I am done

[BlueMAB]

Season ticket holders here talk every week about their inability to give tickets away.

35,000 if tickets were free?

Nah.

 

[BlueMAB]

Attendance isn't low because of ticket prices.

Attendance is low because people have decided they have things they would prefer to do.

You could open up the gates for Temple and make all the seating first come/first serve and be lucky to get 22k in the stadium.

It's that simple.

 

[noeynox]

Attendance isn't low because of ticket prices.

Attendance is low because people have decided they have things they would prefer to do.

You could open up the gates for Temple and make all the seating first come/first serve and be lucky to get 22k in the stadium.

But this is mainly because the FB product just hasn't been good. It's been close to abysmal actually for far too long. I thought Diaco was going to be the guy to start changing this. While I won't go as far as others and say he sucks, and should be fired now or after this year, the evidence isn't there that he is the guy to bring fans back based on results in year 3. I hope he starts a turnaround soon.

I'll say this till I'm blue in the face the perception of going from BCS to G5 relegation has been a huge blow perception wise. Administrators can spout off about supporting the team/program regardless of opponent but even on the basketball board with a nationally competitive program people complain about the conference opponents. How with a bad FB team can you expect people to show their disappointment in any way but not showing up.

I will continue to support the program by buying tickets, but my desire for showing up to watch games that have become less and less enjoyable is waning. I know it's blasphemy to complain about a game we won, but that game against UVA this year was gawd awful to watch.

Some of us are not tailgaters. I commit about 5 hours of my day saturdays to enjoying the game and supporting the team. The enjoying the game part has become very difficult.

 

[noeynox]

Season ticket holders here talk every week about their inability to give tickets away.

35,000 if tickets were free?

Nah.

I kid you not. I can't give away tickets and a parking pass now, I never "sold" my seats but if word was out I couldn't attend a game I'd easily get half dozen offers to buy them.

 

[whaler11]

But this is mainly because the FB product just hasn't been good. It's been close to abysmal actually for far too long. I thought Diaco was going to be the guy to start changing this. While I won't go as far as others and say he sucks, and should be fired now or after this year, the evidence isn't there that he is the guy to bring fans back based on results in year 3. I hope he starts a turnaround soon.

I'll say this till I'm blue in the face the perception of going from BCS to G5 relegation has been a huge blow perception wise. Administrators can spout off about supporting the team/program regardless of opponent but even on the basketball board with a nationally competitive program people complain about the conference opponents. How with a bad FB team can you expect people to show their disappointment in any way but not showing up.

I will continue to support the program by buying tickets, but my desire for showing up to watch games that have become less and less enjoyable is waning. I know it's blasphemy to complain about a game we won, but that game against UVA this year was gawd awful to watch.

Some of us are not tailgaters. I commit about 5 hours of my day saturdays to enjoying the game and supporting the team. The enjoying the game part has become very difficult.

Yes, the games are boring.

They have become boring to people like us who can name 3/4ers of the redshirts - can you even imagine what it's like for normal people?

I don't go to nearly as many basketball games as I used to because they are tedious.

 

[psilotic]

Attendance isn't low because of ticket prices.

Attendance is low because people have decided they have things they would prefer to do.

You could open up the gates for Temple and make all the seating first come/first serve and be lucky to get 22k in the stadium.

Yeah, at this stage of the season. Gonna say if UConn was 8-0 might be a different story.

 

[psilotic]

We need to convert students who don't follow UConn football to undergrads who do follow football to alumni who continue to follow and support football. It will take about 6 consecutive or mostly consecutive years of success to do that imo.

Oh, like say 2007-2010.

 

[Hoophound]

As I said - we need non-alum fans, but they are only going to stay if the product is good. Don't for a minute think that I'm bashing non-alums - they just have a different perspective.

I think the bulk of hardcore fans are still non-alums. The beauty of the UConn athletic program has been that the state rallied behind it during the dream season and then Geno brought along the women and whole new set of fans was created. I'd bet the true hardcore fan base is 70% non-alumni.

However, the northeastern mentality is nothing to dismiss. You have to win or it isn't worth their time. That is both obnoxious and endearing at the same time, but it is a fact. Northeasterers are never going to support mediocrity or worse due to loyalty or responsibility. They don't have that gene.

