UCONN / Houston - The View from Section 107

[J187Money]

On a plane - so this might take a couple of posts:

I had work drinks before the game so I didn't get to the stadium until about halfway through the first quarter. Had to wait in the will call line for my tickets so didn't get in until after Houston scored the first TD - so have no comments about the early game action.

Major observations:

• Lot of interest in the Cougars in Houston - everyone at work was talking about the game all day especially since they know I am a UCONN guy. My new employee in Houston is UH and the guy I took to the game - his dad was a Cougar.
• The campus is nice - although surrounded by ghetto. Much nicer than I expected - walked through it on the way to the stadium.
• The stadium is GREAT. What UCONN should have done in Storrs. Perfect size, everyone is right on top of the field.
• Everyone wore red. No Texans jerseys - no equivalent of Whalers jerseys - everyone represented.
• It was 95% full - only the upper corners were not completely filled.
• This is not an exaggeration - I counted TEN UCONN fans in attendance (including myself). None in my section, and I counted 9 walking out and that includes people I saw in the parking lot while waiting for my Uber. I've never been to any game anywhere where there was that little opposing fan base in the building.

 

[CTMike]

I think Joe D mentioned early on that there was a small UConn contingent in one of the end zones... is that where you were?

 

[Dooley]

To be fair to the fanbase, Houston did not have a large following last year at our place either and they were undefeated and flirting with a Playoff spot.

That said, it seemed like a good atmosphere on TV. It should be. They are one of the best teams in the country and can beat anyone on any given day/night. I hope that our program gets to that level someday so that we can all enjoy that same atmosphere at the Rent one day.

 

[SubbaBub]

Traveling fans is a function of proximity to campus and the alumni population in and around the away city. It's what people mean when they talk about geography in CR. The impact of the women's swim team travel arrangements are overblown.

It's the compounding interest levels of having other conference fans in that market.

The number of people who fly across the country to watch college sports every week is quite small.

 

[ct06111]

Is a 1.0 national TV rating considered good for a thrus night CFB game?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Based on what I've seen so far, we played the best team in the nation last night.

 

[NTXCoog]

Is a 1.0 national TV rating considered good for a thurs night CFB game?

Here's the Thursday night viewership so far this season:
Clemson/GA Tech had a 1.1 rating the week before with 1.813M viewers.
Don't have the ratings for UH/Cincinnati win week 3, but it had 2.159M viewers
Week 2 Louisville/Syracuse had 1.73M viewers
Week 1 South Carolina/Vanderbilt had a 1.2 rating with 1.942M viewers


If the ratings were a 1.0, that's probably about 1.5-1.6M viewers. So a little lower than usual, but still fairly strong. It'll probably be the 11th or 12th rated game for the week.

For ratings numbers used, see here.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Based on what I've seen so far, we played the best team in the nation last night.

I think Louisville will take them. Although it's scary to think that they were without Duke Catalon and their top LB and still roasted us.

 

[Dooley]

Is a 1.0 national TV rating considered good for a thrus night CFB game?

It's not terrible, considering that the game was a blowout and nobody in the country gave us a fighter's chance of winning it. I'd be interested to see what our local number was, if anyone can find it.

 

[Dooley]

Here's the Thursday night viewership so far this season:
Clemson/GA Tech had a 1.1 rating the week before with 1.813M viewers.
Don't have the ratings for UH/Cincinnati win week 3, but it had 2.159M viewers
Week 2 Louisville/Syracuse had 1.73M viewers
Week 1 South Carolina/Vanderbilt had a 1.2 rating with 1.942M viewers


If the ratings were a 1.0, that's probably about 1.5-1.6M viewers. So a little lower than usual, but still fairly strong. It'll probably be the 11th or 12th rated game for the week.

For ratings numbers used, see here.

Yes. Considering the game was a blowout and the huge spread heading into it, a 1 rating isn't all that bad. Wonder what the game did in HFD/NH, NYC, Boston, etc.

 

[Exit 4]

We all may hate it, but would a Louisville - Houston bowl game be that bad?

We got beat last night by an amazing athlete in Ward. His arm strength, accuracy and command of his offense was spectacular. Yes our DBs got toasted many times, but often it was by amazing throws and situations where Ward was able to run around in the backfield for 8 seconds before launching.

 

[NTXCoog]

Wonder what the game did in HFD/NH, NYC, Boston, etc.

Can't answer that, but it got a 6.3 in Houston.

 

[Dooley]

Can't answer that, but it got a 6.3 in Houston.

