Home and Home with Florida

[shizzle787]

This news is sweet but we still need three more high profile games on the schedule (Providence, Gonzaga, Arizona or another Pac-12 team again).

 

[Waquoit]

Way to tell on yourself.

Hartford is better for fans and has the better crowd these days. But I like Florida in Gampel for superstitious reasons after the Bazz tour de force.

 

[BlueMAB]

Well to bring it back to this thread I really truly hope we play Florida at gampel. It’s been years since we’ve had a legit home game. That 2013 Florida game was insane. It just stinks having to play big name schools in Hartford. Like when we played Texas in 2010 at Gampel, it just is a better atmosphere. Why make our kids take the bus to Hartford and stay overnight? Make the opponent do the work. That’s an advantage. I really hope AD and Hurley schedule this in Storrs. But it’ll be in Hartford Bc we need to save the city

It stinks for you having to play big games in Hartford. Not for everyone, certainly not for me.

Hurley made our kids take the bus to Hartford and stay overnight. They don't "have" to. It's a 30 minute drive. I suspect he did it so that they can enforce curfew and get the kids away from the distractions on campus. But they don't "have to", he chose to.

Declaring it "will" be in Hartford despite the fact the last one was in Gampel is strange.

UConn isn't trying to "save" the city. Before Gampel was built I was in the lower levels watching Cliff Robinson. Lots of fans make it to Hartford who won't go to Gampel. It's a mutually beneficial relationship, this isn't UConn taking one on the chin out of the goodness of their collective/imaginary hearts.

 

[Ajs120102]

It stinks for you having to play big games in Hartford. Not for everyone, certainly not for me.

Hurley made our kids take the bus to Hartford and stay overnight. They don't "have" to. It's a 30 minute drive. I suspect he did it so that they can enforce curfew and get the kids away from the distractions on campus. But they don't "have to", he chose to.

Declaring it "will" be in Hartford despite the fact the last one was in Gampel is strange.

UConn isn't trying to "save" the city. Before Gampel was built I was in the lower levels watching Cliff Robinson. Lots of fans make it to Hartford who won't go to Gampel. It's a mutually beneficial relationship, this isn't UConn taking one on the chin out of the goodness of their collective/imaginary hearts.

UConn saving the city was a joke by me. You’re all taking my comments too seriously. I know there’s nothing that can be done. And I’m aware XL is a great home court three out of the 9 times we play there yearly. And yes it will likely be in Hartford. Since 2013 when was the last time UConn played a major non AAC team at Gampel? I think the last I remember was a Saturday noon game against Ohio state a few years ago. Should be like once a year.

 

[BlueMAB]

UConn saving the city was a joke by me. You’re all taking my comments too seriously. I know there’s nothing that can be done. And I’m aware XL is a great home court three out of the 9 times we play there yearly. And yes it will likely be in Hartford. Since 2013 when was the last time UConn played a major non AAC team at Gampel? I think the last I remember was a Saturday noon game against Ohio state a few years ago. Should be like once a year.

2014/15: Texas at Gampel (Lost) - Every other "major" OOC game was neutral or away.
2015/16: Ohio State at Gampel (Won)
2016/17: None - However - The only non-neutral site P5 opponent was Auburn played 2 days before Christmas - no way you ever play a big game at Gampel on a Saturday during winter break. UConn can't "make" Auburn come earlier or later, they have to agree on a date.
2017/18: None - However - the only non-neutral major OOC game was Villanova, and the game sold out.

It's not like we're getting 3-4 marquee match-ups outside of early season tournaments. And the last 4-5 years we've had to play return games at Texas, Auburn, Arizona, Ohio St while mixing in big neutral venue games against Duke, FSU, Cuse, Maryland, Oregon, Mich. State, Arkansas, Michigan, Gonzaga, etc.

On years where we have more than 1 home game against a big name, Gampel should definitely get one. I agree. However, depending on the schedule, there won't always be more than 1 of those games at home every year. Hartford should get more of those games because 7,000+/- more fans can get in and watch.

 

[zls44]

Hartford is better for fans and has the better crowd these days.

 

[McLovin]

I'm sure we are always trying to get someone like Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC or Mich St to come and play us at home - but we have not been able to make this happen. The last time we brought any of these guys to CT was UNC in the mid (early?) 2000's and Kansas in the 90's. Don't know that Kentucy or Duke have ever come to play us.

Of course we'd prefer to get a home and home with some of these schools, but if we could only get a game with a team like that by going to see them or at a neutral location I would be on board. At this point it is about getting exposure and more games on national tv (not ESPNU, CBS Sports or ESPN News - I'm talking CBS or ESPN). This will only help with recruiting and obviously with tourny resume if we are able to win one of these away from home.

 

[Scrutineer]

To answer your first question, if you read my post I said PC fans are saying UConn is scared to play them. I said that is nonsense. You went on to tell me not to look down on them (which I’m not) because they have a good team (which I know). I just said the reason we havn’t played them has nothing to do with being scared. I would still rather play those other national brand programs any day. People outside of New England and the Big East don’t care about PC.

With respect to scheduling more home-and-homes instead of cupcakes I wish we would. It’s something that gets talked about here every year. The program hasn’t changed it’s view on that and if you look around the country what top-tier programs don’t have a home-heavy non-conference schedule? Rarely do any of those programs play more than two true road games. I’m sure if it made sense financially to change the way things are like you say every school would be doing all home-and-homes. I’m sure others here can point out the reasons why schools don’t do it.

Thanks for clarifying.
My point about one "big" game at the XL generating more revenue than than two games like Lafayette only works in this environment today where for whatever reason those Lafayette type games only draw 6 or 7,000 people.