ideas thread idea
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Dooley
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A couple of quick thoughts to advance our program: UConn, it is largely believed, has been shunned from conference expansion because they are northeast school and a "new kid on the block". I say embrace being North. We live in the oldest part of the country, yet we do not have a single ounce of history/tradition found anywhere near our stadium. I'm not just talking about program history, but also our state's history. With that in mind, I'd love to see UConn embrace its state's and region's history and culture a bit more inside of our stadium. Rentschler Field virtually has no character and charm (other than a venue that serves beer at a NCAA event). Here are my brainstormed ideas to "dress up" the fan's gameday experience at Rentschler Field:
1. "Yankee Doodle" is Connecticut's state song. How about adding this to the band's playlist before games as the player introductions are being conducted. Then, play it again during the halftime show. We live in a part of the country that is rich with history and this would be a great way to connect and unite the fans and team. I'm not sure if the band would be up for it, but perhaps donning more of a colonial garb in their uniforms could help fans make the connection, home and away. If the band sat on a 3 or 4 row bleacher seating on field level in front of the student section area, the colonial uniforms could be better displayed. It also could engage the students longer (to stay in the stadium longer) and add a few more seats to our stadium capacity listing.
2. The vendor shacks inside Rentschler Field have no character. I'd like to see the facings of all of the food vendors look like the fronts of a colonial house. You can have 5 registers that are through 4 front windows and a front door. Some vendors will be brick, some would be wooden. Menus would include traditional New England fare like clam chowder (both New England AND Manhattan to remind people that UConn reaches to both areas) and lobster rolls in addition to the typical stadium fare (cheeseburgers, hot dogs, etc). There would also be a vendor that carries "Dairy Bar" products like ice cream, milkshakes, yogurt, etc to connect UConn's agricultural history with the fans.
3. Color the seating inside the stadium school blue. Every bench, every step, every block of concrete should be painted blue (if I could paint fans who show up wearing red, orange, yellow, green, etc at the games blue, I would!).
4. Similar to Gilette Stadium, construct a colonial church steeple on top of our scoreboard (would love to have a big new HD scoreboard installed but that can come later, I suppose). At the top of the steeple, our bell will ring when UConn scores points. Having a traditional "grandfather" style clock at the top to display the time (similar to the North Church). Also, the bell could ring at certain points before kickoff to alert fans to the beginning of "Husky Walk" and that the gametime is approaching. The theme isn't supposed to be religious, it's supposed to be bringing some of Connecticut's landscape and architecture inside the stadium. If a colonial church steeple is too religious for the university or public, we can swap it out for a lighthouse (with bell and searchlight). Actually, a lighthouse might be better to connect shoreline fans with the stadium.
5. Bring back a live husky dog on the sidelines. This would look cool and bring back tradition:
6. More old pictures of UConn football history that are blown up and hung hanging down from the second deck overhang outside in the vendor and bathroom areas. Perception is that UConn just started playing football in 2002. We need to show visiting fans that we haven't. We have the Connecticut Football HOF board but there needs to be more.
7. Retire #6 and display it prominently and proudly inside the stadium. Along with it, the famous quote "Play every play like it's the last play that you will ever play" and display it along the facing of the luxury box so the team sees it on their sidelines. Connect the team with their practice facility and team mantra.
8. Trophy case/Retired numbers/HOF/Players in the NFL case: schools with on-campus stadiums have the benefit of being able to show off their program's past accomplishments in a nearby athletic building or on-campus facility. UConn MUST build an area to hold past and future trophies and artifacts. We're the "fastest growing program in D-1 history". Show it. Pics of our win at Notre Dame, against So Carolina, our Big East conference championships, etc should be displayed either here or around the stadium.
9. Paw prints EVERYWHERE. Furthermore, taking a page out of the old Cleveland Stadium Dog Pound, let's pump dog barks over our PA. Can you imagine if our student section ever fully embraced UConn football and took some of the positive components of the Cleveland Dog Pound (barking at opponents backed up inside their 10)??
In summary, doing more things to embrace being a northeast program instead of hiding it to benefit southern schools with lower academic standings is the way to go. We want to brand UConn as the northeast's team and, eventually over time, generations of fans will be able to relate with the New England/northeast icons proudly displayed inside and around the stadium. Take the fight right to BC, RU, Cuse, Penn State, UMass (don't laugh, I think they're headed to the Big East soon), etc's doorstep. If nobody else wants to claim it, why not us???
1. "Yankee Doodle" is Connecticut's state song. How about adding this to the band's playlist before games as the player introductions are being conducted. Then, play it again during the halftime show. We live in a part of the country that is rich with history and this would be a great way to connect and unite the fans and team. I'm not sure if the band would be up for it, but perhaps donning more of a colonial garb in their uniforms could help fans make the connection, home and away. If the band sat on a 3 or 4 row bleacher seating on field level in front of the student section area, the colonial uniforms could be better displayed. It also could engage the students longer (to stay in the stadium longer) and add a few more seats to our stadium capacity listing.
