Would you commit to RayJay through 2026?

We knew USF would have to commit to a longer lease at Raymond James Stadium if the Bulls wanted scheduling priority to avoid conflicts such as the ACC championship game. But how long?

The initial term sheet offered between the Tampa Sports Authority and USF to amend their lease agreement calls for the contract to be extended from a five-year deal (with the right to opt out with two years' notice) to a 20-year deal through the 2026 season, with no right to early termination.

It's just a starting point, and right now, the focus is on trying to find a compromise that will allow USF and the ACC game to co-exist in the first week of December. But seeing the growth of USF football in its 11 seasons, how would you feel about locking the Bulls future into Raymond James Stadium for the next 19 years? Is gaining the right to a home season finale worth shelving the possibility of an on-campus stadium for nearly two decades?

That question leads off this week's USF notebook, along with the Bulls somehow leading the Big East in men's basketball attendance growth and a new name interested in joining Jim Leavitt's staff. I should have more links this afternoon ...

Comments

[steve oneal]

HELL NO!

[DELdaBULL]

USF better fight for parking and concession then.

[steve oneal]

Screw parking, concessions, glazers, tsa, henry saavedra, tbsc, jimmy norman, acc, SCREW EM ALL! I ain't bs'n, I'll donate to stadium fund. GO BULLS!

[KC]

How about NO?

Why on earth would we commit to 2026 with no option to early temination? Becasue it is the only place in town to play...Technically yes, but come on TSA.

A good deal works for both parties.

[Screw-the-glazers-and-the-TSA]

This is comical...no way USF commits to this, everyone knows it...its like low balling a person selling a home...

USF needs the RJS but not that bad. I think that if you ask USF if an on campus stadium will occur within the next 2 decades they would respond absolutely yes.

Comical.

[Matt]

I think TSA has made it clear that to them we are not a big enough part of the community to have first right of refusal over a league whose closest teams, FSU and Miami, are a short 270+ mile drive from the community stadium.

Our leaders would be stupid to sign a 20 yr lease with no opt out.

[Blake]

It would all depend on the terms of the deal. USF deserves to be treated like a regular tenant just like the Bucs. They should be able to make their schedule the way they want it. Also, they should receive more of the funds from parking. I understand that the Glazers deserve a part of the proceeds, however, I think USF should be able to receive at least 40% of the funds generated from parking. If the terms of the contract are reasonable enough I see no reason why RayJay wouldn't be a great place to have home games for the foreseeable future. This would give the school time to generate more funds for the athletic department to pay for everything they want to accomplish, including building an on-campus stadium. The OCS should not be considered until we have enough money to build a stadium of at least an 80,000 seat capacity and the team as the following to actually fill up that stadium. Raymond James is one of the best stadiums in the country and is a great place for the team to reside until it feels it has actually outgrown the stadium.

[Blake]

I forgot to include that I think 20 years is too long for that process, but that a contract that goes into the middle or the very late part of the next decade is perfectly alright.

[Andrew]

No, No, No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Donnie]

No. An on-campus stadium has more will behind it than most people think. If we can just start something, ..(look at the U of Minn)
alumni will go nuts!!!
I would like to see the $ I pay for the right to buy season tickets go directly to such a fund.

Come on, ... anybody out there want to start a website?

[Miles Lamoureux]

If USF signs this I will be extremely upset with our officials. Playing a home game that weekend is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Play it the weeknight or weekend before that. In 10 years when they are ready to build a stadium, they will realize they shouldn't have signed this contract and are forced to stay in it.

[mulham shbeib]

I am willing to donate $100 to start a stadium on campus. It's a small start, but if USF makes a committment to an on campus stadium, I will make my donation $500.

I am sure others will follow with larger amounts.

[Sailingbull]

HELL YES!!! On three conditions:

1. NO ACC title game here, EVER.

2. Everyone on the TSA is fired or resigns.

3. We get more decorations for home games (ie cover at least 2 of the 4 Bucs signs in the "corners").

An on-campus stadium is still not an option for USF (unless we mortgage the entire campus). 20 years is about what it would take to raise those funds for a "real" stadium.

[The Truth]

This is another insult to USF by the TSA. How does one get a job at the TSA? It is time for USF alumni to vote out any Tampa or Hillsborough County official who supports this lousy deal from the TSA.

