UM AD on Mich vs Uconn at Rent

[Carl Spackler]

Can we agree to put the Yale Bowl to rest for anything anytime?? It is a 1914 only slightly upgraded classic that is not designed for crowds much over 25,000. Years ago trains ran to New Haven as football specials and a large proportion of fans then took the streetcar (last ride 1947) to the Bowl. The residential neighborhood and streets don't cut it in 2012. A 50,000 crowd once every two years for Harvard is about it, I'm afraid. If it weren't there Yale would have a 25,000 seat facility (maybe), but at least it would have some modern conveniences. The Bowl has no lights, no comfortable seats, and a number of horses buried under the gridiron. Poor things dropped dead during construction and were buried where they fell.

There are some Eli's that got planted into that turf by Huskies too, going back to the 80s. Missed out in '85 due to Hurricane Gloria, which is what had me completely bonkers about the way that the UConn-Fordham season opener was jerked around with the hurricane situation recently.

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/29/sports/yale-game-is-canceled.html

Game had been played every year since 1951 until then, I think they were afraid of coming to Storrs and losing.

But anyway - I'm fine with playing neutral site games at Yankee Stadium, I hope that it actually happens, but not at the cost of getting less than 6 home games at Rentschler that aren't eye catching.

 

[freescooter]

If a game - any game - not the Michigan game in 2013 - that one is beign played at Rentschler, but if any future game were to be scheduled in NYC, I prefer Yankee Stadium over Meadowlands. I have no idea of the information given is accurate, that there is legislation on the books somewhere that says that UConn can't play a "home" game anywhere but Rentschler. But even if it is, that means nothing for a neutral site game, where the day's take is being split 50/50.

I've said it before, I'll say again. I'd love to see us with the regular 7 game "home" schedule with 6 games at Rentschler, and 1 neutral in the Bronx against a nationally prevalent program that's interested in playing in the Big Apple.

The New Haven line would get a lot of business, I think.

Not sure it is a law but during the Notre Dame controversy the State rep form East Hartford proposed legislation that UConn couldn't play home games at other venues but I think there were a series of outs. If they had more than 6 home games, it didn't count and it didn't eliminate the possibility of neutral site games. I htought it was more a sense of the legislature resolution, but I don't recall all the details.

 

[metsfan2323]

Well if winning fairfield county's hearts and minds is what we're after, wouldn't Yankee stadium be the best target? It's much easier access via Metro-North.

And as Carl pointed out, New Haven / Yale would never want another big time game at the Yale Bowl after last year's tragedy, especially one not involving Yale, and the neighborhood is just not equipped to handle the traffic for a UConn tailgate, let alone a UConn+Michigan one. (Probably the reason they wound up not proceeding with plans to move last year's Fordham game to the Yale Bowl).

Last years fatality in the Yale parking lot should have no bearing on having games there. Based on what I read that could happen in any parking lot. It seemed like the kid just lost control of the vehicle, are you telling me that if someone lost control of their vehicle at the Rent everyone would be safe?

There is a lack of parking there, shuttle buses are required for big events.

There are no major upgrades needed, Yale Bowl is an oval with wooden bleachers, the Rent is an oval with metal bleachers. Are we too refined to sit on a wood bleacher?

I don't understand why fans would be OK playing at the Meadowlands but somehow The Yale Bowl is no good. Traveling to the Meadowlands is a major drag and do we really want a home game in New Jersey of all places?

Yankee Stadium would be fine but never the meadowlands!

 

[huskymedic]

Last years fatality in the Yale parking lot should have no bearing on having games there. Based on what I read that could happen in any parking lot. It seemed like the kid just lost control of the vehicle, are you telling me that if someone lost control of their vehicle at the Rent everyone would be safe?

There is a lack of parking there, shuttle buses are required for big events.

There are no major upgrades needed, Yale Bowl is an oval with wooden bleachers, the Rent is an oval with metal bleachers. Are we too refined to sit on a wood bleacher?

I don't understand why fans would be OK playing at the Meadowlands but somehow The Yale Bowl is no good. Traveling to the Meadowlands is a major drag and do we really want a home game in New Jersey of all places?

Yankee Stadium would be fine but never the meadowlands!

Yale Bowl seats =/- 64k after recent renovations. Limited "luxury boxes" and trust me, the shuttle bus scenerio is a horror show.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Last years fatality in the Yale parking lot should have no bearing on having games there. Based on what I read that could happen in any parking lot. It seemed like the kid just lost control of the vehicle, are you telling me that if someone lost control of their vehicle at the Rent everyone would be safe?

There is a lack of parking there, shuttle buses are required for big events.

There are no upgrades needed, Yale Bowl is an oval with wooden bleachers, the Rent is an oval with metal bleachers. Are we too good to sit on a wood bleacher?

I don't understand why fans would be OK playing at the Meadowlands but somehow The Yale Bowl is no good. Traveling to the Meadowlands is a major drag and do we really want a home game in New Jersey?

Answers to your questions are No, No, and No respectively. Playing Yale, at the Yale bowl, would be fine. Playing the Michigan's of the world at Yale bowl? No.

