Three Year strategic plan for UConn Football Crowd source

[UCFBfan]

John I agree with you completely. There is a group of basketball only fans , and it is a fairly sizable group, who don’t want any other program to succeed. They grudgingly accept the Women now, but dismiss them as women‘s sports, and would happily see other programs fail in the misguided theory that it means more for basketball. I know a few who don’t particularly like that we have a hockey team with ambitions now too.

What makes even less sense now is that the basketball crowd got their wish and a return to the Big East.

I will never understand this fanbase who feel they can't cheer for all UConn sports....

 

[UCFBfan]

I think you just need to win games and play exciting football. No one wants to watch a slugfest where you pound the ball on the ground for most of the game. Those days have passed. This is a reason why I hope Randy will actually let the offense move into the 21st century unlike his last go round when he wouldn't let Moorhead have his spread system.

Have exciting, high scoring football and you get fans to return more. I know there are some that prefer the low scoring type football, but many people would rather watch the air it out, spread offense type games.

Turn those high scoring games into wins and the fans will return.

The tailgating scene is already pretty quality. I don't think that needs much help as it was always a good scene. I think the bottom line is getting people interested in going to games again.

 

[freescooter]

Balancing act With multiple parts:
1. Win games this is critical to reestablish legitimacy
2. Upset a name team even if they are having a bad year.
3. reasonable ticket pricing
4. interesting home schedule it can’t be Central, FIU, Eastern Michigan with all good games on the road
5. bring in a name from time to time even if you need to do 2-1

 

[Bongo Fury]

CT style lobster rolls

 

[Griggs]

I agree with a lot that has been said here. One turnoff for me would be a bowl game played at a major league baseball park in the northeast during the month of December or January. Not the type of bowl tie-in that would be attractive to a lot of fans.

 

[uconnbill]

Winning solves many issues, including attendance and apathy.

The one thing they need to do is remember those who stuck through thick and thin. I like the idea of a hat or shirt giveaway like the first 10000 adult fans and then something for the kids.

A bowl tie-in is important. UConn needs to be playing later in December at the very least. it gets eyes and helps with recruiting and that is how you win games, recruiting

 

[storrsroars]

As someone who believes our football program will never see another major bowl, I'd concentrate on the fan experience, not copying a damn thing from any other school, rather delivering a totally unique experience available only at The Rent, which will earn publicity and not only attract local/regional fans, but also those from opposing schools who will have read/heard about the weird/fun/non-traditional things happening in E. Hartford:

1. We want to be New England's Team, right? So screw a "Coors Light Deck" and sell the idea to New England Brewing (Sam Adams). They have light beers too (heck even. Guinness is a light beer at 4.3 ABV, 120 calories). This would not preclude a beer garden outside that features micros from all 8 CT counties, or a mocktail bar.

2. A pizza (or apizza) truck or stand capable of reasonable facsimiles of a Big 3 pizza. Pre-order via app for your tailgate. During the game, you can have one delivered to your seat.

3. Blue Angel flyovers? Pffft. We'll celebrate Pratt & Whitney's history with flyovers of a custom logo'd Curtiss P-6 Hawk bi-plane, powered by a P&W R-1340 Wasp engine. It'll do barrel rolls over the field.

4. Our marching band will play only songs from the vast catalog of performers from NYC to Boston, or NY/Boston-themed music. It's subtle, but again, we want this to be our territory and ours alone. So look forward to tributes to Lou Reed, David Johansen, The Pixies and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

5. At halftime, a PT Barnum character will host a three ring circus of performers selected from the crowd, each given 30 seconds to do something they claim to be skilled at. The crowd will vote for a winner, who will get something more valuable than tickets to a future game. Like a lobster roll.

6. After scores, our Husky mascot will not do pushups like every other mascot. Instead, Jonathan will get his belly scratched by the appropriate number of Spirit Squad members based on the score. This will be accompanied by the refrain of "The Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine.

