Ticket thing driving me CRAZY!!

[RedSoloCup]

Well, I don't have to worry now about the message, it is what it is.

Our ticket sales folks need a plan, people are not as fired up as we had hoped.

We may have lost some who would only consider lower level seats, some are wait and see, and some because it's a holiday weekend.

Darn it. Now I have to go find something else to wring my hands over.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Well I dont know about you guys, but I'm hoping for 8,000 tickets sold between now and Friday at 7:00... Between students retunring to campus, casual fans, and the like, and walk-ups gameday- we could see a few thousands of that trimmed off before gametime.

Just want a decent crowd on what will be a historic moment in UConn Football history- Bob Diaco's first game... on national TV... against a national opponet in BYU.

Can't wait to get into the Grey lot right at 3:00 tomorrow afternoon and start up this exciting new era in Connecticut Football. GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[J187Money]

I prefer the upper deck at the Rent.

So do I. I'm in position A in the upper deck. 241 - on the aisle next to the chairbacks. I have chosen not to move down because I think the sightlines are better where I am. I also have stayed in row 2 instead of row 1, so I can see over the raised railing which interferes with the view in row 1.

The only thing I might think is better is the last row of the 100 sections, so I could stand without anyone busting my balls.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I'm sorry but you cannot have UConn sponsored technology that allows you to pick your own seat showing ~1000 tickets left and then announce that there are 9000 tickets left to the public. I thought the yahoo days of the Atheltic Department incompetence were on their way out when Hathaway left and Warde came in. Guess they still have a lot of work to do. Just seems incomprehensible to me. Warde needs to clean this up. I am very deflated right now thinking I'll be walking into a 3/4 full stadium against a name national opponent but do realize that the last three years were a repeated kick to the fan's groin. I will be hoarse at the end of the game nevertheless.

So winning will cure some of this but the nuts and bolts administration of the AD needs to continue to improve. Cannot have this kind of disconnect.

I agree. It appears they are holding tickets in blocks for minipackages and such, and have waited right up to opening day. It makes sense, to do that, really, I see nothing wrong with it, but you can't allow a message to propogate through your primary fan base, which is right here on this website, while knowing that local media pay attention to the fans, let a message that is not correct propogate. They have people that watch these websites, something should have been done to release actual ticket sales a while ago. The understanding of the importance of media in football is just completely lost up there in the athletic department when it comes to stuff like this. Leak something to the press, a week ago, that there are 30,000 seats sold, and spin it positive as double the attendance from December, positive energy forward, etc. etc. The media is there, it can help, if you rub it the right way.

You can't work out the kinks though, if you don't know where they are, and you also can't fire state employees on a whim. There are still some people left up there, that were involved in the ticket mess around the Fiesta Bowl, and they are in higher management. They simply have no understanding of college football. The learning curve, IMO, has NOT been steep enough. I just wrote elsewhere, that I do think the Manuel is on the right track to correcting the problems and putting systems in place regarding selling tickets at Rentschler field, and actually doing the best we can at putting bodies in the actual seats. A stadium with seats all bought corporate ala Lew Perkins model, but empty on game day, is not highly desireable for our future either.

The bottom line is that those of that will be there, will be able to look around by the 2nd quarter, when everybody is in from their tailgates, and made it through Friday afternoon Hartford traffic and the parking attendants that are only 1 step above DMV counter attendants on the rungs of the circle of Dante's inferno and we will know what kind of crowd showed up.

I'm predicting double what we had in December.

 

[Husky25]

The facts are that people just don't want to go to the game. It has nothing to do with price points or how many tickets UConn held back online. Nothing.

Just accept it and move on.

I couldn't disagree more. If it was known that over 7,000 seats remained prior to a news article/radio show 48 hour prior, a bigger push would have been made earlier to get these seats filled. UConn would not have to rely on a makeshift grassroots effort (led valiantly by Dooley, TCF15, NoEscalators, Notadimeback, etc.) 29 1/2 hours prior to kick off.

