Student Game Attendance – Root Cause Problem Solving

[JohnFSilver]

why wouldn't the bus drop off be at/near the student tailgate lot?

The entire problem with The Rent isn’t that it is off campus. It is that all the stakeholders - state police, town officials, residents, other businesses…they look at these games as an absolute hassle.

So, the students and pickup and drop off is a hassle.

I just am down on our state and people in this regard. Everything we try to do, from a festival, concerts, parades, games, people complain about anything that interrupts their day or makes it less convenient.

Hell, people whine about outside dining in west Hartford and the traffic blue back square causes.

The fact neither Hartford nor east hartford has figured out a way to make these weekends an economic benefit to them is astounding.

Off my soap box.

 

[Kembafan]

Tailgate area for students: burgers, kegs, very loose id-checking policy. Problem solved.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Tailgate area for students: burgers, kegs, very loose id-checking policy. Problem solved.

Like, don't check IDs, unless the kid is super obnoxious .

 

[Rdkid]

At the big time schools, fraternity and sorority scene sets the tone for the student environment with lots of partying and mingling. Many of the GDIs these days aren’t big partiers and are showing up for a winner or novel entertainment. Also, I’m assuming we have a student point system that leverages basketball tickets for attendance at all sports.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Tailgate area for students: burgers, kegs, very loose id-checking policy. Problem solved.

Like, don't check IDs, unless the kid is super obnoxious .

It's one thing looking the other way while a large number (thousands) of kids drink in an open, public spot where many are underage (student tailgating at its height circa 2008). It's another entirely if the venue is providing the alcohol and intentionally avoiding verification that those who are drinking are of age.

Personally this is one situation (they won't be driving) where it would be preferable if the drinking age was what it was when I was an undergrad (18), but that hasn't been the case for more than four decades.

 

[Khal Drogo]

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.

They should run a train from Eagleville to East Hartford. Party train.

 

[mymustang]

It's one thing looking the other way while a large number (thousands) of kids drink in an open, public spot where many are underage (student tailgating at its height circa 2008). It's another entirely if the venue is providing the alcohol and intentionally avoiding verification that those who are drinking are of age.

Personally this is one situation (they won't be driving) where it would be preferable if the drinking age was what it was when I was an undergrad (18), but that hasn't been the case for more than four decades.

I'm thinking that most of the kids have some sort of ID that says they are 21 anyways. I know at 19 I had one

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm thinking that most of the kids have some sort of ID that says they are 21 anyways. I know at 19 I had one

Yeah, but there will be some suspicion once they come across the 45th student named McLovin.

 

[JohnFSilver]

They should run a train from Eagleville to East Hartford. Party train.

God forbid peole have fun, especially young people .

 

[JohnFSilver]

It's one thing looking the other way while a large number (thousands) of kids drink in an open, public spot where many are underage (student tailgating at its height circa 2008). It's another entirely if the venue is providing the alcohol and intentionally avoiding verification that those who are drinking are of age.

Personally this is one situation (they won't be driving) where it would be preferable if the drinking age was what it was when I was an undergrad (18), but that hasn't been the case for more than four decades.

Venue cant provide alcohol. But I can, and their friends.

The dance we do around alcohol in this country is ridiculous. Maybe you have to be 21 to buy and go to a bar, but 19 to be in possession. Who knows.

I dont know answer. Sociologically, we encourage binge drinking with our laws.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Venue cant provide alcohol. But I can, and their friends.

The dance we do around alcohol in this country is ridiculous. Maybe you have to be 21 to buy and go to a bar, but 19 to be in possession. Who knows.

I dont know answer. Sociologically, we encourage binge drinking with our laws.

You offerinig alcohol to underaged students may not be the best idea.

In the spring of I believe 2007 (I could be off by a year) I was working in Westchester county and a very big story broke. The parents of a HS senior, being the cool parents that they were, hosted a pre-prom party for their son, his date, and a number of their HS friends who were attending the prom. They served alcohol to the kids (from their story, very little, just to show they were treating them as adults) and later that evening a handful of things that could go wrong when kids drink went wrong, leading to a number of lawsuits.

The parents who hosted the party stated that if there was any overdrinking, it had to have occurred after the kijds left their house. As a) there was the on record admission that they did willingly serve alcohol to minors and b) nobody was able to provide proof (or get anyone to admit) that the kids did overindulge on their own later in the evening, they ended up needing to sell their home to help settle damages and the father was required to spend some time in jail.

