Huskies Heading to St. Petersburg Bowl to Take On Marshall

[huskymedic]

Is there information on donating bowl tickets? Only thing I can find is donating to the program.

Nothing I've seen yet... I was told it would be released tonight/tomorrow on uconnbowl.com and direct email.

 

[weyuo]

Please don't make a bigger deal of this than it is. You want to compare this to the Big Boys? Tell me how many Michigan or "Bama fans got on a plane the last time they had to play a Marshall level team on the day after Christmas? Yes, more fans are obviously better than fewer fans, but we --- no one -- is getting a "big boy" crowd for a bowl like this.

Real grown ups know there is a difference between traveling to the Orange Bowl and travelling to St. Petes. And school Presidents, ADs and network executives are all grown ups. People care too much about what nobodies say in social media.

That's the ole cynical CT spirit we need. Excuse, excuse after excuse to not do instead of do. Stay home, one less person in line I'll have to wait for.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Well, my dad talked me into going. We're leaving Christmas in the evening from BOS and taking a flight to Orlando and driving to St. Pete from there. Flights were much less expensive than flying to Tampa.

 

[SubbaBub]

Ok, there is a problem here that the AD needs to address and that problem is the travel company that they are using has zero juice in the bowl travel game. Thus is why we don't have the packages available and why I'll bet anything they will be more expensive than comparable packages for other schools.

There are two big athletic travel companies in the bowl game space. Primesports and Anthony Travel. Pick one. Using the same local firm you use for academic and team travel isn't getting it done. We locked up a bowl bid three weeks ago and had a pretty good idea on which two/three spots we'd land in a week ago. As of yesterday you had 20 days until the game which means you have about 14 days max to sell packages. You just blew 2 of the most important sales days.

Houston had there package up almost immediately and it follows the very successful blueprint for these trips. They used Prime.

We are dicking around with charter packages that can hold a couple hundred max.

 

[husky8273]

. The Fiesta Bowl distributed 17,500 tickets to UConn, and the school is responsible to sell them all. The cheapest of those tickets cost $111 (in the lower end zone) and can cost as much as $268 for club level. I guess we bought great seats.

The conferences have taken steps to protect the schools.....................

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/be8a...s-protect-bowl-teams-taking-big-financial-hit

 

[pepband99]

Ok, there is a problem here that the AD needs to address and that problem is the travel company that they are using has zero juice in the bowl travel game. Thus is why we don't have the packages available and why I'll bet anything they will be more expensive than comparable packages for other schools.

There are two big athletic travel companies in the bowl game space. Primesports and Anthony Travel. Pick one. Using the same local firm you use for academic and team travel isn't getting it done. We locked up a bowl bid three weeks ago and had a pretty good idea on which two/three spots we'd land in a week ago. As of yesterday you had 20 days until the game which means you have about 14 days max to sell packages. You just blew 2 of the most important sales days.

Houston had there package up almost immediately and it follows the very successful blueprint for these trips. They used Prime.

We are dicking around with charter packages that can hold a couple hundred max.

A million times, this. Small time thinking strikes again!

 

[SubbaBub]

I will also throw out that yesterday's lack of response had to do with lower level state employees not being allowed to work on a Sunday. Yesterday was a huge day in the athletic department calendar from a business and fan engagement perspective.

UConn came up small because of state procurement policies and the unwillingness to wade through that process to provide a better outcome. It's a real thing that needs to be addressed.

The conference also deserves some blame here. It's not difficult to build packages for each bowl tie in ahead of time for the schools to sell. They can add on air charters if they wish.

 

[Kgun7]

I booked hotels and flights that I can cancel in the next 24 hours ... waiting to see what UCONN comes up with. It also would be very helpful if I knew where the band was staying so I can try to book close to my favorite sax player!

 

[SubbaBub]

I booked hotels and flights that I can cancel in the next 24 hours ... waiting to see what UCONN comes up with. It also would be very helpful if I knew where the band was staying so I can try to book close to my favorite sax player!

My experience is the band stays at the cheapest hotel affiliated with the bowl committee. The travel parties are staying within sight of the stadium. You can check the bowl website for the assignments.

 

[Bonehead]

Horrible date and horrible time...I will be supporting from the sofa even though two hours from my brothers house.

 

[Tommyboy]

We are debating leaving at 6am from Jacksonville and heading down there. Most likely will go, but my god what a terrible time for a game. It wouldn't have even been that bad of a starting time except for also being the day after Christmas. Brutal.