 

[sdhusky]

I couldn't disagree more. If it was known that over 7,000 seats remained prior to a news article/radio show 48 hour prior, a bigger push would have been made earlier to get these seats filled. UConn would not have to rely on a makeshift grassroots effort (led valiantly by Dooley, TCF15, NoEscalators, Notadimeback, etc.) 29 1/2 hours prior to kick off.

Maybe.

But I have a better marketing idea.

Win. Win big. Win often.

 

[Carl Spackler]

as much as it pains me, I agree with the guy with the pic of the crazy hair chess player.

What we are seeing right now, is a marketing, ticket sales dept, with some warts still to clean up, the PR around football for UCONN, needs better work, but in reality, it's much better than it was a few years ago. What we don't have to go with it is the winning program. We've had the winning before, without the sales/marketing/promotion before, and we've got the sales/marketing/promotion now, but not the winning - YET.

Until I see both together, I'm not the least bit concerned. If we can approach 35k for opening night, after having 17k, nine months ago, a coaching change, and playing mostly rooks, sophs - that's pretty good. I was pretty stunned all along really, that we could be that close to a sell out. If we're ranked in the top 25, and 8-2, 9-1 kind of team, and drawing 25k, with all the changes that have happened in the marketing, ticketing PR in the past few seasons - then a real hard study in WTF is going on is necessary.

There have been some big gaffe's by the athletic ticketing and marketing office before, this is not a huge one, but I do think, as I just wrote elsewhere, that this is something for Manuel to closely look at and think about, as to who really 'gets' college football, and the fans, and the media - and who doesn't up there in Storrs.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Off Topic: For the record, I'm very pleased that "Spackler" has taken on a whole meaning of it's own to be applied in various situations as a poster may see fit to explain various different writing behaviors. Job well done by me.

----- typed with one hand, while trying not to strain my shoulder patting self on back ------

 

[APA]

How long can the athletic dept. withstand the financial consequences of poor attendance? 9,000 seats at $50 per means they are short $450,000. For 6 games that's 2.7 mil.

 

[Bonehead]

as much as it pains me, I agree with the guy with the pic of the crazy hair chess player.

What we are seeing right now, is a marketing, ticket sales dept, with some warts still to clean up, the PR around football for UCONN, needs better work, but in reality, it's much better than it was a few years ago. What we don't have to go with it is the winning program. We've had the winning before, without the sales/marketing/promotion before, and we've got the sales/marketing/promotion now, but not the winning - YET.

Until I see both together, I'm not the least bit concerned. If we can approach 35k for opening night, after having 17k, nine months ago, a coaching change, and playing mostly rooks, sophs - that's pretty good. I was pretty stunned all along really, that we could be that close to a sell out. If we're ranked in the top 25, and 8-2, 9-1 kind of team, and drawing 25k, with all the changes that have happened in the marketing, ticketing PR in the past few seasons - then a real hard study in WTF is going on is necessary.

There have been some big gaffe's by the athletic ticketing and marketing office before, this is not a huge one, but I do think, as I just wrote elsewhere, that this is something for Manuel to closely look at and think about, as to who really 'gets' college football, and the fans, and the media - and who doesn't up there in Storrs.

Cant even bring yourself to say his 'name' - WOW!

 

[sdhusky]

Cant even bring yourself to say his 'name' - WOW!

 

[Carl Spackler]

How long can the athletic dept. withstand the financial consequences of poor attendance? 9,000 seats at $50 per means they are short $450,000. For 6 games that's 2.7 mil.

The athletic department is doing just fine, and will continue to do just fine. The problem, the university as a whole faces, is that in coming years, unless something drastic changes either directly to UCONN, or to intercollegiate athletics as a whole, we can continue to plug along just fine as to where we are at now. but there will be a growing divide in the intercollegiate world, around conferences.

