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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does USF want its own stadium?
An on-campus football stadium will be transformational for the University of South Florida in ways that extend well beyond sports. While it will have a tremendous impact on the Bulls football program, the stadium will provide a unique, vibrant, shared campus experience that will contribute to the culture, spirit and connectedness of the university, not just during fall football games but throughout the year. It will provide students, staff and faculty a place of their own to gather and share their passion for USF while giving alumni and community members a compelling reason to return and experience the beauty and energy of our ever-evolving campus. The facility will be a place where incredible memories are built across generations and reminds us why we cherish the university.

How would a stadium support the mission of the university?
In addition to benefitting USF Athletics, we see a wide range of ways this project can support the mission of the university.

We believe a stadium will:

  • Raise the overall visibility of the USF brand
  • Transform the student, faculty, staff and alumni experience on campus to create an even stronger sense of community
  • Serve as a powerful recruiting tool for students, faculty and staff
  • Open more opportunities for alumni and donor engagement that support programs outside of Athletics
  • Provide a new meeting and event space on campus
  • Deepen the connection between the Tampa Bay region and USF

How will you use the stadium beyond six or seven football games per year?
We envision a facility that we can use throughout the year beyond our home football games. There may be opportunities to host concerts and other events such as graduation ceremonies, and students can use it for intramurals, club sports or fitness classes. There may be other options as well, depending on the scope of the project. It will give our students who live on or near campus an opportunity to walk to the stadium and cheer on our Bulls. It will give our thousands of passionate alumni a chance to come back to our campus and deepen their relationship with the university. And it’s also a chance to grow our support from the Tampa Bay community at large and build lifelong connections to USF.

Where would the facility be located on campus?
In March 2022, the Campus Stadium Planning Committee led by Michael Kelly from USF Athletics and Jay Stroman from the USF Foundation recommended a site located on the east side of the Tampa campus known as Sycamore Fields. The site, which is currently used for intramural sports, is within the USF Athletics district and sits near its operations facility and new Indoor Performance Facility. There is also a historical connection, as USF football used the fields for practice when the program was first formed in the 1990s. The location allows for strong connectivity with other important parts of campus, as it’s positioned close to student housing and parking, with multiple options for tailgating space.

The location aligns with the vision of USF leaders for a stadium to enhance the overall campus experience by giving students, faculty, staff, alumni and the surrounding communities a place to come together, develop deeper relationships with the university and build memories across generations.

What is your timeline for this project?
While the full scope of the project is still being developed, the timeline for completion could be in time for the start of the 2026 or 2027 football season.

How large of a seating capacity are you seeking?
The scope of the project is still under consideration.

Will you build it in a way that seating capacity could be expanded in the future?
Yes, an option for future expansion will be incorporated into our planning.

Where would everyone park for football games?
We are considering available parking and traffic flow in the site selection process and project planning. Most home football games are played on Saturdays when more parking is available on campus than during the week.

What is the estimated cost of the new stadium?
We're too early in the process to have an estimate as we're still determining the full scope of the project.

Which funding sources will you use?
We're too early in this process to know the details. We look forward to sharing the financing plan with the community soon. In March 2022, USF announced the first major gift for the project, a $5 million gift from longtime university supporters Frank and Carol Morsani.

Are there revenue streams that USF is missing by not having its own stadium?
Yes. We collect very limited parking and suite revenue in our current stadium contract and no revenue from concessions or naming rights. We also share the in-stadium sponsorship opportunities and revenue from the digital signage in the arena bowl and spend money to rebrand the stadium walls, tunnels, field and club areas each game.

How can I support the project?
Fundraising opportunities will be announced soon. In the meantime, click here to receive regular updates and find out how you can be involved in this historic project.