Also, thinking of waiting til last minute to get tickets as I am sure good cheap tickets will be available.

 

[CL82]

NHRJimFuller 4:28pm via TweetDeck
QB Bryant Shirreffs has been cleared to practice without restriction according to #UConn coach Bob Diaco

Rumor has it that Sherriffs' practice 'red jersey' will be augmented by this:

Kendavis55 4:39pm via Twitter Web Client
#UConn and Marshall expected to receive payout of $537,500 per team for playing in St. Petersburg Bowl on Dec. 26

I'm looking forward to the "UConn loses money on bowl game" articles.

 

[WC1793]

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled for this team and the seniors that they get to go to a bowl game. But from the standpoint of our fan base traveling, this could only have been worse if it was Hawaii. I consider myself to be a huge fan and supporter, having missed about 5 home games since the Rent opened, gone to three bowl games, ND and Michigan, but there is no way I can pull this off at 11 am the day after xmas. Had this been any other bowl I could have put together a group of at least 6, but no one can go. So I am hugely disappointed but will donate tix.

 

[Briuconn]

I am with you on this point. I have been a season ticket holder since 2002 and been to every bowl game. Just waiting for 5 years to finally go again. Then this is what we get, St Pete at 11am on the 26th. I heard the rantings of some of the people on this board for people whom are not going to attend, but the timing is absolutely horrible, especially if you have your own family. If I was single the tickets would have been already purchased, just the wife sure, but with kids no go. Its a shame, I was going to bring my oldest if it was Cure or Boca Raton. Just disappointed in the timing as well as the huge jump in the flight cost compared to what the cure or boca raton would have been.

 

[Jarhead_1775]

For me, it just kind of worked out OK. We were driving to Florida on the 26th anyway. So we are starting our vacation 3 days earlier to be there in time for the game. Wife and daughter don't mind spending a few extra days there. Got lucky. Full disclosure, I would have left Florida to go to Birmingham and left them in the lurch, so I'm not all *that* great of a guy.

 

[Runway Ron]

https://ems.resrunner.com/_events/1606/;jsessionid=ECENCEFEMCDF

 

[BNich]

DowntownHWV 3:48pm via Twitter Web Client
IT'S OFFICIAL: @HerdFB to take on @UConnFootball in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Dec. 26!! #HerdNation#BeatUCONN

Could they maybe find pictures of Uconn's current uniforms and current players? That's pretty pathetic.

 

[BleedBlue97]

The Disrespect Marshall keeps showing is ridiculous, Or at least their indifference towards us... Just shows we gotta roll them down in Tampa and soon we'll be saying "Marshall WHO?"

 

[tduconn]

I hope somebody from either school goes to the game. ....... doesn't sound like much buzz locally.

Contest is ranked #37 of 40 bowls, and according to one "talking head" not a very compelling contest or teams to watch.

Implies both teams are lucky to be anywhere, and day, time, location would not have much of an impact on attendance by "locals".

What is the chance we seen any side line shots of fans in the stands?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I unfortunately can't go as I have family visiting my house in jersey from the 24th through the 26th and no way my wife will let me bolt (had to beg to stay overnight in NYC tonight using hotel points for the Maryland basketball game). Overall, I think it is a great opportunity for UConn to show it is rebuilding.

That said, the bowl travel packages are a a tad pricey

- Hotel: $640 for a single for 2 nights, online about $800 for 2 nights, stay at a Marriott Courtyard in between the Renaissance Vinoy & Tropicana for $300 for 2 nights
- Charter: $975 per person versus $380 on Delta (Orbitz) from LGA to Tampa.

Not as bad the the pricing fiasco that the Fiesta Bowl was; but, still.

 

[Srqhusky]

Does anybody have details on the fergs pre-party? It is a pretty cool sports bar located walkin b distance to the trop, just wondering if food/drink included

 

[huskymedic]

Does anybody have details on the fergs pre-party? It is a pretty cool sports bar located walkin b distance to the trop, just wondering if food/drink included

$40 and in previous years the reception included a buffet (can't remember if cash bar or not -- I want to say no but... ). Band and Cheerleaders are in attendance plus the usual VIPs (Susan, Warde, etc...). 1-888-GO-UCONN (468-2666) for more info.

 

[SubbaBub]

Does anybody have details on the fergs pre-party? It is a pretty cool sports bar located walkin b distance to the trop, just wondering if food/drink included

Depends if this is the VIP version or the regular joe version. Scroll to the bottom.


http://stpetersburgbowl.com/event/