Some Guy’s Exit Interview with Susan Herbst

[ConnHuskBask]

I was making a point about how culturally UConn sucks for college football. Other parts of the country they don't whine about having to drive 45 minutes to watch a game, instead they plan their falls around when and where they will be watching their team. They take off time and park their RV's days before games to make a vacation out of it. The whole idea that people are worried about driving an extra half hour is so foreign to the rest of the country.

That's thing though - other parts of the country are having attendance issues. UConn held their own before essentially being relegated to the minor leagues and a lot of that is due to the fact that they had a stadium accessible for a lot of the state.

It's all a moot point, but if UConn was in the ACC we'd be drawing 30k a game even with this garbage team. 4 or 5 win seasons and the place would be packed.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Thanks for the link:

Student section:

Ironically my last UConn football game was when we played at UNC in 2009. We were undefeated and in the Top 25 and got throttled! Very electric atmosphere there, good mix of alums and students. Count me in The Rent location is fine group, we used to pack it pretty well 10 years ago and I enjoyed attending several games per year.

This reminds me of the constant debates on WFAN in the early 90s on why the Yankees didn’t draw well. Many people theorized it was due to the stadium location, traffic etc. In reality it was because they stunk. When they got good in the mid 90s the stadium became a complete non issue and has never been widely discussed again. Winning solves everything.

 

[pepband99]

So hold students hostage? Lol what. Did you even attend UConn ?

No. Go, and attend, or don't go. Shuttling students back and forth to tailgate isn't a good use of AD funds.

 

[pepband99]

So hold students hostage? Lol what. Did you even attend UConn ?

And yes, I was in the marching band, so not only did i attend, but i went to almost every home game, albeit in Memorial, for 4 years. On some days, that's closer to being "held hostage" than having to watch a game.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I get that more students would go if the stadium is on campus. But if the stadium was moved to on campus you're getting the students who don't really care about football but its something to do. But those aren't the people who might become life long fans and buy season tickets as alums. They are already going.

This is completely backwards.

Current students don't care about football? While student attendance is down across the country, so is *all* attendance. Moving it on campus incentivizes more people to come because the event is right there in front of them and they can see the people there, the tailgating, the stadium, the cars pouring into campus. It's easy to get the ones onboard who didn't know they'd enjoy it.

Current students are the ones who become lifelong fans of college sports because it's their alma mater, they build the connection to the school and the program they followed as students. This model has proven successful at every major athletic school.

This reminds me of the constant debates on WFAN in the early 90s on why the Yankees didn’t draw well. Many people theorized it was due to the stadium location, traffic etc. In reality it was because they stunk. When they got good in the mid 90s the stadium became a complete non issue and has never been widely discussed again. Winning solves everything.

Not even close to an equivalent comparison. There isn't a disproportionately high number number of Yankee fans condensed in one portion of NYC as there is with any university, particularly UConn. Pro and college sports are not an equivalent comparison whatsoever.

 

[CL82]

Lunatics using Penn Freakin’ State as a benchmark for this clown car program. Good lord. Acting like we should have had all this tradition pop up out of nowhere and that all the folks in this state should start caring about a program out of the blue is absolute banana land. We aren’t Penn State, Maryland, UVA etc. those are just fantasies in a crazy person’s mind.

Benchmark or target?

#readingcomprehension

 

[DFW HOYA]

The key word here is culture. Texas A&M draws 31,000 students each and every game--they fill up three decks across the field from the high-paying donor class. The expectation is that you attend games as a show of school spirit, plain and simple. By cntrast, an AAC school like SMU might draw 100 students to a game--it's no longer in the cultural DNA of the school.

The question is whther UConn wants to have that cultural tie to football that they have at Penn State, West Virginia, or (to a lesser extent) Maryland, or if it will be relegated to the cultural priority football has at UMass or URI.

 

[CL82]

That's thing though - other parts of the country are having attendance issues. UConn held their own before essentially being relegated to the minor leagues and a lot of that is due to the fact that they had a stadium accessible for a lot of the state.

It's all a moot point, but if UConn was in the ACC we'd be drawing 30k a game even with this garbage team. 4 or 5 win seasons and the place would be packed.

I'm not sure that it was accessibility that drove demand rather than novelty and success. It's not like people we're just wandering around saw the Rent and walked in. We were brandy new to "big time" football and got one hell of start out of the box. People jumped on it. I don't see that changing if we're in Storrs instead of East Hartford.

