Poll Question - Husky Logo at the Rent

[whaler11]

Those people are definitely louder about it than the suporters, but in my experience, it seems about 50/50 for the people I know. A lot of people did not like the old one.

I shouldn't say everyone. I know two people who say the new logo has grown on them.

None of the people I'm talking about are going to change their level of support of the team. They go to games sometimes, they watch on TV sometimes and probably can't name a football player since Donald Brown. No logo is going to change their level of 'support' but they pretty much don't like it.

 

[UConnJim]

I don't understand all the angst. Personally, the new logo has grown on me. When I got a new logo sticker which was in new logo envelope from the athletic department, the branding looked sharp.

As for Connecticut vs UConn, I think most people think of the school as UConn. I do. I think it is a unique brand and the name rolls off your tongue.

Common logo and branding was a major problem for UConn sports. It seemed each team had their own logo and brand. There was no cohesion. Something had to be done.

I just wish people would stop nit picking about things like this. We need to be a cohesive fan base with a focus on improving everything about UConn to prepare for the next round of expansion. For me, that means being a positive salesperson about everything associated with the school and donating as much as I can to both athletics and academics.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I shouldn't say everyone. I know two people who say the new logo has grown on them.

None of the people I'm talking about are going to change their level of support of the team. They go to games sometimes, they watch on TV sometimes and probably can't name a football player since Donald Brown. No logo is going to change their level of 'support' but they pretty much don't like it.

I'm not surprised. I've used this analogy before and it still holds true. Every time facebook changes their layout, all you see when you log on are complaints about how the new layout is terrible, they hate it, they loved the old one, and they're going to stop using facebook. Then when they roll out another redesign, the exact same people are saying the exact same things about loving the old one (that they used to hate) and hating the new one. It's a natural instinct for people to dislike change, no matter how trivial, but like everything else, people get used to things and grow to like it. Will everyone? No. Will most of the people grow to like it? Yes. I'd be very surprised if the opinions weren't this divided after every single logo change this school has gone through.

 

[whaler11]

I'm not surprised. I've used this analogy before and it still holds true. Every time facebook changes their layout, all you see when you log on are complaints about how the new layout is terrible, they hate it, they loved the old one, and they're going to stop using facebook. Then when they roll out another redesign, the exact same people are saying the exact same things about loving the old one (that they used to hate) and hating the new one. It's a natural instinct for people to dislike change, no matter how trivial, but like everything else, people get used to things and grow to like it. Will everyone? No. Will most of the people grow to like it? Yes. I'd be very surprised if the opinions weren't this divided after every single logo change this school has gone through.

It really comes down to people don't actually follow teams because of their logos. The obsession with branding on the internet is an echo chamber.

People will come to the Rent or XL or Gampel because it's fun. Obsessing over what is on the helmets or the color of the logo's hair is a waste of time.

Make it fun. Make it affordable. Make it someplace people want to take their families and friends. It's not easy because there is a lot of competition.

The SEC sees the trends and at least are talking about what they need to do - see the CBS article - attendance is dropping everywhere and they know they are at risk. And everyone with a clue knows the remedy: schedule.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Well put

 

[Dann]

Actually if you wanted to support them you would. You'd prefer to be a petulant child who wants his irrational
demands to be given consideration.

You'd rather post nonsensical conference alignments than do the one thing that actually has an impact on UConn's conference affiliation and that is supporting the program.

Nothing gives a fan base more credibility than supporting your teams when they are bad. If UConn had a good fanbase with the debacle of a football program they have - nothing could speak louder.

Why should I buy tickets to a 5-7 season? Remember I have a HDTV 50 inch at home and a nice couch. I don't like the coach or ad and most of the decisions the school is making. Why should I support that? If I want to give money to the school ill give to my alam. The logo I don't agree with but it's not the end all of my decision. It's the logo on top of the brand on top of the block c on top of the ad not getting a new coach on top of the way he handled ko's contract on top of geno's contract on top of......uconn the past couple years has been like the knick the past 10 or the mets the past 5. It's a joke the decisions that are made. I see the attendance. It's way down. It's no accident. I get that many here are emotionally invested because they went to uconn and I completely see it. But I didn't and a big part of this fan base are locals who didn't. Every decision has made a pile of bad ones that have turned a lot of ppl off currently. I can't stress it enough. Look at the NCST game, the Lville game etc uconn sports won't draw right now.