7. "Sweet Caroline" has nothing to do with sports, yet since its origins as a singalong at Fenway, it's become a popular signalong at numerous college stadiums. Being the unique university we are, we don't want to copy that. We want to find our own quirky singalong. And for that we're going outside New England to England itself. So at the start of the third quarter, be ready to join in on the chorus.


The team may continue to suck, but at least going to The Rent can still be fun if all of the above are part of the experience.

 

[Chief00]

Leverage the recent Blaze recruiting success (maybe Chief was right after-all?)
Power wash steam clean all the filthy seats at The Rent. All.

 

[MCMax]

They should hold those 50/50 raffles that you see at MLB and NBA games where you win half the pot, and the other half goes to charity. Tickets can be sold during the first 3 quarters, and the winners will be drawn late in the 4th quarter. This won’t necessarily improve the game day experience, but it discourages fans from the early mass exodus that you frequently see at the Rent.

 

[Bongo Fury]

As someone who believes our football program will never see another major bowl, I'd concentrate on the fan experience, not copying a damn thing from any other school, rather delivering a totally unique experience available only at The Rent, which will earn publicity and not only attract local/regional fans, but also those from opposing schools who will have read/heard about the weird/fun/non-traditional things happening in E. Hartford:

1. We want to be New England's Team, right? So screw a "Coors Light Deck" and sell the idea to New England Brewing (Sam Adams). They have light beers too (heck even. Guinness is a light beer at 4.3 ABV, 120 calories). This would not preclude a beer garden outside that features micros from all 8 CT counties, or a mocktail bar.

2. A pizza (or apizza) truck or stand capable of reasonable facsimiles of a Big 3 pizza. Pre-order via app for your tailgate. During the game, you can have one delivered to your seat.

3. Blue Angel flyovers? Pffft. We'll celebrate Pratt & Whitney's history with flyovers of a custom logo'd Curtiss P-6 Hawk bi-plane, powered by a P&W R-1340 Wasp engine. It'll do barrel rolls over the field.

4. Our marching band will play only songs from the vast catalog of performers from NYC to Boston, or NY/Boston-themed music. It's subtle, but again, we want this to be our territory and ours alone. So look forward to tributes to Lou Reed, David Johansen, The Pixies and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

5. At halftime, a PT Barnum character will host a three ring circus of performers selected from the crowd, each given 30 seconds to do something they claim to be skilled at. The crowd will vote for a winner, who will get something more valuable than tickets to a future game. Like a lobster roll.

6. After scores, our Husky mascot will not do pushups like every other mascot. Instead, Jonathan will get his belly scratched by the appropriate number of Spirit Squad members based on the score. This will be accompanied by the refrain of "The Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine.

7. "Sweet Caroline" has nothing to do with sports, yet since its origins as a singalong at Fenway, it's become a popular signalong at numerous college stadiums. Being the unique university we are, we don't want to copy that. We want to find our own quirky singalong. And for that we're going outside New England to England itself. So at the start of the third quarter, be ready to join in on the chorus.


The team may continue to suck, but at least going to The Rent can still be fun if all of the above are part of the experience.

Agree with trying to make it unique. People aren’t coming to CT for something they can get everywhere else. Throw a lobstah on the barby. People might notice.

 

[RSTuthill]

Just win some games. Then lets have this conversation. Pointless before that.

 

[Griggs]

As someone who believes our football program will never see another major bowl, I'd concentrate on the fan experience, not copying a damn thing from any other school, rather delivering a totally unique experience available only at The Rent, which will earn publicity and not only attract local/regional fans, but also those from opposing schools who will have read/heard about the weird/fun/non-traditional things happening in E. Hartford:

1. We want to be New England's Team, right? So screw a "Coors Light Deck" and sell the idea to New England Brewing (Sam Adams). They have light beers too (heck even. Guinness is a light beer at 4.3 ABV, 120 calories). This would not preclude a beer garden outside that features micros from all 8 CT counties, or a mocktail bar.