 

[metsfan2323]

Michigan Stadium was a copy of the Yale bowl, same design.

"Limited Luxury boxes"? and your point is?

As a lifelong Jets fan who has been to at least 25 games at the Meadowlands and who has been to 40+ games at the Yale Bowl I can say with confidence that I would much rather see a game at the Yale Bowl. You sit close enough to actually see the field and the travel (for me and anyone else who lives in CT) is much easier.

 

[huskymedic]

Michigan Stadium was a copy of the Yale bowl, same design.

"Limited Luxury boxes"? and your point is?

As a lifelong Jets fan who has been to at least 25 games at the Meadowlands and who has been to 40+ games at the Yale Bowl I can say with confidence that I would much rather see a game at the Yale Bowl. You sit close enough to actually see the field and the travel (for me and anyone else who lives in CT) is much easier.

Been to both (and have worked the Yale Bowl games for many, many years)... The max the Yale Bowl ever sat was 80K back in the heyday, not the 108k that the Big House holds..

My point regarding the "luxury boxes" is that you will alienate all the tower ticket holders @ the Rent when you stuff thier butts into the wooden benches.

No real sense in arguing - you will never see another UConn game @ the Yale Bowl.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If a game - any game - not the Michigan game in 2013 - that one is beign played at Rentschler, but if any future game were to be scheduled in NYC, I prefer Yankee Stadium over Meadowlands. I have no idea of the information given is accurate, that there is legislation on the books somewhere that says that UConn can't play a "home" game anywhere but Rentschler. But even if it is, that means nothing for a neutral site game, where the day's take is being split 50/50.

I've said it before, I'll say again. I'd love to see us with the regular 7 game "home" schedule with 6 games at Rentschler, and 1 neutral in the Bronx against a nationally prevalent program that's interested in playing in the Big Apple.

The New Haven line would get a lot of business, I think.

If we mix in some games in Foxborough, this works for me. Gillette would be much better for students and is certainly easier to get to in the general sense.

On thing I don't understand, if the UMass game this year is a home-home, why not have their home game now, in Gillette, where we might well outdraw them? Beats going to Amherst.

 

[freescooter]

this year's UMass game is a one off. They were still 1AA when it was made. I think if we do some kind of home-home with them (ideally a 2-1) their home game will be played in Foxborough. We want to play them at our house though. Why would we want to play them at Gillette this year?

 

[MarbleheadHusky]

I am all for an occasional game at Gillette or MetLife Stadium. I think that these games would create a lot of excitement to play a team like Michigan. What I am strongly, STRONGLY against is a game at Yankee Stadium. Why can't we play football in football stadiums? I have seen the layout for the Yankee Bowl Game and if I'm correct, if you sit on the 50 Yard Line, it seems like you are 40 yards away from the field. Additionally, there are approximately 10,000 to 12,000 (standing room) more seats than the Rent. If we are going to go big, GO BIG. MetLife and Gillette are also set up much better for Tailgating. I understand that East Rutherford is a little more inconvenient than Yankee Stadium, but who cares. Wouldn't a game against the likes of a Michigan consume a whole day. Am I really concerned about an extra half hour on the road?

I would love to hear from anyone that went to the Yankee Bowl the past few years. How were the site lines? Did you enjoy the experience of watching a Football Game in a Baseball Stadium?

 

[CL82]

this year's UMass game is a one off. They were still 1AA when it was made. I think if we do some kind of home-home with them (ideally a 2-1) their home game will be played in Foxborough. We want to play them at our house though. Why would we want to play them at Gillette this year?

I have no problem with a 2-1 with them. It gives them a leg up and is a more interesting opponent than Buffalo, for example, just due to proximity.

 

[CL82]

The Bowl has no lights, no comfortable seats, and a number of horses buried under the gridiron. Poor things dropped dead during construction and were buried where they fell.

of course the Meadowlands has Hoffa buried in the endzone so...

 

[RioDog]

The Bowl has no lights, no comfortable seats, and a number of horses buried under the gridiron. Poor things dropped dead during construction and were buried where they fell.[/quote]

The keys to my bro´s 240Z are there somewhere as well... lost them during the drunken debacle of a Yale/Harvard game in the ´80s. Cost $75.00 for a locksmith to make a new ke onsight!

Some game at the ole bowl would be cool, just not MI.

 

[freescooter]

There are many htings that continue to amaze me, among them the fascination with the Yale Bowl which seems to exist among some UConn fans. Why in the name of heaven would we want to play a football game at the Yale Bowl when we have a modern easily accessable stadium 35 minutes away that is UConn's home field? NO sense to give up home field advantage to lay there if nothing else. And please drop the idea of playing Yale, especially at the Bowl. Major conference teams don't play FCS teams at their stadium.

 

[Carl Spackler]

There are many htings that continue to amaze me, among them the fascination with the Yale Bowl which seems to exist among some UConn fans. Why in the name of heaven would we want to play a football game at the Yale Bowl when we have a modern easily accessable stadium 35 minutes away that is UConn's home field? NO sense to give up home field advantage to lay there if nothing else. And please drop the idea of playing Yale, especially at the Bowl. Major conference teams don't play FCS teams at their stadium.

