So Michigan doesn't want to play at the Rent

[brasssbonanzaa]

I think playing marquee games in Giants Stadium is a great idea. But those can be done as one-offs, not as the "home" part of a home-and-home. Syracuse is playing teams like USC in the Meadowlands and correct me if I'm wrong, they're not traveling to California to make the game happen. The fact is, teams with national followings want the exposure in NYC. While there they want to play teams with followings in NYC, and UConn is among the top 7-8 (Mich, Ohio State, ND, Penn State, Rutgers, UConn, maybe Alabama, maybe Texas, maybe Syracuse) in NYC fan following. So games will be available. The smart thing, I think, is to hang firm, get the game at the Rent or collect $2 mn, and look to schedule a marquee game at Giants Stadium or Yankee Stadium each year without giving away 2 games to get it, which would cut into the home calendar.

SU is playing a return game in California. They moved USC and one other, forget which, to the Meadowlands to become home and "homes". If we want to consider doing one-off neutral site games in NYC against big opponents with no corresponding trip to their field, I'm all for it, but the home and "home" setup is a terrible precedent that we'll never live down since no big program would ever be willing to play us here in a true home and home.

 

[businesslawyer]

Syracuse is playing teams like USC in the Meadowlands and correct me if I'm wrong, they're not traveling to California to make the game happen..

You are wrong. Syracuse went to the Coliseum last year. This is Syracuse's home game in a home and home.

 

[Dann]

cuse bent. they went to usc and have usc in nj now. stupid. no one important will ever visit the dome again. as we watch the fall of bc, the slow fall of cuse and pitt among others, you guys need to stop thinking that they are big time football. they are not any longer big time football. they are the jokes of big time football as they were once important and the few that fell off. stop trying to join them and copy what they do. they are not a example of a goo big time program any more. they are doing these things as last ditch efforst to try to get the program back on its feet. we aren't falling off a cliff, were climbing it. if you want a nyc game thats fine but i'm sorry to let you guys know that there is no football field in nyc. there are a bunc of baseball fields and basketball courts.

i'm all for big time matchups vs big names in big cities etc. sign me up 2moro for michigan at giants stadium, for ok in jerry world etc... but not home for home from this state shall every be signed for a game 2 states away. chesus.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I think people are grouping too many teams in with "big name".

There's only a handful of programs that can call all the shots and Michigan, Notre Dame, USC, Texas are in this group.

Playing Michigan at a neutral venue should not hinder our future OOC scheduling vs big name programs like for instance Tennessee who's on our schedule or say a Michigan State or Virginia Tech. For programs like that - you have to ink home and homes with big buyouts.

However - in the position we are right now, foregoing an opportunity to play Michigan in Giants Stadium or playing Toledo, Florida Atlantic or Kent State at the Rent is frankly moronic.

 

[freescooter]

You make your rep when you face Michigan or anyone else in a bowl game. Those opportunities will come along. I'm on the side of playing this game in Rentschler. they don't want to do that, then they can send the check. But the UCONN athletic department should be on ESPN, SportsChannel, NBCSports, and any other place that will listen accusing them of breaking the deal and of cowardice to boot. We should have a communication plan in place, and perhaps this is part of it already, pressuring them and making them look bad for backing out. Not apologitic on our part, but every chance Manuel has, he ought to be saying things like "We fully expect Michigan to live up to its agreement. After all, they are Michigan and are known for their integrity." None of this "as of right now.." business.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

This thread would be more appropriate to have once UM makes its decision known.

Right now, there is nothing to talk about.

We'll hold out for the Rent until the very end.

When UM says they'll walk, then Manuel will have a decision to make: take the money or play in NYC. It's that simple.

 

[dvegas]

If we HAD to move it, versus UM buying it out, is there any chance it could be played at the Yale Bowl?

 

[mattp]

I'm on the side of playing this game in Rentschler. they don't want to do that, then they can send the check. But the UCONN athletic department should be on ESPN, SportsChannel, NBCSports, and any other place that will listen accusing them of breaking the deal and of cowardice to boot. We should have a communication plan in place, and perhaps this is part of it already, pressuring them and making them look bad for backing out. Not apologitic on our part, but every chance Manuel has, he ought to be saying things like "We fully expect Michigan to live up to its agreement. After all, they are Michigan and are known for their integrity." None of this "as of right now.." business.

i think a temper tantrum is the worst course of action here. teams won't want to deal with us if we're known as a squeaky wheel. if they buy us out we should count our $2 mil, reschedule a home and home with someone else or buy a patsy replacement, and act like gentlemen. temper tantrums don't get you very far unless you hold all of the cards

either way i think people are jumping the gun on worrying about this

 

[pj]

But the UCONN athletic department should be on ESPN, SportsChannel, NBCSports, and any other place that will listen accusing them of breaking the deal and of cowardice to boot. We should have a communication plan in place, and perhaps this is part of it already, pressuring them and making them look bad for backing out.

