UConn Student Football Apathy Needs Prompt Attention | Page 3 | The Boneyard

UConn Student Football Apathy Needs Prompt Attention

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And also yeah, we do live in a generation where most kids are catered to and feel entitled to certain things. Instead of just complaining and saying how much we suck maybe tailor the product to your consumer so they keep coming back. Half the people I've talked to today didn't even know we were playing tonight. There's a million different things to point out but blaming students for complaining that it's not simple for them to see THEIR team is just moronic
 
businesslawyer said:
Yes. Brilliant. Let's increase student attendance by keeping those who want to leave early prisoner. That will do it.
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Damn straight. If Fishy agreed on this point it must make sense.
 
Might be some small changes they could make, but 90% of it is about winning. Article loses any credibility it had when it talks about how BC had a great atmosphere for USC. Like the Rent wouldn't be rocking if we beat USC???

If people don't like where they get dropped off that seems like it should be simple to change, but at least when I was a student it wasn't a problem, they dropped us off far away from the stadium, but that's what people wanted so we could go tailgate. I remember when Hogan was president they did this thing called Hogan's bus and the first bus that went to the game rode with Hogan, got some snacks, and got dropped off at the gate. I took it once, and when we got dropped off every single person turned around and went out to red lot to go meet up with people tailgating.
 
Drew said:
Half the people I've talked to today didn't even know we were playing tonight.
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And that's UConn's fault? Either you care enough to know the schedule and turn your tv on or you don't.
 
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Students take their cues from the regular fans including season ticket holders that don't care if they get in for kickoff because 1 more beer is good. Or that leave early to beat the traffic or get to the 5 pm mass (I actually heard some woman telling her husband/male companion taht in the third quarter of a great game and he got up and left). Or really won't go to the games against bad opponents in bad weather. If season ticket holders don't do it, why expect the students too?
 
DiMauro ruins the few good articles he puts out by trying to get a rise out of the BY. He already has a woody this has gone 3 pages.

I went to the FSU game in Boston last year. Despite staying close in the first half, the place was 3/4 full with a lousy atmosphere.
 
Nostical said:
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.
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You have to treat the future season ticket holders right. Shame on them if they don't. GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!
 
My idea to engage students:

Add a special "athletics surcharge" to all student tuition fees. Say, $1000/yr (most tuition bills are paid for by student loans anyway). But here's the deal: no more purchasing tickets, bus rides, etc for students ever again. Season tickets are given away via lottery for all sports, all seasons. 25,000 students x $1000 "athletics surcharge" = $25M per year for the school. Deduct the actual value of game tickets, UCONN still makes money.

What's in it for UCONN? Money. Probably around $10-$15M/yr after expenses.

Whats in it for the students? School pride. The students who want to be at games will enter the lottery. Lottery winners are indicated via scanner on student IDs (this also allows the school to count students for busses and tailgate supplies). To get on a bus for an off-campus game, your ID gets scanned. To get into the Rent or XL, your ID gets scanned. If your ID is scanned for the bus but never for the Rent/XL, you get a "WTF" email from UCONN questioning the kid's school pride. General admission seating so the kids who care about getting on TV will get to games early. No immediate kick to the sack (or ovaries) felt until after graduation for those paying by student loans, so more immediate disposable income can be spent on things that matter, like beer. Everything is easy now. No more waiting in weekly lines for bus passes or whatever. Just go to the games and have fun.

BONUS: add an incentive program - if you have perfect season attendance, you get a discount off of future "athletics surcharges". If your ID is scanned for the return bus trip back to campus AFTER the game is over for all games, you get a discount.

If UCONN is worried about underage student drinking, then scale the "athletics surcharge" by age or grade. FR pay $1000 per year; SO pay $800; etc. Or 18-20 yo pay $1000/yr then you get discounts once you turn 21 (the timing is good too as it would act as a "thank you" symbolic gesture by the school towards their upperclassmen).

If all the students have to pay for athletics anyway, it becomes part of the university fabric. UCONN communicates to its student body that athletics are an important aspect to being a Husky by rolling it onto its tuition bill. Students pay it like they would pay any other type of student association fee and have full access for their money. Why so pricey? First, UCONN can make more money. We'll need that while we sit in AAC purgatory. We'll even need it if the day ever comes that we are called up to the B1G leagues. But second, and more importantly, we want students to feel like athletics are part of being a Husky. Parents will probably harp on kids to go to games. But they'll go because it's already paid for and it's easy. They'll go because that's an important element to being a Husky.
 
Drew said:
And also yeah, we do live in a generation where most kids are catered to and feel entitled to certain things. Instead of just complaining and saying how much we suck maybe tailor the product to your consumer so they keep coming back. Half the people I've talked to today didn't even know we were playing tonight. There's a million different things to point out but blaming students for complaining that it's not simple for them to see THEIR team is just moronic
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Fault lies with all parties involved.

