Poor fan showing at Gampel

[TeasenDonut]

Why are we not addressing the elephant in the room here? The big east sucks this year. Ed Cooleys comment really is backhanded to himself, if Georgetown were any good, the crowd would have been packed. Do we seriously expect students/crowd to have the same level of excitement for a game where we are 16 point favorites (tomorrow) as when we play St John’s? I promise the energy will be different. The big east poses the biggest threat to our downfall right now.

It is worth mentioning the student section was never the same post covid. Chants and traditions were not passed down.

 

[Fishy]

I think it's less about total attendance and more about fan behavior at the game.

Here's a tip for improving fan behavior - don't follow up every run with three fouls and a turnover. Don't be life and death with every crappy school that comes in here.

Fans are not stupid. They can tell when a team has half their toes in.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

Here is a thought: Maybe the P4 know something about our fan base coach just found out last week. They probably have all the data and know UConn isnt as big of a draw as it should be. Which sucks big time because 18x national championships is a whole lotta darn wins

 

[nashusky109]

Here's a tip for improving fan behavior - don't follow up every run with three fouls and a turnover. Don't be life and death with every crappy school that comes in here.

Fans are not stupid. They can tell when a team has half their toes in.

Are you implying they take escalators?

 

[CTBasketball]

Seat geek and probably all the ticket resellers are ripoffs.

I bought a ticket to the UMass game tonight on the UMass website for $27. I couldn't make it so posted it on SG. They recommended I sell it for $70!!!

I put it up for $30 just to make my money back. But a lot of the tickets there are marked way up

The assumptions in the Seat Geeks deal broke down - it wasn’t twice as lucrative revenue as a seat with a donation/ticket. Many Casual Fans incorrectly assume Seat Geeks sales originate from a season ticket holder selling their ticket there. Instead it’s the university deal with Seat Geeks for many seats.

Look at the lower bowl for tonight’s game, you really think season ticket holders are banning together to sell full rows?

Prices haven’t changed much which tells me regular people aren’t looking to sell. You might see some empty seats lower bowl again.

What Benedict reverted policy on will only affect student sections. This is another main issue.

 

[Deepster]

For Gampel: Let peole move down from upper deck to fill in seats of no-shows in the lower bowl. Simple.

All the true fans, loud cheering fans are in the upper deck.

Never ever ever happening.

 

[Vancat]

Hard to keep excited & engaged when it's
AWESOME
UGH!
AWESOME
UGH!
TIMEOUT
UGH!
AWESOME
REPLAY
UGH!
YEAH!
WTF?
That gets exhausting.

What I meant when I posted the above, is below stated by Hurley:

 

[Vancat]

I'm sure you're right but it's not too much to ask to stand up when the coaches and players are asking you to. It's not too much to ask you to stay for the whole game, especially when it's close. And it's not too much to ask you to stay a few extra minutes for the AK announcement. I get a select few may have their special circumstances, some didn't hear Fanta's alleged impromptu announcement, but it's a lot of people doing this stuff. I'm a season ticket holder and have been for awhile, so I see it. Going into the game last Saturday they were the number 6 team in the country with a 23-2 record...TWO natty's in 3 years...and people can't be bothered to get off their butts and make some noise or stay a few extra minutes to wait out traffic. What a joke.

The game was over, we stood up and exited. We never heard Fanta! I'm sure that was the case for many.

 

[freescooter]

Here’s the real problem. The fanbase has changed over time. And to a degree the reality of the NBE has dawned. Look at this board. Game tonight against Creighton. How many threads even mention it? You need to go 10 down to find something. There are looks at the draft, the top 25, some off topic stuff. Face it. UConn basketball isn’t as important as it was to people. Probably 100 reasons from an aging fan base, to corporate ticket buying to a weak schedule after Christmas, to games lasting more than 15 minutes, to transfers and NIL. I’d even include the success of the program. It’s fun to be on a ride to become a top program from where we were. Now By any measure not winning a national championship is a disappointment to many casual fans. The regular season has become blah. The real games start in March.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

When I was a student, the student section was always filled with energetic fans bc those of us in lower section had sat outside of Gampel for hours to get best seats. I havent been in person in years, and maybe all student fans are more apathetic now.

