Student Game Attendance – Root Cause Problem Solving

[Deepster]

Student Game Attendance – Root Cause Problem Solving

Rather than toss the same comments back and forth about student attendance, I figured I’d try a different approach. At work, we use “Root Cause Problem Solving” that identifies the problems, then drills down to the root causes….then brainstorms potential solutions.

Why don’t more students attend UConn football games?

Problem: Transportation.

• North Garage to the Rent is 30 minutes per Google Maps.
• Students without cars rely on bus transportation – poor travel experience, not fun.
• Students with cars have to pay for parking and it’s not easy to tailgate with friends.

Solutions:

• Make the bus ride a better experience. Music (picked by students). Merch giveaways that are worth winning (TV’s, coolers, etc). Police escort like the team bus. Athlete ambassadors on the bus (mens/women’s basketball, alums of all sports). Make the ride not “seem” as long or boring.
• One complaint is the bus leaving and students potentially missing the ride. Maybe extend the departure time and allow for more post-game stuff? Or have early buses and later buses?
• Section off an area right next to the stadium for free student parking. Call the student tailgate lot something like “The Pound” and let them have their own communal area. Show your ID and get access in with your car.
• What about this? What about a camping area with a Friday night huge bonfire? Make a tent city like they do outside Gampel again, with a DJ or players/coaches bringing food. Maybe even extend the camping to RVs and trailers for non-students to make it a “weekend” type event like other schools.

Problem: Tailgating.

• If you are on the bus, you can’t bring a cooler or grill or cornhole set.
• If you drive yourself, you are still a student, likely don’t have a grill and it’d be lame to have 4-8 students hanging around with nothing to really eat or do.

Solutions:

• Assemble a tailgate or “football gameday entertainment” council to specifically address this issue.
• Sponsored food in tailgate area for students. Leverage local companies and business (Big Y, Moe’s, Bears BBQ). Minimal cost to get in ($5.00 or less), use Husky Bucks, free food if alumni or other donors can cover some/all costs. Make it good enough to be worth while.
• Leverage matchups with food – Wings vs Buffalo, Cheesesteaks vs Temple, etc.
• Offer eating contests for fun/prizes.
• Come up with our own version of ESPN College Gameday.
• Tailgate game area – cornhole, washers, etc. Offer tournaments to those interested.
• DJ or live music acts.
• Leverage local bars like Teds or Huskies to maybe have “Teds South” trailers or RV’s. Use their brand to generate buzz.
• Important: Get a student council with representation from all classes, Greek life, backgrounds, ethnicities to what THEY want or would think is worth it.
  
  9/28 – The student section at the Rent was 85-90% empty. The men’s soccer game at 7 pm had 4400 in attendance vs a 5100 capacity at Morrone Stadium. They’re GOING to events. If the only issue is being off-campus, work with them to make it worth making the trip because right now, they clearly don’t think that it is.
  
  
• The elephant in the room is alcohol, obviously. Alcohol in general and underage drinking (with the problems that come with all that). You’re not getting them down to games without drinking (for legal students) so that’s an item that needs to be figured out.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I am more concerned with paying customers tbh. You want 30k there. They got work to do.

I have had enough about harping on the student experience if getting to games. They have been doing it for 20 years. Students been going to XL for hoops game for 50 years.

Enough with this topic. They will come or they wont come.

 

[Deepster]

I am more concerned with paying customers tbh. You want 30k there. They got work to do.

I have had enough about harping on the student experience if getting to games. They have been doing it for 20 years. Students been going to XL for hoops game for 50 years.

Enough with this topic. They will come or they wont come.

I think you're being myopic. The students make the environment better. Not the paying 50 year olds.

 

[cellocgg]

The people who cry about the stadium being far make me laugh, the XL Center is even farther lol

You know what will help fill the Rent up? A winning team, just like was shown in the old BE days. This UConn team finds consistent success and we will be back to that. One, two games isn't gonna change the perception. A few seasons of success and we will be back

I think a lot of these suggestions are great and will help, but the biggest fix is just consistent, on-field success

You know what would be the perfect announcement to build upon our recent FB interest? Announce UConn to the Pac12!

 

[RC111]

Student Game Attendance – Root Cause Problem Solving

Rather than toss the same comments back and forth about student attendance, I figured I’d try a different approach. At work, we use “Root Cause Problem Solving” that identifies the problems, then drills down to the root causes….then brainstorms potential solutions.

