Attendance Drop...Bigly

[Uconn77Duke74]

I'm still completely baffled why attendance drops off so much for both Men's and Women's in post season tournaments. That trend seems ot make no sense. AAC men's attendance and Women's first two NCAA games at home should really have been sold out. We sort of have the Atlanta Braves syndrome from years ago where we now are only interested in the championship games and nothing else.

 

[August_West]

I'm not going to blame the fans. UConn is situated between two large cities with 12 pro sports team to watch. That's competition plain and simple. New England is beautiful with tons of things to do outdoors. More competition. In Memphis you can watch the Grizzlies or take a dip in the Mississippi. In Kentucky, it's a choice between going to Wildcats games or spending "quality time" with your close relatives. The Huskies have to put a good product on the court. If they do people will come to see them. If not, you get this years attendance figures.

So we werent sitting in between 2 large cities with 12 pro sports teams to watch when we were selling out exhibition games vs. Marathon Oil?

Got it.

 

[temery]

So we werent sitting in between 2 large cities with 12 pro sports teams to watch when we were selling out exhibition games vs. Marathon Oil?

Got it.

I doubt the marathon oil full house followed two crappy seasons.

 

[August_West]

I doubt the marathon oil full house followed two crappy seasons.

No they didn't.

But there is a sweet spot in between somewhere I think?

Maybe somewhere between selling out an exhibition against a pickup team, and not having a half full house for a conference tournament semi final on your home court on a Saturday at 5 pm?

That Cincinnati showing inexcusable by ALL metrics

 

[temery]

No they didn't.

But there is a sweet spot in between somewhere I think?

Maybe somewhere between selling out an exhibition against a pickup team, and not having a half full house for a conference tournament semi final on your home court on a Saturday at 5 pm?

That Cincinnati showing inexcusable by ALL metrics

Had marathon been at the end of a crappy season, I doubt the attendance would have been a fraction of what showed up for Cincinatti. I don't agree with the reasons, but that is the reality.

 

[August_West]

I doubt the marathon oil full house followed two crappy seasons.

And I challenge " 2 crappy seasons"

You want to call a year we won the conference tournament , made the NCAA tourney , and won a game in the tourney a " crappy season" and lump it in with this year? You are proving my point.

Was it up to our usual standards? Especially regular season?

No
But 320 teams in the country would've trade places and embraced that " crappy season"

I get that we aspire to better. We should.

But you need to rethink that definition.

 

[Dogdeacon]

The post said that Sunday night games are inherently bad. Well other leagues have them.

The quality of the AAC isn't any better at noon than it is at 8pm.

Sheesh, regardless of any other factors isn't it an inherent truth that Sunday night games are inferior to Saturday or any other day of the week? So my point is you can sell something inferior more easily if you have higher demand.

i.e. David Hasselhoff in Germany

 

[temery]

And I challenge " 2 crappy seasons"

You want to call a year we won the conference tournament , made the NCAA tourney , and won a game in the tourney a " crappy season" and lump it in with this year? You are proving my point.

Was it up to our usual standards? Especially regular season?

No
But 320 teams in the country would've trade places and embraced that " crappy season"

I get that we aspire to better. We should.

But you need to rethink that definition.

Anything short of a tournament appearance for a team that has made five final fours and won it all four times in the past 20 years ... yep, this was a crappy year for UConn.

 

[GetTheFacts]

I think one of the things that the athletic department is grappling with, is prioritizing the reasons why attendance dropped.

Personally, I blame the conference schedule as the main reason. There's a growing lack of buzz around the program due to their conference schedule. I know I personally have a hard time justifying going to any home game besides maybe Cincy or SMU, and I feel like a lot of the fan base feels the same way. Weird start times certainly don't help.

 

[CTBasketball]

Quality of product. Yes we made the tournament but we played some pretty horrific basketball the last 4 years or so.

 

[John]

I think one of the things that the athletic department is grappling with, is prioritizing the reasons why attendance dropped.

Personally, I blame the conference schedule as the main reason. There's a growing lack of buzz around the program due to their conference schedule. I know I personally have a hard time justifying going to any home game besides maybe Cincy or SMU, and I feel like a lot of the fan base feels the same way. Weird start times certainly don't help.

in the Big East days, Cincinnati and SMU would have been "ok, not great" match-ups - definitely a warm-up to the main card. Now they're presented to us as the premier games.

'Nough said.

 

[GetTheFacts]

in the Big East days, Cincinnati and SMU would have been "ok, not great" match-ups - definitely a warm-up to the main card. Now they're presented to us as the premier games.

'Nough said.

yes. well said.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

I think having games at Mohegan and/or Bridgeport which are both newer arenas vs. the Dump XL center would also help with attendance for at least a couple games a year.

 

[Lefty2one]

I think having games at Mohegan and/or Bridgeport which are both newer arenas vs. the Dump XL center would also help with attendance for at least a couple games a year.

