Tulane is one game.
If we can't get good crowds for games like Syracuse, Virginia, and Cincy, you can't blame the conference.
Time to show up or shut up
- Thread starter FDNY99
- Start date
- Status
Tulane is one game.
If we can't get good crowds for games like Syracuse, Virginia, and Cincy, you can't blame the conference.
Dream Jobbed 2.0
“Most definitely”
- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Messages
- 15,124
- Reaction Score
- 57,293
If we beat Navy I'm expecting 34k minimum for UVA. ACC team with a ton of alumni in these parts who should help out with a couple thousand fans. Also it's CTHS band day which did a great job filling the upper visitors corner where there typically are nevvvveeeer any people. If we beat UVA I think we can get 37k for Cuse.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
You are the EXACT person I am talking to in my OP! Another drum beating NHL returning to Hartford fan who makes EVERY excuse in the book why there aren't crowds at UConn football games! Newsflash..if people like you bought tickets to football games there wouldn't be as much subsidy!
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
He's just another person who beat the NHL return to Hartford drum...oh woe is me UConn is in the AAC...and on and on and on! These are the band wagon fans UConn sports really doesn't need...but has to put up with. After reading his 4 posts I can see that @Muddler is a disgruntled hoops fan who could care less about any other sport.
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
- Messages
- 2,286
- Reaction Score
- 9,758
I've been following UCONN for a number of years as I started as a way to keep tabs on the career of a kid who played for my former HS. The one thing I have never been able to wrap my head around is the fractured element of your school's fan base. The whole concept of fans who only follow men's basketball, women's basketball, football, or now even hockey seems so bizarre to me, and likely to many others as well. I get that people have a right to spend their time and money any way they choose, but the idea that someone would only care about women's basketball, and not the other sports played by the school is puzzling. Is this strictly a non affiliated(T-shirt fan) thing or does this go on with alumni as well? If ever there was a time where these separate factions needed to come together as a collective voice its now. If football fails the sports they love cold be in real jeopardy.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
It started really back with the relationship between Geno and Calhoun. That fractured relationship divided the fan base in my opinion. Football was always an after thought until it was elevated by Lew Perkins to 1A. At that time it seemed as though the men's hoops fan base got behind the football program and here was a carry over. The women's fan base has never come on board...and I am not sure they ever will. When the split with the BE happened it became apparent that a fraction of the men's hoops fan base started to push back and blame football for the CR issues. The fact remains that this was the SAME group that most likely never members what it was like pre-Gampel Pavilion...and Pre-Jim Calhoun..when Dom Perno was in over his head and the men's team used to get blown out on a regular nightly basis. As for hockey..a fair amount of the fans you see here that are vocal and against the school playing games in Storrs are members of the Bring the NHL back to Hartford drum beating group. They are a small but vocal group that realize becoming UConn hockey fans is a good thing because they can't relocate the team and the competition level is as high as you can get in college.
.-.
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
- Messages
- 2,286
- Reaction Score
- 9,758
Interesting. Thanks
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
That's my view of it as a life-long fan. I'm sure there are a bunch of others on here. Hopefully you get more replies.
FfldCntyFan
Texas: Property of UConn Men's Basketball program
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2011
- Messages
- 15,563
- Reaction Score
- 62,169
For the most part I agree with FDNY. One thing I would like to add, at least in terms of many fans of the men's basketball team is their attitude is an extension of the earlier days of Bid East basketball where nearly every member did not play football at a high (in some cases any) level. The fan bases held almost as a badge of honor that they were fans of men's college basketball and often poked fun at college football in general as if it was some direct competition to their fan support of basketball.
I will wager heavily that we still have fans who would have preferred we never attempted to compete at this level in football and remained more aligned with the Big East schools that are still in the BE.
I will wager heavily that we still have fans who would have preferred we never attempted to compete at this level in football and remained more aligned with the Big East schools that are still in the BE.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2014
- Messages
- 2,309
- Reaction Score
- 7,634
Has a lot to do with UConn being the de facto pro sport option in the state as well. most fans aren't alumni but are CT residents who see the success of the basketball teams on a national stage but see the struggling football team as almost minor league. This plus college basketball being generally played at a higher level than football in these parts is why you see that. I can't really speak for the woman's fan base as they're a breed of their own but Father Time will do a number on them soon so idk how long that problem will last.
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
- Messages
- 5,024
- Reaction Score
- 16,001
FDNY, take a break on Whalers fans. A lot of us Whalers fans have had the same enemy for 20 long years that you do now - the UConn basketball only's. Back then it wasn't UConn football that they were snubbing, it was the Whalers. Either they jumped off the bandwagon for good once Calhoun's teams got consistently good, or they never bothered to get on in the first place (even though hockey is by far the best live sport there is and the best players in the world were coming into our backyard 40-50 nights a year and the Whale was practically giving away tickets some nights).
