Karaban not happy with the fan attendance

[HuskyHawk]

It was a good showing for a cupcake game compared to 5-10 years ago. Actually probably double the showing , but that isn’t an endorsement of our current support as much as it is commentary on how lame our fanbase has been and is. It’s just the way it is, it’s really just the way New England is. The home of the pink hats. It boggles my mind that the excuse is now “scheduling”. It used to be our lack of success plus scheduling . But now that we have the ultimate success it has to be scheduling right? Our scheduling is perfect because it sets the table for growth and growth = success. We didn’t return our whole team. Kinks need to be worked out, and now is the only time to do it because after the next game our schedule is one of the hardest we’ve ever had. The 3 Maui games followed by a road game at Texas, plus Baylor plus the Zags? While working in 10 players into brand new roles? Only Alex, Hass, and Samson have done this. After all Hurley and Alex have done for us the last 2 years and it is too much for them to ask for support to help them grow into their best for another crack at title?

Incredible.

#CooleyWasRight

The reality is that sports attendance is dropping across the board. That we have more people than 5-10 years ago is pretty positive. Many NFL games not selling out, college football attendance way down, NBA, NHL and MLB all dropping.

It's the logical response to a live experience that is expensive and often inconvenient where every game is viewable in glorious HD at home. These aren't the days of a $20 ticket to a game you either couldn't watch on TV or were watching on a crappy tube TV.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Evidently they almost beat Syracuse in the season opener.

Yeah, but the plucky little orange was able to pull the game out by four points. Cuse also knocked off a spirited Colgate team by two a few nights ago.

If they can handle Ithaca and Utica they can then claim dominance in lower Siberia.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

That scheduling take doesnt hold water with Alex, or Hurley, or me for that matter. They expect a full turnout for EVERY game as recognition for achievements schools can only dream of and happen every 30 years or so. They also feel that there are places in the country with teams who dont come close to those achievements do in fact sell out their games against cupcakes. They have every right to expect it, and every right to call for this. If we cant fill the house EVERY game en route to a three peat, it is real pathetic and sad.

I hear what you're saying an don't necessarily disagree but this doesn't only happen here and it isn't that recent an occurrence. In I believe early season 2009-2010 Roy Williams publicly chastised the UNC fan base for a number of empty seats in a game against basically a nobody. He said that as defending champions, those who bought tickets (similar to where we are, they had sold out all games) should either find time to attend or find people who could use the tickets.

I personally would love it if we had a packed house for every game but the reality is that this will happen.

 

[UConniki]

To be fair, we're talking about a recently D2 team on a Wednesday night.

A recent D2 team that was tied with Syracuse with a minute left in their game a few days before they played us. So either they’re not all that bad or Syracuse is.

 

[jibsey]

I don’t have season tickets, I’m not here in the winter but will be going Tuesday to Storrs for a cupcake slaughter. I live in central Ct. and it’s going to be a 6 hour thing fighting through traffic, stopping for food, parking and getting home again. And this doesn’t consider the cost of the whole deal. The seats are high up which is fine, but this game as all are, is televised. From the warmth of my living room with a fire blazing, a beer, while lying prone on my couch is not a terrible way to watch the Huskies as I refresh the Chat on the Yard.
From a lot of places in this state it is a major effort to attend these games.
I agree that Alex meant nothing bad by that and just wanted to see the place full and that overall this is just not a big deal and fans should not feel defensive or guilty over it.

 

[GlastonTim]

We (4) go to every game at both venues, don’t care who they play. The cupcake games let Dan play a deeper bench. I enjoy that. The casuals don’t show up for the cupcakes. We stay til the buzzer sounds. I’m a diehard! That’s the difference.

 

[mjmoney23]

I thought it was a good crowd. There were some open rows higher up on the sidelines, but this is night and day for a comparable game a few years ago. I don't understand as a season ticket holder why you wouldn't go to a game you have tickets for but I digress. On paper, there were only a few rows open to buy tickets right before tipoff on the uconn website. They definitely were extremely close to a sellout on that metric. The face value of some of these games are unbelievable. Granted these could have been had on the secondary market for pennies on the dollar but the sticker shock for cupcake games is definitely there.

 

[UConnJim]

I was at the game and the issue was low energy due to the opponent. The number of fans at the game was fine.

People on here look down on the XL Center, but in the past year, I have attended games at XL, Gampel, BC, Providence, TD Garden, MSG and by far, the easiest to park and get into and out of is the XL Center. And, compared to TD Garden and MSG, the area around XL is much cleaner. Sure, the concourses need to be wider at XL, but I like the venue.