2. A pizza (or apizza) truck or stand capable of reasonable facsimiles of a Big 3 pizza. Pre-order via app for your tailgate. During the game, you can have one delivered to your seat.

3. Blue Angel flyovers? Pffft. We'll celebrate Pratt & Whitney's history with flyovers of a custom logo'd Curtiss P-6 Hawk bi-plane, powered by a P&W R-1340 Wasp engine. It'll do barrel rolls over the field.

4. Our marching band will play only songs from the vast catalog of performers from NYC to Boston, or NY/Boston-themed music. It's subtle, but again, we want this to be our territory and ours alone. So look forward to tributes to Lou Reed, David Johansen, The Pixies and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

5. At halftime, a PT Barnum character will host a three ring circus of performers selected from the crowd, each given 30 seconds to do something they claim to be skilled at. The crowd will vote for a winner, who will get something more valuable than tickets to a future game. Like a lobster roll.

6. After scores, our Husky mascot will not do pushups like every other mascot. Instead, Jonathan will get his belly scratched by the appropriate number of Spirit Squad members based on the score. This will be accompanied by the refrain of "The Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine.

7. "Sweet Caroline" has nothing to do with sports, yet since its origins as a singalong at Fenway, it's become a popular signalong at numerous college stadiums. Being the unique university we are, we don't want to copy that. We want to find our own quirky singalong. And for that we're going outside New England to England itself. So at the start of the third quarter, be ready to join in on the chorus.


The team may continue to suck, but at least going to The Rent can still be fun if all of the above are part of the experience.

Like the music idea. Let's have a few hits from Gene Pitney a.k.a. the Rockville Rocket.

 

[CL82]

Being the unique university we are, we don't want to copy that. We want to find our own quirky singalong

Boston, “more than a feeling“?

Frank Zappa, “don’t eat the yellow snow?” (Watch out where the Huskies go...)

How about The Foundations, “build me up buttercup“? (because it’s another rebuilding year?)

For what it’s worth, I’d say more band, less canned music. I know it’s kind of old school, but nothing says college football to me like a big marching band belting out songs.

 

[Husky25]

Within my timeline, I didn't see to whom or about what Orlovsky was responding. Read on it's own and out of context, I absolutely thought he was referring to the Rentschler Red Line Brigade.

Can those guys give it a rest?

 

[Skiblets]

Not for nothing but that new soccer stadium is bangin’

 

[McLovin]

Build a massive open air "sports bar" area that has great beer & food, with TVs that show all the other big CFB games going on at the time. A lot of people already have some interest in the other (often more watchable) CFB products and with sports betting becoming legal, even more people will have an interest in other games. Move that at home TV or bar type viewing experience into the stadium.

Like the XL center bar but way bigger and way better.

Put in a kids area too. Here in Nashville we have a minor league baseball stadium that has a mini golf course in it. If they can do that for minor league baseball, we can do that for a program that is trying to be "big time" CFB. Would get more families to the games and build that next gen of UConn fans.

Winning would obviously help, but just making the stadium a party that people want to go to (and not just tailgate at) every Saturday afternoon would work in the meantime.

 

[GoatHouse]

I know it's super complicated and a logistical nightmare but I don't see the football program having the sustained success that everyone wants without an on-campus stadium.

Which power programs can you think of that dominate with an off-campus arena. UCLA? Pitt? Miami (they were once one of the best, but struggling in consistency as of late).

In order for this program to survive long-term, we need alumni and donor support. Who becomes alumni? Students. Who doesn't go to the games? Students.

Making an on-campus stadium will encourage easy access to the stadium for students and faculty. I have great memories as an undergrad rolling out of bed on the weekend (or even weeknights lol) to go to games at Gampel. There's no "rolling out of bed" for football. Especially for a freshman, you have to plan hours in advance and pay ridiculously high uber prices if you want to make it to the game.

