Facts that our Orange Friends Can't Ignore

[WestHartHusk]

A few days ago the tundra people got up on their high horse because there was a groupon offer for the rafter seats at the Izod. This, they said, was their proof that all of UConn's fans for games in NYC came down on Metro North, unlike their local support 'subway' support. Well, now that the results are in, I would like to point out some facts that they won't like:

Syracuse v. Iowa (and Texas v. Cal) together drew 11,255 to MSG on a Friday night.
UConn v. Duke alone drew 16,541 to the Meadowlands on a Thursday night.

Given that this game was on a weeknight in New Jersey, I think it is fair to say that a large part of UConn's support turned out from the city (or other local areas).

And I recognize that there was a solid Duke contingency in New Jersey, but I would be shocked if Texas (and maybe Iowa and Cal) weren't solidly supported at MSG. Hell, there were a reasonable amount of Texas fans at Gampel this November.

 

[Fishy]

Bingo. Great point.

No other school would outsell Duke at Izod.

 

[Vuce]

Here's another fact they can't ignore: 4 > 1

 

[Kolumbo]

and their 1 = one and done.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

IZD looked to be 50/50 split between Duke and UConn fans, which is very good in my opinion as the game was in Jersey with no easy mass transit access from CT on a weeknight at the end of rush hour in a situation tat Duke controlled the tickets, i.e. no UConn discounts. Actually felt more UConn though as the Duke contingent, except for the pep band which had the annoying tendency to keep playing after play re-started, was mostly middle, age, alumni that were very quiet. UConn's fan support was a LOT louder.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Here's some more rebuttals to the Groupon article from the sporting news:

Duke Played Temple as part of a double header for coaches vs. cancer on a Friday Night in Brooklyn at the Barclays at 9:30pm.

10,000 people attended
The average secondary market value was 76.17 with a get in price of $10

Uconn vs. Duke on a Thursday Night in North Jersey

16,500 people attended
The average secondary market value was 119.16 with a get in price of $30

With the attendance figures and secondary market sales as proxys, Uconn and Duke did 1.2 million in incremental sales in North Jersey on a Thursday vs. a Double header at Barclays on a Friday.

The Groupon deal was an attempt to liquidate the last 10% of inventory in a 20,000 seat arena. The sporting news article wasn't researched, drew an incorrect conclusion and mislead their readership. Not surprised it got soaked up on the cuseboard.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Don't forget izod holds over 20k for bb which for just about any weeknight game in a place that is INSANELY hard to get to from CT. MSG and Barclays are a million times easier for a UConn fan to get to.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Don't forget izod holds over 20k for bb which for just about any weeknight game in a place that is INSANELY hard to get to from CT. MSG and Barclays are a million times easier for a UConn fan to get to.

Took me an hour just to get to IZOD from Ramsey (all of 20 miles) last night at 6:30 for the game and I did not even have to cross the Hudson.

 

[CL82]

Here's another fact they can't ignore: 4 > 1

beat me to it.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

IZD looked to be 50/50 split between Duke and UConn fans, which is very good in my opinion as the game was in Jersey with no easy mass transit access from CT on a weeknight at the end of rush hour in a situation tat Duke controlled the tickets, i.e. no UConn discounts. Actually felt more UConn though as the Duke contingent, except for the pep band which had the annoying tendency to keep playing after play re-started, was mostly middle, age, alumni that were very quiet. UConn's fan support was a LOT louder.

ESPN called it a pro UConn crowd in their blurb.

It looked pretty even on TV

 

[Dooley]

It sounded pro-UCONN from my TV. My TV must've been mounted in the UCONN student section.

I heard more "let's go Huskies!" than "let's go Duke" chants throughout the game. It wasn't really until Duke pulled away late that the "let's go Duke" chants started to dominate.

 

[Durks07]

Here's another fact they can't ignore: 4 > 1

You forgot the Helm's Championship!

But on a serious note, what the duckk is a Helm's championship?