2. The vendor shacks inside Rentschler Field have no character. I'd like to see the facings of all of the food vendors look like the fronts of a colonial house. You can have 5 registers that are through 4 front windows and a front door. Some vendors will be brick, some would be wooden. Menus would include traditional New England fare like clam chowder (both New England AND Manhattan to remind people that UConn reaches to both areas) and lobster rolls in addition to the typical stadium fare (cheeseburgers, hot dogs, etc). There would also be a vendor that carries "Dairy Bar" products like ice cream, milkshakes, yogurt, etc to connect UConn's agricultural history with the fans.
3. Color the seating inside the stadium school blue. Every bench, every step, every block of concrete should be painted blue (if I could paint fans who show up wearing red, orange, yellow, green, etc at the games blue, I would!).
4. Similar to Gilette Stadium, construct a colonial church steeple on top of our scoreboard (would love to have a big new HD scoreboard installed but that can come later, I suppose). At the top of the steeple, our bell will ring when UConn scores points. Having a traditional "grandfather" style clock at the top to display the time (similar to the North Church). Also, the bell could ring at certain points before kickoff to alert fans to the beginning of "Husky Walk" and that the gametime is approaching. The theme isn't supposed to be religious, it's supposed to be bringing some of Connecticut's landscape and architecture inside the stadium. If a colonial church steeple is too religious for the university or public, we can swap it out for a lighthouse (with bell and searchlight). Actually, a lighthouse might be better to connect shoreline fans with the stadium.
5. Bring back a live husky dog on the sidelines. This would look cool and bring back tradition:
6. More old pictures of UConn football history that are blown up and hung hanging down from the second deck overhang outside in the vendor and bathroom areas. Perception is that UConn just started playing football in 2002. We need to show visiting fans that we haven't. We have the Connecticut Football HOF board but there needs to be more.
7. Retire #6 and display it prominently and proudly inside the stadium. Along with it, the famous quote "Play every play like it's the last play that you will ever play" and display it along the facing of the luxury box so the team sees it on their sidelines. Connect the team with their practice facility and team mantra.
8. Trophy case/Retired numbers/HOF/Players in the NFL case: schools with on-campus stadiums have the benefit of being able to show off their program's past accomplishments in a nearby athletic building or on-campus facility. UConn MUST build an area to hold past and future trophies and artifacts. We're the "fastest growing program in D-1 history". Show it. Pics of our win at Notre Dame, against So Carolina, our Big East conference championships, etc should be displayed either here or around the stadium.
9. Paw prints EVERYWHERE. Furthermore, taking a page out of the old Cleveland Stadium Dog Pound, let's pump dog barks over our PA. Can you imagine if our student section ever fully embraced UConn football and took some of the positive components of the Cleveland Dog Pound (barking at opponents backed up inside their 10)??
In summary, doing more things to embrace being a northeast program instead of hiding it to benefit southern schools with lower academic standings is the way to go. We want to brand UConn as the northeast's team and, eventually over time, generations of fans will be able to relate with the New England/northeast icons proudly displayed inside and around the stadium. Take the fight right to BC, RU, Cuse, Penn State, UMass (don't laugh, I think they're headed to the Big East soon), etc's doorstep. If nobody else wants to claim it, why not us???
zls44
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I had another idea a few years ago...since the out-of-town scores are always a bit of a mess...how about a hand-operated out-of-town scoreboard next to the video screen, a little nod to Fenway? Painted blue, not green, of course. You can make it top 25, conference scores, whatever.
Good Ideas guys. Loving the out of town scoreboard. The barking could be a unique thing. Im sure alot of drunk students could make it very loud/annoying on the visiting team. Which would be a huge distraction for visiting teams in the redzone. Maybe at the end of the tunnel where the team comes out they put a little statue of Jazz. Kinda like the heisman heads. And have his "Play every play like its the last play you will ever play." Have every player touch it on the way out. Would remind the kids right before they take the field that this could very well be there last game, and to bust there ass. Yes players need motivation I think this could serve as motivation at the start of the game and the beginning of the 3rd quarter. I really think any idea is better then the ZERO idea's this school has given us. The dog sleds should definetly happen. Im sure that would attract people into the game earlier since its something very few people have seen before in there life. Great thoughts guys lets keep it going.
Hey if Uconn doesnt wanna start the dog barking, we could as fans start it on our own inside the stadium.
Hey if Uconn doesnt wanna start the dog barking, we could as fans start it on our own inside the stadium.
Dooley
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Dann
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don't u think if the music starts blaring and fog or w/e and then u see like 4 husky dogs dart out to the 50 would be cool? i think it would be a nice start for uconn doing something....