Why don’t more students attend UConn football games?

Problem: Transportation.

• North Garage to the Rent is 30 minutes per Google Maps.
• Students without cars rely on bus transportation – poor travel experience, not fun.
• Students with cars have to pay for parking and it’s not easy to tailgate with friends.

Solutions:

• Make the bus ride a better experience. Music (picked by students). Merch giveaways that are worth winning (TV’s, coolers, etc). Police escort like the team bus. Athlete ambassadors on the bus (mens/women’s basketball, alums of all sports). Make the ride not “seem” as long or boring.
• One complaint is the bus leaving and students potentially missing the ride. Maybe extend the departure time and allow for more post-game stuff? Or have early buses and later buses?
• Section off an area right next to the stadium for free student parking. Call the student tailgate lot something like “The Pound” and let them have their own communal area. Show your ID and get access in with your car.
• What about this? What about a camping area with a Friday night huge bonfire? Make a tent city like they do outside Gampel again, with a DJ or players/coaches bringing food. Maybe even extend the camping to RVs and trailers for non-students to make it a “weekend” type event like other schools.

Problem: Tailgating.

• If you are on the bus, you can’t bring a cooler or grill or cornhole set.
• If you drive yourself, you are still a student, likely don’t have a grill and it’d be lame to have 4-8 students hanging around with nothing to really eat or do.

Solutions:

• Assemble a tailgate or “football gameday entertainment” council to specifically address this issue.
• Sponsored food in tailgate area for students. Leverage local companies and business (Big Y, Moe’s, Bears BBQ). Minimal cost to get in ($5.00 or less), use Husky Bucks, free food if alumni or other donors can cover some/all costs. Make it good enough to be worth while.
• Leverage matchups with food – Wings vs Buffalo, Cheesesteaks vs Temple, etc.
• Offer eating contests for fun/prizes.
• Come up with our own version of ESPN College Gameday.
• Tailgate game area – cornhole, washers, etc. Offer tournaments to those interested.
• DJ or live music acts.
• Leverage local bars like Teds or Huskies to maybe have “Teds South” trailers or RV’s. Use their brand to generate buzz.
• Important: Get a student council with representation from all classes, Greek life, backgrounds, ethnicities to what THEY want or would think is worth it.
  
  9/28 – The student section at the Rent was 85-90% empty. The men’s soccer game at 7 pm had 4400 in attendance vs a 5100 capacity at Morrone Stadium. They’re GOING to events. If the only issue is being off-campus, work with them to make it worth making the trip because right now, they clearly don’t think that it is.
  
  
• The elephant in the room is alcohol, obviously. Alcohol in general and underage drinking (with the problems that come with all that). You’re not getting them down to games without drinking (for legal students) so that’s an item that needs to be figured out.

I made a similar -- but less detailed -- suggestion for student tailgate a year or two ago during a similar discussion. I even went so far as to tweet the suggestion to DB without response. To be fair, why would he since my account is only for reading tweets and doesn't follow anyone...

The alcohol issue doesn't seem as difficult to me. Allow alcohol but don't provide any? It wouldn't be any different than what is currently happening in the lots. All UConn needs to do is provide cornhole sets and other yard games, a tent grilling cheap food, and maybe water and soda. Let the students do the rest.

If you give them free (or maybe $1) dogs and burgers and a place to hang out, the kids who don't have cars and can't bring that stuff, who don't have a fun place to be, will come in greater numbers. I remember seeing small packs of students heading in while I was tailgating because they didn't have a place to hang out outside the stadium. I was lucky I did

 

[Forte]

Hartford doesn't fill up for games vs. lower-level opponents like Gampel does. Campus games help a lot for student attendance. Anyone who was a student in Storrs think back to your Friday nights... would a Saturday morning bus drive look appealing? One recommendation I would have would be for the athletic department to, in whatever way it could, form a strong bond with the Fraternities and Sororities and set up an area for them (to, within reason) drive the pregame atmosphere...

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Root Cause Analysis requires all of the stakeholders to be present. In order to really drill down to a Root Cause, we need to actually talk to the students and see what it would take to get them there. Everything else is speculation.