 

[noeynox]

I think the bulk of hardcore fans are still non-alums. The beauty of the UConn athletic program has been that the state rallied behind it during the dream season and then Geno brought along the women and whole new set of fans was created. I'd bet the true hardcore fan base is 70% non-alumni.

However, the northeastern mentality is nothing to dismiss. You have to win or it isn't worth their time. That is both obnoxious and endearing at the same time, but it is a fact. Northeasterers are never going to support mediocrity or worse due to loyalty or responsibility. They don't have that gene.

I know people say it's northeast thing but very few places don't feel the effects 6 consecutive losing years, which is where we are headed.

 

[auggie22]

The first sentence says it all - he isn't an alum. Which makes this purely entertainment for him.

TBH I only really get irritated at the alums that walk away. As Calhoun said when he was in NYC a couple of weeks ago - the school needs us more than ever.

I have not scrolled fully through this post, so apologies if the following point has been made already:

I am not an alumni. This was my father's team, along with the sox and the patriots. We went to the basketball games when I was a boy, and bought season tickets to the FBS huskies when I was a young man. At that time my father was still in good health. We enjoyed many seasons together, but as his health deteriorated, the only team in which he maintained an interest was the uconn football team.

If I am breathing, I will be a season ticket holder and support the team and school long after the hardiest alumnus has bailed. Even if they brought P and D back. I can say this without condition.

There is a tier of fan that sits above alumni as the most loyal. We need to get more fans into that top tier and that will take generations. But it is a guaranteed strategy to build the fan base. If you don't already, and if they are old enough to cheer, bring your kids to the games.

 

[J187Money]

Bingo.

We've lost an entire generation of UConn fans because of this.

We never had them.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

The thing about giving tickets away is that our football program already operates at a significant loss, given the AAC TV contract. So your "how long can we keep this program afloat" time is cut shorter when you start giving away tickets.

I'm not necessarily against it, I'm just saying there are negative consequences as well.

 

[CTMike]

We never had them.

Agreed.

I'm thinking of the high school to young alumni age bracket. They've known nothing but terrible UConn football. Unless UConn sustains success for years over years... this whole group is gone from the fan base, as they grow up and get married and have kids... It really sucks.

 

[noeynox]

Agreed.

I'm thinking of the high school to young alumni age bracket. They've known nothing but terrible UConn football. Unless UConn sustains success for years over years... this whole group is gone from the fan base, as they grow up and get married and have kids... It really sucks.

They needed a home run hire after P. While I still think Diaco, has a shot to not be bust, he is definitely not a home run. Needs to win 50-50, games and he just doesn't do enough of that.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I know people say it's northeast thing but very few places don't feel the effects 6 consecutive losing years, which is where we are headed.

That's true. It's a mix of both really, a deadly combination made worse by the off campus stadium.

Look at the Cubs for example, until recently, lovable losers. But Wrigley is a neighborhood park, and the games are fun. If the cubs played in a place people mostly drove to, they would have had an empty building for years. Kansas football is awful, worse than UConn for sure, yet draws better because it has thousands of students, and alumni who can literally walk to the game. Add a few die hards, and you at least get over 30k.

 

[pnow15]

They needed a home run hire after P. While I still think Diaco, has a shot to not be bust, he is definitely not a home run. Needs to win 50-50, games and he just doesn't do enough of that.

How about a ground rule double?

 

[Exit 4]

The waning fan interest is multifaceted and I think runs much beyond our recent malaise on the field.

i) cultural thing - big time college football is still a relatively new thing in the northeast.
ii) competition for free time is relentless - people have lots of options
iii) hd tv and mobile tv is not helping. stay home, condense a 5hr experience into 3hrs and multi task while you are at it
iv) uconn alumni base is not on par with other big time programs. while the school has grown rapidly, many other programs have been bigger for longer. uconn could use more influential boosters in high places.
v) central ct economy is in the middle of a weak recovery, near bottom in the nation in recovering lost jobs from the recession peak.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

I am pissed too... as we all should be. The CFB landscape changing in the last 5 years has not been favorable towards UConn Nation- that's for sure. This past weekend I went into the game without the same feeling I usually get before a home game- the night before is like waiting for Christmas for me. Not this time- and I fear that will become the norm. Losing sucks, and the state of our program is not exactly what I would classify as "fun".