I still have yet to see a good marketing campaign. Yea they made a 30sec tube vid. Cake walk. It was a couple kids lifting weights. That should not be hard to do. We should have 30 of those in the offseason. We don't because uconn has no pulse.

If I was ad, I would hire a graduating female athlete and a male athlete to pair up with Emily noonan. The 3 of them we will create a cool name for and have a part of the website that fans can go to daily for interviews and news. Basically our out beat reporters but with the best info and scoop being on campus and official uconn employees. They go to games and all insider type stuff. Basically capture your fan bases attention and create new hardcore fans. U get ppl visiting daily. Now you advertise tickets wise etc hardcore.

This stuff is not rocket science. But it 100% lacks at uconn. I still have not heard 1 person here tell me why with a actual reason as to how come we don't market or give a crap about building a fan base. I still say if you gave me the money and tools that the ad gets, I would 50k in the rent next season. I just don't think we had a guy who gave a dam before and now we hired a phony to parlay that bad stretch.

Warde is a rock star right? Tell me one thing he's done that was rock star status... Just one

Wake up ppl

 

[WhereistheDove?]

This stuff is not rocket science. But it 100% lacks at uconn. I still have not heard 1 person here tell me why with a actual reason as to how come we don't market or give a crap about building a fan base. I still say if you gave me the money and tools that the ad gets, I would 50k in the rent next season. I just don't think we had a guy who gave a dam before and now we hired a phony to parlay that bad stretch.

That would be quite a feat seeing as the Rent doesn't seat 50k. You are the ultimate monday morning QB and to be honest, you, like myself, have no idea what it takes to be a D1 athletic director. Not a clue.

 

[Dann]

That would be quite a feat seeing as the Rent doesn't seat 50k. You are the ultimate monday morning QB and to be honest, you, like myself, have no idea what it takes to be a D1 athletic director. Not a clue.

I am going to get heat for this but at this point I don't care. Uconn measured the rent not to long ago. They found they could up to 4500 seats in front of the scoreboard for Michigan. Remember that when we don't ever try to sell that btw. If u put the band on the field and increase the walk around you are over 45k. The band still counts tix wise. Now expand the student section down where the gates are. Sell 1k more tickets then there actually is. Those 1k will prob only be seen at big games students go to. Those kids who can't find seats will be allowed to participate in the silent seat program. They can go sit elsewhere and they will have a tag that make them clearly identified as a student. If someone goes to there seat they simply tap the student or ask them to move. Simple as that. I will knock the do booth down and burry it for those 5 seats back. I will think over a month long construction project create a simple walk bar section around the top of the rent in the other ends one and slam a 1k green monster style up there. Where am I numbers wise? I'm getting there. But it all starts with marketing and season tix. There is no reason we should not have 10k+ season tix from students. Yea I know it's cheap and hurts profit but perception is worth how much again?

I dare uconn to put me in the ad in some small job. Pay me peanuts and just watch the flames. I'll work my way thru that place so help me.

 

[PRHusky]

Is there any amount of money that can be paid to make HFD go away again? The guy hates EVERYTHING about UConn, yet tries to portray himself as a UConn fan.

It is OK not to agree with every single move made by the UConn administration, but to disagree with everything takes away any alleged UConn fan's credibility.

 

[Dann]

Is there any amount of money that can be paid to make HFD go away again? The guy hates EVERYTHING about UConn, yet tries to portray himself as a UConn fan.

It is OK not to agree with every single move made by the UConn administration, but to disagree with everything takes away any alleged UConn fan's credibility.