I enjoy your posts, Drew, and the program needs more fans like you, but in all fairness, this thread shouldn't be taken as a afront to students for their complaining. The student complaints in the article have ferretted out real issues. On the other hand, I am blaming students for not having any perceived involvement in a solution. Alumni and non-student fans can only do so much and populating the stands behind the South End zone is not one of them.

Also, in all fairness, Alumni and non-student fans see only the end product. We see the unoccupied aluminum benches after halftime, but we are also consumers of a product. We are not the provider of the entertainment or transportation and we can't really affect change in student life (beyond an e-mail to John Seagrave or Dan Evan, as noted above). So what does it matter, really, what the Boneyard at large thinks of your ideas for improvement? If they were important enough to bring up, then they are important enough to bring up to someone that can affect real change. If no one is notified, it cannot be addressed. The non-student population of the Boneyard 1) does not have the authority and 2) should not be expected to take up a cause, while those who the cause is supposed to benefit the most sit back and do nothing because of the self-admitted entitlement generation.

At least that's the perception, if not reality, from 30,000 feet.
 
Get some local bands and a tent area for students. Let them bring whatever they want and get jacked for the game. Heck, get a beer truck out there for those over the age.

Lets get them fired up and coming.
 
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Dooley said:
My idea to engage students:

Add a special "athletics surcharge" to all student tuition fees. Say, $1000/yr (most tuition bills are paid for by student loans anyway). But here's the deal: no more purchasing tickets, bus rides, etc for students ever again. Season tickets are given away via lottery for all sports, all seasons. 25,000 students x $1000 "athletics surcharge" = $25M per year for the school. Deduct the actual value of game tickets, UCONN still makes money.

What's in it for UCONN? Money. Probably around $10-$15M/yr after expenses.

Whats in it for the students? School pride. The students who want to be at games will enter the lottery. Lottery winners are indicated via scanner on student IDs (this also allows the school to count students for busses and tailgate supplies). To get on a bus for an off-campus game, your ID gets scanned. To get into the Rent or XL, your ID gets scanned. If your ID is scanned for the bus but never for the Rent/XL, you get a "WTF" email from UCONN questioning the kid's school pride. General admission seating so the kids who care about getting on TV will get to games early. No immediate kick to the sack (or ovaries) felt until after graduation for those paying by student loans, so more immediate disposable income can be spent on things that matter, like beer. Everything is easy now. No more waiting in weekly lines for bus passes or whatever. Just go to the games and have fun.

BONUS: add an incentive program - if you have perfect season attendance, you get a discount off of future "athletics surcharges". If your ID is scanned for the return bus trip back to campus AFTER the game is over for all games, you get a discount.

If UCONN is worried about underage student drinking, then scale the "athletics surcharge" by age or grade. FR pay $1000 per year; SO pay $800; etc. Or 18-20 yo pay $1000/yr then you get discounts once you turn 21 (the timing is good too as it would act as a "thank you" symbolic gesture by the school towards their upperclassmen).

If all the students have to pay for athletics anyway, it becomes part of the university fabric. UCONN communicates to its student body that athletics are an important aspect to being a Husky by rolling it onto its tuition bill. Students pay it like they would pay any other type of student association fee and have full access for their money. Why so pricey? First, UCONN can make more money. We'll need that while we sit in AAC purgatory. We'll even need it if the day ever comes that we are called up to the B1G leagues. But second, and more importantly, we want students to feel like athletics are part of being a Husky. Parents will probably harp on kids to go to games. But they'll go because it's already paid for and it's easy. They'll go because that's an important element to being a Husky.
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Cost of tuition is going through the roof and you want to soak them more? The overwhelming majority of students don't go to games. Not sure if this is the direction I'd go.
 
CTMike said:
This is batsht crazy but what about an "Unofficial Student Tailgate" sponsored by... The Boneyard. :eek:

ps - not it! :D
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Oh, you're it bro. Mitch Mike-a-palooza!
mitch-a-palooza-tshirt-t-shirt-deezteez.jpg
 
ConnHuskBask said:
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.
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Good ideas. Email him.
 
Dooley said:
Add a special "athletics surcharge" to all student tuition fees. Say, $1000/yr (most tuition bills are paid for by student loans anyway).
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This is a joke, right?
 
.-.
I think the ideas to give the students a close drop, a place to congregate, alcohol and non-alcohol options based upon their student ID, those have the most merit... get them there and a place to go when they land...

Work on entertainment before the game, and a staging area before they reload to get home, a great idea, they may stay later.

They may not as well, but making it easier is what you do to get them there. Getting them there, getting them fired up, and into the game will help the perception and that is what many are harping on.
 
CL82 said:
We wouldn't be the first school to do it.
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UConn already does this. Divide total student fee subsidy by number of undergrads.

