AAC Attendance

[06029]

Still digging out of the Pasqualoni nightmare and the product on the field doesn't scream "I've got to be there for that." Give a decent quarterback time to pass and put some points on the board and more W's in the record books and we'll ge more people in the seats. Being in a conference that people know and care about probably would help as well.

The attendance is going up. Give it time.

How long does that crutch need to last? Did year 1 of BD help? How many people did he turn off year 1 by calling the first few games pre-season and talking about he did not care about winning? Do his press conferences give people any reason to want to come see the game? I think BD has caused more damage to attendance than PP did at this point.

You will not see a conference wanting Uconn when they can't bang out a Saturday afternoon game against an opponent that I would consider to be a great annual rival. If Cuse can't get people in the stadium, then who will?

Coming off a bowl season and with reasons for optimism coming into the season, a Saturday game against a school that Uconn wants to be considered a peer with, 1 week following a good win against another peer school, no weather issues other than morning rain, it should have been a lot fuller.

Why not market the hell out of this game and make it an automatic inclusion in a 3 and 4 game mini pack? Instead it was UVA or Cuse plus 2 others. It should have been Cuse plus your choice of 2/3. This was the best home game on the schedule to grab the casual fan for a mini-plan. It's a name that trhey know well. Let's watch them screw it up next year with BC coming in.

 

[CL82]

Great annual rival? They are an out of conference team that we haven't played in years. It's only been three years since the great energy vampire sucked the life out of UConn football. It's silly to suggest that the three-year streak without a bowl, playing ugly football and losing winnable games, is it impacting our attendance

 

[06029]

Great annual rival? They are an out of conference team that we haven't played in years. It's only been three years since the great energy vampire sucked the life out of UConn football. It's silly to suggest that the three-year streak without a bowl, playing ugly football and losing winnable games, is it impacting our attendance

I meant would be a great annual rival. Pasqualoni is long gone. A different coach would have looked at year 1 as a statement year and tried to win some games. A different coach would know how to draw fans to the game. BD owns much more of the current attendance issues than PP. But Uconn has what it has and given his contract terms, he will be here at least thru 2017 and quite possibly 2018.

 

[CL82]

I meant would be a great annual rival. Pasqualoni is long gone. A different coach would have looked at year 1 as a statement year and tried to win some games. A different coach would know how to draw fans to the game. BD owns much more of the current attendance issues than PP. But Uconn has what it has and given his contract terms, he will be here at least thru 2017 and quite possibly 2018.

So do you think Diaco was trying not to win the game? Really?
What do you think Diaco's roll is generating attendance? Should he have stopped by Cabela's and put flyers under the windsheild wipers?

 

[06029]

So do you think Diaco was trying not to win the game? Really?
What do you think Diaco's roll is generating attendance? Should he have stopped by Cabela's and put flyers under the windsheild wipers?

Season 1 he said winning was not important. Did you forget that? He made a decision to sacrifice 100% of the season. There are ways to do that and still want to win. That he said it, defended it and then had a wholly forgettable first season, it turned off some long time season ticket holders I know that have not yet come back.

He does nothing to engage the fan base when he gives his rambling, unusual metaphor stuffed replies in press conferences. His whacky responses have cooled people off.

He has steadfastly stuck to a boring offensive philosophy designed to keep the games winnable late in games no matter the opponent. When he calls barely beating ME an exciting night for fans, I think he loses potential fans and ticket sales that wonder about what planet he lives on.

He has done barely above the obligatory chamber of commerce and alumni meet and greets. I think he is far less available than Edsall ever was and even PP was more accessible to fans.

As head coach, with what appears to be a severe micro-management tendancy, ultimatley his job is to win and lose games. But he and the marketing department also need to engage the fan base, find ways to excite the casual fan into becoming a ticket buyer and build attendance.

This is year 3. PP is long gone. You can't blame him for attendance issues today in my opinion.

 

[Exit 4]

These attendance issues are really on the alumni base.

For instance, the few UConn people tucked down here in SW CT I know never think about UConn football.

Some maybe right, we don't have the greatest football culture in CT. While its far better than outsiders think, is is not as strong as some of the local diehards want to think it is.

It takes time, got to keep working at it.

