You spoke, AD Dave Listens

[UConnTrumbull]

Finally! Some real good moves to get students to games. A winning product will help big time as well.

 

[19lurker]

Excited to be able to get season tix at the game! We will be fighting the Bob Saget show and the weather a little bit for turnout. I understand why they made the move to Friday night, but not sure student turnout will be where it would be if it was Saturday instead. Fingers crossed!

 

[DoctorWho85]

This guy just gets it

 

[uconnphil2016]

Free bus was a necessary piece. The fact that kids had to pay to get driven to the off campus stadium was always BS

 

[huskymedic]

I wanna see if that's for the whole year and not just the Spring Game.

 

[mikedog10]

Great that the student bus tickets are free! Hopefully they get into the stadium before kickoff... the other key is that they limit the number of busses/students that leave the game early to go back to campus. I'm glad to see these steps in the right direction.

 

[JMick]

Great that the student bus tickets are free! Hopefully they get into the stadium before kickoff... the other key is that they limit the number of busses/students that leave the game early to go back to campus. I'm glad to see these steps in the right direction.

I don't think they should limit busses going back. Yes it's awful that most of the section files out at halftime but they shouldn't hold them hostage

 

[Stinger92860]

I don't think they should limit busses going back. Yes it's awful that most of the section files out at halftime but they shouldn't hold them hostage

Free beer after half time for those students who get there for kickoff. That should work.

 

[Husky pride]

I don't think they should limit busses going back. Yes it's awful that most of the section files out at halftime but they shouldn't hold them hostage

You get free transport back and forth, free pizza, to watch YOUR COLLEGE team a limited number of weeks during YOUR college years.....not sure I'd call that being held "hostage".....especially if they prove ( as I'm betting they will) to be competitive!!

 

[Palatine]

I like all of this. But students are NOT the problem. They usually fill their section and they are always great at the games.

The problem is Ws.

 

[JMick]

You get free transport back and forth, free pizza, to watch YOUR COLLEGE team a limited number of weeks during YOUR college years.....not sure I'd call that being held "hostage".....especially if they prove ( as I'm betting they will) to be competitive!!

Unfortunately that's not the culture. If you limit the busses back I guarantee even less would show up. Ease of access to and from is what holds back student attendance. Most students there aren't even college football fans. They're there for the party. They'll cheer obviously but they're not diehards and there's nothing wrong with that. We need more casual fans, not less.

 

[polycom]

Great that the student bus tickets are free! Hopefully they get into the stadium before kickoff... the other key is that they limit the number of busses/students that leave the game early to go back to campus. I'm glad to see these steps in the right direction.

Alabama and Clemson have the same problems about people leaving at halftime nothing is going to change that.

 

[Husky pride]

Unfortunately that's not the culture. If you limit the busses back I guarantee even less would show up. Ease of access to and from is what holds back student attendance. Most students there aren't even college football fans. They're there for the party. They'll cheer obviously but they're not diehards and there's nothing wrong with that. We need more casual fans, not less.

I'm not able to "guarantee" whether you're wrong or right. When noting the student attendance at other schools ( agreed often at winning programs) I'd have to believe we're among the exceptions as far as how our guys would react as well as the way they view UConn football games. You may be correct, but I'm hoping for a change once we're able to put together a competitive program that all can take pride in.

 

[JMick]

I'm not able to "guarantee" whether you're wrong or right. When noting the student attendance at other schools ( agreed often at winning programs) I'd have to believe we're among the exceptions as far as how our guys would react as well as the way they view UConn football games. You may be correct, but I'm hoping for a change once we're able to put together a competitive program that all can take pride in.

I'm not very far removed from graduation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that less frequent return trip busses is a bad idea. The only thing that will keep students in their seats is a good game against a name brand opponent. Or Friday/Saturday night games. If all our games started at 7 I think we'd see a 10% attendance bump.

