Future Scheduling Idea

[CT Rhody]

I wanted to reach out to the Uconn fans since I now live in the great Hartford area and can appreciate what UConn has done with their athletic program. Plus I'm obviously a Uconn fan now only behind URI. I first wanted to say congrats on landing Mal over PC. I find it humorous that PC fans see Uconn as a rival but the gist I get living here is that Uconn fans barely have PC on their radar. If you read PC boards, their distaste for Uconn is palpable to the point that it’s obsessive.

On to my schedule point, with Uconn trying to find solid “local” games due to the AAC being so spread out across the country, it brings me to this idea. Why wouldn't Uconn get into a series with URI? At first thought you might not be all that interested but here are the reasons.

1. Reduces travel on the players
   
2. Adds another projected top 25-40 opponent to the schedule (while Dan Hurley stays at URI)
   
3. You could play one in Storrs, Kingston, Hartford, and Providence
   
4. The game in Providence would easily sell out extending out Uconn’s brand
   
5. This would be a gut punch to PC who badly wants a series with Uconn to continue to quote un quote “rivalry” with UConn.
   
6. I also love the idea of a game at Mohegan, wonder if Mohegan could financially makes this as rewarding as games played in Storrs for example
   

I believe this would be a win – win for all parties involved.

 

[HuskyFich]

Welcome to the board...

How is URI a top 25-40 opponent?
The last time you guys made the tourney was the year we hung our first banner

EDIT: I would like the game as well. I think any games against local comp are good for the area and can help in recruiting. Just was curious about that particular part of your post

 

[Penfield]

personally I think an annual game at Mohegan Sun vs URI would be fun. I would rather play New England state schools than some of the other cupcakes we bring in.

 

[80shusky]

This would be a good local game with better than UMass-Lowell RPI ramifications. Nothing wrong with it. But you don't have to convince us really. Most of us on this board I would think would take that game. Although, to use a home and home on it instead of say, Arizona, wouldn't be the best idea.

 

[upstater]

The only thing that could make this work is Mohegan Sun if somehow UConn got most of the proceeds, then it would be like a 2 for 1. UConn is having trouble with its schedule because the weak AAC forces UConn to pick and choose its spots carefully for 1-and-1s. Arizona, Ohio State, Texas, Georgetown, etc. It needs to reserve space on the schedule for these teams, which makes playing URI on a 1-and-1 tough. But if you mix Mohegan into it, then perhaps you can make it work.

 

[Penfield]

We could probably leverage our status to play the other NE schools at some unique venues and grow our reach a bit too. We could probably get a home + neutral site game series out of UMass or URI.

URI at Mohegan Sun or the Dunk
UMass at the hall of fame
a triple header involving UVM, UNH, Maine, URI & UMass at the Garden

I would be fine playing any of these schools at the casino, hall of fame, or bridgeport as one of our home games during winter break too.

 

[Matrim55]

There should be a New England Basketball Beanpot every year

UConn
PC
BC
UMass
URI
Fairfield/Sacred Heart
Northeastern/Boston U
Harvard/Yale/Brown/Dartmouth

Play the first two rounds in Bridgeport, Mohegan Sun, Hartford, Springfield, Worcester or Providence. Play the final night (3rd place game & championship) in Boston.

I'd build vacation time around this event.

 

[CT Rhody]

Good feedback. I say top 25-40 opponent since URI has been included in all the preseason top 25 publications this year. Obviously they have to prove their worth this year to justify the high early season ranking. With Dan staying at the program and turning down going back home twice already along with the classes they continue to bring in, they should be a top 50 RPI opponent for the foreseeable future and every team can use those on their schedule.

Mohegan Sun makes a killing when they sell out their arena just including the gambling, inside arena concessions, outside the arena restaurant and bar sales. UConn and URI could do a 60/40 split with UConn getting 60% of whatever Mohegan wants to pay out the Universities for the game, then that could be financially viable for both schools. I'm obviously a huge fan of games at Mohegan, URI potentially plays Duke there this year.

The good thing about URI is they won't ever think they are on the same footing as UConn. As opposed to giving say PC a home and home, PC would use it as saying that they are on equal footing. Which of course lets be real, UConn has four national titles in 15 years or so, nobody within the Northeast let alone New England is on that kind of level.

 

[raf46]

I wanted to reach out to the Uconn fans since I now live in the great Hartford area and can appreciate what UConn has done with their athletic program. Plus I'm obviously a Uconn fan now only behind URI. I first wanted to say congrats on landing Mal over PC. I find it humorous that PC fans see Uconn as a rival but the gist I get living here is that Uconn fans barely have PC on their radar. If you read PC boards, their distaste for Uconn is palpable to the point that it’s obsessive.

On to my schedule point, with Uconn trying to find solid “local” games due to the AAC being so spread out across the country, it brings me to this idea. Why wouldn't Uconn get into a series with URI? At first thought you might not be all that interested but here are the reasons.

1. Reduces travel on the players
   
2. Adds another projected top 25-40 opponent to the schedule (while Dan Hurley stays at URI)
   
3. You could play one in Storrs, Kingston, Hartford, and Providence
   
4. The game in Providence would easily sell out extending out Uconn’s brand
   
5. This would be a gut punch to PC who badly wants a series with Uconn to continue to quote un quote “rivalry” with UConn.
   
6. I also love the idea of a game at Mohegan, wonder if Mohegan could financially makes this as rewarding as games played in Storrs for example

I believe this would be a win – win for all parties involved.

not a bad idea. well thought out. Except, Uconn would want a 60- 40 split on the money. WELCOME to the board !

