Geno Attacks Parking Fees

[RockyMTblue2]

Fuller in rare form this PM with mucho content. Including Karlie Samuelson's new coaching assignment and Heather Buck's half time appearance. But Geno on when home weekend games should be played is worth the price of admission.

"It is a proven fact that if we play games at an accessible time that our fans will come out. This is one of the few days when I got here, I parked in the garage and I am pissed off that is cost $12 to park in the garage," Auriemma said. "Whoever is charging $12 for these people to park in the garage should be ashamed of themselves, it is disgraceful so for them to come out here and not only come to the game pretty much knowing that we are going to win and then staying to the end of the game... This makes no sense but our fans are unique from fans around the country.

"I think you have to give them a reason to come and if you do they will. Playing games on the afternoon on the weekends is the winning ticket, it is beyond me why we don't have more of those. There should never be a Saturday night game ever again, every game should be Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon, I am a big proponent of that. We have a bunch of game at the XL Center coming up and I think we are going to have huge crowds for that as well. I am proud of our fans and I am happy for them that our kids put on a great show today. I remind our players all the time that when people pay to watch you play, you have an obligation to make sure that they didn't just pay to see something that they could go down to the playground and watch somebody do."

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville

 

[oldude]

I agree with Geno on the afternoon games on weekends both at Gampel and the XL center. It’s great for UConn’s older fan base as well as families with kids

 

[GoUconn7961]

He is 100% correct. Afternoon games are perfect and charging those fees to Park is plain greed.

 

[MilfordHusky]

So Karlie is working at Vanguard and Kaleena is working at Mater Dei. You can't keep those Mater Dei kids out of OC!

 

[shizam]

Good for him. Looking out for the fan. I knew I liked something else about him besides his sense of humor. I’m starting to like this guy more and more. He gets it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Fuller in rare form this PM with mucho content. Including Karlie Samuelson's new coaching assignment and Heather Buck's half time appearance. But Geno on when home weekend games should be played is worth the price of admission.

"It is a proven fact that if we play games at an accessible time that our fans will come out. This is one of the few days when I got here, I parked in the garage and I am pissed off that is cost $12 to park in the garage," Auriemma said. "Whoever is charging $12 for these people to park in the garage should be ashamed of themselves, it is disgraceful so for them to come out here and not only come to the game pretty much knowing that we are going to win and then staying to the end of the game... This makes no sense but our fans are unique from fans around the country.

"I think you have to give them a reason to come and if you do they will. Playing games on the afternoon on the weekends is the winning ticket, it is beyond me why we don't have more of those. There should never be a Saturday night game ever again, every game should be Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon, I am a big proponent of that. We have a bunch of game at the XL Center coming up and I think we are going to have huge crowds for that as well. I am proud of our fans and I am happy for them that our kids put on a great show today. I remind our players all the time that when people pay to watch you play, you have an obligation to make sure that they didn't just pay to see something that they could go down to the playground and watch somebody do."

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville

Exceptional find, Geno was in rare form.
What took Geno/Uconn 20 years to recognize the truths. His fan base, as Calhoun told him , are the octogenarians, most all have night vision issues, and Families with kids--after 9 the tiny ones have had enough. So Geno assertion that the game should be during the day on weekend games is more than valid--also more than true--especially for a Sat/Sun afternoon game the 12 bucks is a bit much--at some point one or two of the games should be free parking.

Congratulations to KIA the great defender of the Sword of the Court. 1 of 10 shooting for a shooter who hit 22 and 29 in her last outings---fan--tastic. Do I hear a Durr in her future??

Like KLS I wish Karlie well in her new efforts towards coaching--sounds like big sis taught KLS a bit.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Good for him. Looking out for the fan. I knew I liked something else about him besides his sense of humor. I’m starting to like this guy more and more. He gets it.

If you like his humor---you'll love how his team ALL ALL --are/were into giving back and doing it quietly--please not Gabby's reaction to the kids from Childrens' Hospital that the team built a personal relationship with--this isn't a singular event--if Christine would allow---the list of those helped, cared for, had meals cooked for them, wounded soldier/sailors/marines visited in THEIR hospitals by UconnWBB would fill 10 text books---I'm not a full Geno cheering fan, I see his warts, but compassion, caring--none can compare. Read he article.

 

[Golden Husky]

My only complaint with the Geno rant is his usage of the vile "pissed off." Whatever happened to "annoyed?"

 

[BroadwayVa]

I agree with Geno on the afternoon games on weekends both at Gampel and the XL center. It’s great for UConn’s older fan base as well as families with kids

Everyone is getting lost in the game time and parking fees---The REAL story is :
The Children Hospital Kids visiting the Uconn game and team. Gabby and the team visited the kids and they have a personal relationship.
I speak regularly about Geno's WARTS---but This showS the REAL Geno and Christine--they visit hospitals regularly, prepare and serve meals, have visited wounded soldiers, sailors, marines--almost all is done with Geno and Christine telling the press--hands off this is between the team an those they are helping--keep away. So rarely do you read or hear about it. Christine, I know from first hand, sends out Xmas and birthday wishes for sick and elderly fans. Geno visited a dying fan years ago (maybe many more)
Geno is a lot of thing--and one of them is COMPASSIONATE.