One bajillion dollars so I can build us a real stadium

 

[WhereistheDove?]

So, in your vision of what to do, I assume that money grows on trees? Is that a fair assessment? You think this is so simple, but it's just not. The amount of red tape that exists in any large organization -- much less a government one -- is staggering. What I find interesting is that you have this, "if we build it, they will come" philosophy. It's all about advertising and the stadium, yet you've said yourself that you won't pay to go see a mediocre team. If you're a hardcore fan and you don't bother to show up, how exactly do you think a couple ads in fairfield county are going to pack the rent?

 

[whaler11]

Why should I buy tickets to a 5-7 season? Remember I have a HDTV 50 inch at home and a nice couch. I don't like the coach or ad and most of the decisions the school is making. Why should I support that? If I want to give money to the school ill give to my alam. The logo I don't agree with but it's not the end all of my decision. It's the logo on top of the brand on top of the block c on top of the ad not getting a new coach on top of the way he handled ko's contract on top of geno's contract on top of......uconn the past couple years has been like the knick the past 10 or the mets the past 5. It's a joke the decisions that are made. I see the attendance. It's way down. It's no accident. I get that many here are emotionally invested because they went to uconn and I completely see it. But I didn't and a big part of this fan base are locals who didn't. Every decision has made a pile of bad ones that have turned a lot of ppl off currently. I can't stress it enough. Look at the NCST game, the Lville game etc uconn sports won't draw right now.

I still have yet to see a good marketing campaign. Yea they made a 30sec tube vid. Cake walk. It was a couple kids lifting weights. That should not be hard to do. We should have 30 of those in the offseason. We don't because uconn has no pulse.

If I was ad, I would hire a graduating female athlete and a male athlete to pair up with Emily noonan. The 3 of them we will create a cool name for and have a part of the website that fans can go to daily for interviews and news. Basically our out beat reporters but with the best info and scoop being on campus and official uconn employees. They go to games and all insider type stuff. Basically capture your fan bases attention and create new hardcore fans. U get ppl visiting daily. Now you advertise tickets wise etc hardcore.

This stuff is not rocket science. But it 100% lacks at uconn. I still have not heard 1 person here tell me why with a actual reason as to how come we don't market or give a crap about building a fan base. I still say if you gave me the money and tools that the ad gets, I would 50k in the rent next season. I just don't think we had a guy who gave a dam before and now we hired a phony to parlay that bad stretch.

Warde is a rock star right? Tell me one thing he's done that was rock star status... Just one

Wake up ppl

Then why are you here ranting and raving for any other reason other than you want attention.

You would accomplish zero in the athletic department because while you have a solid stray idea now and again, it's clear you don't have the interpersonal skills to accomplish anything in an environment like that.

Honestly to stay home because you don't like the way Ollie and Geno's contacts were handled.... when both of them have long term signed deals... They both got over it maybe you should as well.

Next time you want to complain about conference affiliation look in the mirror. It's you and the people like you that sealed UConn's fate. Just another victim with all the excuses in the world.

 

[Jerry27]

1 - he's not a hardcore fan, and his actions insult those who are
2 - I for one am not local (however I used to be15 years ago), I am over 40, I didn't attend the school (but would have if they only had my major) I go to every game, sun, rain, or snow, I travel when I can to away games and bowls, tourneys etc. and I do that because I am a fan, and have been since I was 14, and no coach or AD decision will change that
3 - its nice to be young and think you know everything about what evryone else should be doing based off zero experience or knowledge, then real life hits you and you realize things just are not that simple after all
4 - I wish he would show the same level of conviction to quit here on the BY

For the record, IMO when HFD focused on recruiting info he was at his best

 

[Waquoit]

I still can't decide whether or not I missed HFD's inane rants.

I didn't. They're as boring as ever and suck the oxygen from the board.

 

[ruskin]

Yes the New Logo will be up. . . . my greatest wish is there's a few more scoreboards inside the stadium.