Our arena situation stinks. Gampel is the best but it's too remote for non-students. Everyone hates Hartford but at least it's close enough that students can still go. Students aren't going to Bridgeport but maybe they can do a weekend game over winter break like they did 3-4 years ago. I attended that game, much easier than making it up to Gampel or Hartford. Mohegan Sun might be doable to bus students down to. That drive is what, 10-15 minutes longer than the drive from Storrs to Hartford? I'm not sure there are enough fans local to Mohegan Sun for it to make sense, it's not like it has the population density of FFC for Bridgeport games.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Much of Connecticut is still economically depressed .
The loss of many businesses especially in the manufacturing area has the hurt disposable encome.
Look at the real estate markets the modest house I built in the 1970's and sold eleven years ago for almost $400,000 recently was on the market for $100,000 less , That points to an amazing loss of wealth . Population loss ,on the the face that appears minimal, in reality has only been bolstered by foreign immigration. A former middle class with disposable income has been replaced by an immigrant population with little attachment to the state much less the University and less desposable income ,one that doesn't include athletics. I wonder what the percentage of UConn grads who leave the state after graduatation then to now is?
Connecticut was the huge benefactor of urban flight in the 6o's and 70's thst took place as cities like New York and even Boston were perceived to be dying. A trend that apparently has reversed.
Finally the ticket prices in late 70's until the late 80's were still moderately priced
especially in the heady days of the Big East. The oppunity to see players who were household names at a moderate price is a pretty good enticement to buy tickets.
Even given all that ,the biggest reason for depressed attendance is the perception of underpeformance. Underperforming when Patrick Ewing or Chris Mullen. is coming to town is somewhat acceptable, given the current competition it's death.
I won't even start with the flight of seniors with income from the state asvthere are many factors beyond weather.However when you lose multigenerational residents ,who have a bond with the State and by proxy it's state teams thats not easy to replace.

 

[John]

Our arena situation stinks. Gampel is the best but it's too remote for non-students. Everyone hates Hartford but at least it's close enough that students can still go. Students aren't going to Bridgeport but maybe they can do a weekend game over winter break like they did 3-4 years ago. I attended that game, much easier than making it up to Gampel or Hartford. Mohegan Sun might be doable to bus students down to. That drive is what, 10-15 minutes longer than the drive from Storrs to Hartford? I'm not sure there are enough fans local to Mohegan Sun for it to make sense, it's not like it has the population density of FFC for Bridgeport games.

I'm a XL guy, but I do think they need to start shrinking their XL footprint. Move one or two games down to Bridgeport like they used to do at the NH Coliseum, and also hold more games at Gampel. Hartford should go down to maybe a 5-6 game package.

 

[freescooter]

BullScalito

We are talking about a team who has given us 4 titles in 18 years. They deserved a pass and our support no matter what league we are playing in and how poorly the season was going.

We have multiple years down like this one and I start to buy the conference/performance metric.


Our fan base is made up of pathetic front runners.

This program deserved better from us, if for nothing else, then as thanks for what they have given us previously.

They may or may not "deserve" support but here is the reality. A bad team playing a mediocre schedule at odd times is going to struggle. Add to this the overall decline in live sports attendance. If UConn went 35-0 the crowds would be back though probably not to 1999 levels. And in fact they were already declining in the later years of Calhouns tenure. You really need to stop the nonsensical blaming of the AAC for everything from UConns poor record to North Koreas nuclear program. It isn't a great league but guess what? We have done little since Year 1 to add to its luster.

 

[freescooter]

The rivalries were fun to take part of, no matter how good or bad Uconn was. Now we've started over with our closest "rival" being Cinncy and maybe SMU.

It is clear that many of you guys weren't around in the early days of the Big East. I bought tickets at the box office day of the game for almost every game including the Chris Mullins St Johns team and the Villanova team that won the NCAA title. Here is the thing. In those early days we were Tulane compared to those other guys. Heck we bought tickets to Georgetown in DC from the UConn ticket office and the gave us 2 for half price because we bought 4. They couldn't sell them in those days. It was only AFTER Calhoun started winning that these rivalries developed. If you asked people in the days when UConn played in the infamous 8-9 game at the BET if we were anyone's rival they would have told you "No. Not a rival but if you lost to UConn, the coach would be on the hotseat."

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The problem with Gampel at 7pm on a weeknight is that no one will get there on time. Move it back to 8pm and you have a problem with people getting home at midnight. I live in Manchester off 44 pretty much halfway between XL and Gampel. After a game in Hartford I can go from getting into my car to my house in 25 minutes. From Gampel it's almost an hour. Remember the crowd for the 9pm start vs Temple in Storrs? Woof. Having games in Hartford is a must.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

It is clear that many of you guys weren't around in the early days of the Big East. I bought tickets at the box office day of the game for almost every game including the Chris Mullins St Johns team and the Villanova team that won the NCAA title. Here is the thing. In those early days we were Tulane compared to those other guys. Heck we bought tickets to Georgetown in DC from the UConn ticket office and the gave us 2 for half price because we bought 4. They couldn't sell them in those days. It was only AFTER Calhoun started winning that these rivalries developed. If you asked people in the days when UConn played in the infamous 8-9 game at the BET if we were anyone's rival they would have told you "No. Not a rival but if you lost to UConn, the coach would be on the hotseat."

yes i was born in 86' and watched games mostly growing up but not attending as many till i went to school there in 04'

 

[RJScootin]

Two reasons the attendance is down plan and simple, losing and conference. People love a winner and this team has been the opposite the last three years. Call them bad fans if you want but that's how it goes. The other thing is the conference they play in. There no local fans or traveling fans for any schools in AAC or a minuscule amount at best. The AAC has no good rivals games against Uconn that might get the more causal fans. The only thing to help attendance is winning or changing conferences. The upside to low attendance is..... It gets coaches fired!