At a certain point, when tuition and room & board is higher than a kid's ability to pay for it even with a 20 hour a week job year round + the max on student loans, you have to ask yourself whether you value public education at all. Michigan and Penn State are pretty embarrassing when it comes to this question.
 
Reading DiMaurio's article, something struck me, a kid can leave his seat just before half time, say if a team is killing the clock, race to the bus, get back to campus and to their dorm and only miss a few minutes of game action after the twenty minute halftime.

If you're someone who is not 100% dedicated to the program, why not go for the half, see how the team is performing and if they are getting beat badly, take off and watch the rest from home while pounding a few back? I wouldn't take this option per se, but see why a student who just wants to go and enjoy a game would do it, particularly over the last few years.
 
Fishy said:
It's easy as f--- for a student or anyone else to get to the Rent.

Only changes I'd make...make the bus free, make some sort of pre-game burger thing available for a couple of bucks and then keep the little savages hostage until the end of the game.
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Take it to the limit. Make the whole thing a portal-to-portal party. Run the bus like the Merry Pranksters (minus the free LSD, of course) of the sixties. Arrive early. Have a tent set-up for students only. Beer for those who qualify. Food and soda for everyone. Christ, hire a band. When I was in in college, I had two things in mind when I went to an event. Enjoying the event and getting lucky. Make the ride to, the pre-game, and the ride home something for college students. What's being described sounds like a poorly run senior citizens outing put together by Art History Majors from Vassar. Listen to the prospective customer.

Two quid-pro-quo requirements for the Students. Be loud! Stay till it's over!
 
Get someone with good pipes to take over WHUS and announce "Saturday at the Rent, everyone gets laid."

It's worked before.
 
Waquoit said:
This is a joke, right?
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To be perfectly honest, I've given up on our students supporting football. Been beating this drum for over a decade and no progress, not even during winning seasons. There are a few dozen or so students who stay throughout the whole game and always have. But 80% of them (or more) have always arrived late and left early. And I think they always will unless we play a Michigan type of team. It's a shame too because when the student sections are full in the 2nd quarters of games, they make a considerable amount of noise.
 
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The student section can be a joke at times (especially the last 4 years) but the bigger joke is a collection of adults (the administration) expecting the students to change.

When have you ever known an 18 year old to change? To choose an option that is more work and less fun than alternatives? Like it or not the school needs to cater to the student section until going to games start to finish is a cultural norm. Otherwise it's going to take 4 years of winning to change it. And not 7-5 winning. 9-3 winning. 10-2 winning. 4 good years means graduating students are used to going to good football games and will buy season tickets etc.

At our peak we were the equivalent of a good mid major in basketball, except with no chance at a miracle title run. We look at good mid major basketball student sections and say "Hey, look at how they rally around their marginal team." That's largely because you only see them when they're playing in conference/national tournament games or when they are playing big time opponents. This is exactly what our student section was for football during our best days. Decent showing for most games, great showing for the big games.

So the University can either sit around and hope they start winning some damn games or they can help make a short term impact by affecting what they can affect. JMO.
 
mets1090 said:
The student section can be a joke at times (especially the last 4 years) but the bigger joke is a collection of adults (the administration) expecting the students to change.

When have you ever known an 18 year old to change? To choose an option that is more work and less fun than alternatives? Like it or not the school needs to cater to the student section until going to games start to finish is a cultural norm. Otherwise it's going to take 4 years of winning to change it. And not 7-5 winning. 9-3 winning. 10-2 winning. 4 good years means graduating students are used to going to good football games and will buy season tickets etc.

At our peak we were the equivalent of a good mid major in basketball, except with no chance at a miracle title run. We look at good mid major basketball student sections and say "Hey, look at how they rally around their marginal team." That's largely because you only see them when they're playing in conference/national tournament games or when they are playing big time opponents. This is exactly what our student section was for football during our best days. Decent showing for most games, great showing for the big games.

So the University can either sit around and hope they start winning some damn games or they can help make a short term impact by affecting what they can affect. JMO.
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I thought you were going to be positive?
 
minidarren said:
I thought you were going to be positive?
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In the game thread ;)

And that wasn't meant to be a negative post per se. It's more of a stop sitting on your hands situation.
 
*****************SUPERBUMP*****************

If anyone, of any stature or on this board, decries fan support, I would like to point them to the dump that UCONN just dropped on national TV, and tell them to go screw. I'll still show up and drink my beers and see my family and all that, but please stop insulting me.

That is all.

*****************SUPERBUMP***************
 
For all you guys do to persuade yourselves that BC's fan support at football games isn't great, we have 9k undergrads and fill the student corner regardless of the opponent. BC has the highest percentage of the student body in its football student section of any school in the country.

Say what you want about our attendance but BC's students aren't the problem.

I don't say this to troll (not entirely, anyway) but my point, to what others have said, is that after watching BC students go to games even when we were 2-10, having a stadium on campus would do even more for UConn's student attendance than winning would.
 
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