Everyone at UCONN involved with FB needs to read this

[CTMike]

My ideas on enhancing the UCONN fan experience at the Rent:

1. I have come to the slow realization that UCONN was/is actually ahead of the curve in one area: standing room lounge area. I think that side of the field should be redesigned to offer fans over there more benefits. For example, if/when UCONN expands the Rent, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to build an elevated 2nd deck to cover the lounge area. After it is covered, add things like HDTV monitors, expanded bar, and variety of food truck choices. Only fans with a game ticket can get in and have a max occupancy (ex - 500). Set up tables away from the field to allow people to sit and watch the game on TVs to give them the "sports bar" atmosphere that some fans want and like. Install circulating fans (no air conditioning because this thing should be open aired facing the field) but install some space heaters similar to outdoor dining cafes for late season games. They can elevate the video board to be above the 2nd deck and add a smaller HD video board behind the student section (for the fans watching the game along the "red line").

2. Increase cell towers in and around the stadium. Our student section is amongst the worst in the country. Everything to encourage them to stay in their seats should be done.

3. Extend tailgating lots to 6 hours before kickoff and 2 hours after kickoff. Open up a RV lot 24 hours in advance to kickoff. UCONN should encourage fans from all over New England and the tri-state area to come to games. Extending the lots allows for those fans who might come from 1-2 hours away a chance at the "full" football game day experience.

4. Begin a CT Transit campaign for "commuting" to games. Similar to CT Transit lines open for work days, begin a program with bus routes that begin at different corners of the state, with 4-5 pickups along the route, that are scheduled to arrive at the stadium 2-3 hours before kickoff (allow for some opportunity for fans to meet up with friends or family in the lots). Busses leave the stadium 45 minutes - 1 hour after kickoff.

5. Show more replays at games. Nothing disconnects fans in the stadium more than not knowing what is going on. Show the same level of replays (with multiple angles) inside the stadium as fans watching from home.

6. DAIRY BAR. I will continue to campaign for this until I see a Dairy Bar stand inside the Rent (and XL Center too). Bring the most iconic part of campus off-campus to reconnect alumni with Storrs. Plus, who wouldn't want a milkshake in the early season or hot chocolate late in the season from the Dairy Bar??

7. Less muzak, more band. College football is different from the NFL because of its pageantry and atmosphere. Band music is a vital element of college football stadiums and we have a pretty kick a band. The "stick it in" song has caught on very quickly and I love it. But how's about after TDs, the band plays the school fight song with the lyrics displayed on the video and ribbon boards? We have a pretty cool fight song too...let's play it as much as Notre Dame and Michigan play theirs. On 3rd downs, instead of GNR's "Welcome to the Jungle", what if the band played it? Or played a different song? All I'm saying is that we have an awesome band and should incorporate them into the game day experience more. Then maybe just maybe fans will want to stay until the end of games and sing the fight song WITH THE TEAM before they leave the field.

8. T-shirt giveaways. UCONN fans go nuts for free t-shirts. Instead of the cheerleaders shooting them into the crowd, how's about everyone gets a shirt waiting for them at their seat location? If you want fans to wear school colors, the only way to do this is to give away t-shirts. Leave t-shirts at every seat for early season games. That way, fans will wear the t-shirts to future games or maybe just maybe buy other apparel (of school colors) that they like better.

9. More graphics in the corridors. Underneath the upper deck looks dark and drab as you circle the stadium. There is nothing in the hallways that remind fans of all of the good times had from UCONN football. Put a picture of DJ hurling the football into the parking lot at the end of the Pitt game. Put a picture of Donald Brown ripping off a long run. Put a picture of Jordan Todman converting a 4th and 1 on our 21 yard line. Put a picture of every single UCONN player in the NFL (there are more of them than most fans realize). Put a picture of Teggart's snow FG against USF and his Fiesta Bowl clinching FG @ USF. Put a picture of Dwayne Gratz' pick-6 against Oklahoma. Kashif Moore's one handed TD grab against South Carolina. Of Greg Lloyd decapitating Armando Allen. Of Jasper Howard against Louisville. Of the team running out of WVU's tunnel with his #6 jersey. Of Big East championship banners. Bowl games (the Fiesta Bowl should be celebrated, not lamented!) MORE GRAPHICS.

