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

[DoctorWho85]

I thought I was moving to Oregon for a job at my last company, so I didn't get my season tickets this year. Ended up taking another job for a different company in Avon. Closer to where I live, better pay and benefits and is a role I absolutely have been looking to move into for the last couple years. This means, I am 100% signing up for at least 2 season tickets. Gotta teach the girlfriend about football and no better place to do that than The Rent.

 

[Hondo 77]

Need to build a 25k seat stadium in Storrs.

If the eventual aspiration is P5/P4, 25k isn't going to cut it.

 

[Waquoit]

Need to build a 25k seat stadium in Storrs.

How would that massive expenditure help win games? It wouldn't help attendance as any student gains would be offset by paying customer losses.

 

[HuskyHawk]

comes with off-campus stadium

That's a bit simplistic. At a school with a good program and a football culture, they'd find a way to get to the Rent. They have done it before.

At UConn, at present, it's a clear impediment. I recall walking to Memorial on a nice day just because...why not? Still recall seeing Delaware the first time and being shocked that we were playing Michigan for about a minute. Plus, Matt Degenarro was legit.

Another thing on campus stadiums allow is this. Kansas, Beating Oklahoma, Let Anyone Into The Stadium Without A Ticket (brobible.com)
as bad as KU is, in 2019 they averaged 32.5k and UConn averaged 19.5k. On campus walk to tailgate scenarios help that.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

How would that massive expenditure help win games? It wouldn't help attendance as any student gains would be offset by paying customer losses.

Invest in today’s students as they are the people who you hope spend the next 50 years buying season tickets for themselves and their family. Consider the cost of leasing the Rent when you talk about to expenses. Looking around the Rent on game day, how many fans do you think are graduates of the last 5 years? How many current students do you think will be buying tickets in the next 5 years?

Make going to the game more nostalgic and connected to the university. This will help the businesses and development of Storrs Center as well.

Not going to open the Pandora box of infrastructure blah blah blah but I think this fits.
Storrs is more remote obviously but it’s freaking 6 days a year. If it is going to back to your old college stomping grounds for the day it’s more of a draw than parking in a field in East Hartford.

I think it will help with recruiting. Do the kids even visit the Rent on visits? If they do, how impactful is it to be like “here is our awesome training facility and practice field! Now let’s get in a car drive 20 miles to game day!”

If the eventual aspiration is P5/P4, 25k isn't going to cut it.

We have been passed over 40 billion times

 

[BlueDogs]

How would that massive expenditure help win games? It wouldn't help attendance as any student gains would be offset by paying customer losses.

It's a good point. Of course, they just built softball, baseball and soccer stadiums for $65 Million (Bonded OPM) that will never generate a dime of income and just saddled the University with more operating expenses. So, I'm not sure economics has much to do with it unless it serves their agenda.

 

[CTMike]

Until the on campus stadium folks set up a gofundme for $100 million+, purchase a few road graders and a paving company, and get elected to run Mansfield…. It’s a pipe dream.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Until the on campus stadium folks set up a gofundme for $100 million+, purchase a few road graders and a paving company, and get elected to run Mansfield…. It’s a pipe dream.

We move 20,000 kids in/out 4 times a year, we can’t bring 15000 cars on campus 6 times a year?

 

[Waquoit]

We move 20,000 kids in/out 4 times a year, we can’t bring 15000 cars on campus 6 times a year?

2000 cars makes RT44 a parking lot.

 

[Waquoit]

Of course, they just built softball, baseball and soccer stadiums for $65 Million (Bonded OPM) that will never generate a dime of income and just saddled the University with more operating expenses. So, I'm not sure economics has much to do with it unless it serves their agenda.

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

 

[CTMike]

We move 20,000 kids in/out 4 times a year, we can’t bring 15000 cars on campus 6 times a year?

Yah you can but until someone solves the other problems by throwing money at it it’s all wasted electrons. State is broke.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

2000 cars makes RT44 a parking lot.

