UCONN-Army in the Bronx on sale March 11-NOTE DATE

[Carl Spackler]

The Yankees want UConn: In today's Hartford Courant, Des Connor's byline is all about the game. Two quotes stand out:
1. From Mark Holtzman, Yankees executive director of non-baseball events: "we want you to consider Yankee Stadium down the road your home away from home, and hopefully this is the start of many games that you'll be playing here in the future."
2. From Warde Manual per Des: "Manual also said he would be all for the Huskies playing at the Stadium once in awhile."

This is great for marketing the Huskies Brand. My suggestion is for UConn to schedule this event as a separate event from a 7 game home schedule, but to add it to the season ticket package. That way season ticket holders get guaranteed seating at the game & not the possibility of being shut out. Schedule it as an intersectional game against a marquee opponent. Kills 2 birds with one stone: Marketing UConn in the N.Y. Metro area, increasing season ticket sales at the Rent. A third benefit is giving the Huskies a de facto 8 home game season. Opposition to target: Notre Dame, USC-West (They've travelled to the Carrier Dome Recently). USC-East (SEC opponent & who doesn't like viewing the sideline antics of the ole ball coach), LSU, Alabama, Oregon (fellow Nike school & the market in NYC), Nebraska (Huge NYC following), Oklahoma & Texas (see Nebraska), &, for old times sake West Virginia.

add to that MIchigan, Michigan State, Ohio State as targets as well as Miami. THose four schools have large alumni bases in the NYC metro area.

 

[huskypantz]

The Yankees want UConn: In today's Hartford Courant, Des Connor's byline is all about the game. Two quotes stand out:
1. From Mark Holtzman, Yankees executive director of non-baseball events: "we want you to consider Yankee Stadium down the road your home away from home, and hopefully this is the start of many games that you'll be playing here in the future."
2. From Warde Manual per Des: "Manual also said he would be all for the Huskies playing at the Stadium once in awhile."

This is great for marketing the Huskies Brand. My suggestion is for UConn to schedule this event as a separate event from a 7 game home schedule, but to add it to the season ticket package. That way season ticket holders get guaranteed seating at the game & not the possibility of being shut out. Schedule it as an intersectional game against a marquee opponent. Kills 2 birds with one stone: Marketing UConn in the N.Y. Metro area, increasing season ticket sales at the Rent. A third benefit is giving the Huskies a de facto 8 home game season. Opposition to target: Notre Dame, USC-West (They've travelled to the Carrier Dome Recently). USC-East (SEC opponent & who doesn't like viewing the sideline antics of the ole ball coach), LSU, Alabama, Oregon (fellow Nike school & the market in NYC), Nebraska (Huge NYC following), Oklahoma & Texas (see Nebraska), &, for old times sake West Virginia.

I agree - UConn needs to be very aggressive about this. You have 2 separate season ticket packages and include Yankee Stadium games as one. You subsidize (yes, that's correct) student bus trips down to the game to guarantee a few thousand undergrads. Whatever it takes - we need to show up in force in NYC - our conference future prospects depend on it. You set up alumni events and engage the fairfield county folks. Bring 20k to Yankee Stadium and we will raise eyebrows. Sell out our games there and we will impress (the B1G and ACC).

 

[Confident Carl]

I would take that with a heavy dose of salt. Being the most popular college football team in NYC is like being the most popular NHL team in Somalia.

Somalia and the NHL was funny but let's not forget the goal of being invited into the B1G which is very interested in capturing the New York Market. A strong showing by UCONN in the seats and in the TV ratings at Yankee Stadium vs. Army will not go unrecognized by Jim Delany and staff. With UCONN's relationship with SNY, UCONN alum working in and around NYC and the B1G wanting to gain a competitive advantage over the ACC in capturing NY, the upcoming Army-UCONN game on Nov. 8th has important significance and will factor into future expansion considerations of the B1G. Here is an interesting article that eludes to the B1G satellite office in NYC and the competition vs. the ACC to capture New York.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/79256/take-two-b1g-acc-battle-for-new-york

 

[Confident Carl]

I agree - UConn needs to be very aggressive about this. You have 2 separate season ticket packages and include Yankee Stadium games as one. You subsidize (yes, that's correct) student bus trips down to the game to guarantee a few thousand undergrads. Whatever it takes - we need to show up in force in NYC - our conference future prospects depend on it. You set up alumni events and engage the fairfield county folks. Bring 20k to Yankee Stadium and we will raise eyebrows. Sell out our games there and we will impress (the B1G and ACC).

Yes!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I would take that with a heavy dose of salt. Being the most popular college football team in NYC is like being the most popular NHL team in Somalia.

As great a line as that is (and yes it was one of the better lines on this board in quite some time) I believe a better analogy would be becoming the most popular NHL team in Brazil when the BRIC nations were driving the international stock markets. The size of the market is such that gaining 5% of it would be sufficient to make it more than worth the effort.

