Duke Post Game Shred

[huskymedic]

Why UCLA's plans for an on-campus football stadium were dashed and unlikely to be revived

Plans in 1965 to build an on-campus football stadium at UCLA were nixed by wealthy homeowners as well as students. Reviving the notion is a non-starter.

www.latimes.com

“UCLA has better odds of making the College Football Playoff than getting an on-campus stadium. Its Rose Bowl lease runs through June 30, 2044, without an opt-out clause, and the current campus infrastructure that includes the L.A. Tennis Center and a parking lot under the intramural field makes expansion of Drake Stadium practically impossible.”

Playing at Rentschler is the least of the program’s problems right now and you look silly bringing it up as an excuse after each loss. Give it a rest.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Miami

Miami already has a home stadium in the works, in a dying shopping mall across the street from the campus. They want one as does UCLA, the reasons are simple.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

“UCLA has better odds of making the College Football Playoff than getting an on-campus stadium. Its Rose Bowl lease runs through June 30, 2044, without an opt-out clause, and the current campus infrastructure that includes the L.A. Tennis Center and a parking lot under the intramural field makes expansion of Drake Stadium practically impossible.”

Playing at Rentschler is the least of the program’s problems right now and you look silly bringing it up as an excuse after each loss. Give it a rest.

You don’t know what you’re talking about go back to driving an ambulance.

 

[uconnfan68]

You don’t know what you’re talking about go back to driving an ambulance.

This is called projection. You're so far off-base I don't know where to start. Do you have $500 million to spare?

 

[ScottVib]

There is a total lack of respect from opposing teams too, and the state of Connecticut which has allowed the Rent to deteriorate to its present state, and so called fans. How sad was it yesterday with a stadium that is supposedly UConn football’s home field almost completely empty? In reality it’s not a home field, it’s a neutral site. If you watched and were not a UConn fan it was laughable. If UConn football fails and is dropped to FCS it will eventually affect ALL ncaa sports at the University of Connecticut and the Rent will remain as a rusting monument to the mistakes made. It’s even sadder when this could happen in a state that lays between and is part of the New York metropolitan area and only a couple hours from Boston. It has never had a pro NFL franchise in football or men’s basketball in the NBA, people knew that years ago, so the experiment of “let’s make UConn our pro franchise” has failed also because of the same mistakes being made over and over.

In my opinion, attendance wouldn't have been appreciably different yesterday if the stadium was on campus. You might have had more students, but with bad weather you'd've had fewer fans there from the families and youth program groups making the trek. Those same students would've probably left at half (as did the few who came out) when the game was clearly non-competitive. For the Farmington Valley sitting in the section next to me it would've gone from a "non-traffic" 23 minutes to a "non-traffic" 50 minutes. It's a lot easier to justify a 30 minute one-way trip that you might need to bail out early from than an hour.

As noted UConn had no problem selling out the Rent throughout the late 2000s even after the stadium was 6-7 years old and the "new cool" factor had worn off. The attendance problem is a function of the teams on the field struggles. I'm not entirely sure the criticism of the "tailgating fanbase", but tailgating has become a big part of football culture and is something that should and is considered in most new football stadium projects. As the team's on the field product becomes less entertaining providing the entertainment/tailgate scene helps to support that attendance and you've cited the need for the tailgating culture to help spread out the traffic arriving at any on-campus stadium in Storrs.

As noted, the stadium is the least of the team's concerns. Its the on-field product that must improve. If you improve the on-field product then you'll improve the attendance, which will ultimately help build support for either an on-campus stadium or revitalizing Rentschler Field... but until the attendance and support of the team at it's current stadium occurs, there won't be the necessary support to encourage any significant new stadium development, regardless of location.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

This is called projection. You're so far off-base I don't know where to start. Do you have $500 million to spare?

You sound angry, as do a few others. I would not give two cents to a fan base as selfish as you are.

