OT - Yard Goats Home Opener Sold Out in 30 Minutes

[Adios]

Yes, many elite D3 campuses look good in comparison to UConn 15 years ago.

It's too bad there isn't a USHL team around here. My cousin led the league in penalty minutes in back to back seasons. The games are a complete circus - they ride buses 8-12 hours at a clip and show up just looking for someone to punch.

Need help finding cousin's jerseys? Might be tough to find or acquire with a feat like that.

 

[ct06111]

Welcome to Connecticut:

People will spend $50 to watch marginal Colorado Rockies prospects on a cold day - but UConn hosts their conference tournament and googling tickets to buy for $10 covering 10 games is too much to ask.

This place is torture

FYI, I went to all 3 games and payed $20 total for all sessions on stubhub.

Note, it's the other FYI... (jk)

I even posted a Ticket Galaxy (easy seat) link on here right after you posted your screenshot of remaining seats on vivid.

Our fanbase can suck, but I went to all sessions of the 2015 AAC tourney buying individuals sessions for 6-10 from easy seat.(60 or so for final). If I remember, the Semi or final were pretty packed(11-13k), but was NOT as loud as the 8k or so that were there on FRI/SAT.

So true on the corporate suit/donor crowd during most games in 100's.
Katz even mentioned on TV about the crowd noise and noticed how louder it was because of st patty's, but mainly that most of fans in the 100s were the loud screaming diehards normally regulated to the 200s. Most were very happy to be cheering and screaming obscenities 10-20 feet away vs 50-70ft away from the court in 200s

I'd rather have 7 or 8k diehards closer to the action than all of them stuck drinking up in the 200s.
Fri and sat were LOUD!!!

Whaler, XL is getting tired. If they renovated it and had this tourney with the same record and injuries, I bet the place would have been close to a sellout on fri/sat.

 

[whaler11]

Need help finding cousin's jerseys? Might be tough to find or acquire with a feat like that.

I could ask him for one - not sure what I'd want it for? He had me in Secret Santa this year (Christmas thing) - I got beer and golf balls.

 

[whaler11]

FYI, I went to all 3 games and payed $20 total for all sessions on stubhub.

Note, it's the other FYI... (jk)

I even posted a Ticket Galaxy (easy seat) link on here right after you posted your screenshot of remaining seats on vivid.

Our fanbase can suck, but I went to all sessions of the 2015 AAC tourney buying individuals sessions for 6-10 from easy seat.(60 or so for final). If I remember, the Semi or final were pretty packed(11-13k), but was NOT as loud as the 8k or so that were there on FRI/SAT.

So true on the corporate suit/donor crowd during most games in 100's.
Katz even mentioned on TV about the crowd noise and noticed how louder it was because of st patty's, but mainly that most of fans in the 100s we're the loud screaming diehards normally regulated to the 200s. Most were very happy to be cheering and screaming obscenities 10-20 feet away vs 50-70ft away from the court in 200s

I'd rather have 7 or 8k diehards closer to the action than all of them stuck drinking up in the 200s.
Fri and sat were LOUD!!!

Whaler, XL is getting tired. If they renovated it and had this tourney with the same record and injuries, I bet the place would have been close to a sellout on fri/sat.

How about those 7-8k with another 7-8k on top of them?

I agree with a lot of what you say but I don't agree the building cuts attendance in half.

It's a perfectly fine place to watch 2 hours of basketball. Just look at the love that Fenway and Wrigley get - relative to their peers those are the two worst places in MLB to watch a game - but they are net positives for attendance.

Maybe someone needs to convince people that a game in the XL Center is a trip back to when America was great. When stadiums weren't built to separate you from your ATM card. Where the beer is cold and flowing. It's the gym that doesn't play lame 21st century songs - it lets the crowd create the atmosphere.

It's retro - it's the place where we care about the game and not what game is being played on the scoreboard. Where if someone tries to sell you sushi - you tell them you you only eat fish if it's fried.

Ditch UConn on the jerseys - it's Connecticut. Bring back all white Jonathon with his tongue hanging out, it's been straight downhill with the rapey dog logo.

XL should change their name to HCC. Having Cool (reinsurance) Coverage. Reverse synergy.

Back to the future. We used to sit under scoreboards in the corners - they replaced the scoreboards and nobody has ever sat there since.

Scrap the fancy scoreboard over midcourt. It's probably going to fall on someone someday anyway. Our scoreboards are in the corners and teams only have three characters to be indentified by.