They should immediately adopt each of these ideas.

 

[Waquoit]

If they sell 32k tickets on average with all the ingame advertising, if they gave that up for a season maybe they would sell 34k the following season.

I think the number of people that would all of a sudden buy season tickets if they stopped in-game advertising is closer to zero than 2,000. It's probably closer to zero than 20.

 

[whaler11]

Thanks, that's what I figured.

I can't say that you're wrong, because there's no evidence either way that in-game advertising is the single or greatest factor in keeping fans away, but I also don't know how you could say "x" amount of people are staying at home because of the in-game advertising.

The time involved in baseball/football is a factor. The problems with cellular/data/wifi infrastructure, too. The prices, of course. HDTV, yes.

The ads? Meh, I'm not buying it. I don't think people finding out there are no more commercials is going to result in thousands more coming to games. I mean, how petty do you have to be to decide to stay home and watch (with commercials) or DVR it (so you can fast-forward through the commercials) just because you're that turned off by advertising. Is it impossible for people to have conversations with those around them during the commercials? Get a beer/soda, hot dog/pretzel?

I don't disagree that attendance is an issue in multiple sports, across the nation. I disagree that in game ads are keeping thousands away, and costing money in the long term. I can't imagine skipping a tailgate and game because of the commercials. Could it be part of an overall problem, yes. But eliminating that alone isn't going to bring thousands more to games.

It's not any one element and I am not proposing that eliminating ads would increase attendance by thousands. It's just an easy example of something that does suck.

I'd say a long term investment from the school in the fan experience would be something that I feel would have a long term ROI. It might mean that you can't squeeze every last cent of out people in the short term but I think there is enough evidence nationally that people are not as pleased with the in stadium experience as you'd want them if I were the one selling tickets.

 

[whaler11]

I think the number of people that would all of a sudden buy season tickets if they stopped in-game advertising is closer to zero than 2,000. It's probably closer to zero than 20.

I'll be clearer - I was just talking conceptually - I know that they can't sell 2k more tickets by getting rid of better bedding.

 

[whaler11]

In game advertising should make it possible to sell game tickets at lower prices. Advertising is good. What are you, some sort of Commie?

You don't possibly believe that in game advertising lowers ticket prices do you?

 

[Doggie Style]

"Our biggest competitor is your 60" television.' This is why schools need to sell more than just watching the game. I my opinion, they need to sell the college experience.

Exactly why I went with the Samsung 55 inch LED!

 

[rich1122]

College sports is becoming very smarmy. It's at the tipping point I think. Athletes don't graduate. go to sham classes, are more and more getting arrested. Now they want pay and rights to their names after getting $150K+ in free education, which 50% don't even bother to finish. I've never missed a UCONN football game and love college sports, but, I more and more, begin to see it like the pros, in which case I would have no problem walking away and spending my time doing something else.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'm one of those fans who uses SRO or concourses. I'd much prefer to stand and be mobile than sit in a seat or stand in the middle of a row of fans. I like the freedom of movement. I do it at concerts at amphitheaters and I do it at the AA baseball park where I live.

 

[uc1974]

What they need to stop is the constant noise and blather. There is never a moment when it is just silent. There is always some music blaring away. There is always a commercial for some crappy product or service or some (mostly) nonsense honoring of individuals for getting up in the morning or for simply wearing a military uniform. Frail egos indeed. Reminds me of the way the Army used to give away Arcoms and Bronze stars in VN--every week some clown got one for nothing (me included). I have given up discussing the game with my companions since I can never hear or be heard. At home you can mute the commercials and nonsense and even the announcers if they piss you off enough.