Would I be wrong to say that Hurley essentially echoed Cooley's criticism, giving it legs. Sarcastically calling into question the "Basketball Capitol" label in post game conference, enough so that it got some national traction. Now the problem was alleviated(?) by the changing of a profit policy by the University/Benedict. So fanbase got dragged over something fixed within university itself? Or is our fanbase actually to blame?

 

[Deepster]

When I was a student, the student section was always filled with energetic fans bc those of us in lower section had sat outside of Gampel for hours to get best seats. I havent been in person in years, and maybe all student fans are more apathetic now.

1. We will never play all our games at XL/Peoples.
2. We will never play all our games at Gampel.
3. We will never, ever, ever change it to where the students sit along the sidelines moving the donors back.
4. We know. You're the only one in your section that stands and cheers all game long, getting told by old people to sit down.
5. We know. The students were better when you were there. It's not even close.
6. We know. You never leave early. And everyone should stay to the end regardless if they're going to sit 45 minutes in a parking garage followed by an hour ride home on a weeknight.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

1. We will never play all our games at XL/Peoples.
2. We will never play all our games at Gampel.
3. We will never, ever, ever change it to where the students sit along the sidelines moving the donors back.
4. We know. You're the only one in your section that stands and cheers all game long, getting told by old people to sit down.
5. We know. The students were better when you were there. It's not even close.
6. We know. You never leave early. And everyone should stay to the end regardless if they're going to sit 45 minutes in a parking garage followed by an hour ride home on a weeknight.

wasnt my point at all, it was in fact the opposite. I am sticking up for the fanbase in 2nd paragraph, though Im not there to see for myself if students are all on phones like some others have claimed. I think admin pricing/policies may most be to blame, but not sure. But fanbase got dragged. Reading comprehension?

 

[Deepster]

wasnt my point at all, it was in fact the opposite. I am sticking up for the fanbase in 2nd paragraph, though Im not there to see for myself if students are all on phones like some others have claimed. I think admin pricing/policies may most be to blame, but not sure. But fanbase got dragged. Reading comprehension?

"maybe all student fans are more apathetic now"

 

[Hoophound]

What I meant when I posted the above, is below stated by Hurley:View attachment 117169

This is one of the more self aware Hurley quotes. He's right and so are you. This team is just not playing well. It is very talented, so it guts out wins, but it should look a lot easier.

I just don't know if a team with no slashers can win a title. It doesn't seem likely. The athleticism around the country is staggering comparatively. We need to start playing better D and we need to shoot well every game to reach the Final Four.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

Would I be wrong to say that Hurley essentially echoed Cooley's criticism, giving it legs. Sarcastically calling into question the "Basketball Capitol" label in post game conference, enough so that it got some national traction. Now the problem was alleviated(?) by the changing of a profit policy by the University/Benedict. So fanbase got dragged over something fixed within university itself? Or is our fanbase actually to blame?

"maybe all student fans are more apathetic now"

here is the 2nd paragraph, clown. Is that the point I was making?

 

[Deepster]

here is the 2nd paragraph, clown. Is that the point I was making?

I'm not going down the wormhole here.

You admitted you hadn't been there in years and insinuated, even by not being there in years, the students today are more apathetic. The 2nd paragraph doesn't erase that statement or sentiment. And your name calling only validates your weak position.

 

[Stew Crew]

For Gampel: Let peole move down from upper deck to fill in seats of no-shows in the lower bowl. Simple.

All the true fans, loud cheering fans are in the upper deck.

Here we go, with the class warfare BS. There were plenty of upper level fans heading for the exits at the 3:00 mark when UConn went up by 7.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Again since over 40% of seats were unavailable when seat selection started - how do we know donations were paid on these seats?

Where are you getting your over 40% figure from?

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Somewhat related. UConn superfan “Little Red” will be waking up at 3 am to walk to the game tomorrow from WEST HARTFORD TO STORRS. Money goes to good cause - Husky ticket project. Thought I’d share.

You mean self-proclaimed superfan "Little Red".

On Twitter/X, this dude sure comes off as trying to make everything about him, he's the one that has all the right answers, look at me, etc.

