Fan day a reward for USC faithful, players
Uncertainty surrounding the upcoming football season did not keep South Carolina fans away from Fan Appreciation Day on Sunday afternoon at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
Hundreds of Gamecock supporters packed the convention center seeking an autograph from their favorite player or coach as anticipation for the season builds.
“I’ve come out here for the past five years and enjoyed the atmosphere and enjoyed the camaraderie with all the players and the fans,” said USC supporter Adam Johnson of Sumter. “I’ve been a Gamecock fan for so long, and I come by here and I pick out my favorite ones and go through those lines and stand forever.”
One of Johnson’s favorite players, USC linebacker Skai Moore, said the annual experience also is fun for the players.
“We have the number one fans in the country, and this shows it. It gets us excited for the season,” Moore said. “It shows that they care, and it just motivates us to go out there and get the job done on Saturday.”
After finishing 11-2 three years in a row, USC entered the 2014 season as a preseason top 10 team, but a shaky defense and several fourth-quarter collapses left the Gamecocks unranked with a 7-6 record.
Expectations for this season are lower than in recent memory, but USC fans believe a big year is possible.
“All I could think about last year was, next year’s going to be so much better,” Johnson said. “Next year, we’re going to get them.”
Fan Appreciation Day typically is held at Colonial Life Arena, but it was moved to the convention center because of a time conflict. South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner said the move worked for everyone, and he did not rule out holding Fan Appreciation Day at the convention center in the future.
“This is a tremendous setup, and they were able to get everybody in the building very early today, which in this heat and humidity is great. So, I think it’s one of those things where today, right now, it’s a strong positive for us, and we’ll take a look in the future,” Tanner said. “We like to be a part of our own venues as much as possible, but this is a wonderful day today and a great venue to have this event.”
Tanner was not surprised to see such a great turnout Sunday. USC’s fan base plays a large role in keeping the Gamecocks competitive in all sports, he said.
“We’ve had the greatest fans for many, many years, and they’re so loyal and dedicated. You can go back in history and see that,” Tanner said. “They’re very appreciative of what our student athletes do, and they’re here for us.”
This story was originally published August 16, 2015 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Fan day a reward for USC faithful, players."