To the basketball only's, learn from your mistakes. History will repeat itself.
Ghost of Christmas past
To the basketball only's, learn from your mistakes. History will repeat itself.
Ghost of Christmas past
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
- Messages
- 5,024
- Reaction Score
- 16,001
.-.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
I am a Whaler fan...one who refuses to root for the Hurricanes except to see them lose each and every game they play...a fan who had to find another NHL team to root for after growing up bleeding green & white. My issue is with those who think the NHL will return and that UConn hockey belongs 100% in Hartford.FDNY, take a break on Whalers fans. A lot of us Whalers fans have had the same enemy for 20 long years that you do now - the UConn basketball only's. Back then it wasn't UConn football that they were snubbing, it was the Whalers. Either they jumped off the bandwagon for good once Calhoun's teams got consistently good, or they never bothered to get on in the first place (even though hockey is by far the best live sport there is and the best players in the world were coming into our backyard 40-50 nights a year and the Whale was practically giving away tickets some nights).
To the basketball only's, learn from your mistakes. History will repeat itself.
Ghost of Christmas past
View attachment 15072
View attachment 15071
The Funster
What?
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 2,949
- Reaction Score
- 8,647
Basketball built the school. Because of basketball UConn embarked on UConn 2000. Because of basketball UConn went from safety school to what is today. When UConn made the push to top level football, I was behind it. It was the absolute right move to continue to build the school's prestige but the timing was off. We never got to become a stable football power before the ACC started its mission to destroy the Big East.
Born and raised in Fairfield county I started following UConn hoops as a HS senior when the BE played its inaugural basketball season. I fell in love with UConn's hoops and have a fan ever since. I moved around a bit came back to FFld county and have been here for many years. IMO, women's hoops grabbed all our attention when Geno came on board and built his dynasty. My interest fell off because they became too dominant but by that time they had developed their core fan base of older men and women and an entire generation of young girls. The long time FB guys may tell a different story but that is how this men's hoops first guy sees it. FWIW, I am not a UConn alum.
Born and raised in Fairfield county I started following UConn hoops as a HS senior when the BE played its inaugural basketball season. I fell in love with UConn's hoops and have a fan ever since. I moved around a bit came back to FFld county and have been here for many years. IMO, women's hoops grabbed all our attention when Geno came on board and built his dynasty. My interest fell off because they became too dominant but by that time they had developed their core fan base of older men and women and an entire generation of young girls. The long time FB guys may tell a different story but that is how this men's hoops first guy sees it. FWIW, I am not a UConn alum.
Dooley
Done with U-con athletics
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2012
- Messages
- 9,958
- Reaction Score
- 32,816
You are certainly not alone in wondering why our fanbase insists on being fractured. I don't get it either - never have. No other college fanbase in the country goes through constant bickering between football vs hoops fans; mens hoops vs womens hoops fans; etc. Being split absolutely hurts our P5 profile. If everyone who supported hoops also supported football, then there would be absolutely zero questioning of UConn's fanbase. There is no question that we are a basketball school and that is okay. There are other basketball schools who have made a niche inside the P5 - UNC, Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, Louisville, Kansas - and NONE of those school's fanbases have a football vs basketball split. That's probably the reason why they are in the P5 and we are stuck bickering amongst ourselves in the AAC. So very frustrating.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2014
- Messages
- 2,309
- Reaction Score
- 7,634
All of those schools have been playing top level football a lot longer than UConn. Most UConn fans grew up watching top level basketball and are new to the FBS scene. Hence the frustration of playing in CUSA while all of our rivals continue to play top level competition.
What hurt us the most was being late to the party, being in New England hurts, having a history of playing schools without big time football hurts and of course the awful play on the field during the most important period of CR hurts. UConn's situation is so unlike any other that comparing us to any other school is silly. Blaming the fans is also silly when so many other factors out of our control led to this mess.
I'm not beating any drum. It doesn't take a genius to see that playing a schedule of former Conference USA schools isn't going to put people in the seats. Good for you for getting excited for East Carolina. If UConn doesn't get in a major conference you can complain about me with the other 11,000 at the game. CT might not be the most exciting place in the world, but people have more options as to how they choose to spend their money than Fayetteville, AK. You can't claim UConn is in a great market between NY and Boston and then expect all those people with tons of options to get excited about Tulsa.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 103,826
- Reaction Score
- 428,492
I'm guessing you can count the number of UConn football games you've been to in the last 10 years on Jason Pierre-Paul's right hand?
