UConn Student Football Apathy Needs Prompt Attention

[Stinger92860]

Time for an on campus stadium thread

 

[Husky25]

How much could it really cost for all inclusive? Busses drop off at the gate, big tent right next to the gate, some workers to cook and serve beer, dogs, burgers, hand out angry towels or some shiz, a DJ, games, open after game also with DJ for a "party".
Let’s play a game here. Let’s say all 4000 students take the bus. Busses start 4 hours before game time. 60people per bus. Going to need about 15 busses total coming and going to deliver 1000 people in an hour.

--School busses go for about $125 per hour. need the busses for 8 hours. So about $1000 per bus*15 = $15K for transportation per game.

--School owns large tents, pay somebody to set it up = ~$250

--20 workers at avg. $12/hr for 8 hours =~$2000 with clean up and stuff

--Beer. Each keg has about 160 beers in it. Get Natty Lite. College kids don’t care. Natty goes for about $80 per keg. Through a distributer they could get it for $70 per keg I’m sure. I'm guessing that 50% of the kids will be 21 years old. Each person will need 5 beers. Just an average. 3000 kids that are 21 and over at 5 beers each is 15,000 beers. 15000/160beers per keg = ~94 kegs. 94 kegs at $70 each is ~$6600.

--Water/soda/etc = just guessing $1000

--3000 dogs and 3000 burgers through UConn food vendor. My guess is $0.50 per item. 6000 items*0.5 = ~$3000

--Angry towels or some shiz can be donated for free by a sponsor no problem

--DJ...get a kid from UConn to do it. There are some kids up there that have cult like followings as a DJ. He/She would do it for $500 easy. easy.

--**Ok, so out the door all inclusive price is ~$28,500 per game for a student tailgate.
--$28500/4000students = ~$7 per kid

--Student season tix = $50. at least it was in 2011. Call it $80 for 7 games. add $7 per game to the price of that package.
*******------Student season tix package with all inclusive tailgate and doorstep to doorstep service for
******$130. That's it. No cost to the University.
Hell, call it $150 per season ticket and UConn can get the best insurance money can buy to cover themselves and have extra for intangibles.

Good thinking OOTB.

-Couple points...Alcohol should be student responsibility, IMO.

-Minimum wage for CT is $8.70/hour

 

[WestHartHusk]

Build the cost of the bus into the ticket and hook a few food trucks up to accept Husky-bucks.

Beyond that, the students really need to quit being little p-ricks. I can almost guarantee these same little $hits will walk three times as far to Carriage House to stand on a lawn they weren't invited to.

 

[UC Billy]

As usual the people in charge of creating and marketing this great sport have screwed it up. I don't blame the students one bit. This complete process was screwed many years ago when the on campus facility was turned down and look around the Rent, it's a damm airline runway with no character associated with the surrounding area.
Find a way to develop an on campus facility and no doubt all these problems are solved. But no the Rent was developed for the rich old alumni who don't want to be inconvenienced or want easier access to the games.

 

[Husky25]

Yes. Brilliant. Let's increase student attendance by keeping those who want to leave early prisoner. That will do it.

They should want to be there. Waiting until at least the end of the 3rd quarter should not equal prisoner by any stretch. What would be your suggestion to entice students to want to stay? The Athletic department is doing their part (They are in process of making the product more entertaining). It's time for student government and the student organizations to step up to the plate.

My DORM building (Hollister) had a bus going to Yale Bowl. They other buildings in the complex had their own buses. The Jungle had about 12 buses going to New Haven. The school administration didn't set that up, the complex councils did (I was treasurer of West Area Councilfor 3 semesters). We had fund raisers and provided benefits for our fellow residents. Not only does a little initiative go a long way, but it looks great on a resume.

 

[ScottBonz]

I disagree. I'd be making the same complaints. It's incredible to me that this has been going on without any corrective action being taken. These are all fixable issues. Winning is on the Coaches and players. Student attendance is on the administration. They need to fix it. No excuses.

Fixable and the same since my Frosh year in 2003.

 

[Husky25]

As usual the people in charge of creating and marketing this great sport have screwed it up. I don't blame the students one bit.

Why not? At least some blame should fall to the students. There's no imagination anymore.

This complete process was screwed many years ago when the on campus facility was turned down and look around the Rent, it's a damm airline runway with no character associated with the surrounding area.

Find a way to develop an on campus facility and no doubt all these problems are solved.

On Campus Stadiums don't solve the problem. As I mention above, B.C.'s average capacity is not much more that UConn's and they went to a bowl game and had a top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidate.

But no the Rent was developed for the rich old alumni who don't want to be inconvenienced or want easier access to the games.