 

[upstater]

The key word here is culture. Texas A&M draws 31,000 students each and every game--they fill up three decks across the field from the high-paying donor class. The expectation is that you attend games as a show of school spirit, plain and simple. By cntrast, an AAC school like SMU might draw 100 students to a game--it's no longer in the cultural DNA of the school.

The question is whther UConn wants to have that cultural tie to football that they have at Penn State, West Virginia, or (to a lesser extent) Maryland, or if it will be relegated to the cultural priority football has at UMass or URI.

Hard to compare UConn to a private school with less than a third of UConn's student population. UConn should be compared to the state schools in the conference, or else state schools without other state schools in the state. Such as Maryland.

People are not aspiring to B1G land grant status with their 50k students.

That's not in the cards for several reasons, but the brute fact of numbers is one of them. We're pointing out that at places like the B1G schools, students migrate to tailgates/the stadium on Saturday mornings. It's just part of the tradition. Families who arrive on campus also tailgate, take in the game, see campus, go to dinner. Students party. It's a festive occasion.

That was the whole point of the PSU posts. They get 110000 fans at those games. No one was saying UConn is shooting for that.

 

[tentoes4rings]

This is completely backwards.

Current students don't care about football? While student attendance is down across the country, so is *all* attendance. Moving it on campus incentivizes more people to come because the event is right there in front of them and they can see the people there, the tailgating, the stadium, the cars pouring into campus. It's easy to get the ones onboard who didn't know they'd enjoy it.

Current students are the ones who become lifelong fans of college sports because it's their alma mater, they build the connection to the school and the program they followed as students. This model has proven successful at every major athletic school.



Not even close to an equivalent comparison. There isn't a disproportionately high number number of Yankee fans condensed in one portion of NYC as there is with any university, particularly UConn. Pro and college sports are not an equivalent comparison whatsoever.

I disagree. Can somebody pull the attendance numbers during Edsall’s first reign and compare to what they are now. You’re discounting fans in the lower end of the state and NYC who did and would support the team at Rentschler if it was a top 25 caliber program again.

 

[upstater]

The crazy part of this disagreement is that some of the people criticizing Susan for not being proactive enough in 2013 (I'm not saying she doesn't deserve blame) are also the people arguing that building the Rent was a good decision.

How easy was it for Louisville and Syracuse/BC people to point out that UConn doesn't even have a campus Stadium, and that it must play 30 miles away? Meanwhile, Louisville's Stadium is a block off campus? You think this wasn't held against UConn?

 

[upstater]

I disagree. Can somebody pull the attendance numbers during Edsall’s first reign and compare to what they are now. You’re discounting fans in the lower end of the state and NYC who did and would support the team at Rentschler if it was a top 25 caliber program again.

There are 130 college teams. You can't rely on top 25 rankings, and if your attendance falls off because you're not one of the best, especially against well-heeled schools in football hotbeds, then you can't get by. No way can you predicate a program on the expectation that fans will come if only you're ranked in the top 25.

 

[whaler11]

I was making a point about how culturally UConn sucks for college football. Other parts of the country they don't whine about having to drive 45 minutes to watch a game, instead they plan their falls around when and where they will be watching their team. They take off time and park their RV's days before games to make a vacation out of it. The whole idea that people are worried about driving an extra half hour is so foreign to the rest of the country.

And every single year the amount of places likes that shrinks. The stadiums are empty at huge public U’s every week.

Nobody is building 1979 Nebraska again - the world has changed. The idea someone is going to replicate that is insane.

It’s like a cigarette company exec saying he’s going to bring back the 50’s and you’ll have an ashtray at work.

Watch games - outside of a handful of schools or huge matchups the stadiums are bleeding fans at an insane rate.

 

[whaler11]

The crazy part of this disagreement is that some of the people criticizing Susan for not being proactive enough in 2013 (I'm not saying she doesn't deserve blame) are also the people arguing that building the Rent was a good decision.

How easy was it for Louisville and Syracuse/BC people to point out that UConn doesn't even have a campus Stadium, and that it must play 30 miles away? Meanwhile, Louisville's Stadium is a block off campus? You think this wasn't held against UConn?

Yeah the reason why UConn is in the AAC is they play football 30 minutes from campus. Nailed it.

