Some articles showing why duke won't play UCONN at MSG

[UConnSwag11]

Here's Why UConn Feels Right At Home In Madison Square Garden (VIDEOS)- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/29/uconn-madison-square-garden-highlights_n_5056386.html

Thanks To UConn, NCAA Regionals At Madison Square Garden Now More Expensive Than Final Four Tickets- http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessela...n-now-more-expensive-than-final-four-tickets/

UConn should have ‘sixth man’ in MSG crowd- http://www.nhregister.com/sports/20140327/uconn-should-have-sixth-man-in-msg-crowd

UConn Advances to Final Four in Front of ‘Home’ Crowd at MSG- http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/03/uconn-advances-to-final-four-with-msg-win.html

Tickets for UConn's Sweet 16 Game are Expensive -- And Going Fast

UConn Fans Driving Record-High Ticket Prices for NCAA Games at MSG- http://tba.seatgeek.com/sports/tick...tball-east-regional-at-madison-square-garden/

MetroNorth to run a UConn train on Friday to MSG- http://snyuconn.com/uconn/metronorth-to-run-a-uconn-train-on-friday-to-msg/

Cyclones couldn't hear play calls amid pro-UConn crowd

Should The Sweet 16 Be Madison Square Garden's Next Franchise? Ticket Prices Say Yes.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Yeah yeah they won in 2009 but that was then and much more recently they saw and heard the madness during the ncaa tourney at MSG and even in 2011, i strongly believe this is the reason the game is in Jersey... It feels that the fanbase has been rejuvenated with the hiring of Ollie, his personality, the teams chemistry and maturity, and that we just came off a NC in Ollies first year... The fanbase is hungry and supports the program 100% and will come out in force for any games now in NYC

 

[Walker11]

Duke would show up in very strong numbers at either location. A quarter of their student body is from either NJ or NY.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Duke would show up in very strong numbers at either location. A quarter of their student body is from either NJ or NY.

Yeah not saying they wouldn't but it seems funny they'll play there a lot but after this past year it's at izod

 

[Walker11]

It is weird and it does suck (not that we can complain too much about a UCONN Duke game in our neck of the woods). I would imagine MSG was booked or Izod somehow incentivized the teams into playing there but I have no idea what happened.

All I know is that I'm excited to see Boat and Brimah introduce Jones and Okafor to UCONN defense.

 

[UConnSwag11]

It is weird and it does suck (not that we can complain too much about a UCONN Duke game in our neck of the woods). I would imagine MSG was booked or Izod somehow incentivized the teams into playing there but I have no idea what happened.

All I know is that I'm excited to see Boat and Brimah introduce Jones and Okafor to UCONN defense.

yeah, it's getting closer to first night, it's the offseason, and I wanted that game in the garden so badly lol

 

[aceboon]

I don't really think Duke is worried about a UConn crowd at MSG, the 2009 PNIT game was filled with Duke fans, seemed pretty much even in terms of crowd support imo. The tourney turnout this run was great, but that crowd isn't really reflective of what I've witnessed firsthand in these early regular season MSG games the past 5 years or so, which is totally understandable given the higher stakes involved.

 

[Gurleyman]

All I know is that I'm excited to see Boat and Brimah introduce Jones and Okafor to UCONN defense.

This sentence just feels wrong. Okafor is totally in the wrong place.

 

[AstarIsBorn31]

One of my biggest regrets in life: not attending the MSG games this past season ..... The sound of the arena was amazing... Still contemplating the trip to the IZOD for this game wish it was at least at the barclays center, heard that arena was pretty nice.

 

[Palatine]

Duke would show up in very strong numbers at either location. A quarter of their student body is from either NJ or NY.

But their student body is only six guys.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Duke always draws well in NYC, that said, UConn would draw better (60/40) at MSG due to its easy access to Connecticut and UConn alumni in the city itself. Barclay’s is a little less convenient, could call it 50/50 there. As I have not heard that NJ Transit will run special trains for the game at IZOD, the only way to get there will be by car, which will deter some UConn fans who live on the other side of the river from going. Throw Duke’s historically strong connections to Jersey basketball (Hurley family, St. Anthony’s, Blair Academy, etc.) and a few anti-UConn fans living in Jersey from Rutgers, Seton Hall, and Syracuse, my guess is that Duke will have a 60/40 advantage.