 

[Dooley]

In less than a year, UCONN has demonstrated its dominant presence in NYC.

1. Regional bracket @ MSG - UCONN's presence drove ticket prices through the roof. The Elite 8 game was a home game for UCONN against Michigan State.

2. 16-18K fans made their way to Yankee Stadium to watch 2 of the 3 worst teams in college football play a meaningless game on a cold late November night. In a year that UCONN is competitive and playing against a better opponent, there is zero reason not to think that UCONN can easily draw 40+K to Yankee.

3. Last night. New Jersey has long been Duke's turf but from the sounds of it in the press and what I heard on TV, it was a pro-UCONN crowd. Drawing close to 17K on a Thursday night to an arena that is very difficult to get to is very impressive. Yes, Duke fans made up a good chunk of the crowd but I'd venture a guess that UCONN drew more fans to IZOD last night than Syracuse drew to the Meadowlands to play football against USC.

Now if only there was a Power conference interested in expanding east.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

It sounded pro-UCONN from my TV. My TV must've been mounted in the UCONN student section.

I heard more "let's go Huskies!" than "let's go Duke" chants throughout the game. It wasn't really until Duke pulled away late that the "let's go Duke" chants started to dominate.

From what I saw, it was about 50/50 in terms of headcount; but, a lot of the Duke fans looked to be the older, quieter alumni type. UConn looked to have a young and a lot louder crowd, especially the group just behind the north basket, which looked like a student section. The only loud Duke section was their pep band.

 

[billybud]

I saw that Duke is back at MSG tomorrow...for The Grapple in the Garden.

That would make a neat double match up...to see UConn and Duke the same week in basketball and wrestling...I understand that UConn is in the NCWA f0r wrestling. Does that mean no AAC wrestling tournament?

Can NCWA and NCAA wrestling teams inter match?

 

[Dooley]

Some more fun with looking at attendance figures, the CBS Sports Classic in Chicago that saw Kentucky, UNC, Ohio St and UCLA drew 19,700-ish.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=400593228

In other words, UCONN/Duke drew the same arena capacity on a Thursday night as 4 powerhouse schools with fanbases that have great reputations for traveling well drew, combined, on a Saturday.

 

[Clockshop]

I was also at the game and I would say 50/50 split is being very generous to Duke. UConn fans dominated the place by numbers and voice. Numbers seemed more like 65/35

 

[pj]

I was also at the game and I would say 50/50 split is being very generous to Duke. UConn fans dominated the place by numbers and voice. Numbers seemed more like 65/35

Then UConn should try to be the home team in Izod, get top teams and charge $30 a ticket. Must have been a big money maker.

 

[Sea Goat]

more evidence that the ACC blew it! (Delany, are you watching?)

 

[Dooley]

Then UConn should try to be the home team in Izod, get top teams and charge $30 a ticket. Must have been a big money maker.

I would love to see UCONN schedule more neutral games in New York and Boston. I think Duke must've insisted on playing at the IZOD figuring that NJ typically is their turf. They under-estimated the alumni and fan support UCONN has inside the NYC DMA. They probably conceded that MSG is "UCONN South" and wanted a venue a bit more Duke-friendly.

I think UCONN would sell out TD Garden (or close to it). It would be a great selling point to P5 conferences interested in things like TV ratings and ratings. Let's show off our reach in New York and Boston.

 

[BC1978]

I would love to see UCONN schedule more neutral games in New York and Boston. I think Duke must've insisted on playing at the IZOD figuring that NJ typically is their turf. They under-estimated the alumni and fan support UCONN has inside the NYC DMA. They probably conceded that MSG is "UCONN South" and wanted a venue a bit more Duke-friendly.

I think UCONN would sell out TD Garden (or close to it). It would be a great selling point to P5 conferences interested in things like TV ratings and ratings. Let's show off our reach in New York and Boston.

