The silencing of the Growl

For the first time since 1930, “Gator Growl” will be held somewhere other than “Florida Field” and the event once lauded as “the “World’s Largest Student Run Pep-Rally” is now an afterthought for most on Homecoming Weekend.

To understand the current state of “Gator Growl” you have to look no further than just 13 short years ago, when organizers of the event made a mistake booking raunchy comedian Jim Breuer. Breuer, who was not only unfunny, but also crude, was booed off stage and the event that was once billed for anyone between the ages of “2 and 102” started to unravel.

The Building of a Legend

It was November 1, 1923 just a few days before the University of Florida’s 16th annual homecoming celebration and “Dad’s Day”, when then President Albert A. Murphree and Dean Ben C. Riley brought together eight exemplary students on campus to form an organization that would promote service on campus and recognize leadership on campus – that group would become known as Florida Blue Key. Florida Blue Key had two main responsibilities: host visitors on campus and assist the University President in any and all assigned tasks. The first major task delegated to this group of students would be the execution of Homecoming festivities in 1924 and beyond.

In 1924, “Dad’s Day”, the first under Florida Blue Key, became a Friday night pep rally, which featured a large bonfire that legend tells us was fueled by each freshman bringing their weight in wood to the bonfire, or else they would be referred to the Freshman Guidance Committee.

In 1930, after years of growth and the completion of an on-campus stadium, the pep-rally was moved to “Florida Field”, and in 1932, the event grew to nearly 10,000 attendees and the name was changed to “Gator Growl” and the story begins.

Over time as “Gator Growl” grew, Florida Blue Key grew into one of the most illustrious student-run organizations in all the country, limiting eligibility criteria to a mere few dozen students on campus each semester, and became an organization that would garner influence not only on the UF campus, but city-wide, state-wide, and nation-wide. Florida Blue Key was no longer just the group on campus that ran “Gator Growl” they became the group that was grooming future political leaders, lawyers, businessmen, and the like.

As the event grew in production value, so did attendance, national notoriety, and the ability to attract larger names to headline the event became easier and in 1976 “Gator Growl” attracted its first nationally recognized headliner – Bob Hope. Hope, who also appeared in 1979 and 1983, was the first in the line of major headlining acts who would later grace the “Gator Growl” stage, including, George Burn, Rodney Dangerfield, Robin Williams, Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy, Dave Chappelle and Mitch Hedberg.

All is well in Gainesville for Florida Blue Key.

Family Feud

The debate over the allowance of sensitive material at “Gator Growl” had been a constant struggle since the early-1980’s after a Robin Williams performance that included cursing and raunchy jokes that had never graced the stage at Florida Field. The students in the audience laughed and cheered the Williams performance, but others in the stadium had other thoughts, especially those with young children.

The threat of forgoing future attendance at Gator Growl by those alumni and guests, had Florida Blue Key re-evaluating and going back to their roots, bringing in Bob Hope, Bill Cosby, The Smothers Brothers, Billy Crystal, and Jay Leno over the next five years. There was no doubt that “Gator Growl” would be a family affair – no ifs, ands, or buts.

With students clamoring for more variety and a bit more spice to the show, the demand grew for someone who would be a bit more adventurous on stage. No longer did students want the old, tired acts. They didn’t want “Gator Growl” to be about parents and alumni, they wanted an event for themselves and they were upset that those that had graduated years before were dictating the biggest event each year at UF.

Enter 2001 and comedian Jim Breuer, star of the stoner-comedy “Half Baked” and television show Saturday Night Live. There was an excitement in the air. Breuer was relevant, he was funny, and he would challenge the status quo – a challenge Florida Blue Key would take and bet the farm.

 

The Fall of Rome

On November 2, 2001, Florida Blue Key lost the bet and the event that had spent 77 years gaining world-wide fame would come crashing down in a 20-minute comedic act that culminated on Breuer being booed off of the stage, while being called “both raunchy and boring” by the Gainesville Sun.

While Florida Blue Key, tried to right the ship over the next few years bringing in Billy Cosby, Sugar Ray, and other family acts, they began to write their obituary in 2005.

Famed business coach Steven Denn once said, “You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice.”