Never mind that your estimate is probably way off, in that face value of seats in the upper corners, which will most likely be the ones unsold in majority, are not $50, nor is there a seat donation necessary, but using your numbers, $2.7 million is about 2% of the athletic budget, which given what we've lost with television contract, would add up to about 4% lost in the athletic budget from last year. Not that hard to recoup 4% of a budget that ahs the kind of assets that UCONN has. it's not an issue,

Moving out to that larger frame of reference, in intercollegiate athletics, 2.7 mill in that frame of reference is a drop in the bucket, and $450,000 in that frame of reference is a bit of splatter on the ground outside the bucket. THe issue we face, is making ourselves as pretty as possible to the suitors out there.

There is plenty of positive to put out there, in going from 17k attendance in December, to hopefully 34k attendance in September, with the changes we've been through. If we're 17k in December again, were right back where we started from in every way possible.

Need to measure progress in ways that make sense, and move forward positive.

I'll be at the game, and I'll be cheering, and the unsold seats won't be a concern of mine, until we're a top 25 team with the kind of publicity push that has happened recently. If we have unsold seats at that time, that will be the time to be concerned. I highly doubt we would. The stadium isn't sized that large, and we've had capacity before, for winning programs. The naysayers will say we can't because we don't have the same opponents we had then, but I think that's horse hockey. We don't have any traditional opponents at this level. People come to see a winning UCONN program.

 

[FDNY99]

I look at 31,000 tickets sold a lot better than the 17,000 that showed up last year for the final home game against Memphis last season. We need to spread the word as rabid fans...not here with each other but out in public. Some parts of the UCONN fanbase you may have to write off...I loved Dooley's post on the Women's Hoops Forum...but reality is football will draw few from that group. If this team is competitive and wins a few things will be different. As for the IMG issue...just look at who was AD when UCONN signed that deal..enough said. I will say this about IMG...they have moved the radio portion of UCONN sports out of the stone age!!

 

[kemba]

This isn't the Memphis or Louisville crowd from last year. 31,000+, first game of the year, nice weather, night game, the place will be rocking.

Not worrying about empty seats now, win some games, and eventually that will take care of itself.

 

[Bonehead]

I don't understand the logic that if UConn had NOT held back an allotment of tickets for possible season ticket packages that they would actually be sold otherwise.

Apathy and winning 13 games in three years is to blame. Even the fill the rent promotion over the last few days didn't really move the needle to clear out those tickets that were not held back. I doubt even free tickets would fill the stadium at this point.

Everyone - just go to the game and encourage friends to go with, enjoy it, and bring even more friends with you next time.

They release the allotment of tickets and show actual available seats on the UConn Ticket Site and now this -


Matt Schonvisky ‏@MattSchonvisky 36m
Per UCONN on tickets for BYU: "Ticket office said the phones have not stopped ringing." #FILLTHERENT #UCONN #HuskyUp #RiseUp

Maybe it wasnt apathy and winning 13 games in three years to blame for sluggish sales or the Labor Day weekend.
Maybe it was the site showing the actually 7000 available at 10 am this morning. IDK - Just saying none of us know why nor will we ever but they seem to be selling like hotcakes! Way to #HuskyUp

 

[ATLDYKA]

Or could it be that fans have realized through past marketing and ticketing actions that they could wait to the last minute and deals would become available. Everybody jumping on the $20 deal for good seats.

 

[Skiblets]

Hope they keep the ticket office open late tonight

 

[Husky25]

They release the allotment of tickets and show actual available seats on the UConn Ticket Site and now this -


Matt Schonvisky ‏@MattSchonvisky 36m
Per UCONN on tickets for BYU: "Ticket office said the phones have not stopped ringing." #FILLTHERENT #UCONN #HuskyUp #RiseUp

Maybe it wasnt apathy and winning 13 games in three years to blame for sluggish sales or the Labor Day weekend.
Maybe it was the site showing the actually 7000 available at 10 am this morning. IDK - Just saying none of us know why nor will we ever but they seem to be selling like hotcakes! Way to #HuskyUp

Or maybe the fans are bailing out the Ticket Office Directors for their miscues.

