What a patently absurd statement. The freaking Jets are more "in the blood of CT residents" than UConn basketball? Sure thing.
Up until the last few years, you could probably make the argument for Yankees/Sox being above UConn hoop... but no way for the NFL.
You are correct about Uconn’s fanbase
UConn has had a significant following in basketball since the Hugh Greer era
industrial Connecticut ,when i was younger probably had the best sports fans in the country.UConn came to the attention of this 11 year old sports junkie when they upset Holy Cross (a then national power)on their home floor giving HC their first home lose in 47 games . That was a big deal as that team went on to win The NiT then an honor on par. with the 16 team NCAA. There is nothing like success to capture a state and win we certainly did . Taking the Yankee Conference 12 times in 13 year period from 1948-1060 appearing in 7 NCAA tourneys then a tournament of conference champions. We again won 6 more from 1963-1970. When the Yankee Conference lost its auto-bid we briefly were in a loose group of Eastern Independents call the ECAC winning 2 titles in the mid !970 and their auto-bid
That was the precursor
to the Big East and A10
So when we joined the Big East we already had a huge fan base and a history of winning that appealed to Dave Gavitt
The guys in my group by1979 all were long time UConn fans and despite less than great teams the crowds were pretty large
Calhoun took the job for three reasons
!. He didn’t want to leave New England
2. He was well aware of Connecticuts huge fanbase and Connecticuts passion for the sport.
3. The Big East had become the premier basketball league in the country filled with iconic coaches . He wanted to play against the best.
Prior to the Big East being a UConn fan was mainly a radio thing with channel 8 ’s few live broadcasts a big event.
The ESPN rise of basketball broadcasts mirrored the Big East rise . then suddenly the reality of TV broadcasts of every game was beyond our wildest dreams
Historical Footnote
Why UConn didn't”t become a National Power earlier is rooted in the demise of Eastern basketball in general
Our first foe in the infamous 1950 NCAA tourney was single digit lose to St Johns at Msg and their great coach
Frank McGuire . After the scandals top eastern coaches departed for less soiled pastures like North Carolina as did the top talent . Using a lineup that a few years earlier would have looked like the great CCNY teams he brought that hick school its first NC beating Wilt and Kansas in three OT’s
in a game i listened to with a pillow muffling the sound as it ended well past my bed time.
Without an understanding of the bleak years of staying local you really can’t understand Dave Gavitt’s dream of returning Eastern Basketball to its rightful position on the national stage.
So no offense to Iowa but other than Nebraska we got the best fans in the country.