 

[whaler11]

To claim that UConn is hurt by playing off campus forces one to explain how playing basketball off campus for decades didnt get in the way of winning 15 championships in basketball.

That of course ignores that they drew perfectly fine at Rentschler for a decade until they hired the biggest loser administrators and coaches in the country.

It’s an excuse - plain and simple. An on campus stadium would actually be emptier than the Rent and would not be any real driver of growth.

Talking about the culture elsewhere is silly. The sport is going to perish at the youth levels - trading your mental acuity for high school football
glory is a pretty bad trade.

 

[CL82]

To claim that UConn is hurt by playing off campus forces one to explain how playing basketball off campus for decades didnt get in the way of winning 15 championships in basketball.

That of course ignores that they drew perfectly fine at Rentschler for a decade until they hired the biggest loser administrators and coaches in the country.

It’s an excuse - plain and simple. An on campus stadium would actually be emptier than the Rent and would not be any real benefit for growth.

Not really if you accept as most people do that football's 6 home games a year are a different animal from having two games a week in basketball.

The point that people are making is that having the games on campus makes it more accessible to the students and thus is an investment in the future. It is a good thing to have your college students get in the habit of seeing games. Making it inconvenient for them is just dumb.

Quick question don't we have the same coach now as when we were filling the Rent? The name seems awfully familiar.

 

[superjohn]

And every single year the amount of places likes that shrinks. The stadiums are empty at huge public U’s every week.

Nobody is building 1979 Nebraska again - the world has changed. The idea someone is going to replicate that is insane.

It’s like a cigarette company exec saying he’s going to bring back the 50’s and you’ll have an ashtray at work.

Watch games - outside of a handful of schools or huge matchups the stadiums are bleeding fans at an insane rate.

I don't even think football is going to exist down the road so everything in realignment revolving around college football has never made sense to me. Starting all these pro football leagues while football is losing popularity doesn't make any sense to me either. Nothing seems to be forward thinking.

 

[upstater]

Yeah the reason why UConn is in the AAC is they play football 30 minutes from campus. Nailed it.

You're crazy if you don't understand that this had an impact. It makes UConn look second-rate.

 

[whaler11]

You're crazy if you don't understand that this had an impact. It makes UConn look second-rate.

This isn’t a mind-bender. This is bad leaders hiring the worst coaches in the country.

Paul Pasqauloni - his players quit on the field so bad that UConn - yes UConn- was forced to fire their football coach in SEPTEMBER.

Bob Diaco - I’m sure there is someone worse who has been an FBS coach - but I’d love to hear his name. He was so bad I asked to be banned from this website after his first game. I’m not sure anyone can ever top the debacle of when he started Donovin Williams against Temple. The players should have refused to take field.

Randy Edsall Redux. Much respect for Edsall on his first stint and how he handed Jasper’s murder - but nobody who has any interest in playing football hires Randy Edsall in 2017 while handing him a shoestring budget. He was 15 years behind the game when Maryland destroyed their program. He’s going to hand the ball to his running backs 40 times a game in 2019, and lose 10 games by an average of 25 points.

ITS NOT WHERE THE STADIUM IS - ITS CLUELESS LEADERSHIP WHO BUSTED THE BUDGET AND CANT MAKE A GOOD HIRE.

 

[Ha Who]

This isn’t a mind-bender. This is bad leaders hiring the worst coaches in the country.

Paul Pasqauloni - his players quit on the field so bad that UConn - yes UConn- was forced to fire their football coach in SEPTEMBER.

Bob Diaco - I’m sure there is someone worse who has been an FBS coach - but I’d love to hear his name. He was so bad I asked to be banned from this website after his first game. I’m not sure anyone can ever top the debacle of when he started Donovin Williams against Temple. The players should have refused to take field.

Randy Edsall Redux. Much respect for Edsall on his first stint and how he handed Jasper’s murder - but nobody who has any interest in playing football hires Randy Edsall in 2017 while handing him a shoestring budget. He was 15 years behind the game when Maryland destroyed their program. He’s going to hand the ball to his running backs 40 times a game in 2019, and lose 10 games by an average of 25 points.

ITS NOT WHERE THE STADIUM IS - ITS CLUELESS LEADERSHIP WHO BUSTED THE BUDGET AND CANT MAKE A GOOD HIRE.

Did you forget your meds today?

 

[whaler11]

Did you forget your meds today?

