Voodoo Five column: "Dear USF Fans: It's Time To Give A **** And Show Up"

[Bull Matrix]

Would love see 35K to 40K for NC ST

[bullsfan27]

 

Mostly preaching to choir here, not sure how the plea reaches those that need to hear it. If they aren't going to games it's likely they aren't reading VooDoo5 or other Bulls sites.

 

Eh, I saw quite  a few people posting this on facebook. So the word is getting around.

 

The problem is, no one "gives a ****". USF students don't want to drive 20 minutes, sit in the heat, and watch an ok team with a terrible offense play football. 

 

I think part of the problem with students is they are looking at USF as a transfer opportunity to FSU or UF and only care about those schools which I say why even go to USF if you only care about this schools. Go to HCC or a community college and use them and get the students in that truly care for USF.

 

This is not true at all. I do not have one friend on campus that is at USF as a chance to transfer to other schools. Most students love the school, like the area, but just don't see a reason to go watch a BORING game. I've been a fan for a while, so I'm out of the ordinary and I'll go no matter what. But for people that weren't fans before, they just don't care about the sports teams unless they're fun to watch.

 

It might have changed since I was an undergrad then but when i was an undergrad i knew of a bunch of students that were only going to USF because they couldn't get into FSU or UF and were going to transfer. This was also before they upgraded a lot of things on campus so that might have changed some minds.

[tmharri2]

 

I'd like to preference this by first saying that I have had season tickets since 2007 ( Section 124 ) and have gone to every game since with the exception of the year I lived in Korea. I enjoy the tailgating and try to bring someone new with me to the games that have never been. I took my friend from Cocoa Beach to her first USF game last Saturday and she loved it!   I'm in my late 30's, from Pasco County, and have LOVED college football since Lex Smith was on the Gators in the late 80's. I'm in no way trying to tell people how to spend their money.  It is your money, you made it, spend it how you like.  For me, I love our school and win or lose, I want to support our football them.  This is just my opinion, "I could be wrong"!

Great post. Awesome fan!

 

Thanks!  

[swamprat]

Me and my wife have been at every game for several years now and we've sat there and cheered our Green and Gold hearts out even during these last few losing seasons. We've watched the attendance dwindle and dwindle and it's been upsetting but we can see and feel that things are changing. I've had friends in the past who would come to games with me when we were winning and they don't seem to have much interest now as hard as I try at times.

 

But for as small as the crowd was last Saturday the feeling in the stands was different than it has been at some of the games of the past few years, even when slightly more people were still showing up. You could feel that the fans that were there were really starting to believe in our football team again and that will be contagious. It won't happen overnight, but as the wins get more frequent that belief in the team will grow, and then it will spread. First it will be a few extra fans here and there, and then they will start believing again and they will spread that to a few more fans, then a few more. Things are starting to change and if you were at that last game you would know what I'm talking about.

 

We got extra tickets to the season opener and brought some extra family and friends. I just bought extra tickets for the UConn game for some family coming into town. My sister, who graduated from Florida Southern, she said after going to the season opener it made her wish she had gone to USF instead. People are starting to take notice, and they will come. 

 

Harlan has the right idea with putting a lot of focus on the students. They will be alumni at some point. It's not just about getting back the bandwagon crowd we lost when the team starting losing, it's also about inspiring new fans to get excited for us to start winning again. We have to win back the old fans, but we have to focus on creating the new fans too. Who knows, the new fans might be more likely to stick with us.

I, also felt the difference. I haven't felt like I did Saturday in, at least, 4 years. It felt good.

However, it'll take wins to bring the crowds back. I don't see how complaining attendance will do anything to improve it. As for us, we'll control what we can control and be there, win, lose, or draw.

[USFbulls24]

Me and my wife have been at every game for several years now and we've sat there and cheered our Green and Gold hearts out even during these last few losing seasons. We've watched the attendance dwindle and dwindle and it's been upsetting but we can see and feel that things are changing. I've had friends in the past who would come to games with me when we were winning and they don't seem to have much interest now as hard as I try at times.

 

But for as small as the crowd was last Saturday the feeling in the stands was different than it has been at some of the games of the past few years, even when slightly more people were still showing up. You could feel that the fans that were there were really starting to believe in our football team again and that will be contagious. It won't happen overnight, but as the wins get more frequent that belief in the team will grow, and then it will spread. First it will be a few extra fans here and there, and then they will start believing again and they will spread that to a few more fans, then a few more. Things are starting to change and if you were at that last game you would know what I'm talking about.

 

We got extra tickets to the season opener and brought some extra family and friends. I just bought extra tickets for the UConn game for some family coming into town. My sister, who graduated from Florida Southern, she said after going to the season opener it made her wish she had gone to USF instead. People are starting to take notice, and they will come. 

 

Harlan has the right idea with putting a lot of focus on the students. They will be alumni at some point. It's not just about getting back the bandwagon crowd we lost when the team starting losing, it's also about inspiring new fans to get excited for us to start winning again. We have to win back the old fans, but we have to focus on creating the new fans too. Who knows, the new fans might be more likely to stick with us. 

