David Benedict Basically Blames Low Attendance on Us

[uconnphil2016]

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.”

 

[Wordbomar]

Yeah this is a bad take by AD David Benedict. If tickets were 10 or 15$ a game I’d buy this but people aren’t gunna pay a lot of money for tickets when the team doesn’t win. Win and people will show up.

It’s not an accident that the only year since 2010-11 that attendance saw an increase was the year we made a bowl game.

 

[whaler11]

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

 

[Scrutineer]

Benedict extends the contract of Diaco, then Diaco fails so miserably Benedict must pay him a $5M buyout, and it's the fans fault the team is not drawing big crowds.

Makes total sense in today's world I guess.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

This guy needs to follow Herbst right out the door.

 

[uconnphil2016]

This guy needs to follow Herbst right out the door.

His recent comments (this and the dumb stuff about paying to play at southern utah) make me think he's either heading out and doesn't care or has absolutely no personal skills

 

[huskymedic]

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.”

His recent comments (this and the dumb stuff about paying to play at southern utah) make me think he's either heading out and doesn't care or has absolutely no personal skills

...or he's telling anyone that will listen the reality that the program’s fuse is getting much shorter each passing year.

“We need our fan base to step up and be accountable if they want to have a quality football program and quality programs in general,” Benedict said. “You’ve got support the programs through thick and thin. That’s what great programs do. We have to try to re-engage our fan base and get them to start buying into that.”

It's almost like a put up or shut up comment.

 

[HuskyHawk]

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.

 

[huskymedic]

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

Fuzzy math...

 

[uconnphil2016]

...or he's telling anyone that will listen the reality that the program fuse is getting much shorter each passing year.

“We need our fan base to step up and be accountable if they want to have a quality football program and quality programs in general,” Benedict said. “You’ve got support the programs through thick and thin. That’s what great programs do. We have to try to re-engage our fan base and get them to start buying into that.”

It's almost like a put up or shut up comment.

I get it, but it’s framed in such a way that implies that the predicament is the result of a lack of fan support, rather than poor support being the result of a series of poor administrative decisions and tripping over our own feet before and during realignment

 

[UConnNick]

Yeah, I'd say he broke a cardinal rule. You never disparage your own fanbase, at least not publicly.

The biggest average attendance drop at PAWS-ARF before last season's precipitous drop of about 6k came between 2012 and 2013, at about 4k. There's your referendum on the difference between playing in a BCS league against relevant regional opponents vs. being thrown into the almost all commuter school G5 conference.

Seven straight seasons of losing football is going to erode almost any fanbase to some extent, especially at a school late to big time CFB with limited history at this level. We've now lost about 33 percent of our hardcore local fanbase, judging solely by home attendance figures.

I get that coming from a PAC12/SEC background, Benedict is frustrated with the economics, but you just can't say stuff like this publicly. It also suggests that based on current numbers, he's already expecting this season may be even worse.

 

[whaler11]

Yeah, I'd say he broke a cardinal rule. You never disparage your own fanbase, at least not publicly.

The biggest average attendance drop at PAWS-ARF before last season's precipitous drop of about 6k came between 2012 and 2013, at about 4k. There's your referendum on the difference between playing in a BCS league against relevant regional opponents vs. being thrown into the almost all commuter school G5 conference.

Seven straight seasons of losing football is going to erode almost any fanbase to some extent, especially at a school late to big time CFB with limited history at this level. We've now lost about 33 percent of our hardcore local fanbase, judging solely by home attendance figures.

I get that coming from a PAC12/SEC background, Benedict is frustrated with the economics, but you just can't say stuff like this publicly. It also suggests that based on current numbers, he's already expecting this season may be even worse.

The attendance has been the same
for 3.5 years. 18k if it’s nice. Less depending on how bad the weather is.

You can see that it’s not just prices.

If you go to the website and look at the $60 ($90) season tickets.... they have literally sold like 12.

That stupid $5 facilities fee is beyond annoying and is counterproductive.

We are at the brink of insolvency and they are trying to build facilities for non-revenue sports off football ticket buyers. For the love of God - stop giving people reasons not to come to football games.