Well the rich alumni do pay the bills, and now more than ever until UConn may find its way out of the AAC (or gets a more lucrative TV contract). At the risk of sounding crotchety (Oh Jeezus. I'm I already the "get off my lawn guy" at 37 years old), how about the rich alumni not raise future students with a generally over-inflated sense of entitlement?

BTW, not all of us fans are rich...

 

[DoctorWho85]

Fixable and the same since my Frosh year in 2003.

That was mine too. Problem was we had a terrible AD who was coasting off the coattails of his predecessor and really hand no clue what it took to be an AD of a major college athletic program. Warde is doing his best to get back everything we lost because of the 2010 hiring of some old crotchety men. I believe that if there is a bowl game this year. Next years attendance will look a lot better.

 

[Nostical]

A university's mission is to serve its students. The education and athletic components are for them. We alumni and interested outsiders can also participate in the enjoyment of athletic events (and there are lots of economic factors that require that) but the students should come first. Someone in Storrs needs to grab the leadership reins on this issue, address the obvious problems, consider plausible solutions and implement them. There is enough info just in this thread and in the New London Day article to get things going. Not sure whether this issue falls within Warde's purview, student affairs, or anywhere else. Someone needs to take ownership and deal with it. Right now with conference affiliation and future viability at stake the Rent needs to be packed on game day. Achieving that goal while our coaches try to recruit and rebuild a winning, exciting game day experience is tough enough. Energizing what has been a generally and historically non-overly passionate public to attend these games is a full time uphill chore. But making it anything but super convenient for your own students to be there is asinine.

 

[Husky25]

A university's mission is to serve its students. The education and athletic components are for them. We alumni and interested outsiders can also participate in the enjoyment of athletic events (and there are lots of economic factors that require that) but the students should come first. Someone in Storrs needs to grab the leadership reins on this issue, address the obvious problems, consider plausible solutions and implement them. There is enough info just in this thread and in the New London Day article to get things going. Not sure whether this issue falls within Warde's purview, student affairs, or anywhere else. Someone needs to take ownership and deal with it. Right now with conference affiliation and future viability at stake the Rent needs to be packed on game day. Achieving that goal while our coaches try to recruit and rebuild a winning, exciting game day experience is tough enough. Energizing what has been a generally and historically non-overly passionate public to attend these games is a full time uphill chore. But making it anything but super convenient for your own students to be there is asinine.

Too much common sense in this post to be taken seriously...

FYI, John Seagrave is Dir. of Sales & Fan Development/Engagement and Dan Evan is Assoc. Dir. of Athletics/External Ops.

I am considering contacting them to refer The Day piece as well as include some of the suggestions on this thread. These complaints seem to be low hanging fruit.

 

[CL82]

On Campus Stadiums don't solve the problem. As I mention above, B.C.'s average capacity is not much more that UConn's and they went to a bowl game and had a top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidate ..

I have to believe that they'd help. A lot of 'grew up' at UConn wandering down to Memorial Stadium every Saturday. What are there like 18k kids on campus? That's a very attractive captive market. Very different from BC's situation as Boston offers a lot of alternative entertainment options.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

You can't "blame" the students for what they elect to do for fun.

You didn't go to a restaurant and it went out of business or you didn't see a movie and it flopped - should I blame the people that elected to do something better with their time?

The bus sucks - it really does. I hated taking it but I loved the team (even in 05/06). However it's a tough sell.

I think there should be student ticket package options.

$15/game gets you: bus, a burger, dog, chips, soda, water, whatever.

$12/game gets you the bus or food.

$7/game ( or whatever it is now) gets youin the rent.

I love what Warde has done and I think he'll get this right but this needs to be done.

As a freshman, taking a 45 minute bus, showing up to the stadium 1.5 hours early, and staying for a 4-8 team (06) really sucked. Not to mention waking up early for noon games and killing your Saturday.

So, blame them all you want, but the reality is something needs to change.

 

[Carl Spackler]

A university's mission is to serve its students. The education and athletic components are for them. We alumni and interested outsiders can also participate in the enjoyment of athletic events (and there are lots of economic factors that require that) but the students should come first. Someone in Storrs needs to grab the leadership reins on this issue, address the obvious problems, consider plausible solutions and implement them. There is enough info just in this thread and in the New London Day article to get things going. Not sure whether this issue falls within Warde's purview, student affairs, or anywhere else. Someone needs to take ownership and deal with it. Right now with conference affiliation and future viability at stake the Rent needs to be packed on game day. Achieving that goal while our coaches try to recruit and rebuild a winning, exciting game day experience is tough enough. Energizing what has been a generally and historically non-overly passionate public to attend these games is a full time uphill chore. But making it anything but super convenient for your own students to be there is asinine.

