Crowd Announced As 8,705...Smallest Hartford Crowd Ever?

[dtrumpet]

Uconn took its fans for granted for a lot of years, raising ticket prices and making it almost mandatory to make a donation to get a decent seat, and scheduling bad games at bad times. They priced themselves out of practicality for many people, and attendance has suffered because of it. The attendance slide, especially in hartford, predates the bad economy.

 

[Cheddie]

Uconn took its fans for granted for a lot of years, raising ticket prices and making it almost mandatory to make a donation to get a decent seat, and scheduling bad games at bad times. They priced themselves out of practicality for many people, and attendance has suffered because of it. The attendance slide, especially in hartford, predates the bad economy.

Agree! I mentioned some years ago the experience of an older relative. He was a women's BB fan from pre-Geno, fieldhouse days. He always gave generous donations in addition to purchasing season tickets for years. And every year he found himself being bumped up higher and higher in Gampel as the team's popularity grew. He finally just quit going. Thanks, Lew and Jeff.

 

[John]

Agree! I mentioned some years ago the experience of an older relative. He was a women's BB fan from pre-Geno, fieldhouse days. He always gave generous donations in addition to purchasing season tickets for years. And every year he found himself being bumped up higher and higher in Gampel as the team's popularity grew. He finally just quit going. Thanks, Lew and Jeff.

we had that happen to us with men's tickets.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Since we found out that there would be no postseason this year, I've been posting that all games should be at Gampel. Attendance at the XL Center has been declining for years (I remember when it used to rock, not anymore) and at least by having the games at Gampel we would finally have a real home court advantage like Duke, Kansas, Kentucky etc. It would also make a better impression on recruits to have a packed on-campus Gampel than the morgue that is the XL Center. I can tell you if I was Kevin Ollie, I'd only let recruits attend games at Gampel.

Attendance has been going down in recent years due to the economy or whatever and I know it would get much worse this year with there being no post-season glory to play for. This does not make a good impression on other conferences seeking new members.

Not only this, they damn well need to get kids low along the sideline and behind both baskets. It is horrible to see the best seats in the house be empty every game. We have the worst student seating allocation anywhere.

 

[FeedTheDove]

Not only this, they damn well need to get kids low along the sideline and behind both baskets. It is horrible to see the best seats in the house be empty every game. We have the worst student seating allocation anywhere.

Yes. I was just talking about this with someone yesterday. Along the sideline and at least wrap around behind one basket. They wont do this though because they wont want people to be paying for "bleacher seats" in the upper student section now.

 

[ruskin]

UconnNYC is spot on with several of his comments. More if not most games at Gampel. One thing I'd throw in is reserve a couple of the sections behind scorer's table behind the bench. the empty Gampel seats on TV are a horrendous optic. Something needs to be done to fill in the lower level seats that are paid for but not being used xcept for marquee games

 

[ruskin]

Wow! A triple play of the same idea being put forth at the same time !

 

[Dogdeacon]

In either 1995 or 1996, I got a 3 game package at the Civic Center and it was 5 rows from the top and I was glad to have the tickets.

The entire city of Hartford is dead. The Civic Center is sorely outdated as a venue for anything. UConn's administration has done a horrific job of keeping it fresh and enticing people to want to go to Hartford to see a game. It's downright embarrassing to see a half filled arena on TV and the Civic Center relationship needs to end. Quickly.

I went to one game (Notre Dame) last year in Hartford with my father who came up from Ffld County and my 16yr old nephew from Maine. I found myself apologizing for the arena and the lack of college atmosphere. Also it was a 12-noon game and hardly anything was open beforehand. They ended up rooting for Notre Dame mostly because they were executing better, but I'd bet if we were at Gampel the entire experience would have been superior.

Its easier to make it fun if you are 20-35 or any age and able/willing to hit some bars pre or post-game, but for the family type crowd the Hartford experience is an absolute buzzkill.