I’m sorry - did I misspeak? Was I not hard enough on Diaco?

 

[Ha Who]

I’m sorry - did I misspeak? Was I not hard enough on Diaco?

Nothing wrong with what you said. Just full of anger. Meds might alleviate some of it

 

[whaler11]

Nothing wrong with what you said. Just full of anger. Meds might alleviate some of it

I actually find the Diaco era humorous. No anger - but I do get annoyed by the Herbst apologists. She signed off on two Bob Diaco contracts and wants to blame the stadium. I mean come on.

 

[superjohn]

This isn’t a mind-bender. This is bad leaders hiring the worst coaches in the country.

Paul Pasqauloni - his players quit on the field so bad that UConn - yes UConn- was forced to fire their football coach in SEPTEMBER.

Bob Diaco - I’m sure there is someone worse who has been an FBS coach - but I’d love to hear his name. He was so bad I asked to be banned from this website after his first game. I’m not sure anyone can ever top the debacle of when he started Donovin Williams against Temple. The players should have refused to take field.

Randy Edsall Redux. Much respect for Edsall on his first stint and how he handed Jasper’s murder - but nobody who has any interest in playing football hires Randy Edsall in 2017 while handing him a shoestring budget. He was 15 years behind the game when Maryland destroyed their program. He’s going to hand the ball to his running backs 40 times a game in 2019, and lose 10 games by an average of 25 points.

ITS NOT WHERE THE STADIUM IS - ITS CLUELESS LEADERSHIP WHO BUSTED THE BUDGET AND CANT MAKE A GOOD HIRE.

For as great as Edsall handled Jazz's murder and brought along a program from the ground up, it was so cowardly how he handled Todman leaving early and his exit for his "dream job" in College Park.

He built something he should have been proud of and could build further upon and he blew it all up at the end, it will never make any sense to me.

 

[whaler11]

For as great as Edsall handled Jazz's murder and brought along a program from the ground up, it was so cowardly how he handled Todman leaving early and his exit for his "dream job" in College Park.

He built something he should have been proud of and could build further upon and he blew it all up at the end, it will never make any sense to me.

He could have pulled off exit better but he would have been an idiot to stay and pass up that money.

 

[superjohn]

He could have pulled off exit better but he would have been an idiot to stay and pass up that money.

It was brutal how he exited. He Tommy Tuberville level slithered away after lecturing Todman earlier on about what it takes to be a man.

 

[Guapo]

This isn’t a mind-bender. This is bad leaders hiring the worst coaches in the country.

Paul Pasqauloni - his players quit on the field so bad that UConn - yes UConn- was forced to fire their football coach in SEPTEMBER.

Bob Diaco - I’m sure there is someone worse who has been an FBS coach - but I’d love to hear his name. He was so bad I asked to be banned from this website after his first game. I’m not sure anyone can ever top the debacle of when he started Donovin Williams against Temple. The players should have refused to take field.

Randy Edsall Redux. Much respect for Edsall on his first stint and how he handed Jasper’s murder - but nobody who has any interest in playing football hires Randy Edsall in 2017 while handing him a shoestring budget. He was 15 years behind the game when Maryland destroyed their program. He’s going to hand the ball to his running backs 40 times a game in 2019, and lose 10 games by an average of 25 points.

ITS NOT WHERE THE STADIUM IS - ITS CLUELESS LEADERSHIP WHO BUSTED THE BUDGET AND CANT MAKE A GOOD HIRE.

Thinking of creating a parady account “ALL CAPS WHALER11”

 

[whaler11]

Thinking of creating a parady account “ALL CAPS WHALER11”

PARODY MORAN

 

[Guapo]

PARODY MORAN

Exactly.

 

[huskymedic]

Fits here as well as anywhere...

Ticket price cuts are at least a start for Gophers AD Mark Coyle

>>Teams in all sports nationally, pro and college, are grappling with declining attendance. The Gophers face a double whammy because they share a market with six major pro teams. The competition for fan and corporate dollars is intense.

Gophers football last season had its lowest average attendance since 1992. Attendance for men’s hockey is a fraction of what it once was, in part because of exorbitant ticket prices. Men’s basketball rarely reaches capacity anymore.

The best solution, of course, is for teams to win consistently and contend for championships. But Coyle understands that he can’t sit and wait for that to happen, or simply hope fans will show up without giving them incentives.<<