Its over South Florida is a member. Get over it. Move on to something else

SMILE.......

Amen! It's over & I truly hope SoFla. lives up to their potential!

Being a (mostly) reasonable fan from Memphis I understand that:

-Louisville deserves all the good things that are happening to them based on their decade + investment ... congrats to the Cards
-The BE will NOT lose its BCS status based on the history and potential of the members involved.

However, the admittance of USF goes against any logic in existance. The attendance at last Sat football game, drawing less than 1.000 to basketball gamse and losing to Miss Valley State just puts multiple exclamation points on the whole situation. For all the long-time D1 schools that have invested and worked to position themselves for a BCS conference and have a school that has nothing to offer but location be invited to the table is just a slap in the face. JMO.

I could not have said it any better....many schools have worked way too hard to be passe dover by a school that just has not had to pay their dues!

I guess the fact is that South Florida is in a BCS conference and that's just the way it is. I'm disappointed that Memphis isn't yet in a BCS conference, but that doesn't mean that we can't succeed or that South Florida will suceed just because they're in a BCS conference.

Just think about non-BCS schools like Utah and Boise State, and BCS schools like Vanderbilt and Baylor. Every conference needs a good doormat.

Quote:However, the admittance of USF goes against any logic in existance.

No, there is plenty of logic to it. We've said it many times but some people can't seem to soak it in or like to dismiss it simply because.

Big market (bigger than any other candidate available at the time). Big potential for recruiting (far more local big time recruits in the South Florida area than in Memphis, NC, or whoever combined). Big potential for fanbase (very big enrollment numbers, biggest of all Big East schools in fact).

What part of that defies logic?

MARKET?

OK, after UF, Miami, and FSU..who really follows everyone else in Florida? C'mon..... unless you are an alumni you don't

OK you had Miami in you conferecne...did any of your schools get a big increase in Florida area recruits?

Potiential fan base? OK.... they have that new-math on attendance numers so I can't figure how you say the have a big/potiential fan base.

Maybe the tv ratings are up since no one is at the games, they must be watching on tv.

Dec 9, 2004

What's Up - Make That Down - With Football Attendance?


TAMPA - South Florida football fans either like to sleep in Saturday mornings or aren't interested in supporting a losing team.
Whatever the reason, the Bulls' average home attendance this year was 19,699, nearly 25 percent less than last season.

``We're not alarmed by it,'' said USF associate AD Tom Veit, the Bulls' marketing director.

Included in the Bulls' worst home attendance since 2001 were the fourth- and sixth- smallest crowds in school history, against Memphis (12,719) and Pittsburgh (12,832).

USF's other home games: Tennessee Tech (18,192), Southern Miss (23,770), Army (31,482) and East Carolina (19,201).

``We didn't have the usual winning tradition this year as past seasons,'' Veit said. ``We had every possible scheduling problem hit us. There wasn't any single reason why attendance was down and we're still building our fan base.''

The Bulls' attendance numbers were the second worst in the Big East.

Veit listed several factors, including the rescheduling of the Pittsburgh game because of Hurricane Frances, a hurricane watch within 24 hours of the Tennessee Tech game and the 11 a.m. kickoffs against Memphis and Pittsburgh. Oh, by the way, it was USF's decision to move those game times to get on ESPN.

USF athletic director Doug Woolard said the drop in attendance was in part to ``a unique year.''

Woolard also said Saturday night kickoffs, which USF historically has had, are a better fit.

``We'll try to give as much notice as possible [when moving game times],'' he said. ``But with a young program, national TV exposure helps with potential recruits.''

But as the Bulls discovered, it may draw recruits, but tunes out the local fans. BOWLED OVER: There's no doubt Florida coach Urban Meyer hopes his first game as UF's coach goes better than the last game he coached in the state.

On Nov. 16, 2002, Meyer's Bowling Green Falcons, ranked No. 25 in the coaches poll, visited USF at Raymond James Stadium.

USF 29, Bowling Green 7 - and it wasn't that close.

The Bulls held BGSU, the nation's third-highest scoring team averaging 44 points, to season-lows in points and yardage (226). QB Josh Harris was limited to 152 yards. The Falcons only touchdown came on an 18-yard drive after a blocked punt.

``Urban called me the next day and was wondering what went on,'' USF coach Jim Leavitt said. ``He wanted to know how we stopped his offense. I told him, you know I'm not going to tell you that.''

If Leavitt and Meyer stay put, Leavitt-Meyer II is set for Sept. 13, 2008 in Gainesville.

ERIKSEN HONOR: Softball coach Ken Eriksen receives the inaugural ``Olympian of Florida'' award from the Central Florida Chapter of the Amateur Softball Association of America tonight in Orlando.

