How to make the spring game a huge event.

[Carl Spackler]

Those guys come every year. If you go to the spring game, you see a large herd of recruits on the field and in the stands.

I agree.

But the point, is that there's no reason why it can't be huge. I've been to spring scrimmages in New Haven at the yale bowl into the early 80s that had 15-20,000 people in the stands, and just as many outside tailgating. Just need to get it going.

It's going to take effort on the part of the university athletic department though. Building a network of communication to every high school athletic director in the state, as well as every town park/rec office director is somethign that I think should be there anyway. A database of phone numbers, fax numbers, snail mail, and email addresses.

That's how you get high schools to plan their athletic calendars, such that a year in advance, on a certain saturday in April - you can get as many high school athletes as possible out to Rentschler field. That's how you get all the youth bands and athletic programs and cheerleaders out to the stadium on a certain Saturday in April.

You give them something to plan for, and then make sure everybody is planning for it. A cheerleading competition at Rentschler is probably more realistic than a band competition for reasons stated by band people. The sissies on the field get a whole month to prep for the game. It's offseason for the bands.

 

[SAMCRO]

Be nice, that if a discussion like this - is one of the first things that new AD sees...........Welcome to UConn Warde.

And..... stop surfing the internet, get your arse back to work. We need to fix this APR mess, get into a new conference, get donations for a new BB practice facility, and a suitable hockey rink for HE, or B10 hockey. These are your performance objectives for the year. No pressure.

 

[Waquoit]

There spring game is all about preparing for the fall. I'm going to attempt huevos rancheros at the B-W tailgate. I'm thinking that could help boost attendance.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

All these suggestions are good. Start by having bigger expectations for the upcoming seasons. Do they offer busses for the students?

 

[Jerry27]

also i like carls idea. when season tix go out, send 2 tix per season tix sent out for the spring game. or mail them in the spring but still, its the marketing that counts for that.

You both realize the game is free, right? In which case the cost of printing approximately 52,000 tickets, any promotional material etc. and the mailing is a loss for the AD.

I like the idea of making it more CT community based though; just more on the football side not the band side.

 

[husky10]

Do they offer busses for the students?

They havent in the past id like to see a change with that this year.

 

[Dann]

You both realize the game is free, right? In which case the cost of printing approximately 52,000 tickets, any promotional material etc. and the mailing is a loss for the AD.

I like the idea of making it more CT community based though; just more on the football side not the band side.

yes i know and im sure he does 2. its the whole thought of a flyer(ticket) sitting on your counter. a marketinh tool basically. it doesn't have to be a real ticket. just something. maybe each season ticket gets a spring game ticket with a add for a free burger or poster or something. i dont know. just spice that up somehow. having something in your hand for a while is better that hearing about it a couple times.

 

[Jerry27]

yes i know and im sure he does 2. its the whole thought of a flyer(ticket) sitting on your counter. a marketinh tool basically. it doesn't have to be a real ticket. just something. maybe each season ticket gets a spring game ticket with a add for a free burger or poster or something. i dont know. just spice that **** up somehow. having something in your hand for a while is better that hearing about it a couple times.

yeah good point, they can piggy back it in with renewal or BE tourney flyers that go out to season ticket holders

 

[Carl Spackler]

email a link to a print out a ticket, or coupon or a voucher for something. An on-field pass during open locker room hours. Use one of the filler spaces on the sheets that the season tix are printed on every year to be a spring game ticket rather than leaving a blank space, or print up a spring game ticket to add to the sheet, and then have an empty spot next to it on the sheets to sell to an advertiser - People's bank has been on my season tickets for years........ Point is to get something tangible into people's hands. I agree. Sending 40,000 tickets to full press, specifically for an event that you are not charging admission, is dumb. You can put something tangible into peoples hands, a hell of a lot easier than that.

An email, internet link, etc. to print out an on-field pass, or locker tour....something.........all it takes is creativity, and effort, and the spring game could be a very big event.

 

[Carl Spackler]

P.S. If I remember correctly, my b-ball season tix this year came on a sheet that a full ticket space filled with a picture of Jeremy Lamb laying it in, that's it. I don't remember exactly what was on the full sheet from football in the fall.

That slot on a sheet of season tickets, used for a photograpH? Wasted space.....if you ask me.

 

[huskysupporter]

You both realize the game is free, right? In which case the cost of printing approximately 52,000 tickets, any promotional material etc. and the mailing is a loss for the AD.

I like the idea of making it more CT community based though; just more on the football side not the band side.