This is an atrocious idea. If it's good business for them to back out, the problem is with us for being an unattractive partner. We should build up our program and expand our stadium. In the meantime we should try to be on friendly terms with Michigan.

Think about it this way: If a beautiful girl cancels a date with you, maybe you don't ask her out again and maybe you do. But if you go on television to announce to the world she's a miserable coward who welsches on deals, what benefit do you get? You look like a childish crazy person, because that's what you are. The girl hates you and nobody else respects you.

 

[freescooter]

This thread would be more appropriate to have once UM makes its decision known.

Right now, there is nothing to talk about.

We'll hold out for the Rent until the very end.

When UM says they'll walk, then Manuel will have a decision to make: take the money or play in NYC. It's that simple.

I disagree with you Jimmy. I think you play what few cards you have to try and force Michigan's hand. If they are going to walk, you want them to do it sooner rather than later to increase your chances of finding a replacement, too. If you're looking today, you might luck out and find a decent replacement. Maybe you get them to help/pressure a mid-level B10 or lower level Pac or someone to take this game and add a road game in a couple of years. If they walk next summer, its going to be Maine or a Sunbelt team that takes their place. To me it would be a lot easier to sell UCONN-Illinois than UCONN-Middle Tennessee...I just don't see moving the game to Giant Stadium or Foxboro. That sets a horrible precident and one we'll never get over. it is tough to get teams to play on the road as it is. If you agree to this change, you'll have not only Michigan but lesser lights making similar demands. Michigan knew the deal when they signed it, and could very easily have asked for the game to be in New Jersey or Foxborough at the time, and UCONN might well have agreed. Fact is that they were looking at opening their expanded stadium against UMass or Murray State and UCONN allowed them to play a legitimate, if not completly known, opponent.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I disagree with you Jimmy. I think you play what few cards you have to try and force Michigan's hand. If they are going to walk, you want them to do it sooner rather than later to increase your chances of finding a replacement, too. If you're looking today, you might luck out and find a decent replacement. Maybe you get them to help/pressure a mid-level B10 or lower level Pac or someone to take this game and add a road game in a couple of years. If they walk next summer, its going to be Maine or a Sunbelt team that takes their place. To me it would be a lot easier to sell UCONN-Illinois than UCONN-Middle Tennessee...I just don't see moving the game to Giant Stadium or Foxboro. That sets a horrible precident and one we'll never get over. it is tough to get teams to play on the road as it is. If you agree to this change, you'll have not only Michigan but lesser lights making similar demands. Michigan knew the deal when they signed it, and could very easily have asked for the game to be in New Jersey or Foxborough at the time, and UCONN might well have agreed. Fact is that they were looking at opening their expanded stadium against UMass or Murray State and UCONN allowed them to play a legitimate, if not completly known, opponent.

What cards do we have? They can pledge to play the game in East Hartford now, and a year later tell us to pound sand. What leverage do we have? Telling the world we're an inferior program and the big bad Michigan's of the world shouldn't be doing things like this? They, along with the rest of the college football world, would laugh in faces. And rightfully so.

 

[freescooter]

This is an atrocious idea. If it's good business for them to back out, the problem is with us for being an unattractive partner. We should build up our program and expand our stadium. In the meantime we should try to be on friendly terms with Michigan.

Think about it this way: If a beautiful girl cancels a date with you, maybe you don't ask her out again and maybe you do. But if you go on television to announce to the world she's a miserable coward who welsches on deals, what benefit do you get? You look like a childish crazy person, because that's what you are. The girl hates you and nobody else respects you.

