If we don't get close to a full house we got a problem

[NYUConn]

Can we PLEASE stop with this crap?

5-19 in 2 years, with finishing 2014 regressing badly. Look no further as to why the stadium isn't full. Gotta stop blaming fans that choose to spend their time and money on something else.

@Carl Spackler it may have been you who said this a few weeks back, but at any rate, I think it bears repeating:

Fans have no obligation to be die-hards for 4+ sports a year, that's the commitment you expect from alums.

If I hadn't gone to UConn I honestly don't know that I would care about our Women's Basketball program. It's cool that they are good, but if I had gone elsewhere and had moved to CT after graduation, I probably wouldn't care. Women's basketball simply doesn't do it for me.

However, I went to UConn. I had classes with Diani Taurasi and I have a ton of pride in the fact that they are the team to beat every year.

You can be a fan of UConn basketball and not care about the football program. It's incredibly shortsighted in my opinion and to not understand the two are tied together if just ignorant, but I am ok with it.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Can we PLEASE stop with this crap?

5-19 in 2 years, with finishing 2014 regressing badly. Look no further as to why the stadium isn't full. Gotta stop blaming fans that choose to spend their time and money on something else.

My biggest issue isn't with justifying the cost/value of a ticket- its in the lack of marketing of the game, and scheduling a Thursday night opener.

 

[huskymedic]

My biggest issue isn't with justifying the cost/value of a ticket- its in the lack of marketing of the game, and scheduling a Thursday night opener.

Okay - bam - magic wand. The game is now Friday night or Saturday afternoon--- how many more people come this year? Another 2k? Could be less due to scholastic fall sports kicking off in earnest.

 

[Waquoit]

I'm not saying it'd be genius vs boondoggle construction wise. I'm saying it's a dicey proposition filling it with fans wise.

I have no doubt we fill an expanded Rent if we get in the B1G, even if we stink. It will become an event. The ACC would be more results dependant, but still much better than now.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I have no doubt we fill an expanded Rent if we get in the B1G, even if we stink. It will become an event. The ACC would be more results dependant, but still much better than now.

Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State and yes, Florida State would fill it. Clemson, Wisconsin, MSU would be strong as well. I am sure that the Big Ten knows this.

 

[Carl Spackler]

My biggest issue isn't with justifying the cost/value of a ticket- its in the lack of marketing of the game, and scheduling a Thursday night opener.

Well, you haven't been around that long, because it used to be the argument that Labor Day weekend Saturday games were an attendance and scheduling problem. Nobody is alwsys happy. The game has been marketed much better than in the past, you can only sell a sandwich so many times though. Until tge product is good again, this is a stupid and useless discussion. We've had great footbsll with garbage publicity and exposure, and ee've got exposure now but garbage football. Until both match up, the quality fpotball and ptomotion, its a non-issue and I will now exercise some discipline and stop commenting on it. Spinning on a wheel like a hamster is not for me.

 

[businesslawyer]

Can we just let this argument die?

Here - for the last time:

The last sell out that happened because of a winning football team was the final home game of the 2010 season. We had just under 38,000 for opening night against UMASS in 2011 if I remember correctly. That's 4 seasons ago, and after Edsall had already skipped town after the Fiesta Bowl. As the draw of our regular conference opponents went away from 2011-2013, with the changing conferences thereafter combined with our tailspin downward and failure to maintain winning at home - attendance fell off the charts.

Shortly after the start of 2011 season, if memory serves - that was the fall that Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia followed Miami's, Boston College's and Virginia Tech's footsteps out the Big East door after Villanova - the same Villanova we see in 48 hours - punted the upgrade offer to join the big east pathetically in the spring, after drawing out the deadline and upgrade offer for nearly 2 years or something since 2009-2010 when we nearly had TCU as aconference partner in addition to the Big East. The garbage that Villanova brought to the table that was supposed to make the Big East a 10 program league, with TCU as well, but was inexcusable, and the final straw, nail, whatever you want to call it. Syracuse and Pitt were in the ACC less than 4 months after Villanova brought that proposal.

We are 5-19 in the past 2 seasons.

If we have 15,000 people in the stadium for Thursday night, that's realistic for where we're at. If we can get 20,000+ through the gates (50% capacity) after the fall of the apst 4 seasons, that would be remarkable. There is absolutely no reason to be concerned about attendance, until we are back to where we were at in 2010 as a relevant competitive program. If we get back to that level of football, and the stadium is empty? That's just not going to happen. We aren't Boston College, or Syracuse. We are UCONN. The concern, is that if we continue to the bed, by October, Nov of every year - the stadium will be populated by friends and family and that's it. That's the culture we live in. Win, and you will be loved and followed. Lose, and it's good your mom and dad love you.

That is partially true. There is no point getting worried about attendance until we start playing competitive football again. When we do, if attendance doesn't head up, we have a problem, and who knows if it will, but I'll worry about it then. First win.

But we'll never sell out regularly again until we're in a better conference. That is just reality.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If you live in the real world? Yes.

If you think Stanley Robinson wasn't athletic enough for the BE, who knows???

If Stanley Robinson was the greatest athlete in basketball history, as you claim, then why didn't he have a pro career?

 

[Stainmaster]

If Stanley Robinson was the greatest athlete in basketball history, as you claim, then why didn't he have a pro career?

He literally said nothing of the sort. What's your deal, guy?

