If we don't get close to a full house we got a problem

[John]

I disagree with one thing, I think that there enough people that care about a winning UCONN football team to sell out a 40,000 seat stadium, regardless of the conference opponents. We can control that, and I'm not going to conclude anything else about that, until it actually happens, that we have a winning team regularly, competiting for those spots in the top 25 nationally - and we DON"T have the attendance for a 40k stadium. I don't think that will happen. THe proof will be in the pudding. Gotta win and get there first.

The concept of expanding the stadium though? That's a tough one, and goes hand in hand with concept of being in a different conference, when it comes to things we can control. It's tough to justify the expenses to do that, when we're in the AAC, but if we had a 55,000 seat capacity? Maybe.IDK.

Catch-22. makes my head hurt.

I just want to beat Villanova. That's all.

going to 55K will either be a genius masterstroke or a complete boondoggle. Not sure that there's a middle ground.

 

[Carl Spackler]

going to 55K will either be a genius masterstroke or a complete boondoggle. Not sure that there's a middle ground.

Going from 40,000 to at least 52,000 is a matter of securing financing and making the executive decision to go. FOr the newbies around here - the stadium was built originally with design specs in the ground to go to 50,000 with a third tier to go opposite the tower lengthwise. It just needs to be built from the ground up, the plans are drawn up, and necessary foundation in place. For Maryland and Michigan in 2013, there was extra seating erected that I think was 2,000 capacity at the scoreboard endzone. Clearly - there are plans that can be repeated to do that. So - that's 52,000 that would require again, nothing more than securing the appropriate financing for construction, and then the getting the executive go ahead call.

My salary won't cover it. Sorry to say.

 

[businesslawyer]

I knew this board was filled with social misfits, but there are three posters in this thread admitting to going to football games by themselves. Good lord.

I have done so once or twice. And while I don't deny being a social misfit, it would be hard to overstate how little interest there is in Fairfield County about UConn football.

 

[NYUConn]

I was trying to figure out what your heartburn was and this post explains it. I combined two issues in my post. First, UConn sold big-time football upfront and now that it is no longer big-time it has lost the casual fan. Now this may not have been so bad if UConn had nurtured the growing fanbase from the start. Instead, UConn got piggy and wildly overcharged for the good seats. They didn't sell. Meanwhile, the preferred seats sold out in one day. The program started their D-1 journey in the hole. Having said that, it will come back if we get into a P-5 league. Nothing else will do. Not even winning the AAC. No one gives a crap about the AAC.

Thanks for this. As someone who grew up following Big East football and entered UConn as we were poised to make the jump, I have no problem with the way it was framed from a marketing and promotional standpoint.

That being said you guys are absolutely right and I think we got a little too big too fast and took the days of 35K + at the Rent for granted.

 

[businesslawyer]

NYC after a full day and coming to the Rent? Hardcore. Hope no accidents on the hwy. great effort.
I am leaving early from Htfd and going home first. No way all in our group can get to a tailgate for 4 hours before. Though I guess conceivably I am due a 5 hr tailgate, and a hat and cup.

Seriously? is Trump giving you a ride in his helicopter?

Even being satisfied with getting there 90 minutes before kickoff (on Saturdays I shoot for 120), I figure I have to leave my office in Stamford no later than 3:30 to have any chance to get home, change and put the food in the car, meet my friend and get to the Rent by 6. And given what the traffic is normally like when we've opened the Thursday before Labor Day, I won't make it by 6.

 

[John]

Going from 40,000 to at least 52,000 is a matter of securing financing and making the executive decision to go. FOr the newbies around here - the stadium was built originally with design specs in the ground to go to 50,000 with a third tier to go opposite the tower lengthwise. It just needs to be built from the ground up, the plans are drawn up, and necessary foundation in place. For Maryland and Michigan in 2013, there was extra seating erected that I think was 2,000 capacity at the scoreboard endzone. Clearly - there are plans that can be repeated to do that. So - that's 52,000 that would require again, nothing more than securing the appropriate financing for construction, and then the getting the executive go ahead call.

My salary won't cover it. Sorry to say.

I'm not saying it'd be genius vs boondoggle construction wise. I'm saying it's a dicey proposition filling it with fans wise.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I'm not saying it'd be genius vs boondoggle construction wise. I'm saying it's a dicey proposition filling it with fans wise.

If you're going to do something like this, you do it. The concept of waiting for demand or anything else, except actually securing the money to pay for it, and then doing it - is what stopped the stadium from being expanded in the past, when it made the most sense to do it.

Hopefully the decision makers in Storrs have learned from that and won't repeat it. The stadium needs to be larger, and it's a matter of getting money financed properly to do it, and then doing it. Attendance and the quality of the program at the given time, is irrelevant.

