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

[CONN78SEJ]

Need to build a 25k seat stadium in Storrs.

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.

 

[RSTuthill]

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.

Totally agree. If there is a winning team in the Rent, the students will find a way to get there. Just like they find ways to do whatever they want to do, if you catch my drift. The people that buy the expensive tickets and give the money are geographically located in the suburbs centered around Hartford. The Rent is pretty much easy in easy out. And it has huge tailgating expanses. The Rent can also be expanded pretty easily. The Rent is not a problem. Lack of winning is the problem. Lack of competitiveness.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

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.

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

 

[coachcap]

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

You sir just seem to want to argue for argument's sake.
Waquoit's comment about tailgating was directed at the average paying fan. When games were at Memorial, tailgating was constrained in the parking lot near the old ROTC hanger as the former field across the street from Memorial was being developed.
Prior to Gampel being built, games were played in the Field House, the Civic Center & the New Haven Coliseum. (I witnessed UConn's first EVER Big East basketball tilt against Syracuse in New Haven). Likewise, prior to moving up to Division 1-A in football, UConn's biggest game of the season was against Yale annually at The Bowl.
Students never seemed to have any problem back then on making their way to any of these venues. Times have changed, & not necessarily for the better, Today's students suffer from "Everyone gets a participation trophy" entitlement syndrome. Back in the day, students found a solution. Today's student wants the solution handed to him on a silver platter.

 

[John]

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

Student attendance at the Rent was never a problem in the days of winning.

 

[huskymedic]

Student attendance at the Rent was never a problem in the days of winning.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

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.

25k is plenty for an FBS Indy who will be an FBS Indy forever particularly when 20k is considered a decent crowd.

 

[BigTenFan]

Would love to see some type of analytical survey asking current students, faculty and administration if they have interest in UConn Football. Hopefully- there would be some base level of support. If the data shows otherwise- Hard decisions need to be made about the future of the program.

 

[phillionaire]

Times have changed, & not necessarily for the better, Today's students suffer from "Everyone gets a participation trophy" entitlement syndrome. Back in the day, students found a solution. Today's student wants the solution handed to him on a silver platter.

lol

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

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.

This type of “this is fine” thinking is the reason we are in the situation we are. They built the stadium, built the training facilities and said “well we’re all set with football forever.” Well talk to UCF who was playing in an off campus stadium middling around before they built their on campus place. Talk to Cincinnati and Houston who poured millions and millions and millions into updating their football and basketball venues.

This “the Rent is great and it’s the students fault for not coming” or “it’s not UConn’s fault we don’t have a conference, they’ll just fighting each other over who will invite us” is LOSER TALK.

You all miss the article talking about the 10s of millions of updates needed at The Rent? More prudent to invest in an on campus stadium.

 

[Waquoit]

The problem is you pompous fat cats...

I'm blushing. I think a bigger problem is "fans" that don't buy season tickets insulting the real fans that do. An on-campus stadium will not sell one more ticket. Those not buying now will find a new excuse.

 

[J187Money]

Would love to see some type of analytical survey asking current students, faculty and administration if they have interest in UConn Football. Hopefully- there would be some base level of support. If the data shows otherwise- Hard decisions need to be made about the future of the program.

Don't need to. We were all there - we saw it. It wasn't so long ago that we can't get it back - just have to be competitive.

The crowds this year - as bad as we are - haven't been bad. Not saying the crowd for Houston will be good, but it isn't like we are playing in front of 4,000 people.

 

[John]

25k is plenty for an FBS Indy who will be an FBS Indy forever particularly when 20k is considered a decent crowd.

thank you for your interest in big time college athletics.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I'm blushing. I think a bigger problem is "fans" that don't buy season tickets insulting the real fans that do. An on-campus stadium will not sell one more ticket. Those not buying now will find a new excuse.

so would you not come to an on campus stadium?

 

[J187Money]

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.

 

[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.