UConn to bring back student tailgates?

[McLovin]

 

[JMick]

It's absurd that student tailgates have been curbed as much as they have been. Everything about UConn is a no-fun-zone now. It's very sad.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

The placement of a period and an apostrophe in between the "i" and "m" makes me question whether that tweet was truly from a college student as they claim.

That being said, I'm all for bringing them back. FWIW we had some good student groups tailgating next to our "older folk" tailgates in gray lot this past year.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Nice, maybe a pregame show will show a student tailgate with witty signs...like at major games...

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Also as an aside: AD David Benedict was on a big twitter use kick yesterday. Lots of fun banter with many UConn twitter folks about the upcoming MBB game and other things. Fun to see.

 

[pepband99]

Carrot and stick - you get your tailgates, but you lose your prior-to-end-3Q bussing.

 

[DoctorWho85]

UConn should take this as an opportunity to create a tailgate experience for the students. Set up a "party zone" near the entrance of the stadium where all the paved parking is. Have a Dj, a few food trucks, couple vendors or something and raffle off prizes for the students. Include a food voucher for something in the stadium as well. This will get students close to the stadium pre-game so they can get in earlier and faster for the start of the game.

I also like the idea that they were doing in the NFL of reward points. Give the students and fans an app or card that gets scanned that gives them reward points for showing up early, team winning games, staying the whole game and what not. Where you can redeem those points for merch or food or tickets.

 

[History Geek]

UConn should take this as an opportunity to create a tailgate experience for the students. Set up a "party zone" near the entrance of the stadium where all the paved parking is. Have a Dj, a few food trucks, couple vendors or something and raffle off prizes for the students. Include a food voucher for something in the stadium as well. This will get students close to the stadium pre-game so they can get in earlier and faster for the start of the game.

I also like the idea that they were doing in the NFL of reward points. Give the students and fans an app or card that gets scanned that gives them reward points for showing up early, team winning games, staying the whole game and what not. Where you can redeem those points for merch or food or tickets.

I like these ideas a lot

 

[DoctorWho85]

I like these ideas a lot

There's so much they can do to engage the fans and students. Food trucks outside the stadium would be a great thing. I would love the rewards system too.

 

[JMick]

staying the whole game and what not.

they should do something ridiculous where if you stay until the end of the game, you get your ticket price refunded or some sort of VIP tailgating for the next season

 

[gtcam]

Free tickets and vouchers for free food - it’s not rocket science
Me plus all my friends? Education these days is lacking

 

[Nostical]

Give the students and fans an app or card that gets scanned that gives them reward points for showing up early, team winning games, staying the whole game and what not. Where you can redeem those points for merch or food or tickets.

Hope you have better luck than I did in 2012 and 2016!

Sept 24, 2012
Warde,
My experience in business is that whenever you encourage participation of the troops to help solve a sticky problem it gives them some skin in the game, and helps gain support for whatever path is ultimately chosen. To improve our game-day experience, which our athletes deserve and our University needs, here’s a suggestion.
The University should create a “Husky Fan Card”. UConn students, alumni and fans would sign up online to get a card. Fans could swipe their card while purchasing selected items, thus allowing them to build up “Husky Points”. Those points would count toward the purchase of Husky merchandise and concessions. Accumulated points could become a factor in the student ticket lottery system giving the most deserving and loyal supporters earlier access to tickets. A cardholder’s friends and family could also add value to the card through the website at holidays and birthdays.

Since the point value on the cards would essentially be spent on UConn related purchases from approved vendors, the University should reasonably be able to recoup its investment.

One important way in which UConn Football could benefit from the Husky Card is getting people into their seats by kickoff. Any fan whose card is scanned at least 15 minutes prior to kickoff would receive a small bonus deposit on their card to spend on merchandise, food and/or beverages. It may be just enough incentive to get more fans in their seats earlier.

With a boost from social media, word of mouth, and UConn’s own promotion, there should be lots of buzz generated about this membership incentive. There are lots of other ways UConn could expand on this concept as a creative tool to motivate fans. I suggest that the concept be explored.
Thanks and Regards,


August 13, 2016
David,
First, let me say I love all the game day changes you’ve recently announced. Helping students get to the game is a must. As you know, a lot of angst also surrounds the inability of our fans to get into the stadium by kickoff.

Why not develop a Husky Fan App?
Since the ticket takers are already scanning tickets they could also scan each Husky Fan’s App on their phones. By recording the exact time of the scan as they enter through the ticket turnstile, those entering early, such as up to 15 minutes before kickoff, could automatically receive a small bonus deposited into their app to spend on Husky merchandise and concessions.

