Video: Martin Talks Fan Support During Football Season

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — South Carolina head basketball coach Frank Martin is an avid college and NFL football fan, but said he didn’t know he was competing against the sport for fan support at USC.

When asked Tuesday during his weekly press conference if he’d like to see the basketball season start later in the year so it wasn’t overlapping with football, Martin said, “No. That’s what you football fans want us to do.”

“If I schedule a basketball game on the same day as a (South Carolina) football game, then shame on me. Especially a home game. I’m not going to do that. I understand the dynamic of where I live and the sport I coach,” said Martin.

Martin said he doesn’t understand why there is less fan support at South Carolina basketball games during the college and NFL football seasons.

“I just know I’ve been places where you coach games during football season and your fans come watch your team play, I don’t understand. I got an email the other day from a fan who said coach, I love what your doing, but could you not schedule games on Sundays? I didn’t know I competed against the NFL at the University of South Carolina,” said Martin.

Martin said he attends every South Carolina home football game and enjoys watching the NFL.

“I’m an NFL fan, I get home and I watch a little NFL game, but I have a duty to coach basketball at this university… so we’ve got to put the games where we can put them. Next thing you know I’ll be competing with Dancing With The Stars,” said Martin.

South Carolina will play their first regular season game against Longwood on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Colonial Life Arena.