UCONN Reaching Out TO MSG and Barclays Center

[jostar1]

John Altavilla ‏@jaltavilla 4h
Athletic department sources at #uconn tell @hartfordcourant about reaching out to @msg and @barclayscenter about staging DH

John Altavilla ‏@jaltavilla 4h
Event would include games imvolving #uconnmen and #uconnwomen in one day

John Altavilla ‏@jaltavilla 4h
#uconnmen and #uconnwomen waiting to hear if there is interest from either facility. No talks have taken place

 

[Stinger92860]

Doubleheader at each facility each year against top teams would be great. Would be like Billy Joel residency. They should call Yankee stadium too for football.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Unpopular opinion alert: I hate women's basketball and hate that at UConn we try and combine it into a single entity. Any game in NYC is a plus and if having the women there makes this an attractive event for a duke/UNC type, I'm all for it, I just won't be attending the women's portion of the game.

 

[Vuce]

I think that would be a great idea. Uconn vs Dook in men's and women's hoops. I'd be there for those games. Love that the athletic dept is thinking out of the box to get some games in NY. Hope this happens

 

[epark88]

Here's a thought:

Women's game in the afternoon at Barclay's, Men's tilt at MSG that night. Total NYC takeover. How would the logistics play out on that?...

 

[ZooCougar]

I would think B1Ger. Play two ACC schools on Friday night. Play two B1G schools on Sunday. Make a weekend of it.

 

[Husky25]

Unpopular opinion alert: I hate women's basketball and hate that at UConn we try and combine it into a single entity. Any game in NYC is a plus and if having the women there makes this an attractive event for a duke/UNC type, I'm all for it, I just won't be attending the women's portion of the game.

Do you get mad at Pearl Jam and Metallica for "Selling out" as well? There is limited honor in being really good, but no one knowing about it.

When you have a marketable asset, it needs to be exploited. If the women's game appeals to my wife and the wives of my friends, it gives me (us) a better shot of being in attendance, which is the name of the game. How can Husky25 increase his odds of going to MSG for a basketball game with as little grief as possible?

 

[epark88]

I would think B1Ger. Play two ACC schools on Friday night. Play two B1G schools on Sunday. Make a weekend of it.

And turn it into a huge, annual alumni meet-up? Me likey...

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Do you get mad at Pearl Jam and Metallica for "Selling out" as well? There is limited honor in being really good, but no one knowing about it.

When you have a marketable asset, it needs to be exploited. If the women's game appeals to my wife and the wives of my friends, it gives me (us) a better shot of being in attendance, which is the name of the game. How can Husky25 increase his odds of going to MSG for a basketball game with as little grief as possible?

I'm not sure what gave you the impression that I implied UConn was selling out but basically my point is that I just don't like women's basketball, lol.

 

[Husky25]

I'm not sure what gave you the impression that I implied UConn was selling out but basically my point is that I just don't like women's basketball, lol.

...hate that at UConn we try and combine it into a single entity.

I didn't mean to imply that I think you though UConn was selling out. I was comparing the hatred of success between those bands to the Women's team. I prefer the Men's game too, but I can recognize that they are different games without hatred of the Women's game or team. Women's games outside the top 10 or so just don't register for me, and even then, it is still not appointment TV. But that is the point. They do for other people.
The Women's game is an extremely popular asset for the University and any way they can capitalize on that asset is fine with me.

 

[UConnDan97]

A UConn men and women double-header would create some overlap of fans, and would also have some fans that would only attend one of the games. That's okay. For those of us who would like to see both games (like a UConn - Duke or a UConn - UNC double-header), it would be a really cool experience. I hope Warde keeps thinking like this and keeps marketing us from a position of strength. Because damn it, we ARE in a position of strength!!! We have both teams in the friggin' Final Four now! There will be plenty of schools who will want to play us in the Big Apple...

 

[SAMCRO]

I didn't mean to imply that I think you though UConn was selling out. I was comparing the hatred of success between those bands to the Women's team. I prefer the Men's game too, but I can recognize that they are different games without hatred of the Women's game or team. Women's games outside the top 10 or so just don't register for me, and even then, it is still not appointment TV. But that is the point. They do for other people.
The Women's game is an extremely popular asset for the University and any way they can capitalize on that asset is fine with me.

I think his point is he'd show up for the men's game, but not for the women's game. Many others would do the same,. That said, there'd still be a fair amount for the women, and a close to full house for the men, depending on the opponent. ND, Duke, UNC, Maryland, tOSU, Louisville, and Michigan all have good M&W hoops (not sure about UM women). and fan bases that would show up to sell their share of tickets in NYC.

Credit to the athletic department for elevating the thinking and actually marketing the brand outside of the state of CT. That hasn't happened since Perkins left.

 

[pj]

I would think B1Ger. Play two ACC schools on Friday night. Play two B1G schools on Sunday. Make a weekend of it.