You'd hope that there is a plan in place, such that when the current broadcasting and media contracts run out that are carried over from the Big East contract negotiation position that gave espn first refusal and match rights ( you Mike Tranghese) that in the next media contract, that UCONN will somehow be getting the kind of money that reflects actual value and at that point, we'll be able to go ahead and green light expansion. It makes no sense fiscally and financially to do it now. The only thing that would change the financial situation to do it now, would be an invite to the Big 10.

There are hoops and hurdles involved, in that UCONN is a tenant and not an owner of the facility, but hoops and hurdles are made to be jumped through and over.

 

[sanchez42885]

For all those that don't already use it download the app Waze. It's a great traffic app with real time information from other drivers using the app. Also gives you the heads up on cops, road hazards etc. It has saved me from major traffic many times.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Here's what I don't get... Has anyone seen ANYTHING out there on this game, TV, Radio, or Bilboards? I've seen multiple billboards for UConn Basketball season ticket sales, but virtually nothing for Football, and not one promoting the fact that in 48 hours our boys will take the field to start the season at The Rent. WTF is with their -backwards marketing?

Im sure a lot of you also expirenced this, they gave my wife and I 3 free tickets when we left the season ticket holder summer bbq thing at the Burton in June. It was nice, but I can' t find anyone to take them. All my buddies have excuses why they can't come, or have to work. Thursday night starts to the season kill our attendance, espcially coming off a 2-10 season and playing a FCS school no one knows or cares about when it comes to football.

I'm hoping to get 3 of my friends to come out Thursday night, so we'll see. The team needs us all to pack the Rent in 2 days.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Can we PLEASE stop with this crap?

5-19 in 2 years, with finishing 2014 regressing badly. Look no further as to why the stadium isn't full. Gotta stop blaming fans that choose to spend their time and money on something else.

 

[NYUConn]

Can we PLEASE stop with this crap?

5-19 in 2 years, with finishing 2014 regressing badly. Look no further as to why the stadium isn't full. Gotta stop blaming fans that choose to spend their time and money on something else.

@Carl Spackler it may have been you who said this a few weeks back, but at any rate, I think it bears repeating:

Fans have no obligation to be die-hards for 4+ sports a year, that's the commitment you expect from alums.

If I hadn't gone to UConn I honestly don't know that I would care about our Women's Basketball program. It's cool that they are good, but if I had gone elsewhere and had moved to CT after graduation, I probably wouldn't care. Women's basketball simply doesn't do it for me.

However, I went to UConn. I had classes with Diani Taurasi and I have a ton of pride in the fact that they are the team to beat every year.

You can be a fan of UConn basketball and not care about the football program. It's incredibly shortsighted in my opinion and to not understand the two are tied together if just ignorant, but I am ok with it.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Can we PLEASE stop with this crap?

5-19 in 2 years, with finishing 2014 regressing badly. Look no further as to why the stadium isn't full. Gotta stop blaming fans that choose to spend their time and money on something else.

My biggest issue isn't with justifying the cost/value of a ticket- its in the lack of marketing of the game, and scheduling a Thursday night opener.

 

[huskymedic]

My biggest issue isn't with justifying the cost/value of a ticket- its in the lack of marketing of the game, and scheduling a Thursday night opener.

Okay - bam - magic wand. The game is now Friday night or Saturday afternoon--- how many more people come this year? Another 2k? Could be less due to scholastic fall sports kicking off in earnest.

 

[Waquoit]

I'm not saying it'd be genius vs boondoggle construction wise. I'm saying it's a dicey proposition filling it with fans wise.

I have no doubt we fill an expanded Rent if we get in the B1G, even if we stink. It will become an event. The ACC would be more results dependant, but still much better than now.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I have no doubt we fill an expanded Rent if we get in the B1G, even if we stink. It will become an event. The ACC would be more results dependant, but still much better than now.

Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State and yes, Florida State would fill it. Clemson, Wisconsin, MSU would be strong as well. I am sure that the Big Ten knows this.

 

[Carl Spackler]

My biggest issue isn't with justifying the cost/value of a ticket- its in the lack of marketing of the game, and scheduling a Thursday night opener.

Well, you haven't been around that long, because it used to be the argument that Labor Day weekend Saturday games were an attendance and scheduling problem. Nobody is alwsys happy. The game has been marketed much better than in the past, you can only sell a sandwich so many times though. Until tge product is good again, this is a stupid and useless discussion. We've had great footbsll with garbage publicity and exposure, and ee've got exposure now but garbage football. Until both match up, the quality fpotball and ptomotion, its a non-issue and I will now exercise some discipline and stop commenting on it. Spinning on a wheel like a hamster is not for me.

