We should play Providence in Boston Garden once year.

[HuskyHawk]

Boston might have a ton of UConn alumni but if we're scheduling games in another state then it needs to be at MSG. NYC is much more important to UConn than Boston will ever be, especially now that we're back in the Big East

This is the self-serving take we always get from Fairfield County people. There are lots of UConn alumni in eastern MA and in RI, so Boston is just as important as NYC. We already play games in NYC. The Big East Tournament is in MSG, we play St. Johns in Queens, and play Seton Hall in metro NY as well. We no longer have a conference game vs BC that we used to have. So yes, we should make an effort to play in Boston if we can.

 

[BlueMAB]

Schedule BC for a H/A. It's an easy win against a P5 team.

 

[Zissou]

Or someone. We should make the same effort to conquer Boston as we do New York. 5th largest media market in the country. Great recruiting grounds with great high school basketball programs. Maybe play a double header at the Garden, PC and Northeasten in the opener, UConn versus Harvard in the headliner.

Boston College University basketball is about the 11th sporting option in Hub. It would be pretty easy to make a bigger splash than BCU. Pocket a few bucks and build a bigger fanbase by paying a little attention to the city. Boston is a valuable piece of real estate in our backyard that we have pretty much ignored. Don't know why. We could own it with just a little effort.

This is a bag of money and attention just sitting there.

I like the thought, but I don’t think PC is the right opponent.

I’d go with a women - men double header with Notre Dame. To build a tradition, make it an annual game in Boston.

Notre Dame has an outsized following as an Irish Catholic National University, with fans way beyond alumni. Boston with its Irish Catholic demographics must have a large ND following, and I think ND fans would also travel to Boston as a destination annual game. Maybe make it between Christmas and New Years.

ND also has both the men’s and women’s program stature to match up well for a double header. ND and UConn have the history of former conference foes. Also, as a National U, it’s an opportunity for exposure in Boston, including strengthening position for the enrollment pool.

Maybe the relationship with an annual game leads to the occasional football schedule opportunity.

 

[Zissou]

I like the thought, but I don’t think PC is the right opponent.

I’d go with a women - men double header with Notre Dame. To build a tradition, make it an annual game in Boston.

Notre Dame has an outsized following as an Irish Catholic National University, with fans way beyond alumni. Boston with its Irish Catholic demographics must have a large ND following, and I think ND fans would also travel to Boston as a destination annual game. Maybe make it between Christmas and New Years.

ND also has both the men’s and women’s program stature to match up well for a double header. ND and UConn have the history of former conference foes. Also, as a National U, it’s an opportunity for exposure in Boston, including strengthening position for the enrollment pool.

Maybe the relationship with an annual game leads to the occasional football schedule opportunity.

Also, with quad metrics in play, a neutral site game has some unique value vs a home game.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I like the thought, but I don’t think PC is the right opponent.

I’d go with a women - men double header with Notre Dame. To build a tradition, make it an annual game in Boston.

Notre Dame has an outsized following as an Irish Catholic National University, with fans way beyond alumni. Boston with its Irish Catholic demographics must have a large ND following, and I think ND fans would also travel to Boston as a destination annual game. Maybe make it between Christmas and New Years.

ND also has both the men’s and women’s program stature to match up well for a double header. ND and UConn have the history of former conference foes. Also, as a National U, it’s an opportunity for exposure in Boston, including strengthening position for the enrollment pool.

Maybe the relationship with an annual game leads to the occasional football schedule opportunity.

This is a good idea, need to add another marquis name to the mix as Boston is simply not a college SPORTS town, despite having so many colleges. Part of the problem is that even with all of the colleges, three hockey programs & BCU football (sometimes) are the only TV/major sports where any of the colleges have wide enough fan interest in teams. So you need a name program to get on the radar of the average person in Boston.

The Notre Dame men & women doubleheader would be great, unfortunately probably too much athletic dep't posturing to make it happen. Next best might be a Mass Mutual Classic, recreate CT mutual in MA, invite UConn, Northeastern, UMass & Providence.

