Karaban not happy with the fan attendance

[HooperScooper]

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

I think you're referring to West Texas. Unless you think Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio are wastelands.

 

[BlueMAB]

It was a horrible crowd. Cupcake crowds aren’t going to be great but I had a row of people behind me that had no idea college basketball was 2 halves. The row in front of me left with 12 min left. Donors/sths must of gave away tickets more so than usual.

The entire crowd of thousands is defined by two rows near you. Got it.

 

[gampelcrazies]

The entire crowd of thousands is defined by two rows near you. Got it.

So the star of the team complained about the crowd, the coach complained about the crowd, many people on twitter and this thread complained about the crowd. Not enough for ya huh

 

[Kitaman]

Sorry Alex, but this last scheduled game would have been a great time to have a conflict of plans with the Mrs. With my acting skills I could have stretched this one game sacrifice to last the whole season.

 

[BlueMAB]

So the star of the team complained about the crowd, the coach complained about the crowd, many people on twitter and this thread complained about the crowd. Not enough for ya huh

No.

I’ve been going to UConn games for 40 years. Through the good and bad.

For a Wednesday night game against a team nobody knows, the crowd was just fine.

For all the reasons that have been explained repeatedly.

 

[mauconnfan]

I don’t agree with scheduling harder teams. In a blink we’ll have games against Baylor and Gonzaga then the Big East meat grinder and we have a lot of new parts to figure out. I’ll live with a weak crowd tonight to work out the rotation and early season jitters.

^This ^

Nothing wrong with these games at a with what’s coming. Be careful what you wish for, this is a young team so there’s a lot to work out as you’ve seen by the last 2 first half’s.

The crowd was good in numbers but the business of college basketball has the “new” Husky faithful either not going to certain games or just not excited enough to make noise!

 

[freescooter]

These games are little more than glorified scrimmages. Barely that. Probably playing a Blue-White game would be better competition. Alex should talk with the folks who do the scheduling. Bring in competitive teams and people will show up. Why would I waste my time and money going to see a “game” where I already know we will win by 30-40 points? It’s one thing to play Marquette and blow them out. You really don’t expect it and figure they might, just might, put it all together for a game. Not so with LeMoyne or Sacred Heart or the other Little Sisters of the Poor we’ve played to date. People don’t go to games to be seen. They go to see competition.

 

[SubbaBub]

The season tickets sold out, there isn't much else to say for the fans. Book better tomato cans. You're telling me there aren't A-10 or MAC teams willing to travel for a smaller check?

I'm pretty sure Baylor will be a full house.

 

[mjmoney23]

I'll just add this, no games this weekend. Could Wednesday's game have been today or tomorrow?

 

[Storrs South]

I'll just add this, no games this weekend. Could Wednesday's game have been today or tomorrow?

Probably was scheduled Tuesday to avoid the long layup before Maui

 

[mjmoney23]

Probably was scheduled Tuesday to avoid the long layup before Maui

Theoretically, Wednesday's game could have been tonight.

 

[Storrs South]

Theoretically, Wednesday's game could have been tonight.

Wolfpack are at XL today

 

[HooperScooper]

Wolfpack are at XL today

Day or night? Can the XL Center do 2 games a day? TD Garden is doing that today.

 

[That Guy]

I'm not surprised these games aren't being sold out. Let's be honest, no one cares about any of these teams we're playing and we know beforehand that we will demolish them. I can't blame people for not showing up to these games on a weekday after work. As others have said also, it's honestly impressive we get that many people in there to begin with. We will sell out the Baylor game and every Big East game no problem.

These games serve the purpose of figuring out the rotation, minutes, and getting guys warmed up for the tough games to come. That's it.

 

[maple]

I mean, LeMoyne? I've never even heard of LeMoyne. I'm ok with the rotating local schools like Sacred Heart, Fairfield, URI, UNH, Maine but why not add Vermont if they'd play us? Tough game, sure, but would also sell out. Even the Ivies would be a bigger draw. We need to schedule better.

The other non-Orange Canadian team. You should see the court they play on. My high school gym was bigger. I had double check and then ask to make sure I was in the right spot.

 

[50cPitchers]

What student is going to Hartford on a Wednesday night for a blowout they can watch on TV. Kids on campus rarely even have cars. Give me convenience or give me death

 

[CTBasketball]

I doubt we actually sell out vs. Texas A&M CC either, just the nature of playing these games. Selling out Gampel over the student break might also be tough.

But the school will always report sellouts if tickets are sold, and not count fans attended.

 

[cellocgg]

If any other school of our caliber won back to back championships, they would be selling out no matter who they play.

^This. I was at all three games and thought the crowd was kind of lacking for a team that just went B2B

I will say though that ESPN has reported max attendance for all three games meaning sold-out tickets which is what really matters in the end to UConn athletics

 

[cellocgg]

Yeah, I feel like Kansas or Puke would be selling out these types of games. Whatever.