 

[UConnNick]

The attendance has been the same
for 3.5 years. 18k if it’s nice. Less depending on how bad the weather is.

You can see that it’s not just prices.

If you go to the website and look at the $60 ($90) season tickets.... they have literally sold like 12.

That stupid $5 facilities fee is beyond annoying and is counterproductive.

We are at the brink of insolvency and they are trying to build facilities for non-revenue sports off football ticket buyers. For the love of God - stop giving people reasons not to come to football games.

Yes, it's obvious that the "official" attendance figures released by the school are a continuing exercise in what the first Prez Bush liked to call "voodoo economics."

 

[BlueandOG]

Meh. I'm not bothered by it. Frankly, if it motivates someone to go to a game, great. I don't see how it can make things worse.

 

[whaler11]

Yes, it's obvious that the "official" attendance figures released by the school are a continuing exercise in what the first Prez Bush liked to call "voodoo economics."

They are free to publish whatever they like but Ostrout shouldn’t accept from Edsall that there was attendance before they won. Nobody was at Memorial from 99-02 other than the bizarre Georgia Tech game and that still had people handing out free tickets in the parking lot.

 

[Exit 4]

I don’t know why this story and the quote is that bothersome. Attendance is a big part of the resume if you want to change conferences.

 

[UConnNick]

They are free to publish whatever they like but Ostrout shouldn’t accept from Edsall that there was attendance before they won. Nobody was at Memorial from 99-02 other than the bizarre Georgia Tech game and that still had people handing out free tickets in the parking lot.

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.

 

[Adios]

Fans will show up if the team plays well.

Other than that, what the AD said is correct. That's how the great programs became great.

 

[whaler11]

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.

Maybe but it’s a weird stance to say it was ‘before they won’ after going 9-3 and then winning a bowl in 2004.

The numbers are total fabrications - everyone does it though.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

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.

 

[Hornet22]

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.

I agree with you here. And I also agree with Benedict (although it seems unpopular to do so). There is an accountability factor here. Like I’ve said in prior posts you can’t demand 100 percent commitment from your team in a game/season and not hold yourself accountable the same way as a fan. Again, when the place is half full it only contributes to the losing culture. A packed Rent means a more inspired team, a better experience for recruits and a more difficult environment for the opposition to play in (RGIII and Baylor).

 

[Hornet22]

I don’t know why this story and the quote is that bothersome. Attendance is a big part of the resume if you want to change conferences.

Love it Exit! Fans want to have their cake and eat it too. They want all these wonderful things from the team but fail to show up at the games.
It’s halftime of a fan’s season. We had a terrible first half via Diaco and Co, second half is starting via adjustments made with coaching staff, how are we gonna come out? Flat? Complaining about the first half? Get our arses off the couch and let’s dominate the second half. There isn’t a separation of fan/team. It’s all one unit. Period.
There’s no chicken and egg theory in terms of why The Rent is empty. It doesn’t matter. The entire UConn Nation needs to come out punching this season!

 

[uconndogs]

I have no problem with folks stating the obvious......and that’s what Benedict did.

 

[pepband99]

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

I actually don’t mind the overall narrative (as someone who “overpays “ for season tickets), but the numbers there make me angry.

Why?

They took the best home game and threw the number away. Where would the BC game at the rent have put the numbers at?

Last years drop is mainly their own doing, and putting the number out there continues the narrative they’re trying to snuff out.

 

[whaler11]

Love it Exit! Fans want to have their cake and eat it too. They want all these wonderful things from the team but fail to show up at the games.
It’s halftime of a fan’s season. We had a terrible first half via Diaco and Co, second half is starting via adjustments made with coaching staff, how are we gonna come out? Flat? Complaining about the first half? Get our arses off the couch and let’s dominate the second half. There isn’t a separation of fan/team. It’s all one unit. Period.
There’s no chicken and egg theory in terms of why The Rent is empty. It doesn’t matter. The entire UConn Nation needs to come out punching this season!

I don’t disagree with his sentiment. Plenty of us have said the same thing.

Not sure he should be someone saying it since he is at least partially responsible for where we are.