 

[John]

I went to one game (Notre Dame) last year in Hartford with my father who came up from Ffld County and my 16yr old nephew from Maine. I found myself apologizing for the arena and the lack of college atmosphere. Also it was a 12-noon game and hardly anything was open beforehand. They ended up rooting for Notre Dame mostly because they were executing better, but I'd bet if we were at Gampel the entire experience would have been superior.

Its easier to make it fun if you are 20-35 or any age and able/willing to hit some bars pre or post-game, but for the family type crowd the Hartford experience is an absolute buzzkill.

Hartford is like a city from the Walking Dead. You half expect a crowd of walkers to burst around the corner at any moment when walking back to the car from a game.

 

[Yonick]

The only games that should be scheduled at the XL center are when students are off campus, or a very big game. Like Mich. St. or UNC, or any BE game that can be considered anymore as against a big time opponent.
Games on a Thurs. nite vs New Hampshire should be at Gample.
I assume Hathaway scheduled this game. Hopefully Manuel will use his "rock star" mentality, in the future.

 

[UCweCONN]

In the 90's, the year Kirk King got suspended, I got seats for UCONN-UMASS three rows from the floor. That was a down year. I hate to say it but a lot of UCONN fans are front-runners who only come out when the team's on top. That's one thing I envy about other top programs. Their fans pack the arenas every year through thick or thin. With that said, I still don't seem to be able to get great seats at XL. Do people or sponsors buy the seats and then just don't go? The crowds in recent years have been small and quiet, and I'm sorry to say that we'll see it this year more than ever.

 

[FeedTheDove]

In the 90's, the year Kirk King got suspended, I got seats for UCONN-UMASS three rows from the floor. That was a down year. I hate to say it but a lot of UCONN fans are front-runners who only come out when the team's on top. That's one thing I envy about other top programs. Their fans pack the arenas every year through thick or thin. With that said, I still don't seem to be able to get great seats at XL. Do people or sponsors buy the seats and then just don't go? The crowds in recent years have been small and quiet, and I'm sorry to say that we'll see it this year more than ever.

The student fan base here is also weak. Mad people trying to sell tickets because they don't care about the team this year. I find myself cringing hearing surrounding conversations during games.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I went to one game (Notre Dame) last year in Hartford with my father who came up from Ffld County and my 16yr old nephew from Maine. I found myself apologizing for the arena and the lack of college atmosphere. Also it was a 12-noon game and hardly anything was open beforehand. They ended up rooting for Notre Dame mostly because they were executing better, but I'd bet if we were at Gampel the entire experience would have been superior.

Its easier to make it fun if you are 20-35 or any age and able/willing to hit some bars pre or post-game, but for the family type crowd the Hartford experience is an absolute buzzkill.

And Storrs is better? Went to an NCAA tournament soccer game last year, and couldn't find a place to eat at noon on a Saturday. Huskies: closed. Thirsty dog: closed. Ted's: closed, although they sent somebody to open it, as a big crowd waited outside. That's just pathetic. So Storrs isn't any better, and is probably worse. You shouldn't have to eat at Willington.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

Hartford desperately needs a new Civic Center/Arena. It's only saving grace is it serves Beer. If they were smart (espectially this year) they would work out a way to schedule a few of these early games down at Harbor Yard or just to get closer to the NY/Fairfield County Market.

 

[Greathusky]

NM

I was there last night. It was a very empty house that reminded me of a Yankee Confernce game from the sixties which it was.

 

[John]

Hartford desperately needs a new Civic Center/Arena. It's only saving grace is it serves Beer. If they were smart (espectially this year) they would work out a way to schedule a few of these early games down at Harbor Yard or just to get closer to the NY/Fairfield County Market.

I remember back in the Perno days going to the New Haven Coliseum to see them play BC and Fairfield (?) in a couple of games

 

[Dogdeacon]

And Storrs is better? Went to an NCAA tournament soccer game last year, and couldn't find a place to eat at noon on a Saturday. Huskies: closed. Thirsty dog: closed. Ted's: closed, although they sent somebody to open it, as a big crowd waited outside. That's just pathetic. So Storrs isn't any better, and is probably worse. You shouldn't have to eat at Willington.