 

[Jimdish255]

Regardless of how fans feel about the Yankees, the stadium or even baseball, it's important to make a good showing. That said, I'm wondering about seating locations and whether tix sold by Army or UConn will be in separate blocks or who might be selling tix not allocated to the University and West Point. I assume it's best to buy tickets from UConn but maybe that's not the case.

 

[Dooley]

Are there really people here who are considering not going to this game because they dislike the Yankees????

 

[Ha Who]

I guess, though I don't much like the idea of playing high profile opponents at the house that Ruth didn't have anything to do with. It sets a horrible precedent. If they want to consider it a "neutral site" game I guess I'm less opposed. Even the opponent's home game like Army is. But we have a home stadium. And it isn't the Faux.

Enjoy conference USA

 

[whaler11]

It's nice to fantasize about drawing some big name team to play UConn at Yankee Stadium... But since they can't use the stadium until November, good luck with that.

 

[Waquoit]

It's nice to fantasize about drawing some big name team to play UConn at Yankee Stadium... But since they can't use the stadium until November, good luck with that.

I guess you get points for relentlessness.

 

[Confident Carl]

Enjoy conference USA

Not saying the B1G or ACC isn't more preferred, especially because of the money and all. Trust me, I understand the significance of the Power 5 but truth is the AAC is not even done with one cycle of football and basketball and after one year they have a top ten football team and Fiesta bowl winner. Will have 5O% of teams in NCAA's and could possibly have both mens and women's champions in bball. Not a bad start for CUSA II !

Mike Aresco's comment sums it up:

"The progress we've made as a conference is I think pretty remarkable," Aresco said. "Look where we were a year ago -- I think we've surprised a lot of people. We're a one-year-old league which endured a lot of turmoil, and it now has really good standing in football and basketball."

 

[whaler11]

I guess you get points for relentlessness.

Do I get as many as fantasy land stuff that people prefer because it's what they want to hear?

The stadium isn't available until November. That's a pretty high hurdle if you want to play non conference games there.

 

[whaler11]

The AAC has a good standing in football? What? The AAC continues to look clueless by continuing to push Louisville's accomplishments.

 

[ZooCougar]

Are there really people here who are considering not going to this game because they dislike the Yankees????

I know. Totally crazy.

 

[Carl Spackler]

The AAC has a good standing in football? What? The AAC continues to look clueless by continuing to push Louisville's accomplishments.

Do you have an agenda or just brain-fart?

Last I checked Central Florida won the Fiesta Bowl and finished the 2013 season ranked #10 out of a 10 program conference. The basketball conference has 4 programs (minus Louisville) out of 10 going to the post season tournament. There is a wide gap top to bottom in both football and basketball, but that's not a surprise to anyone. With new media contracts and scheduling getting in place for the next couple year, that gap narrows, and narrow it will - quickly.

I don't see anywhere anybody pushing Louisville's accomplishments except for ESPN, but even they've dropped it.

Do I get as many as fantasy land stuff that people prefer because it's what they want to hear?

The stadium isn't available until November. That's a pretty high hurdle if you want to play non conference games there.

Wouldn't it be a hoot if we end up with a Notre Dame series after all?

 

[whaler11]

Do you have an agenda or just brain-fart?

Last I checked Central Florida won the Fiesta Bowl and finished the 2013 season ranked #10 out of a 10 program conference. The basketball conference has 4 programs (minus Louisville) out of 10 going to the post season tournament. There is a wide gap top to bottom in both football and basketball, but that's not a surprise to anyone. With new media contracts and scheduling getting in place for the next couple year, that gap narrows, and narrow it will - quickly.

I don't see anywhere anybody pushing Louisville's accomplishments except for ESPN, but even they've dropped it.



Wouldn't it be a hoot if we end up with a Notre Dame series after all?

Sorry the Louisville comment was related to basketball and the 50% metric on tournament teams.

I am familiar with UCF thanks. I'm also familiar with what the league looks like losing Louisville and adding some more dregs.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Sorry the Louisville comment was related to basketball and the 50% metric on tournament teams.

I am familiar with UCF thanks. I'm also familiar with what the league looks like losing Louisville and adding some more dregs.

Sorry, I thought football was the main dish for discussion around here, with basketball on the side.

While the names probably leave a sour taste in many of the fans of the BIg East conference - especially big east basketball fans - the football conference will be a tougher and deeper conference than the Big East was. The basketball conference, the bottom of the conference has some recruiting to do, to get to the level of the top half, but there is no reason to think that is not possible, and quickly possible.

Next - and I wish more UCONN fans would get this.........it's probably not a good idea to be calling our new conference foes "dregs" and such, until we actually start beating them regularly.

Lastly - what about the Yankee stadium thing? it's a nice carrot to dangle for scheduling, whether or not you think so or not.

