We should play Providence in Boston Garden once year.

[NJHusky]

Why exactly would you we schedule a neutral site game with an in conference team?

Well you could schedule games in subsequent seasons so each team gives up a home game

 

[goskis2018]

Suggesting we play conference games at a neutral venue is stupid. I do agree that tossing Boston alumni an occasional bone would be a decent idea, especially if we could convince another power 6 program to play us there.

 

[BlueMAB]

I can't believe people are really discussing moving a conference game to a neutral venue.

 

[Waquoit]

We already pissed away a home FB game in Boston. If there was any residual benefit post-game, I must have missed it.

 

[Kolumbo]

No one suggested we should give up a home conference game. People get fixated on one tiny component and miss the big picture. The thread is about getting ANY game in Boston. PC was mentioned but that could be a non-conference mini-tourney game. And if UConn and PC want to actually consider playing a conference game in Boston, let them discuss it if the exposure and warrants it.

 

[Palatine]

There is literally no reason for us to play in the Garden once a year unless it’s Madison Square and then we should play there more than once a year.

There are reasons. Opportunity to increase the fan base. Generating a larger presence in a rich recruiting area. Opportunity to enhance and expand the brand in a major media market. Opportunity to increase merchandise sales. Raise the profile and image of the university in general.

You may not find those reasons compelling. But they are "literally" valid. Plus, it's gives existing fanbase a chance to visit Mike's Pastry or other Hanover haunts.

 

[Palatine]

We already pissed away a home FB game in Boston. If there was any residual benefit post-game, I must have missed it.

Not a game. A yearly game would establish a presence.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I wouldn't play PC since neither program is giving up a home game. But I agree they should do a doubleheader and play a marquee game there with BC and/or PC also being involved in the doubleheader.

I went to the Gonzaga game at the Garden in December 2007, which was combined with a PC/BC game, and the arena was pretty full. There are definitely a lot of UConn fans in the Boston area and it's a short fun trip for Connecticut people.

Double header with women and men playing BC? The women would be a draw. I’d suggest a hockey - basketball double header, but I doubt they can change it fast enough.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I can't believe people are really discussing moving a conference game to a neutral venue.

Conference game won’t work, of course. But you could have something like the Beanpot. UConn, BC, Vermont and UMass.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The Boston Garden hosted The Colonial Classic. UMass BC Holy Cross PC for a two day tournament. UConn was in a couple of them just before the BE was formed.

 

[Chief00]

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.

 

[uconngb]

Why exactly would you we schedule a neutral site game with an in conference team?

It’s consistent

 

[GoatHouse]

Cool idea! I always thought a unique idea would be having the NET Top-8 New England teams from the year before play in a tournament in TD Garden. Would be cool if they could figure out some type of game(s) there.

 

[XLCenterFan]

I vote for the game to played at Mohegan.

 

[olehead]

This is a bad idea and I live in Boston. Both PC and UConn need to play at home for their fan bases. UConn, after the years in the AAC and poor performance, needs to rebuild the home fan base and increase the number of season ticket holders.

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.

 

[BlueMAB]

Conference game won’t work, of course.

And yet people keep discussing it as something to consider.

 

[BlueMAB]

No one suggested we should give up a home conference game.

Aside from the title of the thread, and the rest of these quotes, you've made a great point.

The reason I like the idea of playing PC in Boston is that it allows us the opportunity to take over the city with PC and UConn fans all over the city for a day. It also leaves BCU out in the cold which is always great. But this is more a thought piece about something we should think about to expand our brand. There are a lot of different ways to approach it.

Love the idea of having a UConn invitational tournament in Boston. It would make a great week end.

I think playing PeeCee at Mohegan Sun is a better idea - both teams are regional and that is a close site
I know its much smaller than the TD Garden but I feel that games against national blue bloods like Michigan, UCLA, Kansas etc would be better suited for TD Garden

Well you could schedule games in subsequent seasons so each team gives up a home game

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.

 

[CL82]

I disagree with most of your opinions on here. Having said that, this is spot on. There’s a big alumni presence in Boston and this seems like a no-brainer.

Can’t do it. It is too far for Fairfield County fans to drive.

 

[phillionaire]

UConn fans- driving to Storrs is too far
Also UConn fans- we should play conference games in an entirely different state

 

[aburks41]

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

 

[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.