David Benedict Basically Blames Low Attendance on Us

[UConnNick]

David Benedict is trying, but he doesn't understand the UConn fanbase - A Dime Back

This article hits the nail on its head. Shaming a fanbase to try and get more ticket sales, in a region that waved bye-bye to big time CFB in the 1950's, shows a fundamental lack of understanding on Benedict's part.

 

[UConnDan97]

Don’t talk to me about taking ownership when I pay year in and year out for this. Was that comment really for me?

^^^ THIS.

The only people that would even bother to pay attention to what the athletic director of UConn says are the very same people buying the tickets. Wake up, Dave. I mean really...wake up...

 

[Exit 4]

I really don't understand what the big deal is. The tickets couldn't be much cheaper. The outreach by the program has been rather strong the past three years. Deep down inside, there is no going higher until those people that filled this stadium regularly back in the first cycle return. I don't see why anyone should be offended. If you buy tickets and do what you can, then it wasn't directed at you.

 

[Scrutineer]

This has been posted before:
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/Attendance/2017.pdf

AAC Average Attendance: 28,669, down 2,942 per game vs 2016.

UConn Avg: 20,335

other averages above us:
SEC - 75,074
B1G - 66,227
B12 - 56,852
Pac 12 - 49,601
ACC - 48,442

and those below:
MtnWest - 24,963
ConUSA - 19,248
Sun Belt - 17,843
Mid American - 15,394

Non P5 notables:
BYU 56,267
FIU: 14,286
FAU: 18,948
UMass: 10,707
Colorado St: 32,062
Army: 30,924
Buffalo: 13,350
Rice: 19,354
N. Texas: 22,362
Hawaii: 24,244
UAB: 26,375
Troy: 24,456

AAC By School: - avg 28,669
UCF: 36,846
ECU: 36,727
Memphis: 36,302
Navy: 34,950
Houston: 32,583
USF: 31,401
Cincy: 28,434
Temple: 27,318
UConn: 20,335
SMU: 19,944
Tulane: 18,459
Tulane: 16,939

Other Northeast Programs/Closest P5 Programs:
Penn St: 106,707
Virginia Tech: 63,214
WV: 55,946
Rutty: 39,749
Maryland: 39,643
Virginia: 39,398
Pitt: 36,295
BC: 35,924
Syracuse: 33,929

Basically what this shows is if we can have several good years in a row that we'll be right up there with power 5's like BS, Syracluse and Pit.

 

[UConnNick]

^^^ THIS.

The only people that would even bother to pay attention to what the athletic director of UConn says are the very same people buying the tickets. Wake up, Dave. I mean really...wake up...

Yep. To trot out a tired, old cliche', he's preaching to the choir.

 

[Exit 4]

Basically what this shows is if we can have several good years in a row that we'll be right up there with power 5's like BS, Syracluse and Pit.

Yes, and it also shows we are drifting into a real danger zone. I took a look at the seat finder the other day for single game tickets. I think we are poised to avg under 16k this year making us the bottom of the P6. Things look that bad.

 

[champs99and04]

The school can't expect to sell the FBS experience as one based out of an obligation to support a garbage product. It's not a charity and aside from the hundred or so of us that post on here consistently, most people simply just don't care that much. And that's fine.

The idea the administration - which is way more responsible for this mess than the people paying money to sit through yearly debacles - calling the fans to task is pretty bush league.

I think the fan base for basketball should be ashamed for the AAC Tournament showing we had two years ago - that was a true low point for me.

But the football fan base? What do you possibly expect?

I agree that we need to be realistic. The product is what it is and it might not get demonstrably better any time soon. I didn't take his comment personally, but as I said in a thread the other day, language is important. You can't go antagonizing the fans that remain, whether you intended to or not.

I think there is a significant difference, though, between shaming a fan base and imploring them to be proactive. Whether we're 12-0 or 0-12, we sell the product as much as the players do. He's telling us to not give up, that our efforts are not futile, and that every person who is willing to invest matters a great deal. The AD's job is to frame the language/narrative. The fans are part of the product and not separate from it. His message is to enjoy the process of supporting the school and the program, because that's how any culture is built. He's selling us something by making it us.