 

[Skiblets]

I bury my head in my hands every time we go to timeout. Kisscam, AAA, Big Y, Better Bedding, PC Richard, DJ Joey and on and on. Makes me freakin nuts. More band, fewer ads. It's so simple.

 

[UConnDan97]

You know, I really appreciate this thread. I have had discussions about the high ticket prices before with posters like Whaler and such, and we're clearly on the same side of that issue. But I didn't realize that the majority of this board feels "brutalized" by the high prices. I felt bad in a way that I am a "3 game package" guy instead of a season ticket guy, because I have a one-income family. And as most of you know, I would remove a testicle for this school.

Consider this: We are the most fanatical of all the UConn Husky fans by about 1,000x! If we have a hard time stomaching the ticket prices, how on earth are we supposed to draw the casual fan?!? How on earth are we supposed to draw the family of 4, where the two kids grow up even more passionate about the team and school than their parents were?!?

This is the short-sighted behavior that will crush us over the long term as a program. I hope that someone from the administration is lurking...

 

[J187Money]

It isn't the ticket prices. It is a lot of things all rolled up into one. Remember that the vast majority of UCONN grads didn't go to football games because 1-AA football was pointless. I think I went to one game freshman year when my parents came up. That was it. It's a hoop school that for most people started playing football 10 years ago. I think the expectations have been unrealistic. We have also made some mistakes. There is no magic bullet.

That being said, what this state responds to is dynamic coaching combined with winning. Diaco has the attitude and persona, let's see what he can do. This is a marathon not a sprint.

Going to games is work. I blew off the Spurs game in SA the other night because I knew it would take me 60-90 minutes to get back to my hotel even though my firm has a suite. Turns out I made the right call given the AC issues. But I'm also the guy that goes to Green Bay solo to freeze my ass off at playoff games. Because I care. Not enough people really care about UCONN football. And when you don't really care, you look for excuses not to be bothered.

 

[CTMike]

And when you don't really care, you look for excuses not to be bothered.

Price being one of those excuses. I happen to think the ticket is a great value, but I don't donate per seat either. There's a total cost to going to the games... The entire value equation needs to be about maximizing attendance and engagement not per seat revenue. Eliminate all the excuses one by one. Diaco is bringing energy and hopefully a few wins... Then, over time, you grow a generation of a fan base....

 

[whaler11]

And as most of you know, I would remove a testicle for this school.

Careful they make take you up on it.

I think the expectations have been unrealistic.

And when you don't really care, you look for excuses not to be bothered.

I think we are past expectations being the issue. If the 2004 Big East plus TCU were still in place we'd actually be talking about football and the 2014 season. With the conference realignment doomsday clock ticking in the background and with every school but really Cincinnati safely under the umbrella it's a sickening feeling.

To your last sentence - exactly which is why removing as many barriers as possible is important.

 

[Hoophound]

