Daily Campus Column: Please, stop shaming students for not going to games.

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The less school spirit part would have a ton to do with our sports teams sucking so badly, I would think.

Of course you would think that.
And leave it ambiguous as to which affects which. Maybe your bad energy does have a ton to do with poor team performance. Malevolent mojo.

 

[UConnDan97]

Maybe the Cinci students should've walked to an away game in Philadelphia against Temple like you tried to say in your 1st post.

I've already posted that it was an error and then provided a verified Cincy game...you know...the one you chose to reply to! Go away now...

 

[DAC17]

Oh boy, this thread will not end well...

The students do not "owe" the athletic department attendance.

It's the athletic department's job to produce a product that people want to attend.

And, for what they get paid, it should be a damn good product!

 

[Guapo]

Lol with the combination of conference realignment, the Storrs vs Hartford debate, the FF county vs rest of the state debate etc.

I'm not sure there's more knowledgeable fanbase when it comes to geography than UConn fans

 

[Travelman6]

Check out the stands behind the player. Winning doesn't cure it all. People would rather watch on tv than go to games nowadays. That's just the reality of the new age today. It has nothing to do with an old man argument...

I agree.

But maybe we disagree on the reason.

The majority of people in the states just do not have the expendable income to go out to games (often) these days. Watching from home on the TV or laptop is cheaper. Beer is cheaper compared to at the stadium.

People are clamoring for more affordable experiences. Okay, granted the tics were free yesterday.

But even in that case, it does not help that there is not a good product on the floor. Even if Uconn was great, another hurdle is no one cares about USF, ECU or Tulane. Plus, who wants to go outside in the freezing cold and battle the elements? All of those things and the aforementioned money thing (when there aren't free tickets) all combined, yikes for a team like Uconn.

 

[Guapo]

And, for what they get paid, it should be a damn good product!

Just to be clear, you're talking about AD Dave etc, right?

 

[PAHusky]

Given the cherry seats and Temple wearing white I would have guessed this was a Temple home game. Not for nothing, Cincy is playing all their home games at Northern Kentucky University this season.

Yep. Graduated from law school out of the Liacouras Center, so my three hours spent in there that day qualify me as an expert.

 

[UConnDan97]

I agree.

But maybe we disagree on the reason.

The majority of people in the states just do not have the expendable income to go out to games (often) these days. Watching from home on the TV or laptop is cheaper. Beer is cheaper compared to at the stadium.

People are clamoring for more affordable experiences.

It does not help that there is not a good product on the floor. Even if Uconn was great, another hurdle is no one cares about USF, ECU or Tulane. Plus, who wants to go outside in the freezing cold and battle the elements? All of those things and the aforementioned money thing all combined, yikes for a team like Uconn.

I agree that price is an issue also. I think that Benedict is starting to respond to that from a football perspective by putting in 10% discount incentives for season ticket holders and such, but it's not enough in my opinion (I'm still renewing though). Pricing is this double-edged sword for us since we are outside the P5. How do we continue to put a P5 product out there for all our sports but without the 50 million per year tv contract? Unfortunately, part of that answer has been higher ticket prices...

 

[UofCT]

The students at UConn are a disgrace and should be ashamed of themselves. I used to erect a tent, sleep outside in 10 degree weather, and watch a 17-14 UConn team play Northeastern & Quinnipiac.

@campcalhoun2009 @HitTheBoneyard can vouch.

 

[buddy]

Very few students went to games in the field house in the late 60's early 70's. I would walk in with my girlfriend at game time and be a midcourt bleachers..free! No one in my dorm wanted to go to the games and that was in the Frat Quad. Apathy is not new. Playing Holy Cross at that time was a big game and one UConn would likely lose. Once things turned around with Calhoun and the program became a winner, then students came to the games. Now that they are losing again, students are likely not going. I don't think it is a question of type of student nowadays, but just that people will not support a loser at UConn. Just the way it is. Women's basketball now sells out. Men's basketball can't give it away. Winners sell, losers don't. That's my opinion on this.