While the thought process is certainly agreeable with me, you are missing what seems to me, to be a major obstacle to the University having much, if any control over these issues you address. Rentschler field, is not UCONN property. Any student that goes to Rentschler is both in reality, and technically OFF-campus which makes what can and can't be done a bit limited on the University's part. The students? They can certainly take whatever initiative they can, to solve the problems of getting back and forth to the stadium and what to do there, and I'm sure the University would be a great resource to help.

The same issues have been around for 11 years and counting, and the reality, is that until we have a winnign program that is NOT drawing capacity crowds, there is no reason to be manufacturing non-existent problems.

The lesson with any DiMauro article about UCONN athletics, is always the same. The lesson is: Boston College sucks.

 

[Husky25]

I have to believe that they'd help. A lot of 'grew up' at UConn wandering down to Memorial Stadium every Saturday. What are there like 18k kids on campus? That's a very attractive captive market. Very different from BC's situation as Boston offers a lot of alternative entertainment options.

That's a lot of money and red tape for an incremental improvement. Plus we are at least a generation away from it come to pass. Students and fans alike were dealt a less than stellar hand, but we need to play within the confines of the rules. luckily there are multiple draws in this game (and wild cards) and some of the issues can be addressed relatively painlessly. Besides, it's a more worthwhile endeavor to spend calories than to pine for a stadium project that will likely never happen.

 

[NorwalkHusky]

From what I remember a few years ago graduated in 2012, the only students to really take the bus were Freshman and maybe Sophomores. You quickly realize its a lot more fun to find friends who have cars to drive in and tailgate. As for the students who do take the bus, I saw include the bus fee with a special tailgate tent with food etc. The reason I think the buses leave early when they fill up because the buses make multiple trips I think?

 

[Husky25]

You can't "blame" the students for what they elect to do for fun.

You didn't go to a restaurant and it went out of business or you didn't see a movie and it flopped - should I blame the people that elected to do something better with their time?

The bus sucks - it really does. I hated taking it but I loved the team (even in 05/06). However it's a tough sell.

I think there should be student ticket package options.

$15/game gets you: bus, a burger, dog, chips, soda, water, whatever.

$12/game gets you the bus or food.

$7/game ( or whatever it is now) gets youin the rent.

I love what Warde has done and I think he'll get this right but this needs to be done.

As a freshman, taking a 45 minute bus, showing up to the stadium 1.5 hours early, and staying for a 4-8 team (06) really sucked. Not to mention waking up early for noon games and killing your Saturday.

So, blame them all you want, but the reality is something needs to change.

You can blame student leadership for not leading. I read somewhere that either SUBOG or USG (or both) was dissolved shortly after I graduated (Class of'99). Did anything take its place? Where are the area councils? Where are the student activities groups? There's ways to do it and they aren't hard solutions.

I agree, the bus sucks. I took it to a basketball game at the Civic Center in '97. It's a long ride and it's not fun, but they also dropped us off at the front door a half hour prior to tip off and left immediately after the game. Why are the busses dropping kids off at a location requiring a further 20 minute walk an hour and a half prior to kick-off? That's asinine!!!

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Build the cost of the bus into the ticket and hook a few food trucks up to accept Husky-bucks.

Beyond that, the students really need to quit being little p-ricks. I can almost guarantee these same little $hits will walk three times as far to Carriage House to stand on a lawn they weren't invited to.

How it should be according to you and the reality of it are unfortunately two very different things. Regardless of how you feel about their priorities, the fact of the matter is that the school needs to do something to encourage these students to show up and make it easier/more appealing for them.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

You can blame student leadership for not leading. I read somewhere that either SUBOG, USG, or both was dissolved shortly after I graduated (Class of'99). Did anything take its place? Where are the area councils? Where are the student activities groups? There's ways to do it and they aren't hard solutions.

SUBOG and USG are still active, however the issue with USG, at least when I was there a couple years ago, is that the only group that really cared enough to vote people in were the stoners so the only issues really discussed were marijuana policy.

 

[DoctorWho85]

SUBOG and USG are still active, however the issue with USG, at least when I was there a couple years ago, is that the only group that really cared enough to vote people in were the stoners so the only issues really discussed were marijuana policy.

So much truth to this statement it hurts.

 

[Husky25]

From what I remember a few years ago graduated in 2012, the only students to really take the bus were Freshman and maybe Sophomores. You quickly realize its a lot more fun to find friends who have cars to drive in and tailgate. As for the students who do take the bus, I saw include the bus fee with a special tailgate tent with food etc. The reason I think the buses leave early when they fill up because the buses make multiple trips I think?

That's not a reason. It's an excuse.

