If it's about TV sets

[Skiblets]

How the hell don't we get a look? You tell me that Rutty and MD football and hoops generate as much total interest as Bazz and Co, Casey and Co and Stef and Co? No freakin way. Just fun to be a Husky fan

 

[Dooley]

We really need to play all home games at Gampel. All Gampel games are must-watch TV.

 

[Jimdish255]

It's true Rutty gets on a bigger "system", more boxes. But somebody actually has to want to watch them for long term viability. But I guess it's all about demand for the B1G Network though Rutty's futility is a stain on anyone who's been associated with them. And we just keep collecting trophies.

If you watched any Hoops this year, along with this weekends football you just have to shake your head.

 

[Rumrunner]

The Big Ten may have access to the northeast, and the tri state area in particular, but no way do they have the content to complement that access.

The resolution of that problem holds UConn's fate.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

It's true Rutty gets on a bigger "system", more boxes. But somebody actually has to want to watch them for long term viability. But I guess it's all about demand for the B1G Network though Rutty's futility is a stain on anyone who's been associated with them. And we just keep collecting trophies.

If you watched any Hoops this year, along with this weekends football you just have to shake your head.

I shake mine often about Rutgers.

 

[ASweet3781]

I am pretty sure the University of Connecticut just had about a 2 week span in athletics that a couple of the mediocrities that have found a safe landing in realignment have never had. Ever. And that's just a couple weeks out of the dozens and dozens of "special" weeks we've had.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UConn has TV sets, it just is not monetizing them. I have a very hard time believing that the true value of UConn's TV rights is only $2MM a year. We just don't have a team out there working for UConn that can maximize our value.

 

[Dooley]

UConn has TV sets, it just is not monetizing them. I have a very hard time believing that the true value of UConn's TV rights is only $2MM a year. We just don't have a team out there working for UConn that can maximize our value.

Spot on. I have a hard time stomaching the thought of Rutty, the Fruit, or BC being worth tens of millions of dollars per year more than UCONN. Burton is right about that: we need to actively market ourselves better. All three of those regional rivals would love to be able to spend one day with our trophy room.

 

[Stinger92860]

We really need to play all home games at Gampel. All Gampel games are must-watch TV.

Except during breaks. Then games can be moved.

 

[UConnJim]

Except during breaks. Then games can be moved.

Should be 3 games in Hartford, 1 in Bridgeport, rest at Gampel.

Also, if by noon on gameday Gampel isn't sold out, give the remaining tickets to the students.

 

[Husky25]

How the hell don't we get a look? You tell me that Rutty and MD football and hoops generate as much total interest as Bazz and Co, Casey and Co and Stef and Co? No freakin way. Just fun to be a Husky fan

There is no doubt that Connecticut athletics is more entertaining as a whole at this point, but that is not where the value is. The value for the Big Ten is to get the Big Ten Network off the specialty sports cable tiers and on to basic cable along side ESPN, ESPN2, CSN, etc. They don't care if people are actually watching per se, just that it is available in NYC, and DC.

 

[billybud]

Yep..

Carriage fees in the BTN network model...versus eyeballs actually watching in the ESPN model.

With ESPN...they are already available universally so they want advertising dollars and high Nielsen ratings...

The BTN gets paid whether folks watch a particular team or not, as long as there is enough interest for someone to pay the carriage fee per set.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Should be 3 games in Hartford, 1 in Bridgeport, rest at Gampel.

Also, if by noon on gameday Gampel isn't sold out, give the remaining tickets to the students.

Agree, esepcially the student part; but, I woudl make 2 adjustments - 1) 2 regular, high-profile games per year in NYC at MSG (preferable as it is easier for NY/NJ/CT Alumni to get to) or Barclay’s as basketball dominance over NYC is a marketable benefit that UConn offers and needs to nurture, and 2) Gampel needs to be upgraded and expanded or replaced with a 12K on-campus area (maybe as part of a new hockey arena on campus)

 

[upstater]

Yep..

Carriage fees in the BTN network model...versus eyeballs actually watching in the ESPN model.

With ESPN...they are already available universally so they want advertising dollars and high Nielsen ratings...

The BTN gets paid whether folks watch a particular team or not, as long as there is enough interest for someone to pay the carriage fee per set.

But, but, but... this has always been our argument against FranktheTank. The eastern PA and New Jersey areas are not like the B1G areas. PSU, which is very strong in Eastern PA, hasn't managed to get decent carriage fees for the BTN in those areas. How is Rutgers supposed to do it?

Eyeballs should be relevant here because eyeballs = interest = willingness to pay carriage fees.

In the state of Connecticut, we see SNY raising their carriage fee from $1.55 to $2.50 after they picked up UConn sports, and even better. SNY was picked up by new CT cable systems, AND it jumped into the first tier after they picked them up. On any given night, UConn basketball (both men's and women's) will be the highest rated show on television (both broadcast and cable) in the entire state. And not only that, but for the rest of SNY shown in the northeast, especially NY state, there have been instances of UConn basketball bumping Syracuse basketball to a tape delay game (Syracuse also had a contract with SNY). Which tells you what the eyeballs are looking at.

