A new view of the challenge to increase attendance.

[AllAmerRedHeads]

This would not happen, yet I do believe it could help to start to draw some younger.

Autographs, let the younger fans meet the players and get their signatures on ball or whatever.

Certainly issues to overcome, but I do believe if you can get the younger fans excited enough to get their parents, etc to bring them to a game because they can meet Bria, KML, etc., it could help an increase

Need the younger fans to get their parents to buy the tickets

 

[FairView]

Remind me not to hire your company

If you were the person with the product or service, having someone like me increase the demand to the point that it alleviated pricing pressures would be something you would give me a bonus for.

On another note ... things like food costs don't matter. People who want to pay the price will. Those who don't want to pay will eat somewhere else before or after the game. That has nothing to do with attendance.

AllAmerRed is on the right track. Getting kids jazzed is one route I would consider. Have two schools named honorary mascots for each game -- make it a contest for schools to enter and accomplish something to qualify. Then the contest announcements, recruitment, progres tracking, winner announcements and reports of the game all become events to publicize to other schools. Create UConn lesson plans for elementary schools -- for example, calculating and tracking player and team shooting percentages for third graders. (Are percentages still third grade?) Look into advertising. There are lots of ways to make impressions.

 

[Icebear]

On the PSU board someone noted and reminded me of the fantastic quality of the food services at the Delaware facility.

 

[DaddyChoc]

This would not happen, yet I do believe it could help to start to draw some younger.

Autographs, let the younger fans meet the players and get their signatures on ball or whatever.

Certainly issues to overcome, but I do believe if you can get the younger fans excited enough to get their parents, etc to bring them to a game because they can meet Bria, KML, etc., it could help an increase

Need the younger fans to get their parents to buy the tickets

BINGOOOOOOOOOOO

A kid (or adult) probably can NOT name one UConn player on the team this season.... they may think Maya Moore is still on the team.

I hear they do "community service" often but I would like to know which community is that.

I ran a "youth program" (in Downtown Hartford) a few yrs back and asked if the players could come over and talk to the "young ladies"... it was all a go and then they backed out at the last minute(something about a tight schedule). This was during the BET and my program was 2 minutes away (walking distance). This was when Charde was on the team and I really wanted her to speak to the girls cause they could relate to her experience.

anyways, they need to get out more and if they do they need to make those events more public

 

[Ruffian75]

On another note ... things like food costs don't matter. People who want to pay the price will. Those who don't want to pay will eat somewhere else before or after the game. That has nothing to do with attendance.

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Wow!!! Do you work for UConn or whoever caters the games? Cost related to quality certainly matters. The costs are exorbitant and the quality is terrible. The quality of the concessions is part of making going to a game a pleasant experience. It is one of the many reasons that I just don't care enough to attend many games. It is very fixable.

For weekday games, someone living in Norwalk leaving work at 4 PM wanting to make the game on time has no choice but to eat the garbage served at the XL or Gampel unless they brown bag it and eat in the car en route.

 

[Ruffian75]

An idea for Gampel.... Besides installing seats where the benches are, build a 20 foot wide concourse around the arena with more concessions and rest rooms. This would alleviate the congestion at the four entry points that presently consist of four lines each (2 for concessions and two for rest rooms).

Plan B is to blow it up and start all over again

 

[FairView]

Wow!!! Do you work for UConn or whoever caters the games? Cost related to quality certainly matters. The costs are exorbitant and the quality is terrible. The quality of the concessions is part of making going to a game a pleasant experience. It is one of the many reasons that I just don't care enough to attend many games. It is very fixable.

For weekday games, someone living in Norwalk leaving work at 4 PM wanting to make the game on time has no choice but to eat the garbage served at the XL or Gampel unless they brown bag it and eat in the car en route.

Food quality and prices may affect the overall experience, but they are not a deal breaker. People have been complaining about the costs and quality of food at sold-out sports arenas for years. If marketing had hit home with you, you would brown bag it or eat at Gampel. You may complain about it, but you would do it.

Attendance is about a perceived need and/or desire to be there that makes you overcome inconveniences. It will always be easier to stay in your warm home put your feet up, not wait in line and grab a snack whenever you feel like it. I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to have better food at lower prices, but that does not put bottoms in seats.

Having grown up in Norwalk, I can't understand how it takes you three and a half hours to get to Storrs. When I used to travel up to see my girlfriend during college, I was there in less than half that time. But perhaps it was the promise of a personal sporting event that spurred me on.

 

[Ruffian75]

Food quality and prices may affect the overall experience, but they are not a deal breaker. People have been complaining about the costs and quality of food at sold-out sports arenas for years. If marketing had hit home with you, you would brown bag it or eat at Gampel. You may complain about it, but you would do it.

Attendance is about a perceived need and/or desire to be there that makes you overcome inconveniences. It will always be easier to stay in your warm home put your feet up, not wait in line and grab a snack whenever you feel like it. I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to have better food at lower prices, but that does not put bottoms in seats.

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What? Why should I have to overcome fixable inconveniences? You just don't get it. There are a myriad of reasons why the attendance has shrunk 40% in eight years. The concessions at both the XL and Gampel may not be a "deal breaker" but they are a contributing factor that is easily fixed, just as easily as lower parking rates, more friendly and helpful security, seats with backs, and lower ticket prices.

You seem to be of the belief that if attendance is what it is, and the bottom line won't increase by making the games a more pleasant experience, let it be.

 

[DaddyChoc]

bleacher is my Gampel issue
no problems with XL Center

I eat before or after the game... I do that for ANY event (HS games, summer league games, etc. doesnt matter)

a bag of peanuts, 6pk of crackers/cookies or peanut M&Ms will hold over for 2 hrs

XL Center park on the street. If you're from Norwalk, take the day off (or half day) and get up to Hartford early, before the rush. I cant say much about Gampel because I never go there (once).

Ticket prices arent a problem for me even when they were 22.00 (pick and choose the games you're interested in).

CPTV has spoiled me tho...

 

[FairView]

What? Why should I have to overcome fixable inconveniences? You just don't get it. There are a myriad of reasons why the attendance has shrunk 40% in eight years. The concessions at both the XL and Gampel may not be a "deal breaker" but they are a contributing factor that is easily fixed, just as easily as lower parking rates, more friendly and helpful security, seats with backs, and lower ticket prices.

You seem to be of the belief that if attendance is what it is, and the bottom line won't increase by making the games a more pleasant experience, let it be.

I am sorry that I am not making myself clear. I am not saying attendance is what it is. I am saying that attendance could definitely be improved, but that these inconveniences are not the problem. Sure, it would be nice to fix those things, but fixing them will not improve attendance. That's not what makes people make the choice to go to a game or stay home. The concessions and seat backs were the same when every night was a sell out. The only difference is that now they are an excuse.

I am saying that a smart, focused and consistent marketing effort over time will increase attendance because people will see value and develop a desire to go see the game in person. That is what fills seats. If people perceive that seeing a UConn women's game live is an enjoyable, worthwhile, cool, got-to-have experience, they will go. That desire overcomes these inconveniences.

Case in point? Ticket prices (one of your "fixable" factors) were cut in half this year, yet the attendance slide continues.

Here's another way to look at it ... the millions of Connecticut residents who have never attended a UConn game don't know about the seats or the pretzel prices, the parking or the security people. They never cared enough about attending a game to find out. Every successful business needs to actively recruit new customers. That is what will fill seats.