 

[businesslawyer]

Can we just let this argument die?

Here - for the last time:

The last sell out that happened because of a winning football team was the final home game of the 2010 season. We had just under 38,000 for opening night against UMASS in 2011 if I remember correctly. That's 4 seasons ago, and after Edsall had already skipped town after the Fiesta Bowl. As the draw of our regular conference opponents went away from 2011-2013, with the changing conferences thereafter combined with our tailspin downward and failure to maintain winning at home - attendance fell off the charts.

Shortly after the start of 2011 season, if memory serves - that was the fall that Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia followed Miami's, Boston College's and Virginia Tech's footsteps out the Big East door after Villanova - the same Villanova we see in 48 hours - punted the upgrade offer to join the big east pathetically in the spring, after drawing out the deadline and upgrade offer for nearly 2 years or something since 2009-2010 when we nearly had TCU as aconference partner in addition to the Big East. The garbage that Villanova brought to the table that was supposed to make the Big East a 10 program league, with TCU as well, but was inexcusable, and the final straw, nail, whatever you want to call it. Syracuse and Pitt were in the ACC less than 4 months after Villanova brought that proposal.

We are 5-19 in the past 2 seasons.

If we have 15,000 people in the stadium for Thursday night, that's realistic for where we're at. If we can get 20,000+ through the gates (50% capacity) after the fall of the apst 4 seasons, that would be remarkable. There is absolutely no reason to be concerned about attendance, until we are back to where we were at in 2010 as a relevant competitive program. If we get back to that level of football, and the stadium is empty? That's just not going to happen. We aren't Boston College, or Syracuse. We are UCONN. The concern, is that if we continue to the bed, by October, Nov of every year - the stadium will be populated by friends and family and that's it. That's the culture we live in. Win, and you will be loved and followed. Lose, and it's good your mom and dad love you.

That is partially true. There is no point getting worried about attendance until we start playing competitive football again. When we do, if attendance doesn't head up, we have a problem, and who knows if it will, but I'll worry about it then. First win.

But we'll never sell out regularly again until we're in a better conference. That is just reality.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If you live in the real world? Yes.

If you think Stanley Robinson wasn't athletic enough for the BE, who knows???

If Stanley Robinson was the greatest athlete in basketball history, as you claim, then why didn't he have a pro career?

 

[Stainmaster]

If Stanley Robinson was the greatest athlete in basketball history, as you claim, then why didn't he have a pro career?

He literally said nothing of the sort. What's your deal, guy?

 

[Dooley]

The attendance would be the same amount, whatever it winds up being, if the game was played on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. It's a tough sell for anyone to fork over money to watch what we've all watched in the last few years. I do it because I'm alum. My brother does it because he wants to be there when we play games in the B1G. Admittedly, we thought long and hard about now renewing ST and, instead, piecing together the season via $0-$10 promo/scalper deals. Ultimately, we felt like we were "obligated" to the school, program and, larger extent, the state to renew. Selfishly, we both hold out hope that we can watch Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan (again), Nebraska, etc run out of the tunnels from our seats in 139.

Sadly, it's a tough sell right now. I'm not even confident that if someone bought out the stadium on a ST basis, they could give away the tickets. Winning and CR are the two things that will draw the fans back. Hopefully both come soon.

 

[NYUConn]

The attendance would be the same amount, whatever it winds up being, if the game was played on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. It's a tough sell for anyone to fork over money to watch what we've all watched in the last few years. I do it because I'm alum. My brother does it because he wants to be there when we play games in the B1G. Admittedly, we thought long and hard about now renewing ST and, instead, piecing together the season via $0-$10 promo/scalper deals. Ultimately, we felt like we were "obligated" to the school, program and, larger extent, the state to renew. Selfishly, we both hold out hope that we can watch Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan (again), Nebraska, etc run out of the tunnels from our seats in 139.

Sadly, it's a tough sell right now. I'm not even confident that if someone bought out the stadium on a ST basis, they could give away the tickets. Winning and CR are the two things that will draw the fans back. Hopefully both come soon.

I'm with you man. The team has been hot garbage for two seasons now. When we went 3-9 at least we had Michigan, Maryland, Rutgers at home.

But now that I'm older it's a struggle when you have a mortgage and other bills to fit in a couple hundred bucks a season to watch the team get beat by freakin SMU.

I get season tix every year as a donation because as an Alum I feel the same obligation as you do, but man they are making it difficult these days.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

He literally said nothing of the sort. What's your deal, guy?

sdhusky likes to make up things and claim I said them. He doesn't like it when I do it to him.