How about a UConn-B1G challenge. Play a different B1G team every other night for a week.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Not only is this a great idea to exploit/promote our program in NYC/USA but it would also help with SOS/RPI issues stemming from our woeful-and-getting-worse conference affiliation.

 

[upstater]

Not only is this a great idea to exploit/promote our program in NYC/USA but it would also help with SOS/RPI issues stemming from our woeful-and-getting-worse conference affiliation.

SOS and RPI were only a matter of perception this year. UConn had SOS and RPI deserving of a 4 or 5 seed. The committee decided to ignore UConn's SOS and RPI for some reason.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

SOS and RPI were only a matter of perception this year. UConn had SOS and RPI deserving of a 4 or 5 seed. The committee decided to ignore UConn's SOS and RPI for some reason.

Their RPI was 22 and SOS was 30 on Selection Sunday. Many have argued that the committee relied too heavily on those numbers when seeding the field.

 

[upstater]

Their RPI was 22 and SOS was 30 on Selection Sunday. Many have argued that the committee relied too heavily on those numbers when seeding the field.

30 is the conference RPI ranking. The total was 22.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology/nitty-gritty-report

Umass, for instance, had a RPI of 23 and was a 5 seed, even with an SOS of 38.

 

[Waquoit]

Umass, for instance, had a RPI of 23 and was a 5 seed, even with an SOS of 38.

You said UMass. Heh, heh, heh, heh.....

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think his point is he'd show up for the men's game, but not for the women's game. Many others would do the same,. That said, there'd still be a fair amount for the women, and a close to full house for the men, depending on the opponent. ND, Duke, UNC, Maryland, tOSU, Louisville, and Michigan all have good M&W hoops (not sure about UM women). and fan bases that would show up to sell their share of tickets in NYC.

Credit to the athletic department for elevating the thinking and actually marketing the brand outside of the state of CT. That hasn't happened since Perkins left.

I don't think you can consistently sell the men and women in a doubleheader. Two totally different demographics. For a one-time event I might go to the women's game, but far more likely would hang out in a bar until it was over and then go. I think close to 50% of the house would do the same. If they put the men's game first I might stay if UConn is playing one of the two close games* they play each year.

*speaking of which looked at their scores after writing that and y-i-k-e-s. Geno must have been in Warde Manuel and the President's offices after every game begging for a better conference. I know the UConn women are head & shoulders better than ANY women's team this year, but outside of Baylor they did not schedule a competitive game. If the 83-61 win AT Dook was the 2nd game of a doubleheader the place would have emptied after 13 minutes (28-12 Huskies).

 

[Stinger92860]

I don't think you can consistently sell the men and women in a doubleheader. Two totally different demographics. For a one-time event I might go to the women's game, but far more likely would hang out in a bar until it was over and then go. I think close to 50% of the house would do the same. If they put the men's game first I might stay if UConn is playing one of the two close games* they play each year.

*speaking of which looked at their scores after writing that and y-i-k-e-s. Geno must have been in Warde Manuel and the President's offices after every game begging for a better conference. I know the UConn women are head & shoulders better than ANY women's team this year, but outside of Baylor they did not schedule a competitive game. If the 83-61 win AT Dook was the 2nd game of a doubleheader the place would have emptied after 13 minutes (28-12 Huskies).

Would it make a difference to you if the point is to promote UConn athletics? Maybe, just maybe having a nearly full arena for both games gets the b1g or acc thinking about how UConn owns NYC.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Would it make a difference to you if the point is to promote UConn athletics? Maybe, just maybe having a nearly full arena for both games gets the b1g or acc thinking about how UConn owns NYC.

I reject your premise. If women's basketball mattered at all UConn would be in a better conference. Women's BBall team success, arena filling and ticket sales don't seem to matter a lick, so the scenario of a major conference evaluating the fannies in seats at a mythical game is a worthless fiction.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Doubleheader at each facility each year against top teams would be great. Would be like Billy Joel residency. They should call Yankee stadium too for football.

This however is a great idea and if UConn Football could put fannies in Yankee or Citifield seats it would be even more impressive than the LOUD pro-UConn message that the NCAA men's games at MSG sent.

 

[hexlub]

Didn't UConn play KU at Kemper Arena with a similar double header format? Like 1995? I recall it being a pretty big deal for the CT faithful. Imagine if it was in NYC?

 

[tzznandrew]

How about a UConn-B1G challenge. Play a different B1G team every other night for a week.

And then maybe list us in their standings...

 

[UConn76]

I reject your premise. If women's basketball mattered at all UConn would be in a better conference. Women's BBall team success, arena filling and ticket sales don't seem to matter a lick, so the scenario of a major conference evaluating the fannies in seats at a mythical game is a worthless fiction.

I think WBB matters, it's just material enough to register on the radar screen. I've turned on the B1G Network and watched (for a few minutes anyway) a Minnesota / Wisconsin WBB game played in front of several hundred people. If anything, UConn's inclusion would yield a bump in TV's turned to WBB.