 

[joelerg87]

When the Rent was new people flocked to the new stadium on the air strip. You’re a tailgating fan base, that’s all you care about. Students at the Rent? One percent of them come to the Rent on a good day. If the state had its pro franchise, your gas and charcoal grills would have followed that trail. Ask yourself why Edsall jumped ship when the program was competitive?

I take it you aren’t a UConn football fan.

If you went to games during Edsall’s first go around the atmosphere inside the stadium was pretty damn good and students were in their seats. Place would be rocking.

It’s tough to get people into the stadium, let alone stay, when the product on the field is bad. The same goes for other sports (I.e., UConn hoops 7 years ago).

Edsall left the program because he thought he could win more in a better conference. He made a killing his first go around finding 2 and 3 star gems and developing them. That doesn’t work at a program expecting top tier recruiting classes.

 

[ktuck911]

Why UCLA's plans for an on-campus football stadium were dashed and unlikely to be revived

Plans in 1965 to build an on-campus football stadium at UCLA were nixed by wealthy homeowners as well as students. Reviving the notion is a non-starter.

www.latimes.com

UCLA has P5 level pedigreed history. To me, totally different animal... I'd use Cincy as a comp way before UCLA

 

[CONN78SEJ]

UCLA has P5 level pedigreed history. To me, totally different animal... I'd use Cincy as a comp way before UCLA

Good for you!

 

[Skies2018]

I’ve sat on this for the night to not be rash but I do believe there needs to be a reckoning. Whether it’s mid season or after, firings and a culling need to take place. You can’t direct an offense? Fired. You can’t coach the linemen? Fired. You want to jog on routes? Off the team.

Look at how passionate other teams and coaches are. It’s disgusting and unacceptable that our staff and players do not care. I don’t know if it’s Mora, Dave, or the BOD who need to step in but this program simply can not continue on this path any longer. Drastic measures must be taken.

 

[ZooCougar]

Can anyone give me a legitimate reason why the state won’t drop us to FCS after a 1-11 season again?

Bring back the thumbs down button.

 

[Skies2018]

Bring back the thumbs down button.

You always do this dude. Obviously nobody here wants that but pretending it isn’t in the cards is ignorant. We’re allowed to discuss it.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

UCLA and Miami are the only two programs of significance that play as far off campus as we do. This list of all schools that play off campus is from 2018, but it's highlights just how bad our situation is relative to the rest of college football. As of then, UConn plays the farthest from campus of anyone in FBS.

In both of UCLA and Miami's cases, their attendance continues to be bad! They are not justification for us playing in East Harford, they're the opposite! At least in the case of UCLA, they have the excuse of having the world's worst group of NIMBYs (Beverly Hills residents!) who have a say in the traffic affects of a stadium in Westwood.

It's sad the level of delusion that exists among some in this fanbase who believe playing in East Hartford does not negatively affect the program. It does, it always will. It is not a strength. Just because it worked in years past doesn't mean it's a good idea. It's one of the reasons the perception of our program is that of a minor league baseball team. The sooner some of you wrap your head around that, the better.

 

[ZooCougar]

You always do this dude. Obviously nobody here wants that but pretending it isn’t in the cards is ignorant. We’re allowed to discuss it.

I do. Thumbs down.

Not every loss is an excuse to downgrade the program.

In the adult world we take a long term view.

 

[ZooCougar]

UCLA and Miami are the only two programs of significance that play as far off campus as we do. This list of all schools that play off campus is from 2018, but it's highlights just how bad our situation is relative to the rest of college football. As of then, UConn plays the farthest from campus of anyone in FBS.

In both of UCLA and Miami's cases, their attendance continues to be bad! They are not justification for us playing in East Harford, they're the opposite! At least in the case of UCLA, they have the excuse of having the world's worst group of NIMBYs (Beverly Hills residents!) who have a say in the traffic affects of a stadium in Westwood.

It's sad the level of delusion that exists among some in this fanbase who believe playing in East Hartford does not negatively affect the program. It does, it always will. It is not a strength. Just because it worked in years past doesn't mean it's a good idea. It's one of the reasons the perception of our program is that of a minor league baseball team. The sooner some of you wrap your head around that, the better.

