There is going to be a retention problem....

[Adesmar123]

That's always been the conundrum, how do you get more fans in without alienating old fans? It can't be done.

I saw that Seinfeld episode. You can't do the roommate switch. It can't be done!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I think most of us would have preferred an on-campus stadium. But that ship has sailed. Unless UCONN ends up with some crypto billionaire benefactor that will pony up the $ for it - it won't even be discussed.

Let's focus on winning - that's something we can control.

Obviously I know an on campus stadium will never happen. I still think it’s not as outlandish an idea as most. Look at the below image of Storrs Center. Beautiful location for an OCS.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Tailgating???? Yeah, I see tons of students bringing coolers and grills, and they even post the menu’s. Lol. The problem is you pompous fat cats treat UConn football like it’s a pro team, it is not, you fail to see the reality of a college team with it’s stadium 25 miles away, as the cow walks. It’s just as bad for the football program as it would be for men’s basketball to play all their home games at the Civic Center if Gampel being built never happened. You think Hurley would have come here to play all his home games in the Civic Center or the field house? Lol

@Waquoit hates pro sports

 

[Bongo Fury]

I just don’t think that the students are that interested in going in. Look at the UMASS game. Students are looking to party and they can do that elsewhere. If UConn is more competitive, they’ll attend.

 

[Guapo]

I think most of us would have preferred an on-campus stadium. But that ship has sailed. Unless UCONN ends up with some crypto billionaire benefactor that will pony up the $ for it - it won't even be discussed.

Let's focus on winning - that's something we can control.

Yes

 

[Slick]

Would have to be bigger than that. 50,000 minimum if you want an invite to the Big Ten or ACC. Average size in the Big Ten is 70 to 80,000.

I have seen a bunch of big ten games on tv and there are less then 12,000 fans there. The stadium’s may be large but most draw very poorly. I even saw Coach Nick Saban complaining that the Alabama students were not attending a lot of their games and he wanted to open up seats to the public. Alabama obviously has a tremendous program and it isn’t enough to get students to the game

 

[Drew]

I have seen a bunch of big ten games on tv and there are less then 12,000 fans there. The stadium’s may be large but most draw very poorly. I even saw Coach Nick Saban complaining that the Alabama students were not attending a lot of their games and he wanted to open up seats to the public. Alabama obviously has a tremendous program and it isn’t enough to get students to the game

Please find me one single Big Ten game with less than 12k attendance.

 

[giddyup]

You asked who is running the place? Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA). That fact should answer the other questions as well. It explains a lot. We need professional management people running the place, not former political types with no particular expertise. This is the same management that made fans miss a half of basketball in the NCAA Tournament at Hartford’s XL, because they had no workable plan to process people into XL by game time. Image following your team across the country and missing the first half?

I kind of agree with this.

Tailgating???? Yeah, I see tons of students bringing coolers and grills, and they even post the menu’s. Lol. The problem is you pompous fat cats treat UConn football like it’s a pro team, it is not, you fail to see the reality of a college team with it’s stadium 25 miles away, as the cow walks. It’s just as bad for the football program as it would be for men’s basketball to play all their home games at the Civic Center if Gampel being built never happened. You think Hurley would have come here to play all his home games in the Civic Center or the field house? Lol

I think the idea is the location opens up access to a decent part of the state where Storrs is not centrally located. It’s not my favorite place for a stadium but for the way the state is populated it has a better draw potential, students aside.

 

[BlueDogs]

So because they just came up with $65M, getting another $300M would be a piece of cake. Did I read that right?

No. I'm saying we shouldn't apply dollars and cents logic to the decisions that are made. If they did, there wouldn't be a new softball/baseball/soccer complex because the revenue generated wouldn't even cover the service on the bonds.

 

[Waquoit]

so would you not come to an on campus stadium?

I've been to many. But FB in Storrs, bump that. I'll being staying home like most of this board does now.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I've been to many. But FB in Storrs, bump that. I'll being staying home like most of this board does now.

How not high and mighty of you

 

[BigTenFan]

I have seen a bunch of big ten games on tv and there are less then 12,000 fans there. The stadium’s may be large but most draw very poorly. I even saw Coach Nick Saban complaining that the Alabama students were not attending a lot of their games and he wanted to open up seats to the public. Alabama obviously has a tremendous program and it isn’t enough to get students to the game

 

[BigTenFan]

Here are current avg attendance figures from Big 10 Commissioner

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I kind of agree with this.

I think the idea is the location opens up access to a decent part of the state where Storrs is not centrally located. It’s not my favorite place for a stadium but for the way the state is populated it has a better draw potential, students aside.

Students aside??? You still don’t get it, filling large sections of a 50,000 seat on campus stadium with screaming students wearing blue and white on a Saturday afternoon is an incredible draw, not just for fans but for recruits and parents of recruits, and not just football recruits. Recruits coming to a half filled (if that) Pratt & Whitney stadium 25 miles from campus are like ……Huh? Ok…….hmmmm……what’s wrong with this picture. The UConn football program is not a pro team, get that through your heads, though I can understand why many on the Boneyard treat it as such since the state has never had a pro franchise of any kind since the Whalers left.

 

[ZooCougar]

Things that are as likely as UConn getting an on campus stadium.