 

[SubbaBub]

A Saturday in college started at 10am at the earliest and I had no intentions of getting on a bus. Getting lunch and back to the couch by noon was an accomplishment.

At the bigger programs, the student section is the last to fill in, if it even does and the first to empty. The size masks it on TV.

They show for big games, too.

 

[CL82]

I'm not very far removed from graduation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that less frequent return trip busses is a bad idea. The only thing that will keep students in their seats is a good game against a name brand opponent. Or Friday/Saturday night games. If all our games started at 7 I think we'd see a 10% attendance bump.

Why?

 

[polycom]

Why?

Because on Friday night I'd get home or go to sleep on average between 2-3 am... that 8am bus was happening most of the time.

 

[huskyrob1]

View attachment 21764

Finally! Some real good moves to get students to games. A winning product will help big time as well.

Getting students to games? The only move is an on campus stadium. Dan Malloy and the state house might give token help, but private donations is the way to go. Maybe even try the Feds, I mean if NFL cities can get federal help to build sports stadiums, why not UCONN? Even hit up the 5000 wealthiest state residents. Lol

 

[AreBee1969]

I just toured UMD with my daughter and thought it was great that the cost of BB games and FB games is part of a student's tuition. The student gets an email for each game, they log in and print their ticket. Nothing more out-of pocket. There is a lottery process for the bigger draw hoop games, (two or three per year). All other sports are free with your ID, and you can walk to every venue on campus. I immediately thought of what a logistical nightmare UCONN students go through for FB and XL BB games.

 

[Husky pride]

I'm not very far removed from graduation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that less frequent return trip busses is a bad idea. The only thing that will keep students in their seats is a good game against a name brand opponent. Or Friday/Saturday night games. If all our games started at 7 I think we'd see a 10% attendance bump.

Okay. I guess you know the mindset of the current student body better than I am. I can't help but feel it's an unfortunate situation at my former school. In the past, some of us have made excuses for less than desirable student support/participation--- citing the stadium location and the transportation issue. Now Benedict comes out with free transportation...and throws in free pizza...and unless the buses leave at a satisfactory time, some measure of the student body, apparently won't bother to attend. Casual fans, partying or whatever....it's a sad commentary.

 

[CL82]

Because on Friday night I'd get home or go to sleep on average between 2-3 am... that 8am bus was happening most of the time.

Fair enough but @JMick was talking about the need for early return buses. I was curious as to why the lack of them would mean less attendance in his view.

 

[CL82]

Okay. I guess you know the mindset of the current student body better than I am. I can't help but feel it's an unfortunate situation at my former school. In the past, some of us have made excuses for less than desirable student support/participation--- citing the stadium location and the transportation issue. Now Benedict comes out with free transportation...and throws in free pizza...and unless the buses leave at a satisfactory time, some measure of the student body, apparently won't bother to attend. Casual fans, partying or whatever....it's a sad commentary.

Yep. Watching games at Memorial we could have walked out at anytime but I don't remember the same kind of late show/early departure BS we see now. Of course the presence of a pony keg or two in stands might have influenced that.

 

[JMick]

Fair enough but @JMick was talking about the need for early return buses. I was curious as to why the lack of them would mean less attendance in his view.

it's pretty simple psychology. If you tell people you can come for free but can't leave when you want, less people are going to come. A lot of people only plan to stay until halftime, so the key is keeping people there because they want to be there.

 

[kemba]

it's pretty simple psychology. If you tell people you can come for free but can't leave when you want, less people are going to come. A lot of people only plan to stay until halftime, so the key is keeping people there because they want to be there.

Same with being in the seats at game time, only thing is to make the product inside better than drinking and eating in the parking lot

 

[JMick]

Same with being in the seats at game time, only thing is to make the product inside better than drinking and eating in the parking lot

Yup. In an ideal world you promote it like a minor league baseball game. An hour before kickoff it's half priced beer with a student ticket and then at halftime it's a free beer with any food purchase. But unfortunately that likely wouldn't fly with the administration or state government.