Tickets Sold, 4,400

[USF03]

Ahh I see.

Band leaves the 21st... comes back the 23rd/24th.

[USF03]

BTW... good luck at nat'ls!

[Guest]

Man there is a lot to reply to on this thread....

Hate to agree with HBryan but tis true.  What I don't understand is we have had a team for ten years.  That would be 10 graduating classes.  Where the hell are these people ?  What does USF graduate a year 4-5 K or more ?  If even one in ten bought season tickets we should be filling our place up by now.  I don't have the age range of the season ticket holders but it would be interesting to see.  I know in my section most have not graduated in the last ten years.  So I guess I am moving to the conclusion that even with a decade of football the last ten years of USF graduates are pretty sorry.

1. Not everyone is a football fan.  Hard to believe, I know.  But there are a lot of people who don't like footall.

2. In 2005, the USF Alumni Association commissioned a study of then-current USF students.  Here are some interesting numbers -- for students at the TAMPA CAMPUS:

- 40% students rate their pride in attending USF at less than 7 on a scale of 10

- 54% campus chose USF for it's location

- Only 7% list sports as their most memorable USF experience (21% say friends, 14% say instructors)

- 6% has the strongest affiliation with USF athletics, 40% with their major/department

- 35% think that USF is mediocre

- 59% have NEVER attended an athletic event

- 17% are not interested in EVER attending an athletic event (64% of those do not like sports, 26% don't have time for sports)

- 26% are not interested in joining Alumni for athletic events

- 60% said joining the Big East ad NO EFFECT on their connection to USF

- 47% said that success in sports would keep them connected after graduation, significantly less than:

    - Access to resources (93%)

    - Help with job placement (89%)

    - Improving the value of the degree (88%)

    - Communication about happenings at USF (74%)

    - Continuing education (71%)

    - Keeping connected with classmates (67%)

- 43% DO NOT regularly wear USF clothing

- 37% are not interested in campus traditions such as Homecoming

Marketing:

- 64% prefer to receive news and info via email

- 82% feel USF does a good, fair, or excellent job of communicating news and info

---

   I'm frustrated with everyone in charge of promoting/selling tickets at USF. Given our unique situation we need a more creative marketing department.  And don't talk to me about budget 'cause you can market to students for almost nothing.  Promoting travel packages during student meetings is free, and you don't even have to wait for the day of the invite for this.

   You can start talking about possible bowl plans during the start of the semester:

"If we make the Bham bowl this would be the cost of the package $", or "If we make the Gator bowl this would be the approx cost of the package: $ That price will go up the day the bid is announced though. So get your package early, you will get a refund for the difference."  Is that so hard to do? I think we are starting to see a trend with bowl bound teams: pre-sales.  If by the end of the season we have sold a good amount of tickets then we won't be turned down by the bigger bowls.  

Actually, yes. It is very hard to do.  The price to charter a plane four months from now -- when you can't actually book the trip -- will change substantially (heck, fuel costs alone can fluctuate by 10-15%).  They also can not tell you how much the hotel will be, since some bowls may not even have assigned team hotels at the start of the semester.  

Now, what they can do is take bowl game deposits and include "Plan your holidays around bowl game" flyers in season ticket mailings.  I bet Joe will save at least one more vacation day next year to make sure he can make a bowl game.  I even bet HaulingBull might wait a little longer to plan his Christmas with his family.  Once people start getting used to planning both family AND bowl games, more people will attend.

---

I agree about contacting graduates.  For instance I graduate in May.  I would like to see a letter/postcard from the alumni association and in it/attached to it, a form about usf season tickets.

Unfortunately, there is still "politics" between Alumni and Athletics.  You might get a postcard/letter -- but the only mention of athletics will be that the Alumni Association sponsors the away game tailgates and a few local watch parties.

---

What I do not understand is why athletics doesnt buy out like 2000, not 500,  tickets for students to go?  I BET you students are willing to do it, c'mon... a good road trip?  A cheap hotel OR the car?  Nothing better! I hear students talk about road trips for less (hmm... closest white castle in Tenn?).

"Man, I have the money for the road trip, the hotel, the extra beer, the drinks the night before, but that $30 for the ticket-- that's way too much for me."

If the students are not going because they couldn't get a free ticket -- that is just sad.  I am willing to bet that students are not going for the same reasons alumni are not going: family plans, cost of the whole trip, etc.  Heck, why not ask USF to give all 10,000 tickets away to alumni and students ??

[Guest]

I dont think the 4400 includes band etc. This was the discrepancy on the 5500 and 6200 numbers given out for last years Bowl.

If you look at the seating chart locations USF received sections 32-34, half of 35 and section 12. So if you split 10,000 tickets by 4.5 sections it comes out to about 2200 per section.

The 500 student free tickets are spread out in front of all three sections 32,33,34 and a few rows are open between them and the buyers of tickets. As of right now USF has section 35 fand 34 full , 33 its about 20 rows from full. So that gives you a number close to 5000. Which would be 4400 tickets sold + 500 students

I hope it does not include them...

Rows are about 26 seats per row... with 70 rows per section... that's just less than 2000 tickets per section.

