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People always twist stats to cater to their own narratives but they generally try and tone it down a bit so they don't come off like complete idiots...
People always twist stats to cater to their own narratives but they generally try and tone it down a bit so they don't come off like complete idiots...
Chief I love you, but you did not answer the question
I agree with this completely as stated in my earlier post. Young professionals like me who were avid uconn fans since forever stated to leave the state from the mid to late 90's and it has continued in bigger numbers since. I know most people don't see Connecticut as a great place for young professionals when talking to them from their experiences in living there. You can't build local fan support if all the young people are moving out of the state for better opportunities. I wish I could go to more games but of course living in Atlanta doesn't allow me that benefit. I'm lucky if I make 1-2 games a year.The economics and demographics of the state play a larger roll in attendance than most of you believe.
Extraordinary success or the occasional big name mask that decline which really mirrors the decline of the states economy.
That's the most disturbing thing about the future of UConn basketball.
It was a rabid fan base and broad state support that enabled us to go from a regional to national player.
Dave Gavitt saw the possibility.
The population decrease if examined closely is much worse for sports entertainment than first appears
The exodus is somewhat offset by foreign immigrants who historically only have sports attachments to their old country if any at all. The people who leave are retirees with multitude generaration ties to the state and young professionals both of whom are more likely to attend games . I would love to see stats on the % of UConn grads or any grads for that matter , leaving the state for employment now vs 1980.
Retirees are important because they continue going to games with there kids and grandkids making future fans . Establishing a tradition. Business Relocation out of the state caused my son to move
He had been going to UConn games since the 1970's with me., and now his sons would be going with him.
Those that write off last year as an anomaly are
Just plain wrong . In the 1980's an undermanned team fighting for a NCAA birth would have sold out the Cinncy game . A half full Crowd for that game is indiciative of real problems. Worse yet if they pulled off that upset I suspect the game against SMU would not have sold out. That's just plain inexcusable.
I looked up real estate in my old neighborhood and houses were listing at $100,000 less than 10-15 years ago. That loss of wealth in much of CT is
mind boggling.
Western Fairfield County is an exception ,the one area with minimal loyalty to UConn's men programs.
Like the old Bill Clinton campaign mantra of 1992 " Its the economy stupid"
I agree with this completely as stated in my earlier post. Young professionals like me who were avid uconn fans since forever stated to leave the state from the mid to late 90's and it has continued in bigger numbers since. I know most people don't see Connecticut as a great place for young professionals when talking to them from their experiences in living there. You can't build local fan support if all the young people are moving out of the state for better opportunities. I wish I could go to more games but of course living in Atlanta doesn't allow me that benefit. I'm lucky if I make 1-2 games a year.
...with 19,999 other people.."Hi, I'm a Syracuse fan and I enjoy watching my school under achieve in a carvernous, soulless, half-of-a-dome."
...with 19,999 other people..
Just saying
You have to be careful saying our fanbase sucks, it doesn't. The numbers show UConn has a huge fanbase when it comes to merchandising. We are getting paid by Nike and IMG because of the fanbase. Where we do suck, is in attending live sports events religiously.
Connecticut is an aging population. I attended far more games in my teens and 20's than I did in my 30's and now 40's. Unless I retire near CT, I'll almost surely travel to less games as I get older. Peak UConn fandom probably occurred around 1992-2004. Many of the paying customers of that time that went to happy hour and then to basketball games etc. are in their 60's and 70's now. I fear we aren't replacing them with fans that attend. Teens don't feel the need to be there. I suspect it is because they'll look at their phones the whole time anyway.