 

[Dann]

if i didn't stir the pot to talk about uconn things this board would be talking about the gowth of lax and not what uconn can do with it, rutgers ad mess and yet they make 25mil more than us and a local beer. yea, those are real good uconn and football topics. ghost town otherwise. wonder why? the school is afriad to put news and stuff out in the media because of backlash. all the ad decisions made have now a pile where they cant be sucessful.

you can argue how bad of a fan i am, but what you miss is i'm more diehard than 99% of casuals. you can blame me for CR or whatever. but the fact is that fans like me and a lot around this state need to be capturd and this school has done zero about that. until that changes the siez of the fanbase will only rise due to graduates who buy tickets and watch on tv. and what it seems so far is that uconn is also struggling to secure those fans. keep defending uconn and its strategic gameplan, it will get you real far as a school. just look now how were looking up at every school you want to hang out with. we made fun of rutgers 2 years ago for playing tulane ooc, you made of me 1 year ago for talking about schools like tulane on the CR bord, now they are in our conference. must be huskyfandans fault becuase hes casual and not a diehard.

wake up. some saw this coming it was so bad. i can play CR games all day and dream up d1 diviions but rality is uconn stinks right now and the ladership isn't trying to fix it.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I'd rather be talking about LAX, RU AD mess, and local beer than listen to you delusionally rant about how you can single handedly save the UConn Athletic Dept. You have been wrong about CR more than you have been right. Are you still hanging your hat on the "UConn turned down the ACC three times" card?

And no, you are not more of diehard than 99% of the casuals. They actually go to some games. Not all, but some.

 

[whaler11]

With Tulane in the AAC as maybe the single dumbest move in all of realignment. MARKETS!

 

[freescooter]

View attachment 3001
Exhibit a. Several transformations over the years of the husky logo. I am sure all but the 90s to 02 transition where it changed little just got colored there was uproar. This is just change. Jonathan has more mojo than he ever has had. Age of alumnus has nothing to do with it.
Now the uniforms and logo were designed by Nike correct one of the world leaders in marketing or have marketed several successful products. I am ok with that and looki g forward to ordering some new merchandise

In fact, that isn't the case. The older Huskies weren't ubiquitous like the 1990-2013 variations were. In part it was simply that team logos weren't used that much before the 90s and in part it is a function of UConn's period of greatest success at high levels. If you were around and watching the games during the Dream Season, the Huskies were referred to by the NCAA Tourney play by play guys (I think Nance was one) as "The UCONNS" because nobody at CBS was exactly sure of their mascot in the early games.

As far as Nike goes, they have a corporate image that they play to. And that's part of the problem. The pretty much took a generic Husky/Wolf piece of clipart, outlined it in red and slapped a blue toupee an top, and bingo...Donald the Toupee Dog was born. Cheap, easy to reproduce, short shelf life. They'll probably use it as the basis for the next update of Washington or Southern Maine or New Mexico, so it was worth the (minimal) investment of time. Change the color, throw in a couple of teeth and you've got a lobo.

 

[junglehusky]

if i didn't stir the pot to talk about uconn things this board would be talking about the gowth of lax and not what uconn can do with it, rutgers ad mess and yet they make 25mil more than us and a local beer. yea, those are real good uconn and football topics. ghost town otherwise. wonder why? the school is afriad to put news and stuff out in the media because of backlash. all the ad decisions made have now a pile where they cant be sucessful.

you can argue how bad of a fan i am, but what you miss is i'm more diehard than 99% of casuals. you can blame me for CR or whatever. but the fact is that fans like me and a lot around this state need to be capturd and this school has done zero about that. until that changes the siez of the fanbase will only rise due to graduates who buy tickets and watch on tv. and what it seems so far is that uconn is also struggling to secure those fans. keep defending uconn and its strategic gameplan, it will get you real far as a school. just look now how were looking up at every school you want to hang out with. we made fun of rutgers 2 years ago for playing tulane ooc, you made of me 1 year ago for talking about schools like tulane on the CR bord, now they are in our conference. must be huskyfandans fault becuase hes casual and not a diehard.

wake up. some saw this coming it was so bad. i can play CR games all day and dream up d1 diviions but rality is uconn stinks right now and the ladership isn't trying to fix it.

