF decide to terminate the lease early, it shouldn't be hard to offset the damages (provided USF Athletics has the Phase II money to play with).

Now our athletic department has been operating in the green for years, but such management has come at a price. (http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/248640/8/Athletics-taxing-USF-students-heavily). However, rising tuition is not keeping new students from USF. This is evidenced by the fact that the USF systems total student population is north of 48,000. (http://usfweb3.usf.edu/infocenter/?silverheader=&report_category=STU&report_type=SMAJS&reportid=211193) Further, it is conceivable that such a high commitment straight from tuition may be a better model for a young athletic's department like USF. All sporting events are essentially free to those who wish to go. We are not the likes of FSU and UF where we have the luxury of being a storied program to point where students will pay large sums of money to secure game tickets. This approach has not cost USF and has kept Athletics solvent. This is more than can be said for the likes of Maryland, or even our friends to the East (http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-27/sports/os-ucf-athletics-increasing-cash-big-east-062712_1_ucfaa-ucf-athletics-association-conference-usa). I bring this up to show, (Woolard's faults aside) our Athletic Department is operating in the green and in a position to make make such a capital investment as an On-Campus-Stadium and bear the brunt of possibly breaking the RayJay lease early.

From the horses mouth, just this past summer Woolard expressed optimism about an OCS. (http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2013/06/06/audio-justin-pawlowski-with-usf-ad-and-coach-willie-taggart/) This also was not the first time Woolard expressed interest in a 50,000 person facility at USF. In 2012, when the Sun Dome reopened Woolard mentioned how great it would be to have a 50,000 person OCS. (http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/sun-dome-reopens-campus-football-stadium-usfs-future) I hate playing a psychologist, but he has said it twice. I would think then that he, Genshaft, and the board of trustees have just such a facility in mind.

Also, for those of you that believe winning is a prerequisite to constructing an OCS, look to UCF and FAU. UCF went a combined 12-24 in the three seasons preceding Bright House Network Stadium. FAU went 6-6, 5-7, to 4-8 in the three seasons preceding the completion of FAU Stadium, and that team went on to go 1-11. Further, Minnesota, who many suggest USF needs to emulate in order to get competitive facilities, went 14-24 in the three years preceding their $300 million facility. We currently sit at 10-25 over the past three seasons. It has been miserable, but it is also a perfect time to make a move and improve USF's situation.

Woolard also feels that he has a coach to build with in CWT. Is Woolard going to build with him.

45,000 to 50,000 seat OCS opening 2017. What do you all think?

is this your site usfocs.com?

Unfortunately no lol, just bored the other day studying for law school exams

[Sellular1]

Here's a way for a 10% down payment.

Cal signs $18M deal with Kabam

Updated: December 5, 2013, 5:51 PM ET

Associated Press

RECOMMEND26TWEET24COMMENTS3EMAILPRINT

BERKELEY, Calif. -- The University of California has agreed to a nearly $18 million deal with Internet video game maker Kabam for the naming rights to the field at Memorial Stadium.

The school announced the 15-year deal on Thursday that will make its home field known as "Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium."

The field name will be placed on the two 25-yard lines of Kabam Field. Kabam will also receive 50-yard-line signage above the Cal bench and additional directional signage at the stadium. The on-field logos and signage are expected to be unveiled this spring.

Kabam co-founder and CEO Kevin Chou is a Cal alum and says he is excited about the partnership. Kabam was recently named the fastest growing Internet media company in the Bay Area for the second consecutive year.

[Southbull]

Here is something that might spark interest. We have all been looking at building an OCS by the tennis courts or greek village. What about tearing down some existing structure and replacing it with our stadium. I looked at google maps and came up with a few suggestions. Based on roads (entry & exit), parking, & stadium view. Here are my suggestions based on the previous criteria. Maybe some of you all can think of some other pros and cons with these sites.

1. The parking area just east of Castor Pond. This site has all plus a good view over looking Castor pond & of the MLK plaza if you build a horse shoe style stadium. Castor pond could become the site where players take a dip after a major victory. Sorta like they do in golf.

2. The area where the School of Business is located.. This site is sandwiched between two large parking areas. Most of which is at the Sun Dome.

3. The area where USF post office is located, right at the base of the water tower. The best feature at this site would be the water tower looming over the stadium.

I'm not a real technical guy but maybe some could put that picture of the campus back up and put the Citrus bowl picture in these three spots.

[Ghost]

Can't fundraise for it without announcing it. Gotta think there's too much red tape to make it viable, or Judy or the Board just doesn't want it for some reason.

 

this. So much this. I dont see why just announcing it would be harmful. Even if it takes 10 years. You want it sooner? Give more money. You cant donate money to something that is not there. I am not going to donate extra towards an OCS for them to just renovate the bathrooms in Cooper Hall. 

 

Parking is not an issue. There is no parking in Gainesville and somehow they manage to get 90k into the stadium. There not all students living on campus. You just park all over the place and have to walk, it adds to the experience as you walk past all the tailgaters spread around the campus. USF could not ask for a better advertisement of the school and campus if 40k were suddenly on the campus 6-7 times per year.

 

this. Would be awesome to replicate the atmospheres at UCF, UF, and FSU when you can just park anywhere and just walk over when you're done tailgating. 