 

[CL82]

Season 1 he said winning was not important. Did you forget that? He made a decision to sacrifice 100% of the season. There are ways to do that and still want to win. That he said it, defended it and then had a wholly forgettable first season, it turned off some long time season ticket holders I know that have not yet come back.

He does nothing to engage the fan base when he gives his rambling, unusual metaphor stuffed replies in press conferences. His whacky responses have cooled people off.

He has steadfastly stuck to a boring offensive philosophy designed to keep the games winnable late in games no matter the opponent. When he calls barely beating ME an exciting night for fans, I think he loses potential fans and ticket sales that wonder about what planet he lives on.

He has done barely above the obligatory chamber of commerce and alumni meet and greets. I think he is far less available than Edsall ever was and even PP was more accessible to fans.

As head coach, with what appears to be a severe micro-management tendancy, ultimatley his job is to win and lose games. But he and the marketing department also need to engage the fan base, find ways to excite the casual fan into becoming a ticket buyer and build attendance.

This is year 3. PP is long gone. You can't blame him for attendance issues today in my opinion.

TL: DR

 

[EJHarrington]

I've been going to the games for 13 years now. The attendance is clearly on the upswing but still far short of the "glory days".

Frankly, drawing 30,000 + per game after 5-6 years of mostly bad football isn't shabby. In addition to being bad, we have run the most boring offense in the nation for years.

There have been times where I have asked myself, why do I watch this pitiful offensive attack week-after-week.

When we get a 10 yard pass for a first down, it's like getting a touchdown.

I'm trying to remember how many times since Marcus Easley left where I actually saw a 20 yard or greater pass play completed at home. The answer is few and far in between.

Winning will help bring back fans. Winning with a up-tempo, high octane offense will bring in these fans much quicker.

College football is entertainment as well as sport.

 

[RSTuthill]

You know it is funny. I gave myself a stern talking to before the Syracuse game. Told myself to not expect much. To stay at least to the half regardless of the frustration level. I was actually pleasantly surprised. I only booed at the opening series play calls. Then they got better. Agree that the crowd was commensurate with the product but it was only in the high 20's not over 30.

 

[rich1122]

I expected we'd get about 35K for Cuse. Wishful thinking.

Our fans suck. 20% either standing in derelict row under scoreboard or buying food not watching game. I was in 219 this week and I saw hoards of people still coming into game after Q1. It's shameful.
If football is important then we get no B12 bid. We don't deserve it.

College football never caught on here, especially after Edsall left.

Saturday was my last Home Game after missing only one game since 2003. I'll be cheering from afar. I have the BC and the EC games Away, but good luck the rest of the way. I'm not optimistic for a major upgrade.

 

[Pudge]

So Syracuse isn't a longstanding geographic rival??

ummm ...

If you look at Miami (Ohio) v Cincinnati, you have a game played for probably near a century. This is part of the component of building a fanbase: even Syracuse doesn't have the State stakeholders nor Alumni stakeholders greased to go to the game. This sport needs decades of tradition. As someone who has two alma maters, you find that the game routine is entirely part of your entire extended family. UConn doesn't have that. I hope we get to play Syracuse for a long time. This regional hate is good for all.

 

[DOZE860]

i still don't buy that there was 31k at the game...looked like closer to 35k at the very least

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Just to put things in perspective for us UConn fans, here's all the American home game attendance numbers this week:

UConn @ #6 Houston ,(40,873) 40,000 Cap.
UCF @ East Carolina(46,042) 50,000 Cap.
SMU @ Temple(22,401) 69,176 Cap.
USF @ Cincinatti(35,108) 40,000 Cap.

 

[Drew]

The best thing that could ever happen to Temple is getting that on campus stadium built

 

[SubbaBub]

The most important attendance number is the away gate at BC.

The AAC will suck in attendance as long as we are in it. Cue isn't a good measure because Cuse was never good at FB since we've been D1. And recently we've stunk just as bad. We are still a Diaco coaching failure from being them.

 

[Dooley]

3 attendance figures that I don't believe whatsoever:

Temple - 22K
BC - 24K
Cuse/ND @MetLife - 62K

I've seen plenty of photos from various points of each game and there wasn't a full section at any of those places over the weekend.