Hardcore fans start out as casual fans. If you cater to the hardcores you will be selling to a fanbase of 10,000 fans which is not enough. If you focus on attracting newbies then you have a bigger base to build on. This is about the next 5-10 years, not 2014. Sorry Dan, UConn does not care about your opinion. They care about the SUV with the "My Daughter Goes to UConn" sticker, the mom and the little brother in that car, who may or may not know what a zone blitz or a backcourt violation is, and who don't care about the difference between a Samoyed and a Husky are. That's who the new logo and "UConn" (not connecticut) was designed for. I bet they market tested it for those demographics. Yeah it would have been nice if they kept an all white dog, that is an established tradition. They had to have consciously made the decision to make that change and had market research to back that up, you don't make a change like that on a whim. They weighed the backlash from the alumni and fans versus attracting new fans and guess who won. As an alum I was initally angry about the non-all-white logo... Though I would probably have been angrier if they went with a generic dog paw print!

 

[Srqhusky]

In fact, that isn't the case. The older Huskies weren't ubiquitous like the 1990-2013 variations were. In part it was simply that team logos weren't used that much before the 90s and in part it is a function of UConn's period of greatest success at high levels. If you were around and watching the games during the Dream Season, the Huskies were referred to by the NCAA Tourney play by play guys (I think Nance was one) as "The UCONNS" because nobody at CBS was exactly sure of their mascot in the early games.

As far as Nike goes, they have a corporate image that they play to. And that's part of the problem. The pretty much took a generic Husky/Wolf piece of clipart, outlined it in red and slapped a blue toupee an top, and bingo...Donald the Toupee Dog was born. Cheap, easy to reproduce, short shelf life. They'll probably use it as the basis for the next update of Washington or Southern Maine or New Mexico, so it was worth the (minimal) investment of time. Change the color, throw in a couple of teeth and you've got a lobo.

Team logos really werent used that much before the 90s? I guess that is sort of true. What is Notre Dames? How about UCLA? You are correct in todays internet icon happy world a good mascot or symbol is important . That is why this new husky dog is going to help us. If there is a way to poll random people who know nothing about UCONN to chose the image they would prefer I would bet it would overwhelmingly be the New logo. Just Saying.

 

[freescooter]

No, no...they weren't used much before the 1990s. In fact I would bet that most people, even UConn fans in the 1960s were even aware of the Husky shown on the list. I followed UConn pretty closely in the 1970s and I only saw the husky with the gun once, on a letter I got from one of the coaches. It wasn't plastered on the stadium or in the fieldhouse or even on t-shirts. Most of those said UConn, Connecticut or had the University seal. So when they made changes, it didn't make much difference.

 

[Dann]

Hardcore fans start out as casual fans. If you cater to the hardcores you will be selling to a fanbase of 10,000 fans which is not enough. If you focus on attracting newbies then you have a bigger base to build on. This is about the next 5-10 years, not 2014. Sorry Dan, UConn does not care about your opinion. They care about the SUV with the "My Daughter Goes to UConn" sticker, the mom and the little brother in that car, who may or may not know what a zone blitz or a backcourt violation is, and who don't care about the difference between a Samoyed and a Husky are. That's who the new logo and "UConn" (not connecticut) was designed for. I bet they market tested it for those demographics. Yeah it would have been nice if they kept an all white dog, that is an established tradition. They had to have consciously made the decision to make that change and had market research to back that up, you don't make a change like that on a whim. They weighed the backlash from the alumni and fans versus attracting new fans and guess who won. As an alum I was initally angry about the non-all-white logo... Though I would probably have been angrier if they went with a generic dog paw print!

My whole stick is that we need to build the fan base by getting grads back to uconn post school and casual/local fans to pay attention. We do neither. The just graduated section at the rent may be the funniest thing of all.