 

[TheDrifter75]

Hartford doesn't fill up for games vs. lower-level opponents like Gampel does. Campus games help a lot for student attendance. Anyone who was a student in Storrs think back to your Friday nights... would a Saturday morning bus drive look appealing? One recommendation I would have would be for the athletic department to, in whatever way it could, form a strong bond with the Fraternities and Sororities and set up an area for them (to, within reason) drive the pregame atmosphere...

Just stop. You're gonna end developing some traditions or something.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Build the oncampus stadium!

 

[blue93]

I think you're being myopic. The students make the environment better. Not the paying 50 year olds.

It’s on everybody. Students don’t want to take a bus 45 minutes each way unless it feels like a big event. Showing up to a half empty stadium isn’t a big event. There’s no FOMO factor.

If we get to a point of 30k+ in the seats and the student section is lacking, we can have that conversation. Until then, we need the rest of the state to show up again and bring back the big game feel.

 

[CL82]

I am more concerned with paying customers tbh. You want 30k there. They got work to do.

I have had enough about harping on the student experience if getting to games. They have been doing it for 20 years. Students been going to XL for hoops game for 50 years.

Enough with this topic. They will come or they wont come.

Are you also putting an embargo on people whining about how it would be impossible for them to drive 30 minutes further west six times a year?

Just curious.

 

[Deepster]

Root Cause Analysis requires all of the stakeholders to be present. In order to really drill down to a Root Cause, we need to actually talk to the students and see what it would take to get them there. Everything else is speculation.

Totally agree. If any are on the board, obviously chime in. I'd love to hear their take.

 

[Patman]

The people who cry about the stadium being far make me laugh, the XL Center is even farther lol

You know what will help fill the Rent up? A winning team, just like was shown in the old BE days. This UConn team finds consistent success and we will be back to that. One, two games isn't gonna change the perception. A few seasons of success and we will be back

I think a lot of these suggestions are great and will help, but the biggest fix is just consistent, on-field success

You know what would be the perfect announcement to build upon our recent FB interest? Announce UConn to the Pac12!

You need far fewer students to fill a section of a basketball game

 

[Chin Diesel]

Root cause analysis.

Why?
Why?
Why?

 

[slepers]

The people who cry about the stadium being far make me laugh, the XL Center is even farther lol

You know what will help fill the Rent up? A winning team, just like was shown in the old BE days. This UConn team finds consistent success and we will be back to that. One, two games isn't gonna change the perception. A few seasons of success and we will be back

I think a lot of these suggestions are great and will help, but the biggest fix is just consistent, on-field success

You know what would be the perfect announcement to build upon our recent FB interest? Announce UConn to the Pac12!

Please no on the pac 12

 

[Kolumbo]

Student Game Attendance – Root Cause Problem Solving

Rather than toss the same comments back and forth about student attendance, I figured I’d try a different approach. At work, we use “Root Cause Problem Solving” that identifies the problems, then drills down to the root causes….then brainstorms potential solutions.

Why don’t more students attend UConn football games?

Problem: Transportation.

• North Garage to the Rent is 30 minutes per Google Maps.
• Students without cars rely on bus transportation – poor travel experience, not fun.
• Students with cars have to pay for parking and it’s not easy to tailgate with friends.

Solutions:

• Make the bus ride a better experience. Music (picked by students). Merch giveaways that are worth winning (TV’s, coolers, etc). Police escort like the team bus. Athlete ambassadors on the bus (mens/women’s basketball, alums of all sports). Make the ride not “seem” as long or boring.
• One complaint is the bus leaving and students potentially missing the ride. Maybe extend the departure time and allow for more post-game stuff? Or have early buses and later buses?
• Section off an area right next to the stadium for free student parking. Call the student tailgate lot something like “The Pound” and let them have their own communal area. Show your ID and get access in with your car.
• What about this? What about a camping area with a Friday night huge bonfire? Make a tent city like they do outside Gampel again, with a DJ or players/coaches bringing food. Maybe even extend the camping to RVs and trailers for non-students to make it a “weekend” type event like other schools.

Problem: Tailgating.

• If you are on the bus, you can’t bring a cooler or grill or cornhole set.
• If you drive yourself, you are still a student, likely don’t have a grill and it’d be lame to have 4-8 students hanging around with nothing to really eat or do.