 

[CL82]

I like the thought, but I don’t think PC is the right opponent.

I’d go with a women - men double header with Notre Dame. To build a tradition, make it an annual game in Boston.

Notre Dame has an outsized following as an Irish Catholic National University, with fans way beyond alumni. Boston with its Irish Catholic demographics must have a large ND following, and I think ND fans would also travel to Boston as a destination annual game. Maybe make it between Christmas and New Years.

ND also has both the men’s and women’s program stature to match up well for a double header. ND and UConn have the history of former conference foes. Also, as a National U, it’s an opportunity for exposure in Boston, including strengthening position for the enrollment pool.

Maybe the relationship with an annual game leads to the occasional football schedule opportunity.

Notre Dame offered us a 10 game football contract with the condition that we play all our home games either at Gillette or giants stadium. The legislature nixed it.

 

[Waquoit]

The CRDA overplayed their hand and now they realize it. They are in damage control mode, trying to get their politicians friends to help keep UConn games there. Mohegan Sun is a player now too.

I just got whacked with a $286 charge on my Amex the other day out of the blue. Turns out it was another installment payment for this year's XL seats. After 35 years of season tickets, UConn's BS is finally getting to me. I'm starting to feel like those other thousands of loyal UConn fans that quit buying season tickets over the years. I will live just as well without going to games. Don't play in Hartford, cut off your nose to spite your face. I DGAS anymore. And it's not like there's a big line behind me after my seats.

 

[UConnJim]

What a downer of a take, and so matter of fact. Let's hear from the other person who lives in Boston and can assess the relative state of the UConn and Providence program's and their relative ability to drum up excitement around this matchup (in the Garden no less). I'm sure more than a few will turnout to root for New England's team - UCONN against Providence.

Of course a game in Boston with PC would attract fans, but UConn men's basketball has to rebuild the fan base and taking away attractive home games is not going to help. Have you looked at the attendance at UConn basketball games over the past 10 years? Last 4 years, the average attendance has been 8,546. The 6 previous years, the average attendance was 11,029. Attendance has declined ~23% and you think it's a good idea to move a home game that would probably sell out? In case you haven't noticed, UConn athletics could really use the revenue.

I have been to almost every UConn basketball and football game in Boston and Providence over the past 25+ years. I even was at the UConn/BC basketball game in the Garden in 1987 when UConn lost Robinson and Gamble to academics yet beat BC with 5 scholarship players and started a walk-on. Even the UConn soccer goalie dressed for the game. Boston is convenient for me, but I would rather go to a sold out game at Gampel or the XL Center or tailgate at the Rent.

 

[rondo225]

Or someone. We should make the same effort to conquer Boston as we do New York. 5th largest media market in the country. Great recruiting grounds with great high school basketball programs. Maybe play a double header at the Garden, PC and Northeasten in the opener, UConn versus Harvard in the headliner.

Boston College University basketball is about the 11th sporting option in Hub. It would be pretty easy to make a bigger splash than BCU. Pocket a few bucks and build a bigger fanbase by paying a little attention to the city. Boston is a valuable piece of real estate in our backyard that we have pretty much ignored. Don't know why. We could own it with just a little effort.

This is a bag of money and attention just sitting there.

The city of Boston just doesn't care about college basketball. They never have and they never will. It's not like NYC where you have a lot of power 5 transplants. There's a reason they play these early season tournaments in MSG and not TD

 

[rondo225]

We wouldn't, it makes sense if we schedule one there with a national brand like UNC, Zags, Michigan etc.

You think UNC or Gonzaga or Michigan is going to make the trip to Boston to play UConn? We're not on that level anymore.

 

[HooperScooper]

Schedule BC for a H/A. It's an easy win against a P5 team.

Would kill our NET though.

 

[BlueMAB]

Would kill our NET though.

