How to get more students to attend the games?

[Guest BasketBull.]

Please post your ideas here. This is a big issue for our athletics programs.

BTW, about how many students do you think we can get to attend events (what's the optimum number we can realistically reach)?

[Jewbull]

WIN AND THEY WILL COME

Do not play schools such as Buffalo, South Carolina St, FIU, & Stetson and they may show up

[mutt]

 Kids don't get hooked on the "College sport experience" unless their peers are already hooked.(Everyone loves a party) Just look at the lizards,,, strangers who have absolutely nothing to do with UF jumped on their bandwagon...  I agree with JewBull to a degree "Wins do make fans" but there needs to be some kind of student led group (nudge nudge) that is responsible for other students showing up. I think once students go, and someone sees them and acknowledges them, it's like, "Now we depend on you" to be there.  

We (the Pinellas County Alumni Chapter) offered a free shuttle bus for students and staff from the St.Pete campus to the game and back...  I'd like to see it happen again. not many takers last time, but now that the "dorm" is up & running smoothly, thinks might look better.

[ProudBull]

I think JEWBULL is right.  If we keep winning and play higher level schools than more people will show up.  Personally I think trying to schedule some of the big three at home will help us out.  I know UM will be coming to town in a few years and we play Florida in 2010.  

As great as it is to play at Ray Jay, I think that also puts a damper on attendence.  I have heard students whine about having to drive that far.  I love Ray Jay and I think it is great that we get to play in one of the best stadiums in the country, but the drive does suck

[twillybull]

At football games it's not a lack of students that's keeping attendance down.  The last 2 years, student attendance has been through the roof.  Between the Bull Runner and the freakin 10 minute drive, there is no excuse for students not to show... and they have been in very large numbers.    

The big question is can we get all of the alumni AND the casual (bandwagon) college football fans from the Tampa area to the games.  This will make the biggest difference in boosting attendance.  

Now I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but I've seen more USF car paraphanalia over this last winter than I can EVER remember.  I sure hope that translates into more butts in seats come game day.    

[twillybull]

I say we average 40-45k this upcoming season (if we keep winning).  This is a very optimistic number, but attainable.  

We SHOULD sell out the Miami game in a couple of years.

[Joe]

At football games it's not a lack of students that's keeping attendance down.  The last 2 years, student attendance has been through the roof.  Between the Bull Runner and the freakin 10 minute drive, there is no excuse for students not to show... and they have been in very large numbers.    

The big question is can we get all of the alumni AND the casual (bandwagon) college football fans from the Tampa area to the games.  This will make the biggest difference in boosting attendance.  

Now I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but I've seen more USF car paraphanalia over this last winter than I can EVER remember.  I sure hope that translates into more butts in seats come game day.    

We averaged 4,500 students this past year. Through the roof?

I think it comes down to opponents, sadly many of the students are coming to the games for the opponent and not the team on the field.

I think we'll return to the 2005 6,000 student attendance this year because of UCF, WVU, and UL. But then it will go down again for 2008.

Mutt, As for getting students out when I was there we tried and tried and tried. People just aren't interested, especially since our games were (sadly) counter to that of UF and FSU. The old saying goes you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.

I cannot tell you how many times we had people bail on us Saturday morning as we were making our way to RJS.

It's as JEWBULL said, going to take WINS. Plain and simple.

[crambone]

This year will definitely be an UP year.

[Economics_Nerd82]

Maybe a few students marches from the dorm area to the stadiums (different chants and colors of course)? Could draw a lot of excitement; showing the dorm areas what a NCAA BBall game is all about. It would be pretty awesome to see a couple hundred fans show up all at once to the Sundome. Could be done at football games too (obviously from the parking lots as oppose to the dorms). Just throwing out the idea... feel free to throw it back at me.  

[Guest]

The USF Alumni Association did a survey... I have a copy -- it's at home and I'm at work -- but I posted some of the results here... there is a significant portion of the student body who are not now and will never be interested in athletic events.

I will try to search to see if I can find my earlier post.