The View From Section 241 — FAU

[TouchdownHusky]

Attendance issue. Connecticut a bad football state. Just not enough of the general public cares. Yesterday went to the Yale at Holy Cross game before UConn. 15k in a game played in an all day rain + cold wind. Mich ST at BC 44k. Central CT at UMass 11k.
Total that out equals 70k.

So you meant that Massachusetts is a bad football state.

 

[Rich]

I am not in Connecticut and I don't know what is happening there, but is there aggressive marketing of the football team now? Billboards, radio and TV spots may be helpful. And as West Coast Husky posted, give out some free stuff!

No, not at all.

 

[CTBasketball]

I say give away like 25 basketball game tickets each home game. The caveat is fans have to scan their QR code at the end of the game to enter the drawing.

In LA, when they have Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night, people line up 6 am in the morning for a night game for a chance to get one of those bobbleheads. I think they give away 40k per game or something.

Or something along those lines but I agree. However the last few football promotions we’ve done (free handouts, gear, etc at the start of games) we’ve only put them at one entrance and 50% of the fans go in thru the other gate.

Just need better planning and I think we can draw better. Weather plays a big factor too.

If we can get 20-30k in the stands for Temple and Buffalo, and win, no reason Wake shouldn’t be close to a sell out.

 

[bmayuc]

Had a great time at the game. All 8 people with me were chuckling that its the first positive game experience we've had in like 10 years, which bodes well. Dark humor galore: "oh, where's George DeLeone to run a draw up the middle on 3rd and 13?", "I miss Paul Pasqualoni's vacant stare", "Salmon pants!!! GIve me back our Salmon Pants King"(ok i said that last one)

My point is that a good experience (a well-played and won football game against a real D1 college) has basically not existed for a decade.

As you start to hopefully have more of those, it will increase the likelihood that hundreds of groups like mine will decide to pick UConn football Saturday over the dozens of other choices we had.

Keep Winning. Give it time. And the crowds will return and stay longer...

One Huge recommendation: Turn Rent into a mini-CT and/or New England amusement park for families on gameday. Go do whatever it takes to get New Haven Pizza joints to the game. Get a bouncy castle for little kids - they are cheap as hell! Serve Hummels hot dogs, Get Dels there. Partner with a lobster roll company. Nostalgia and family stuff sells, works, and attracts return customers.

 

[HCCForever]

One Huge recommendation: Turn Rent into a mini-CT and/or New England amusement park for families on gameday. Go do whatever it takes to get New Haven Pizza joints to the game. Get a bouncy castle for little kids - they are cheap as hell! Serve Hummels hot dogs, Get Dels there. Partner with a lobster roll company. Nostalgia and family stuff sells, works, and attracts return customers.

I love the food recommendations. I got into town after early flight and my first thought was my favorite CT foods. That would include Blackies hot dogs, Pepe’s and a CT lobster roll. I did get first but I would have loved a slice at the game.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

How does anyone find anything to complain about with the FAU game? Another good Saturday for UConn football.

 

[businesslawyer]

How does anyone find anything to complain about with the FAU game? Another good Saturday for UConn football.

LOL. Though it's a good sign when the complaints focus on the food options available at the stadium.

 

[KembaKek]

Not sure if this had an effect on game attendance but there was a "Post Malone" concert at the Xfinity Theatre as well. I know because I got stuck in some of the traffic when the concert was letting out around midnight.

I'm sure this took away a lot of potential student attendance. Post Malone is huge and that theater holds 30k+. I imagine there's a good amount of intersection between kids interested in going to that concert and kids that would go to a football simply as they're both "going out" on a Saturday for an event.

Signed, a younger person.

 

[HCCForever]

I'm sure this took away a lot of potential student attendance. Post Malone is huge and that theater holds 30k+. I imagine there's a good amount of intersection between kids interested in going to that concert and kids that would go to a football simply as they're both "going out" on a Saturday for an event.

Signed, a younger person.

Thanks. As an older person I don’t know much about Post Malone. There were many young fans at the show.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Not sure if this had an effect on game attendance but there was a "Post Malone" concert at the Xfinity Theatre as well. I know because I got stuck in some of the traffic when the concert was letting out around midnight.

Hartford rocks! So much to do.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

How does anyone find anything to complain about with the FAU game? Another good Saturday for UConn football.

This is the Boneyard. Some here would find some reason to complain about getting hit on by Scarlett Johansson or Jessica Alba.

 

[Devland]

LOL. Though it's a good sign when the complaints focus on the food options available at the stadium.

I never eaten inside the stadium. If you're hungry inside, there was not enough food at your tailgate. Pick up your tailgate game.

 

[Devland]

I'm sure this took away a lot of potential student attendance. Post Malone is huge and that theater holds 30k+. I imagine there's a good amount of intersection between kids interested in going to that concert and kids that would go to a football simply as they're both "going out" on a Saturday for an event.

Signed, a younger person.

Never heard of post Malone. Is it post Karl or Moses?

 

[HCCForever]

I never eaten inside the stadium. If you're hungry inside, there was not enough food at your tailgate. Pick up your tailgate game.

That is good recommendation unless you are flying in from out of town. Food at game is not big deal to me. Beer is however

 

[J187Money]

Never heard of post Malone. Is it post Karl or Moses?

What about Sam Malone?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Thanks. As an older person I don’t know much about Post Malone. There were many young fans at the show.

He was a druggy who went to prison. Got himself clean up. Went by the name Jelly Roll. Had some crossover type hits, lost a ton of weight on Ozempic and re-branded himself as Post Malone.

 

[AllHusky]

This is the Boneyard. Some here would find some reason to complain about getting hit on by Scarlett Johansson or Jessica Alba.

Now that you mention it….

 

[businesslawyer]

I never eaten inside the stadium. If you're hungry inside, there was not enough food at your tailgate. Pick up your tailgate game.

LOL. I didn't start the food discussion. I have been tailgating since the second home game the year they opened the Rent. Only exceptions are a few games in lousy weather where I couldn't get anyone to come and cooking in the rain just for myself seemed dumb.

 

[RSTuthill]

I might be in the minority but I prefer night games. Much better atmosphere.

If UConn is playing Pitt or West Virginia like 2010, I would agree. Maybe against FAU in 2024, not so much.

 

[KembaKek]

He was a druggy who went to prison. Got himself clean up. Went by the name Jelly Roll. Had some crossover type hits, lost a ton of weight on Ozempic and re-branded himself as Post Malone.

People will believe this LOL

 

[Devland]

LOL. I didn't start the food discussion. I have been tailgating since the second home game the year they opened the Rent. Only exceptions are a few games in lousy weather where I couldn't get anyone to come and cooking in the rain just for myself seemed dumb.

Sorry about that. I wasn't really replying to you i was replying to the buying food inside theme.