Confused. Was this a neutral site game?

[ctchamps]

Whole thing was handled like a MD home game. I've never seen anything like it and I would not play another game at Barclays if they treat it like that....Unless we are the home team.

Yes it was. They controlled the venue and ticket sales.

You have to wonder if this arrangement with MD and Barclays was a push by the B!G to get into the NYC markets and that the invite for UConn was also orchestrated by the B!G. It was a great environment for the UConn team to get a major opponent at the beginning of the season, against a hostile crowd but enough UConn crowd to reduce the degree of hostility. I like this venue even if it was only confined to the season of bb. I like it more if the B!G is exploring the future potential of UConn in it's conference.

All in all it was a strong net positive for UConn.

 

[ctchamps]

The UConn brand people screwed up big time. What is it about consumers that they actually understand? How a 1/2 full football stadium and 25% of total fans at a neutral site creates a strong brand on TV is beyond me. Many fans stayed home so they could see both games.

You are being myopic. This is not just about the immediate opportunities these games afford. The back to back airing on ESPN2 was a media coup for UConn. The problem wasn't agreeing to the ESPN offer the problem was the pathetic season the football team is having this season. Otherwise UConn would have received a huge boost on the national scene.

 

[zls44]

Maryland has a deal with the Barclays Center to increase their exposure in the NYC area, as well as because of Kevin Plank.

Could UConn get a similar deal? Maybe. But while Maryland is doing deals to play big teams in NYC with subsidized tickets, UConn is making deals to play low-majors in Bridgeport for a minimum of $25.

 

[ctchamps]

Maryland has a deal with the Barclays Center to increase their exposure in the NYC area, as well as because of Kevin Plank.

Could UConn get a similar deal? Maybe. But while Maryland is doing deals to play big teams in NYC with subsidized tickets, UConn is making deals to play low-majors in Bridgeport for a minimum of $25.

Who is Kevin Plank?

The Bridgeport arrangement certainly can be construed as offensive to fans. There is no argument that the price is high relative to the excitement of the game. But these issues are not so simple. The Maryland athletic budget is in the red and bleeding. And getting a lot of public heat. There are pluses and minuses to choices.

I'm hoping that fans turn out to the Bridgeport game and excitement over UConn is increased in the southwest corner of the state. It's a balancing act regarding revenues vs. increasing exposure and excitement amongst residents in the UConn demographic.

 

[zls44]

Who is Kevin Plank?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Plank

 

[ctchamps]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Plank

Thanks. Did he push for that contract with Barclays or was that an assumption on your part?

 

[zls44]

Under Armor ads were everywhere.

 

[upstater]

Someone posted on another site that Maryland is a big school for NJ kids not going to Rutgers and esp. Long Island kids not going to SUNY. I know my younger bro who went to NYU but also applied to Maryland and UConn. Kid didn't get into UConn, got full scholly to Syracuse, into Maryland, went to NYU. Back in the early 90s. Maryland for some reason has a lot of tri-state area people applying there.

 

[zls44]

I think MD takes a comparably high percentage of out if state students. Need the tuition.

 

[UConn3432]

Yes it was. They controlled the venue and ticket sales.

You have to wonder if this arrangement with MD and Barclays was a push by the B!G to get into the NYC markets and that the invite for UConn was also orchestrated by the B!G. It was a great environment for the UConn team to get a major opponent at the beginning of the season, against a hostile crowd but enough UConn crowd to reduce the degree of hostility. I like this venue even if it was only confined to the season of bb. I like it more if the B!G is exploring the future potential of UConn in it's conference.

All in all it was a strong net positive for UConn.

if it was a test of our grip on the NY market we failed miserably. i had a great time but it was embarrassing how much red was in that arena.

 

[nomar]

I'm missing something.

If UConn doesn't get credit for winning an away game, something is really wrong. If someone at UConn negotiated a "neutral site" game where the other team controlled the tickets and provided the announcer, graphics, band and cheerleaders, that person should be fired.

If this wasn't a road game, there's no excuse for what took place. We're not some DIII team who sells home-court advantage for cash, are we?

 

[ctchamps]

if it was a test of our grip on the NY market we failed miserably. i had a great time but it was embarrassing how much red was in that arena.

I'm holding judgment until numbers are presented regarding media viewership in the New York and CT DMA's.

 

[UConn Dan]

Back in the early 90s. Maryland for some reason has a lot of tri-state area people applying there.

I graduated HS in 1996, and in Fairfield County Maryland was a hot school to apply to...

 

[upstater]

if it was a test of our grip on the NY market we failed miserably. i had a great time but it was embarrassing how much red was in that arena.

I'm always surprised by this reaction since UConn has not traveled to NYC early season games in a long while. I've seen Florida St., Arizona St., Georgia Tech, Utah, all at MSG, all in November, and there simply weren't that many UConn fans there. This was in the late 1990s and around 2004. Yet you look at UConn-St John's games hen SJ was good, or even Seton Hall games at Rutherford, and you always have a lot of UConn fans. Admittedly, I've only been to 2 at the old NJ arena, but the place was practically half-filled with UConn fans. Last time I was there was 2002, Caron Butler's first year.