Rt44? Everyone always says the only way to campus is 195?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Until the on campus stadium folks set up a gofundme for $100 million+, purchase a few road graders and a paving company, and get elected to run Mansfield…. It’s a pipe dream.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO THAT THOUGH MIKE?!

 

[uconnbill]

How about giving long time season ticket holders a couple of tickets to another sport like men or women's basketball or hockey?

I went to a Giant's game and they do a fifty-fifty and make money for one person and a charity and that could go to UConn in scholarships. Just a thought

 

[SubbaBub]

That's not what I am saying. Moving to the Big East was the best option we had. But it was clearly done at the expense of the football program. The administration knew that. I just don't see the football program making it as an FBS independent. I hope I am proven wrong. Or better yet, I hope the football program finds its way to a respectable conference. I'm just not seeing any indications that is going to happen anytime soon.

As of this writing, it looks a heckuva lot like it was done to save the FB program. AAC, MAC, CUSA, Sunbelt? These were the options. Think Temple is thinking there FB program is in a good spot?

We were 10 years late in starting 1A and didn't commit fully. We are not in an attractive recruiting area and the cable box benefits were overstated before they became irrelevant. Absent a winning program, we are in the best spot we could possibly be in after the Big East dissolved. That includes the off-campus stadium. Yeah, it would be great if 5,000 students showed up every game but the other 80% of ticket buyers are not students and they (we) are the ones supporting this program and nearly all of them (us) are closer to East Hartford.

 

[CTMike]

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO THAT THOUGH MIKE?!

Then drinks on me at Dream Jobbed Stadium 2.0 up on campus

 

[ChampHusky]

Invest in today’s students as they are the people who you hope spend the next 50 years buying season tickets for themselves and their family. Consider the cost of leasing the Rent when you talk about to expenses. Looking around the Rent on game day, how many fans do you think are graduates of the last 5 years? How many current students do you think will be buying tickets in the next 5 years?

Make going to the game more nostalgic and connected to the university. This will help the businesses and development of Storrs Center as well.

Not going to open the Pandora box of infrastructure blah blah blah but I think this fits.
Storrs is more remote obviously but it’s freaking 6 days a year. If it is going to back to your old college stomping grounds for the day it’s more of a draw than parking in a field in East Hartford.

I think it will help with recruiting. Do the kids even visit the Rent on visits? If they do, how impactful is it to be like “here is our awesome training facility and practice field! Now let’s get in a car drive 20 miles to game day!”



We have been passed over 40 billion times

I live out of state and am ambivalent about the Rent, even during our winning days. I graduated in 2000, moved away from CT, and have not been back on campus in 21 years. I went to a few games at the Rent 2007- 09, but it did not offer a nostalgic feeling. If the stadium was on campus, I would get on a plane in a heartbeat to spend a day in Storrs. I would probably make this an annual trip. You can't underestimate the draw an on-campus stadium has for alumni and donors.

 

[ZooCougar]

I live out of state and am ambivalent about the Rent, even during our winning days. I graduated in 2000, moved away from CT, and have not been back on campus in 21 years. I went to a few games at the Rent 2007- 09, but it did not offer a nostalgic feeling. If the stadium was on campus, I would get on a plane in a heartbeat to spend a day in Storrs. I would probably make this an annual trip. You can't underestimate the draw an on-campus stadium has for alumni and donors.

I can see your argument as a non alum. It makes sense for a bunch of schools.

However in the good old days when we filled the stadium we had a ginormous tailgate scene. So good that people never got insure the stadium on time.

So what is more likely?

We improve our competitiveness and start attracting fans back to the Rent?

Or build a stadium on campus?

We have to work with what we have. There isn’t a magic elixir that can be drunk that is going to turn every headwind into a tailwind. It’s going to take hard work and probably a little bit of cheating to fix this.

 

[RSTuthill]

Just the premise of this thread is bizarre. Retention?? There are fans to retain?

Just win baby!! All else will take care of itself.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

How do you explain student attendance at Gampel in the Ollie years?