 

[Caronimo]

Just to put things in perspective for us UConn fans, here's all the American home game attendance numbers this week:

UConn @ #6 Houston ,(40,873) 40,000 Cap.
UCF @ East Carolina(46,042) 50,000 Cap.
SMU @ Temple(22,401) 69,176 Cap.
USF @ Cincinatti(35,108) 40,000 Cap.

No chance Temple got over 20k for that game. Looked like 30 people in the stands.

 

[ASweet3781]

I saw empty sections at the Indiana-Michigan State in Indiana And that's a ranked opponent and an improving Indiana program.

I saw empty sections at many P5 games. They just do a much better job at fudging the numbers.

30-32K is a completely appropriate number for the product on the field in East Hartford. Anyone saying otherwise is lying to themselves. I was at the Maine game and it was a cosy into it crowd ready to get involved and the team came out and didn't get one first down starting 3 straight times at mid field. It is up to UConn to meet the fanbase halfway and put a more watchable product on the field to fill out the other 8-10k seats. This season of course has done the opposite.

 

[gtcam]

Season 1 he said winning was not important. Did you forget that? He made a decision to sacrifice 100% of the season. There are ways to do that and still want to win. That he said it, defended it and then had a wholly forgettable first season, it turned off some long time season ticket holders I know that have not yet come back.

He does nothing to engage the fan base when he gives his rambling, unusual metaphor stuffed replies in press conferences. His whacky responses have cooled people off.

He has steadfastly stuck to a boring offensive philosophy designed to keep the games winnable late in games no matter the opponent. When he calls barely beating ME an exciting night for fans, I think he loses potential fans and ticket sales that wonder about what planet he lives on.

He has done barely above the obligatory chamber of commerce and alumni meet and greets. I think he is far less available than Edsall ever was and even PP was more accessible to fans.

As head coach, with what appears to be a severe micro-management tendancy, ultimatley his job is to win and lose games. But he and the marketing department also need to engage the fan base, find ways to excite the casual fan into becoming a ticket buyer and build attendance.

This is year 3. PP is long gone. You can't blame him for attendance issues today in my opinion.

Yeah, I agree
Except for the PSAs on TV and radio he is rather invisible
Don't think he spends much time on offensive and defensive strategy sessions so not sure what the guy does!

 

[Caronimo]

Crowd will be bad Saturday. Good weather- 28k. Rain- 10k. Thoughts?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Crowd will be bad Saturday. Good weather- 28k. Rain- 10k. Thoughts?

You're probably dead on. Maybe even high. Why would a casual fan pick an 1130 game for the game they go to that year?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

No chance Temple got over 20k for that game. Looked like 30 people in the stands.

And despite the upper deck being 2/3 empty Houston had an overflow crowd against us.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Just to put things in perspective for us UConn fans, here's all the American home game attendance numbers this week:

Temple @ Memphis (34,743) 61,008 Cap.-Thursday Night ESPN Game

SMU @ Tulsa (20,089) 30,000 Cap.
Tulane @ UCF (N/A) 45,000 Cap. -POSTPONED
Cincinatti @ UConn (24,169) 40,642 Cap.
East Carolina @ USF (30,397) 65,890 Cap.
#6 Houston @ Navy (34,531) 34,000 Cap.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

3 attendance figures that I don't believe whatsoever:

Temple - 22K
BC - 24K
Cuse/ND @MetLife - 62K

I've seen plenty of photos from various points of each game and there wasn't a full section at any of those places over the weekend.

There is NO WAY that Cuse/ND number is even close! I bet the BC number is mostly Clemson fans who traveled.

 

[Caronimo]

Just to put things in perspective for us UConn fans, here's all the American home game attendance numbers this week:

Temple @ Memphis (34,743) 61,008 Cap.-Thursday Night ESPN Game

SMU @ Tulsa (20,089) 30,000 Cap.
Tulane @ UCF (N/A) 45,000 Cap. -POSTPONED
Cincinatti @ UConn (24,169) 40,642 Cap.
East Carolina @ USF (30,397) 65,890 Cap.
#6 Houston @ Navy (34,531) 34,000 Cap.

Don't believe the USF and Tulsa #'s but oh well