 

[kemba]

There's just a way better way to encourage fans than to talk about being accountable, without taking any of the blame for yourself. This is not 1-2 down years, this is 7 straight years in which 4 were awful non competitive football and 3 were just bad football. No fanbase as a whole keeps supporting a team throughout all that..

So instead of talking down to us and tell us to be accountable like Edsall is teaching college kids to do how about..

"Listen, I get it, it's been a rough 7 years. We made some mistakes. We know nobody likes losing, we don't like it either. But I know this is the same fanbase that used to pack the rent every week. That RGIII called the toughest place he ever played. That Pitt couldn't even get a play off because it was so loud. And you know what? We've got the coach now that gave us those moments. It's going to take time, people are going to need to continue to be patient. But I'm around the team, I'm at these practices, and we are getting there. So i urge you guys to come out to the Rent and do your part to help us get there quicker. Be there while we build this thing back to where it should be."

 

[metsfan2323]

Just a hunch but I think his comments were intended for fans in CT who just watch on TV, he's not talking about the ones who actually buy season tickets. He probably figured he didn't need to spell that out.

Memphis provides the best example for how to win back fans, 5 years ago they couldn't draw flies to the the Liberty Bowl.

The good news is that roster talent is on the upswing. Winning should soon follow.

 

[buddy]

I am reminded of the day when Warde Manuel was begging UConn fans to attend football games. He used the idiom, "if you want to get us where you want us to be" you need to come to the football games. That totally fell flat. He abandoned UConn and CR is essentially dead for UConn. The football and basketball programs went into a downward spiral and there really is no relief in sight. Football is predicted to be next to last this upcoming season, with some predicting a one win season, and our once heralded basketball program is predicted to finish in 8th place in the AAC. Other schools whom UConn fans mocked have now surpassed UConn in their athletic prowess. I suspect some people just are not buying into it anymore. You can only take so much. I hope AD Dave understands this.
I recommend that UConn give tickets away to deserving charitable organizations. Local boys and girls clubs, scouts, anyone who could fill the stands. The ticket income is lost anyway by having so many empty seats. At least this may instill some interest in future generations. UConn student composition has changed. The days of actively engaged students in an off campus event is effectively over. Maybe they will come back with a winning team to engage in a party atmosphere, but it certainly doesn't appear likely for this season's team.

 

[Hoophound]

Memphis used high powered offense and winning to bring fans back. However, they upgraded when they came to the American. Conversely, UConn and Cincy fans feel totally deflated in this conference. I don’t feel the same about USF because their fans never really bought in anyway.

 

[metsfan2323]

Memphis used high powered offense and winning to bring fans back. However, they upgraded when they came to the American. Conversely, UConn and Cincy fans feel totally deflated. I don’t feel the same about USF because their fans never really bought in anyway.

I'm glad you brought this up, because if you still feel deflated about the conference it's totally on you and there is literally nothing UCONN can do about. (the school can't control conference realignment)

Here is an important message for you fans who feel deflated about the conference. Please watch you jackwagon's

 

[Doggie Style]

This might be the fakest news in the world.

Unless these are total attendences and not averages?

2012 34,672

2013 30,932

2014 27,461

2015 28,224

2016 26,796

Maybe these were the amount of fans who “thought” about going to the games?

 

[Hoophound]

I'm glad you brought this up, because if you still feel deflated about the conference it's totally on you and there is literally nothing UCONN can do about. (the school can't control conference realignment)

Here is an important message for you fans who feel deflated about the conference. Please watch you jackwagon's

Hey, I live 1300 miles away and I go to games every year so I’m not a negative person in this regard. Just saying, it is going to weigh on attendance when compared to the old Big East schedule. There is less fan interest. Second, there are less visiting team fans. It’s just the way it is.