 

[Husky25]

SUBOG and USG are still active, however the issue with USG, at least when I was there a couple years ago, is that the only group that really cared enough to vote people in were the stoners so the only issues really discussed were marijuana policy.

So much truth to this statement it hurts.

Pity. So why can't you "blame" the students again? This is 100% on the students. SUBOG and USG actually did things for student life not more than 15 years ago, as opposed to debate a policy on a substance that would be illegal in the real world regardless of what the school's policy is. UConn cops don't take their orders from the Administration. They take them from the state police (at least they did in my tenure).

 

[DoctorWho85]

Pity. So why can't you "blame" the students again? This is 100% on the students. SUBOG and USG actually did things for student life not more than 15 years ago, as opposed to debate a policy on a substance that would be illegal in the real world regardless of what the school's policy is. UConn cops don't take their orders from the Administration. They take them from the state police (at least they did in my tenure).

I'm not saying the students are at fault. They all seemed to have a terrible spoiled brat mentality that throw a tantrum when they don't get their way. Obviously the students are unhappy and the school should at least be trying their best to give these students incentive for going to the games. Work the the fraternities and sororities to set up a huge tailgate for all the students going to the game. Try anything to get them there happy and staying.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Pity. So why can't you "blame" the students again? This is 100% on the students. SUBOG and USG actually did things for student life not more than 15 years ago, as opposed to debate a policy on a substance that would be illegal in the real world regardless of what the school's policy is. UConn cops don't take their orders from the Administration. They take them from the state police (at least they did in my tenure).

The UConn police are not affiliated with the state police to the best of my knowledge. I believe the chief is appointed by the school administration.

 

[Nostical]

You are missing what seems to me, to be a major obstacle to the University having much, if any control over these issues you address. Rentschler field, is not UCONN property. Any student that goes to Rentschler is both in reality, and technically OFF-campus which makes what can and can't be done a bit limited on the University's part.

I don't buy that at all. That's an unacceptable roadblock Carl. The University must relentlessly work to find a way--and if it takes long hours of discussion with the Stadium management they need to solve it. As I said, this won't happen in a vacuum. The leadership for this issue must be identified on campus and the entity/person selected must be held accountable for getting this fixed. No one is better at delegating a job and seeing that it gets done than Pres. Herbst. This may need her attention given the lassez-faire attitude among those who should have been leading the effort for change.

 

[SubbaBub]

Bus: need to have a game ticket - free

Ticket: added to your student ID

Tailgate: Student fee supported club to provide entertainment/refreshments

Dog Pound: Student fee supported club to organize the student section a la the American Outlaws

The rest of us: need to accept that the off campus nature of the stadium is only going to attract/maintain until the final whistle a limited percentage of students who if I recall from personal experience have a primary interest in getting drunk and/or laid on Saturday nights and no FB game is going to get in the way of that.

 

[Husky25]

The UConn police are not affiliated with the state police to the best of my knowledge. I believe the chief is appointed by the school administration.

You're right, they aren't state police. But they do have all the same authorities and powers granted to any other police dept. in the state, and as such Marijuana would be just as illegal on the Campus of the University as it would be in the Village of Storrs, or Town of Mansfield, regardless of University policy.

Strawman averted.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

You're right, they aren't state police. But they do have all the same authorities and powers granted to any other police dept. in the state, and as such Marijuana would be just as illegal on the Campus of the University as it would be in the Village of Storrs, or Town of Mansfield, regardless of University policy.

Strawman averted.

Yes, they are most certainly a real police dept. and not glorified campus safety. I think USG efforts generally focused more on how it was treated by the school if someone was caught, especially after decriminalization. Not sure how there was a straw man there.

 

[Husky25]

Yes, they are most certainly a real police dept. and not glorified campus safety. I think USG efforts generally focused more on how it was treated by the school if someone was caught, especially after decriminalization. Not sure how there was a straw man there.

I misinterpreted what you originally meant, but still...

If possession and/or use is no longer a crime, then shouldn't the student get a ticket just like the rest of society? Yes? Yes? Okay next topic. How do we make it worth the students' while to go to and stay at the football games on Saturday afternoons?

The floor now is re-open for discussion...

 

[Steve3596]

When I was at Uconn they charged a buck to get a bus pass, and back then they used to claim the only reason why they charged at all was so they could get a count of tickets sold in order to schedule the proper amount of buses. The claim was people wouldn't just pick up a bus pass as an option and not use it if they actually spent money on it.

To me it always felt like some cheap way to jip the students even more. God forbid the school schedule one too many buses, they could never afford it with how much they allocated to your tuition bill for student recreations.

 

[CTMike]

This is batsht crazy but what about an "Unofficial Student Tailgate" sponsored by... The Boneyard.

ps - not it!