True. But it is a possible scenario, unlike playing Providence in Boston.

What would playing Northeastern, UMass, or BU do for our NET?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Would kill our NET though.

True. But it is a possible scenario, unlike playing Providence in Boston.

What would playing Northeastern, UMass, or BU do for our NET?

It really depends on what game we replace. We regularly play BU, Harvard, UMass and NU anyway. With BC it's at least a P5 opponent.

 

[BlueMAB]

It really depends on what game we replace. We regularly play BU, Harvard, UMass and NU anyway. With BC it's at least a P5 opponent.

Agreed. It's also probably much easier to schedule Harvard, BU and UMass than BC. Why would they want to play us? Had they caught us from 2015-2019 it would have benefitted them, not now.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agreed. It's also probably much easier to schedule Harvard, BU and UMass than BC. Why would they want to play us? Had they caught us from 2015-2019 it would have benefitted them, not now.

Because one of the reasons the program is so moribund is that they no longer play any local teams of interest to recruits. They should be playing UConn and PC.

 

[Get a Job]

Would kill our NET though.

True. But it is a possible scenario, unlike playing Providence in Boston.

What would playing Northeastern, UMass, or BU do for our NET?

It really depends on what game we replace. We regularly play BU, Harvard, UMass and NU anyway. With BC it's at least a P5 opponent.

Agreed. It's also probably much easier to schedule Harvard, BU and UMass than BC. Why would they want to play us? Had they caught us from 2015-2019 it would have benefitted them, not now.

Pretty sure 'Scooper was just taking a shot at BC.

 

[auror]

The most important thing for NET is winning games, period. Then winning and losing margin. Then all the strength of schedule stuff.

Drake hasn't beaten a single top 100 KenPom or NET team and yet they're #12 in NET.

 

[BlueMAB]

Pretty sure 'Scooper was just taking a shot at BC.

Sure, it's funny because it's true.

In a thread where people are literally discussing moving a conference game out of state, I think it's still a more interesting topic.

 

[AllAbout5]

noon St. Joe's/CCSU

St Joes as in Calhouns current team?

 

[HooperScooper]

Pretty sure 'Scooper was just taking a shot at BC.

I guess I should use a smiley face emoji when I make a sarcastic remark.

 

[superjohn]

You think UNC or Gonzaga or Michigan is going to make the trip to Boston to play UConn? We're not on that level anymore.

Yes and we're about to be.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Why not play St John’s in Newark or Xavier in Columbus?

 

[BlueMAB]

Because one of the reasons the program is so moribund is that they no longer play any local teams of interest to recruits. They should be playing UConn and PC.

They don't play BU, Northeastern or UMass? Providence, Maine, or New Hampshire? Holy Cross? Bryant?

Sure playing UConn might help them recruit, but it's more about the conference. Of all the reasons to pick a school, the fact they play UConn a few times must be pretty low on the list. IMO, kids don't pick local schools as much for who they play as they do for the fact that their family/friends will have the opportunity to see them play. It's not about who is on the OOC schedule. Conference matters too, but OOC games? Very unlikely.

They play Duke, UNC, UVA, NC St, Va Tech, and traditional opponents like Syracuse and Pitt. It's not like they don't play big names.

I agree they should play one of UConn/PC just about every year.

 

[BlueMAB]

I guess I should use a smiley face emoji when I make a sarcastic remark.

It was a good one that went over my head because it's probably true.

 

[businesslawyer]

No. I didn't have physical possession of the ring yet.

I was in the process of planning a weekend getaway, but her mother actually screwed it up, when she my wife her what I was calling for (I don't have a history of calling them). I had called her parents to "do it right" and "ask" permission. I proposed that night...

Halftime of the WFT/Giants game...THAT makes her a keeper.

I proposed to my wife in 1981. She would have physically harmed me if I had asked her parents permission to marry her before I proposed, as if it wasn't totally her choice and her parents had a say in it . Different people have different views.