My ideas on enhancing the UCONN fan experience at the Rent: 1. I have come to the slow realization that UCONN was/is actually ahead of the curve in one area: standing room lounge area. I think that side of the field should be redesigned to offer fans over there more benefits. For example, if/when UCONN expands the Rent, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to build an elevated 2nd deck to cover the lounge area. After it is covered, add things like HDTV monitors, expanded bar, and variety of food truck choices. Only fans with a game ticket can get in and have a max occupancy (ex - 500). Set up tables away from the field to allow people to sit and watch the game on TVs to give them the "sports bar" atmosphere that some fans want and like. Install circulating fans (no air conditioning because this thing should be open aired facing the field) but install some space heaters similar to outdoor dining cafes for late season games. They can elevate the video board to be above the 2nd deck and add a smaller HD video board behind the student section (for the fans watching the game along the "red line"). 2. Increase cell towers in and around the stadium. Our student section is amongst the worst in the country. Everything to encourage them to stay in their seats should be done. 3. Extend tailgating lots to 6 hours before kickoff and 2 hours after kickoff. Open up a RV lot 24 hours in advance to kickoff. UCONN should encourage fans from all over New England and the tri-state area to come to games. Extending the lots allows for those fans who might come from 1-2 hours away a chance at the "full" football game day experience. 4. Begin a CT Transit campaign for "commuting" to games. Similar to CT Transit lines open for work days, begin a program with bus routes that begin at different corners of the state, with 4-5 pickups along the route, that are scheduled to arrive at the stadium 2-3 hours before kickoff (allow for some opportunity for fans to meet up with friends or family in the lots). Busses leave the stadium 45 minutes - 1 hour after kickoff. 5. Show more replays at games. Nothing disconnects fans in the stadium more than not knowing what is going on. Show the same level of replays (with multiple angles) inside the stadium as fans watching from home. 6. DAIRY BAR. I will continue to campaign for this until I see a Dairy Bar stand inside the Rent (and XL Center too). Bring the most iconic part of campus off-campus to reconnect alumni with Storrs. Plus, who wouldn't want a milkshake in the early season or hot chocolate late in the season from the Dairy Bar?? 7. Less muzak, more band. College football is different from the NFL because of its pageantry and atmosphere. Band music is a vital element of college football stadiums and we have a pretty kick a band. The "stick it in" song has caught on very quickly and I love it. But how's about after TDs, the band plays the school fight song with the lyrics displayed on the video and ribbon boards? We have a pretty cool fight song too...let's play it as much as Notre Dame and Michigan play theirs. On 3rd downs, instead of GNR's "Welcome to the Jungle", what if the band played it? Or played a different song? All I'm saying is that we have an awesome band and should incorporate them into the game day experience more. Then maybe just maybe fans will want to stay until the end of games and sing the fight song WITH THE TEAM before they leave the field. 8. T-shirt giveaways. UCONN fans go nuts for free t-shirts. Instead of the cheerleaders shooting them into the crowd, how's about everyone gets a shirt waiting for them at their seat location? If you want fans to wear school colors, the only way to do this is to give away t-shirts. Leave t-shirts at every seat for early season games. That way, fans will wear the t-shirts to future games or maybe just maybe buy other apparel (of school colors) that they like better. 9. More graphics in the corridors. Underneath the upper deck looks dark and drab as you circle the stadium. There is nothing in the hallways that remind fans of all of the good times had from UCONN football. Put a picture of DJ hurling the football into the parking lot at the end of the Pitt game. Put a picture of Donald Brown ripping off a long run. Put a picture of Jordan Todman converting a 4th and 1 on our 21 yard line. Put a picture of every single UCONN player in the NFL (there are more of them than most fans realize). Put a picture of Teggart's snow FG against USF and his Fiesta Bowl clinching FG @ USF. Put a picture of Dwayne Gratz' pick-6 against Oklahoma. Kashif Moore's one handed TD grab against South Carolina. Of Greg Lloyd decapitating Armando Allen. Of Jasper Howard against Louisville. Of the team running out of WVU's tunnel with his #6 jersey. Of Big East championship banners. Bowl games (the Fiesta Bowl should be celebrated, not lamented!) MORE GRAPHICS.

This is an epic post. Susan Herbst should be willing to pay Dooley about 200k per to put this stuff into action. It takes one person with real vision to make something good into something exceptional. Aside from the fact that this list is great, it is 100% affordable and actionable.

 

[J187Money]

Price being one of those excuses. I happen to think the ticket is a great value, but I don't donate per seat either. There's a total cost to going to the games... The entire value equation needs to be about maximizing attendance and engagement not per seat revenue. Eliminate all the excuses one by one. Diaco is bringing energy and hopefully a few wins... Then, over time, you grow a generation of a fan base....

Right, but I think price is used as an excuse when it isn't the real reason. Sure, some people sit in the endzones instead of paying $100/seat donation. Sure some people sit in the $100/donation seats instead of the chairbacks at $325 or $650 a seat donation. So price matters. But I don't think there are a lot of people that WANT season tickets that DON'T buy them at all because of price.

