8,183

[Squeeze]

I think we should just stop playing at the XL center all together. Fill the stadium with students at gampel. I mean how many other teams in the country drive 30 minutes to play a home game? Never understood that. I watched the Duke game last night an the atmosphere there was nuts, it will never be even close to that at the XL center with a bunch of oldies an a handful of students that drove 30 minutes to a home game.

Driving to Storrs is a pain for 90% of the state.

Not to mention when XL is packed, it's just as good, if not better than Gampel. Georgetown last year was nuts.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Driving to Storrs is a pain for 90% of the state.

Not to mention when XL is packed, it's just as good, if not better than Gampel. Georgetown last year was nuts.

i was at that game, that was when that huge snow storm came. It was loud there, probably the loudest i've heard it in a while.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Yes, and I wasn't trying to say that the issue is unique to UConn. FSU has a good team and they played in front of NO ONE at home against Minnesota on Monday. I was watching LSU last night and the building was completely empty (the game was about the quality of intramural basketball).

The thing is it wasn't THAT long ago when teams that weren't NCAA tournament teams would still have 14-15k in the building for a Fairfield.

It's an epidemic across the sport. A handful of teams now get the top recruits - 95% of the teams play a version of the game that isn't entertaining and the nature of March means that the regular season is meaningless for everyone but 15 bubble teams.

This isn't old man yells at cloud: The sport was a better watch 15-20 years ago.

The sport was better 15 - 20 years ago, but a 26 year old consumer isn't worried about that. The alternative ways to watch a game have improved by 300% (not scientifically valid, i made that number up). Add the loss of manufacturing and mid level white-collar jobs around Greater Hartford and the seperation from our real rivals. The outcome was inevitable.

 

[BigEastRPI1]

Maybe someone already knows, but it feels like it's been a long time since the announced attendance at the XL Center for a scheduled regular season game hit this kind of low (I think the first AAC tourney game 2 years ago may have been announced lower).

It's crazy to think about what the atmosphere was like 20 years ago compared to today.

We at Marquette are experiencing a similar, albeit lesser malaise. In our case, it isn't so much conference affiliation as it was a result of our former coach leaving us high and dry after a ridiculous regime change at the top, whereby we hired a clueless president and holier-than-thou AD. Buzz could not function with his necessary eccentrics, lol, and off he went. Prior to his departure, MU enjoyed many 18,000+ attendance games. Sellouts for top opponents were common under Buzz and Tom Cream. Against UConn in our inaugural BigEast foray, it was 19,000+ witnessing the Steve Novak led assault on Coach Calhoun and the Huskies. Halcyon days indeed. But in our case, I think we will get back there. A new stadium awaits, and Wojo fits the image of what the university wants, and has the pedigree of a successful up and comer. Yes, the new Big East is not quite the one of old, but ask any student or alum at any of the current schools, and almost all would say "we are delighted with our conference, and it's trajectory." Nova winning it all was huge, and as FS1 gains acceptance, eyeballs will follow. Which brings me to you guys...

It's beyond clear what UConn brings to the table...huge championship cache, if not cash, a proud and still passionate fan base knowledgeable about the game, and a characteristic that top coaches live for: hoops is the primary driver of the athletic program. Basketball is, as our head coach here at Marquette has reiterated about our program, "woven into the very fabric of the university." It is high time that you guys see what all other college basketball fans across the country have known for years, that you are first and foremost a BASKETBALL school.

Snap out of your football stupor, UConn. Even with Trump as President, football will be on the decline in America. Participation at youth levels is already down. Basketball, despite the current NCAA pigskin money grab, is the real future. Look, we don't need you here in BEast land, but we do want you. All we ask is a commitment to see what even the staunchest BigEast detractors (ahem ESPN) are now admitting...the BigEast is not only viable well into the future, it is essentially the purest basketball conference in existence, and has consistently ranked as a top three or four conference nationally since its reincarnation. You dont have to scrap football, UConn, just deemphasize it and abandon your Power 5 ambitions. The BigEast is a Power1 conference, and even a power breakaway from the NCAA, as stupid as that would be, would not preclude BigEast inclusion in the new format. There is too much history and tradition with the BigEast schools and brand. Wake up, Huskies....your table at your old favorite hoops den is set and ready.

 

[John]

The Big East is like that ex-girlfriend who used to be a smoking hot 10, but has let herself completely go.