Houston is drawing well in Houston this year, no question. As it should - you guys have a formidable team capable of beating anyone in the country.

Looking forward to UH-UL. In all honesty, I'll be rooting for the Coogs. LCC rubs me the wrong way.

 

[John]

On a plane - so this might take a couple of posts:

I had work drinks before the game so I didn't get to the stadium until about halfway through the first quarter. Had to wait in the will call line for my tickets so didn't get in until after Houston scored the first TD - so have no comments about the early game action.

Major observations:

• Lot of interest in the Cougars in Houston - everyone at work was talking about the game all day especially since they know I am a UCONN guy. My new employee in Houston is UH and the guy I took to the game - his dad was a Cougar.
• The campus is nice - although surrounded by ghetto. Much nicer than I expected - walked through it on the way to the stadium.
• The stadium is GREAT. What UCONN should have done in Storrs. Perfect size, everyone is right on top of the field.
• Everyone wore red. No Texans jerseys - no equivalent of Whalers jerseys - everyone represented.
• It was 95% full - only the upper corners were not completely filled.
• This is not an exaggeration - I counted TEN UCONN fans in attendance (including myself). None in my section, and I counted 9 walking out and that includes people I saw in the parking lot while waiting for my Uber. I've never been to any game anywhere where there was that little opposing fan base in the building.

surprised to find on google that it only seats 32K, looks much bigger than that.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

surprised to find on google that it only seats 32K, looks much bigger than that.

That's inaccurate. I think it's 40k and standing room. Announced crowd of 40k and change. Must have been a lot of people standing where the cameras couldn't get them. Looked a lot like our 32k crowds.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

On a plane - so this might take a couple of posts:

I had work drinks before the game so I didn't get to the stadium until about halfway through the first quarter. Had to wait in the will call line for my tickets so didn't get in until after Houston scored the first TD - so have no comments about the early game action.

Major observations:

• Lot of interest in the Cougars in Houston - everyone at work was talking about the game all day especially since they know I am a UCONN guy. My new employee in Houston is UH and the guy I took to the game - his dad was a Cougar.
• The campus is nice - although surrounded by ghetto. Much nicer than I expected - walked through it on the way to the stadium.
• The stadium is GREAT. What UCONN should have done in Storrs. Perfect size, everyone is right on top of the field.
• Everyone wore red. No Texans jerseys - no equivalent of Whalers jerseys - everyone represented.
• It was 95% full - only the upper corners were not completely filled.
• This is not an exaggeration - I counted TEN UCONN fans in attendance (including myself). None in my section, and I counted 9 walking out and that includes people I saw in the parking lot while waiting for my Uber. I've never been to any game anywhere where there was that little opposing fan base in the building.

I hate the Whalers jersey cohort. They always pop up anywhere in CT where people convene to watch sports. They always have a smug look on their face like they're so clever and unique for rocking a Whalers jersey. May as well wear a "the monkeys made me do it" shirt. Stupid Whalers jersey people.

 

[upstater]

Houston is drawing well in Houston this year, no question. As it should - you guys have a formidable team capable of beating anyone in the country.

Looking forward to UH-UL. In all honesty, I'll be rooting for the Coogs. LCC rubs me the wrong way.

That's not a good # though for Houston.

I mean, the UConn women BB do a 8 or 9 in Connecticut.

 

[NTXCoog]

surprised to find on google that it only seats 32K, looks much bigger than that.

32k was the old Robertson stadium. The current TDECU stadium has 40k seats plus SRO

 

[NTXCoog]

That's not a good # though for Houston.

I mean, the UConn women BB do a 8 or 9 in Connecticut.

The top rated regular season college football game in 2015 in the Houston market was an 8.5 (Bama vs aTm). A 6.3 would have been the 9th highest rated game last season.

UH/Cincy got a 6.7. UH/OU got a 12.8 which is 50% higher than any college football game in the Houston market last year.

 

[upstater]

The top rated regular season college football game in 2015 in the Houston market was an 8.5 (Bama vs aTm). A 6.3 would have been the 9th highest rated game last season.

UH/Cincy got a 6.7. UH/OU got a 12.8 which is 50% higher than any college football game in the Houston market last year.

I'm surprised by all that, since everyone talks about football ratings constantly. Thanks for putting it in perspective. I'd note that basketball games do even better in Connecticut.

 

[J187Money]

I think Joe D mentioned early on that there was a small UConn contingent in one of the end zones... is that where you were?