to what end? So they can screw us again? The single tool UCONN has in its box is that Michigan made a deal and now wants to walk away from that deal or change it in such a way that it gets an advantage after already getting its benefit. to me, if they decide to walk, we're no longer discussing what they are, merely haggling over price. No reason to keep on good terms with them. They have already gotten what they want out of the deal. Now they don't want to live up to their end of it. Why would you trust them to ever live up to a deal again? If you let them just walk, without trying to pressure them to stay in the deal, you look like Charlie Brown to Michigan's Lucy. They'll pull out the football every time...UCONN doesn't have a lot of leverage, but if Michigan pulls the football away, UCONN needs to make sure that they look like the bad guys, not us. Saying, "well, we're willing to play you but only in New Jersey is not a reasonable argument, but if not challenged will be presented that way in the media. My point is that UCONN needs to be out ahead of this and NOT allow that to be the story line. Michigan didn't just find out about Rentschler Field last Tuesday. I'm sure Hathaway didn't tell them it sat 105,000 when he negotiated the deal. They also agreed to a high buyout precisely to avoid this situation. So all I'm saying is that we need to make sure that Michican, not Connecticut, comes off as the bad guy. You want to use your beautiful girl analogy, this is more like she cancels the date after you bought the tickets to a Broadway show and paid for the flight to New York because she'd objects to staying in the Ramada Inn rather than the Ritz Carlton, after she suggested the hotel. Not sure anyone would think you sere crazy for telling them she's a b@#ch.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yeah that's exactly what UConn needs to do - run to the presses when Michigan exercises a previously agreed upon buyout of the game. That's exactly the kind of press we need right now trying to schedule big names.

Its not a question of ethics - its a business decision.

If Michigan can make more money playing Eastern Michigan at home after buying out UConn for the game they will.

Or they decide they want the exposure and a cut of the gate at Giants Stadium and play us there.

From our perspective it would be like buying our way out of a return game at Buffalo. If it made financial sense for UConn to buyout the game and not have to play a lesser opponent we would do it.

Its honestly shocking how dense some of you are to the issue at hand.

 

[pj]

You want to use your beautiful girl analogy, this is more like she cancels the date after you bought the tickets to a Broadway show and paid for the flight to New York because she'd objects to staying in the Ramada Inn rather than the Ritz Carlton, after she suggested the hotel. Not sure anyone would think you sere crazy for telling them she's a b@#ch.

Michigan negotiated the buyout. That means it's more like she warned you up front that she might not be able to make the date.

Whatever you think of her, it makes no sense to go around badmouthing her to the rest of the world. That helps no one.

 

[rich1122]

I honestly never thought that they would play here even before we went to MI. Hope I am wrong.

 

[Jimdish255]

Who the heck is "her"?

In any case I'll take the 2 million if they don't want to come here. What we should expect from them is a timely decision on this instead of all the chatter. If you're coming great. If you're scared to play the away game let us know and we'll schedule someone else. Moving the game should be a non-starter and it would be nice to just honor the contract one way or the other. Add some seats and play the game here.

 

[BlueMAB]

If Michigan is worried about stadium size, all they have to do is send 20 alumni to a few UConn games this year and ask them how much tickets cost in the parking lot. Have them report on tailgating convenience, parking convenience, traffic, ticket/parking prices, etc. Then send them to a Giants game and ask the same questions. Once their alumni find out how easy it is to get a ticket on gameday, how much cheaper it is than the Meadowlands, and how much more convenient it is to get to the stadium, tailgate, and get back to their hotel; they'll realize they can fill half the stadium in maize and blue. They keep $2million, and get 20,000 satisified alumni. We get a "real" home game. Problem solved.

 

[BlueMAB]

You want to use your beautiful girl analogy, this is more like she cancels the date after you bought the tickets to a Broadway show and paid for the flight to New York because she'd objects to staying in the Ramada Inn rather than the Ritz Carlton, after she suggested the hotel. Not sure anyone would think you sere crazy for telling them she's a b@#ch.

Except she is reimbursing you for the broadway tickets, the plane flight, and hotel room. And adding about $1,998,000 for your troubles.

 

[freescooter]

Yeah that's exactly what UConn needs to do - run to the presses when Michigan exercises a previously agreed upon buyout of the game. That's exactly the kind of press we need right now trying to schedule big names.

Its not a question of ethics - its a business decision.

If Michigan can make more money playing Eastern Michigan at home after buying out UConn for the game they will.

Or they decide they want the exposure and a cut of the gate at Giants Stadium and play us there.

From our perspective it would be like buying our way out of a return game at Buffalo. If it made financial sense for UConn to buyout the game and not have to play a lesser opponent we would do it.

Its honestly shocking how dense some of you are to the issue at hand.