A. Storrs is a town of what 10K before UConn and 40K with. You don't expect lots of dining options (of course Storrs Center will change all that
B. With nothing to do at least you can tour Campus and get a college feel
C. No worries about getting mugged
D. Dairy Bar opens at 11AM

 

[Greathusky]

I remember back in the Perno days going to the New Haven Coliseum to see them play BC and Fairfield (?) in a couple of games

I remember watcing the Connecticut Mutual Classic tournament games at the Coliseum hosting teams like Niagara, Illinois State and Manhatten . At the age when I thought I knew it all, UCONN winning a national championship was just a longshot as having a black president. But we digress...

 

[benjordan]

Moving to Gampel and moving the student section would actually be an easy PR win for Manuel that he so desperately needs.

 

[HuskyHawk]

A. Storrs is a town of what 10K before UConn and 40K with. You don't expect lots of dining options (of course Storrs Center will change all that
B. With nothing to do at least you can tour Campus and get a college feel
C. No worries about getting mugged
D. Dairy Bar opens at 11AM

Oh I know all that...spent 4.5 years in Storrs. But come on, let's get with it. In my day at least they had Kathy Johns for visiting parents. Storrs Center is definitely long overdue.

 

[businesslawyer]

by 2004 it was easier to get tickets, the 1990s was a completely different thing though, especially 1995 through 2000ish.

To take my young sons in the 90s, we would go to Seton Hall or the Garden. You couldn't get tickets to the Civic Center for single games. They sold out entirely in season tickets.

 

[businesslawyer]

Agree! I mentioned some years ago the experience of an older relative. He was a women's BB fan from pre-Geno, fieldhouse days. He always gave generous donations in addition to purchasing season tickets for years. And every year he found himself being bumped up higher and higher in Gampel as the team's popularity grew. He finally just quit going. Thanks, Lew and Jeff.

Sorry, but that criticism is so oversimplistic to be silly. It is the AD's job to maximize revenue. You can't maximize revenue by expecting people to pay more for worse seats than others pay for better seats. Now, how you balance long term commitment versus short term bucks is an art, not a science, but the kind of simplistic criticism you levied is just silly.

 

[Fishy]

Demand for UConn tickets to all three of our 'major' programs seems to be way off - it's been trending down for a few years, but the bottom has fallen out.

Bad matchups, bad promotion, marginal facilities and a bad economy have met at UConn.

 

[Chief00]

Demand for UConn tickets to all three of our 'major' programs seems to be way off - it's been trending down for a few years, but the bottom has fallen out.

Bad matchups, bad promotion, marginal facilities and a bad economy have met at UConn.

I agree. Additionally, we got a University President, who is not well liked by her peers. And those are the folks who have the final vote on these decisions not the AD. Furthermore, she typed cast us as an ACC school and that costed us with other conferences. Despite the mess that we have created for ourselves - with self inflicted wounds all over the place - I think UC could make a very compelling case to the SEC......Remember their games are on CBS and if UC was smart creative they could make a heck of a sales presentation - but they can't seem to get out of their own way. The Big 10 and ACC now have footholes on the NYC market -While it is a pro town it still has its glamour and attraction for the right college event. UC playing 1 game a year at MetLife against an SEC opponent would be a heck of a selling point. Then throw in a basketball game a year at MSG , ETC.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

we had that happen to us with men's tickets.

One year went from row A section 205 (on the end) to row DD center court

Called UCONN and they considered that an upgrade. Expalined as pyramid staratgy top center better than lower corner. ???????

Now it's come full circle. This year I'm in 108.

Also the marketing dept. creates ill will with its season ticketholders one day after sending in your payment for season tickets they offer $15 seats and XL prono codes for half price tickets.

The least they could do is throw season ticketholders a bone and give you Free parking at Gampel.