-Playing the home opener in Afghanistan
-Building a stadium on the moon
-white chick that turns down a pumpkin spice latte
-Lew Perkins running a marathon

 

[giddyup]

Students aside??? You still don’t get it, filling large sections of a 50,000 seat on campus stadium with screaming students wearing blue and white on a Saturday afternoon is an incredible draw, not just for fans but for recruits and parents of recruits, and not just football recruits. Recruits coming to a half filled (if that) Pratt & Whitney stadium 25 miles from campus are like ……Huh? Ok…….hmmmm……what’s wrong with this picture. The UConn football program is not a pro team, get that through your heads, though I can understand why many on the Boneyard treat it as such since the state has never had a pro franchise of any kind since the Whalers left.

I am seriously wondering if anybody reads or just issue spots to get spun up. What was said is the location was not ideal in my mind, but it was understandable. You clearly don’t drive up there much. You put 50,000 on that road and you’re never getting out or in.

 

[Guapo]

Would it have been better if they had built an on campus stadium? Yes.

Is it possible that one will be built? No.

There’s really no land left to plow on the subject.

 

[superjohn]

I was at the tailgate yesterday and part of the game. What was missing.....besides a good football team? Students
I don't know what the University does to encourage students to attend games- but it isn't working. Lack of student support means lack of program support. Friday Football night should be a great way for students to start the weekend. Weather was perfect.
Student support is almost as critical as a new coach

Students don't want anything to do with the worst team in football. This isn't a UConn problem, it would happen anywhere. It's a sucking problem, get good and students and everyone else around the state will want to be there.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I am seriously wondering if anybody reads or just issue spots to get spun up. What was said is the location was not ideal in my mind, but it was understandable. You clearly don’t drive up there much. You put 50,000 on that road and you’re never getting out or in.

If 15000 of them are students that’s only 35000

 

[Yup!]

Would it have been better if they had built an on campus stadium? Yes.

Is it possible that one will be built? No.

There’s really no land left to plow on the subject.

Do I think not having an on campus stadium is an important issue? No. Do I prefer an on campus stadium? absolutely, however, we cannot say it’s impossible because anything is possible. I’m sure if UConn really wanted to build an on campus stadium they can. The reason why I think it will not happen is because it’s not a priority for the school and there’s not enough fans complaining to the school that it should be done. I agree with most on here that our focus should be on getting a coach that can get this football team to start winning. The on campus stadium is ridiculous honestly to even keep talking about.

 

[giddyup]

If 15000 of them are students that’s only 35000

It’s a nightmare after 5 on a regular week day. It can barely handle a capacity BB game. You’d have widen the roads and Tolland, Willington and Mansfield aren’t allowing a highway through their towns for 6 games a year. It would literally ruin the character of these towns. I still think it’s better on campus, but it’s an impossibility at this point.

 

[huskysupporter]

Students aside??? You still don’t get it, filling large sections of a 50,000 seat on campus stadium with screaming students wearing blue and white on a Saturday afternoon is an incredible draw, not just for fans but for recruits and parents of recruits, and not just football recruits. Recruits coming to a half filled (if that) Pratt & Whitney stadium 25 miles from campus are like ……Huh? Ok…….hmmmm……what’s wrong with this picture. The UConn football program is not a pro team, get that through your heads, though I can understand why many on the Boneyard treat it as such since the state has never had a pro franchise of any kind since the Whalers left.

What makes you think students will fill up the stadium significantly more of it is on campus? I attended an ACC school and the student section was pathetic - on campus stadium too.

I don’t think there is anyone who didn’t want the stadium on campus - but it is not going to happen in the next twenty years. We need to win that should be the overall focus right now.

 

[RioDog]

What makes you think students will fill up the stadium significantly more of it is on campus? I attended an ACC school and the student section was pathetic - on campus stadium too.

I don’t think there is anyone who didn’t want the stadium on campus - but it is not going to happen in the next twenty years. We need to win that should be the overall focus right now.

^^^^This. The second paragraph should be a permanent banner on the top of the board. Amazing how much hot air gets wasted on this moot topic.

 

[Waquoit]

^^^^This. The second paragraph should be a permanent banner on the top of the board. Amazing how much hot air gets wasted on this moot topic.

It's just trolling right now. I should have checked out earlier.

 

[J187Money]

I have seen a bunch of big ten games on tv and there are less then 12,000 fans there. The stadium’s may be large but most draw very poorly. I even saw Coach Nick Saban complaining that the Alabama students were not attending a lot of their games and he wanted to open up seats to the public. Alabama obviously has a tremendous program and it isn’t enough to get students to the game

I was at opening night at Northwestern (hosting MSU) - Northwestern was preseason ranked just outside the top 25 and had a great year last year. On a beautiful Friday night for a conference opener in a season with high hopes (Sep 3) they were at 75% capacity - 34K in attendance. Attendance is a problem in most places.

 

[CTMike]

I was at opening night at Northwestern (hosting MSU) - Northwestern was preseason ranked just outside the top 25 and had a great year last year. On a beautiful Friday night for a conference opener in a season with high hopes (Sep 3) they were at 75% capacity - 34K in attendance. Attendance is a problem in most places.

Which brings us to our next topic. Yes - win, win consistently, play interesting teams… but regardless of where the stadium is, I think we are going to be hard pressed to ever hit 40k attendance again.

I know we’ve done it before. Under very different circumstances, with a lot fewer competing options. But attendance is down overall, not just us- even in the best of circumstances.

 

[BlueDogs]

I was at opening night at Northwestern (hosting MSU) - Northwestern was preseason ranked just outside the top 25 and had a great year last year. On a beautiful Friday night for a conference opener in a season with high hopes (Sep 3) they were at 75% capacity - 34K in attendance. Attendance is a problem in most places.

Video killed the radio star.... students today are happy in their holes playing video games or watching Netflix. The world is changing.