UConn Football Season-Ticket Sales Down Sharply From Last Season

[huskymedic]

I miss Mike Anthony

UConn Football Season-Ticket Sales Down Sharply From Last Season

>>UConn has allocated about 9,000 season tickets for the upcoming season, an athletic department representative said, a 44 percent decline from 2017 (16,000) and a 67 percent dip from the Huskies’ Fiesta Bowl season of 2010 (27,500).<<

>>Additionally, the school has allocated about 17,000 tickets for the Huskies’ season opener against No. 21 UCF on Thursday, leaving more than 20,000 seats unaccounted for.<<

“allocated” and “unaccounted for”? Strange choice of words.

 

[Exit 4]

fake news?

Confirms what the "choose your seat map tool" suggested when browsing for seats. Although, my section has filled in nicely over the past month...but at the start of the month it was way worse.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Oh my God. Wow. I think they’re using allocated because many weren’t ever sold, but were given away. All UConn staff and faculty can get 4 free tickets to UCF. I’d imagine there are similar things happening elsewhere, maybe with Pratt workers. We’ll probably see 15k there

 

[huskymedic]

 

[JMick]

I just don't see how we keep a football program if this continues. I'm not even sure winning is going to get us back to 30k+ in the stadium

 

[ThabeetDown]

I just don't see how we keep a football program if this continues. I'm not even sure winning is going to get us back to 30k+ in the stadium

Well, what has changed since then? No winning season since 2011. Even with a BE football schedule, it's not like the conference was that good. Obviously better than the AAC, sure, but I wasn't going to UConn football games to see them play Pitt or Lville or Rutgers.

 

[The Viking]

Anyone else still wondering why Benedict challenged the fan base?

 

[uconnphil2016]

I just don't see how we keep a football program if this continues. I'm not even sure winning is going to get us back to 30k+ in the stadium

I think we could average around 30k if we were a good team. No chance we’ll hit 40k unless we’re undefeated somehow or are playing a powerhouse program

 

[uconnphil2016]

Anyone else still wondering why Benedict challenged the fan base?

I mean, it’s not the fans fault when they bail. Drop ticket prices, reward people for renewing, etc.

No reason to be a season ticket holder—I’ve scalped tickets for $3 before outside the tent or from stub hub. I do season tix just to be good to the school and for convenience

 

[JMick]

Well, what has changed since then? No winning season since 2011. Even with a BE football schedule, it's not like the conference was that good. Obviously better than the AAC, sure, but I wasn't going to UConn football games to see them play Pitt or Lville or Rutgers.

It's the conference. Most people in Connecticut don't know anything about college football. I get asked all the time "why are we in a minor league instead of playing real schools?" Perception is often reality

 

[The Viking]

We live in a state where there are 10 + pro and college sports teams within a couple of hours. CT people are not going to stick through hard times for very long before putting their time and attention to something else.
Sucks but it is what it is. Lots of pressure on Edsall to turn this around in the next couple of years.

 

[The Viking]

I mean, it’s not the fans fault when they bail. Drop ticket prices, reward people for renewing, etc.

No reason to be a season ticket holder—I’ve scalped tickets for $3 before outside the tent or from stub hub. I do season tix just to be good to the school and for convenience

I can see why someone would drop season tix but this a huge year over year drop

 

[ThabeetDown]

It's the conference. Most people in Connecticut don't know anything about college football. I get asked all the time "why are we in a minor league instead of playing real schools?" Perception is often reality

That's 100% fair, to the casual fan I get it. However UCF is as good as any former BE team, but you can "sell" Rutgers/Lville/Pitt/Cuse more than them.

 

[UConnJim]

This isn't a surprise. Not that attractive home schedule. 6 home games of which 1 is Thursday before Labor Day and 2 are in mid to late November. Most game times TBD. Losing seasons.

People used to buy season tickets to make sure they had tickets to the best home games, like Michigan. Why would you buy season tickets now when you can pick and choose the games you want to go to? You get to know the game time, weather, and how competitive the team is before you buy your tickets.

Last year, they really missed an opportunity to help rebuild the fan base when they moved the BC game to Fenway Park. Sure, UConn made more money, but I would argue building the fan base is more important right now.

 

[Ha Who]

Calling Butch. BIG/ACC bidding war in 20 minutes

 

[AfgHusky15]

I just don't see how we keep a football program if this continues. I'm not even sure winning is going to get us back to 30k+ in the stadium

This is ridiculous. If we start winning the fans will show up. UConn fans show up to women bball games, to college soccer games, to college hockey games in fantastic numbers. These are sports that are generally not well attended. UConn fans and people in CT love UConn and will show up if the programs win.

If we put a winning product at the Rent, fans will show up in good numbers.

 

[Tdaley]

It is so disappointing. I know the product has been bad the last 7 years but it is still big time football. We have a team who was unquestionably a top ten team last year coming to the to the rent and other than the diehards it not generating any where near the excitement that it should.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Wow. Going to see mostly crowds in the teens I bet.

 

[zls44]

Anyone else still wondering why Benedict challenged the fan base?

Yeah, anyone else wondering why an incredibly stupid thing to do was incredibly stupid?

 

[Hogoff]

Well, what has changed since then? No winning season since 2011. Even with a BE football schedule, it's not like the conference was that good. Obviously better than the AAC, sure, but I wasn't going to UConn football games to see them play Pitt or Lville or Rutgers.

I would have gone to those games. But I would still be going if I lived in CT. It’s not like the old big east had these great teams that would pack the rent. This league is on par with that league.

 

[JMick]

That's 100% fair, to the casual fan I get it. However UCF is as good as any former BE team, but you can "sell" Rutgers/Lville/Pitt/Cuse more than them.

People don't realize that though. Tons of people don't even know that UCF exists as a school. We used to play with our peers and now we dont

 

[Nostical]

As Warren Buffett says, "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful".
Sounds like its time to expand the stadium.

 

[JMick]

This is ridiculous. If we start winning the fans will show up. UConn fans show up to women bball games, to college soccer games, to college hockey games in fantastic numbers. These are sports that are generally not well attended. UConn fans and people in CT love UConn and will show up if the programs win.

If we put a winning product at the Rent, fans will show up in good numbers.

Hockey plays the best teams in the country. The average women's fan will be dead in five years.

Winning isn't going to change the fact that we play against what is perceived as a ton of no-name schools

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Hockey plays the best teams in the country. The average women's fan will be dead in five years.

Winning isn't going to change the fact that we play against what is perceived as a ton of no-name schools

Bingo. I'd bet you 90% of CT residents can't even tell you what UCF, ECU, and SMU stands for.

The primary culprit is the conference. Winning will bring some back, but unless we're going 11-0 every year, no one is going to care about seeing us play AAC teams. Doesn't matter how much Aresco and/or Benedict try and talk up the conference, there's absolutely no cache.

 

[AfgHusky15]

Hockey plays the best teams in the country. The average women's fan will be dead in five years.

Winning isn't going to change the fact that we play against what is perceived as a ton of no-name schools

Boise, UCF, Memphis, and UH all draw good crowds; 30k plus on average. 3 of those schools play in the same conference as we do. Boise plays in a worse conference. All 4 are able to draw good crowds because they win. Yes it helps that they play an exciting brand of football (all have dynamic offenses).

No reason UConn can't get to 30k attendance on average again if we put a winning product on the field.