Well, that's interesting because you're absolutely right. I was totally wrong in suggesting it's ok for us to play Yale in the yale bowl. Old habits die hard. There was a time, for a very LONG time, that the annual UConn-Yale game meant a lot. A lot. In the current era, especilly with the shifting now, we're clearly struggling to build that kind of routine, annually into the schedule that means omething. Our opponents that were the ideals, when the Big east football conference was founded in 1991, and then we finally approved the upgrade invite in 1997 - are all gone.

Scheduling Yale - at their home field, no - not smart at all, for where we are, now. THey'd have to come up I-91 and be the 1-AA fodder for the season.

But it leads me to something else I've talked about in many ways, that is EXTREMELY important for the future, IMO, Manuel's job rests on it.

Scheduling. Football scheduling. We have huge holes in our future schedule right now, that need to be filled, and filled smartly, with games that make sense, and will draw.

I'd like to see some Big 10, ACC mix in the scheduling, and a local UMass, BC (now that Flipper has stepped down).

We'll see what Warde comes up with.

 

[metsfan2323]

Why in the name of heaven would we want to play a football game at the Yale Bowl when we have a modern easily accessable stadium 35 minutes away that is UConn's home field?

It's only ever brought up in the context of needing a bigger venue to play in. My argument is only that IMO it is preferable than playing in the NFL stadiums in NJ and MA. That is all. Now do you understand? I would never argue that it is better then the Rent. The thought of UCONN playing a home game in NJ should make UCONN fans nauseous.

 

[whaler11]

Ivy league wins don't count towards bowl eligibility do they?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

It's only ever brought up in the context of needing a bigger venue to play in. My argument is only that IMO it is preferable than playing in the NFL stadiums in NJ and MA. That is all. Now do you understand? I would never argue that it is better then the Rent. The thought of UCONN playing a home game in NJ should make UCONN fans nauseous.

Right, playing in a brand new stadium NFL stadium in the shadows of New York should make me nauseous, as opposed to playing a game 30 minutes from our own stadium at an inaccessible dump in New Haven.

 

[metsfan2323]

Right, playing in a brand new stadium NFL stadium in the shadows of New York should make me nauseous, as opposed to playing a game 30 minutes from our own stadium at an inaccessible dump in New Haven.

I personally can't stand the Meadowlands. Maybe thats just the Jets fan in me, but if you want to talk dump then the Meadowlands is a great place to start and if you want to have a lousy seat far away from the playing field then you will love the new Meadowlands. Yale Bowl will give you a college atmosphere, the Meadowlands will give you a big screen TV so you can see the replay of what you couldn't see live.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It's only ever brought up in the context of needing a bigger venue to play in. My argument is only that IMO it is preferable than playing in the NFL stadiums in NJ and MA. That is all. Now do you understand? I would never argue that it is better then the Rent. The thought of UCONN playing a home game in NJ should make UCONN fans nauseous.

I don't for the life of me understand how anyone can believe our playing in Yale Bowl is an improvement over anything beyond Memorial Field.

The locations of the NFL stadiums in question takes precedence over their respective seating capacity. The idea is to introduce the product into markets where (if we have any brains) we want to establish a presence. Now do you understand?

 

[huskyjawz]

I personally can't stand the Meadowlands. Maybe thats just the Jets fan in me, but if you want to talk dump then the Meadowlands is a great place to start and if you want to have a lousy seat far away from the playing field then you will love the new Meadowlands. Yale Bowl will give you a college atmosphere, the Meadowlands will give you a big screen TV so you can see the replay of what you couldn't see live.

I would love a game at the Bowl, traditional college atmosphere. Would hate Meadowlands, next door to Rutgers. If has to be Pro, then Yankee Stadium for me. Don't care that it's not NFL, at least it's an exciting place and NYC, not NJ.

 

[metsfan2323]

The "Grand Daddy of them all" the Rose Bowl, is in fact the design child of the Yale Bowl. All "Bowls" are named after the Yale Bowl. The Yale Bowl is REALLY the grand daddy of them all. Is the Rose Bowl a dump too?

 

[metsfan2323]

The Yale Bowl gives you a back rest. The Rose Bowl just a bench, no back rest.

 

[huskymedic]

The Yale Bowl gives you a back rest. The Rose Bowl just a bench, no back rest.

You also pee in a concrete trough @ Yale Bowl.

No comparison - Rose Bowl seat 92k, has the infrastructure in place to handle that crowd and is currently undergoing a $150m renovation.

Look. I've spent many waking moments in the Bowl - it's a neat place to see a game (everyone should do it), game day experiance for tailgating is not bad - but it's not a place to play marquee UConn games.

 

[Waquoit]

You also pee in a concrete trough @ Yale Bowl.

Luxury. When I went the to the Yale Bowl I had to pee at a sheet of plywood on a bed of rocks. And I was happy to have it , too.