I think bands are a huge part of college fb and would be a great addition to the game. The key is really promoting the spring game to the youth football leagues/high school teams as well. Those are the future UCONN players.

 

[FDNY99]

2 years ago after attending the Penn State Blue/White game, then attending our spring game a week later, I sent an email to then AD Jeff Hathaway with some suggestions to make our game more fan friendly. PSU had a fan fest type atmosphere that catered to families. I suggested that to Hathaway, and also suggested having season ticket sales tours where prospective ticket holders could actually see what seats were available. I never recieved a reply from him. That is when I realized he was in over his head and had to be replaced. I wouldn't be surprised if we see an improvement in stuff like this under Manuel. He was directly responsible for football while at Michigan.

 

[CL82]

I like inviting the HS teams. Maybe have them stand introduce each one. How about setting up food fair inviting local restaurants to cook outside and serve. Set up different competitions, best pizza, best barbaque, etc. Get the local media to cover it. Maybe invite club house bands to play. Yeah, I know it's about football but getting butts in the seats is a key to expanding the program.

 

[LIUCHusky]

2 years ago after attending the Penn State Blue/White game, then attending our spring game a week later, I sent an email to then AD Jeff Hathaway with some suggestions to make our game more fan friendly. PSU had a fan fest type atmosphere that catered to families. I suggested that to Hathaway, and also suggested having season ticket sales tours where prospective ticket holders could actually see what seats were available. I never recieved a reply from him. That is when I realized he was in over his head and had to be replaced. I wouldn't be surprised if we see an improvement in stuff like this under Manuel. He was directly responsible for football while at Michigan.[/quot

FDNY99, Both of your ideas have been tried at spring games in the past, implemented by former AD Hathaway.

 

[Carl Spackler]

THe past idea was to put balloons I think on seats. Right? They put the game at 5:00 or whatever last year because of the school sports conflicts.

PRetty much every suggestion in this thread, is more pro-active, and would be more effective at generating bodies at the Rentschler facility on the saturday of the spring scrimmage than anythign that was done in the past 10 years.

They started taking baby steps with promoting UConn football recently. It's time to take big boy steps.

 

[Waquoit]

I suggested that to Hathaway, and also suggested having season ticket sales tours where prospective ticket holders could actually see what seats were available.

They did that a few years ago. If it worked I imagine they would have done it again.

 

[Waquoit]

The fact is there is no better marketing than word of mouth. Are all of you complainers doing your part?

 

[FDNY99]

Not the way I saw it at PSU. In my email I actually gave Hathaway the comparisons of what we had done and what was done by PSU and how I thought we could improve the spring game experience. I wrote this email at least 2-3 seasons ago...not last year.

 

[husky91]

That would be painful to sit through unless you're a parent to one of he kids.

I don't say this often, but... I think Palatine just had a good idea.

 

[Johnbuoy]

Following is a link to what UMass is doing for their spring game. It got me thinking (dangerous I know) that UConn could do something similar with it's football Alumni. But instead of having the Alumni vs the players, have it be the Alumni against the Alumni in a sort game of flag or touch football.

ALUMNI vs. VARSITY — The UMass spring football game, which has previously been more of a glorified practice with many players participating for both teams, has a twist this year that will likely add some attention.
The Minutemen will be playing against a team of alumni players. Molnar said that group will include all-time leading rusher and former NFL running back Marcel Shipp. “It’ll be a big challenge for our defense to tackle a big back like that,” Molnar said. http://www.gazettenet.com/2012/04/11/umass-football-to-play-notre-dame-in-2015

 

[Dann]

Following is a link to what UMass is doing for their spring game. It got me thinking (dangerous I know) that UConn could do something similar with it's football Alumni. But instead of having the Alumni vs the players, have it be the Alumni against the Alumni in a sort game of flag or touch football.

ALUMNI vs. VARSITY — The UMass spring football game, which has previously been more of a glorified practice with many players participating for both teams, has a twist this year that will likely add some attention.
The Minutemen will be playing against a team of alumni players. Molnar said that group will include all-time leading rusher and former NFL running back Marcel Shipp. “It’ll be a big challenge for our defense to tackle a big back like that,” Molnar said. http://www.gazettenet.com/2012/04/11/umass-football-to-play-notre-dame-in-2015

Interesting. Maybe a flag football game for former players at halftime or before the game? Get them involved with fans somehow signing stuff or picking kids out of the crowd to join them for a game at halftime? Could go many ways with it...

 

[Waquoit]

I suddenly recall I float I saw during a Homecoming Day parade back in the day. It said Muck UFass.