 

[Deepster]

Love the heck out of AK, but this a bad take by him, a 22 year old future millionaire who doesn’t fully understand that people have jobs and families and kids stuff and other obligations and Financial constraints (expensive all in to go to a game) and all on a Wednesday night

This is a rough opinion. It's clear Alex is more comfortable leading on the floor and he's being charged with getting outside his comfort zone and leading more vocally. It comes naturally to some and it's clearly something he's got to grow into.

He's not sitting in an ivory tower on a mountain of gold coins ignorant of the unwashed masses.

 

[ctchamps]

It was a good showing for a cupcake game compared to 5-10 years ago. Actually probably double the showing , but that isn’t an endorsement of our current support as much as it is commentary on how lame our fanbase has been and is. It’s just the way it is, it’s really just the way New England is. The home of the pink hats. It boggles my mind that the excuse is now “scheduling”. It used to be our lack of success plus scheduling . But now that we have the ultimate success it has to be scheduling right? Our scheduling is perfect because it sets the table for growth and growth = success. We didn’t return our whole team. Kinks need to be worked out, and now is the only time to do it because after the next game our schedule is one of the hardest we’ve ever had. The 3 Maui games followed by a road game at Texas, plus Baylor plus the Zags? While working in 10 players into brand new roles? Only Alex, Hass, and Samson have done this. After all Hurley and Alex have done for us the last 2 years and it is too much for them to ask for support to help them grow into their best for another crack at title?

Incredible.

#CooleyWasRight

It’s a case of I demand success or else but screw you if you ask me to do my part.

This forum itches for news regarding new players and what they are doing in practice. These cupcake games are scheduled for the purpose of the coaches learning what is working and what isn’t. These games give new players the opportunity to build confidence. Fans going to these games get the opportunity to witness the process of team and player development.

I find it exciting to watch team and player progress. Certainly not as exciting as watching a victory over a highly ranked opponent but a different type of excitement. Similar to watching our children grow up.

And regarding getting tired of blowouts. That’s ridiculous. I rewatched that thirty naught run over Illinois more than a dozen times and plan on watching it many more times. It doesn’t get old.

Give me blowout games any time over one point losses.

 

[superjohn]

The reality is that sports attendance is dropping across the board. That we have more people than 5-10 years ago is pretty positive. Many NFL games not selling out, college football attendance way down, NBA, NHL and MLB all dropping.

It's the logical response to a live experience that is expensive and often inconvenient where every game is viewable in glorious HD at home. These aren't the days of a $20 ticket to a game you either couldn't watch on TV or were watching on a crappy tube TV.

The fan experience has never been great at football and basketball games and now with the insane ticket prices coupled with great giant TV's being so cheap it's simply not worth it anymore. UConn basketball is an obsession so I would go to every UConn basketball game possible and there's still few things better than sipping a beer outdoors at a MLB game but football and basketball should be suffering in ticket sales as far as I'm concerned.

I would love to see ticket sales plummet so everything would have to come down.

 

[superjohn]

It’s a case of I demand success or else but screw you if you ask me to do my part.

This forum itches for news regarding new players and what they are doing in practice. These cupcake games are scheduled for the purpose of the coaches learning what is working and what isn’t. These games give new players the opportunity to build confidence. Fans going to these games get the opportunity to witness the process of team and player development.

I find it exciting to watch team and player progress. Certainly not as exciting as watching a victory over a highly ranked opponent but a different type of excitement. Similar to watching our children grow up.

And regarding getting tired of blowouts. That’s ridiculous. I rewatched that thirty naught run over Illinois more than a dozen times and plan on watching it many more times. It doesn’t get old.

Give me blowout games any time over one point losses.

I want every game to be a blowout and cupcake games have always been fun. You get to see everyone play and you can project future lineups. There's usually some breakout performances and some highlight reel plays.

 

[UConnJim]

The fan experience has never been great at football and basketball games and now with the insane ticket prices coupled with great giant TV's being so cheap it's simply not worth it anymore. UConn basketball is an obsession so I would go to every UConn basketball game possible and there's still few things better than sipping a beer outdoors at a MLB game but football and basketball should be suffering in ticket sales as far as I'm concerned.

I would love to see ticket sales plummet so everything would have to come down.

People want experiences today and attending games is an experience. I much prefer going to a game than watching it on TV. (Being at the 30-0 UConn scoring run against Illinois was way better in person than it would have been on TV.) I do think conference expansion and TV windows have hurt attendance more than people think. If UConn football was playing Rutgers/BC/Syracuse/WVU/Pitt,... attendance would be much better. Not only would UConn fans be excited, but having geographic rivalry games brings visiting fans to games as well. And, when TV decides game starts a week before the game, it makes it hard to plan to attend a game.

 

[NowInStorrs]

If you have to schedule a cupcake game, at least try to make it a team people might be interested in seeing like Central Connecticut State or Syracuse.