I offered to buy tickets for young alums that couldn't afford them, and basically all I heard was crickets. Mostly I think that people generally feel that their TIME is too valuable to be spent putting in the effort to watch a pedestrian product. There are all kinds of broke-ass people that can scrape up enough money to go out every weekend drinking. Cause they WANT to. It all comes down to desire - and we need to inspire that.

 

[Jimdish255]

I’ve come to believe it’s not scandal that will bring down college athletics, but greed. How long can these numbers, fueled by increasingly unhappy fans, continue to skyrocket before they come crashing down to earth?

 

[Jimdish255]

"Our biggest competitor is your 60" television.' This is why schools need to sell more than just watching the game. I my opinion, they need to sell the college experience.

Dooley that was a great post.

There are some of us who go because it isn't the pros. The closer they get to that model the more likely fans just find other activities or odd jobs to fill Saturdays and watch the pros on Sunday.

 

[BlueDogs]

Pretty strong indictment of where collage athletics has moved. Its quite sad how a great pastime has been slowly co-opted into a big money business. The NCAA, for all its ridiculous rules, has failed to do the most basic thing - protect the integrity of college game by enforcing a level playing field in college football. There is no way in hell I would allow the SEC and other P5 schools form a division 4 and use the NCAA name. There is nothing good that can come from this consolidation designed to control market dollars and bowls. If the NCAA cared about college athletics, it would make sure they understood they will leave with nothing even remotely hinting at any college affiliation....no National College Championships, Bowls referencing the NCAA, and they would step in to stop the anticompetitive arrangements to control bowls. This hurts every kid who wants to play for his school but will never make it to the pros.

 

[BlueMAB]

Right, but I think price is used as an excuse when it isn't the real reason. Sure, some people sit in the endzones instead of paying $100/seat donation. Sure some people sit in the $100/donation seats instead of the chairbacks at $325 or $650 a seat donation. So price matters. But I don't think there are a lot of people that WANT season tickets that DON'T buy them at all because of price.

I offered to buy tickets for young alums that couldn't afford them, and basically all I heard was crickets. Mostly I think that people generally feel that their TIME is too valuable to be spent putting in the effort to watch a pedestrian product. There are all kinds of broke-ass people that can scrape up enough money to go out every weekend drinking. Cause they WANT to. It all comes down to desire - and we need to inspire that.

You're right, but there's more to it than that. There are also a good number of fans that know (with a schedule like this) they can get tickets to every game in the parking lot and save money on most of the games. They want to go to every game, they don't care about season tickets. Some people here think they aren't "real" fans, or at least aren't as "valuable".

But as long as they are buying tickets and showing up, they matter. I believe sell outs matter more than season tickets. Sell out a season or two, and we can argue that there aren't enough seats. Also, sell out a few seasons, and then people will have more reason to buy season tickets. As long as tickets are cheaper in the parking lot and on the secondary market, people who routinely go to games aren't going to be pressed to buy season tickets.

 

[John]

Right, but I think price is used as an excuse when it isn't the real reason. Sure, some people sit in the endzones instead of paying $100/seat donation. Sure some people sit in the $100/donation seats instead of the chairbacks at $325 or $650 a seat donation. So price matters. But I don't think there are a lot of people that WANT season tickets that DON'T buy them at all because of price.

I offered to buy tickets for young alums that couldn't afford them, and basically all I heard was crickets. Mostly I think that people generally feel that their TIME is too valuable to be spent putting in the effort to watch a pedestrian product. There are all kinds of broke-ass people that can scrape up enough money to go out every weekend drinking. Cause they WANT to. It all comes down to desire - and we need to inspire that.

I don't think it's the price of just the tickets, it's the price of the experience. Parking, concessions, etc. It adds up.

