The View From the Student Section

[whaler11]

This is not a phenomenon that only is a problem at UConn. Plenty of other programs with much longer histories are struggling with their students staying and being into the game.

 

[dsturdy5]

Students are generally bandwagon fans at most campuses. If you don't make it a great experience for them they will lose interest.

I look at programs like UConn basketball, UNC basketball, most SEC and B1G football teams...and I see huge following of alumni, many of whom are not from the state but derive great pride in what their alma mater's athletic programs put out on the field. You are right, when a student is at a particular school, if he/she has a great experience at a sporting event and the product is solid, if not great, then you will see the fandom carry on through their lifetime.

I grew up in MA, liked the UConn men's team and rooted for them, but if I hadn't gone there, I could see myself drifting away after a while. Many of my classmates went to UMass, they got there after the Camby/Roe teams and saw very little that has made them want to continue to support the program. Even if UMass were to produce top teams again, it would take a lot for them to get hooked.

Another example is NFL-Network reporter Albert Breer. He is from Sudbury, MA, and graduated from Ohio State. Follow his twitter feed, it is an unabashed OSU football ball washing festival. Think if he had gone to, say, BCU or Washington State that it would been the same? He was there during some tremendous times and he carries that experience with him as annoying as it may be.

 

[uconnell]

The marginal fans stand behind the red line drinking, socializing and drinking.

 

[CTBasketball]

This is not a phenomenon that only is a problem at UConn. Plenty of other programs with much longer histories are struggling with their students staying and being into the game.

Not teams that win.

 

[whaler11]

Not teams that win.

Well tell the SEC that since they though enough of the issue to study how to keep theirs high over the offseason.

 

[joey3$trike$]

I think the kid should have a weekly write-up on the yard, actually should be in the campus newsletter if anybody actually reads it. I enjoyed the input from the student section. Keep it going!

 

[Dooley]

I learned something new: UCONN charges the students bus tickets to get to games. That is absurd. I really hope that UCONN/Rentschler Field will open tailgating 24 hours before kickoff to allow students an opportunity to get there on their own. And for the students who go to games on gameday, buying a ticket to the game should be enough.

It really sounds like somebody within the UCONN Athletic Department needs to set up something with the Student Body to identify ways of making the gameday experience better (both football and basketball).

 

[UconnWitt]

There have been magical moments at the Rent. Sometimes when they were least expected. That's why people who love live games go to live games. Frat parties are great, but most of them are the same and they can happen any day really. And looking back, I remember about 2 or 3 that were legendary.

Most students are marginal fans. The marginal fan doesn't care. Nor should they. Students are generally bandwagon fans at most campuses. If you don't make it a great experience for them they will lose interest.

Agreed...you can't lose the students. You can't...keep them passionate at all costs.

 

[Dooley]

It's really amazing that we are 10 years into our off-campus stadium and the issue of lethargic and empty student sections has never been addressed. Drew raised some things that I had no idea happened (charging students for bus tickets?!?!?). That's nuts.

 

[Drew]

Not only do they charge students 4 dollars for a bus ticket but they stop selling them two days before the game, so if you dont get one by thursday for a saturday game (tuesday for a thursday game!) then you're screwed. And they start selling them on mondays.

 

[Dooley]

This is clearly a process that is extremely broken. All you should have to do is show the driver your game ticket and student ID and you're on the bus. No charge. But once you're there, I'd put the busses on lockdown until after the game is over.

 

[SubbaBub]

I am going to assume this is to both pay for and estimate the right number of busses.

This is also a petty and Mickey Mouse way to operate. A bus costs what a couple hundred dollars? Even if you planned to transport 5k students that is about 60 buses. Or, less than $20k per game. If you are gonna be cheap order 20 for the pre-game and make 3 trips starting 4 hrs before game time.

You'll still need to distribute tickets so everyone doesn't try to board the same bus, but make them free or give it back to them via concession coupon.

They decision to build off campus was probably correct but that requires other actions. Making it easy for the students to get to the game is one of them.

I also assume the rush for the early bus is because the late bus gets stuck after the game. There is an army of flaggers and an emergency access. Use it to get the buses back to campus. Goal should be for the first bus to be back on campus 70 minutes after the end of the game.

 

[huskymedic]

Not only do they charge students 4 dollars for a bus ticket but they stop selling them two days before the game, so if you dont get one by thursday for a saturday game (tuesday for a thursday game!) then you're screwed. And they start selling them on mondays.

So how do they plan for the number of busses needed without a headcount ahead of time? Is there a schedule of what time buses leave? Would kids be willing to wait till another bus makes the round trip? Can't have an unlimited supply of busses on demand I imagine.

$4.00 RT is not a lot of money (even for a college kid). $28 bucks for a season?

 

[Drew]

So how do they plan for the number of busses needed without a headcount ahead of time? Is there a schedule of what time buses leave? Would kids be willing to wait till another bus makes the round trip? Can't have an unlimited supply of busses on demand I imagine.

$4.00 RT is not a lot of money (even for a college kid). $28 bucks for a season?

how about when students order their season ticket package asking them "will you need a bus pass?" and charging them appropriately if they do? Have people scan the bus pass when they are getting on the bus and add it to their fee bill. You can buy the bus pass and use it for football and xl basketball games. Or have the bus pass be a flat fee that you can use by scanning your student ID? You would know per game how many busses you need by how many bus passes you give out. Have enough transportation for those x amount of students. Simple really.

