Will Barclay’s Be Like MSG was Tonight

[HeGotGame]

It might have been @Storrs South or @tcf15 on twitter (or someone else) that said the games in Albany last year were insane. I'd hope that a shorter distance for the first weekend will bring the mob

Insane may be a stretch, but it was certainly very good. I would expect Brooklyn to be great.

 

[Storrs South]

It might have been @Storrs South or @tcf15 on twitter (or someone else) that said the games in Albany last year were insane. I'd hope that a shorter distance for the first weekend will bring the mob

I was not there for the first game but it sounded great on TV. The second game against St Mary's was an excellent crowd, legit felt like a UConn home game.

The only thing about Barclays is it is legit one of the worst arenas going, especially considering how new it is (some of you may remember from the 2013 game v. Maryland). The arena is not built for sound, comfort, or big game feel so UConn fans are going to have to overcome the movie theater environs they built to give it that UConn home game feel.

 

[husky8273]

UConn changed the post season ticket sale policy sometime in the early 90's in order to stimulate big donations.

Prior to that all season tickets and post season tickets were offered for sale in the order of the donors' total point balances. That included both the BE tournament and the NCAA.

With the new policy, total points were still the key determinent used to rank donors for the purchase of season tickets BUT post season tickets were offered first by donor class and then by points within the respective classes.

For example, if you have 2,000 points today you'll probably be in the top 500 or so of the over 38,000 donors and have great season ticket choices.

But, if you aren't in the top donor group someone could come in with a first time donation of $10,000 or $25,000 and, with far fewer total points, be ahead of many donors with many more points for post season tickets.

I told Ben Kirtland (before he and Lew Perkins went to Kansas and implemented a new sales scheme there) when they announced the change that since loyalty is being cast aside some donors may decide to do a larger donation when the rosters look good for the next season and cut back when they're looking weaker. He disagreed.

I did it one year and learned there must be no one looking at donor histories. At least it appeared that way since I was not contacted to ask why, after many years of significant donations, I suddenly cut way back. Maybe that's why our endowment is so pitifully small for a large state university. Donor relations must not be a priority.

and the legacy points are rarely relevant now with the forever seats and devalued when points are now 10x what a donation used to earn

 

[HooperScooper]

I meant where to get them. Does one get them off of the NCAA tournament site? Or through UConn?

Boston was either the first venue to sell out through the NCAA or one of the first. So secondary market is all that is left. As of 3 weeks ago all but Boston, Spokane and the Final Four still had tickets available through the NCAA.

My experience is that once we know which teams will be in Boston it will be more expensive than it is now. If you buy now you take a chance your team might not be there.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I expect great things from all of you. I will be recovering from a wonderful hernia surgery on Wednesday. Downside, I can’t travel to the games. Upside, I have a great excuse to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch basketball.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Early round tournament games are antiseptic with crowd split in 4ths for the four session teams. We need to grab the aftermarket seats but at best I'd say we can get 40% UConn fans. It won't be anything like the Big East, but we should make it the best crowd we can.

 

[SubbaBub]

That depends. Can our fanbase handle switching trains?

 

[Scrutineer]

and the legacy points are rarely relevant now with the forever seats and devalued when points are now 10x what a donation used to earn

If total points are the criteria used for seat selection priority it would seem all points matter irrespective of when they were obtained.

Are you saying that if you bought 1500 points this year with the new valuation and I have 2000 legacy points you would have priority?

 

[Scrutineer]

I expect great things from all of you. I will be recovering from a wonderful hernia surgery on Wednesday. Downside, I can’t travel to the games. Upside, I have a great excuse to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch basketball.

Where are your priorities?

 

[husky8273]

If total points are the criteria used for seat selection priority it would seem all points matter irrespective of when they were obtained.

Are you saying that if you bought 1500 points this year with the new valuation and I have 2000 legacy points you would have priority?

yes for the post season if you did not also earn 1500 new points this year. Also you now earn 1500 points with a smaller donation than it took to earn 1500 points under the old system.

 

[RC111]

Pardon the ignorance, but I've never attended a tourney game and have had my hands full recently dealing with a newborn and a move out of state.

We recently transplanted to Maine from CT and Boston is only 1.5 hours away. My wife is asking about getting a hotel room for grandparents to babysit and trying to see a game there. What day/ time should we be looking to buy on the secondhand market? All I know about locations is from this forum and that we were hoping for Brooklyn and Boston. Don't want to screw up a big purchase and potentially end up watching two random teams.

 

[Khal Drogo]

Pardon the ignorance, but I've never attended a tourney game and have had my hands full recently dealing with a newborn and a move out of state.

We recently transplanted to Maine from CT and Boston is only 1.5 hours away. My wife is asking about getting a hotel room for grandparents to babysit and trying to see a game there. What day/ time should we be looking to buy on the secondhand market? All I know about locations is from this forum and that we were hoping for Brooklyn and Boston. Don't want to screw up a big purchase and potentially end up watching two random teams.

Wife of the year

 

[RC111]

Wife of the year

You're not wrong. She even put the baby to bed all weekend so I could watch the BET. Insisted, actually, cause I was trying to be semi-useful

 

[willie99]

No, 8 schools and then 4 schools in Brooklyn vs 2 schools for the BET Championship

If we make it to the Elite Eight, we should have a good home crowd advantage

 

[businesslawyer]

If the Sunday doubleheader has us in one game and Duke in the other, which is likely, ticket prices are not likely to come down from where they are now.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I was at the BE Semi’s and Final this past weekend. The crowd, environment and noise was insane, unlike anything i’ve been to before. Lots of Marquette fans too, they were great as well, and mostly super nice people.