"Yeah, now, well, the thing about the old days: they the old days."
-Slim Charles

 

[auggie22]

The Big East is like that ex-girlfriend who used to be a smoking hot 10, but has let herself completely go.

"Yeah, now, well, the thing about the old days: they the old days."
-Slim Charles

... but she is still hotter than the pig we are sleeping with now.

I am confident that the AAC is the best option for us at the moment, though even more confident that a slate of Nova, Gtown, PC and Marquette would be significantly more interesting than what we have today.

 

[CTBasketball]

It is high time that you guys see what all other college basketball fans across the country have known for years, that you are first and foremost a BASKETBALL school.

If Bob Diaco is our head coach January 3rd, we are a hot mess.

 

[whaler11]

The fact that it's a bad team playing boring basketball isn't really the point. Attendance for the non-conference schedule has always been built on season tickets. The point is it's amazing how few season tickets they sell today versus years ago. Obviously the schedule is a huge reason - but this team was still supposed to be pretty good and this is a long term trend it didn't happen overnight. It also isn't confined to UConn... turn on almost any game outside of like 10 schools and the buildings are empty and the atmosphere is dead.

 

[whaler11]

I will say this as a season ticket holder at XL. When I see uconn giving discounts on tickets on Facebook it sickens me to know I paid full price for every game when they are giving some away for 5 dollars (last night). That is a big slap in the face to me as a season ticket holder. My upper level full price seats aren't worth what I paid for them.

I've been slammed here for years saying that UConn's strategy to dump tickets in both basketball and football when they get desperate is going to kill their long term season ticket sales. It's pretty much day 1 marketing stuff but they continue to try and flush the attendance further down the toilet.

 

[UConnJim]

The low attendance at early season XL Center games has been going on for 5 years.

2012: UNH - 8705, Maryland-Eastern Shore - 8841
2013: Yale - 8848, Loyola - 9681
2014: Coppin St. - 8260
2015: Sacred Heart - 8563, UMass-Lowell 9848, Central Connecticut - 7123

The early season attendance seems to be impacted by conference realignment and crappy matchups. Early season games against "name" opponents seem to do better.

 

[Adios]

We at Marquette are experiencing a similar, albeit lesser malaise. In our case, it isn't so much conference affiliation as it was a result of our former coach leaving us high and dry after a ridiculous regime change at the top, whereby we hired a clueless president and holier-than-thou AD. Buzz could not function with his necessary eccentrics, lol, and off he went. Prior to his departure, MU enjoyed many 18,000+ attendance games. Sellouts for top opponents were common under Buzz and Tom Cream. Against UConn in our inaugural BigEast foray, it was 19,000+ witnessing the Steve Novak led assault on Coach Calhoun and the Huskies. Halcyon days indeed. But in our case, I think we will get back there. A new stadium awaits, and Wojo fits the image of what the university wants, and has the pedigree of a successful up and comer. Yes, the new Big East is not quite the one of old, but ask any student or alum at any of the current schools, and almost all would say "we are delighted with our conference, and it's trajectory." Nova winning it all was huge, and as FS1 gains acceptance, eyeballs will follow. Which brings me to you guys...

It's beyond clear what UConn brings to the table...huge championship cache, if not cash, a proud and still passionate fan base knowledgeable about the game, and a characteristic that top coaches live for: hoops is the primary driver of the athletic program. Basketball is, as our head coach here at Marquette has reiterated about our program, "woven into the very fabric of the university." It is high time that you guys see what all other college basketball fans across the country have known for years, that you are first and foremost a BASKETBALL school.

Snap out of your football stupor, UConn. Even with Trump as President, football will be on the decline in America. Participation at youth levels is already down. Basketball, despite the current NCAA pigskin money grab, is the real future. Look, we don't need you here in BEast land, but we do want you. All we ask is a commitment to see what even the staunchest BigEast detractors (ahem ESPN) are now admitting...the BigEast is not only viable well into the future, it is essentially the purest basketball conference in existence, and has consistently ranked as a top three or four conference nationally since its reincarnation. You dont have to scrap football, UConn, just deemphasize it and abandon your Power 5 ambitions. The BigEast is a Power1 conference, and even a power breakaway from the NCAA, as stupid as that would be, would not preclude BigEast inclusion in the new format. There is too much history and tradition with the BigEast schools and brand. Wake up, Huskies....your table at your old favorite hoops den is set and ready.

