TAMPA, Fla.—When the University of South Florida kicked off its first football season in 1997, the program’s offices were headquartered in a glorified trailer on campus known as the “Ponderosa.” Back then, the Bulls played their games miles away in Tampa Stadium, affectionately called the “Sombrero” for its curved shape.
That stadium is long gone and since 1998 USF has played at cavernous Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and host of three Super Bowls. They’ve drawn some big crowds for major opponents but often struggle to fill even half the 75,000 seats. The school also has no control over such revenue streams as parking and concessions.
