Conference Schedule Being Released This Afternoon

[John]

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/090914aaa.html
XL: Assumption College (exhibition), Coppin State, CCSU, Temple, Cincinnati, USF, Tulsa, SMU

that's a brutally boring schedule for the Hartford folks like me.

 

[beerfan]

Interesting Hartford game/times. 5 Sunday, 1 Saturday, New Years Eve, and only one week night game. That's enough games the whole family can come to. The marketing department should be all over this with family packages, as well as discount prices as the games get close. No excuse not to fill the place on a Sunday afternoon.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Any idea when the 5 game mix/match package will be available?

 

[gampelcrazies]

that's a brutally boring schedule for the Hartford folks like me.

It's pretty bad for both.

 

[alexd]

Can't wait to see what time they plan on for the New Year's Eve game. That's just terrible. Especially combined with the fact that they've cut the XL schedule down from 10 or 11 to 8 games.

The 11 AM Saturday game, and the 2 Noon Sunday game are killers for downtown Hartford restaurants. They get almost nothing out of this.

 

[John]

It's pretty bad for both.

I think it's the lack of a quality OOC opponent that I'm having trouble with. The conference games are what they are.

 

[8893]

Can't wait to see what time they plan on for the New Year's Eve game. That's just terrible. Especially combined with the fact that they've cut the XL schedule down from 10 or 11 to 8 games.

The 11 AM Saturday game, and the 2 Noon Sunday game are killers for downtown Hartford restaurants. They get almost nothing out of this.

Interesting Hartford game/times. 5 Sunday, 1 Saturday, New Years Eve, and only one week night game. That's enough games the whole family can come to. The marketing department should be all over this with family packages, as well as discount prices as the games get close. No excuse not to fill the place on a Sunday afternoon.

I agree that those games won't do much for downtown Hartford restaurants, but I like beerfan's point that these are tailor-made for families. That was the first thing I thought and I'm happy about it because I like to bring my family to at least a couple games a year, and weekend afternoon games have been fewer and and fewer in recent years. I also remember a New Year's Eve game in the not-too-distant past that we attended because it worked well for us.

The problem with downtown Hartford (among many other things) is that there is very little to offer a family on a weekend/holiday afternoon. We went to Woody's after the game last time we were there on a weekend afternoon and it was mobbed because it was the only thing open of interest to most. I saw a lot of people turn around and leave when they saw the line; I'm assuming they drove home or elsewhere out of the area--more wasted opportunities for Hartford.

 

[Waquoit]

Can't wait to see what time they plan on for the New Year's Eve game. That's just terrible. Especially combined with the fact that they've cut the XL schedule down from 10 or 11 to 8 games.
The 11 AM Saturday game, and the 2 Noon Sunday game are killers for downtown Hartford restaurants. They get almost nothing out of this.

I just noticed. You are right, just a terrible overall schedule. Horrible game times, horrible slate of teams, insulting price increase which I'm sure will be followed by blaming the fans when ticket sales decrease.

At isn't it a bit of dirty pool, dropping this turd the day after the renewal deadline?

 

[Waquoit]

No excuse not to fill the place on a Sunday afternoon.

Games aganst Central and Coppin going up against the NFL? You're right, no excuse at all since the Giants are already out of it.

 

[mjmoney23]

I believe there was a New Year's Eve home game against St. Johns during the 2011-2012 season. I don't remember it being a sellout but it was well attended. I also remember the 11 am start at Notre Dame the following year I believe. Wouldn't that be a 10 am start for them? For me the Hartford is good as I can bring my son to most games or take my wife since sitters are easier to find on the weekends. Now the quality of opponents is a different story.

 

[John]

The lack of a good ooc game at XL does bother me. The conference can’t really be helped, and we did get SMU. What does irk the sheet out of me is they waited until after the deadline to roll it out. I would have bought season tickets anyway this year, but I would have liked to have the games in front of me when I placed the order. It felt a little too “on spec” for my tastes to not have opponents/dates.