If football is dying, why did the Cavaliers' players say they wish they could suit up for Ohio State football?

That was a lot of typing. UConn to the Big East? Seriously?? The school is destined for a P5 conference, because as you said, basketball is also important.

 

[Waquoit]

The school is destined for a P5 conference, because as you said, basketball is also important.

 

[superjohn]

I think spectator sports (and life in general) has been reduced to people staring at 4 inch LED screens 2 feet from their face.

The average attention span before and after this cell phone Nation is stunning.

Bingo. Just waiting on the day where we take our driverless cars to a place where we sit in our work pod, watch robots play games in our personalized sports pod, all while never having to interact with another human being.

 

[CalsNeighbor]

Driving to Storrs is a pain for 90% of the state.

Not to mention when XL is packed, it's just as good, if not better than Gampel. Georgetown last year was nuts.

Ya its easier to get to for most people but 100% harder to get to for the students that should be filling the stands, not the 70 year old fan that doesnt feel like driving to the actual campus. Name one other school that does that? No one will ever convince me that playing at the XL center is better than playing at gampel except for the state of connecticut using it as a way to bring people to downtown Hartford where there is nothing going on. All games should be at Gampel whether you feel like driving there or not. If not you can always root for Yale, New Haven, Fairfield, or Sacred Heart, take your pick.

 

[whaler11]

Yes all games should be at Gampel and the athletic department can figure out how to fill a gap of a few million more in the budget. Shouldn't be an issue.

 

[CalsNeighbor]

Yes all games should be at Gampel and the athletic department can figure out how to fill a gap of a few million more in the budget. Shouldn't be an issue.

Exactly you just proved my point, if you get passed the money, playing at XL makes no sense except to cater to downtown Hartford an not the students. I'm guessing your one of the 70 year Olds that doesn't like to drive

 

[whaler11]

Exactly you just proved my point, if you get passed the money, playing at XL makes no sense except to cater to downtown Hartford an not the students. I'm guessing your one of the 70 year Olds that doesn't like to drive

So you get why they have to play in Hartford then?

Seems like if you get that you'd stop blabbing about it.

 

[CalsNeighbor]

No I don't because they don't fill all the seats at the 'XL for the games so all this extra money your talking about is just a myth.

 

[mjmoney23]

No I don't because they don't fill all the seats at the 'XL for the games so all this extra money your talking about is just a myth.

Gampel has had thousands of seats empty for non premier games over the past few years.

 

[CalsNeighbor]

Gampel has had thousands of seats empty for non premier games over the past few years.

I never said that they were full, my original post was about the students. By playing at the Xl they have barely any opportunity to go to the games.

 

[whaler11]

No I don't because they don't fill all the seats at the 'XL for the games so all this extra money your talking about is just a myth.

Good lord.

You do realize that people donate money for points and those points improve their seats at the XL center right?

That if you stopped playing in Hartford you'd lose thousands of people who donate?

That tens of thousands of fans who would tell the program to go f itself for making that move?

That you've told the wealthiest part of the state that you want no part of them?

Makes perfect sense. Are you planning on raising the subsidy to the AD by millions or are you going to raise student tickets at Gampel to $150?

 

[whaler11]

I never said that they were full, my original post was about the students. By playing at the Xl they have barely any opportunity to go to the games.

You mean other than the half
of games that are played at Gampel. And the frigging buses that will take you to the XL center?

 

[CalsNeighbor]

Ya have you watched a game at the XL, how many students take a bus?? like 100 at most. Name one other school that does that, please.

 

[mjmoney23]

It is the choice of the students I'd they don't want to go to hartford. It wasn't a problem a few years ago filling up the student section.

 

[CalsNeighbor]

Good lord.

You do realize that people donate money for points and those points improve their seats at the XL center right?

That if you stopped playing in Hartford you'd lose thousands of people who donate?

That tens of thousands of fans who would tell the program to go f itself for making that move?

That you've told the wealthiest part of the state that you want no part of them?

Makes perfect sense. Are you planning on raising the subsidy to the AD by millions or are you going to raise student tickets at Gampel to $150?

Hey guess what guy, Uconn is in Storrs, not fairfield county. Deal with it.