UConn v UMass 2023

[CL82]

Many on this forum that want a stadium on campus consider our present Dog House a neutral site.

Actually I think it's closer to UMass than any other alternative.

 

[HuskyAlum012]

Gillete is easily the worst venue possible for this football game.

 

[huskymedic]

Gillete is easily the worst venue possible for this football game.

If it wasn’t going to be @ Rentschler or McGuirk… IMO - it’s a new/better fan experience than Fenway (been there, done that, football config sucks). Gillette is obviously set up for football w/ tailgating and other eating/drinking options @ Stadium and Patriot Place. For me at least - it’s equivalent distances. I think the players will enjoy the experience as well.

No doubt the TV optics of the empty seats will get called out in social media but that may happen wherever the game lands. Temple @ the Linc jumps into my head first.

 

[kibblesnbits]

If it wasn’t going to be @ Rentschler or McGuirk… IMO - it’s a new/better fan experience than Fenway (been there, done that, football config sucks). Gillette is obviously set up for football w/ tailgating and other eating/drinking options @ Stadium and Patriot Place. For me at least - it’s equivalent distances. I think the players will enjoy the experience as well.

No doubt the TV optics of the empty seats will get called out in social media but that may happen wherever the game lands. Temple @ the Linc jumps into my head first.

It won't look that bad. Remember that Gillette is also the home stadium for the Revolution, who have averaged from roughly 15K to the low-20s over the last half dozen seasons.They know how to place a crowd and what camera placements work best to ensure the appearance of a good crowd even though it's roughly 1/3 or less of capacity. If the two teams can combine for anything close to last season's 23K it will look fine.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Guess they won't be following punts or kickoffs. Just don't see 2- or 3-win UMass team drawing at end of year and a holiday.

 

[Urcea]

Fenway was a good football experience. Not sure what the hate is

 

[Husky92]

BC Miami is at BC, not Gillette.

Well, that was weirdly worded, but I see it now. In that case…it’s irrelevant. I actually thought a doubleheader sounding intriguing. I guess we’ll just have two mostly empty stadiums.

 

[Wildgopher]

Fenway was a good football experience. Not sure what the hate is

Only my opinion, but Fenway was OK for a one time experience. I will never go another football game in a baseball stadium. No place to tailgate at Fenway either.

 

[huskymedic]

Fenway was a good football experience. Not sure what the hate is

Not really “hate” on my behalf… done UConn Football @ Fenway, done UConn Football @ Yankee Stadium (generally not a fan of football in baseball stadiums). UConn Football @ Gillette (if it’s true) is more than fine as a one off different road-trip.

 

[kibblesnbits]

Guess they won't be following punts or kickoffs. Just don't see 2- or 3-win UMass team drawing at end of year and a holiday.

Go back and look at NFL kick return videos. Rarely do they actually track the ball. The just pan down the field to pick up the returner. Furthermore, the stadiums are big enough and the camera placements high enough (angled down significantly) that even if they zoom out a little you rarely see anything above the opposite side lower deck. It will look fine unless someone actually goes out of their way to make it look bad.

 

[freescooter]

Fenway was a good football experience. Not sure what the hate is

I agree. Fenway was a great experience on an AWFUL night. Site lines are not great but so what. It was an event. And this would have been too. But doesn’t matter. I’ll likely be there.

 

[ThabeetDown]

I don't think many of you have been to Gillette recently. It stinks. Awful location. Sure it has Patriot Place, but that's like 2-3 bars. It's going to be empty -- does UMass even have fans? Also, who's covering the costs to play there? We know the gate won't cover it. If we're picking up the check (even our half) that is just financially dumb. Having true home games is much better. This isn't UGA/UF in Jacksonville. UMass has never, ever been able to pull its weight in the region - and never will. We'd have been better off playing a P5 school at Gillette for a home game rather than UMass.

If Gillette was in downtown Boston and not in bumble-you-know-what, different story. But it's not. Just a terrible situation all around.

 

[Platt81]

I don't think many of you have been to Gillette recently. It stinks. Awful location. Sure it has Patriot Place, but that's like 2-3 bars. It's going to be empty -- does UMass even have fans? Also, who's covering the costs to play there? We know the gate won't cover it. If we're picking up the check (even our half) that is just financially dumb. Having true home games is much better. This isn't UGA/UF in Jacksonville. UMass has never, ever been able to pull its weight in the region - and never will. We'd have been better off playing a P5 school at Gillette for a home game rather than UMass.

If Gillette was in downtown Boston and not in bumble-you-know-what, different story. But it's not. Just a terrible situation all around.

FWIW, I’m more apt to take a ride to Gillette to watch this game than Amherst as a non Patriot fan it gives me a chance to see a game in the stadium without needing to pay NFL prices. I agree it’s not going to be very full, but I can see many more “casual” fans taking a Black Friday trip there than to UMass’ campus.