 

[ochoopsfan]

So Karlie is working at Vanguard and Kaleena is working at Mater Dei. You can't keep those Mater Dei kids out of OC!

I believe Karlie is also working on her Masters at Concordia, in Irvine. Ironic that the coach of the WBB at Concordia, is Christine Collins, who just happens to be the wife of the coach at Mater Dei, Kevin Kiernan.
I wouldnt be shocked to see Karlie get another try out with the LA Sparks. She would have made the team last year, then injured her foot, and was one of the last cuts.

 

[BigJim84]

Fuller in rare form this PM with mucho content. Including Karlie Samuelson's new coaching assignment and Heather Buck's half time appearance. But Geno on when home weekend games should be played is worth the price of admission.

"It is a proven fact that if we play games at an accessible time that our fans will come out. This is one of the few days when I got here, I parked in the garage and I am pissed off that is cost $12 to park in the garage," Auriemma said. "Whoever is charging $12 for these people to park in the garage should be ashamed of themselves, it is disgraceful so for them to come out here and not only come to the game pretty much knowing that we are going to win and then staying to the end of the game... This makes no sense but our fans are unique from fans around the country.

"I think you have to give them a reason to come and if you do they will. Playing games on the afternoon on the weekends is the winning ticket, it is beyond me why we don't have more of those. There should never be a Saturday night game ever again, every game should be Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon, I am a big proponent of that. We have a bunch of game at the XL Center coming up and I think we are going to have huge crowds for that as well. I am proud of our fans and I am happy for them that our kids put on a great show today. I remind our players all the time that when people pay to watch you play, you have an obligation to make sure that they didn't just pay to see something that they could go down to the playground and watch somebody do."

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville

It wasn’t that long ago when season ticket holders got free parking passes and discounts for children and seniors

 

[BroadwayVa]

My only complaint with the Geno rant is his usage of the vile "pissed off." Whatever happened to "annoyed?"

I read a few years back--and the P word annoys me--that white middle class people say angry/annoyed--everyone else uses the P word--of course when I was in the service and word and p word were the most used adjectives, verbs and nouns --it was common until my girl friend would not see me as long as I spoke that way--so now, as I live with her, you won't hear them uttered in our home.

 

[ochoopsfan]

The parking fees out west are similar $12, at USC, UCLA, UCI Irvine. LBSU is $7 and Cal State Fullerton is free on the weekends.

 

[OldAlum]

Maybe Geno should park further out and hike in like some of us. It would be good for him! Just sayin...

 

[Biff]

Well it's a good thing Geno is trying to support the fan base. But it's a little disappointing that he's been so disconnected to all the trials and tribulations the fan base has faced for many years.

I remember several yeas ago when Geno drove himself to a game, I want to say it was in New Jersey, just to watch two other two other teams play (not UConn). I remember his comments of the hassle of finding parking and the traffic getting in and out of the game area.

He's commented many times negatively over the years about fans leaving the game early. But he never really understood that if the next day was a workday and those people had a 1-2 hour ride home with no traffic that it was a big deal to leave 2-3 minutes early to save 30 minutes or more of conga line bumper to bumper traffic for miles. Older fans that parked on upper levels of the garage can wait for 10-20 minutes just to get an elevator up to their level.

I remember him getting mad at a less than full Gampel when Maya was playing her last game at the facility. What he didn't understand was that it was a post season tourney game and getting tickets is not straight forward and filled with confusing and bad information. The average fan doesn't know how and when to purchase these tickets. The problem was more with the marketing and customer service side not the demand.

What bothers me even more is that all of the issues presented to fans attending games have been brought up for many years and discussed and people have claimed to written to the Athletic department and yet little to nothing has changed other than the parking prices and ticket actually increased a couple times.

I'm gland that when Geno finally sees the issue he speaks up, but these are issues that should have been addressed by other people in the organization, not the head coach. He's got other things to worry about.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I believe Karlie is also working on her Masters at Concordia, in Irvine. Ironic that the coach of the WBB at Concordia, is Christine Collins, who just happens to be the wife of the coach at Mater Dei, Kevin Kiernan.
I wouldnt be shocked to see Karlie get another try out with the LA Sparks. She would have made the team last year, then injured her foot, and was one of the last cuts.

My son lives in Irvine, and Vanguard is a possibility for my granddaughter, the soccer player.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The parking fees out west are similar $12, at USC, UCLA, UCI Irvine. LBSU is $7 and Cal State Fullerton is free on the weekends.

Temple cost us $17 to park last week. We might have been able to find a space on the street, but we needed to be sure the car was still there when the game ended. I have friends who went to Temple in the 70s who had major problems with auto security.