[DELdaBULL]

If we get 29000 people to each donate 10000 we can build an OCS tomorrow. For those slow with the math (or UCF grads :) that is 290 million dollars. Let's get on it!

[steve oneal]

You're right DELdaBUL. Make the donation over say a 5 yr period and that's only a 2000/yr commitment. It would take that long to plan and design. I guarantee there are enough boosters and alumni to get it done. Put me down. GO BULLS!

[steve oneal]

Imagine an OCS built without any debt or matching taxpayers funds. No rent for the FB team and all the proceeds could go right into USF athletics making the FB team even more of a moneymaker. Now throw in other events and the revenue they would bring in. Wasn't the BE talking about adding another bowl game in the SE? GO BULLS!

[Hahaha!!]

UCF fans laugh in your general direction.

[Al]

I vote to allow UCF into the BE if they pay USF $500,000,000 to purchase University all and build the Bulls OCS there.

[Mike Lakeland]

No.

While I would love to have some "rights" at RayJay, I also think we're closer to an OCS than 2026.

No.

I am just glad that we are not settling for a High School Stadium like UCF. How many people does that tin can hold? It was so fun when they played Texas and their poor stadium starting falling apart from all of the bouncing and then people started passing out because they could not afford water fountains. Take a look at http://www1.umn.edu/stadium/tcf.php this is the kind of stadium that USF needs to build.

I do NOT want to come back as an Alum and have to go to pay TSA/ Raymond James to attend my Alma Mater's football games.
Yes facilities are real nice, but we obviously are receiving no respect (and hardly any money).

No more RayJay...All for On Campus Stadium!!!

RELAX....its just a starting point.

[Blake]

U of Minn's stadium only holds 50,000. That is definitely too small.

[Mike Lakeland]

HEY GREG - check out CyberBull's sig:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/BandofBulls/cjlfav5.jpg

"Word on the street is that BMM has been waiting for an opening to get on CJL's Fav5 for years"

lololol

[steve oneal]

It is an insulting starting point. Not exactly the way to start meaningful negotiations. The U of Minn paid too much. I'm sure you could build a nice 65-70 thousand seat stadium on school owned property for what they paid. GO BULLS!

Not to go off topic, but check out Peter King's Quote of the Week III.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/02/24/combine/2.html

[Bullrocks]

No, TSA is in the pockets of the Glazers and the tax payers are the ones being ripped off. We need to have someone tell the TSA they need to give USF the same concessions they gave to the bucs. Then we will consider it.

[Sanjay]

Any deal with the Bucs would probably need the Bucs ultimate approval so that there was no conflict with any provisions of the TSA agreement with the Bucs.

[Jerome]

I used to be a big proponent of RayJay but after seeing this insulting first offer it is clear they are not trying to give us a good deal. They are trying to force us out of "their" stadium so they don't have to worry about scheduling around us anymore. They have taken us to the cleaners on the current deal and this other offer is nothing short of insulting. Who cares about in-stadium beer sales. Let's say screw them and build our own stadium on campus. Who needs the TSA?

[steve oneal]

As far as beer sales go, I enjoyed a few cold ones at the sundome last night. I don't see that as a problem. There would be beer sales at OCS. GO BULLS!

[CR]

USF should counter offer tht they would sign that deal If USF was able to get concessions, parking, suites revenue as well as being able to decorate stadium with USF banners covering Bucs logos and getting money for adverstising

[J]

G.A., can you please provide some information on how the TSA officials are appointed. I would like to organize to make sure we vote out anyone who contributed to hiring this bunch of idiots.

As far as the terms of the deal, I say we just keep the deal we have now and immediately begin the process of an OCS. I don't want to see a stadium like UCF built, but we don't need what Minnesota has either. I think we can build a 75,000 stadium with a less ammenities (but keep the bathrooms and water fountains) for a reasonable amount. Even if we don't raise enough funds to pay for it outright, I would think the mortgage on the remaining amount would still be less than the amount the Glazers are receiving from us each season.

[J]

If the TSA wants to hold of OCS stadium talk for a little while, keep the same deal that they are proposing, but add a 10 year opt-out clause. I'd agree to that considering it would probably take 10 years to fund and build a stadium anyway.