With attendance numbers dwindling, 60,000 attendees in 2002 to 42,000 in 2004, and huge financial losses being incurred, a$181,000 loss in 2004, Florida Blue Key decided on comedian Dane Cook to headline “Gator Growl”, who at the time was one of the hottest names in comedy, but also considered one of the most vulgar, to help bring renewed excitement to the event. And no sooner than Cook telling his first joke, did the metaphorical shovel begin to dig the grave that “Gator Growl” will soon lie in.

 

The Digging of the Grave

After the 2004 Dane Cook performance, alumni stopped attending in droves, ticket sales were down amongst students, and the quality of the event diminished.

Since Cook, “Gator Growl” has focused on brining in family friendly comedians such as Wayne Brady, Dana Carvey and Jim Gaffigan, while bringing in bands that were more popular in the year most students were born rather than the year they were brought in, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sister Hazel and the Steve Miller Band.

As the event has toned down a bit, so has attendance. Since 2008, only one year (2008) has attendance topped 30,000, and has been on a steady decline over the past three years, with only 26,000 in attendance in 2011, 20,000 in 2012, and 15,000 in 2013.

 

The End of an Era

As attendance as decreased, prices have increased and the cost to run the event is far out-pacing the attendance.

No matter what 2014 “Gator Growl” Executive Producer Devin McDaniel says about the event becoming more intimate to meet “student response” at FlaVet Field, the fact of the matter is, this years Gator Growl will likely be the lowest attended Gator Growl since at least 1931 and there is no silver lining.

As a member of Florida Blue Key, tapped in 2009, the decline of “Gator Growl” is disappointing, especially with the rise of FSU’s PowWow, and the fault falls on our organizations failure to learn from our mistake.

“Gator Growl” will also have a hallowed history at the University of Florida, but not because of what it is now, but because what it once was and what it will likely never be again.

We bid you a bond goodbye “Gator Growl” as you ride off into the sunset, whenever that final day might be.

Daniel Thompson
Dan Thompson is a 2010 graduate of the University Florida, graduating with a degree in Economics and a degree in Political Science. During this time at UF, Dan worked three years for the Florida Gator Football team as a recruiting ambassador. Dan dealt daily with prospects, NCAA guidelines, and coaching staff. Dan was also involved in Florida Blue Key, Student Government and Greek Life. Currently, Dan oversees the IT consulting practice of a Tampa-based company. Dan enjoys golfing, country music, bourbon, travel, oysters, and a medium-rare steak. Dan can be found on Twitter at @DK_Thompson.

3 COMMENTS

  1. That is sad. Let’s hope this year’s Homecoming at least produces a win. Missouri is no longer ranked, but I still wonder why they were scheduled for Homecoming in the first place instead of a guaranteed win like Vandy ( Last year was an anomaly, since UF hadn’t lost at home to Vandy since 1945).

  2. That is sad, I attended my first one in 1974 Jim Stafford was the host & if I remember correctly, as I was only 11 years old, he came out on a hay wagon signing his popular hit song “Wildwood Weed”. That of course caused many in attendance to spark up & my mom to have to explain to my sister & me what that funny smell was. I don’t believe I missed one until I went in Marine Corp in 86. Every year I tell wife that we are going & that she will not believe that there are this many people @ a pep rally. Unfortunately I never took her & now I guess it’s to late.

  3. What’s sad is that the event is never going to be what it was. I agree that it was the students who are responsible. What they failed to understand is that yes it is their homecoming event, but its an event they put on not just for themselves( minority) but for the alum ( majority). Once you’ve lost the alum attendance and it becomes all about you…well, you’ve lost! You’ve lost the largest chunk of funding. For someone in the Florida Blue key how could you ignore the basic fundamental of a fund raising event. Make the donors happy!! Give the donors something they want to come to. Give them their money’s worth! It you’re event but who is the audience you want to make happy!

    The event used to be about the GatorNation as a whole not just the students in attendance, if the students didn’t attend, but the alum did the event would still be profitable and make money. Its the same thing with any event especially a sporting event. If people aren’t happy with the product being put in front of them they will not buy, turn out or donate. A basic 101 lesson not just the Blue Key had to learn the hard way but one the Athletic Association is going to learn very soon as well.