Solutions:

• Assemble a tailgate or “football gameday entertainment” council to specifically address this issue.
• Sponsored food in tailgate area for students. Leverage local companies and business (Big Y, Moe’s, Bears BBQ). Minimal cost to get in ($5.00 or less), use Husky Bucks, free food if alumni or other donors can cover some/all costs. Make it good enough to be worth while.
• Leverage matchups with food – Wings vs Buffalo, Cheesesteaks vs Temple, etc.
• Offer eating contests for fun/prizes.
• Come up with our own version of ESPN College Gameday.
• Tailgate game area – cornhole, washers, etc. Offer tournaments to those interested.
• DJ or live music acts.
• Leverage local bars like Teds or Huskies to maybe have “Teds South” trailers or RV’s. Use their brand to generate buzz.
• Important: Get a student council with representation from all classes, Greek life, backgrounds, ethnicities to what THEY want or would think is worth it.
  
  9/28 – The student section at the Rent was 85-90% empty. The men’s soccer game at 7 pm had 4400 in attendance vs a 5100 capacity at Morrone Stadium. They’re GOING to events. If the only issue is being off-campus, work with them to make it worth making the trip because right now, they clearly don’t think that it is.
  
  
• The elephant in the room is alcohol, obviously. Alcohol in general and underage drinking (with the problems that come with all that). You’re not getting them down to games without drinking (for legal students) so that’s an item that needs to be figured out.

This is a great idea and you are right about tailgating. When the stadium is on campus it is much easier for students to have dorm quad parties on campus prior to games. Bring the campus atmosphere to The Rent. They could build a large picnic area including a very large tent or large pavilion for all students to gather, eat, drink, play games. Similar setup to local town fairs. Make it as inexpensive or elaborate as demand requires. Maybe even make a replica of the old hockey armadillo. Serve cheap beer from kegs because students aren't rich. Large video screen to show live tailgating action or football or basketball highlights. It could be students only or friends of students. I don't think you'd have to worry about most other folks entering because they have tailgating of their own.

Turn the fact that students have to travel into a big benefit for students. There is plenty of space all around the stadium allowing for lots of tailgating and very short walks which most on campus stadiums don't have. If the drawback is travel time, make the tailgating experience better than those of on campus stadiums. Thousands of students able to party together in one single location rather than all over campus and off campus houses. Mini Spring Weekends. One downside might be the liability if students are driving to the game.

Call it The Dog Run, for bitches & studs

 

[UCONNRPh]

Build the oncampus stadium!

First we need to increase coaches salary and raise NIL

 

[Windham4th]

Student Game Attendance – Root Cause Problem Solving

Rather than toss the same comments back and forth about student attendance, I figured I’d try a different approach. At work, we use “Root Cause Problem Solving” that identifies the problems, then drills down to the root causes….then brainstorms potential solutions.

Why don’t more students attend UConn football games?

Problem: Transportation.

• North Garage to the Rent is 30 minutes per Google Maps.
• Students without cars rely on bus transportation – poor travel experience, not fun.
• Students with cars have to pay for parking and it’s not easy to tailgate with friends.

Solutions:

• Make the bus ride a better experience. Music (picked by students). Merch giveaways that are worth winning (TV’s, coolers, etc). Police escort like the team bus. Athlete ambassadors on the bus (mens/women’s basketball, alums of all sports). Make the ride not “seem” as long or boring.
• One complaint is the bus leaving and students potentially missing the ride. Maybe extend the departure time and allow for more post-game stuff? Or have early buses and later buses?
• Section off an area right next to the stadium for free student parking. Call the student tailgate lot something like “The Pound” and let them have their own communal area. Show your ID and get access in with your car.
• What about this? What about a camping area with a Friday night huge bonfire? Make a tent city like they do outside Gampel again, with a DJ or players/coaches bringing food. Maybe even extend the camping to RVs and trailers for non-students to make it a “weekend” type event like other schools.

Problem: Tailgating.

• If you are on the bus, you can’t bring a cooler or grill or cornhole set.
• If you drive yourself, you are still a student, likely don’t have a grill and it’d be lame to have 4-8 students hanging around with nothing to really eat or do.