 

[J187Money]

You're right, but there's more to it than that. There are also a good number of fans that know (with a schedule like this) they can get tickets to every game in the parking lot and save money on most of the games. They want to go to every game, they don't care about season tickets. Some people here think they aren't "real" fans, or at least aren't as "valuable". But as long as they are buying tickets and showing up, they matter. I believe sell outs matter more than season tickets. Sell out a season or two, and we can argue that there aren't enough seats. Also, sell out a few seasons, and then people will have more reason to buy season tickets. As long as tickets are cheaper in the parking lot and on the secondary market, people who routinely go to games aren't going to be pressed to buy season tickets.

Agreed. But the tickets are cheap and in many cases free in the secondary market or parking lot. And people still don't go. I only care about gate also. But you are far overestimating the parking lot trade. Maybe 200 regulars a game buy tickets that way?

 

[whaler11]

You can't sell out games without a large season ticket base. There isn't a single program on the future schedules who is moving 5 figures of single game tickets.

The parking lot trade further enforces that face value is out of whack with the market.

JMoney may be right that lowering them may prove a mistake because for many games you literally can't give them away.

 

[Dooley]

I don't want to tell you how many games I brought extras from our season ticket group to games last year and I could not give them away. For free. And this was after a week or more of asking everyone I knew, including people who I very literally haven't seen in years, if they wanted to go. For free (food and drinks included in the FREE price of admission).

 

[J187Money]

I don't think it's the price of just the tickets, it's the price of the experience. Parking, concessions, etc. It adds up.

Yes. But if you just want to go to the game it can be done for 35 bucks. Park across the street and go to the game. Plenty of people do that. If you can't enjoy yourself without $75 bucks worth of food and beer yes it's a problem.

It's like saying I don't like going to the movies because popcorn costs $8 and a soda costs $5. If I wanted to see the movie I could avoid those expenses and go to a matinee and spend like $7 total.

People don't like losing.

I took my son to the Super Bowl when the Packers beat the Steelers. Heard lots of grumbling from the Steelers fans that paid $2,500+ a ticket plus travel to watch them lose. Didn't hear a Packer fan say anything about the expense. Because they won. If the Steelers fans thought they would lose most of them wouldn't have even bothered.

I do feel for families with small children who couldn't care less about the game because that is just wasting money. But for an individual person that has a job, I just don't buy that the prices are the problem.

 

[J187Money]

I don't want to tell you how many games I brought extras from our season ticket group to games last year and I could not give them away. For free. And this was after a week or more of asking everyone I knew, including people who I very literally haven't seen in years, if they wanted to go. For free (food and drinks included in the FREE price of admission).

Exactly. There aren't enough fans. End of story.

 

[CTMike]

Price is just one piece of the value equation... Maximize the value people get out of attending. Winning sure helps a ton. But price of tickets, concessions, parking, merch, game day experience are all factors too. Let's improve all of those.

 

[SubbaBub]

You can get around the price. As others have said there are plenty of discount and free tickets our there. It really only affects season ticket sales.

The biggest issue is entertainment value for the time commitment. It has to he seen as worth the effort. Schedule has a lot to do with this as does the game day experience both on and off the field. Tradition is another, but we don't have that generational depth and as Michigan is finding out, you can't live on tradition alone.

 

[J187Money]

You can get around the price. As others have said there are plenty of discount and free tickets our there. It really only affects season ticket sales.

The biggest issue is entertainment value for the time commitment. It has to he seen as worth the effort. Schedule has a lot to do with this as does the game day experience both on and off the field. Tradition is another, but we don't have that generational depth and as Michigan is finding out, you can't live on tradition alone.

Exactly right.

In Michigan's case, however, you could live on tradition alone. Tradition, however, doesn't pay for needless stadium expansion and all kinds of perks that probably weren't necessary. They had enough money. In UCONN's case, it isn't greed that pushes prices higher. It is necessity.

 

[Rondogg]

Season ticket holder since 2002, lots of away game/bowl games. It was very exciting in the beginning to watch this team on the rise in a major conference. Conference realignment has basically put a glass ceiling over us and margianalized our ability to be a National Power. UConn was the biggest loser in CR and there is plenty of evidence that points out a lot of the problems were our own damn fault. Until we figure it out, I will watch from home.