.-.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
I'm gonna chalk you up as another pissed off men's hoops fan who can't see games against his precious PC, St Johns, GTown and Villanova! Yeah the schools that helped destroy the BE as much as the ones that left in CR! Newsflash for you I live about 20 miles from Yankee Stadium, just over 30 miles from MSG and about 40 miles give or take from Met Life. I can go see pretty much what ever sporting event I want college or pro..I am CT born and bred..didnt go to UConn but I grew up 10 minutes from campus and bleed blue! I choose to go to UConn sporting events. You..you just have a LOT to say and don't contribute 1 thing to being a solution to the problem!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
- Messages
- 5,024
- Reaction Score
- 16,001
Agreed on the Hurricanes. I was very disappointed when Karmanos survived his heartattack. I'm that vindictive.
I have no problem hoping the NHL returns, although I don't count on it.
And I do like half the games in Hartford, half on campus. A lot of the big games in downtown, maybe a few big ones on campus..a lot of the "smaller" HE teams on campus.
I do have to admit I love having a good Sam Adams when I'm at the game...can't get that in an on campus rink. When I was at the great comeback up at UNH to end the season it was strange not being able to drink a beer. I was hyperventilating...fortunately it was all worth it when the great comeback went down
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2014
- Messages
- 2,309
- Reaction Score
- 7,634
I'm more like you in that I watch any UConn sport no matter who they play but can you really blame anyone for not getting a BFieldHusky for the AAC, really? Basically you're pissed off that more fans aren't like you or me, I get that but I also see both sides. UConn is in such a unique situation where blaming other fans looks foolish. We're all mad, keep doing your thing let the powers that be do their thing and get over it.
UConnNick
from Vince Lombardi's home town
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2011
- Messages
- 5,073
- Reaction Score
- 14,066
It is totally frustrating, but to understand it you have to understand the history of the Men's vs. Women's BB programs, and what happened when IA football was introduced.
The women' s program came out of nowhere from nowhere, and it happened almost overnight. I think they did one of the most brilliant marketing jobs ever done by any collegiate sports program. The results were absolutely astounding. I think Chris Dailey played the biggest role in the mercurial rise of the women's program. She did anything and everything to promote that program, right down to the minutest of details. That woman would make an amazing corporate CEO in any kind of business.
She had to teach classes at UCONN back in the early days of the Geno regime. Nobody was attending their games in the old field house, so she forced the students from her classes to attend the games for extra course credits. She also gave tickets away to anybody she could get to show up. She also made the players extremely accessible to the fans. She developed a bond between the team and their fanbase. Nothing like it had ever been done before.
She built that program from the ground up, fan by fan, until they started getting a few local recruits with talent, and then Geno's skill as a coach kicked in and they started winning. The wins snowballed year after year. We started winning Big East titles. Then in 1991 we improbably made a run to the Final Four and in the semifinals came close to knocking off Geno's old UVA team where he was an assistant to Debbie Ryan.
Suddenly the women's team became a hot commodity, Gampel had just opened, so they had a beautiful, brand new venue and the talent being recruited started to snowball. It probably wouldn't have happened quite the same way if UCONN wasn't already a firmly established BB school with a large following, but some of the women's fans represented a much older demographic, and they liked the touchy feely approach with the players. They were also people who had grown tired of watching top level men's CBB or the NBA because they were old school and remembered the days of BB before the 3 pt. shot when BB fundamentals were emphasized. They suddenly saw that old time era with the below the rim women's game. I think a lot of them were non-UCONN alums and they never had supported any UCONN athletics programs prior to their interest in the women's program.
Then, having developed one of the largest women's BB fanbases, they go to No. 1 in 1995 and win the title with a perfect record. And the next thing that happened is probably a big reason why the men's and women's fanbases remain split to this day...the infamous bumper stickers:
"UConn - Where Men are Men and Women Are Champions."
Whomever dreamed up that one should be drawn and quartered. Calhoun became upstaged by this johnny come lately phenomenon, and he didn't take too kindly to it. Thus an ongoing feud was born between JC and Geno.
I used to participate in a small UCONN fan forum which was for BB discussion, men's and women's. We used to have some really nasty flame wars between the two factions. It could get really ugly. The men's only fans resented the women's program for what one poster claimed, taking attention away from the men's program. The women's only fans liked to take their own shots at the men's program. Of course some of us who were UConn grads supported both programs. I used to argue that an alumnus ought to support any team the university puts out on a field. Some folks didn't see it that way.
Gradually the old timers who support the women's program only will be gone, but I'm afraid they will have instilled their loyalty to the program in future generations. I think this divide is always going to exist, and it's detrimental to both sports and the school in general.