``There's a lot of people that deserve credit, including the 15 young women on the Olympic team,'' said Eriksen, an assistant on the U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning team.

Eriksen even rented a tuxedo for the occasion.

``I own one, but that was two sizes ago,'' Eriksen said. ``I told [the rental store] I had to look good in a day and they said, `Holy smokes.' ''

ODDS AND ENDS: Senior Christa Benton was named Conference USA's Female Cross Country Runner of the Year on Wednesday. ... Game dates for USF's Big East Conference football games aren't expected to be announced until February. ... The women's basketball team, which played nonconference games against No. 3 Duke and No. 8 UConn this season, is working on scheduling nonconference games next year against No. 1 LSU and No. 12 Michigan State.

This story can be found at: <a href='http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGBU3E5HI2E.html' target='_blank'>http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGBU3E5HI2E.html</a>



Go Back To The Story

Its over South Florida is a member. Get over it. Move on to something else




We will fix our attendance.....

Trying fixing ECUs football team........

They need work on their basketball as well.

I hope really hope you do fix your attendance. I just don't understand how it could have dropped so much since you just got invited into a BCS conference. I don't wish ill will on any program. You have to admit when the Big East invited USF to their conference that were a lot of unknowns. I doubt that the powers within the Big East thought they would see such a drop in attendance. You better fix your problem or you may get the Temple treatment.

It is a whole lot easier fixing a couple of bad seasons than it is to get anybody to give a ****** about your program!!! We win three games in two seasons and still dominate your rear ends on attendance.

ECU will be back. There is way to much in place for us not to be. The Big East knows it. ESPN has always liked showing ECU games and had very good luck with ratings on our games.

These facts are not being ignored.

However, your program is in its own town!!!!!! :

laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Quote:MARKET?

OK, after UF, Miami, and FSU..who really follows everyone else in Florida? C'mon..... unless you are an alumni you don't

Who in North Carolina cares about ECU? 10% of Tampa watching USF is probably equal or better than 50% of Greenville watching ECU.

Okay and did you see the second part of your quote there? Unless you are an alumni? Bingo, they have over 40k students, biggest of all Big East schools. If they put a good product on the field, I'm sure those alum will start caring.

Quote:OK you had Miami in you conferecne...did any of your schools get a big increase in Florida area recruits?

I was referring more to USF getting the big time local recruits than it helping the other Big East schools recruit Florida.

Quote:Potiential fan base? OK.... they have that new-math on attendance numers so I can't figure how you say the have a big/potiential fan base.

Okay, just write it off just like you write off the market, and talent base. I guess USF never had that 40-50k crowd. You can rationalize anything if you want to bad enough, which you obviously do.

Quote:There is way to much in place for us not to be.

Funny. I could say the exact same for USF.

The Big East did not make the wrong move. Long term, the Bulls will be a valuable asset to the league.

They should have kept Temple and not add South Florida.

nflsucks Wrote:

Quote:However, the admittance of USF goes against any logic in existance.

No, there is plenty of logic to it. We've said it many times but some people can't seem to soak it in or like to dismiss it simply because.

Big market (bigger than any other candidate available at the time). Big potential for recruiting (far more local big time recruits in the South Florida area than in Memphis, NC, or whoever combined). Big potential for fanbase (very big enrollment numbers, biggest of all Big East schools in fact).

What part of that defies logic?

Well, if I have to explain what's wrong with football attendance averages under 20K and basketball games that draw less than 1K we really have no way to reasonably communicate with each other. Have a Merry Christmas.

Lets see here:

Quit beating the dead horse.
The Cow has left the barn. (see Bull hs left C-DOA)
Too late to shut the barn door.
Quit crying over spilt milk.
Never piss off your waitress.

Do you guys get the point yet.

Oh yeah, I think that Memphis & ECU are Great......

P.S. Navy should be the 9th football only school.

Quote:if I have to explain what's wrong with football attendance averages under 20K and basketball games that draw less than 1K

I realize their is a problem with the attendance, that is gonna happen when you have your first losing year in school history. Their aren't a ton of die hards when you've only been playing football for seven years.

GIVE THEM TIME TO GROW. The Big East did not need a quick fix, it's okay to take a long term project.

P.S. And I agree, I want Navy as #9 long before ECU or Memphis.

I f the Big East loses the Gator Bowl then adding South Florida did not help us at all!

I don't think USF was added with the purpose of them saving the Gator. That falls entirely on Notre Dame.

You will either see the Gator having the option of taking ND every year (as long as they are within the one game rule) instead of only every 2 years, or you will see the Gator and the Big East part ways.