How to make the spring game a huge event.

[Palatine]

First a note on last year. If they had the basketball national championship parade and ended it with autographs of the champs at the Rent on the day of the spring game, it would have been an amazing event. Alas. Perhaps if the girls win this year, the events could be combined. I won't hold my breath.

Okay, this is my idea. The spring game should be combined with a Band Day event. Invite high school bands from all over the state to the Rent. Let each perform a number on the field, starting early, say 9:30 or 10. Combine them all on the field for a Guinness Book of Records type national anthem. Have half time show by the UConn Band. Perhaps all the invited bands could get the sheet music for the fight song and at a designated time in the second half all the bands around the stadium could play the UConn Huskies song.

Getting a thousand or more band members and supporters to the Rent for this event would really liven the place up. It would introduce a bunch of new fans to the facility and UConn football. It's the kind of outreach that then state's university should be involved in. It would make the spring game a bigger, higher profile event and more impressive to recruits.

It's pretty easy to do. Most of it could be arranged through the UConn Marching Band and the AD's office. The event would acknowledge and celebrate the special relationship between football and marching bands.

Okay, so maybe this wouldn't make the spring game a HUGE event. But it's the ind of thinking that should be coming out of the ADs office.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I don't say this often, but... I think Palatine just had a good idea.

 

[noeynox]

That is a good idea.

 

[pepband99]

One slight issue - most marching bands (including the UCMB) haven't marched for MONTHS by the time of the spring game. Re-starting marching bands for the use of one exhibition seems a little far-fetched. I like the premise, though.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I think that every season ticket purchase from the previous season should include a spring game ticket that gets mailed out in March. Don't need to charge for entry to the spring game, not what I"m saying.....but having a ticket in hand........that can be used or given away......

I think it would help get more people to the stadium. It's not natural to show up at a sporting event and walk into a stadium without a ticket.

 

[Palatine]

One slight issue - most marching bands (including the UCMB) haven't marched for MONTHS by the time of the spring game. Re-starting marching bands for the use of one exhibition seems a little far-fetched. I like the premise, though.

What a bunch of babies. Get your butts out there.

Actually think of this as an idea starter. The point is that the UConn spring game should be marketed in a way that helps connect the university to the community. To expand the event from just a scrimmage. There are probably a number of great ways to do this.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Get the fans down close to the players. Get them involved.

Set up locker room tours in the morning prior to team arrival. Let them take pictures inside. Stadium tours. Get fans down on the grass. Take them out through the tunnel and run to the middle of that block C at the 50 yard line and take pictures.

Get alumni football players there to run the tours and sign autographs on the field prior to game.

Advertise it.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Here's and example:

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/041311aaa.html



Somebody forward this thread to UConn media relations. Palatine done something good.

 

[Carl Spackler]

An alumni game? I bet there are some 1-AA guys that would like to match up with the 1-A guys. A little light touch game.....

LOL.

 

[mattp]

the great thing about something like this is that it gets all the area schools involved, and band members tend to be a peppy bunch. i think anything that involves inviting area HS kids is a terrific idea.

 

[pepband99]

What a bunch of babies. Get your butts out there.

...and yet the sissy football players need weeks of spring practice for their scrimmage. The double standard marches on...

 

[huskypantz]

I don't say this often, but... I think Palatine just had a good idea.

Surprised that he didn't sneak some extra stuff at the end like ".........and Nick Williams should start at WR" or ".......someone needs to give Aloys Manga a chance at DT".

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

How about a halftime tackle football game between the regulars on the Boneyard Football board and the regulars on the Boneyard Basketball board. That might convince me to fly in from Chicago for that one!

 

[CTMike]

I still think a bunch of Boneyarders should get together to "bury" Randy Edsall at the spring game, but maybe that's just me.

I'm just hoping for some great weather like we've been having. Makes a HUUUUGE difference in the turnout.

Edit: COMPLETELY agree on the facility tours. Was lucky enough to get one a couple years ago... real hard not to choke up standing in front of Jazz's locker... A really great facility though and one that's very worthy of being shown off.

 

[tduconn]

Some pretty interesting concepts expressed herein to generate some interest.

How about inviting HS FB teams to tour the facility prior to the game. Maybe it would be a chance they otherwise wouldn't have because HS FB schedules conflict during the summer/fall.

Maybe take it a step further. How about pop warner FB teams invited for the Spring game and tour. Kids start thinking about playing at the Rent at an early age?

Perhaps meet PP and other coaches pregame? Q & A session from the kids?

Of course, this may have too many Spring school sport conflicts to make it viable.

 

[CTMike]

Some pretty interesting concepts expressed herein to generate some interest.

How about inviting HS FB teams to tour the facility prior to the game. Maybe it would be a chance they otherwise wouldn't have because HS FB schedules conflict during the summer/fall.