So, the question is, does the interest in CT (with 3.6m people) outweigh the interest in NJ (with 8.4m people)? When we know that SNY is already making .95 cents per subscriber on first tier in Connecticut, and these are for 3rd tier football, women's bball, and men's bball.

I know this, ESPN is making a killing selling those rights to SNY.

 

[ZooCougar]

We really need to play all home games at Gampel. All Gampel games are must-watch TV.

This exactly. Games in Hartford always look terrible on TV.

 

[whaler11]

If all you ever do is watch on TV - Hartford doesn't seem great. If you know actually live in Connecticut and have a job and like going to games you probably have a different opinion.

 

[ZooCougar]

If all you ever do is watch on TV - Hartford doesn't seem great. If you know actually live in Connecticut and have a job and like going to games you probably have a different opinion.

Another reason why we can't have nice things. Sorry but it's true. Being from CT and having moved around a bit, what's interesting to me is the resistance people in the NE put up to driving an hour. It takes me an hour to get to the other side of KC sometimes. It may have something to do with the roads.

 

[whaler11]

Another reason why we can't have nice things. Sorry but it's true. Being from CT and having moved around a bit, what's interesting to me is the resistance people in the NE put up to driving an hour. It takes me an hour to get to the other side of KC sometimes. It may have something to do with the roads.

I guess but leaving Hartford driving in the opposite direction of home on a weeknight with a lot of traffic getting in and out of campus is easy to say yes to when you are in Kansas City and not the one doing it.

 

[specialisthusky]

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/college-football-tv-ratings/

UConn and Rutgers viewers.

Rutgers 7 games 5.06 Million viewers

UConn 3 Games 7.33 Million viewers

Granted the Michigan game skewed the numbers in UConn's favor and part of that audience was tuned in to K-State v. Texas game, but our nationally televised games never drew .24, .17, or .16 viewers like the Rutgers v. Fresno (ESPN News), Houston (ESPN News) , and Cinci games (ESPN News). Uconn's lowest was .56 against Cinci (ESPNU)

 

[UConnMike04]

I guess but leaving Hartford driving in the opposite direction of home on a weeknight with a lot of traffic getting in and out of campus is easy to say yes to when you are in Kansas City and not the one doing it.

I prefer Gampel games like everyone else, but living in Norwalk and having to be at work by 7 am in Stamford going to Hartford is much, much more feasible.

 

[sdhusky]

Another reason why we can't have nice things.

Why do you keep posting this?

Jim C was a "nice thing"
Geno is a "nice thing"
Ollie is a "nice thing"
Our campus is a "nice thing"
The Rent is a "nice thing"
Our academic standing is a "nice thing"
Our football facility is a "nice thing"
Our reputation is a "nice thing"
Our soccer success is a "nice thing"
Our field hockey championship is a "nice thing"
Our room of trophies is a "nice thing"

Why do you keep insisting UCONN doesn't have nice things?

 

[ZooCougar]

Why do you keep posting this?

Jim C was a "nice thing"
Geno is a "nice thing"
Ollie is a "nice thing"
Our campus is a "nice thing"
The Rent is a "nice thing"
Our academic standing is a "nice thing"
Our football facility is a "nice thing"
Our reputation is a "nice thing"
Our soccer success is a "nice thing"
Our field hockey championship is a "nice thing"
Our room of trophies is a "nice thing"

Why do you keep insisting UCONN doesn't have nice things?

I am talking about championships (conference level) of the non shared variety. Time to take dead aim, and not simply look the part.

I am also talking about conference affiliation. Playing in the morgue in Hartford just doesn't look sexy anymore. In Gampel, the place looks and is a top flight venue. We look more attractive.

 

[Husky25]

I am talking about championships (conference level) of the non shared variety. Time to take dead aim, and not simply look the part.

I am also talking about conference affiliation. Playing in the morgue in Hartford just doesn't look s e xy anymore. In Gampel, the place looks and is a top flight venue. We look more attractive.

Except when the camera pans to the dome.

 

[ZooCougar]

Except when the camera pans to the dome.

True. But the place looked great the other night. Very positive.

 

[NickyNewark]

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/college-football-tv-ratings/

UConn and Rutgers viewers.

Rutgers 7 games 5.06 Million viewers

UConn 3 Games 7.33 Million viewers

Granted the Michigan game skewed the numbers in UConn's favor and part of that audience was tuned in to K-State v. Texas game, but our nationally televised games never drew .24, .17, or .16 viewers like the Rutgers v. Fresno (ESPN News), Houston (ESPN News) , and Cinci games (ESPN News). Uconn's lowest was .56 against Cinci (ESPNU)

To tell the truth even I stopped going or viewing the games after the Temple game because of a combination of Floods stubborness in making timely change's,DB ineptness and just boring FB this season!! I can't believe his connection/obsession to Nova and outside of some "decent" STs play I got disgusted!What a lousy yr in the NE for FB ? I may even not watch the season finale against USF this week and don't think "we" (RU) deserve a bowl if they win !! RU seemed to get worse with each game? I can't believe they(Tyler Phommachanh) would'nt let Addazio hire all his own assistant coaches ?? I guess you get what you pay for! Like PP nice guy but I think worse coach! I hope I'm not ranting guy's just disgusted.