Solutions:

• Assemble a tailgate or “football gameday entertainment” council to specifically address this issue.
• Sponsored food in tailgate area for students. Leverage local companies and business (Big Y, Moe’s, Bears BBQ). Minimal cost to get in ($5.00 or less), use Husky Bucks, free food if alumni or other donors can cover some/all costs. Make it good enough to be worth while.
• Leverage matchups with food – Wings vs Buffalo, Cheesesteaks vs Temple, etc.
• Offer eating contests for fun/prizes.
• Come up with our own version of ESPN College Gameday.
• Tailgate game area – cornhole, washers, etc. Offer tournaments to those interested.
• DJ or live music acts.
• Leverage local bars like Teds or Huskies to maybe have “Teds South” trailers or RV’s. Use their brand to generate buzz.
• Important: Get a student council with representation from all classes, Greek life, backgrounds, ethnicities to what THEY want or would think is worth it.
  
  9/28 – The student section at the Rent was 85-90% empty. The men’s soccer game at 7 pm had 4400 in attendance vs a 5100 capacity at Morrone Stadium. They’re GOING to events. If the only issue is being off-campus, work with them to make it worth making the trip because right now, they clearly don’t think that it is.
  
  
• The elephant in the room is alcohol, obviously. Alcohol in general and underage drinking (with the problems that come with all that). You’re not getting them down to games without drinking (for legal students) so that’s an item that needs to be figured out.

Call your state reps to lower the drinking age. All problems solved.............

 

[cellocgg]

Please no on the pac 12

What if it were FB only which was what I meant anyway

 

[Devland]

I was told by a UConn student, a lot of them go to tailgate but never go in. Not sure if they ride the bus or drive cars.

 

[Deepster]

This is a great idea and you are right about tailgating. When the stadium is on campus it is much easier for students to have dorm quad parties on campus prior to games. Bring the campus atmosphere to The Rent. They could build a large picnic area including a very large tent or large pavilion for all students to gather, eat, drink, play games. Similar setup to local town fairs. Make it as inexpensive or elaborate as demand requires. Maybe even make a replica of the old hockey armadillo. Serve cheap beer from kegs because students aren't rich. Large video screen to show live tailgating action or football or basketball highlights. It could be students only or friends of students. I don't think you'd have to worry about most other folks entering because they have tailgating of their own.

I like the hockey armadillo/beirfest hall type look. Big long tables. Like you said, big draft beers. Big dog bone pretzels. No sides to enjoy the fall weather, but covering in case of rain or storms.

 

[kemba]

Anyone who was a student in Storrs think back to your Friday nights... would a Saturday morning bus drive look appealing?

Not especially, but even still every game then the student section was packed, and we had to pay for our game and bus tickets as well (granted they pay more in fees today)

Definitely agree with surveying the students, and some of the ideas posted are pretty good and could make the experience better. But my gut feeling is the only thing to really move the needle will be a good team playing big games. The program has been bad most of their lives. And for those really invested in the program the 3 home games so far have been awesome, for those that arent, they’ve been boring blowouts against bad teams

 

[BlueWhiteKid]

There was a student lot pre-covid. Thousands if students came to tailgate, but went back to campus when the game started.

The issue is the students don't care about the football team. We've had a lot of losses the pass 10 years, and none of these students grew up with us winning, so there is no connection or loyalty to the team. People don't like to emotionally invest in the things/people if they think they are going to get hurt. So for years students have decided not to get emotionally invested because they thought we weren't good. It is going to take more than 3 wins to get them excited about UConn football. Add to that shorter attention spans due to cell phones, and most of the students who do show up don't stay past halftime. The transportation is just an excuse for the fact that at this point, they just don't care about the team. We need to keep winning, and eventually they'll hop and the bandwagon.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I think you're being myopic. The students make the environment better. Not the paying 50 year olds.

UConn needs the paying 50-year old more.

 

[Deepster]

There was a student lot pre-covid. Thousands if students came to tailgate, but went back to campus when the game started.

The issue is the students don't care about the football team. We've had a lot of losses the pass 10 years, and none of these students grew up with us winning, so there is no connection or loyalty to the team. People don't like to emotionally invest in the things/people if they think they are going to get hurt. So for years students have decided not to get emotionally invested because they thought we weren't good. It is going to take more than 3 wins to get them excited about UConn football. Add to that shorter attention spans due to cell phones, and most of the students who do show up don't stay past halftime. The transportation is just an excuse for the fact that at this point, they just don't care about the team. We need to keep winning, and eventually they'll hop and the bandwagon.

LOL. You’re talking to a Jets fan, BWK.