Be careful as to what situations you put yourself in. If you hand one eighteen year old a beer and later on he binge drinks and causes damage to himself or someone else, you may have no way out of the responsibility even if the beer you gave him on its own would not have caused any problems.

 

[JohnFSilver]

You offerinig alcohol to underaged students may not be the best idea.

In the spring of I believe 2007 (I could be off by a year) I was working in Westchester county and a very big story broke. The parents of a HS senior, being the cool parents that they were, hosted a pre-prom party for their son, his date, and a number of their HS friends who were attending the prom. They served alcohol to the kids (from their story, very little, just to show they were treating them as adults) and later that evening a handful of things that could go wrong when kids drink went wrong, leading to a number of lawsuits.

The parents who hosted the party stated that if there was any overdrinking, it had to have occurred after the kijds left their house. As a) there was the on record admission that they did willingly serve alcohol to minors and b) nobody was able to provide proof (or get anyone to admit) that the kids did overindulge on their own later in the evening, they ended up needing to sell their home to help settle damages and the father was required to spend some time in jail.

Be careful as to what situations you put yourself in. If you hand one eighteen year old a beer and later on he binge drinks and causes damage to himself or someone else, you may have no way out of the responsibility even if the beer you gave him on its own would not have caused any problems.

Luckily I don’t hang out with 18 year olds that aren’t my kid. Lol. And, I was being dramatic for effect.

 

[JohnFSilver]

https://www.rentschlerfield.com/plan-your-visit/tailgating.

For those who think I am joking about the rent being a hassle…check out the rules. No charcoal, not frisbee football, no universal source, no drinking games.
This is for legal adults.

 

[willie99]

Solution

WINNING

I'm a simple man

 

[huskymedic]

God forbid peole have fun, especially young people .

https://www.rentschlerfield.com/plan-your-visit/tailgating.

For those who think I am joking about the rent being a hassle…check out the rules. No charcoal, not frisbee football, no universal source, no drinking games.
This is for legal adults.

Essentially same rules since Day 1 and not unlike other similar venues.

Football Gameday: Tailgating

The Official Athletic Site of The Fighting Irish. The official source for information on UND Ticketing. Powered by WMT Digital.

fightingirish.com

• Tailgating is not allowed during the game in any campus lot or green space unless approved by the University
• Tailgating and alcohol are NOT permitted in the central part of campus unless approved by the University
• Excessive amounts of alcohol
• Amplified Sound – Speakers that stand alone, are excessively loud or are connected to an amplifier
• Live bands or DJs are also not permitted
• Golf carts, and other custom motorized vehicles are not permitted on the Notre Dame campus unless authorized by Notre Dame Police Department.
• Charcoal grills, fire pits, open flames, and propane heaters are prohibited
• Deep-frying (i.e. turkeys) is prohibited in tailgating lots
• Drones are not permitted to fly on campus without University and FAA approval
• Kegs
• Open flames, including fire pits
• Propane cylinders larger than 20 lbs
• Tent stakes
• Safety and security rules will be strictly enforced and violators may be removed for failing to comply.
• Future ticket privileges may be revoked for violations on the prohibited items
• Tents, tables, chairs, and other items cannot protrude into the driving lanes past the hash marks
• Large parties are not permitted on campus, including the parking lots
• Drinking games are not permitted anywhere on campus
• Weapons are not permitted anywhere on campus

… and hell, ND Stadium is on-campus and not on state property.

Geez John - Are you this miserable in real life or just for our benefit?

 

[KryHavok]

Tailgate area for students: burgers, kegs, very loose id-checking policy. Problem solved.

That reminds me of what the parking lot (what is now Lot L) used to look like after spring weekend with glass shards all over the place...hated driving my car through there looking for a parking spot.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Essentially same rules since Day 1 and not unlike other similar venues.

