University of South Florida students have something extra on the line when they attend athletic events this year.
Several students who attend the most games during the 2019-20 school year will come away with prizes, including a 2019 Ford EcoSport SE, a spring break trip and complimentary campus meal plan.
The USF athletic department announced Friday that a point system has been introduced for students attending athletic events. The points, tracked via students’ phones, will be tallied at the end of the school year.
"USF students' energy, passion and support are so vital to a tremendous home-field advantage and atmosphere for all of our athletic teams," Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said in the press release. "We wanted to do something big to show our appreciation and reward the most passionate students."
To join the competition, students need to download the Herd Perks app and attend as many sporting events as they can across USF’s 19 varsity teams. Attendance is logged on the app, allowing students to score points and unlock prizes.
Point totals for each event are listed on Herd Perks. An average game is worth 15 points, while that number can increase for big events. Saturday’s 20-17 home football loss to Cincinnati was worth 30 points. Smaller point totals can be obtained at events like radio shows and watch parties.
USF announced a crowd of 29,112 at Raymond James Stadium during the loss to 17th-ranked Cincinnati. The Bulls are 4-6 overall, including 2-4 in the AAC, and will close out their home football schedule Saturday against No. 18 Memphis.
Last year, USF reported the best attendance for home football games since 2012. The Bulls averaged 38,517 for their six home games, the most since averaging 44,120 fans in 2012.
Just three games into 2019-20, the USF men’s basketball team is coming off a season in which it averaged 3,468 fans during its 23-game home schedule, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The 2018-19 attendance was the Bulls’ highest per-game average since averaging 4,468 fans per game in 2013-14.