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How about the cheerleaders can dress in Pilgrim outfits and hit hoops with sticks during halftime? Maybe we can change DJ Joey Sh!tfits booth into a fawking blacksmiths shop so he can make horseshoes for the horses that pull the buggy that the team shows up with instead of using buses.
Imagine that husky walk now. The team arrives in open topped buggies to greet the 32 fans awaiting their arrival. GDLs hair all blown to crap from their 45 minute ride from the campground to the stadium. Because we are UConn, we need to show that there used to not be hotels and crap like that. We're tough SOBs!
We can capture the greatness of Massachusetts and do witch trials to those who arrive to their seats late.
You guys have got to be out of your damn minds if you think doing chit the way the Red Sucks do stuff is a good idea . My lord. Let's just become irrelevant like them while we are at it.
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Imagine that husky walk now. The team arrives in open topped buggies to greet the 32 fans awaiting their arrival. GDLs hair all blown to crap from their 45 minute ride from the campground to the stadium. Because we are UConn, we need to show that there used to not be hotels and crap like that. We're tough SOBs!
We can capture the greatness of Massachusetts and do witch trials to those who arrive to their seats late.
You guys have got to be out of your damn minds if you think doing chit the way the Red Sucks do stuff is a good idea . My lord. Let's just become irrelevant like them while we are at it.
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RioDog
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A discussion about transporting students to the game on another thread got me thinking- why not make the trip an `event` for the students? Could tie in with marketing, make a splash on campus, on the highway and at the stadium. Here's the idea: Have a FLEET of buses painted national flag blue, and covered with huskies, block C`s and paw prints. Have em line the whole damn street in front of Gampel. They should leave as a convoy with the team bus leading the way. Hell, give a state police motorcycle escort too. They can have a player walk to the buses, and also do some promotions to garner student interest. Maybe some give-aways to the first 100 or 200 or 500 students that board/ T-shirts, hats, noise makers or something. Leave them right in the seats for the students as they board. Maybe have a stand to give away coffee/energy drinks to get the students jacked up (especially for early or cold weather kick offs). The the whole convoy heads down I 84 like a TRAIN- with Johnathan clearly visible in the front window (observing all safety laws and regulations of course) and led by the Connecticut State Police. Hell, even a state police HELICOPTER.
When they arrive at the stadium, the UCMB should ALREADY BE THERE to greet them. When the buses arrive, they start playing. The students pore out of the buses and run to the team buses. The team then exits past the band and the students. I think the best thing about this is that it would make the students part of the spectacle even before they enter the stadium. Other fans would be gathering to hear the band, see the team AND the students arrive. Cripes if I was a student I would love it. IF the school did that I`d drive to Storrs to see if I could buy an empty seat on a bus (assuming any were available). Instead of crying about not having an on-campus stadium, turn a disadvantage into an opportunity. To up the ante, offer any student that paints their car NF blue a spot in end of the convoy, complete a place to park and police escort on the highway.
I`m sure UConn leases transportation, so this would require a smart sales/marketing person to work out the details with a bus company, but I imagine it would be doable. I can hear Brent Musberger`s voice doing the pre-game now:
`Here comes the UConn Blue Convoy, players and students arriving at the stadium from Storrs. The band is playing, the students are running to the team buses... and here come the players! Thats the tradtion here at the University of Connecticut folks. Now fasten YOUR seat belts as we get ready for the BiG conference championship game- 2nd-ranked Connecticut versus 6th-ranked Ohio State...`
DREAM BiG
When they arrive at the stadium, the UCMB should ALREADY BE THERE to greet them. When the buses arrive, they start playing. The students pore out of the buses and run to the team buses. The team then exits past the band and the students. I think the best thing about this is that it would make the students part of the spectacle even before they enter the stadium. Other fans would be gathering to hear the band, see the team AND the students arrive. Cripes if I was a student I would love it. IF the school did that I`d drive to Storrs to see if I could buy an empty seat on a bus (assuming any were available). Instead of crying about not having an on-campus stadium, turn a disadvantage into an opportunity. To up the ante, offer any student that paints their car NF blue a spot in end of the convoy, complete a place to park and police escort on the highway.
I`m sure UConn leases transportation, so this would require a smart sales/marketing person to work out the details with a bus company, but I imagine it would be doable. I can hear Brent Musberger`s voice doing the pre-game now:
`Here comes the UConn Blue Convoy, players and students arriving at the stadium from Storrs. The band is playing, the students are running to the team buses... and here come the players! Thats the tradtion here at the University of Connecticut folks. Now fasten YOUR seat belts as we get ready for the BiG conference championship game- 2nd-ranked Connecticut versus 6th-ranked Ohio State...`
DREAM BiG
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