Put the 'Time of Day' clocks back in the corners. I actually looked for it out of a 30 year old habit the other day.

FWIW - there was maybe an overlap of 200 people between the parade and the game. One quarter of them watched the game - the other 75% were in the way in the HCC bar.

 

[Adios]

I could ask him for one - not sure what I'd want it for? He had me in Secret Santa this year (Christmas thing) - I got beer and golf balls.

For him! If he has jerseys of his own, all good. Some players like to get their jerseys back if they don't have them. And some don't care for them.

 

[whaler11]

It's 2017.

People have been convinced that The Voice is a good television show.

People have been convinced that Applebee's is a suitable place to eat a meal of food.

People have been convinced that 50 Shades of Gray is an erotic novel.

People have been convinced that we need more Marvel comic book movies.

People have been convinced that the Kardasians are worth caring about.

Getting say 15k to the XL center to watch a 4 time NC program seems pretty easy in comparison to all that.

 

[ct06111]

I agree on the HCC. I love the upper corners. Sat in 240 all 3 games.

Place is unique. Haven't been to that many places, but I don't want a cookie cutter arena that looks the same as every other major arena. I don't want a MSG / TD Garden.

Look at the NVMC -> Barclays for the islanders. They regret leaving, but made more $.

Do we care more about more $ and new revenue streams for UConn or maintaining the warm fuzzies? Can we renovate and not ruin the history?
I went to HWBC trip to Nassau the last year there and that place reminded me of HCC. A dump, but it was their dump. They embraced it. LOUD and sightlines for hockey were great.

I'm torn on what they should do. I love the history of the place and old arenas. New ones are corporate $ makers that are cookie cutter and the acoustics suck

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I see @whaler11 went a little stir crazy, hit the sauce, and decided it was a good time to hit the Boneyard late in the evening. Nothing good ever happens after midnight.

You're ruining the board.

 

[whaler11]

I see @whaler11 went a little stir crazy, hit the sauce, and decided it was a good time to hit the Boneyard late in the evening. Nothing good ever happens after midnight.

You're ruining the board.

I guess I would be ruining it if that were possible.

 

[Exit 4]

The yard goat sellout is very nice to see. Great team name....cool location. I hope to make the trek up this summer to check it out.

As for why UConn Mens BB has attendance issues... I think its mostly because of the ubiquity of televised games....but also, of course the absence of local rivals is hurting and I don't think the region has completely embraced Kevin Ollie. Next year is a big year for UConn Mens BB. A real rebound is a must.

 

[FartMan69]

I know for a fact they sold a decent amount to the Insurance companies as I've been offered some by my buddies who work at Travelers and the Hartford. Place will be full but don't act like this is some scorching hot ticket.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The bar in the XL center is cool if you don't feel like watching the game and love leaving an empty seat in the arena, not unlike the concourses and area under the scoreboard at The Rent it makes already sparse crowds look worse. I think they should sell specific bar area tickets, rent it out to groups etc etc. Do people not realize you can get beer in like 20 different places in the arena? I dunno that place pisses me off.

 

[J187Money]

The bar is the only place at XL where you can get mixed drinks though.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The bar is the only place at XL where you can get mixed drinks though.

They don't lock you in until you finish them

 

[CL82]

I guess I would be ruining it if that were possible.

 

[Adios]

I think the Yard Goats will be a success. Easily. Then gotta lure the Paw Sox.

 

[UCFBfan]

I think they can be successful and I think that them getting their $5 parking at multiple close lots will be a big boost. I will say I'm surprised they don't have some sort of rate for the Bus Line. It would cost me more to take the bus just by myself then to park the car. Considering that I still need to drive to the bus station, I'd have zero incentive to take the FastTrak. I'd have thought they'd try to use the Yard Goats to encourage more riders by giving fares similar to parking. Instead, with my family of 4, there's not a shot I ever step foot on that bus.

(This comment was not meant to derail this convo into one on the bus line and it's usage)

 

[weyuo]

I think moving a minor league baseball team from New Britain to Hartford and having the tax payers spend one penny on it is criminal. Your not talking about improving an institute of higher learning that anyone in the state wanting to can apply to for access. Your talking about a private business that if anything is going to add extra stress to the traffic problems in and around Hartford and after the initial curiosity of some shiny new thing will end up costing more than contributing to the city of Hartford and ultimately the tax payers of the state of CT. You want to waste your money buying tickets for a minor league baseball team that will most likely not be here a decade from now then go for it but please can we move this boondockle to the cesspool where it belongs and get back to topics about UConn Football?