There's definitely spatterings of open seats at these team's cupcake games but we have half full sections in the upper bowl of the XL

 

[cellocgg]

Just spit balling but likely from an eyes of a UConn player, wherever we play our players see our opponents’ home court is bringing their A game -because we are UConn damn it - but they’re not seeing what it’s like when those teams play lesser non-conference opponents.

nah, I'm sure they understand this

 

[cellocgg]

the coach complained about the crowd

I didn't want the presser, what did Hurley have to say?

 

[jibsey]

These games are little more than glorified scrimmages. Barely that. Probably playing a Blue-White game would be better competition. Alex should talk with the folks who do the scheduling. Bring in competitive teams and people will show up. Why would I waste my time and money going to see a “game” where I already know we will win by 30-40 points? It’s one thing to play Marquette and blow them out. You really don’t expect it and figure they might, just might, put it all together for a game. Not so with LeMoyne or Sacred Heart or the other Little Sisters of the Poor we’ve played to date. People don’t go to games to be seen. They go to see competition.

Here is why you go. We have new players and players who barely played last year and we want to see them showcase their skills. This is not about cheering the home boys to victory, they will win and likely big. So yes against good competition it will be more exciting but there are valuable things to be taken from the live performances and if there were not then what have we been discussing on this board in hundreds of posts over the last 3 games?
We will learn more watching Maui but not in person AND what the hell else are you doing on Tuesday night, sharpening your hedge clippers?

 

[gampelcrazies]

I didn't want the presser, what did Hurley have to say?

He screamed at the crowd a few times during the game. Also he responded to Karabans quote on twitter

 

[Tyler2Rings]

You're telling me there aren't A-10 or MAC teams willing to travel for a smaller check?

I think we paid like 75K for LeMoyne. My guess is A10 schools would be at least twice that

 

[cellocgg]

He screamed at the crowd a few times during the game. Also he responded to Karabans quote on twitter

Yikes, that's embarassing

 

[temery]

He screamed at the crowd a few times during the game. Also he responded to Karabans quote on twitter

Kind of stupid to scream at the crowd that showed up, to bitch about those who didn't.

 

[BlueMAB]

There's definitely spatterings of open seats at these team's cupcake games but we have half full sections in the upper bowl of the XL

Yes, in the section where they eliminated season tickets in favor of expanding the student section; we had a half empty section.

 

[cellocgg]

Yes, in the section where they eliminated season tickets in favor of expanding the student section; we had a half empty section.

I am a student and was in the section for the Le Moyne game, it was pretty bad.

I can't really make any excuses for the students, I watched the UNC-UConn WBB game and it looked like their student section was full despite playing like an hour from Chapel Hill, unless I am mistaken (However, the rest of the stadium was pretty empty)

 

[Chief00]

But who really cares about....

checks notes

East Texas A and M.

Really? For real?

Schedule better more relevant teams. YALE or if you need a cupcake CCSU, Fairfield, Sacred Heart (they did this year to be fair) or BC, or Quinnipiac.

Agree with Alex that games should be sold out, even cupcakes. But, the fans are like fourth or fifth down the list on who to blame:

1) CRDA has to take some responsibility for their poor game day management of XL and their focus on the elite Premium Suite type corporate fans at the expense of long time season ticket holders experience at the games. Long restroom lines, crowded concourses, etc. Yet, 95% of the fans’ experience are ignored in the $145 million in XL upgrades.

2) The very real conflict between the UConn President and state politicians. While to secure funding she agreed to play Hartford games, UConn shamefully deep sixed the caliber of the XL opponents, played most meaningful weekend games at Gampel and stuck XL with a mid week schedule.

3) The National Champions were also screwed by the incompetent or hating UConn Big East Commissioner's office. Seven away Big East weekend games to four at home. That includes a Friday night Gampel game. What a reward for making tournament money for all conference schools to split.

4) A poor job by the Athletic Dept scheduling games. The last Fall exam is 12/15 and classes start for the spring on 1/21. Yet, Providence and Creighton games are at Gampel during this period. Yet, the 1/21 Butler game is at XL. Even the cupcake schedule could have had more familar named schools for the Casual Fans.

I could go on but they need a guy like Chief to actually focus on the majority of fans experience and customer service. The fans have zero knowledgeable advocates in the power structures chain of commands.

Fixing very fixable problems would make games a better experience for both fans and players. The players deserve sellouts and everyone has failed them.

 

[Hunt for 7]

I find it interesting that the game is listed as a sell out so with that I am guessing whatever the gate was supposed to bring in was met. In that case the deal is exactly what UConn wanted based on the fee paid to the opponent.

I really don’t get the yelling at the fans. That is never a good idea. We will fill the XL and Gampel when the team needs us most.

they should probably reign that in to some degree, the only issue is a point another post in this thread hit on. Kansas, Dook and more than likely Kentucky fill the arena with butts in seat for all their cupcake games.