Now with football added to the mix since 2002, many of those same fans, mostly from the men's side, view it as nothing but a further useless distraction that takes away from the both BB programs. They mock the bowl games we've gone to as largely inconsequential. They only want what's good for the men's BB program.
I don't really know the answer. Maybe Benedict needs to invite all three factions to some kind of event where you explain to everybody that whether or not you give a dang about football, that's where the money is and that's what's going to get us to the promised land of P5 membership. At that point, the women's fans will shrug their shoulders and say so what, we could play in a conference on Pluto and still dominate the women's BB universe, the men's fans will want to return to the new Big East for nostalgic reasons, and the rest of us will scratch our heads wondering why nobody in either of those two factions get it.
Without P5 membership, both of those factions will experience a rather bleak future, watching both programs becoming increasingly irrelevant over time, because at some point the money just won't be there to recruit the high level talent necessary to compete with the P5's. Maybe Benedict can figure out a way to drive that point home and get everybody on the same page. We'll see.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
I get pissed off by those fans that bitch about UConn's predicament yet choose to do nothing about it. I get pissed off by the hoops fans both men's and women's who blame football for the ill's that have befallen UConn in CR.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 7,496
- Reaction Score
- 15,676
You and I have the EXACT same views on the former Whalers, their owner, and UConn hockey!
.-.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2014
- Messages
- 2,309
- Reaction Score
- 7,634
I honestly think this fraction of the fan base is real but overblown with the diehards and has little to do with our predicament. The big issue is getting the casual fan and general public interested. We have a ton of factors going against us being a new FBS program in a part of the country that generally isn't to keen on college football especially when a program is losing. Conferences know this, obviously we aren't going to trick anyone into thinking otherwise but we are in a densely populated market with reach into 2 other huge markets so it's not like we don't have anything going for us.
We've been hurt by our own success on the court. The casual fan sees the bball teams winning on a national stage and doesn't get the same buzz from the football team because it's still the "old guard" raising that trophy year after year.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 2,767
- Reaction Score
- 5,547
I'll bet many of you, like me, didn't even see the link at the top of the forum for tcf's stuff. I've been on here forever and just noticed it. How about, for starters, a link to watch many years of football (full game videos)
Football Game Replays
You're welcome.
Holy cow! how is it these game replays have been available and not more publicized??
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 5,285
- Reaction Score
- 9,284
Many, and I mean a lot, of UConn fans are incredibly fair weathered. Win = attendance. Don't win = don't attend. This is true with men's BB, probably would be true with woman's BB (it's been a while for them tho, but even Geno acknowledgesd their fans were spoiled).
Some like to blame not attending on the fact that there are so many other options of things to do instead of go to a game (you now, like kickball.. I kid, I kid... all in good fun), forgetting the fact we are talking about 6, maybe 7 home games a season.... not every other weekend all year long. Now I don't care if people choose not to attend, that doesn't piss me off....it is their prerogative. But it's like voting an election. You can't complain about your candidate losing if you didn't even bother to show up and cast a vote.
Some like to blame not attending on the fact that there are so many other options of things to do instead of go to a game (you now, like kickball.. I kid, I kid... all in good fun), forgetting the fact we are talking about 6, maybe 7 home games a season.... not every other weekend all year long. Now I don't care if people choose not to attend, that doesn't piss me off....it is their prerogative. But it's like voting an election. You can't complain about your candidate losing if you didn't even bother to show up and cast a vote.
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
- Messages
- 1,380
- Reaction Score
- 3,106
Our group will be there as always(9 seats) in section 103.
Have had seats for UConn Football since 1998 at Memorial.
Have had men's basketball season tickets since 1981(been going since 1977).
So I like most here am committed to seeing us get to a P5 conference.
It's vital we fill up the Rent(I still call it that) up regardless of who the opposition is this year.
If you can afford it look at it an investment in your and the states future.
Have had seats for UConn Football since 1998 at Memorial.
Have had men's basketball season tickets since 1981(been going since 1977).
So I like most here am committed to seeing us get to a P5 conference.
It's vital we fill up the Rent(I still call it that) up regardless of who the opposition is this year.
If you can afford it look at it an investment in your and the states future.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 3,767
- Reaction Score
- 5,414
This is so true. I will think twice about going to a womens game depending on who they are playing. Too many blowouts. I try to pick good matchups for the men. I go to every football game and I do know more than a few people who would go to more football games if we were in B12.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 6,575
- Reaction Score
- 16,641
Dude - being a is the surest way to drive away those who might be interested but don't live and breath football. Alienating, mocking and belittling is so unhelpful.
To my kickball friend - have fun and we'll miss you this time around. You have to get out to the next game. We need you and bring a friend. It's a great experience. Stadium is easy, nice and the game day experience is great.
.-.
- Status