However, I'm not turning my back on this program and the University. I'll stand by Diaco and these kids until the final down against Tulane this year. Bowl or no Bowl.

 

[Husky25]

The waning fan interest is multifaceted and I think runs much beyond our recent malaise on the field.

i) cultural thing - big time college football is still a relatively new thing in the northeast.
ii) competition for free time is relentless - people have lots of options
iii) hd tv and mobile tv is not helping. stay home, condense a 5hr experience into 3hrs and multi task while you are at it
iv) uconn alumni base is not on par with other big time programs. while the school has grown rapidly, many other programs have been bigger for longer. uconn could use more influential boosters in high places.
v) central ct economy is in the middle of a weak recovery, near bottom in the nation in recovering lost jobs from the recession peak.

v.1) People's lives and responsibilities have evolved since the height of the Great Recession. People tightened their belts and prioritized other financial obligations over attending UConn football games.

Speaking from a personal POV, I bought a house in 2007, my income took a hit in 2008, and I got married in 2009, all the while moving funds around so I could maintain my football season tickets. Of Course not all fans are like me.

Finances got better, but then my first child was born in 2012 and 2nd earlier this year. Now I have more of a time issue, than financial. My first son is getting to the age where he has scheduled activities on Saturday mornings. So if I want to tailgate (and I do. It is still a lot of fun and an integral part of the game day experience), my wife is on her own with a 4 y.o. and 9 m.o. on days they don't come to the game (maybe 1 or 2 a year.) and I'm not involved in his soccer games or whatever. Soon I'll have a tough time fitting in the games let alone tailgating. Part of the reason I don't do basketball season tickets is that I can't justify all the home basketball dates vs. 5 - 6 Saturdays during the Fall.

 

[HuskyHawk]

v.1) People's lives and responsibilities have evolved since the height of the Great Recession. People tightened their belts and prioritized other financial obligations over attending UConn football games.

Speaking from a personal POV, I bought a house in 2007, my income took a hit in 2008, and I got married in 2009, all the while moving funds around so I could maintain my football season tickets. Of Course not all fans are like me.

Finances got better, but then my first child was born in 2012 and 2nd earlier this year. Now I have more of a time issue, than financial. My first son is getting to the age where he has scheduled activities on Saturday mornings. So if I want to tailgate (and I do. It is still a lot of fun and an integral part of the game day experience), my wife is on her own with a 4 y.o. and 9 m.o. on days they don't come to the game (maybe 1 or 2 a year.) and I'm not involved in his soccer games or whatever. Soon I'll have a tough time fitting in the games let alone tailgating. Part of the reason I don't do basketball season tickets is that I can't justify all the home basketball dates vs. 5 - 6 Saturdays during the Fall.

This has long been my situation, time wise. I coached basketball for the last several years, and so we had Saturday afternoon games every week in the fall. My daughter quit playing this year. But I saw an empty stadium for the Dolphins and Bills last Sunday as well. Nice weather, conference opponent...empty seats.

I think HDTV is really eating into the live game experience across the board. I live 15-20 minutes from Gillette Stadium and don't go to games, even with free tickets, except on rare occasions. The reality is that my view of the game is better at home. Bathroom access is better. Beer and beer prices and food and food prices are better, and the overall time commitment is much lower. Going to the Rent is about an 8-9 hour commitment from here in metro Boston. That's hard to justify, and harder to justify when I can watch the game in HD at home.

 

[noeynox]

How about a ground rule double?

Infield bunt single.

 

[Pudge]

It's a silly position to take. The FB program is hemorrhaging fans. Part of that is realignment related, part of it is we have been bad with little signs of improving. The good news is for those "we don't need fans like you" guys, you will have the stadium mostly to yourself soon.

This misses the overall malaise.