[Jason]

1. USF would be so lucky to have a stadium like UCF with surrounding resort-style dorms and practice facilities. Recruits are taking notice and recruiting is starting to take off.

2. I prefer Brighthouse stadium to RJS, the citrus bowl and any other stadium I have been to. Why? Because that "high school" stadium creates a close and personal, on-top of the field environment that you dont get with the big stadiums.

3. Any UCF insider, who pays money to get inside info already knows that the 20,000 seat expansion will go up within 4 years to a total of 65,000

4. Nobody wants to be associated with the academic wasteland in the Big East. George Oleary and Keith Tribble are aiming for the ACC. There are a few possibilities there. Nobody wants to play games in Cinci, Conn, Syracuse and all the other garbage places you play.

5. USF has its winning and its embarrassment of a school with scandal everyday and we have a nice on-campus atmosphere that a few 4-star kids in 2009 have already quoted after we held our first ever junior day with 5+ 4-stars already on campus.

6. We just hired Alabamas recruiting coordinator. He put together the #1 class this year and the best class ever at Georgia Tech. Mark my words, UCFs class will be better than USFs in 2009.
USF has stomped UCF, but the talent influx will have UCF in good hands over the years.

Congrats on a shoddy school and I hope you end up with RJS

[Jason]

PLEASEEEEEEEE!!!

The reason UCF built the stadium it did was was to have a realistice price $55M Plus. USF couldnt raise private funds for a stadium if you wanted to. Finally, as much as all you idiots talk it down, recruits love it. This is the first year we had all of our facilities complete and it showed in recruiting. Next year we will have 4+ 4* recruits out of (HIGH SCHOOL) not the JUCOs or academic casualties you get.
If you had any sense (which you dont), you would realize that having a stadium like UCF has now would 1) be better for recruiter 2) be better for your fans 3) be better for recruiting.

Without a doubt I can say I PREFER standing up the entire game in our "high-school" style stadium. Ask Mack from Texas how great the atmospher was. Insiders on our boards from Texas have mentioned as much.

I hope you lock in instead of building a stadium like ours and you can have a lame atmosphere for 20 years to come losers. I wouldnt take the deal we had or the deal you have over what we have now ANY DAY. Until you have around 50000 people tailgating on campus you wont get it. Until your players walk through the campus on the way to the the game you wont get it. Its has nothing to do with cheap steel and everything to do with so much more .

FYI, our stadium is the same style as Doak Campbell and I guess none of you people have heard of building improvements like brick facade. Then again, you did get your education at dopey USF.

[Jordan]

Hahahaha Jason... you guys are going to be awful this year. I promise you win about 6 games. Lol, god give me a break. What happens when we beat y'all by fifty again??? Im sure those four stars are going to be really excited about joining a low-tier CUSA school. Good Luck!

[Matt]

Two words Jason: Score Board! UCF is SUCH A JOKE! Have fun in ConUSA buddy! You guys WISH you could be in the Big East!

Go Bulls!

[greg budzban]

Here's the deal. Sign for 10 years. Use the signing as a groundbreaking for the fundraising drive.

Then you sell sections of the stadium.

The "Golden 1000" club gets 50 yard line seats for life and pledges to give $10,000/year for 10 years

1000 x 100,000 = 100 million

The "Silver 10,000" club pledges to give 1000/year for ten years

10,000 x 10,000 = 100 million

Then you get some state support, raise a fee or two, and you've got yourself a stadium.

Whose in?

[J]

Wow, UCF fans are so delusional it's funny. They act like having an on campus stadium legitimizes them as a real football team. Most Division II teams have on campus stadiums, but they still couldn't think about winning a game in D-1 football. Beat a top 25 team and then you'll have something to legitimize the future of your program.

As far as recruiting goes, recruits care much more about playing on television to get noticed than they do about the stadium they play in. Every USF game is broadcast somewhere on the ESPN family of networks and will have a minimum of four and probably six nationally televised games this year. UCF will have one, and the only reason they will have that one is because of their opponent (yes, that opponent is USF).

