Rumor of BC Game At Gillette

[LRock34]

I agree that either team would sell out this game as a home game. I disagree that you would sell out Gillette! I do not believe that you would generate enough interest to play this at a neutral site.

I don't understand that logic. Having the game at Gillette basically makes it a home game for both teams. Gillette is what an additional 45 minutes for BC fans? 60 to 90 minutes for UConn fans?

Doesn't matter, BCU is not going to play us until they are forced to...if we ever get into the ACC.

 

[HartfordHank]

BC sees ND as a rival. ND views BC as an annoying little sister that it uses to increase its brand awareness in the Northeast. After all, if it was a rival, BC would play ND at Alumni stadium, not at Fenway with BC as the away team. Cuse may now see BC as a rival only because the Fruit lost its more natural rivals in Rutgers and to a lesser degree UConn due to conference realignment. VT sees BC as a rival? Sure, right after UVA (Commonwealth Cup), West Virginia (Black Diamond Cup), Tennessee (they are playing a game at a NASCAR venue after all), Miami, most of the SEC , etc.; but I do believe that V Tech sees BC as more of a rival than Wake Forest, so you have that.

A UConn/BC game will stroke the flame of anger for the only 2 established FBS teams in New England (nothing personal UMass; but, if UMass is still FBS in 10 years, I will be happy and amazed) that gets attention and fans to show-up. Plus, it’s an easy 2/3 hour drive from most of CT. It will not fill Gillette; but, it will draw more people than BC’s games against UMass, Maine and just about everyone from the ACC outside of Florida St, Miami, Syracuse, and maybe Pitt.

When BC has a home game against Notre Dame the game is played at Alumni Stadium. Notre Dame has decided to play one of their neutral site games at Fenway. Originally this was supposed to be played in Ireland but that fell through. I am guessing it was not going to gross enough dollars.

BC has only played more games against Holy Cross than Syracuse. Has always been a very well attended game over the years. That appears to have become BC and Syracuse's end of season game. BC and VATech are rivals per the ACC cross over game. Definitely not a primary rival for either school. They have played some vewry good games.

 

[upstater]

How is BC a "natural rival" ? Because of location only ?

BC has stronger natural rivalries with ND, Cuse, and VT than anything with uconn. The teams have barely played in the past and when they have, the games have been one sided.

As for the Gillette idea, wouldn't count on it, makes no sense from BCs perspective.

Because BC has never made a BCS or big time bowl. During their time in the BE, they never finished higher than 3rd. UConn had just upgraded to D1 when it lost to BC and wasn't even in the BE at the time. And your rivalry with Syracuse? UConn is 6-1 against Syracuse in the last 7 games, and it handles Pitt as well.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Play BC, don't play BC, I am at the point where I don't even care about that anymore. Up until about a year or so ago I was in the camp that it just made too much sense and should be an annual game. Now, meh, whatever. Would be just as happy playing a home and home with Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, or scheduling more games v Rutgers /Maryland.

Seriously BC is a mid major school that happens to make a lot of money off the backs of Duke, UNC, FSU, Clemson, VT, and the like. I could absolutely care less about playing them anymore.

 

[UConn9604]

Look at the attendance numbers for BCU's recent non-conference home games. Villanova 2013, Maine 2012 and UMass 2011 didn't crack 31k. Northwestern drew about 37k in 2012, and Army pulled in 33k in 2013. BCU's average attendance for ACC conference games has matched its last year in the Big East only 2 or 3 years. In other words, BCU fans do not care about their ACC opponents, and certainly aren't going to show up for most of the cupcakes that BCU tries to schedule. ESPN also has zero interest in filming BCU in an empty stadium against an FCS opponent, and finally, every conference is putting pressure on schools to schedule more aggressively, which will result in fewer FCS games.

None of that means that BCU will schedule UConn, but there are a lot of $ reasons to schedule UConn that outweigh an ex-AD's hurt feelings.

I think that the impact of the move to the ACC hurt their basketball programs even worse. The typical Boston-area BC basketball fan (admittedly few in number) relished their old series against Providence, UConn, etc. Now, how many of those fans care about playing Clemson or Virginia Tech? Even UNC and Duke have gotten old in their eyes. Needless to say, Conte Forum will never have to be expanded.

 

[uconndogs]

I think that the impact of the move to the ACC hurt their basketball programs even worse. The typical Boston-area BC basketball fan (admittedly few in number) relished their old series against Providence, UConn, etc. Now, how many of those fans care about playing Clemson or Virginia Tech? Even UNC and Duke have gotten old in their eyes. Needless to say, Conte Forum will never have to be expanded.

Honest to god, I saw a little bit of a BC hoops game at Conte on the tube last season and the atmosphere was that of a HS JV girls game. Play was about the same as well.

 

[HartfordHank]

Because BC has never made a BCS or big time bowl. During their time in the BE, they never finished higher than 3rd. UConn had just upgraded to D1 when it lost to BC and wasn't even in the BE at the time. And your rivalry with Syracuse? UConn is 6-1 against Syracuse in the last 7 games, and it handles Pitt as well.

Not to let facts get in the way but BC tied for first in the Big East in 2004.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

How is BC a "natural rival" ? Because of location only ?

BC has stronger natural rivalries with ND, Cuse, and VT than anything with uconn. The teams have barely played in the past and when they have, the games have been one sided.

As for the Gillette idea, wouldn't count on it, makes no sense from BCs perspective.

As Rick James said, "Cocaine is a hell of a drug"

 

[upstater]

Not to let facts get in the way but BC tied for first in the Big East in 2004.

Yes, so did 3 other teams. But guess who really finished first? The team that won the tiebreakers. Which is what decides who gets the BCS bid. The New England Patriots finished tied for first in their division in 2008. And they watched the playoffs on TV.