IT ain't simply a Football issue. Basketball needs to rise up. There's an overall deflation (where's the Tom Brady team working this ... lock them up) of the Brand in all our sports; while we continue - in many instances - be at the very highest levels of College Athletics. And, while the University (certainly in the Herbst era) has had fine leadership in creating a better academic institution and far better campus.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Gate attendant didn't even bother to scan or take my ticket Saturday.

 

[BlueandOG]

As a non- alum, I disagree... Our tailgates used to be 25-50 people... 90% of whom did not attend UConn.

Now, we are lucky to have 5-10 at a tailgate.

All of these guys are big UConn fans. We all grew up in the Hartford area, but did not attend UConn for certain reasons (Financials, grades, major, wanting to go out of state, etc.)

So, I think non alum fans are very important. The UConn fans I know that went to UConn don't even care about the football program. However, the non alum fans that I know do.... but as they get older, they don't feel like finding the time, baby sitters, etc. to watch a lousy product. They will, however, watch or listen to the games.

You need to keep all fans. Non alum fans can be just as die hard as the alums, if not more in some cases. Splitting the issue up into alum vs. non alum is dumb and a waste of time. You need all fans. If you grow up in the Hartford area, you should be a fan and it is the school's obligation to keep them around.

I hate to admit it on here, but to support the non-alum crowd, I'll come out: I'm a Fairfield U and Boston College alum who grew up watching UCONN soccer and hoops. I'll be at Alumni Stadium wearing National Flag Blue and White, yelling at BC fans, and generally causing a commotion. There are a lot of non-alums who love to root for UCONN.

 

[uconnell]

I hate to admit it on here, but to support the non-alum crowd, I'll come out: I'm a Fairfield U and Boston College alum who grew up watching UCONN soccer and hoops. I'll be at Alumni Stadium wearing National Flag Blue and White, yelling at BC fans, and generally causing a commotion. There are a lot of non-alums who love to root for UCONN.

True, I have one in my family and my grandson who graduated from UConn.

 

[UConnMike04]

I don't disagree with the OP at all. While not a season ticket holder but someone who goes to 3-4 games regularly a year (work and family commitments make going every Sat during the year impossible) it comes down to time/money vs entertainment. Most people don't go to the games to simply put money into the athletic department, or help with a gate number to help realignment chances. Most people go for a fun time, and the last 5-6 years have not been fun at all. I've noticed the lots being emptier and emptier, fans not caring much about the game at all bc there is no feeling or rivalry with the opponent now (save a couple games), and add in travel time/parking costs, etc depending where you live (90 min away for me) it adds up to a whole day and there are far more entertaining options out there for people. Nobody is ordered to go to these games and support, and in today's economic reality people have to be pickier than ever about where to spend their funds and seeing a lifeless, boring team every Sat is not the ideal way to spend money for most people. I have a guy at work I went to the game with for free bc I couldn't give away my 2nd ticket when my friend bailed late last week. It was his first time there (not an alumni and recently moved here from out of state) and afterwards he thanked me for the ticket but said he'd probably never want to come back. Can't say I blame him for how he felt...and that's the problem.

 

[bobbyinaz]

Try being a season ticket holder who lives out of state.

I've continued to purchase my tickets because I believed it was the right way to support the program. The last 3 years I've donated the tickets to my cousins daughters elementary school because I couldn't give them away to anybody else. My cousin recently told me that more times than not nobody used them even though they were being given out for free to some elementary school kid.

This sums up the apathy that now surrounds this program.

I'm also done buying tickets and will just make a donation to the school instead

 

[Chief00]

I think the Athletic Department knows full well that the fan base is suffering. It's quite clear from attendance. You are just one among many frustrated fans who have given up on the program.

I'm gonna keep supporting the program because that's who I am and I still enjoy tailgating and rooting for my team regardless. But I grew up bleeding UConn blue and I went there and it's just part of my DNA at this point.

Don't blame anybody for leaving. Definitely blame people for pretending we don't need the fans.

But I think the department knows full well how tough it's been on the fan base and they are certainly trying, but I am not sure what sort of miracle you expect them to perform. Fire Diaco and pray the next coach is better? Sell tickets for $10? Yell at Shirreffs until he gets better?

It's an ugly problem without any easy solutions. I hope someday we see you back.

I have maintained for years we need the casual fan.