Nevertheless, I will be there.

 

[aceboon]

Duke always draws well in NYC, that said, UConn would draw better (60/40) at MSG due to its easy access to Connecticut and UConn alumni in the city itself. Barclay’s is a little less convenient, could call it 50/50 there. As I have not heard that NJ Transit will run special trains for the game at IZOD, the only way to get there will be by car, which will deter some UConn fans who live on the other side of the river from going. Throw Duke’s historically strong connections to Jersey basketball (Hurley family, St. Anthony’s, Blair Academy, etc.) and a few anti-UConn fans living in Jersey from Rutgers, Seton Hall, and Syracuse, my guess is that Duke will have a 60/40 advantage.

Nevertheless, I will be there.

Given what I saw at the Barclays last season against MD, it is very generous to call a hypothetical game there a 50/50 split. I know it was a MD event, but UK fans swarmed that arena when they played MD at Barclays the season before.

 

[Kitaman]

No team should want to play us at MSG, except perhaps St. Johns.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Given what I saw at the Barclays last season against MD, it is very generous to call a hypothetical game there a 50/50 split. I know it was a MD event, but UK fans swarmed that arena when they played MD at Barclays the season before.

Barclay’s was a home game for Maryland, and they sold their tickets in advance hoarding the prime tickets and discounted others. Maryland was very much aware that they ran the risk of being outnumbered by UConn fans after being run over by Kentucky fans the year before and did not want to see a repeat.

 

[Husky999]

Didn't Duke play us at the Garden about 4 years ago?

 

[mbt0512]

A couple others:

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=244000062

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/UCONN-CAN-AND-DOES-Huskies-outplay-Duke-to-3239459.php

 

[Silk City]

Duke won many of their big tournament games in East Rutherford back in their run of relevance in the 90s. Putting this game there is effectively them tipping their cap to that era and getting some nostalgia. I don't think it has anything to do with being "afraid" of playing us at MSG.

That being said, who cares. We could never play a game at MSG this decade and I would've still got my filling with this past March. I'm just thrilled to be playing Duke in a place where most of our local fans have the opportunity to go.

 

[aceboon]

Barclay’s was a home game for Maryland, and they sold their tickets in advance hoarding the prime tickets and discounted others. Maryland was very much aware that they ran the risk of being outnumbered by UConn fans after being run over by Kentucky fans the year before and did not want to see a repeat.

I guess its possible, but given what I've seen over the last 5-6 years with early season NYC crowd turnouts, a weak UConn contingent is something that is kind of expected for these games.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I guess its possible, but given what I've seen over the last 5-6 years with early season NYC crowd turnouts, a weak UConn contingent is something that is kind of expected for these games.

if it's during the week against an ok team, the turnout wont be big... but if it's a big time game during the week against a ranked team or a rival it will be a big turnout

 

[CL82]

Duke won many of their big tournament games in East Rutherford back in their run of relevance in the 90s. Putting this game there is effectively them tipping their cap to that era and getting some nostalgia. I don't think it has anything to do with being "afraid" of playing us at MSG.

That being said, who cares. We could never play a game at MSG this decade and I would've still got my filling with this past March. I'm just thrilled to be playing Duke in a place where most of our local fans have the opportunity to go.

I suspect that it as more to do with scheduling, and perhaps the cost of the venues, more than anything else.

 

[David 76]

They should give us a home & home.

 

[gampelcrazies]

I'm pretty sure the reason they aren't playing in the garden is because Billy Joel is playing that week.

 

[gampelcrazies]

They should give us a home & home.

Thats a funny joke. Duke doesn't do home and homes

 

[otp85]

I mean it makes sense that they wouldn't want to play there. I don't know why anyone would want to play us at MSG. I mean you've seen what we've been doing there lately

 

[CL82]

They should give us a home & home.

I used to feel that way. Now I will take quality opponents whereever we can find them.