Guesses on tickets sales drop...

[JimHurley]

The main reason is because of our conference. In 2004 we were playing teams like Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, and Georgetown. Now it's teams like Tulane, East Carolina, and UCF. A lot of people aren't willing to pay for tickets for games against AAC opponents.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Hello all Uconn Fans from Men's Basketball Team!
I am a grad student from Uconn very much interested in why we have less people going to the men's games than we had in 2004 (from more than 13.000 to about 10.000 on average for the home games only).
I have my guess, but I thought that the fans might have an interesting point of view about that! Would you like to share it?
Ah, this is not a research!

What's your guess?

 

[Drew]

Lack of hot dog cannon at games to be used during intermissions. Can shoot hot dogs and other hot dog shaped foods into the stands (corndogs, Popsicles, etc). That would put butts in the seats.

they actually do this at Nebraska football games. Its awesome

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

Surprised nobody mentioned this, but how about the players/ talent on he team.

2004 had Gordon, okafor, rashad, Charlie v etc

I don't know about anyone else but I'm not exactly dying to see sterling Gibbs and Omar Calhoun in person (no offense to them).

The overall talent and star power is way down. And obviously the level of opposition is as well (which could directly translate to diminished talent on the roster).

Before I get killed, I'm not saying we have no talent or our team sucks. But relative to 2004 (which the question stated) the talent on the roster is way down and I don't think anyone would argue with me on that.

 

[storrsroars]

Lack of hot dog cannon at games to be used during intermissions. Can shoot hot dogs and other hot dog shaped foods into the stands (corndogs, Popsicles, etc). That would put butts in the seats.

fwiw, that didn't work for the Pittsburgh Pirates until they started winning.

 

[imno1]

Obama?

 

[sledog]

It's the Cheerleaders.

 

[ElGuapo]

Been there, done that.

 

[Socki]

Poor quality of halftime shows. (Evolution of dance guy)

 

[Gabriela]

Not research but you have a post on the Football board asking people if they'll wear some sort of device during games next year? For research?!

I mean your comments in this post, right now, are not a data collection for a research. I am just talking to people that follow the teams and basketball. Indeed, we are preparing a research about the matter. In order to do so I am trying to learn as much as I can. The blog is one way to do that. I did not post on other boards that do not talk about this particular sport, maybe it is another person.

 

[Chief00]

Definitely a result of the first night coed scrimmage. Quite frankly I thought this was obvious.

I know you were joking but interesting theory for reasons you may have not considered. At First Night they had to turn hundreds of fans away as oppose to needing to improve attendance for real games. Let's exam why First Night is so relatively popular amongst the casual fan - who often now frequent this board:
1) It's free
2) It's more about entertainment than the actual game
3) More and more of today's casual fan have not played the game themselves and basketball to them are dunks and 3 point shooting you might see on sports center or some video game
4) To the casual fan, First Night is proof that the women's team can compete with the men's team. They don't filter for lack of defense and so on.

 

[Palatine]

We used to have real rivalries, Syracuse, Georgetown, Pitt, even Providence and BCU. And the last two were close enough to draw enemy fans.

 

[upstater]

AAC isn't nearly as good as the BE but we were in the BE 3 seasons ago, and there was already a dropoff then.

Remember this article from 2008? UConn Attendance Slumps

But look at the attendance during the last year in the Big East:

Washington XL Center(12,720)
DePaul Gampel Pavilion(9,156)
Louisville XL Center(14,287)
Rutgers XL Center(12,768)
South Florida Gampel Pavilion(9,205)
Syracuse XL Center(13,518)
Villanova XL Center(15,165)
Cincinnati XL Center(11,131)
Georgetown Gampel Pavilion(10,167)
Providence Gampel Pavilion(10,167)

Compare to 2016:

Ohio State Gampel Pavilion(10,167)
Temple XL Center(11,319)
Memphis Gampel Pavilion(9,409)
Tulane XL Center(9,516)
Georgetown XL Center(15,564)
Cincinnati XL Center(13,242)
East Carolina Gampel Pavilion(9,307)
Tulsa Gampel Pavilion(10,167)
SMU XL Center(15,564)
Houston Gampel Pavilion(9,667)
UCF Gampel Pavilion(10,167)

How big is the difference?

At XL in 2016, average of 13,000 for 5 games (against non-OOC-cupcakes). XL in 2013 had 6 games for average of 13,200. Not a huge difference.

Gampel in 2016: 9800 average for 6 games. Gampel in 2013: 9600 for 4 games. Not a huge difference.

In looking at attendance, I just realized that 10 years ago, the XL Center had approximately 700 more seats, at 16,200. That helped those numbers.

But even then, check out BC's last visit to Gampel Pavilion:
2/1/2003 Harry A. Gampel Pavilion(6,884), Storrs, CT
Not too good.