That may not be his intention, and he may be a great dude in person, but his Twitter/X image is grating and annoying, IMHO.

 

[John]

Where are you getting your over 40% figure from?

From the online tool that allowed existing season ticket holders to see what the inventory was before their seat selection time slot.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

You mean self-proclaimed superfan "Little Red".

On Twitter/X, this dude sure comes off as trying to make everything about him, he's the one that has all the right answers, look at me, etc.

That may not be his intention, and he may be a great dude in person, but his Twitter/X image is grating and annoying, IMHO.

He’s a great guy, a veteran, and a fan who drives to the Midwest for a game against Butler or DePaul. He’s the real deal but to each their own.

 

[Stew Crew]

From the online tool that allowed existing season ticket holders to see what the inventory was before their seat selection time slot.

If you are talking about lower bowl only, you are correct. Approximately 1000 out of roughly 2500 lower bowl seats were already accounted for. And many of them did not pay a seat donation because most of them are controlled by the University/Athletic Dept. A big chunk of 108 are AD department seats. Same for 110 or 111 where parents and family of the players sit. Same for 119 and 120 behind the bench. Hurley alone gets something like 50 seats per game. I've also seen women's players sitting in 117.

 

[mauconnfan]

Well Gampel will be better tonight simply because Mau is making a rare appearance, after hitting Hops44 prior. Of course having Emeka and me in the building on the same night is historic. LOL

 

[superjohn]

This is one of the more self aware Hurley quotes. He's right and so are you. This team is just not playing well. It is very talented, so it guts out wins, but it should look a lot easier.

I just don't know if a team with no slashers can win a title. It doesn't seem likely. The athleticism around the country is staggering comparatively. We need to start playing better D and we need to shoot well every game to reach the Final Four.

The athleticism around the country is staggering comparatively?

I've been hammering the point home that we need to get more athletic and it's why St. John's is a really bad matchup for us and there are a few other teams across the country I think are bad matchup for us but I don't see this staggering disparity.

I watch a lot of college basketball and and I rarely see this staggering athleticism. I watched the Iowa State Houston game, didn't see it. Out of other top teams I think Purdue, Illinois (we beat them easily) and Nebraska are even less athletic than us. I think Kansas is a lot more athletic than us but we beat them and beat them up on the boards without our best rebounder playing. Arizona really beat us up on the boards but we only lost by 4 and we didn't have Reed or Mullins. I think they're more athletic than us but not glaringly so. Florida is another team who beat us up on the boards and I think is more athletic than us but we beat them. Michigan would fit with your staggering athleticsm disparity. Cam Boozer would be a really tough matchup for us but he is for everyone, I don't see Duke as a team having any real athletic advantage over us. I don't see it from Texas Tech.

 

[Deepster]

You mean self-proclaimed superfan "Little Red".

On Twitter/X, this dude sure comes off as trying to make everything about him, he's the one that has all the right answers, look at me, etc.

That may not be his intention, and he may be a great dude in person, but his Twitter/X image is grating and annoying, IMHO.

You can say what you want about him. He's walking from West Hartford to Storrs for the ticket project and got up at 3 am.

We have people here complaining the concession lines are too long.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

For anyone interested in Little Reds journey. He was live on SportsCenter this morning. Safe to say the fans have answered the call!

 

[CL82]

Here's a tip for improving fan behavior - don't follow up every run with three fouls and a turnover. Don't be life and death with every crappy school that comes in here.

Fans are not stupid. They can tell when a team has half their toes in.

Kevin Ollie reference?

 

[05Alum]

I've skimmed through most of this thread, but has anyone mentioned our "hype guy" Conor Geary? I don't want to knock the guy, he's a real good dude and its not in any way the primary reason crowds have been more quiet. BUT, I don't see a whole lot of reaction with his involvement. He's been doing it for a while now, might be good for new folks to be involved in the in-game entertainment/MC.

 

[LIUCHusky]

From the online tool that allowed existing season ticket holders to see what the inventory was before their seat selection time slot.

Thanks

 

[John]

Thanks

I shouldn't speak for Chief, but that's where I saw what was going on. Perhaps he has other sources.