I'm glad fans are responding. I was able to find a couple more people well, but I still think there was either an error in plan, execution, or both. The end does not justify the means (they rarely, if ever, do) and ticket office management may be able to breathe easy after all.

 

[BoatShow]

Yea something is off unless they are just not releasing all the tickets online. But with the amount of people I know are going I can't see us not selling out or being very close tomorrow.

DSqiz and 39,999 of his closest friends will be there tomorrow. Good to know!

 

[BoatShow]

Yes - season ticket holder section 130 row 13.
Im a pig - I dont do upper levels - thats me.
Would the casual fan feel the exact same way that there isnt a bad seat in the house? I am not sure.

Most who are buying a single game ticket, in my opinion, would choose lowers over uppers if given the opportunity.

My season seats were in 130 last year (row 5) and with the exception of the Michigan game I wound up sitting elsewhere. Upper sideline>>>Low endzone IMO. Try it sometime.

 

[Bonehead]

My season seats were in 130 last year (row 5) and with the exception of the Michigan game I wound up sitting elsewhere. Upper sideline>>>Low endzone IMO. Try it sometime.

Love my seats. No interest in moving. Like the endZine view as well.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The athletic department is doing just fine, and will continue to do just fine. The problem, the university as a whole faces, is that in coming years, unless something drastic changes either directly to UCONN, or to intercollegiate athletics as a whole, we can continue to plug along just fine as to where we are at now. but there will be a growing divide in the intercollegiate world, around conferences.

Never mind that your estimate is probably way off, in that face value of seats in the upper corners, which will most likely be the ones unsold in majority, are not $50, nor is there a seat donation necessary, but using your numbers, $2.7 million is about 2% of the athletic budget, which given what we've lost with television contract, would add up to about 4% lost in the athletic budget from last year. Not that hard to recoup 4% of a budget that ahs the kind of assets that UCONN has. it's not an issue,

Moving out to that larger frame of reference, in intercollegiate athletics, 2.7 mill in that frame of reference is a drop in the bucket, and $450,000 in that frame of reference is a bit of splatter on the ground outside the bucket. THe issue we face, is making ourselves as pretty as possible to the suitors out there.

There is plenty of positive to put out there, in going from 17k attendance in December, to hopefully 34k attendance in September, with the changes we've been through. If we're 17k in December again, were right back where we started from in every way possible.

Need to measure progress in ways that make sense, and move forward positive.

I'll be at the game, and I'll be cheering, and the unsold seats won't be a concern of mine, until we're a top 25 team with the kind of publicity push that has happened recently. If we have unsold seats at that time, that will be the time to be concerned. I highly doubt we would. The stadium isn't sized that large, and we've had capacity before, for winning programs. The naysayers will say we can't because we don't have the same opponents we had then, but I think that's horse hockey. We don't have any traditional opponents at this level. People come to see a winning UCONN program.

Yes and we need to stop doing things like scheduling the top ten soccer program's home opener vs. the football team if possible. They had SRO for an exhibition last week. It may hurt both.

 

[J187Money]

Yes and we need to stop doing things like scheduling the top ten soccer program's home opener vs. the football team if possible. They had SRO for an exhibition last week. It may hurt both.

We didn't. ESPN made us move the game from Thursday to Friday.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

We didn't. ESPN made us move the game from Thursday to Friday.

Sucks, UConn and CC both play on Monday too.

 

[whaler11]

I couldn't disagree more. If it was known that over 7,000 seats remained prior to a news article/radio show 48 hour prior, a bigger push would have been made earlier to get these seats filled. UConn would not have to rely on a makeshift grassroots effort (led valiantly by Dooley, TCF15, NoEscalators, Notadimeback, etc.) 29 1/2 hours prior to kick off.

How many tickets do you think you guys have sold? Who would have led the effort if it was public there were more available?