 

[CT Rhody]

not a bad idea. well thought out. Except, Uconn would want a 60- 40 split on the money. WELCOME to the board !

That's the thing, URI would have no problem doing something like a home and away and a third at Mohegan over x-mas break with UConn receiving 60/65% vs 40/35% of the proceeds. I do think a neutral site game in Providence over x-mas break might through the PC fan base over the edge however.

 

[CL82]

I'd be okay with playing URI but it doesn't justify a home and home never mind a world tour of sites in CT and RI. Come to Storrs and pick up your check.

 

[JonnyRI]

URI would never get a home and home (don't get me wrong, I live 2 miles from the Ryan Center so I would love it). Best case would be 2 at Storrs and 1 at the Dunk. Too bad though.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The D1 teams in CT that aren't UConn have a little tourney or more so a showcase...or at least they did at one point? I'd like to see a UConn UMass BC URI PC Harvard weekend were you rotate through opponents and venues -Boston, Springfield, Providence, Hartford. Been discussed a bit here and I think it'd be great. However, from a logistics standpoint UConn typically plays in very marquee early season tourneys and I'm unsure how that would effect things like Maui, Atlantis, preseason NIT.

 

[gtcam]

Win/Win for URI
Not so much for UConn
Make some tourney noise for a few years then come calling- and there probably wont be a home/home
URI is doing some nice things but not there yet
Would like to see it

 

[Leebo]

Write a letter to KO telling him that the University of Rhode Island exists. Him not knowing probably explains why it hasn't been scheduled. Good catch

 

[SixRings]

Okay, we'll do it. I've always liked URI since they had those crazy shorts with the white check mark type of stripes that looked like Molson Ice bottles. Back then I liked Molson Ice. Crazy.

 

[champs99and04]

I've been clamoring for this for a while. It could potentially turn into a great rivalry if Hurley is there long-term. Would much rather them than Auburn or UMass.

 

[BlueMAB]

No disrespect intended, but we don't need to "extend the brand" into Providence. We already own New England and can stake a pretty large claim to NYC. #6thborough

I'd rather play St. Joseph's, Nova, and Temple, and stake a claim on owning the Big 5 too.

 

[zls44]

I was in favor of playing URI this year because I think they'll be good. But I also think they'll have a new coaching staff next year and who knows if the program won't just go back in the tank.

Tentative pass.

 

[champs99and04]

I was in favor of playing URI this year because I think they'll be good. But I also think they'll have a new coaching staff next year and who knows if the program won't just go back in the tank.

Tentative pass.

Yeah...should have scheduled a two year series with Rhody while Matthews, Garrett, and Terrell all have another two years of eligibility. I don't know what the program looks like past them if the coach leaves.

 

[Fishy]

I'd be okay with playing URI but it doesn't justify a home and home never mind a world tour of sites in CT and RI. Come to Storrs and pick up your check.

Bingo.

Why the hell would we make this a traveling circus?

Love to play URI, though - we'll show you where to park your bus when you get here.

 

[CT Rhody]

Yeah...should have scheduled a two year series with Rhody while Matthews, Garrett, and Terrell all have another two years of eligibility. I don't know what the program looks like past them if the coach leaves.

Yea the next two years URI looks to be a solid top 40 squad if not higher. Apparently URI reached to UConn to discuss a series but UConn wasn't all that interested as they never got back to URI. Looking at UConn's schedule this year, its almost as if UConn has 5 buy games (included the road game at Loyola since that was a strategic play to split up the Maui trip). Those 5 "Buy Games" can be RPI killers when you include the potentially weak AAC RPI games UConn gets in conference. Then UConn has the annual tournament that all major conference teams play in yearly. Then what appears to be 4 home-home style arrangements with Auburn, Syracuse, Georgetown, and Ohio State this year being the four. By the way Georgetown isn't the GT of old anymore, I know it's an old BE rivalry but with JT3 at the helm this won't be a great RPI game for the foreseeable future no matter who they recruit in.

My point is UConn needs RPI help since they aren't in the ACC, B12, or B10 yet. URI doesn't do buy games, Hurley doesn't believe a high major program should be bought out and that's how he runs his program at URI, right, wrong, or indifferent. But with travel distance being a major factor UConn has gone on record saying they need to look at and URI's growth to a solid RPI game, there appears to be opportunity to make some sort of arrangement that is beneficial for both schools.

I read some comments about playing in Providence and no need for that. There are a lot of UConn fans in Rhode Island and I'll say it again, playing in Providence against URI would wrangle the hell of out PC fans.

 

[CL82]

URI doesn't do buy games

Ah, I see. Well thank you for your interest in Connecticut basketball.

 

[TRest]

This reminds me of all the howling UMass and Cal's sycophants (Dickie V) did about UConn having to play UMass when they were good for about 20 minutes that one time. So we entered a 10 game agreement. Nobody's asking us to play UMass anymore.

 

[rs2905]

Sorry, but on what planet is UConn too good for a H/H with URI? They're a top 25 team this year, have been top 100 the last few years and seem to be set up to succeed for the long-term. It's not the sexiest matchup, but UConn doesn't need 100 P5 home-and-homes. They need consistent solid RPI games and just by being competitive in the A-10, URI provides exactly that.

UConn has played at mids before too, in case you forgot. They've played at Buffalo, at UMass, at Rice, and at UCF (Big East days). That's just off the top of my head. Being in the AAC does not mean UConn needs to kill itself with its schedule, it means it needs to schedule wisely. Give me a game at URI over a home guarantee any day.