 

[Confident Carl]

The AAC has a good standing in football? What? The AAC continues to look clueless by continuing to push Louisville's accomplishments.

Whaler also said: I am familiar with UCF thanks. I'm also familiar with what the league looks like losing Louisville and adding some more dregs.[/quote]

I understand your line of thinking. Why would the American promote the exploits of a departing team that can't get out of the American fast enough? It may seem illogical to pound the chest over Louisville but I will trust in Aresco, a seasoned TV sports exec when he says the exposure gained from playing Louisville is invaluable. UCONN knocked Ville off last year and UCF did this year. Two American teams beat a team that lost a total of 3 games in 2 years! Ville finished 12-1 last year. They finished by blowing away Miami 36-9 in the Russell Athletic bowl. The previous year they beat FL in the Sugar Bowl 33-23. Departing Ville finished 23-3 the past two years. Of course getting blown out by Ville this past weekend in hoops was not good. If we can find a way to beat them in the conference tournament, we would want to exploit that. If Rutgers knocks off a Big 10 power next year it makes the American look a little better too. This might be called a spill over effect. This conference needs all the help it can get.

Why so harsh in describing the teams (Dregs)making an upward mobile jump, much the same way UCONN did around 12 years ago? Except these teams are already in Div. 1. UCONN was coming out of 1A. Many of the incoming schools are making stadium and other facilities upgrades. I have a feeling the folks at the American schools making infrastructure investments all have a goal and commitment to greatness. That seems to be the "American" way, pun intended! Check out the upgrades at Houston http://houstonfootballstadium.com/home/, Tulane http://wgno.com/2013/10/30/tulanes-new-football-stadium-is-good-news-for-new-orleans/#axzz2vae06daB , Navy http://www.navysports.com/this-is-navy/athletic-facilities.html , Tulsa http://www.tulsahurricane.com/facilities/tuls-chapman-renovation.html and East Carolina. East Carolina who beat NC and NCState last year is expanding their stadium to 60,000 by 2016 http://www.carolinahuddle.com/boards/topic/87529-ecu-plans-to-expand-stadium-to-60000-by-2016/. Check out UCF's massive expansion plan http://knightnews.com/2013/04/ucf-unveils-massive-athletics-facilities-renovations-plan/
Cincy: http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/100313aac.html, Memphis http://www.gotigersgo.com/facilities/football.html, SMU http://www.smumustangs.com/facilities/moody-coliseum.html, UCONN http://www.uconnbasketballcenter.com/

Well aware this is not a P5 conference but in Aresco's call to be labeled the best of the rest, the American is working hard to gain that recognition and respect. Not so sure "Dregs" is the best nomenclature. Doesn't upward mobile or emerging conference have a better ring than Dregs?

Haven't we evolved beyond Dregs yet? Next you will be calling Aresco Meatball or some other edifying name. Most of the decisions made by power conferences thus far have been analyzed and scrutinized by folks at a much higher pay grade than BY'ers.

As long as this conference is moving forward and not standing still or regressing, the word Dregs seems rather simplistic and displays a lack of awareness in understanding all that is happening within the American.​

 

[Dooley]

I know. Totally crazy.

Completely. Chance to show a strong NYC presence and some fans are going to allow allegiances in a completely different sport get in the way. I guess this nonsense helps explain the nutty behavior that pits some basketball fans vs some football fans, all the while not realizing that they are rooting for the same exact school.

I HATE the Jets but if UCONN ever played at MetLife, I'd hoist Fireman Fred on my shoulders to lead the U-C-O-N-N chants.

 

[Skiblets]

Just ordered my five. Woman in ticket office said it was slow today

 

[Husky25]

Just ordered my five. Woman in ticket office said it was slow today

Did Marketing drop the ball off of last weeks press conference? Other than what I've read here, I would not have known they went on sale this morning. There were 4 UConn games between then and now (1 Mens and 3 womens), I did not see or hear one advertisement.

Disclaimer: I drive down Rte 2 for work. ESPN radio fades out right round Rte 11. There are no LCD video bill boards along Rte 2.

 

[CTMike]

I thought it was fairly well covered by local news outlets when they formally announced the game last week. Usually they are good about email blasts on this sort of thing though- I don't recall seeing one?

 

[BHusky]

Seemed like a decent amount of publicity was given to this game, at least in CT. I don't think they needed to have the press conference and ticket sales happen 8+ months out for this game. Only a few teams in the country would generate huge ticket demand this far out of a game date. I have no doubt the game will sell out though when we get closer to the season.

 

[ZackB05]

I bought ten tickets. Should be a great time.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Just ordered my five. Woman in ticket office said it was slow today

Not really sure what the rush is. Don't expect the game to sell out and the ticket office implied seats wouldn't be assigned until much later based on donor points, etc. I'm gonna wait and try to get some more people to come along before I actually buy tickets, but I fully expect to have my normal tailgating crew show up.