 

[Lefty2one]

It is clear that many of you guys weren't around in the early days of the Big East. I bought tickets at the box office day of the game for almost every game including the Chris Mullins St Johns team and the Villanova team that won the NCAA title. Here is the thing. In those early days we were Tulane compared to those other guys. Heck we bought tickets to Georgetown in DC from the UConn ticket office and the gave us 2 for half price because we bought 4. They couldn't sell them in those days. It was only AFTER Calhoun started winning that these rivalries developed. If you asked people in the days when UConn played in the infamous 8-9 game at the BET if we were anyone's rival they would have told you "No. Not a rival but if you lost to UConn, the coach would be on the hotseat."

What you say is true but at the same time the big difference is that the Big East was a power conference. UConn was one of the few weak links who rose to join, and eventually surpass, the other elite programs. The AAC is the opposite, it's a dumpster fire with a ton of terrible programs and one elite program. There was also the whole geographic thing too back in the day with the BE that helped nurture those budding rivalries. You had family members or high school friends who attended other BE schools. Local recruiting battles, etc. Plus CT, the Tri-State area and New England has always loved basketball. The Big East's footprint was basketball-crazy. The AAC is full of a bunch of schools in football country.

Unfortunately, we will never be rivals with anyone in the AAC.

 

[UconnAlum04]

The problem with Gampel at 7pm on a weeknight is that no one will get there on time. Move it back to 8pm and you have a problem with people getting home at midnight. I live in Manchester off 44 pretty much halfway between XL and Gampel. After a game in Hartford I can go from getting into my car to my house in 25 minutes. From Gampel it's almost an hour. Remember the crowd for the 9pm start vs Temple in Storrs? Woof. Having games in Hartford is a must.

Agreed.

For people working/living in Fairfield county, it is Much easier when weeknight games are at XL.
Even then, for a 7pm game, we typically have to leave work a little early to get up there in time to grab dinner/drinks at a restaurant before heading in (hopefully there is seating available, City Steam is Always packed).
After the game, we're typically back home by 10:30 the latest.

With that said, that is the reason why we can only make Gampel games if they are on the weekend.

If they held a Top 25 matchup (non AAC) at Gampel during a weeknight...would we go?
Possibly, but it would require leaving work even earlier and then getting home even later.

 

[freescooter]

Also one shouldn't lose sight of the overall situation where college basketball attendance is dropping at the D1 level on a year over year basis. And has been for about 8-10 years. Last year only 1 D1 conference the SEC, saw an increase in attendance from the year before. And 1 smaller one stayed basically flat. Lots of things contribute including cost which is more than just tickets but add service fees parking even without meals, basically every game on tv, and to a large extent the fact that regular season games are not that meaningful and will become less so if the NCAA expands the tourney to 72 or 96.

 

[FriarJ]

Attendance, this is reason numero uno why PC and UConn should put something together. I have heard excuses for days on why it doesn't fit for some stupid reasons. BS! These schools are an hour away, it's ridiculous this isn't happening. At the end of the day you have to put butts in the seats and have something more than one decent OOC and one decent conference game from somebody half way across the country for your season ticket holders.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Also one shouldn't lose sight of the overall situation where college basketball attendance is dropping at the D1 level on a year over year basis. And has been for about 8-10 years. Last year only 1 D1 conference the SEC, saw an increase in attendance from the year before. And 1 smaller one stayed basically flat. Lots of things contribute including cost which is more than just tickets but add service fees parking even without meals, basically every game on tv, and to a large extent the fact that regular season games are not that meaningful and will become less so if the NCAA expands the tourney to 72 or 96.

Add also that ALL of the basketball conferences have been fisted by Football

 

[freescooter]

There was only major basketball conference and it was mainly dominated by football schools at the end anyway. And yeah you could argue it got screwed. But you can't ignore a larger trend, in this case that live attendance at sporting events is down everywhere. The NCAA has actually set up a group to look at the problem. (Yeah I know but it shows how widespread it is). All the things everyone talks about just make the problem worse but if you fixed them you'd still have the same issue just at a different level.

 

[Travelman6]

I think when people came to the NE and Wagner games and saw a loss, they figured "What is the point, bye!"

Not everyone is as big/dedicated a fan as folks are here....

To me it is that simple.

Start beating cincy, smu and OOC P5 teams and people will come to not only those games, but every game.

 

[champs99and04]

There's a lot of obvious in this thread. Yes, we understand that when the product is worse, less people come.

Doesn't change the fact that that's the definition of bandwagon.

 

[sledog]

The political burden of playing in Hartford can't help.