Maybe take it a step further. How about pop warner FB teams invited for the Spring game and tour. Kids start thinking about playing at the Rent at an early age?

Perhaps meet PP and other coaches pregame? Q & A session from the kids?

Of course, this may have too many Spring school sport conflicts to make it viable.

It's a great idea, though. It should be a celebration of Connecticut football - all ages. Make that first impression young.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Now we're talking. Open up the facility to the fans. Get football kids, parents, coaches in from all around. Get the marching bands in. The bands are part of college football. I can't imagine college football without a marching band. Get the youth cheerleaders out there at the stadium with the UConn cheer.

I'm sure that if the school gets on it, you can get a 7 on 7 touch alumni game going prior to the team coming out, that would be pretty intense. All those fans that started watching with the guys in 1-A era, would get a chance to see some of those players again, and meet them.

Advertise it. Market the hell out of it.

You listening UCONN?

 

[Johnbuoy]

All good ideas, and don't forget to send personal invites to the 2013 verbal commits and others the coaching staff is considering pursuing...unless of course that'd be against NCAA regs.

 

[epark88]

Here's and example:

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/041311aaa.html



Somebody forward this thread to UConn media relations. Palatine done something good.

Not for nothing, but our new AD just happens to be a Michigan Man.

I gotta believe that a lot of what goes on at the Big House during the spring is headed our way as well...

 

[Dann]

i have a few ideas i will put in this thread later. but here is something i have been hearing lately and i like where its going. usually the crowd is pretty small but no better or worse than other spring games in this area on the map cf wise. we always see that there are a bunck of recruits that go and we hear reations and stuff. its the norm. usually we get some local kids there but not alot. this is the change thats happening. uconn needs to work with the state just like they sort of have during football season.

for the most part on friday nights hs team play football with a few each week playing thur/sat. mostly uconn plays its home games on sat which all fits ppl's schedules well for fan support. most kids that play hs football are doing 1 of 3 things on the saturday of the spring game. 1-playing a hs baseball game, 2-playing a hs lax game or 3 not playing spring sports so its possible a free day. this needs to change. uconn and the state need to work out that on this saturday there are no hs games in spring sports. play those games on sunday/friday or make that a bye weekend for most...what ever your solution is. then what we need to do is cordinate with every single freaking hs to have a bus or a caravan of cars goto the game. kids and there parents will go! its a free game and a free chance to see the rent for hs kids. tell every single kid they can see the facilities, go thru the lockerroom and after the game or before go on the field. let them meet the players post game and so on. every hs would sign up for that and the numbers over time(couple years) will grow. that eventually could result in thousands at the game. let each hs have its shot for a second on the screen or over the pa. hs x is here rep by players..... kids and parents will eat that up and it will build a huge amount of local support regionally for the program. i'm not just talking ct but ma/ri and all of new england and nyc/wc/pk. it would go a long way. show some hls on the screen from last years hs season and pull out the red carpet somewhat if u get what i'm saying.

now that u have everyones attention from all the local hs, now u pull the bands in. but u make it a reward thing. u pick the best hs bands from the past fall. say pick a winner from ct/ma/ri or whatever u want to split it up wise and tell each of them during halftime they get there 5minute shot at doing the block c. now your pulling the uconn bands future into the eyes of local hs band members. building the brand....putiing fans in the seats...and so on...

also i like carls idea. when season tix go out, send 2 tix per season tix sent out for the spring game. or mail them in the spring but still, its the marketing that counts for that.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I do wish you would start to use caps, punctuation and spaces Dan. No offense.

The way what you're talking about happens, is by establishing lines of communication with high school athletic directors, and with local directors of town parks and recreation. Athletic directors should be easy, the university athletic department should be able to build a network of communication there very easily.

It's the local communities that would be difficult.

We're at a disadvantage there in CT, because we have what 114 different towns that all have independant leadership and the county level of governance is virtually non-existent in CT.

It's these kinds of things. where having guys like Pasqualoni, and DeLeone, and Brown in charge of taking UConn to the next level of success, is well - basically priceless.

I hope to see it all happen.

 

[Carl Spackler]

And whoever out there is connected - forward this discussion to UConn leadership.

 

[Johnbuoy]

And whoever out there is connected - forward this discussion to UConn leadership.

Who wants to send her a note?

Department PRESIDENT OFC

Status Professional Staff

Building GULLEY HALL

UBox UNIT 2048

E-mail susan.herbst@uconn.edu

Phone Number 860 486-2337

 

[Palatine]

All good ideas, and don't forget to send personal invites to the 2013 verbal commits and others the coaching staff is considering pursuing...unless of course that'd be against NCAA regs.

Those guys come every year. If you go to the spring game, you see a large herd of recruits on the field and in the stands.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Be nice, that if a discussion like this - is one of the first things that new AD sees...........Welcome to UConn Warde.