 

I think its also fair to wait to see how much the fanbase continues to dwindle as the team continues to lose. If the fanbase won't support a team during a losing spell, which all programs experience, why spend hundreds of millions and incur the debt that can't be serviced through ticket sales?  Does anyone think that a new stadium in itself is enough to put butts in the seat? And if they add a PSL, you have to pay hundreds or thousands before you can even buy a season ticket.

 

I would say the opposite is true. Why spend money on a stadium if RJS is filling up with 60k+ every game? Take that money and spend it where there is a NEED. Were you guys at the SMU game? If that wasnt a testament for how badly USF needs an OCS, I dont know what is. There were 18 students there. Students make the environment at a CFB game. They are the ones who start the chants, make the noise, etc. If we can make it easier for the students, why wouldnt we? Those of us who drive to the game would still drive anyway. If you could keep 10-20k people from driving to the game, why wouldnt you?

 

So if this happens then how long until the ******** starts when (I said when) usf agrees to a home and home with (big time opponent) where our home game is at ray jay? Arguably FSU agreed to play us again since their fans had no issues getting tickets at ray jay.

 

WHy is that a problem? Doesnt bother the teams who play at Cowboy stadium. Playing at RJS would be reserved for the marquee games. As you can see with FSU, these game would sell well and get excellent exposure anyway. Dont see how it harms the school. This would only be for less than a handful of teams anyway. Not like Tulsa is gonna demand that we play at RJS. 

 

Yes, I would love to have a OCS like Minnesota's new stadium. But we are forgetting one thing now. When we were talking about building something like that, the BIG EAST was part of the BCS collecting tons of money for our school. Now, USF is in the AAC and the TV contract is giving us a drop off in money from what we had coming in. There is no way that I think USF will try to build a gem like Minnesota's now giving the circumstances.  I believe USF needs to look into how Colorado St and Houston are doing it. That is more of our price range right now. Now maybe just maybe, USF has something going on behind the scenes.  Like an invitation to the BIG 12 on the horizon ( yeah I know wishful thinking).  A potential invite to the P5 is the only way that I can see USF attempt to build an OCS like the Gophers. 

 

TV money would, at best, just fund the expenses of the stadium. Even if we were in the SEC, it wouldnt pay for our stadium. Obviously, it would be nice and we would have money left over, but our stadium is going to be built from donations. Period. Even in the Big East it wouldnt have come close to creating a foundation for a stadium. Colorado State and Houston are not in power conferences and they built theirs. UCF was not in one either. 

 

 

The best time to start a fundraising campaign for an OCS would be when the team is playing well again. Morale and impulse donations would likely be higher, IMHO.

 

You could look at it that way.  Another way to look at it is, "we're rebuilding USF football" and part of that plan includes building an OCS.  Sometimes, when a team is doing well, people think that the team already has everything it needs to succeed, so donations go down.  I know that's incorrect, but some people think that way.

 

 

this. You guys dont think the students and Greek houses wouldnt increase their fundraising efforts if it meant getting more money to build the stadium sooner or get a brick/section/whatever named after them or their house? Come on...

 

Just announce the plan and let everyone else do the work. Hell, make a kickstarter for it lol

[Dogma]

Here is something that might spark interest. We have all been looking at building an OCS by the tennis courts or greek village. What about tearing down some existing structure and replacing it with our stadium. I looked at google maps and came up with a few suggestions. Based on roads (entry & exit), parking, & stadium view. Here are my suggestions based on the previous criteria. Maybe some of you all can think of some other pros and cons with these sites.

1. The parking area just east of Castor Pond. This site has all plus a good view over looking Castor pond & of the MLK plaza if you build a horse shoe style stadium. Castor pond could become the site where players take a dip after a major victory. Sorta like they do in golf.

2. The area where the School of Business is located.. This site is sandwiched between two large parking areas. Most of which is at the Sun Dome.

3. The area where USF post office is located, right at the base of the water tower. The best feature at this site would be the water tower looming over the stadium.

I'm not a real technical guy but maybe some could put that picture of the campus back up and put the Citrus bowl picture in these three spots.

 

 

Speaking to some people at Planning when I was working at USF, the tennis court area is the unofficially designated place.

 

 

1   They are planning on builting more dorms there.  Remember, they are planning on having more student residents on campus to get a residental campus status (for AAU).  There are already long term plans set.

 

2.   The campus has "zones"  they plan on keeping athletics as together as possible.  The area you mention is basically the infrastructure zone.  This area with fill in as bigger buildings are built to handle increasing needs as the campus grows.

 

3.  While nearby, this wont be done.  They just spend money on the BSN expansion, and plan on further improvements.  Wayyyyyyyyy to costly.  Remember, your paying to tear down a major building (and expansion) and now you have to build ANOTHER building on campus to takes its place.  Plus now you have to find a location on campus where real estate is greatly diminishing

Edited December 6, 2013 by dogma

[atl86bull]

Cincinnati is spending $86M just to upgrade their stadium and they have a similar athletic budget to USF.  For another $40M USF could have a nice 45K OCS. 

 

If USF really wants to build a stadium they can pull it off. 

 

http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/100313aac.html

 

CINCINNATI – Proposed additions to the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium are a step closer to reality following the release of new renderings and floor plans for the Nippert Stadium Renovation & Expansion, director of athletics Whit Babcock announced Thursday. 

Construction on the $86-millon, privately funded project, is scheduled to begin in mid-December 2013 and be completed in August of 2015.