 

[whaler11]

You can see attendance softening everywhere.

With so much competition for people’s time there has become a more binary situtation.

Either something is wildly popular or it’s not popular at all. If it’s not a big enough event to rise above the background noise you can compete with there is just little awareness.

I’ve been to everything under the sun. From World Series, NFC Championships, Final Fours, NHL playoffs, NBA playoffs to the America East Tournament, Roller Hockey International, the D3 College World Series and everything in between.

The pace of the games in person bores me to tears. It’s why I hate replay with the intensity of 10k suns. When they reviewed 2 oob calls within 2 seconds last night that took forever I wanted to smash my TV like the Hulk.

At Rentschler I forget half the time what they are even reviewing.

Throw in bad teams, mediocre to bad facilities, high prices and a major drop in the attractiveness of opponents and I’m starting to wonder why I or anyone else goes.

Even if UConn can’t fix the teams overnight they could overhaul the game presentation. Jock Jams was awesome in 1997 - I think it’s time to retire the exact same game experience we’ve had for as long as I can remember. And fire John Tuite into the sun - yesterday if possible.

I don’t blame the next generations for not finding sitting through UConn and USF a compelling way to spend their time. They have millions of options that didn’t exist when I was in school in the early 90’s.

Of course UConn’s response is spending their limited marketing money on billboards. It makes me want to poke my eyes out.

 

[BlueMAB]

1) how many of you people telling people to put their phones down are posting from your phone?
2) if you don't want to criticize the kids for not going to the games, fine. Just don't also argue that all games should be at Gampel because of the students.

The bottom line is the team sucks, and the conference is unappealing to the casual fan. So if we aren't winning, people don't want to go whether it's Gampel, Hartford, or Bridgeport.

 

[MadDogRevival]

Hence the better education less school spirit.

How do you explain Duke fans?
I have to disagree with your theory.
Worse education may equal greater partying and tomfoolery, but better education does not equal less school spirit.
My floor in the Jungle way back when was sloppy drunk 50% of the time and not one person on the floor went to games of any kind.

 

[MadDogRevival]

You can see attendance softening everywhere.

We are currently in the most rapidly changing culture that the world has ever known. I think your point sums up the transition.

The Internet has taken over everything. Why even go out anymore? Maybe to scarf down some cruddy food at a cruddy chain restaurant that uses the same Martian seasoning packet on both beef and broccoli?

The Internet immersion started with the teens, then spread down to pre-teens and crept up through older folks. In another 20 years, only some Amish and some centenarians won't be under it.

It's the way the world has gone. Sports will continue to contract.

UConn should consider getting out of big time sports all together, and focus on education. And no, I'm not a believer that UConn, in today's world, with today's trajectory, has any chance at all of becoming a football power, thereby creating a symbiosis whereby sports begets education begets sports. UConn is never going to be Michigan or Ohio State or some water down version thereof.

I know that's not a popular opinion, but I personally peaked on UConn sports round about the Edsall Fiesta bowl, was still riding high in 2014, but have recently gone off a cliff because the whole thing is behind us. All of it.
I'm about 50. Many of us who have posted on this board for 10 years or more were at UConn or started following around when JC was launching the program for the first 10 years. The golden years. The fuel ran out, the rocket went off course, momentum netted one more great result, and now we're lost in space. Danger Will Robinson. Danger.

UConn sports changed just as the world was changing.

It's over. Most people on this board are hard core fans, and so it's hard to see it. It's like a relationship that was great. The one in your early 20s, when you were ripped and she was hot and the world was always sunny and bedroom life was top shelf and you didn't worry about mortgages and fed rates. Then one day you wake up and it changed and you can't get it back. Ever. And you have all these great memories and you can't hold back the sadness and you keep trying to find ways to rationalize how you can get it back. But you can't.
It's over.

 

[CL82]

We are currently in the most rapidly changing culture that the world has ever known. I think your point sums up the transition.

