Ferg’s owner discusses entrepreneurship at USF forum

From left, University of South Florida Nault Center for Entrepreneurship executive director Allen Clary and Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill owner Mark Ferguson. Photo by Michael Connor. Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill owner Mark Ferguson was not initially a restaurateur. Prior to opening his St. Petersburg-based establishment, Ferguson was a physical education teacher at Southside Fundamental Middle School. However, he saw an opportunity to create a space to bring sports fans together. The entrepreneur eventually acquired a former Sunoco gas station in the Historic Gas Plant District. Ferg’s, which is adjacent to Tropicana Field, would open in 1992. Over time, Ferguson expanded the venture and added event spaces, a dog park and an outdoor concert stage. Last year, Ferg’s was recognized by USA Today as the “best local sports bar” in the country. This multi-decade story was at the heart of a University of South Florida “Conversation with a Founder” event at Ferg’s Monday evening. The discussion was moderated by USF Nault Center for Entrepreneurship executive director Allen Clary. Ferguson’s key message was clear: individuals should pursue their dreams and chase them when they make sense. “In 1986 I went to Chicago with eight friends to see the Cubs play,” he explained at the gathering. “When I was there, they took me to a place called Murphy’s Bleachers, which is right outside of center field. Murphy’s Bleachers is 30 feet from the stadium. It’s not huge at all. I walked out on the street and I looked at the stadium and said ‘God, it would be nice to own a nice small sports bar next to a major league stadium.” “Five years later, somehow this became available and I acted on it,” he continued. “The biggest thing in my life is that when I see something that I think is a good idea, I act on it.” Ferguson explained that it’s important to take calculated risks. However, dedication is even more paramount. “It’s all about passion,” he said. “If you don’t have the passion and you don’t have the work ethic, it’s not going to work.” Once Ferguson saw the property that would eventually house Ferg’s, he decided to contact the City of St. Petersburg to ensure that it was zoned for a sports bar concept. “I was a PE teacher,” the entrepreneur emphasized. “So, I did not have a business plan.” Once he confirmed the zoning, Ferguson called the owners of the real estate and negotiated a purchase deal. “Every day it was ‘what do I need to do next’,” he explained. “Believe me, it’s a long journey and you make a lot of mistakes. But, you just keep going.” Ferguson would continue to teach for seven years after he opened Ferg’s. He would pursue the venture full time after the Tampa Bay Rays were established. The establishment, Ferguson added, wouldn’t make a profit for years. Money was eventually reinvested into the company. It all started with one room with 75 seats. Additionally, only beer and wine were served. Ferguson would eventually acquire a liquor license and more real estate to expand the concept. Now, Ferg’s can hold up to 3,000 people and occupies nearly two city blocks. Once the Tampa Bay Lightning began playing games at Tropicana Field (then known as the Thunderdome), the establishment would increase in popularity. “It slowly started to work,” Ferguson explained. “That gave us enough knowledge and help and business to get through until baseball came in. In 1998, baseball came in and things started getting better and better.” He added that Covid-19 pandemic had a long-term impact on business. Ferguson believes that more people have moved to the area. “I love DJs because they don’t take up any room and can play anything,” Ferguson said. “But after thirty something years of doing that, the neighborhood started getting younger. We decided to do live entertainment on the front patio on Fridays and then baseball went away. So, we decided to do it on Saturdays and then we started to get more girls in here.” Recently, Ferg’s has begun to organize large-scale concerts on the property. Next year, the venue will host concerts from Gene Simmons of Kiss and Star Trek actor William Shatner. He explained that the team is “learning that realm.” When asked about the future of the Rays, Ferguson was optimistic. In August, the organization reached a non-binding agreement with the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County to build a new stadium. “The Rays are not in Tampa yet,” he said. “They don’t have a shovel in the ground yet. So, we still have a chance to keep them here. I 100% believe the Rays are much better off in St. Pete than in Tampa. Tampa already has the Lightning and the Buccaneers. They’re trying to fit too much in one spot.” “If the owners get the money and decide that they want to go over there, more power to them,” Ferguson continued. “We will always be here. But, we might open up a smaller place in Tampa. But, that’s five years away if we even go over there.” He explained that Tropicana Field was renovated after Hurricane Milton severely damaged its roof in 2024. “This is a brand new building,” Ferguson believes. “It’s good for another 30 years. We have 86 acres to build around it. We have a young environment here. The city is walkable. When they’re done building that out, we’ll have another 15,000 people living on that site. So, I think the attendance will take care of itself over the years.” At the end of the Monday event, Ferguson shared some advice with the attendees. Many were USF Muma College of Business students. “What I’ve learned about myself is you’re only as good as the people around you,” he explained. “You’re only as good as how hard you’re willing to work. You can tell people to go do all the work. But, what happens if they don’t do the work? You have to be able to do it.” Ferguson added that listening is key. “Let them tell you what they’re thinking,” he said. “If you’re always interrupting them, nothing will ever get done.” Share Tweet Share Related Topics: Ferg's Sports Bar and Grill Mark Ferguson Muma College of Business Nault Center for Entrepreneurship St. Petersburg University of South Florida Click to comment Subscribe to the Daily Spark Get the latest right to your phone Subscription Form Name Email Subscribe Subscribe to the Daily Spark Get the latest right to your phone Subscription Form Name Email Subscribe You may like