 

[rich1122]

Attendance will continue to decline as anybody with any sense, or money, just leaves the state in mass.

 

[Waquoit]

Most UConn basketball fans know full well that the future of UConn hoops is linked to the football team.

Maybe not so much. The hoop team just landed another big recruit. But if the BB fan bashers are out there are honest, they will admit that without the great hoop programs, UConn isn't getting even a sniff of the P5.

 

[Alum86]

@Carl Spackler it may have been you who said this a few weeks back, but at any rate, I think it bears repeating:

Fans have no obligation to be die-hards for 4+ sports a year, that's the commitment you expect from alums.

If I hadn't gone to UConn I honestly don't know that I would care about our Women's Basketball program. It's cool that they are good, but if I had gone elsewhere and had moved to CT after graduation, I probably wouldn't care. Women's basketball simply doesn't do it for me.

However, I went to UConn. I had classes with Diani Taurasi and I have a ton of pride in the fact that they are the team to beat every year.

You can be a fan of UConn basketball and not care about the football program. It's incredibly shortsighted in my opinion and to not understand the two are tied together if just ignorant, but I am ok with it.

The geriatric set that follow lady hoop best be concerned with football. They're tied to it's success and exostence. That said I used to watch womens hoop at the field house in front of friends and family.
No Taurasis back then

 

[uconnphil2016]

Guys, I understand it's not easy to lose, but is it really that difficult to sit outside for six fall afternoons and watch football with friends? Yes, the team sucks. Yes, people have left. Yes, we got screwed in CR. But let's not be mistaken, this isn't a nuclear fallout. We're lucky to have made the jump to 1A in the first place. In the next decade conferences will once again shift and we'll end up in a better place after the second realignment than we are now. People in CT are so damn negative, and that is why people have left. Football games are fun to watch. More people should be showing up. Period.

 

[cttxus]

Seriously? is Trump giving you a ride in his helicopter?

Even being satisfied with getting there 90 minutes before kickoff (on Saturdays I shoot for 120), I figure I have to leave my office in Stamford no later than 3:30 to have any chance to get home, change and put the food in the car, meet my friend and get to the Rent by 6. And given what the traffic is normally like when we've opened the Thursday before Labor Day, I won't make it by 6.

I flew into LGA early Thursday afternoon before the July 4th holiday this year, and it took me almost 4 hrs to get across the Q bridge. Decided to stop off at the Angus Steakhouse in Fairfield for a beverage to calm my nerves. Lesson learned after not living in S. CT for 19 yrs: driving north from Fairfield Cty on 95 or the Merritt sucks the day before a holiday weekend. I'm guessing you won't have enough time to get the grill fired up, etc., leaving at 3:30. If it was me, I would opt for a Gold's Deli sandwich or grinder-to-go, and a roadie along the way. Of course, I'd have my co-pilot driving at the time. Then I'd hope for a few minutes to relax and enjoy a second course once I got parked at PAWS ARF.

 

[Exit 4]

I have done so once or twice. And while I don't deny being a social misfit, it would be hard to overstate how little interest there is in Fairfield County about UConn football.

True. There really is so little interest in UConn football down here. I can never find anyone to go. People like UConn basketball however - including all kinds of passive fans.

I just bought four tickets to this game. Probably won't be lucky enough to get up there Thursday - but I wanted to help at some capacity with at least a 'seat' donation.

 

[Stray_Dog]

Guys, I understand it's not easy to lose, but is it really that difficult to sit outside for six fall afternoons and watch football with friends? Yes, the team sucks. Yes, people have left. Yes, we got screwed in CR. But let's not be mistaken, this isn't a nuclear fallout. We're lucky to have made the jump to 1A in the first place. In the next decade conferences will once again shift and we'll end up in a better place after the second realignment than we are now. People in CT are so damn negative, and that is why people have left. Football games are fun to watch. More people should be showing up. Period.

...Part of it is our New England New York City mind set. We want things done now...if you want to wait and have patience then anywhere in the South is for you! Here, if your not winning then your nothing! Yankee fans get really quiet when ther team is bad, they might reminisce about a previous season but will walk away from you if you want to talk about this year or worse, tell you how great they are because of their dynasty. Well, UConn has no dynasty and its a new seaon with negative expectations - so sure accept we are in 1A - BCS, accept that we can grill our food and be over-charged for a beer in the stadium! Then sit in your seat and strap yourself down cause your eyeballs are about to bleed! With this in mind, I cannot in good conscience judge my friends poorly who choose not to go to a game.

 

[buddy]

I have done so once or twice. And while I don't deny being a social misfit, it would be hard to overstate how little interest there is in Fairfield County about UConn football.

I have to say that you are correct.