Football Gameday: Tailgating

The Official Athletic Site of The Fighting Irish. The official source for information on UND Ticketing. Powered by WMT Digital.

fightingirish.com

• Tailgating is not allowed during the game in any campus lot or green space unless approved by the University
• Tailgating and alcohol are NOT permitted in the central part of campus unless approved by the University
• Excessive amounts of alcohol
• Amplified Sound – Speakers that stand alone, are excessively loud or are connected to an amplifier
• Live bands or DJs are also not permitted
• Golf carts, and other custom motorized vehicles are not permitted on the Notre Dame campus unless authorized by Notre Dame Police Department.
• Charcoal grills, fire pits, open flames, and propane heaters are prohibited
• Deep-frying (i.e. turkeys) is prohibited in tailgating lots
• Drones are not permitted to fly on campus without University and FAA approval
• Kegs
• Open flames, including fire pits
• Propane cylinders larger than 20 lbs
• Tent stakes
• Safety and security rules will be strictly enforced and violators may be removed for failing to comply.
• Future ticket privileges may be revoked for violations on the prohibited items
• Tents, tables, chairs, and other items cannot protrude into the driving lanes past the hash marks
• Large parties are not permitted on campus, including the parking lots
• Drinking games are not permitted anywhere on campus
• Weapons are not permitted anywhere on campus

… and hell, ND Stadium is on-campus and not on state property.

Geez John - Are you this miserable in real life or just for our benefit?

lol.

Just the opposite. I’ve been to ND tailgate on campus. It’s a blast.

I just am down on the man. I get the no charcoal because of grass and people stepping on it, they quite aggressively enforce these rules however.

Maybe it is all the cones I don’t like. I am
Headed tomorrow and will have a blast. I wish it was a little more chill, however.

 

[businesslawyer]

https://www.rentschlerfield.com/plan-your-visit/tailgating.

For those who think I am joking about the rent being a hassle…check out the rules. No charcoal, not frisbee football, no universal source, no drinking games.
This is for legal adults.

You bar frisbee football so that idiots don’t run into people holding food and drinks or even worse grills. One person’s having fun is another person’s ruined day. And I’ve had my grill hit by a football on a dry day where if it went over we would have had a brushfire.

 

[Ldandy]

If it comes to atmosphere and attendance, there needs to be an in game experience that combines football, cell phones, choreographed fan involvement, and ultimately something UConn unique.

1. Winning fixes all ills.

2. I suggest developing a Rentschler Field app(after the wifi in the stadium is approved). The app would have information on pre game, post game activites. In game, it would allow the fan to have different camera angles of plays, out of town scores (so people stay on the app and not toggle out of it), Words to UConn fight song and when it will be played, Tell fans when and where to start chants or the wave, etc. It will keep people engaged through those 2:32 second TV timeouts as well as create atmosphere.

3. Virginia Tech has Enter the Sandman, Clemson has the rock and entrance. We have the ringing of the bell(cord broke at first game) and now the cheerleaders don't even do pushups anymore. I suggest putting up a poll for UConn fandom about what our new tradition is. Something the fans can get riled up about. Something that will get them in their seats more than 20 seconds before kickoff.

I have been at the Rent since that Indiana game (my son just asked me why I have a 44 jersey and showed him Terry Caulley's run). The new fan needs to be taught and have fun in today's reality. The technology is there, we just need to build it!!

I agree that the biggest fix is winning, with a close second being playing an entertaining brand of football. Under RE2.0 the program did neither. It killed a lot of enthusiasm for a program that was already struggling with its identity due to conference realignment.

What I don't agree with is voting on or forcing new traditions. Just try a bunch of different things. If something truly resonates with the fans, keep doing it. Most beloved traditions come about organically.

 

[huskymedic]

You bar frisbee football so that idiots don’t run into people holding food and drinks or even worse grills. One person’s having fun is another person’s ruined day. And I’ve had my grill hit by a football on a dry day where if it went over we would have had a brushfire.

@BizLaw: “Honey - can you come pick me up?

No, I’m not drunk - some guy was throwing a football and…”

 

[businesslawyer]

@BizLaw: “Honey - can you come pick me up?

No, I’m not drunk - some guy was throwing a football and…”

LOL. Only grill fire I ever had was a grease fire at Senior Day against Cincy during one of the P years. Was I the only person who didn’t know you had to clean grease from a propane grill every ten years or so?

 

[JohnFSilver]

LOL. Only grill fire I ever had was a grease fire at Senior Day against Cincy during one of the P years. Was I the only person who didn’t know you had to clean grease from a propane grill every ten years or so?

Learned that the hard way too.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Learned that the hard way too.

My grill disintegrated in yr 11 at the Rent that way.

 

[businesslawyer]

I can’t tell you how good I’m going to feel driving to the Rent today (my wife is joining me for a tailgate with another couple, even though she won’t go to the game) to explain to her that I’m not the only person in the world stupid enough not to have known that you had to clean portable grills every so often.

I just hope the game works out better for me than that conversation will.