 

[Silk31]

At least they are playing Texas in Gampel again. I was at the last game we played #1 Texas there and the place was rocking. I already booked my Nathan Hale hotel room for that game and advise others who plan on traveling to Storrs for that game to do so too. I always book my rooms in advance as they fill up very quickly

 

[zls44]

The fact that they waited this long (with the deadline) to release which games are where was a dead giveaway that one of the two slates was going to stink.

I am very pleasantly surprised that it's the Hartford one. Even though I am closer to XL and very interested to see how the renovations turned out.

 

[John]

The fact that they waited this long (with the deadline) to release which games are where was a dead giveaway that one of the two slates was going to stink.

I am very pleasantly surprised that it's the Hartford one. Even though I am closer to XL and very interested to see how the renovations turned out.

I had the same vibe, that the slate wasn't going to be especially great and one venue was going to get shafted.

 

[zls44]

The 11 AM Saturday game, and the 2 Noon Sunday game are killers for downtown Hartford restaurants. They get almost nothing out of this.

What about the new shops and restaurants in Storrs who lose out on eight dates? They're less important?

 

[BankShot]

10-1 Going into Conference play, Tip Off Classic Champions (2-1 vs Duke, Texas, and Florida)

3 losses in the Conference, sweet revenge versus Stanford, Getting hot in March with two home games versus our toughest conference opponents (SMU, Memphis)

4 losses going into the Conference tournament, 3# seed in the West

 

[alexd]

What about the new shops and restaurants in Storrs who lose out on eight dates? They're less important?

??????

Does Gampel have 8 less games this season than they have had in the past???

 

[ConnHuskBask]

When the only attractive out of conference game is Texas and there's 3 decent AAC games in Memphis, SMU and Cinci that in total are broken up 2 XL, 2 GP, it's tough to say one venue got screwed. XL also got temple who has history and while the suck, I'd rather see USF who we've at least played 10+ times than ECU, UCF, etc.

I think it's pretty dumb to have the Sunday games up against the NFL but I'm sure there has too be a reason for it.... right?

 

[CTBasketball]

We need to get out of the AAC.

 

[Husky25]

Bottom line: as of today, not a single game played at the XL Center or Gampel Pavilion will be on primary ESPN. Perception wise...

Is there really a distinction these days between ESPN and ESPN2? They really stopped being The Deuce a couple decades ago.

 

[Husky25]

OK....maybe I wasn't clear when I wrote. Sorry.

I can't speak for the other providers, but wth Comcast, CBSSN is NOT part of the standard cable package like ESPN an ESPN2 are. You need to upgrade to a premium package to get CBSSN. Not everybody, for economic reasons, is able to do that.

Are you talking standard Definition? Because I get CBSSN on Comcast and the only expansion I have is HBO.

 

[alexd]

Are you talking standard Definition? Because I get CBSSN on Comcast and the only expansion I have is HBO.

I'm talking HD. I didn't get CBSSN until we upgraded to the package that inclued HBO/Showtime plus premium sports channels: CBSSN, Big10/NBA/NFL networks.

 

[John]

I think it's pretty dumb to have the Sunday games up against the NFL but I'm sure there has too be a reason for it.... right?

Probably tv told us to have the games then.

 

[Husky25]

I'm talking HD. I didn't get CBSSN until we upgraded to the package that inclued HBO/Showtime plus premium sports channels: CBSSN, Big10/NBA/NFL networks.

I don't get BTN or Showtime but I get the other 3 you mentioned. We must not be in the same service area.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Probably tv told us to have the games then.

Ah. Good point. I didn't verify the schedule based on tv coverage yet, but that makes sense.

Still would think weeknight games in Hartford due to the business crowd and more central location make more sense, then bringing everyone an extra 40 minutes to storrs on a Tuesday but what can you do.