2004 Standings:

Boston College4-2
Pittsburgh4-2
West Virginia4-2
Syracuse4-2
Connecticut3-3
Congratulations

 

[sportsart]

Yes, so did 3 other teams. But guess who really finished first? The team that won the tiebreakers. Which is what decides who gets the BCS bid. The New England Patriots finished tied for first in their division in 2008. And they watched the playoffs on TV.

2004 Standings:

Boston College4-2
Pittsburgh4-2
West Virginia4-2
Syracuse4-2
Connecticut3-3
Congratulations

I may be wrong, as I often am, but didn't BCU have a chance to win it out right but lost to Syracuse in the final game. That Diamond Ferry dude (something like that) was a 2 way player for SU and had a monster game IIRC. Good times....

 

[Dooley]

What makes you think that BC - UConn would be a sellout at Gillette? Both teams season ticket bases don't fill Gillette combined. So in addition to every season ticket holder at each school you are going to get another 15,000 people?

I think it would. The first game would sell 65K tickets. If I had to guess, I'd say it would be a 70/30 pro-UCONN crowd. UCONN fans would be fired up for this and make the trip to Gillette. I'd say that there would be at least 40K UCONN fans. If BC can't attract 25K fans 20 miles or so away from their campus for a game, that's their own issue. I do admit that I think BC fans wouldn't be as fired up for this game as UCONN fans would be so their showing wouldn't be as strong. But if UCONN offered a ticket to this game as part of a season ticket campaign, my guess is that UCONN would move a TON of season tickets.

But we don't have to worry about this because I think the possibility of this game being played is very remote.

 

[uconndogs]

Not to let facts get in the way but BC tied for first in the Big East in 2004.

Oh, you mean the year that BC and Tom O'Brien swallowed the football against the Orange and their safety ran for like 200 yards. You mean that season?

 

[HartfordHank]

Yes, so did 3 other teams. But guess who really finished first? The team that won the tiebreakers. Which is what decides who gets the BCS bid. The New England Patriots finished tied for first in their division in 2008. And they watched the playoffs on TV.

2004 Standings:

Boston College4-2
Pittsburgh4-2
West Virginia4-2
Syracuse4-2
Connecticut3-3
Congratulations

Always interesting how a Co-Championship is a big deal for UConn but when anyone else gets one they are insignificant! LOL!

 

[upstater]

Always interesting how a Co-Championship is a big deal for UConn but when anyone else gets one they are insignificant! LOL!

UConn played in a BCS bowl and won the tiebreaker. Unlike BC.

 

[HartfordHank]

I may be wrong, as I often am, but didn't BCU have a chance to win it out right but lost to Syracuse in the final game. That Diamond Ferry dude (something like that) was a 2 way player for SU and had a monster game IIRC. Good times....

Not even a two way player, he was their starting safety. They were so ransacked with injuries they moved him to RB during the game. Ugliest game I have ever watched. Never understood how a team could come out so unmotivated for such a big game. But that was Tom O'Brien!

 

[HartfordHank]

UConn played in a BCS bowl and won the tiebreaker. Unlike BC.

Gee what about that Co-Championship in 2007? Are you no longer proud of that Co-Championship?

They seemed pretty proud of it when they presented the trophy during halftime of a basketball game! http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120607aaa.html

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I may be wrong, as I often am, but didn't BCU have a chance to win it out right but lost to Syracuse in the final game. That Diamond Ferry dude (something like that) was a 2 way player for SU and had a monster game IIRC. Good times....

That Cuse team was also poorly coached.

 

[ZooCougar]

That Cuse team was also poorly coached.

Yeah and they had a terrible offensive coordinator.

 

[ZooCougar]

Gee what about that Co-Championship in 2007? Are you no longer proud of that Co-Championship?

They seemed pretty proud of it when they presented the trophy during halftime of a basketball game! http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120607aaa.html

Which co championship?

 

[uconndogs]

Gee what about that Co-Championship in 2007? Are you no longer proud of that Co-Championship?

They seemed pretty proud of it when they presented the trophy during halftime of a basketball game! http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120607aaa.html

Absolutely! Given what that young program accomplished in such a short period of time why wouldn't UCONN be proud?

Granted, we prefer the national championships we tend to stack like cord wood. They tend to be the sweetest.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Yeah and they had a terrible offensive coordinator.

Think about that. A team coached by Paul Pasqualoni with George DeLeone as OC absolutely shredded BCU's defense with their starting safety playing RB. With a Fiesta Bowl appearance on the line. True story.

 

[ZooCougar]

Think about that. A team coached by Paul Pasqualoni with George DeLeone as OC absolutely shredded BCU's defense with their starting safety playing RB. With a Fiesta Bowl appearance on the line. True story.

I guess that's what happens when your entire roster smells like drakkar noir and date rape.

 

[uconndogs]

Think about that. A team coached by Paul Pasqualoni with George DeLeone as OC absolutely shredded BCU's defense with their starting safety playing RB. With a Fiesta Bowl appearance on the line. True story.

Holy crap! I never thought of it that way. It's almost impossible to comprehend.

 

[sdhusky]

Not to let facts get in the way but BC tied for first in the Big East in 2004.

BC never finished higher than 4th in the OBE. 2004 was the exception ( thank you diamond Ferri).

They would beat RU and Temple and maybe Pitt or WVU but pretty much always lose to Va Tech, SU and Miami.

They were very consistently mediocre. Not as bad as Temple/RU, not as good as SU or Va Tech.

 

[John]

Oh, you mean the year that BC and Tom O'Brien swallowed the football against the Orange and their safety ran for like 200 yards. You mean that season?

Diamond Ferri forgot the lube that day.