The Internet has taken over everything. Why even go out anymore? Maybe to scarf down some cruddy food at a cruddy chain restaurant that uses the same Martian seasoning packet on both beef and broccoli?

The Internet immersion started with the teens, then spread down to pre-teens and crept up through older folks. In another 20 years, only some Amish and some centenarians won't be under it.

It's the way the world has gone. Sports will continue to contract.

UConn should consider getting out of big time sports all together, and focus on education. And no, I'm not a believer that UConn, in today's world, with today's trajectory, has any chance at all of becoming a football power, thereby creating a symbiosis whereby sports begets education begets sports. UConn is never going to be Michigan or Ohio State or some water down version thereof.

I know that's not a popular opinion, but I personally peaked on UConn sports round about the Edsall Fiesta bowl, was still riding high in 2014, but have recently gone off a cliff because the whole thing is behind us. All of it.
I'm about 50. Many of us who have posted on this board for 10 years or more were at UConn or started following around when JC was launching the program for the first 10 years. The golden years. The fuel ran out, the rocket went off course, momentum netted one more great result, and now we're lost in space. Danger Will Robinson. Danger.

UConn sports changed just as the world was changing.

It's over. Most people on this board are hard core fans, and so it's hard to see it. It's like a relationship that was great. The one in your early 20s, when you were ripped and she was hot and the world was always sunny and bedroom life was top shelf and you didn't worry about mortgages and fed rates. Then one day you wake up and it changed and you can't get it back. Ever. And you have all these great memories and you can't hold back the sadness and you keep trying to find ways to rationalize how you can get it back. But you can't.
It's over.

Quality rant.

 

[Robertelamin]

Did your dog just get hit by a car? Jeez.

 

[UC313]

Did your dog just get hit by a car? Jeez.

Seriously.

 

[UCweCONN]

In my day, student section was full 20 minutes prior to most games— even at the Rent. Students had to urge the rest of the spectators to get into the game. They were knowledgeable and cared. Remember “Stand up Gampel” chants?

I’d like to say this isn’t a UConn problem but it seems pretty bad here. I was talking to a friend who teaches high school and he says the attitude towards sports with this generation is weird. It’s not cool to care about sports and the athletes are not considered popular at all.

Video gamers are the athletes of today.

 

[glastonbury50]

Are you sure "the kids" are filling the stadiums up??

This is a picture of a highly-ranked Cincinnati team at home against Temple in January. Check out the stands behind the player. Winning doesn't cure it all. People would rather watch on tv than go to games nowadays. That's just the reality of the new age today. It has nothing to do with an old man argument...

The women have no problem selling out...

 

[UC1995]

With Athletic fees being paid by students as high as they are, they deserve a better product on the court. They should demand better since their fees are amounting to wasted money.... just like Connecticut’s political leadership.

Glad I was there during the hey Dey because I would be going crazy if I was there now with this team!

 

[Edward Sargent]

Getting into UConn now is getting closer and closer to impossible. Unless you're a top student in your class in CT you aren't getting in. Hence the better education less school spirit.

Huh? Tell that to Duke, BC, Yale, NYU ( well maybe you have a case with the Violets) but school Spirit and better education are not linked

 

[HuskyHawk]

Missed this yesterday:

They should be ashamed. We filled the crappy field house to watch some not so great teams. Have a little pride. Experience college...which involves collegiality. It’s a disgrace. I think I’ll try to get my daughter to a Big Ten school (maybe not MSU)

 

[whaler11]

Horrible article.

I didn’t read it at first because of this post.

Just went back and read. Totally disagree.

If someone wants to tell me their time has value and it’s better spent elsewhere who is anyone to disagree.

The people on here who complain about crowds and never go to games are 10000000000000x worse.

 

[Fishy]

I will shame the students whenever I feel like it.

It’s my god-given right as an alum.

 

[joober jones]

These kids are more fragile than a faberge egg under an elephant's foot.