 

It's very very very difficult to inspire new fans given the state of our program. I'll be honest, had I not gone to USF between 2006-2010 I probably wouldn't be a die hard fan. Being able to witness big games, against big programs, and winning consistently (bowl games) made me extremely passionate about USF football. Football games were fun/exciting on top of the tailgating. That counts for something. Had I started school in 2012 at USF and was a junior now and my first two seasons I've seen a 3-9 record, a 2-10 record, and a demotion to the AAC what is drawing/creating new die hard fans? Just going to USF doesn't give anyone the obligation to turn into a huge USF football fan.

 

I really like the work Harlan is doing getting students involved and all that, but at the end of the day when these kids that are trying to get into USF football and become die hard fans and walk out of Raymond James disappointed 95% of the time they go it's going to be hard to keep them coming back/becoming the die hard fan. We need to win football games and give these students/new fans a reason to want to be passionate about our football program. 

[MaltLiquorBull]

Me and my wife have been at every game for several years now and we've sat there and cheered our Green and Gold hearts out even during these last few losing seasons. We've watched the attendance dwindle and dwindle and it's been upsetting but we can see and feel that things are changing. I've had friends in the past who would come to games with me when we were winning and they don't seem to have much interest now as hard as I try at times.

But for as small as the crowd was last Saturday the feeling in the stands was different than it has been at some of the games of the past few years, even when slightly more people were still showing up. You could feel that the fans that were there were really starting to believe in our football team again and that will be contagious. It won't happen overnight, but as the wins get more frequent that belief in the team will grow, and then it will spread. First it will be a few extra fans here and there, and then they will start believing again and they will spread that to a few more fans, then a few more. Things are starting to change and if you were at that last game you would know what I'm talking about.

We got extra tickets to the season opener and brought some extra family and friends. I just bought extra tickets for the UConn game for some family coming into town. My sister, who graduated from Florida Southern, she said after going to the season opener it made her wish she had gone to USF instead. People are starting to take notice, and they will come.

Harlan has the right idea with putting a lot of focus on the students. They will be alumni at some point. It's not just about getting back the bandwagon crowd we lost when the team starting losing, it's also about inspiring new fans to get excited for us to start winning again. We have to win back the old fans, but we have to focus on creating the new fans too. Who knows, the new fans might be more likely to stick with us.

I totally agree with you. My family and I have been an every home game since before the big east days. The last few years have been rough. But there was a feeling Saturday that I haven't felt in a long time. It was in the way the small crowd was feeding off of the defensive effort, and the way the defensive players were feeding off of the crowd. Reminded me of CJL days. I hate losing, but I felt very in to that game. You're right! That feeling is contagious. I think it will spread if we keep improving and start winning again.

[charsibb]

Conventional wisdom says that offense brings fans and defense brings championships

 

Some fans get inspired by good defense too

[JTrue]

 

Me and my wife have been at every game for several years now and we've sat there and cheered our Green and Gold hearts out even during these last few losing seasons. We've watched the attendance dwindle and dwindle and it's been upsetting but we can see and feel that things are changing. I've had friends in the past who would come to games with me when we were winning and they don't seem to have much interest now as hard as I try at times.

 

But for as small as the crowd was last Saturday the feeling in the stands was different than it has been at some of the games of the past few years, even when slightly more people were still showing up. You could feel that the fans that were there were really starting to believe in our football team again and that will be contagious. It won't happen overnight, but as the wins get more frequent that belief in the team will grow, and then it will spread. First it will be a few extra fans here and there, and then they will start believing again and they will spread that to a few more fans, then a few more. Things are starting to change and if you were at that last game you would know what I'm talking about.

 

We got extra tickets to the season opener and brought some extra family and friends. I just bought extra tickets for the UConn game for some family coming into town. My sister, who graduated from Florida Southern, she said after going to the season opener it made her wish she had gone to USF instead. People are starting to take notice, and they will come. 

 

Harlan has the right idea with putting a lot of focus on the students. They will be alumni at some point. It's not just about getting back the bandwagon crowd we lost when the team starting losing, it's also about inspiring new fans to get excited for us to start winning again. We have to win back the old fans, but we have to focus on creating the new fans too. Who knows, the new fans might be more likely to stick with us. 

 

It's very very very difficult to inspire new fans given the state of our program. I'll be honest, had I not gone to USF between 2006-2010 I probably wouldn't be a die hard fan. Being able to witness big games, against big programs, and winning consistently (bowl games) made me extremely passionate about USF football. Football games were fun/exciting on top of the tailgating. That counts for something. Had I started school in 2012 at USF and was a junior now and my first two seasons I've seen a 3-9 record, a 2-10 record, and a demotion to the AAC what is drawing/creating new die hard fans? Just going to USF doesn't give anyone the obligation to turn into a huge USF football fan.

 

I really like the work Harlan is doing getting students involved and all that, but at the end of the day when these kids that are trying to get into USF football and become die hard fans and walk out of Raymond James disappointed 95% of the time they go it's going to be hard to keep them coming back/becoming the die hard fan. We need to win football games and give these students/new fans a reason to want to be passionate about our football program. 

 

The VooDooFive crew (along with some here) disagree. Going to football games is the only way one shows proper support for their University regardless of their actual interest in the sport.

[Danm1983]

The crowd sounded really good for how small it was. There was good noise for the most part, until later when we botched the punt and they scored. It got loud towards the end too before we fell short.

[DELdaBull]

We need victories. Lots of them.