 

[Mano]

I know you were joking but interesting theory for reasons you may have not considered. At First Night they had to turn hundreds of fans away as oppose to needing to improve attendance for real games. Let's exam why First Night is so relatively popular amongst the casual fan - who often now frequent this board:
1) It's free
2) It's more about entertainment than the actual game
3) More and more of today's casual fan have not played the game themselves and basketball to them are dunks and 3 point shooting you might see on sports center or some video game
4) To the casual fan, First Night is proof that the women's team can compete with the men's team. They don't filter for lack of defense and so on.

No you're right Chief, the key to improving attendance is to stop catering to the casual fan. In fact we should start screening them out before entering any games. Maybe with a UConn knowledge test or something? Let's just keep it to the hardcore.

Hey, when you were a kid and had an interest in, say, dinosaurs or something, did your dad come over and slap the book out of your hand to keep you from expanding your burgeoning knowledge on the subject or did he encourage you to explore it further?

 

[Chief00]

No you're right Chief, the key to improving attendance is to stop catering to the casual fan. In fact we should start screening them out before entering any games. Maybe with a UConn knowledge test or something? Let's just keep it to the hardcore.

Hey, when you were a kid and had an interest in, say, dinosaurs or something, did your dad come over and slap the book out of your hand to keep you from expanding your burgeoning knowledge on the subject or did he encourage you to explore it further?

Quite frankly, some strange recommendations. I have always said UConn should welcome the casual fan with open arms. However, I do think that First Night doesn't set the right tone for players on the team which tradition comes from the rough and tumble Big East. With that in mind some practical suggestions:
1) Improve Wifi for the college kids at sports venues - wifi on buses to XL from campus
2) More focus on youth group ticket sales, especially at the XL
3) Sell season tickets and mini packages at various employers
4) Have 20 seats per game randomly selected from upper level seats for lower level seat upgrades - each winner can pick a person to upgrade with them.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

At some point if Chief isn't in on the joke does it stop being entertaining?

 

[MattMang23]

At some point if Chief isn't in on the joke does it stop being entertaining?

No.

 

[whaler11]

AAC isn't nearly as good as the BE but we were in the BE 3 seasons ago, and there was already a dropoff then.

Remember this article from 2008? UConn Attendance Slumps

But look at the attendance during the last year in the Big East:

Washington XL Center(12,720)
DePaul Gampel Pavilion(9,156)
Louisville XL Center(14,287)
Rutgers XL Center(12,768)
South Florida Gampel Pavilion(9,205)
Syracuse XL Center(13,518)
Villanova XL Center(15,165)
Cincinnati XL Center(11,131)
Georgetown Gampel Pavilion(10,167)
Providence Gampel Pavilion(10,167)

Compare to 2016:

Ohio State Gampel Pavilion(10,167)
Temple XL Center(11,319)
Memphis Gampel Pavilion(9,409)
Tulane XL Center(9,516)
Georgetown XL Center(15,564)
Cincinnati XL Center(13,242)
East Carolina Gampel Pavilion(9,307)
Tulsa Gampel Pavilion(10,167)
SMU XL Center(15,564)
Houston Gampel Pavilion(9,667)
UCF Gampel Pavilion(10,167)

How big is the difference?

At XL in 2016, average of 13,000 for 5 games (against non-OOC-cupcakes). XL in 2013 had 6 games for average of 13,200. Not a huge difference.

Gampel in 2016: 9800 average for 6 games. Gampel in 2013: 9600 for 4 games. Not a huge difference.

In looking at attendance, I just realized that 10 years ago, the XL Center had approximately 700 more seats, at 16,200. That helped those numbers.

But even then, check out BC's last visit to Gampel Pavilion:
2/1/2003 Harry A. Gampel Pavilion(6,884), Storrs, CT
Not too good.

Um should I search for the thread where I explained to you that attendance fell off long before there should be any reason for it. Glad you understand now.

Gabriela - you awesome internet bot - it's fairly simple. The fans are spoiled. Things have a shelf life. This is why the Red Sox are selling tickets for $10 and Yankee Stadium III is vacant at times.

Watching bad games in HD at home is better then dumping money to watch in person.

 

[whaler11]

At some point if Chief isn't in on the joke does it stop being entertaining?

Wait those suggestions weren't groundbreaking?

 

[upstater]

Um should I search for the thread where I explained to you that attendance fell off long before there should be any reason for it. Glad you understand now.

Gabriela - you awesome internet bot - it's fairly simple. The fans are spoiled. Things have a shelf life. This is why the Red Sox are selling tickets for $10 and Yankee Stadium III is vacant at times.

Watching bad games in HD at home is better then dumping money to watch in person.

So you counter my post by agreeing with it? Huh?

Typical.

 

[whaler11]

So you counter my post by agreeing with it? Huh?

Typical.

Pointing out that you finally realized what I explained to you in the past isn't 'countering' you.

It's just nice to see someone who argued so hard against me finally see the light.

 

[QDOG5]

You can also blow me

.

No soup for you.