 

[MU in MKE]

What's the student section allotment at XL vs Gampel?

 

[Juggy]

I understand scheduling some cupcakes, but every home ooc game is absolutely terrible except for the Baylor game. WHY ARE WE SCHEDULING THESE TOP NOTCH GAMES IN NEWYORk COMING UP ?? These should be at xl or gampel, which would make up for the overpriced games were paying for now!!

 

[HooperScooper]

And, compared to TD Garden and MSG, the area around XL is much cleaner.

I'm curious what you saw around TD Garden that would have you think it's not clean? I have a vested economic interest so I'm curious what you saw. Since they took down the elevated T on Causeway Street about 20 years ago the place is way nicer. The area around the XL Center isn't dirty but there's not a lot there. Almost everything around TD Garden is new. New apartment buildings, new 31 story office building at 100 Causeway St., new foodhall (Hub Hall Boston | Food Hall Near TD Garden & North Station), Banners and Star Market next to the entrance are new, the Converse building next door is relatively new, etc. There is almost no litter on the streets in Boston like in New York City, which my kids describe as "smelly and dirty".

 

[August_West]

The reality is that sports attendance is dropping across the board. That we have more people than 5-10 years ago is pretty positive. Many NFL games not selling out, college football attendance way down, NBA, NHL and MLB all dropping.

It's the logical response to a live experience that is expensive and often inconvenient where every game is viewable in glorious HD at home. These aren't the days of a $20 ticket to a game you either couldn't watch on TV or were watching on a crappy tube TV.

That's fine, as long as you recognize that many of the programs we are desperate to be compared to manage to keep attendance up during the same situations. It is what it is, but I see a lot of drum beating not just by fans, but by Hurley himself claiming we are disrespected and that we don't get the coverage befitting our status and achievements. Which is true. But then again, we don't move the needle nationally like those schools we try to compare ourselves to do, and what's more (and worse) is we don't move the needle locally. I think that is what Hurley is getting at and trying to change. He recognizes that the change starts at home.

By the way. this was the 2nd time this week Alex asked for that. The first time he asked for it was on the podcast he does with Jared. Alex said his birthday wish was that he played for sold out, full home games for the rest of the year.

 

[UConnJim]

I'm curious what you saw around TD Garden that would have you think it's not clean? I have a vested economic interest so I'm curious what you saw. Since they took down the elevated T on Causeway Street about 20 years ago the place is way nicer. The area around the XL Center isn't dirty but there's not a lot there. Almost everything around TD Garden is new. New apartment buildings, new 31 story office building at 100 Causeway St., new foodhall (Hub Hall Boston | Food Hall Near TD Garden & North Station), Banners and Star Market next to the entrance are new, the Converse building next door is relatively new, etc. There is almost no litter on the streets in Boston like in New York City, which my kids describe as "smelly and dirty".

I'm at TD Garden many times per year and I would agree that the area looks a lot nicer than it did during the Boston Garden era and I have always felt totally safe in the area. But, I was comparing it to the environment around the XL Center which is totally safe and clean but almost sterile. As in any major city, there are pockets of homeless and vagrants in Boston. Near the Garden, there are homeless encampments close by (for example, right at the entrance to the new State Street office building parking garage), vagrants and drug addicts in and around North Station and vicinity, panhandling, some trash on the streets (yes, less than NYC),... For a major city environment, Boston is as good as it gets.

 

[HooperScooper]

I'm at TD Garden many times per year and I would agree that the area looks a lot nicer than it did during the Boston Garden era and I have always felt totally safe in the area. But, I was comparing it to the environment around the XL Center which is totally safe and clean but almost sterile. As in any major city, there are pockets of homeless and vagrants in Boston. Near the Garden, there are homeless encampments close by (for example, right at the entrance to the new State Street office building parking garage), vagrants and drug addicts in and around North Station and vicinity, panhandling, some trash on the streets (yes, less than NYC),... For a major city environment, Boston is as good as it gets.

Thanks. Yes, there are some pockets of homelessness and drug dealing mostly from the closing of the Mass and Cass encampments. It's mostly around the Common and Downtown Crossing. I haven't seen it around the Garden but I also haven't been there since the Celtics won the championship and the issue from Mass and Cass has gotten worse in the last 6-12 months. We're working with the City to try to clean things up. The drug dealing is the major issue because those people are hostile. Most of the homeless people aren't like that. I'm going to the Celtics game tomorrow night so I'll look around and see what's going on.

Here's an article about the issue. Unfortunately the mayor seems to shut her eyes and cover her ears about these issues.

Is Boston Common really getting more dangerous?