I was dead behind the UCONN bench - around the 45 yard line. 7 rows up. I'm sure there were more than 10 UCONN fans in the building, but standing there and panning around (I have pics I will post) - you couldn't see anything but red. Maybe 100? And I'm not really complaining. I just thought it was odd. Never have I felt so alone! (lol)

What I also got to see from my seats:

• Noel Thomas rip BS a new one after missing that 2nd potential touchdown throw - and BS just keep saying "my bad" again and again. This was very telling - and went on for a couple of minutes. That cannot bode well for team chemistry.
• Hergy beat himself up after that drop.
• Noel Thomas killing it. The Houston fans were very impressed.
• Overall - the team was engaged and didn't seem too down. They were getting on themselves for the mistakes they were making, but they were blaming themselves mostly and not acting like they were up against an unstoppable force.

The Houston fans were very nice - really appreciated that I came to the game and jabbed a little that this is payback for last year, but they were very good natured about it. Nobody heckled me or anything.

Overall - a great place to watch a game, a solid fanbase, and a great team. Student section was awesome - they had the thundersticks going all night (we should do that). They do serve beer in the stadium, which was nice.

As to the game? I'm not BL and it has been ripped to shreds already, but here is a quick take:

They are a LOT better than us - so we didn't have much of a chance to win. However, we should have only lost by 2 scores had the players not made terrible decisions (penalties) and mistakes.

Happy to answer any other questions if I can - but I would put that on the list of places to go - great atmosphere.

And DEFINITELY more than 32K in the house. We haven't seen a crowd like that at the Rent since Michigan - so I'd save the high and mighty act that they don't sell out. It was close enough.

 

[gopher2]

I was dead behind the UCONN bench - around the 45 yard line. 7 rows up. I'm sure there were more than 10 UCONN fans in the building, but standing there and panning around (I have pics I will post) - you couldn't see anything but red. Maybe 100? And I'm not really complaining. I just thought it was odd. Never have I felt so alone! (lol)

What I also got to see from my seats:

• Noel Thomas rip BS a new one after missing that 2nd potential touchdown throw - and BS just keep saying "my bad" again and again. This was very telling - and went on for a couple of minutes. That cannot bode well for team chemistry.
• Hergy beat himself up after that drop.
• Noel Thomas killing it. The Houston fans were very impressed.
• Overall - the team was engaged and didn't seem too down. They were getting on themselves for the mistakes they were making, but they were blaming themselves mostly and not acting like they were up against an unstoppable force.

The Houston fans were very nice - really appreciated that I came to the game and jabbed a little that this is payback for last year, but they were very good natured about it. Nobody heckled me or anything.

Overall - a great place to watch a game, a solid fanbase, and a great team. Student section was awesome - they had the thundersticks going all night (we should do that). They do serve beer in the stadium, which was nice.

As to the game? I'm not BL and it has been ripped to shreds already, but here is a quick take:

They are a LOT better than us - so we didn't have much of a chance to win. However, we should have only lost by 2 scores had the players not made terrible decisions (penalties) and mistakes.

Happy to answer any other questions if I can - but I would put that on the list of places to go - great atmosphere.

And DEFINITELY more than 32K in the house. We haven't seen a crowd like that at the Rent since Michigan - so I'd save the high and mighty act that they don't sell out. It was close enough.

I've noticed that BS rarely engages in conversation with other players on the sideline or even on the field. At least that's the way it looks on TV and at the home games I've attended. Wonder what's up with that. Just his style I guess but I'd like to see him be more vocal.

 

[J187Money]

I've noticed that BS rarely engages in conversation with other players on the sideline or even on the field. At least that's the way it looks on TV and at the home games I've attended. Wonder what's up with that. Just his style I guess but I'd like to see him be more vocal.

He looked last night like he was trying to not screw up and get people mad at him. Not talking about him on the field but he was not a commanding sideline presence at all.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

He looked last night like he was trying to not screw up and get people mad at him. Not talking about him on the field but he was not a commanding sideline presence at all.

BL is gonna sue you arse for gimmick infringement.

 

[huskymedic]

It's not terrible, considering that the game was a blowout and nobody in the country gave us a fighter's chance of winning it. I'd be interested to see what our local number was, if anyone can find it.

Jim Fuller (@NHRJimFuller)
9/30/16, 8:23 PM
Hope to have more ratings info in next day or two but Hartford/New Haven market had 2.2 for #UConn/Houston game, 6th highest market