If the product is good, the opponent is compelling, and the environment is fun, people will show up regardless of the location.

 

[Guapo]

The stadium debate now is a non-starter, there’s no money and no will.

the frustrating thing about the stadium is it signaled a fundamental misunderstanding of what the sport is about by the powers that be in the state and school. They tried to microwave a big time program off campus and that wasn’t ever going to be possible. Attendance was good when the team was good and it was the new fun thing to do. It is what it is but at least they could stop making the same mistake again and again (see: the hockey arena)

 

[Chief00]

2000 cars makes RT44 a parking lot.

Two lanes in and two lanes out is how other similar situated schools do it.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Student attendance is the least of the concerns. They just got to get bodies in the seats. The school has done a terrible job selling tickets.

How the heck students supposed to tailgate at Rentschler? They live on campus and the bus isn't convenient. They probably can't stock alcohol on the bus down and there are likely so many rules it isn't worth the hassle. Can someone just think about the different customer journey's here? Or do they need another consultant white label marketing plan?

I know the biggest thing I noticed going from journalist to spectator is the heavy handed approach at getting into the building. I can't stand all the security, parking and that cost. Connecticut people hate paying for parking.

The games won't get students there in any kind of regularity until it becomes an event.

I think they should just relax rules. Security is a drag. Traffic a hassle, and nothing to do there after. They need more things to do down there like bars, restaurants, clubs and maybe some shops. It is mind-boggling to me that after 15 years all they have is a Cabelas? Pop-u clubs! Who the hell is running these places? Have tents with temporary clubs with bands there for before and after games. This is all post Covid, but make the place alive before AND AFTER the game.

I go to Patriot place, how much fun is the beer and food tents? Let alone the bars. I just had enough of the milk and cookies of Connecticut. Everything is so corny here.

Families don't go to games anymore. That is across the board. Soccer, football, swimming, dance etc. Yes, family friendly if you are catering to families on the weekend in New England in the fall, you have the wrong strategy.

Last rant, the other thing is the partners have to buy in. East Hartford should have a block party day of game. Instead, I just feel like it is a hassle for everyone involved. Classic Connecticut, going to the game is hassle.

 

[Chief00]

Student attendance is the least of the concerns. They just got to get bodies in the seats. The school has done a terrible job selling tickets.

How the heck students supposed to tailgate at Rentschler? They live on campus and the bus isn't convenient. They probably can't stock alcohol on the bus down and there are likely so many rules it isn't worth the hassle. Can someone just think about the different customer journey's here? Or do they need another consultant white label marketing plan?

I know the biggest thing I noticed going from journalist to spectator is the heavy handed approach at getting into the building. I can't stand all the security, parking and that cost. Connecticut people hate paying for parking.

The games won't get students there in any kind of regularity until it becomes an event.

I think they should just relax rules. Security is a drag. Traffic a hassle, and nothing to do there after. They need more things to do down there like bars, restaurants, clubs and maybe some shops. It is mind-boggling to me that after 15 years all they have is a Cabelas? Pop-u clubs! Who the hell is running these places? Have tents with temporary clubs with bands there for before and after games. This is all post Covid, but make the place alive before AND AFTER the game.

I go to Patriot place, how much fun is the beer and food tents? Let alone the bars. I just had enough of the milk and cookies of Connecticut. Everything is so corny here.

Families don't go to games anymore. That is across the board. Soccer, football, swimming, dance etc. Yes, family friendly if you are catering to families on the weekend in New England in the fall, you have the wrong strategy.

Last rant, the other thing is the partners have to buy in. East Hartford should have a block party day of game. Instead, I just feel like it is a hassle for everyone involved. Classic Connecticut, going to the game is hassle.

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?

 

[Waquoit]

It doesn't matter what other schools do or did, UConn Football is where it is now because it was this or nothing. The Rent is a plus, not a minus to the program. The tailgating was unsurpassed. I say that from experience. You folks that think there is an untapped FB market just waiting to support an on-campus stadium are literally delusional. An on-campus stadium wouldn't sell one more ticket.