I don't disagree with that. I just believe ti should be what it is, Michigan buying out the contract because they don't want to play at Rentschler Field. Playing them in the Meadowlands wasn't par tof the deal, and to me we might just as well take the $2 million and bring in someone else. We'll probably make out better financially , too. But we should find out as soon as possible in order to best find a replacement. And it should be clear that Michigan walked on the deal and they should not be allowed to try and present this as somehow they are doing us a favor by agreeing to play UCONN at a neutral site. Essentailly, they want everything out of this deal. they already got UCONN at Michigan Stadium. They now want to save the $2million and play us at a neutral site. Screw that. Make sure that it is known that they bought out the game. Don't let the media try and portray them as the wronged party because UCONN won't agree to play them in New jersey. Because that's what will happen.

 

[uconNYC]

I'd just agree to play an extra game at Ann Arbor essentially making it a 2-1 deal.

 

[auggie22]

Yeah that's exactly what UConn needs to do - run to the presses when Michigan exercises a previously agreed upon buyout of the game. That's exactly the kind of press we need right now trying to schedule big names.

Its not a question of ethics - its a business decision.

If Michigan can make more money playing Eastern Michigan at home after buying out UConn for the game they will.

Or they decide they want the exposure and a cut of the gate at Giants Stadium and play us there.

From our perspective it would be like buying our way out of a return game at Buffalo. If it made financial sense for UConn to buyout the game and not have to play a lesser opponent we would do it.

Michigan doesn't owe us any more than we owe a MAC, one that we set aside when the game isn't convenient for us. Let us not pretend we are any further up the football food chain than that.

I want the game at the Rent, but more than that I want the game. Tradition doesn't happen out of thin air, we need to play in big games. Like bigger than Ohio University. If we want to one day be mentioned in the same paragraph as a Michigan, we need to play AND beat them. Like we did with ND. Only the Michigan team next year will be a national championship contender...

Those are the types of games and wins that build a fan base, regardless of where we play it. How did it feel when SU jumped on our long-term agreement with ND? Probably much less painful when RU pairs up with Michigan in East Rutherford.

We have NO hammer. Our leverage went out the window when we honored our mens and women's bball games with them a few years back. Puffing our chest out and inspiring Ct's finest politicians to stick their snout in this is only going to hurt the program. Let's play the game in Gillette, Meadowlands or the Yale Bowl - and let's take our best shot.

 

[Kgun7]

I must have read from at least 20 posters that Michigan can more than double the buyout with a home game against a 1-AA. If that were truly the case, then what are they waiting for???? The longer they wait, the more difficult it will be to schedule. Am I the only one who thinks if Michigan thought 2M was chump change they would have bought out the back end of the deal before UCONN got back on the plane in Ann Arbor. State University Athletic Departments still need to be fiscally responsible and the OOC road schedule for Michigan in 2013 is only UCONN. I think that all the recent chatter is simply posturing and reconnaissance. Michigan may very well be pushing for a neutral site game ... but why wouldn't they? What do they have to lose by asking???

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Then consider a Meadowlands game when discussed up front. Maybe 2 in Ann Arbor one in NJ and one at the Rent...in the next deal.

I agree with this 100%. A deal is a deal. Let us know up front if you don't want to come to the Rent and let us decide whether or not to take the deal but if you make a deal to come you either show up or pay us.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I honestly never thought that they would play here even before we went to MI. Hope I am wrong.

If they screw us, I say we play Delaware instead and tell everybody it's Michigan. Just like when Bentley wouldn't give Top Gear a car so they substituted a crap-box and reviewed it as a Bentley. Teach the Blue Hen band how to play "Hail to the victors" and we're all set.

 

[Bootsthemonkey]

"That is a LOT of money to pay NOT to play a game." - Dez Conner

Wouldn't it suck if UConn caved and agreed to play in the Meadowlands and then you find out afterwards that Michigan would have played at the Rent if UConn had insisted. The point is, it's a no-brainer that the UConn faithful all want to see this Michigan game happen and that yes, even at Giants stadium it's a better game than playing a MAC team. However if UConn wants to see the game at the Rent they have to stand firm and see what Michigan eventually decides to do. If you cave and play away from the Rent you save the game but then you have zero chance at playing at the Rent. In either case I think you set a precedent. Michigan may still honor the game and play at the Rent, they may not. You have to wait and see how it unfolds.

If it does get bought out, crying about it in the media won't help, either. Buyouts and scheduling changes happen all the time. Nobody outside the UConn fanbase will care and Michigan will not be demonized.