As I walked around campus a couple weeks ago, I noticed homecoming banners adorning the street lights.
I also saw some flyers on bulletin boards in Cass and Vaughn advertising homecoming weekend.
I asked some of my friends that lived on campus about it and they said that homecoming had just happened the weekend before.
There had been a parade, casino night and homecoming volleyball game. Shouldn’t there have been some sort of school wide announcement or something? I also talked to some of my fellow commuter students and they also were not aware of the fact that homecoming had just happened.
Yet I also got the feeling, and both the residential and commuter students confirmed this, that a good portion of the student population, did not participate in the homecoming festivities.
What can remedy this problem? We already have an excellent sports program, and our teams are always in the middle of the action, winning games, titles and tournaments. The aforementioned volleyball team is one of the best in the nation, and just recently snapped its 35 game home winning streak.
Plus, the Martinez Sports Center just underwent a major, multimillion dollar renovation, with brand new athletic offices and training facilities. And I haven’t even gotten to the brand new lacrosse and intramurals field that will be ready in 2014. There is only one answer: UT needs a sport that the entire student body can rally behind, as well as our alumni. And there is only one sport that can fit that bill: football.
“Football is a big part of college life and it promotes excitement about the school,” said sophomore communications major Seannon Nichols. “People get excited about sports when football is big on campus.”
“Having a football team would be sick,” said sophomore communications major John Adams. “There isn’t that much school spirit here, and that the addition of a football team would definitely change that.”
When I talked about my friends at the big state schools like Florida State University, the University of Florida and the University of South Florida about the relationship between football and homecoming, they said football was the main reason why they celebrated their school’s homecoming, and the atmosphere of their school’s homecoming game is one of the best events of the school year.
Homecoming and football are forever linked, and it’s the reason why the sport is so integral in college athletics, and why our school needs it. In order to have a stronger sense of school spirit and unity, we need a football team.
Furthermore, football would allow alumni and families to see their relatives play. This in turn would help our school expand even more, allow us to admit more students, and offer more money in scholarships and grants to our students.
The key to having all of this is to bring back our once proud football team. Our team was a dominant presence on the Tampa Bay sports scene until the program ended in the 1970s, and it would be again, as recruits would want to come to our school in order to take part in a rich tradition and receive a great education in the process.
All we have to do is want it and get the financial support to start the program back up again.
Jordan Llanes is a sophomore journalism major from Tampa, Fla. He can be reached at jordan.llanes@spartans.ut.edu
I personally think the article is really well written. The author expressed his OPINION and his views. It’s the same as everyone yelling at McNiff staff to expand the fitness center. It takes alot more than people wanting it.
As a proud fan of the sport of football, would I want to see a team wearing my schools colors as I cheer them on? Heck yes! But I knew there wasn’t such a team at UT and I accepted it. People have been excepting it for 40 some odd years since the team disbanded.
So do what I do. Put on a black and red sports bra, paint your body, and cheer on the volleyball, soccer, basketball or lacrosse teams. The teams that we do have.
Go Spartans!
I like the Division 1 idea; do it now.
Amber,
I applaud the efforts by the marketing staff and think that those are all great ideas! Kept up the work and encouraging students to attend the games! I would also like to see more students wearing “University of Tampa” apparel in town to show that Spartan pride.
I would just like to ask the students that would love a football team here:
1.) If football is so important why did you chose UT instead of UM/UF/USF/etc
2.) Has anyone proposed how they would actually fund a football program? Or thought about the cost to build another stadium, another dorm, football scholarships, how to make money from ticket sales, cost of uniforms, field upkeep, coaches, buying into the conference and the NCAA, etc.
Because I believe that students think it is a LOT cheaper than it really is. If students made a game plan to fund a football program and presented it to the board of trustees than I may think this argument is more legitimate. UT tuition is approximately $34,338, UM tuition is approximately $57,282. Obviously there are more differences between UT and UM, but how many students wouldn’t mind having an increase in tuition to fund a football program?
It’s funny because in the past year I have not seen any positive articles from the Minaret about the Spartan Spirit that is alive and around campus. Maybe students should get off of their phone and LOOK AROUND once in a while. If you didn’t know that homecoming was going on than you must never look at flyers/emails/promoters on campus. Also, those banners were up DURING homecoming week… doesn’t that say something about how observant you are Jordan? Just some food for thought.
Mr. Writer, the last point you make is completely misguided. It takes a little more than financial support to establish a football program.
