This team will be fun to watch! If you don't have tickets, get them. You'll thank me.
Several welcome improvements at Gampel:
1 The Yellow Jackets are now friendly, chatting to the fans. Before the game they let anyone get closer to the floor to watch the warmups. Nice change.
2 The UConn Husky Ice Cream concession was moved out of the shadows to a prominent location overlooking the floor at one of the corners. Too long a line to sample the wares, but a major, major improvement.
3 Huge turnout of students in the student section. Gampel rocks even during an exhibition game if enough students attend. I hope they do this throughout the season, but I note that this year there are more games played in Hartford than there are in Storrs -- I think this is a mistake.
4 Ticket prices have come down. This is good news for everyone.
But a few glaring problems remain, all of which are easily fixed if management cares:
1 Save the money and get rid of Emily, the "sideline emcee". She adds nothing, and her cloying stupidity and really, really dumb questions are unwelcome.
2 Save the money and get rid of the rap-DJ. He adds NOTHING.
3 Turn the volume down a few decibels. It seems louder this year. Why? Afraid no one can hear Emily, the rap-DJ, the announcer or the advertizements? And, even though the pep band only plays at scripted times (there is now a total lack of spontaneity with the cheerleaders and the pep band), several times they were drowned out with advertizements and/or videos on the screens.
These three bad things are easily fixed. Gampel doesn't need to replicate the Mohegan Sun arena to be successful. And, on the by-and-by, both Gampel and the XL Center ALWAYS have better attendance than the Mohegan Sun arena anyway. Why copy this?
One last observation that is expensive to fix: Gampel itself is getting old and needs some maintenance/renovation, including its roof that looks like it is leaking.
I am really not complaining. This year's team is terrific and fun to watch. I already have rooms for New Orleans. This should be their 6th consecutive Final Four.
Several welcome improvements at Gampel:
1 The Yellow Jackets are now friendly, chatting to the fans. Before the game they let anyone get closer to the floor to watch the warmups. Nice change.
2 The UConn Husky Ice Cream concession was moved out of the shadows to a prominent location overlooking the floor at one of the corners. Too long a line to sample the wares, but a major, major improvement.
3 Huge turnout of students in the student section. Gampel rocks even during an exhibition game if enough students attend. I hope they do this throughout the season, but I note that this year there are more games played in Hartford than there are in Storrs -- I think this is a mistake.
4 Ticket prices have come down. This is good news for everyone.
But a few glaring problems remain, all of which are easily fixed if management cares:
1 Save the money and get rid of Emily, the "sideline emcee". She adds nothing, and her cloying stupidity and really, really dumb questions are unwelcome.
2 Save the money and get rid of the rap-DJ. He adds NOTHING.
3 Turn the volume down a few decibels. It seems louder this year. Why? Afraid no one can hear Emily, the rap-DJ, the announcer or the advertizements? And, even though the pep band only plays at scripted times (there is now a total lack of spontaneity with the cheerleaders and the pep band), several times they were drowned out with advertizements and/or videos on the screens.
These three bad things are easily fixed. Gampel doesn't need to replicate the Mohegan Sun arena to be successful. And, on the by-and-by, both Gampel and the XL Center ALWAYS have better attendance than the Mohegan Sun arena anyway. Why copy this?
One last observation that is expensive to fix: Gampel itself is getting old and needs some maintenance/renovation, including its roof that looks like it is leaking.
I am really not complaining. This year's team is terrific and fun to watch. I already have rooms for New Orleans. This should be their 6th consecutive Final Four.