As the area in and around Boston Common sees an apparent uptick in crime, local business owners and elected officials are raising concerns.

www.boston.com

 

[CL82]

. There is almost no litter on the streets in Boston like in New York City, which my kids describe as "smelly and dirty".

New York City can certainly be dirty, but no one beats Philly for being smelly. Center City smells like one big urinal.

 

[Fishy]

It was a Wednesday night game against LeMoyne - it was not a referendum on the fan hood. I understand AK’s thinking, but he’s 21 and has all of the insights and wisdom given to 21 year olds.

It takes a lot to go right for a lot of people to be able to attend a midweek game. They need to not be working, they need their kids not to be scheduled with sports, school, CCD or flute lessons, they need a babysitter, they need an understanding spouse or boss or gods.

If every season ticket holder could not move enough mountains to justify LeMoyne, I absolutely get it -why, I am willing to bet that lil Alex Karaban’s parents would have missed this game back in the day because they were in the stands at lil Alex Karaban’s basketball practice.

 

[UCTitleTown]

What the heck is an East Texas A&M? I used to work at a school career/education center assisting students find colleges to apply to and have never heard of it. I pretty much saw at least the name of every school in America at some point.

 

[gsmooth]

People want experiences today and attending games is an experience. I much prefer going to a game than watching it on TV. (Being at the 30-0 UConn scoring run against Illinois was way better in person than it would have been on TV.) I do think conference expansion and TV windows have hurt attendance more than people think. If UConn football was playing Rutgers/BC/Syracuse/WVU/Pitt,... attendance would be much better. Not only would UConn fans be excited, but having geographic rivalry games brings visiting fans to games as well. And, when TV decides game starts a week before the game, it makes it hard to plan to attend a game.

I could not agree more. Being at that game was fantastic and fun all around. It was great seeing the "neutral" site packed with UConn fans and also seeing the section of Illinois fans stunned into submission and silence when UConn blew that game open. It was quite the contrast to the Sweet 16 when those Illinois fans were loud .

 

[gampelcrazies]

I was at the game and the issue was low energy due to the opponent. The number of fans at the game was fine.

People on here look down on the XL Center, but in the past year, I have attended games at XL, Gampel, BC, Providence, TD Garden, MSG and by far, the easiest to park and get into and out of is the XL Center. And, compared to TD Garden and MSG, the area around XL is much cleaner. Sure, the concourses need to be wider at XL, but I like the venue.

You can’t be serious hahahaha

 

[DogMania]

the games are pretty much sold out. AK's post concerns how many show up.

Maybe there's a way to offer these early season already purchased tickets that aren't getting used for free or some minimal price. Can't the school come up with a way they can be reposted for those who can't afford tickets instead of leaving those seats empty?

On TV, it looked like it wasn't just the higher up seats that weren't filled. Also, the non-student crowd at the XL and even at Gampel often sit on their hands and don't make noise as they should for these types of games.

I know we often hear how great UConn's fans are, but there are clearly times during the season the older members in the crowd are just sitting quietly and need a kick in the depends to stand up and cheer.

 

[jesterman]

Maybe there's a way to offer these early season already purchased tickets that aren't getting used for free or some minimal price. Can't the school come up with a way they can be reposted for those who can't afford tickets instead of leaving those seats empty?

On TV, it looked like it wasn't just the higher up seats that weren't filled. Also, the non-student crowd at the XL and even at Gampel often sit on their hands and don't make noise as they should for these types of games.

I know we often hear how great UConn's fans are, but there are clearly times during the season the older members in the crowd are just sitting quietly and need a kick in the depends to stand up and cheer.

This is definitely the biggest issue in my opinion. It's just the demographics of Connecticut. It's a middle-aged/geriatric, self-conscious, puritanical Connecticut white collar fan base that finds it embarrassing to actually display emotions. A ton of 20-somethings leave for NYC/Boston, and there is just never any juice, especially at XL. It goes back to the original sin of UConn, which is that it was put in Storrs instead of Hartford.

 

[HooperScooper]

What the heck is an East Texas A&M? I used to work at a school career/education center assisting students find colleges to apply to and have never heard of it. I pretty much saw at least the name of every school in America at some point.

They just changed the name of the school last week.

It's official: Texas A&M Commerce has a new name

The Texas A&M University System greenlit the university's new name Thursday.

www.wfaa.com

 

[UCTitleTown]

They just changed the name of the school last week.

It's official: Texas A&M Commerce has a new name

The Texas A&M University System greenlit the university's new name Thursday.

www.wfaa.com

Old name was better. Isn't East Texas a vast wasteland of defunct oil fields?

 

[uconnfan68]

I want every game to be a blowout and cupcake games have always been fun. You get to see everyone play and you can project future lineups. There's usually some breakout performances and some highlight reel plays.

Yes. Blowouts and cupcakes.