 

[cbraarj]

A ticket fo Uconns game against South Carolina Thursday is $11.00.

 

[HuskyNan]

I read a few years back--and the P word annoys me--that white middle class people say angry/annoyed--everyone else uses the P word--of course when I was in the service and word and p word were the most used adjectives, verbs and nouns --it was common until my girl friend would not see me as long as I spoke that way--so now, as I live with her, you won't hear them uttered in our home.

The P word? Really?

 

[DaddyChoc]

Well it's a good thing Geno is trying to support the fan base. But it's a little disappointing that he's been so disconnected to all the trials and tribulations the fan base has faced for many years.

I remember several yeas ago when Geno drove himself to a game, I want to say it was in New Jersey, just to watch two other two other teams play (not UConn). I remember his comments of the hassle of finding parking and the traffic getting in and out of the game area.

He's commented many times negatively over the years about fans leaving the game early. But he never really understood that if the next day was a workday and those people had a 1-2 hour ride home with no traffic that it was a big deal to leave 2-3 minutes early to save 30 minutes or more of conga line bumper to bumper traffic for miles. Older fans that parked on upper levels of the garage can wait for 10-20 minutes just to get an elevator up to their level.

I remember him getting mad at a less than full Gampel when Maya was playing her last game at the facility. What he didn't understand was that it was a post season tourney game and getting tickets is not straight forward and filled with confusing and bad information. The average fan doesn't know how and when to purchase these tickets. The problem was more with the marketing and customer service side not the demand.

What bothers me even more is that all of the issues presented to fans attending games have been brought up for many years and discussed and people have claimed to written to the Athletic department and yet little to nothing has changed other than the parking prices and ticket actually increased a couple times.

I'm gland that when Geno finally sees the issue he speaks up, but these are issues that should have been addressed by other people in the organization, not the head coach. He's got other things to worry about.

I agree, Geno it took you 25yrs to notice... Geno babbles sometimes!

 

[Bigboote]

My only complaint with the Geno rant is his usage of the vile "pissed off." Whatever happened to "annoyed?"

This is Geno we're talking about; I'm certain it's not the worst expression he routinely uses..

I think this one is so common that most are desensitized to it. It was certainly a word that would get you a detention when I was a kid. I remember it was around 1980 when I heard it on prime-time TV and was quite taken aback. But it's been allowed on prime-time TV for almost 50 years, so it's pretty mainstream now.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Well it's a good thing Geno is trying to support the fan base. But it's a little disappointing that he's been so disconnected to all the trials and tribulations the fan base has faced for many years.

I remember several yeas ago when Geno drove himself to a game, I want to say it was in New Jersey, just to watch two other two other teams play (not UConn). I remember his comments of the hassle of finding parking and the traffic getting in and out of the game area.

He's commented many times negatively over the years about fans leaving the game early. But he never really understood that if the next day was a workday and those people had a 1-2 hour ride home with no traffic that it was a big deal to leave 2-3 minutes early to save 30 minutes or more of conga line bumper to bumper traffic for miles. Older fans that parked on upper levels of the garage can wait for 10-20 minutes just to get an elevator up to their level.

I remember him getting mad at a less than full Gampel when Maya was playing her last game at the facility. What he didn't understand was that it was a post season tourney game and getting tickets is not straight forward and filled with confusing and bad information. The average fan doesn't know how and when to purchase these tickets. The problem was more with the marketing and customer service side not the demand.

What bothers me even more is that all of the issues presented to fans attending games have been brought up for many years and discussed and people have claimed to written to the Athletic department and yet little to nothing has changed other than the parking prices and ticket actually increased a couple times.

I'm gland that when Geno finally sees the issue he speaks up, but these are issues that should have been addressed by other people in the organization, not the head coach. He's got other things to worry about.

In the end, its the issues everywhere and I suspect that coaches and university officials rarely notice - or - for some of the complaints - don't really have a solution.

Exiting events at Rutgers was horrid - football and WBB - and the crowds were nowhere near capacity for either. Meadowlands was always a hassle after any concert, etc. while a concert in Philly was much easier to exit.

Rutgers charged quite a bit for parking, and while my wife always said she was willing to pay for the convenience of the closer in lot, it got steep before we left in 2011.

Oddly, Arizona folks leave WVB and WBB games early, regardless. We were tied going into the last set of a volleyball match with our rival team from up north and folks poured out. Our then AD - who has moved on to Alabama - just stood in the gangway shaking his head. Peeves us no end.

 

[vtcwbuff]

The P word? Really?

Prude????

 

[vtcwbuff]

"I remember him getting mad at a less than full Gampel when Maya was playing her last game at the facility."

That rant was the reason that I decided never to attend another game at Gampel. Fed up with being mistreated and badmouthed as a fan, it was the last straw.

 

[Bama fan]

The P word? Really?

You guys should have a really,really really like option.