And if there was any hope for team spirit at UT, then students would be supporting the successful sports teams you named in the article. The baseball and volleyball teams in particular are tops in the nation each year, yet often times there are more people on the field/court than there are in the stands. A football team will not suddenly turn students into sports fans.
I think Amber is 100% right. Let’s face it, we’re not getting football or becoming D1 anytime soon. Why worry about what we don’t have and focus on what we do?
Some of our teams are the best DII teams in the country. Volleyball is ranked 7th in the nation and Baseball has had players drafted by MLB teams year after year. Lacrosse had 2,000 fans at their inaugural game last year. Our teams have won 12 DII national championships!
I do agree with JP, we do need to get athletes in the community more. Next semester, the Athletic Marketing staff is going to have team liasons and will be reserving Vaughn tables to promote games.
I see plenty of students who have a lot of school spirit, and we are constanly working to improve attendance at games. This is my 3rd year here at UT and there is no doubt that school spirit is getting better. There is more work to do and we will not stop until the bleachers are full.
Be on the look out for tailgates, blackout nights, a spring sports fan fest, and many other theme nights in the spring. Again, if you have any ideas and input on how to improve school spirit (besides adding a football team) please contact me at craig.warzecha@spartans.ut.edu or Amber at amolidor@ut.edu
Thanks and we look forward to seeing you at the games!
My first post didn’t go through so this is brief:
Starting the football program will be difficult for UT to compete for fan-share with the Bucs and Bulls in town. If either the Bucs leave Tampa Bay, or USF ends its program, then I would seriously consider restarting UT football.
There aren’t that many private schools in FBS football because it is difficult for private schools to remain profitable. Also note that most (if not all) of the private schools in FBS are national schools that provide more graduate programs than UT. UT would have to provide more graduate programs to help finance football. FCS is an option, but lets not fool ourselves into thinking that FCS programs are similar to FBS programs.
UT needs to move into Division 1 now. We can already compete with the best in Division 2, it’s time for the move. Moving to Division 1 will benefit UT students, alumni, faculty, and staff. This is a discussion worth seriously considering. Reserve the football talk, either FBS or FCS, for later down the road and support moving to Division 1 for all sports.
Lastly, get out there and support your teams! Show your Spartan pride and be proud of UT. It’s not that hard to get over to a game and have a good time. To encourage a move to Division 1, you students need to support the team now.
-’10 UT grad
I’m torn because I love football and like the idea of UT re-starting its football program. Unfortunately, with USF and the Bucs in town, it’ll be difficult to have a successful program that is able to compete for fans. FCS may be an option, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that FCS programs have a significant effect on their communities. If USF ends its football program, or the Bucs leave Tampa Bay, then I would wholeheartedly support UT football.
Take a look at the number of private schools in the FBS. There aren’t very many. Could UT join the list? Maybe, but again, it may require USF or the Bucs ending their programs.
The best option is for UT to move to Division 1 in all sports. Being able to compete at Division 1 will benefit all UT students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Moving to Division 1 is definitely worth considering. Discussing FBS or FCS football can be done much later, but moving into Division 1 should occur now.
Regardless, UT students need to support their teams. Get your friends together and go cheer for the Spartans! Show your school spirit.
-’10 UT Grad
I believe that Jordan IS stating an opinion that many students at UT share. I’m neither denying that, nor criticizing him for verbalising this.
I have worked with the marketing division of athletics for 5 years now and it’s truly an ongoing effort to find ways to increase attendance at games outside of our “regulars”, significant others and family members. I firmly believe that it is not just athletic marketing’s job to do this. I am not forced to write these comments, however, I believe it is necessary to protect my staff from full acceptance of blame. I am not attacking Jordan, John Adams, or any UT students for that matter, I am merely changing the focus to what sports we do have and how I believe an individual’s love for football can possibly be translated to love of one of our other sports. J.P. Haney, who wrote another article this edition, talks about how many the athletes need to form more personal connections to get students’ support. For those that haven’t been to a UT game, let me clarify what my staff does:
Something new we started this year is doing one-on-one promotions during games. This is when members of the marketing staff disperse into the crowd to introduce themselves so that students can put a face to a name. We are also working with the sports teams to get some players to ride on our promotions golf cart during the week to hand out flyers with us, so that instead of us telling people to attend a game, the players themselves can be saying, “Hey, don’t we have (insert class) together? You should come watch ME play tonight.” It makes it more personal, I agree with J.P. We have a promotion we do at games called the Wheel of Sparta. It’s a small version of the Wheel of Fortune wheel, and we print out players’ pictures to place in each wheel slot. The contestant playing has to either tell us what the person’s name is or what their number is. Last year, we printed QR codes on our flyers that linked to a player’s profile online. If you told us who that Player of the Week was at the game, you’d receive a prize.