Being able to pack a venue within a couple of hours drive of your core fanbase does not show "reach"' IMO. It shows that you have fans that are able to make a relatively short drive to watch their team play. By your logic, BC will be demonstrating its "reach" in NYC this week as it has sold out its Pinstripe Bowl allotment in less than a week and will be playing in a sold out Yankee Stadium where a big chunk of fans will be BC fans.

 

[SubbaBub]

Being able to pack a venue within a couple of hours drive of your core fanbase does not show "reach"' IMO. It shows that you have fans that are able to make a relatively short drive to watch their team play. By your logic, BC will be demonstrating its "reach" in NYC this week as it has sold out its Pinstripe Bowl allotment in less than a week and will be playing in a sold out Yankee Stadium where a big chunk of fans will be BC fans.

A couple? You're not from around here are you? Thursday night, xmas season, on the wrong side of Manhattan? It was not an easy ride from CT.

Now if you mean our core fan base in the 10011 area, then you are right. Either way it's not something the orange can match. Nor Rutgers if you are talking about level of interest.

Now a bowl game against Penn State is different kettle of fish entirely. The ticket takers in Chestnut Hill would probably agree with me. Joke being more BC fans going to NY than their own home games.

 

[BC1978]

A couple? You're not from around here are you? Thursday night, xmas season, on the wrong side of Manhattan? It was not an easy ride from CT.

Now if you mean our core fan base in the 10011 area, then you are right. Either way it's not something the orange can match. Nor Rutgers if you are talking about level of interest.

Now a bowl game against Penn State is different kettle of fish entirely. The ticket takers in Chestnut Hill would probably agree with me. Joke being more BC fans going to NY than their own home games.

Lived in Manhattan in 2012 and 2013 while working for a client. While its not always a simple drive, it's not that hard to get to the IZOD from CT...certainly worth the trip to see a game against Duke (let's not pretend this was a game against some mid major).

To your last point, do you really want to debate football attendance at home games?

I am not disputing your point about the comparison to the Orange. I was only responding to the "reach" comment by another poster.

 

[Dooley]

Oh Chr1st, not the BC police guy again. Seriously, does your alarm go off any time "Boston" is mentioned in a post on the internet?

Are you really trying to compare selling tickets to a football bowl game played on a Saturday at 4:30 and easily accessible by train, car or boat to a fairly meaningless basketball game played on a weeknight? There were roughly as many UCONN fans at IZOD as there will be BC fans at Yankee Stadium. 70% of the crowd will be Penn State fans and if you think otherwise, you're delusional.

Let me ask you: if BC played a hoops game at the XL Center or football game at the Rent (and not against UCONN), do you think the game would sell out? Or come close to a sell out?

 

[BC1978]

Oh Chr1st, not the BC police guy again. Seriously, does your alarm go off any time "Boston" is mentioned in a post on the internet?

Are you really trying to compare selling tickets to a football bowl game played on a Saturday at 4:30 and easily accessible by train, car or boat to a fairly meaningless basketball game played on a weeknight? There were roughly as many UCONN fans at IZOD as there will be BC fans at Yankee Stadium. 70% of the crowd will be Penn State fans and if you think otherwise, you're delusional.

Let me ask you: if BC played a hoops game at the XL Center or football game at the Rent (and not against UCONN), do you think the game would sell out? Or come close to a sell out?

A "faily meaningless game" - against #2 Duke. Meaningless? Really?

Since the game has yet to be played, you have no basis to say what the split of BC and PSU fans will be. I suspect it will be more 50-50 as there are a ton of BC students and alums in NY and NJ. We shall see.

To your last question of me - No, BC would come nowhere close to selling out the XL. Why would they? They come nowhere close to selling out their home games at Conte Forum! That is the state of BC BB at the present time. Again, that's part of my limited point. BC doesn't have the numbers of BB fans to drive to Conte at the present time, much less to CT. For FB, they do, and fans will make the drive. Ditto for Uconn BB fans to the IZOD, or the TD Garden, etc.