Where the stadium is won’t help us get first downs.

When the product is good the stadium is more full.

Building a stadium on campus seems about as possible as UConn sending a manned mission to the moon.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

UCLA

UCLA tarps off 20-25K seats at the Rose Bowl and their average attendance in 2019, 2021, and 2022 could all nearly fit in Rentschler Field.

They are a prime example of why playing far off campus does NOT work.

 

[ktuck911]

I’ve sat on this for the night to not be rash but I do believe there needs to be a reckoning. Whether it’s mid season or after, firings and a culling need to take place. You can’t direct an offense? Fired. You can’t coach the linemen? Fired. You want to jog on routes? Off the team.

Look at how passionate other teams and coaches are. It’s disgusting and unacceptable that our staff and players do not care. I don’t know if it’s Mora, Dave, or the BOD who need to step in but this program simply can not continue on this path any longer. Drastic measures must be taken.

I hear you brother, but as far as players go, you don't hustle, you get demoted plain and simple. Here's where coaches find out who's willing to put in the work and show the effort during games. Cream should rise to the top. You don't produce, then next man up....Who really wants it?????

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Where the stadium is won’t help us get first downs.

When the product is good the stadium is more full.

Building a stadium on campus seems about as possible as UConn sending a manned mission to the moon.

Want to be sure you're on record here - you believe playing the farthest from campus in all of FBS does not have a negative effect on our recruiting?

 

[ZooCougar]

Want to be sure you're on record here - you believe playing the farthest from campus in all of FBS does not have a negative effect on our recruiting?

It was fine when we were in the Big East and had a competent staff.

Show me where and how we will build this stadium.

It’s not worth talking about. At all.

 

[huskysupporter]

They don't. They obviously, clearly, don't.

The players are way below the level required. That's it. This isn't a "resources" or "spending" argument. UConn can't be Eastern Michigan? Temple? Kent State? Its a top 15 G5 coaching salary pool, right now. It is a bottom 5 team in the sport.

Maybe it isnt the money, guys!

It is a combination of things that have the program in the dumpster.

Coaching, talent, AD who came from a football school but has zero clue how to improve a program, poor surrounding recruiting area, refusal to loosen admission standards for football team. There is probably more.

 

[huskysupporter]

Want to be sure you're on record here - you believe playing the farthest from campus in all of FBS does not have a negative effect on our recruiting?

Put yourself in a recruits shoes - off campus stadium would be a deal breaker? A tie breaker? A non starter?

I can think of 1,000,000 other factors that go into a recruits decision.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

It was fine when we were in the Big East and had a competent staff.

Show me where and how we will build this stadium.

It’s not worth talking about. At all.

Stop deflecting to the strawman of whether it's possible to get by the Mansfield Town Council.

I'm only speaking to whether playing in East Hartford has an overall positive, negative, or no effect on the program's overall success on the field and in its conference affiliation. It sounds like you do not believe it's an overall negative?

 

[huskymedic]

UCLA tarps off 20-25K seats at the Rose Bowl and their average attendance in 2019, 2021, and 2022 could all nearly fit in Rentschler Field.

They are a prime example of why playing far off campus does NOT work.

Re-read the quote the response was made to… it had nothing to do w/ attendance @ the Rose Bowl.

 

[ZooCougar]

It is a combination of things that have the program in the dumpster.

Coaching, talent, AD who came from a football school but has zero clue how to improve a program, poor surrounding recruiting area, refusal to loosen admission standards for football team. There is probably more.

It is amazing how programs that spend far less can put a better product out there.

If we had any decent reporters they would go interview some former coaches anonymously even and let us look under the hood.

 

[ZooCougar]

Stop deflecting to the strawman of whether it's possible to get by the Mansfield Town Council.

I'm only speaking to whether playing in East Hartford has an overall positive, negative, or no effect on the program's overall success on the field and in its conference affiliation. It sounds like you do not believe it's an overall negative?

Where are you going to find the $300M?

Just stop. You are a total idiot.