 

[Drew]

also medic i never said its a lot of money but the whole point is to make things EASIER for students so theyre more likely to come. Having the "well its not that hard so the students should suck it up" attitude doesn't typically fly in college sports/college events in general. Its why universities always try to make things so student friendly because they know theres a million things to compete against especially on a saturday in the fall. College kids will always choose whats easiest and UConn football is not made to be very easy for the students to be a part of.

 

[dsturdy5]

I am going to assume this is to both pay for and estimate the right number of busses.

This is also a petty and Mickey Mouse way to operate. A bus costs what a couple hundred dollars? Even if you planned to transport 5k students that is about 60 buses. Or, less than $20k per game. If you are gonna be cheap order 20 for the pre-game and make 3 trips starting 4 hrs before game time.

How long are the busses used? What time does the first bus leave and what time does the last bus get back? How many busses are we talking?

Couple that information with the following from the transportation worksheet that my school district uses...

$400 per bus for 6 hours, plus $30 per bus for each additional hour.

While I agree that it is bush league that the students have to pay to get to an off campus stadium, tt could be a pretty hefty price tag as well.

 

[pj]

How long are the busses used? What time does the first bus leave and what time does the last bus get back? How many busses are we talking?

Couple that information with the following from the transportation worksheet that my school district uses...

$400 per bus for 6 hours, plus $30 per bus for each additional hour.

While I agree that it is bush league that the students have to pay to get to an off campus stadium, tt could be a pretty hefty price tag as well.

4,000 students * $4 * 6 games = $96,000 per year.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

This could easily have been spin, not the true reason but it was stated prior to the first game at the Rent that the charge for student tickets (they may have also stated bus rides, I don't recall that part) was a nominal amount to ensure (as this would be a cost for the school, unlike if there were an on campus stadium that students could just show up for at their leisure) attendance by the students who had tickets.

I would have far more of a problem if the school were footing the entire bill for the bus rides and a number of kids blew the games off because they were too hungover on a Saturday morning (preventing other students who did want to go but couldn't get tickets from attending) than charging kids $4 per game for the transportation.

 

[huskymedic]

how about when students order their season ticket package asking them "will you need a bus pass?" and charging them appropriately if they do? Have people scan the bus pass when they are getting on the bus and add it to their fee bill. You can buy the bus pass and use it for football and xl basketball games. Or have the bus pass be a flat fee that you can use by scanning your student ID? You would know per game how many busses you need by how many bus passes you give out. Have enough transportation for those x amount of students. Simple really.

I'm pretty sure the actual logistics is not that simple - but hey, build an App for it and capitalize on it.

Do you know what the no show rate is for students that buy bus tickets then don't show up?

 

[whaler11]

I know my ideas are out there... But if I ran the athletic department:

Buses from campus prior to 3 hours before kick are free. Buses from Rentschler 15 minutes after the game ends are free.

You pay $2 each way if you want a ride before or after that.

You know reward people for the behavior you want them to exhibit.

 

[SubbaBub]

What is the objective?

To get as many students to attend games and enjoy themselves within the liability rules and the law because that's how you build a long term fan base and alumni donor base.

Every decision about the gameday experience should be measured against the objective. Basic management.

Eliminating obstacles is #1 on the list.

 

[huskymedic]

I know my ideas are out there... But if I ran the athletic department:

Buses from campus prior to 3 hours before kick are free. Buses from Rentschler 15 minutes after the game ends are free.

You pay $2 each way if you want a ride before or after that.

You know reward people for the behavior you want them to exhibit.

and throw in a concession coupon for a free happy meal (dog/chips/soda or similar, etc...).

 

[whaler11]

and throw in a concession coupon for a free happy meal (dog/chips/soda or similar, etc...).

Good idea. For a few thousand a game the athletic department could throw a non alcoholic tailgate that getting on an early bus gets you admission to.

Perfect attendance on early buses? You get $50 at the co-op.

I found the money... Don't pay anyone to redesign good uniforms!

 

[Silk City]

also medic i never said its a lot of money but the whole point is to make things EASIER for students so theyre more likely to come. Having the "well its not that hard so the students should suck it up" attitude doesn't typically fly in college sports/college events in general. Its why universities always try to make things so student friendly because they know theres a million things to compete against especially on a saturday in the fall. College kids will always choose whats easiest and UConn football is not made to be very easy for the students to be a part of.

These are some solid ideas Drew. As a fellow student I think the bus ticket thing is the biggest joke as well as the lack of effort UConn puts into marketing it for students. It's almost like their entire approach is "hey hopefully the team is good cause otherwise it's not even worth trying to attract fans" Of course we can pin some blame on our coach for lack of buzz but really that extends to almost our whole athletic dept. Goal Patrol and K9 unit actually do a decent job but it is so important to put more effort into the biggest market which is clearly football.

I actually just started a UConn sports site for students and stuff like this really relates to what ur saying. Check it out at https://twitter.com/olliewooduconn , spread to your brothers, etc. I'm hoping if we can get a big enough following we can start to gain momentum on some obvious changes (student ticket lottery, bus tix policy, etc)