I can get totally hyped for an AAC football schedule if we are good, but I also want to be in a loud and high energy stadium. Lots of factors play into that. I can tell you for sure, Lashlee was a step in the right direction. I loved seeing us score points and move the ball through the air for a change. We definitely need more of that to fill seats.

 

[Nostical]

He's preaching to the choir.

The problem is too many of the choir members have dozed off too. There’s an old adage among preachers: when you’ve lost the choir you need to write some better sermons.
Others have said it but college football Saturdays in many other geographic areas are the most compelling and anticipated events of the week. Weddings don’t get planned in the fall. Most women in New England chuckle at that.
All we can do is keep at it. All of us. Pushing others to get in the game. Dave Benedict, Boneyarders, Edsall, everyone who cares about UConn football. Ideas must keep flowing. Winning will help, a superstar player who grabs national headlines would be terrific, ticket giveaways to charitable groups would be a practical stopgap. maybe even some “Bill Veek like” promotions. In the meantime, I’m not giving up.

 

[noeynox]

And every year our seats in the 200 level in both arenas were moved further and further back while becoming more and more expensive. By 2006, the university stopped filling our request for Big East Tournament tickets, despite our years of loyalty, leaving us at the mercy of StubHub (this was at a time when they never went on sale to the general public). We were forgotten and eventually, thanks partly to the state of the 2009-ish economy, my dad stopped buying tickets. He couldn’t afford it and we felt like we weren’t wanted.


Here is clue for Dave and UConn when you have fans coming to games, value them. Having my 10 year seats at the Rent sold to someone one else "due to an honest mistake", caused 2 dudes who bought a combined 8 seats with me, to stop buying. The guys in my crew wanted them comp us chair backs to 1 game and the school said no. Good move.

Up until last year I bought 4 season tickets by myself. I could no longer give them away for free. Now I'll buy single game tickets.

Dave wasn't the AD during that fiasco, but seriously Dave go fly a kite. Where is his accountability for the KO debacle extension and bad press that's come from that.

 

[rich1122]

Numbers need to improve

I'm not the type to usually get outraged with much of anything, especially pieces on athletic dept figures, but this was maybe the most ridiculous thing I've read this year. Benedict telling us to take ownership? Is that really why ticket sales are down? Or is it that we play East Carolina on random Thursday nights and have won 6 games in our last 24 attempts and have the pleasure of watching for $35 a pop?

Direct quote from Benedict regarding dwindling attendance and how to go about bringing it back to par:
“But it’s really about creating an accountability with our fan base to have them take some ownership, just like coach (Edsall) is trying to get his team to take some ownership and be accountable for what they’re doing.”

Whose the Market? Alumni ‍. Last 10 years alumni have moved toNY or Boston or Raleigh. I mean there is not much time to CT.

Us old guys moved away and retired to FL. I went to every game for 13 straight years. I’m done. I had to stop watching basket. It was unwatchable.

You can blame Blumenthall for suing the ACC. We’d be in a legit conference by now. Now we suck at most everything and nobody will take us.

It’s a losing proposition. I still believe Big East for everything exceptFootball. Roll the dice with Football .

 

[Marty Jackson]

I get what he’s trying to say. At Auburn for example, the fans don’t abandon the team in an off year. Going to games is essential. It’s mandatory for them. Even at schools like Miss State. When Michigan was bad they still packed a 100k stadium. He wants to create that kind of culture.

A. He can’t. It won’t happen in Connecticut
B. Those schools always have hope and are always playing interesting opponents

I think in a different league, with at least a chance of success each year, the Rent would be full.

uconn's best sport, BB saw a drop when the team tanked for 2 years. and that is with a NC is less than 5 year's ago.
CT culture wants to watch teams play in meaningful games and win their fair share (conf championship, bowls, etc). The fans thrive on that excitement. It is a hard sell for anyone to get people in the stands with a product that is not competitive. In CT you have the Yankees, Red Sox, Celtics, Giants, Patriots, Jets, Bruins, etc to compete with the fans attention. Why would anyone show up for a uconn game where the coach can't even return a punt.