USF fans not wanting a stadium like UCF’s have little to do with recruiting. The reason we don't want a tin can like that is because our average attendance is more than that stadium's maximum capacity. In fact, the only game last year in which the fans in attendance could have fit in the tin can was the season opener against Elon. Why build a stadium that you have already outgrown before it opens. That's a great way to slow the growth of a program down. Making decisions like that would have us wallowing in mediocrity 30+ years into playing football. The state already has a program doing that in Orlando, Florida doesn't need another mediocre team in Tampa.

[steve oneal]

The 2nd level 50 yd line sections on the west side are already $10,000/yr donation plus tickets or $100,000 cumulative giving just to get seats there. The same 2 sections on the east side are now $3500 and $5,000/yr donation plus tickets. The stadium building fund drive would have to be independant of seating priority. The donations would probably be tax deductible because stadium revenue would go to student athletes benefit. I would not be in favor of any taxpayers money going into OCS stadium. I believe it can be done without taxpayer money. And for my delusional friend in mickeyland,jason, until you can tell recruits NATIONAL TV EXPOSURE AND BCS CONFERENCE, keep dreaming. GO BULLS!

[Al]

USF needs to purchase land before it can build a stadium...that is something which can be done with state funding...building the stadium itself requires private funding.

[Ken]

I have no interest in that stupid ACC game, and hope no one goes to it, but I'd be willing to share the stadium with it, say, half the time, providing we could play on Thursday night the years the ACC is here, and on Saturdays when they aren't.

Twenty years with no opt-out is too long, of course, but that's just an opening position.

[JP]

This is what we need http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/8532/bluebombersbj3au1.png or if not http://www.hoksport.com/projects/telstrastadium.html or http://www.hoksport.com/projects/goldcoast.html we have to get something that has a unique design like these stadiums... they were all designed by HOK architecture firm, they are the people who built the Arizona Stadium and a lot of other ones. All these donation plans you guys keep posting all seem possible and well within reach... Lets make it happen! BULLS & OCS!

[steve oneal]

I believe that USF owns the property along the river from the Claw to the park by I-75 and other locations as well. They could do it with no taxpayers money.

[Tom]

When ucf has 67 K show up to a home game let me know. THAT is an atmosphere.

I can't imagine Athletics signing this contract. Sooner or later donors will bust out their fat wallets.

[D.H.]

We should sit back and see how many people don't attend the ACC games. Once the TSA sees no one is interested in the ACC (assuming FSU is not playing), it'll be over.

[andres]

UCF... ohhh maaaannn i cant belive those guys still run their mouth after getting stomped like they did last year. UCF.... you're in C-USA.... what a JOKE... sorry guys you will forever be our redheaded step child

[Orlando John]

I've been to the "wok" over at UCF. While it is a big improvement from the Citrus Bowl, I would be disappointed if USF built something similar...

[Dallas Cowboys]

Please USF don't sell your soul to the devil!

[Brendan]

NO!!! Start researching and putting together proposals for a stadium to be built closer to campus.

[Don]

USF, please don't sign that deal to lock us into RJS til 2026! While it's a great stadium, I'm tired of seeing the Bucs logo on the field during Bulls games and the team playing second fiddle. Nothing will ever change that, I'm afraid.

Keep the goal to eventually build an on-campus stadium. In the meantime, explore other options to deal with stadium conflicts like the ACC title game.

[DELdaBULL]

If we don't have land, how about USF buy that section of ----- at south of Busch and east of 56th. Then I could walk to the stadium and we could have Busch Gardens be the title sponsor.

[RR]

Blake...

You say we shouldn't build an on-campus facility until we can construct one with at least 80,000 seats and fill them all up???

Does anyone know if Malcolm Glazer has a third nerdy son named Blake?

[steve oneal]

Someone earlier said that the property by the golf course is protected wetlands and could never be built on. Hello, this is hillsborough county Florida, and we don't recognize that as being a problem that a few trucks of dirt and some bulldozers can't remedy.

[DELdaBULL]

The university mall is also a waste of precious land. Get that. Build a stadium/mall. Have all of those shops "outside", but "inside" the stadium. The stadium can be sponsored by Simon or Westfield. Lets call it "Westfield Shopping Stadium".
GA,
can you get me a copyright?

[steve oneal]

BRILLIANT! My wife would actually go to more games. DELdaBUL, has anyone ever told you that you have way too much time on your hands,or just a very active imagination? I've been told that a time or two myself. GO BULLS!