There are lots of ways UConn could expand on this concept. All UConn students, alumni and fans could be directed to sign up online to get the app, perhaps preloaded with a free concession item. UConn fans could then add additional value, as with the “Dunkin' Donuts App”.

The app could also be “scanned” during purchases in the bookstore, at Jorgensen, or at any UConn sponsored event.This would allow fans to build up their “Husky Points”. The accumulated points could even become another factor in the student ticket lottery system giving the most deserving and loyal supporters earlier access to tickets.

Technical and contractual details as well as some development and marketing expense would be needed of course, but since the “value” on the cards could only be spent on UConn related purchases from approved vendors, the University should get a pay back and then some. (I’m avoiding for now the whole issue of whether the event tickets themselves should be on the phone, like an airline-boarding pass, although that seems to be where the world is headed).
David, I’m not a tech guy and don’t know if this a viable or creative idea or even one you may already be working on—lol--but hope you view it in the helpful spirit in which it is intended.
Thanks and Regards,

 

[spsct]

I was wondering what the controls would be regarding underage drinking. I'm definitely not saying that they should be Draconian with the controls but what would the liability be if a 20 year old kid got into trouble or the Police decided to crack down?
How do other schools deal with this, or do they not need to because stadiums are on Campus? (And I am per-emptively making clear that I am not proposing an On-Campus Stadium).

This is just something that I wonder about when I see Student Tailgate threads.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Hope you have better luck than I did in 2012 and 2016!

Sept 24, 2012
Warde,
My experience in business is that whenever you encourage participation of the troops to help solve a sticky problem it gives them some skin in the game, and helps gain support for whatever path is ultimately chosen. To improve our game-day experience, which our athletes deserve and our University needs, here’s a suggestion.
The University should create a “Husky Fan Card”. UConn students, alumni and fans would sign up online to get a card. Fans could swipe their card while purchasing selected items, thus allowing them to build up “Husky Points”. Those points would count toward the purchase of Husky merchandise and concessions. Accumulated points could become a factor in the student ticket lottery system giving the most deserving and loyal supporters earlier access to tickets. A cardholder’s friends and family could also add value to the card through the website at holidays and birthdays.

Since the point value on the cards would essentially be spent on UConn related purchases from approved vendors, the University should reasonably be able to recoup its investment.

One important way in which UConn Football could benefit from the Husky Card is getting people into their seats by kickoff. Any fan whose card is scanned at least 15 minutes prior to kickoff would receive a small bonus deposit on their card to spend on merchandise, food and/or beverages. It may be just enough incentive to get more fans in their seats earlier.

With a boost from social media, word of mouth, and UConn’s own promotion, there should be lots of buzz generated about this membership incentive. There are lots of other ways UConn could expand on this concept as a creative tool to motivate fans. I suggest that the concept be explored.
Thanks and Regards,


August 13, 2016
David,
First, let me say I love all the game day changes you’ve recently announced. Helping students get to the game is a must. As you know, a lot of angst also surrounds the inability of our fans to get into the stadium by kickoff.

Why not develop a Husky Fan App?
Since the ticket takers are already scanning tickets they could also scan each Husky Fan’s App on their phones. By recording the exact time of the scan as they enter through the ticket turnstile, those entering early, such as up to 15 minutes before kickoff, could automatically receive a small bonus deposited into their app to spend on Husky merchandise and concessions.

There are lots of ways UConn could expand on this concept. All UConn students, alumni and fans could be directed to sign up online to get the app, perhaps preloaded with a free concession item. UConn fans could then add additional value, as with the “Dunkin' Donuts App”.

The app could also be “scanned” during purchases in the bookstore, at Jorgensen, or at any UConn sponsored event.This would allow fans to build up their “Husky Points”. The accumulated points could even become another factor in the student ticket lottery system giving the most deserving and loyal supporters earlier access to tickets.

Technical and contractual details as well as some development and marketing expense would be needed of course, but since the “value” on the cards could only be spent on UConn related purchases from approved vendors, the University should get a pay back and then some. (I’m avoiding for now the whole issue of whether the event tickets themselves should be on the phone, like an airline-boarding pass, although that seems to be where the world is headed).
David, I’m not a tech guy and don’t know if this a viable or creative idea or even one you may already be working on—lol--but hope you view it in the helpful spirit in which it is intended.
Thanks and Regards,

Can we get a prototype created here to present to the athletic department? Get those sweet sweet royalties!