 

[Adios]

I think moving a minor league baseball team from New Britain to Hartford and having the tax payers spend one penny on it is criminal. Your not talking about improving an institute of higher learning that anyone in the state wanting to can apply to for access. Your talking about a private business that if anything is going to add extra stress to the traffic problems in and around Hartford and after the initial curiosity of some shiny new thing will end up costing more than contributing to the city of Hartford and ultimately the tax payers of the state of CT. You want to waste your money buying tickets for a minor league baseball team that will most likely not be here a decade from now then go for it but please can we move this boondockle to the cesspool where it belongs and get back to topics about UConn Football?

Reminder - No politics discussed in this forum.

Only your post belongs there. The title says "OT" for a reason, genius.

 

[zls44]

FasTrack round-trip is $3.50. Many of the stations have free parking.

Its not a lot less than $5, but its less.

 

[BlueMAB]

FasTrack round-trip is $3.50. Many of the stations have free parking.

Its not a lot less than $5, but its less.

If you're going alone. But @UCFBfan mentioned his family of four.

$14 for four tickets round trip isn't expensive, but if you can drive and park for $5, most will. Considering the buses will run no matter how many are (not) on board, they should consider selling discounted bus passes with yard goats tickets.

 

[BlueMAB]

I think moving a minor league baseball team from New Britain to Hartford and having the tax payers spend one penny on it is criminal. Your not talking about improving an institute of higher learning that anyone in the state wanting to can apply to for access. Your talking about a private business that if anything is going to add extra stress to the traffic problems in and around Hartford and after the initial curiosity of some shiny new thing will end up costing more than contributing to the city of Hartford and ultimately the tax payers of the state of CT. You want to waste your money buying tickets for a minor league baseball team that will most likely not be here a decade from now then go for it but please can we move this boondockle to the cesspool where it belongs and get back to topics about UConn Football?

You made the discussion political.

If you're not interested in discussing the Yard Goats, DON'T CLICK ON THE LINK.

 

[UCFBfan]

FasTrack round-trip is $3.50. Many of the stations have free parking.

Its not a lot less than $5, but its less.

I thought I figured it out so that it wasn't cheaper for me as a single but I may have looked wrong and read it wrong. The rates are for 2 hours I believe so it would be pretty cool if they made a single fare be good for the length of the game for those traveling to the game. I gave zero clue how they enforce that though.

 

[UCPusky]

...The rates are for 2 hours I believe so it would be pretty cool if they made a single fare be good for the length of the game for those traveling to the game. I gave zero clue how they enforce that though.

Show your game ticket stub if a fare enforcer asks.

 

[John]

How about those 7-8k with another 7-8k on top of them?

I agree with a lot of what you say but I don't agree the building cuts attendance in half.

It's a perfectly fine place to watch 2 hours of basketball. Just look at the love that Fenway and Wrigley get - relative to their peers those are the two worst places in MLB to watch a game - but they are net positives for attendance.

Maybe someone needs to convince people that a game in the XL Center is a trip back to when America was great. When stadiums weren't built to separate you from your ATM card. Where the beer is cold and flowing. It's the gym that doesn't play lame 21st century songs - it lets the crowd create the atmosphere.

It's retro - it's the place where we care about the game and not what game is being played on the scoreboard. Where if someone tries to sell you sushi - you tell them you you only eat fish if it's fried.

Ditch UConn on the jerseys - it's Connecticut. Bring back all white Jonathon with his tongue hanging out, it's been straight downhill with the rapey dog logo.

XL should change their name to HCC. Having Cool (reinsurance) Coverage. Reverse synergy.

Back to the future. We used to sit under scoreboards in the corners - they replaced the scoreboards and nobody has ever sat there since.

Scrap the fancy scoreboard over midcourt. It's probably going to fall on someone someday anyway. Our scoreboards are in the corners and teams only have three characters to be indentified by.

Put the 'Time of Day' clocks back in the corners. I actually looked for it out of a 30 year old habit the other day.

FWIW - there was maybe an overlap of 200 people between the parade and the game. One quarter of them watched the game - the other 75% were in the way in the HCC bar.

How about the smoke-filled concourse that turned into a smoke hazed arena by the end of the game?