Jeff Jacobs: UConn AD Benedict speaks after rattling Boneyard

[Vancat]

I really don’t have a problem with what Dave said. He is pretty much on target. I wouldn’t fall prey though to a few vocal critics about MBB seating. Overall, I think it’s fair. The university needs the donations to generate income and part of that is a perk of better seating.

Please keep in mind, the system has already been adjusted to add points for season tickets in various sports, being a UConn graduate, years of giving and so on. So Jacobs is a little behind the curve.
The other thing that’s happened is these donations are no longer tax deductible if you get a benefit ( previously were 80%), so if Dave wants people to donate he must be careful because one incentive was already taken away.
My experience is the folks who complain haven’t really given more than a nominal amount, if at all.

I like you so much more when you use the first person and don't mention casual fans.

 

[Chief00]

I like you so much more when you use the first person and don't mention casual fans.

I love casual fans and always been their number 1 advocate!

 

[Husky1972]

Please keep in mind, the system has already been adjusted to add points for season tickets in various sports, being a UConn graduate, years of giving and so on. So Jacobs is a little behind the curve.

My experience is the folks who complain haven’t really given more than a nominal amount, if at all.

The system never adjusted to add points for season tickets in other sports, years of giving, etc. Those were all there from day one.

The UConn Club started in the 80’s, membership was $25 dollars a year. The UConn Athletic Development Foundation came along a few years later based on a points program where previous years of UConn Club membership were awarded points, as well as season ticket ownership, football, basketball, and soccer. Points were even awarded retroactively for football and basketball season ticket ownership, which was a good thing, as mine went back to 1976. But all those years of loyalty didn’t end up meaning much, as $$ donated became the big point earners. So, by year 2000, even though I had bought season tickets in basketball and football for 25 years, and at that point was donating $1,000 per year, my seats got worse each and every year. There was no way a loyal fan could compete with Aetna, Travelers, or even many of the smaller businesses that donated through corporate accounts. So, from the beginning of the UConn Club where my seats were just a few away from where Dee Rowe would sit, they ended up being well up in the backless 200 level. In Hartford it was even worse. Corporations don’t use the tickets, they give them to clients that change from game to game, and typically have little interest in UConn basketball, but are just happy to get free tickets to a sporting event where there is lots of beer and unrelated business talk to be had.

So, Jacobs isn’t behind the curve, he’s reporting it; DB is the one who acknowledges that the system created years ago is part of the problem of an eroding fan base.

 

[CL82]

The system never adjusted to add points for season tickets in other sports, years of giving, etc. Those were all there from day one.

The UConn Club started in the 80’s, membership was $25 dollars a year. The UConn Athletic Development Foundation came along a few years later based on a points program where previous years of UConn Club membership were awarded points, as well as season ticket ownership, football, basketball, and soccer. Points were even awarded retroactively for football and basketball season ticket ownership, which was a good thing, as mine went back to 1976. But all those years of loyalty didn’t end up meaning much, as $$ donated became the big point earners. So, by year 2000, even though I had bought season tickets in basketball and football for 25 years, and at that point was donating $1,000 per year, my seats got worse each and every year. There was no way a loyal fan could compete with Aetna, Travelers, or even many of the smaller businesses that donated through corporate accounts. So, from the beginning of the UConn Club where my seats were just a few away from where Dee Rowe would sit, they ended up being well up in the backless 200 level. In Hartford it was even worse. Corporations don’t use the tickets, they give them to clients that change from game to game, and typically have little interest in UConn basketball, but are just happy to get free tickets to a sporting event where there is lots of beer and unrelated business talk to be had.

So, Jacobs isn’t behind the curve, he’s reporting it; DB is the one who acknowledges that the system created years ago is part of the problem of an eroding fan base.

Wow it's almost like someone designed a plan to undermine the fan base.

 

[Chief00]

The system never adjusted to add points for season tickets in other sports, years of giving, etc. Those were all there from day one.

The UConn Club started in the 80’s, membership was $25 dollars a year. The UConn Athletic Development Foundation came along a few years later based on a points program where previous years of UConn Club membership were awarded points, as well as season ticket ownership, football, basketball, and soccer. Points were even awarded retroactively for football and basketball season ticket ownership, which was a good thing, as mine went back to 1976. But all those years of loyalty didn’t end up meaning much, as $$ donated became the big point earners. So, by year 2000, even though I had bought season tickets in basketball and football for 25 years, and at that point was donating $1,000 per year, my seats got worse each and every year. There was no way a loyal fan could compete with Aetna, Travelers, or even many of the smaller businesses that donated through corporate accounts. So, from the beginning of the UConn Club where my seats were just a few away from where Dee Rowe would sit, they ended up being well up in the backless 200 level. In Hartford it was even worse. Corporations don’t use the tickets, they give them to clients that change from game to game, and typically have little interest in UConn basketball, but are just happy to get free tickets to a sporting event where there is lots of beer and unrelated business talk to be had.