[Reality BITES]

WAKE UP PEOPLE ... YOU'RE FRIGGIN' USF!!!
You guys should work on getting a nice 30,000 seat stadium on campus. You'd still have trouble filling it .. but it's a good start for you guys.

I think it's kinda cute how you guys are whining about RJS! LOL

[DELdaBULL]

You know Steve, every once in a while I just get inspired.

[Cee, Jr.]

Blake is absolutely right.

We should wait until we can build the largest stadium in college football (about 115,000 or so). And if we can't sell out every game we ever play in it, we shouldn't build it.

I for one will not pay for a ticket to any stadium that doesn't have a retractable roof and a field that slides in from the outside like the one in Glendale, AZ.

Unless we can build the bestest stadium in the history of the galaxy, I say we sign a contract with TSA for at least 780 years.

[J]

Reality BITES, great post. Well, at least it would have been a great post in 2004 when we were in the C-USA and averaging 25,000 fans. But now it's 2008, we are in the Big East and averaged over 50,000 fans last year. Unless simple math fails me, 30,000 is 20,000 less than 50,000.

I know it's a tough concept for you, but properly managed football teams grow over time. I realize we haven't arrived yet and we still have growing to do, but we have surpassed the level you seem to think we are at.

[J]

While I wouldn't want a little 45,000 seat stadium like UCF, I don't understand the obsession with spending money like Minnesota either. I think we could build a nice, but not elaborate, stadium that seats 70,000 for much less than Minnesota's 50,000 seat stadium.

I realize that there has been a lot of inflation since then and the cost in today's dollars would be much higher, but Raymond James only cost roughly $170 million. Do we really need to spend $250 million?

[DELdaBULL]

The Buc stadium in present dollars (just inflation) would cost $230-270 million. Add in the fact supply cost have well exceeded inflation $400 million is an appropriate figure.

[Betty Castor]

well I've always thought that football was a dumb sport and we should focus on being more of a destination for scholars rather than dumb jocks who can't get into the other state schools --- but since football isn't going away any time soon (unfortunately), I believe it's time to have the city of South Tampa build us our own stadium ... if not, we're going to move the school to Arcadia

[Ken]

There's another point to renegotiate in that contract: As the #2 tenant, let's get our logo on the field for our games (along with a big share of our parking, and who knows what else). I am so tired of seeing the Bucs stuff out there. We're a big time FB program.

[Big Time DREAMIN']

sorry Ken .. you are NOT 'big time' until you've won a national title and a few Jan 1st bowl games

"big time" is reserved for programs like LSU, Ohio State, USC, Texas, Michigan, Oklahoma, Miami, etc

USF doesn't slip into this conversation

[Mike Lakeland]

Well, if we don't fit into a single person's "Big Time" expectations, I guess we should pack up our football program and play badminton.

[steve oneal]

A national title is not a requirement for determining a "Big Time" Div 1 football program. USF has established itself as a legitimate Div 1 FB program. Four national tv dates and that will increase by FB season. A program that serves as the model for anyone that wants to start a college FB program. USF will only continue to improve and will be one of the top programs in the country. I know a lot of the traditional FB schools and ucf are jealous of the success of our young BULLS FB team, but too bad! GO BULLS!

[J]

I have to agree that we are not "Big Time" yet. We are definately a program on the rise and way above the level of a 30,000 seat stadium being enough. But I wouldn't call us "Big Time" yet. Give it 10 years and then maybe we're in that discussion, but it would be nearly impossible for an 11 year old program to already be "Big Time."

[Ken]

Okay, we're not Michigan, USC, Oklahoma, or Ohio State, yet, but we're pretty big time, and to get back to the point, we deserve a WHOLE lot better from our home town community stadium than we've been getting. (P.S. If we beat Miami in 18 months, are we officially big time then? Or, id iy BCS bowl games? How many--is it the absolute number or proportional to how many chances we've had.)

[Suckaz]

A couple of early season losses and attendance will be back to that 25,000 mark, no need for a 70,000 seat stadium. Sign the contract and lets improve the learning experience a bit.

[steve oneal]

An approppiate name suckazz. It is also an appropiate description of your comment. GO BULLS!