 

[mymustang]

I don't think many of you have been to Gillette recently. It stinks. Awful location. Sure it has Patriot Place, but that's like 2-3 bars. It's going to be empty -- does UMass even have fans? Also, who's covering the costs to play there? We know the gate won't cover it. If we're picking up the check (even our half) that is just financially dumb. Having true home games is much better. This isn't UGA/UF in Jacksonville. UMass has never, ever been able to pull its weight in the region - and never will. We'd have been better off playing a P5 school at Gillette for a home game rather than UMass.

If Gillette was in downtown Boston and not in bumble-you-know-what, different story. But it's not. Just a terrible situation all around.

Uconn and Patriot season ticket holder. Only go to 4 Pats games a year because me and some buddies of mine got on the list when they were suppose to come to Hartford and just stayed on the list when they didn't. So now we just split the four tickets up. Anyways Patriot Place actually has 20 bars and resturants and will be jamming on Black Friday

 

[BugsyCT]

We got a bad collection of misfortune on that Fenway night. Team still sucked, got destroyed by BC, the rain made it worse, and sight lines were lousy.

Frankly, I'd prefer they just play this game at Amherst. The stadium is tiny but the campus & the setting has some charm to it. Easy drive up there too.

 

[BlueandOG]

Uconn and Patriot season ticket holder. Only go to 4 Pats games a year because me and some buddies of mine got on the list when they were suppose to come to Hartford and just stayed on the list when they didn't. So now we just split the four tickets up. Anyways Patriot Place actually has 20 bars and resturants and will be jamming on Black Friday

Exact same. Season ticket holder for UCONN and Pats. I watch way too much football! Anyway, Gillette is a great venue for this game for several reasons: 1) it is an NFL football stadium, which the players will love 2) plenty of tailgating space 3) lots of bars and restaurants on site outside the stadium 4) good beer/food options inside the stadium 5) easy access to 95 and 495.

 

[Waquoit]

Gillette is a big, dumb place with no juice when the crowd is small. Maybe that it's Black Friday will help the juice factor.

 

[mymustang]

Gillette is a big, dumb place with no juice when the crowd is small. Maybe that it's Black Friday will help the juice factor.

I'M sure that is true when there is a small crowd. I have only been there for Pats games and concerts and even when we went to the preseason games it was loud.

 

[Scrutineer]

Not really “hate” on my behalf… done UConn Football @ Fenway, done UConn Football @ Yankee Stadium (generally not a fan of football in baseball stadiums). UConn Football @ Gillette (if it’s true) is more than fine as a one off different road-trip.

"Hate" is the new "disagree" in today's vernacular.......

 

[Scrutineer]

We got a bad collection of misfortune on that Fenway night. Team still sucked, got destroyed by BC, the rain made it worse, and sight lines were lousy.

Frankly, I'd prefer they just play this game at Amherst. The stadium is tiny but the campus & the setting has some charm to it. Easy drive up there too.

Having been to the Amherst campus a number of times, charm is not the word to describe it unless it's improved vastly in the last 15 years.
Although architecture students might enjoy seeing how 9 different styles of architecture look when gathered in one finite location. What a dump compared to UConn.

 

[mymustang]

Exact same. Season ticket holder for UCONN and Pats. I watch way too much football! Anyway, Gillette is a great venue for this game for several reasons: 1) it is an NFL football stadium, which the players will love 2) plenty of tailgating space 3) lots of bars and restaurants on site outside the stadium 4) good beer/food options inside the stadium 5) easy access to 95 and 495.

Much like you I watch too much football also. ,Going to see the Pats that week. At Giant Stadium. High School football Thursday morning, Huskies Friday and off to the Meadowlands on Sunday. Must be some game somewhere on Saturday

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Go back and look at NFL kick return videos. Rarely do they actually track the ball. The just pan down the field to pick up the returner. Furthermore, the stadiums are big enough and the camera placements high enough (angled down significantly) that even if they zoom out a little you rarely see anything above the opposite side lower deck. It will look fine unless someone actually goes out of their way to make it look bad.

Hopefully your right Kib. But I think it will be tough to hide 50k+ empty seats. I have seen some UMass video of them playing in Gillette, the cameras have followed punt plays from behind the LOS, Xpoints, field goals attempts... I just think Amherst would be the play until they improve some and then go to the Boston area.

 

[shizzle787]

I don't think many of you have been to Gillette recently. It stinks. Awful location. Sure it has Patriot Place, but that's like 2-3 bars. It's going to be empty -- does UMass even have fans? Also, who's covering the costs to play there? We know the gate won't cover it. If we're picking up the check (even our half) that is just financially dumb. Having true home games is much better. This isn't UGA/UF in Jacksonville. UMass has never, ever been able to pull its weight in the region - and never will. We'd have been better off playing a P5 school at Gillette for a home game rather than UMass.

If Gillette was in downtown Boston and not in bumble-you-know-what, different story. But it's not. Just a terrible situation all around.

I believe this is UMass' "home" game.

 

[Waquoit]

It will look fine unless someone actually goes out of their way to make it look bad.

This is hype man stuff. It's gonna look "fine" because they are going to work hard at not showing the stands? Please.

 

[Vuce]

This game will be mostly empty. UMass fans don’t go to games when they play in Amherst and their “home” games in Foxboro were a disaster years ago.