Another thing we do in the Spring is our Spring Sports Fest. We have multiple sports teams gather in the Vaughn courtyard with different games. For example, the baseball team sets up a fast pitch, the golf team has a putt-putt game, softball plays a game of wiffle ball, lacrosse has a goal to shoot at and the crew team brings their urg machine. The team players are the ones running each game and by playing, students get raffle tickets. They can put their raffle tickets into a bucket near each team’s table if they’d like to win a lacrosse jersey or a box of golf balls or a softball hat. It’s a GREAT way for students to meet the players one-on-one, without helmets on and without being separated by the bleachers.
I am in no way denying that our school spirit (in numbers) does not match that of USF or FSU. Every year, we try our best to figure out how to increase the attendance at games, and this year, we have already seen more people in the stands.
Johnny Football, if you have any ideas that you think would boost attendance or maybe get more people involved at games, please email me amolidor@ut.edu or see one of the marketing members at a game, so that we can make the necessary changes. We are always open to exploring different sponsors or putting together a contest they might do at football games to get more students involved.
I apologize for another comment being so wordy, but I love my school and support its teams. It is my job as the marketing coordinator to come up with new ideas to get those football fans to attend a different sporting event at UT, so your constructive criticism or praise are both equally helpful. Thank you for your input!
I have to disagree with Amber. The very existence of her comment disproves her point. If UT Athletics is forced to post 500-word comments on student newspaper pieces touting the greatness of campus sports, what does that mean about their popularity? Jordan is spouting a real opinion, one shared by many students. If Amber wants students’ opinions to be changed and get UT athletics back on track, she should do her job! Not post off-base comments attacking students for telling the truth.
Upon acceptance at UT, most students know we do not have a football team. Those students who believe football is a major deciding factor in which school they choose simply wouldn’t have chosen to come here.
Because we do not have a football team, let’s embrace the (great!) teams we do have. Thank you for addressing and agreeing with that. You did say, “In order to have a stronger sense of school spirit and unity, we need a football team.” Why? Just because tailgates and homecoming are usually linked to football? Why can’t we have school spirit by attending lacrosse or basketball or soccer or baseball or volleyball or swimming? Do you know that we have tailgates for many of our sports games that include many of the elements you’d see at a USF or FSU tailgate? Whether it’s outside Stadium or in the Pepin parking lot across from Martinez, a number of organizations come out with corn hole, catered corn dogs and chips, Pepsi energy drinks, free t-shirts, and the list goes on.
You also say, “There is only one answer: UT needs a sport that the entire student body can rally behind, as well as our alumni. And there is only one sport that can fit that bill: football.” Have you been in the Martinez buildnig? Did you SEE just how many athletes’ pictures, awards and trophies are adorning the walls?!
I recently put together a Hall of Fame Banquet in which 11 individuals were being inducted and 250+ alums attended to support their teammates. Not ONE of those inductees played football for the school. There were some individuals who traveled cross-country to be at the event 50 years after graduating from UT. I think that’s a fabulous reminder of the kind of school spirit we have. Our alumni were definitely rallying behind their teams just fine.
I have to disagree with John Adams who stated, “There isn’t that much school spirit here…” We have individuals who attend our games with painted bodies, tattooed faces, red-dyed hair, an outstanding band that dresses for our theme night games, a number of amazing dance teams who collaborate with the band and us, cheerleaders who support their teams, an oustanding and hardworking marketing staff who put together contests and give out prizes to well-liked Tampa restaurants and stores and a mascot that does his best to be at events outside of athletics, too.
Please don’t confuse school spirit with the lack of information about that week’s Homecoming events. The two are put together by different groups who both do their very best to promote. Although we didn’t have a football Homecoming game, we did have a volleyball one, as we have for many years now. I don’t believe that a football team is the answer to 3,000-person attended games. The answer is to stop waiting for a sport we don’t (and most likely will not) have. In the meantime, while a football team is nowhere in our near futuer, let’s show our SPARTAN PRIDE and support every one of the athletes and teams you see on the giant photograph between the gym doors in Martinez.