I think that if RE can get this team competitive and challenging the Houstons, Navy's and Cincy's there is a large group of folks that would show up. The league is fine for Uconn to rebuild and get back to the RE1.0 level. If Uconn were a doormat in the BIG or ACC (Rutgers), I doubt people would show up long term to watch the team get trounced.

 

[Marty Jackson]

True, but perhaps the context was Rentschler seasons only? I had no idea the school reported the 2005 season as a total sellout. That was a losing season, and so was 2006, without much of an attendance drop off, according to the figures.

Funny, I attended a few games in 2005 and I do not recall any games when the stadium was totally full...far from it for the USF and Louisville games, due to bad weather. I guess the AD is indicating every single ticket was sold for the whole season, but sometimes not everybody showed up.

tickets sold vs attendance is a long time debate.
pretty sure neither have to do with specifically how many fans actually show up to watch the game.

 

[Marty Jackson]

It will take 3 great seasons in a row to turn those numbers around. Even with that, year 3 would need to be a 10 win season to really spark casual fans. You can't flush a decade down the toilet in New England college sports and expect your fans to stay. Pro teams, sure......not college teams.

But his quote doesn't bother me.

seriously???! why don't you just say it will take a NC to get fans back...
the team has never won more than 9 games in a season and yet there was a pretty good following at one point.

so let's just throw out complete garbage, hold the team accountable to a performance level they've never achieved, and get all frustrated when it doesn't happen. that's the fan-base benedict is talking to.

 

[CL82]

You can blame Blumenthall for suing the ACC. We’d be in a legit conference by now

Nope. It was about geography not hurt feelings. BC was always going to blackball us because, as BCU AD DeFilippo said, they wanted to be the only New England school. That's why they suggested Pitt as an alternative. Pitt was also a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

 

[Nostical]

I

N BC was always going to blackball us because, as BCU AD DeFilippo said, they wanted to be the only New England school.

Blumenthal’s unbridled zest for the spotlight converted the Big East’s lawsuit into Connecticut’s lawsuit. That gave us a terrible reputation, especially when he sued individuals. He was (and is) a limelight hound. He hurt our chances. Big time.

 

[CL82]

I

Well you have to give me points for consistency.

I hate this enduring myth that lawsuit is the reason we aren't a P5 school. So I will usually correct it. Apparently I have done it enough that my response is now reflexive.

 

[Stainmaster]

He’s not incorrect, but he’s the absolute wrong person to be saying this. This is one of those things where you have one of your underlings slide into Some Guy’s DMs and plant a seed in his head for an article.

 

[champs99and04]

uconn's best sport, BB saw a drop when the team tanked for 2 years. and that is with a NC is less than 5 year's ago.
CT culture wants to watch teams play in meaningful games and win their fair share (conf championship, bowls, etc). The fans thrive on that excitement. It is a hard sell for anyone to get people in the stands with a product that is not competitive. In CT you have the Yankees, Red Sox, Celtics, Giants, Patriots, Jets, Bruins, etc to compete with the fans attention. Why would anyone show up for a uconn game where the coach can't even return a punt.

I think that if RE can get this team competitive and challenging the Houstons, Navy's and Cincy's there is a large group of folks that would show up. The league is fine for Uconn to rebuild and get back to the RE1.0 level. If Uconn were a doormat in the BIG or ACC (Rutgers), I doubt people would show up long term to watch the team get trounced.

If this is going to be the attitude, then fine, but we can't have it both ways where it's "Connecticut is a tough market, you have to put a great product out there" and then we're wondering why we're not in a better conference.

One thing the pro teams you mention have in common is that they don't play in Connecticut. Another thing is that tickets are a lot more expensive. Especially if you want to bring your kids or friends who may not be huge college football fans...they don't appreciate the difference in the product anyway. Die-hard UConn fans like us tend to see things with a more critical eye because it feels like we're hosting to a ravaged house. In reality, people don't care that much.