So, Jacobs isn’t behind the curve, he’s reporting it; DB is the one who acknowledges that the system created years ago is part of the problem of an eroding fan base.

Dave acknowledged these issues a year ago and made some significant changes. It doesn’t seem that you are aware of the major point system changes they made last year. Look it up on the website. In this article he pledged to do more, without coming off as defensive/fan blaming - which he just got criticized for.

Like anything else you need to know the current rules and play the game accordingly. I got 4 points this year for 2 hockey season tickets friends use, numerous points for multiple football tickets I buy for friends and get reimbursed. I have MBB XL and Gampel tickets. I got 50 points for being a UConn grad. And points for every year I had season tickets and belong in the UConn Club.
If you consider a point to be worth a $100, I have $30,000 of non donation points.

 

[intlzncster]

I hate to be the bad guy but you aren't going to find a bona fide AD anywhere. It doesn't exist

Yup. Especially when every president uses a search firm to cover their .

 

[intlzncster]

.
PS: If we had AD Dave instead of Warde we would have been in the ACC right now.

This is a preposterous idea. I mean, if you ignore all the reasons for which we were actually passed over, then fine.

 

[JMick]

This is a preposterous idea.

I'd be more worried if they weren't checking it occasionally.

 

[intlzncster]

I'd be more worried if they weren't checking it occasionally.

Totally quoted the wrong post I couldn't understand what the hell you were talking about... Until I went back and read it.

Edited my OP.

 

[Husky1972]

Dave acknowledged these issues a year ago and made some significant changes. It doesn’t seem that you are aware of the major point system changes they made last year. Look it up on the website. In this article he pledged to do more, without coming off as defensive/fan blaming - which he just got criticized for.

Like anything else you need to know the current rules and play the game accordingly. I got 4 points this year for 2 hockey season tickets friends use, numerous points for multiple football tickets I buy for friends and get reimbursed. I have MBB XL and Gampel tickets. I got 50 points for being a UConn grad. And points for every year I had season tickets and belong in the UConn Club.
If you consider a point to be worth a $100, I have $30,000 of non donation points.

You are correct, I am not aware of the “major” point system changes or all the current rules. I gave up our tickets in 2006 when we retired and sold our CT house (Mansfield) and ended up between Hawaii and Vermont during football and basketball seasons. What you are presenting as the current rules appear to be just tweaks to the system as I described it. No, at the time I didn’t get any points for my two UConn degrees, but it wouldn’t have helped me much in getting better seats than an acquaintance I knew who had moved to Tolland from New York and started a small business that was successful enough to allow him to donate through the business and get better seats than I had after being a fan for 25 years.

Are you saying that couldn’t happen to you under the current rules? I believe it could, and a system that displaces loyal fans with people with $$ and no loyalty: $ucks

 

[gampelcrazies]

If we are being honest, the biggest problem with UConn basketball tickets is Gampel and XL aren't set up to accommodate businesses and donors/season ticket holders.

 

[Chief00]

You are correct, I am not aware of the “major” point system changes or all the current rules. I gave up our tickets in 2006 when we retired and sold our CT house (Mansfield) and ended up between Hawaii and Vermont during football and basketball seasons. What you are presenting as the current rules appear to be just tweaks to the system as I described it. No, at the time I didn’t get any points for my two UConn degrees, but it wouldn’t have helped me much in getting better seats than an acquaintance I knew who had moved to Tolland from New York and started a small business that was successful enough to allow him to donate through the business and get better seats than I had after being a fan for 25 years.

Are you saying that couldn’t happen to you under the current rules? I believe it could, and a system that displaces loyal fans with people with $$ and no loyalty: $ucks

I envy you splitting life between HI and VT. I get it - money not loyalty tends to drive things. True, I could get displaced by “premium seating” when I thought I was already paying for it and lower level sky boxes if the XL ever gets a redo.
Good luck, Chief

 

[nomar]

Guys. We made it.

We made it in 2004 when JC called out the Yard for hating on Taliek.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I have no issue with what Benedict is saying here. He's exactly right that fans can't just wait until we win. They need to show up so that we can win. It's a collaborative effort.