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UConn books don't sell?

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HooperScooper

HooperScooper

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http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/2014/08/book-it-my-book-on-uconns-run-to-fourth.html

David Borges of the New Haven Register has written a book about UConn's run to the 2014 National Championship. Interesting comment from publishers he pitched the book to: "UConn books don't sell."

Here's the thing: as I pitched the book to different publishers, one thing I heard back from many of them is, "UConn books don't sell." In fact, one publishing company told me that, once the Elite Eight teams were known back in late-March, it got a hold of seven different authors to do books on seven different teams -- Florida, Michigan State, Kentucky, Wisconsin, etc. The one school it didn't bother to contact? UConn. Again, "UConn books don't sell."

I find that hard to believe. Any ideas why UConn books don't sell? Not better than Wisconsin books? Florida books (where not many care about basketball)? Just a very curious comment.
 
HooperScooper said:
http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/2014/08/book-it-my-book-on-uconns-run-to-fourth.html

David Borges of the New Haven Register has written a book about UConn's run to the 2014 National Championship. Interesting comment from publishers he pitched the book to: "UConn books don't sell."

Here's the thing: as I pitched the book to different publishers, one thing I heard back from many of them is, "UConn books don't sell." In fact, one publishing company told me that, once the Elite Eight teams were known back in late-March, it got a hold of seven different authors to do books on seven different teams -- Florida, Michigan State, Kentucky, Wisconsin, etc. The one school it didn't bother to contact? UConn. Again, "UConn books don't sell."

I find that hard to believe. Any ideas why UConn books don't sell? Not better than Wisconsin books? Florida books (where not many care about basketball)? Just a very curious comment.
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Wasn't that the reason SI gave as to why they didn't do a commemorative issue as well?
 
Huh, interesting. I picked up a few copies of Aaron Torres' book after the 2011 title and everyone I gave it to enjoyed it.
 
Pmurph678 said:
We win to often for a book every championship, most people haven't finished the last one yet
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This definitely has an element of truth to it. If the 2014 run was Uconn's only championship there would already be some titles in the works. I bet you Uconn Elite Eight and Final Four shirts don't sell as well either. Cuse on the other hand....
 
CTGoonie said:
This definitely has an element of truth to it. If the 2014 run was Uconn's only championship there would already be some titles in the works. I bet you Uconn Elite Eight and Final Four shirts don't sell as well either. Cuse on the other hand....
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...their # 1 in AP shirts sell well, of course they are only available for a short time.
 
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CTGoonie said:
This definitely has an element of truth to it. If the 2014 run was Uconn's only championship there would already be some titles in the works. I bet you Uconn Elite Eight and Final Four shirts don't sell as well either. Cuse on the other hand....
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This cuts both ways though. Look at a school like UK. They are pretty darn successful but their fans are so rabid that they buy up all they can. Just look at how they travel. They win and their fans are always hungry for more. UConn's wins/final four appearances are spaced out just enough that the casual fan, even locally, gets the feeling that UConn is always there.
 
If UK had won they'd have sold a lot of tattoos.
 
I never even knew there was a book about UConn's 2011 title run until this thread. Shame on me.
 
Just bought the 2011 book on amazon even though I could have read it for free on the tablet. Knowing about these things is half the battle. I truly had no idea about this. Will check Borges book as well.
 
HooperScooper said:
You must have not been on the Boneyard in 2011 because Aaron hawked that book almost daily on here.

http://www.rjjulia.com/event/aaron-torres
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Truth be told I spend WAY more time on the football board. I started checking out the BBall more after the conference realignment we've been left in. I have long been a fan of both, but just enjoy the banter on the FBall board more
 
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At least a partial reason seems fairly obvious to me. We live in a tiny state!

Most fans of college basketball teams are from the state the team is from, or at least they live in that state. One step further, most fans rabid enough to buy a book about a championship they just saw on TV are definitely the more die hard fans and seem more likely to be from connecticut or living in connecticut.

Our state is probably at least five times smaller than every one of the other seven states (teams) listed.

I know this is a very simple generalization, and I'm leaving out things like alumni fans who are not from, or living in, Connecticut. But, generally, this seems to make some sense in my pea brain.
 
FWIW, I just bought my brother a UConn book for his birthday.

For once, I am not part of the problem!
 
I liked Aaron's book, but it had nothing in it that someone from the Boneyard wouldn't have already known. Hopefully Borges was able to talk to the coaches and players.
 
Or maybe publishers don't give a sh@t about a Dave Borges book? Just sayin.
 
CAHUSKY said:
Or maybe publishers don't give a sh@t about a Dave Borges book? Just sayin.
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I'd venture a guess that UConn fans don't buy books because we've always had great press coverage in the CT media. I have never seen so much coverage of a basketball program anywhere else in the country. We "know" our players and coaches. It isn't that way most places. The coverage is far less personal for most college athletic programs. Those people need a book to get the interesting back stories that we get daily.
 
Is a prerequisite for programs like Kentucky to produce a book yearly. That way they can read it two years later to remind themselves who the heck actually played for their team.

I'm so thankful that most of our players stick around for 3 to 4 years, and I hope it stays that way. I don't mind adding one or two short timers once in awhile.
 
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People in Kentucky read books?
 
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dsturdy5 said:
This cuts both ways though. Look at a school like UK. They are pretty darn successful but their fans are so rabid that they buy up all they can. Just look at how they travel. They win and their fans are always hungry for more. UConn's wins/final four appearances are spaced out just enough that the casual fan, even locally, gets the feeling that UConn is always there.
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But books? What makes you think they can read them?
ps. must read entire thread next time.
 
Last edited:
Mots010 said:
The old husky logo ghost wrote The Catcher in the Rye.
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BoatShow said:
The old Husky logo knows where D.B. Cooper's fortune is.
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For what it's worth, the old logo won 11 National Basketball titles. The new one has only won 3.
 
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