 

[HooperScooper]

Pardon the ignorance, but I've never attended a tourney game and have had my hands full recently dealing with a newborn and a move out of state.

We recently transplanted to Maine from CT and Boston is only 1.5 hours away. My wife is asking about getting a hotel room for grandparents to babysit and trying to see a game there. What day/ time should we be looking to buy on the secondhand market? All I know about locations is from this forum and that we were hoping for Brooklyn and Boston. Don't want to screw up a big purchase and potentially end up watching two random teams.

Are you asking just about Boston? If the Huskies win their 2 games in Brooklyn then the East Regional semifinals are on Thursday March 28. At night, probably will start around 6:30 or 7:00 pm. One ticket gets you in to the TD Garden to see both semifinal games. If the Huskies are fortunate enough to win on Thursday then they would play in the East Regional Final on Saturday March 30. No idea what time but those games are usually at night. This would be another ticket and separate from the ticket that gets you into to see the 2 semifinal games on Thursday. So if you're buying on the secondary market those 2 tickets are being sold separately. Hope that helps.

 

[RC111]

Are you asking just about Boston? If the Huskies win their 2 games in Brooklyn then the East Regional semifinals are on Thursday March 28. At night, probably will start around 6:30 or 7:00 pm. One ticket gets you in to the TD Garden to see both semifinal games. If the Huskies are fortunate enough to win on Thursday then they would play in the East Regional Final on Saturday March 30. No idea what time but those games are usually at night. This would be another ticket and separate from the ticket that gets you into to see the 2 semifinal games on Thursday. So if you're buying on the secondary market those 2 tickets are being sold separately. Hope that helps.

Big help, and greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Kemba15]

Boston was either the first venue to sell out through the NCAA or one of the first. So secondary market is all that is left. As of 3 weeks ago all but Boston, Spokane and the Final Four still had tickets available through the NCAA.

My experience is that once we know which teams will be in Boston it will be more expensive than it is now. If you buy now you take a chance your team might not be there.

But wouldn't there potentially be a greater ticket inventory available since fans of eliminated teams will put them on the secondary market?

 

[SubbaBub]

Are you asking just about Boston? If the Huskies win their 2 games in Brooklyn then the East Regional semifinals are on Thursday March 28. At night, probably will start around 6:30 or 7:00 pm. One ticket gets you in to the TD Garden to see both semifinal games. If the Huskies are fortunate enough to win on Thursday then they would play in the East Regional Final on Saturday March 30. No idea what time but those games are usually at night. This would be another ticket and separate from the ticket that gets you into to see the 2 semifinal games on Thursday. So if you're buying on the secondary market those 2 tickets are being sold separately. Hope that helps.

UConn/Aub or UConn/SDSU(title rematch) would be the Thursday prime time game. The Regional final would also like be the primetime game. As the only EDT regional site.

For hotels, the Garden is accessible from multiple T stops. Doesn't really matter. If you want to walk, the Quincy Market area is closest.

I can recommend the Omni Parker and several places in the Copley Square area. Any of the Booking.com like sites will help you find the right spot.

 

[SubbaBub]

But wouldn't there potentially be a greater ticket inventory available since fans of eliminated teams will put them on the secondary market?

Depends. Last year's FF tickets went from $600 just to get in to about $40 once the Texas teams got bounced.

In 2014, MSG tickets were through the roof, obviously.

FF this year is in Phoenix so hope Arizona goes home early. Of course, we're doomed so no reason to even mention that.

 

[RC111]

UConn/Aub or UConn/SDSU(title rematch) would be the Thursday prime time game. The Regional final would also like be the primetime game. As the only EDT regional site.

For hotels, the Garden is accessible from multiple T stops. Doesn't really matter. If you want to walk, the Quincy Market area is closest.

I can recommend the Omni Parker and several places in the Copley Square area. Any of the Booking.com like sites will help you find the right spot.

I actually lived in Boston for several years, so I feel comfortable navigating, but the only hotels I ever stayed at were Omni Parker and Westin in the Seaport. That used to have a spectacular view and would be a nice place to stash the family if the new development hasn't hemmed it in. Haven't been in 7 years though, so I don't know

 

[HooperScooper]

But wouldn't there potentially be a greater ticket inventory available since fans of eliminated teams will put them on the secondary market?

What I noticed last time was there was a spike in prices once the 4 teams that got there were known. I didn't check for the regional final but my guess is you're right on that. The fans of the 2 teams that lose in the semifinals will sell their tickets.

 

[HooperScooper]

UConn/Aub or UConn/SDSU(title rematch) would be the Thursday prime time game. The Regional final would also like be the primetime game. As the only EDT regional site.

What do you mean "prime time"? Like the earlier game, 7:00 pm eastern time or so? Boston is Thursday/Saturday. All of the regional semifinals, Thursday and Friday, are on at night. I'm pretty sure regional finals on Saturday are also on at night and the regional finals on Sunday start in the afternoon (all eastern times).

Here is last year's schedule: 2023 NCAA Tournament championship scores, schedule: March Madness bracket, dates, tipoff, TV channel