 

[whaler11]

Nobody at CBS was aware of the Huskies nickname a few days after they televised the Big East final that UConn won. Interesting.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

My whole stick is that we need to build the fan base by getting grads back to uconn post school and casual/local fans to pay attention. We do neither. The just graduated section at the rent may be the funniest thing of all.

That doesn't take marketing gimmicks. It takes a competitive and exciting team.

 

[Dann]

That doesn't take marketing gimmicks. It takes a competitive and exciting team.

Oh ok good. Now that I know this what should I do? Maybe we should have fired the staff on December 1st and hired the dazzler!??!!?!? But we didn't do that. Hey keep supporting warde. You seem like u have the answer. A good team. No way! How do u get a good team? A good coach? Man were killing it aren't we?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Oh ok good. Now that I know this what should I do? Maybe we should have fired the staff on December 1st and hired the dazzler!??!!?!? But we didn't do that. Hey keep supporting warde. You seem like u have the answer. A good team. No way! How do u get a good team? A good coach? Man were killing it aren't we?

When am I supporting warde? Stop putting words in my mouth. The funny thing is you're sarcastic about me saying we need a good team because its obviously not that easy, but your solution is that somehow a course tv spots in ffld county will make us be able to fill every game and sell out MSG (seriously?) for some gimmick event. Do you really think running an athletic department is as easy as you make it out to be?

 

[junglehusky]

Do you really think running an athletic department is as easy as you make it out to be?

Yes, yes he does. If Dan were running the show he'd have us in the NFC east AND the English Premiere League already. Whereas Warde only got us in Hockey East and the bball practice facility.

 

[Dann]

When am I supporting warde? Stop putting words in my mouth. The funny thing is you're sarcastic about me saying we need a good team because its obviously not that easy, but your solution is that somehow a course tv spots in ffld county will make us be able to fill every game and sell out MSG (seriously?) for some gimmick event. Do you really think running an athletic department is as easy as you make it out to be?

I would have fired p and gdl and hired the dazzler or another coach. I would have spent the bar for leach 2 years ago. That wins games. Warde takes the Susan line of we win win win, but as far as I can see he's the one in a position of power to make change so we can win and he's not doing it.

Being ad can't be easy. There is a reason the pay is so good. We pay warde 400k and so far what have we got? HE was already in motion before him. He strung along our bball coaches and sealed them before damage got real bad. He didn't change football and instead just had gdl switch positions which any google search can tell you about Cuse ten years ago. Paul pend was the one who got the of moving it seems from knowledgable posters here. Warde I think pushed the #bleedblue. It's a step in the right direction but its a multi use tag not unique enough for one and also he then put red on our logos which is bs. He scheduled the 2 easiest non BCS games possible in BYU and bsu. Wether ppl here want to admit it or not he has yet to schedule one not one BCS game. Thick skulls here are killing this school. It takes a uprising to correct thing and ppl here want to take the fishy route and just hope the world blows up instead of fight. I want to fight. But I have no power because I'm not a grad or a important ticket. All I can do is hurt them in the wallet. So I'm doing my part.

400k tell me why?

 

[huskymedic]

400k tell me why?

Because he has a MSW from Michigan, a MBA from Ross School of Business @ Michigan, previous AD experience at a D1 school and that's what the market pays?

Tom Jurich, Louisville: $1,401,915
Chet Gladchuk, Navy: $638,000*
Steve Pederson, Pittsburgh: $596,595
Daryl Gross, Syracuse: $575,000
Mack Rhoades, Houston: $537,600
Doug Woolard, South Florida: $479,657
Julie Hermann, Rutgers: $450,000
Warde Manuel, Connecticut: $450,000
Tom Bowen, Memphis: $400,000
Jeff Compher, ECU: $415,000*
Todd Stansbury, UCF: $375,000
Whit Babcock, Cincinnati: $364,000

Rick Hart, SMU: NA
Bill Bradshaw, Temple: NA

Edit - added ECU and Navy