One of the main reasons students leave before the game starts at Rentschler Field is because there's no guarantee that they can get a ride back BEFORE the game ends! If they stay, they have to wait almost the entire time to get home. If it's on campus, students can come and go as they please.

An on-campus stadium would do wonders for the program and the economic community surrounding it. It would also strengthen students emotional attachment to the team, and will likely result in better donations when they eventually graduate and become donors. A positive feedback loop all the way around. Very wishful thinking, but one can hope.

 

[Pudge]

I know it's super complicated and a logistical nightmare but I don't see the football program having the sustained success that everyone wants without an on-campus stadium.

Which power programs can you think of that dominate with an off-campus arena. UCLA? Pitt? Miami (they were once one of the best, but struggling in consistency as of late).

In order for this program to survive long-term, we need alumni and donor support. Who becomes alumni? Students. Who doesn't go to the games? Students.

Making an on-campus stadium will encourage easy access to the stadium for students and faculty. I have great memories as an undergrad rolling out of bed on the weekend (or even weeknights lol) to go to games at Gampel. There's no "rolling out of bed" for football. Especially for a freshman, you have to plan hours in advance and pay ridiculously high uber prices if you want to make it to the game.

One of the main reasons students leave before the game starts at Rentschler Field is because there's no guarantee that they can get a ride back BEFORE the game ends! If they stay, they have to wait almost the entire time to get home. If it's on campus, students can come and go as they please.

An on-campus stadium would do wonders for the program and the economic community surrounding it. It would also strengthen students emotional attachment to the team, and will likely result in better donations when they eventually graduate and become donors. A positive feedback loop all the way around. Very wishful thinking, but one can hope.

NEXT

 

[GoatHouse]

NEXT

NICE Pudge!

 

[Bobol]

I think you just need to win games and play exciting football.

——-
Easier said than done.

UConn is and always be a basketball first school.

Football is a financial drain for few outside of those that post on this board care about (see attendance figures).

The money spent on UConn football could be better used to enhance the schools academic profile and merit scholarships.

An irrelevant football program does not help UConn’s academic footprint.

 

[Skiblets]

——-
Easier said than done.

UConn is and always be a basketball first school.

Football is a financial drain for few outside of those that post on this board care about (see attendance figures).

The money spent on UConn football could be better used to enhance the schools academic profile and merit scholarships.

An irrelevant football program does not help UConn’s academic footprint.

Hockey’s a drain. Rowing a drain. Tennis a drain. Swimming a drain. Track and field a drain. Field hockey a drain. Softball a drain. Baseball a drain. There. Fixed it for you

 

[Husky25]

——-
Easier said than done.

UConn is and always be a basketball first school.

Football is a financial drain for few outside of those that post on this board care about (see attendance figures).

The money spent on UConn football could be better used to enhance the schools academic profile and merit scholarships.

An irrelevant football program does not help UConn’s academic footprint.

I would like to dislike this post with the white hot intensity of 1,000 suns.

 

[UCFBfan]

——-
Easier said than done.

UConn is and always be a basketball first school.

Football is a financial drain for few outside of those that post on this board care about (see attendance figures).

The money spent on UConn football could be better used to enhance the schools academic profile and merit scholarships.

An irrelevant football program does not help UConn’s academic footprint.

Thank you for your interest in UConn Football

 

[hardcorehusky]

——-
Easier said than done.

UConn is and always be a basketball first school.

Football is a financial drain for few outside of those that post on this board care about (see attendance figures).

The money spent on UConn football could be better used to enhance the schools academic profile and merit scholarships.

An irrelevant football program does not help UConn’s academic footprint.

Do you feel better that you got that off your chest? Were you saying this when we were in the Fiesta Bowl? Beat Notre Dame? Beat South Carolina. Since you don't think we will be good again, please don't bother jumping on the band wagon when we are winning those games again.

 

[ucawn]

3. reasonable ticket pricing