And USF does not start in row 1 of 35 - it starts at least halfway up... so, if there are 4,400 tickets sold it would be all of USF's share of 35, all of 34, plus most of 33.

[Mag Pie]

2. In 2005, the USF Alumni Association commissioned a study of then-current USF students.  Here are some interesting numbers -- for students at the TAMPA CAMPUS:

- 40% students rate their pride in attending USF at less than 7 on a scale of 10

- 54% campus chose USF for it's location

- Only 7% list sports as their most memorable USF experience (21% say friends, 14% say instructors)

- 6% has the strongest affiliation with USF athletics, 40% with their major/department

- 35% think that USF is mediocre

- 59% have NEVER attended an athletic event

- 17% are not interested in EVER attending an athletic event (64% of those do not like sports, 26% don't have time for sports)

- 26% are not interested in joining Alumni for athletic events

- 60% said joining the Big East ad NO EFFECT on their connection to USF

- 47% said that success in sports would keep them connected after graduation, significantly less than:

    - Access to resources (93%)

    - Help with job placement (89%)

    - Improving the value of the degree (88%)

    - Communication about happenings at USF (74%)

    - Continuing education (71%)

    - Keeping connected with classmates (67%)

- 43% DO NOT regularly wear USF clothing

- 37% are not interested in campus traditions such as Homecoming

Marketing:

- 64% prefer to receive news and info via email

- 82% feel USF does a good, fair, or excellent job of communicating news and info

Man, that's just sad.  Like I said before...if people want season tickets they will buy them.  That's it.

[Don Toro]

Actually, yes. It is very hard to do.  The price to charter a plane four months from now -- when you can't actually book the trip -- will change substantially (heck, fuel costs alone can fluctuate by 10-15%).  They also can not tell you how much the hotel will be, since some bowls may not even have assigned team hotels at the start of the semester.  

 Again, I do not think is that hard to get an estimate on how much things will cost.  You can give an approx. for each scenario and take one deposit.  You don't need to stay at the team hotel, you can book at a cheaper place and prepare for a rate increase.  We already have 3 bowls within driving distance so again, you can estimate how much it will be to charter a bus. We are only talking about a 4 month difference, the only unknown would be gas price and you can price the package at the worst case scenario.  As for the other two bowls, well, will just not offer the package in advance.  

[Joe]

Moises,

I see what you are saying, but I really don't think it would improve the bowl game attendance as much as you'd believe. No school as of now really starts putting out bowl info before their season ends, unless they win their conference. Just too much anticipation, too much could happen.

Further, you start sending info about the Gator or Orange Bowl to people and you make the Birmingham Bowl there will be a letdown.

[Cubanbull]

Jim

There are peopl that have posted they have seats 31,32. So I think its safe to say that there are about 32 seats per row.

According to another thread USF has sold sections 33 and 34 starting in row 20. The free students are seating in first 7 rows in sections 32,33,34.

Sectiuon 35 as i said was half so started in row 35 and was sold out

so

Section 35= 35 x32= 1120

Section 34= 50x32= 1600

section 33= 40x32=1280

Thats 4,000 right there without counting the 500 student tickets nor the 150 companion tickets they bought that were included in their seating.

So no the 4400 cant include band, athletic Dept people etc.

This is my last post on this subject because im honestly tired of it.

Ill be at the game with others and plan to enjoy and support the bulls, wether there are 5,000 Bull fans or 6,7,000 there is not much I can do about that other than buy tickets nd get there..

So Go Bulls beat ECU!!!!!!

[HaulingBull Sucks]

   I'm frustrated with everyone in charge of promoting/selling tickets at USF. Given our unique situation we need a more creative marketing department.  And don't talk to me about budget 'cause you can market to students for almost nothing.  Promoting travel packages during student meetings is free, and you don't even have to wait for the day of the invite for this.

   You can start talking about possible bowl plans during the start of the semester:

"If we make the Bham bowl this would be the cost of the package $", or "If we make the Gator bowl this would be the approx cost of the package: $ That price will go up the day the bid is announced though. So get your package early, you will get a refund for the difference."  Is that so hard to do? I think we are starting to see a trend with bowl bound teams: pre-sales.  If by the end of the season we have sold a good amount of tickets then we won't be turned down by the bigger bowls.  

Actually, yes. It is very hard to do.  The price to charter a plane four months from now -- when you can't actually book the trip -- will change substantially (heck, fuel costs alone can fluctuate by 10-15%).  They also can not tell you how much the hotel will be, since some bowls may not even have assigned team hotels at the start of the semester.  

Now, what they can do is take bowl game deposits and include "Plan your holidays around bowl game" flyers in season ticket mailings.  I bet Joe will save at least one more vacation day next year to make sure he can make a bowl game.  I even bet HaulingBull might wait a little longer to plan his Christmas with his family.  Once people start getting used to planning both family AND bowl games, more people will attend.

You lose, Jim...Family and Christmas trump a football game by a long shot.

[USFMikeB]

Just keep in mind Hauling Bull (or cee, whatever your name is), that bowl games are ALWAYS played during the holidays.  So, you'll never be going to a bowl game, and should never discuss any negatives of bowl game attendance since you refuse to attend.