 

[Dooley]

The attendance would be the same amount, whatever it winds up being, if the game was played on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. It's a tough sell for anyone to fork over money to watch what we've all watched in the last few years. I do it because I'm alum. My brother does it because he wants to be there when we play games in the B1G. Admittedly, we thought long and hard about now renewing ST and, instead, piecing together the season via $0-$10 promo/scalper deals. Ultimately, we felt like we were "obligated" to the school, program and, larger extent, the state to renew. Selfishly, we both hold out hope that we can watch Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan (again), Nebraska, etc run out of the tunnels from our seats in 139.

Sadly, it's a tough sell right now. I'm not even confident that if someone bought out the stadium on a ST basis, they could give away the tickets. Winning and CR are the two things that will draw the fans back. Hopefully both come soon.

 

[NYUConn]

The attendance would be the same amount, whatever it winds up being, if the game was played on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. It's a tough sell for anyone to fork over money to watch what we've all watched in the last few years. I do it because I'm alum. My brother does it because he wants to be there when we play games in the B1G. Admittedly, we thought long and hard about now renewing ST and, instead, piecing together the season via $0-$10 promo/scalper deals. Ultimately, we felt like we were "obligated" to the school, program and, larger extent, the state to renew. Selfishly, we both hold out hope that we can watch Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan (again), Nebraska, etc run out of the tunnels from our seats in 139.

Sadly, it's a tough sell right now. I'm not even confident that if someone bought out the stadium on a ST basis, they could give away the tickets. Winning and CR are the two things that will draw the fans back. Hopefully both come soon.

I'm with you man. The team has been hot garbage for two seasons now. When we went 3-9 at least we had Michigan, Maryland, Rutgers at home.

But now that I'm older it's a struggle when you have a mortgage and other bills to fit in a couple hundred bucks a season to watch the team get beat by freakin SMU.

I get season tix every year as a donation because as an Alum I feel the same obligation as you do, but man they are making it difficult these days.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

He literally said nothing of the sort. What's your deal, guy?

sdhusky likes to make up things and claim I said them. He doesn't like it when I do it to him.

 

[rich1122]

Attendance will continue to decline as anybody with any sense, or money, just leaves the state in mass.

 

[Waquoit]

Most UConn basketball fans know full well that the future of UConn hoops is linked to the football team.

Maybe not so much. The hoop team just landed another big recruit. But if the BB fan bashers are out there are honest, they will admit that without the great hoop programs, UConn isn't getting even a sniff of the P5.

 

[Alum86]

@Carl Spackler it may have been you who said this a few weeks back, but at any rate, I think it bears repeating:

Fans have no obligation to be die-hards for 4+ sports a year, that's the commitment you expect from alums.

If I hadn't gone to UConn I honestly don't know that I would care about our Women's Basketball program. It's cool that they are good, but if I had gone elsewhere and had moved to CT after graduation, I probably wouldn't care. Women's basketball simply doesn't do it for me.

However, I went to UConn. I had classes with Diani Taurasi and I have a ton of pride in the fact that they are the team to beat every year.

You can be a fan of UConn basketball and not care about the football program. It's incredibly shortsighted in my opinion and to not understand the two are tied together if just ignorant, but I am ok with it.

The geriatric set that follow lady hoop best be concerned with football. They're tied to it's success and exostence. That said I used to watch womens hoop at the field house in front of friends and family.
No Taurasis back then

 

[uconnphil2016]

Guys, I understand it's not easy to lose, but is it really that difficult to sit outside for six fall afternoons and watch football with friends? Yes, the team sucks. Yes, people have left. Yes, we got screwed in CR. But let's not be mistaken, this isn't a nuclear fallout. We're lucky to have made the jump to 1A in the first place. In the next decade conferences will once again shift and we'll end up in a better place after the second realignment than we are now. People in CT are so damn negative, and that is why people have left. Football games are fun to watch. More people should be showing up. Period.

 

[cttxus]

Seriously? is Trump giving you a ride in his helicopter?

Even being satisfied with getting there 90 minutes before kickoff (on Saturdays I shoot for 120), I figure I have to leave my office in Stamford no later than 3:30 to have any chance to get home, change and put the food in the car, meet my friend and get to the Rent by 6. And given what the traffic is normally like when we've opened the Thursday before Labor Day, I won't make it by 6.

I flew into LGA early Thursday afternoon before the July 4th holiday this year, and it took me almost 4 hrs to get across the Q bridge. Decided to stop off at the Angus Steakhouse in Fairfield for a beverage to calm my nerves. Lesson learned after not living in S. CT for 19 yrs: driving north from Fairfield Cty on 95 or the Merritt sucks the day before a holiday weekend. I'm guessing you won't have enough time to get the grill fired up, etc., leaving at 3:30. If it was me, I would opt for a Gold's Deli sandwich or grinder-to-go, and a roadie along the way. Of course, I'd have my co-pilot driving at the time. Then I'd hope for a few minutes to relax and enjoy a second course once I got parked at PAWS ARF.

 

[Exit 4]

I have done so once or twice. And while I don't deny being a social misfit, it would be hard to overstate how little interest there is in Fairfield County about UConn football.

True. There really is so little interest in UConn football down here. I can never find anyone to go. People like UConn basketball however - including all kinds of passive fans.

I just bought four tickets to this game. Probably won't be lucky enough to get up there Thursday - but I wanted to help at some capacity with at least a 'seat' donation.

 

[Stray_Dog]

Guys, I understand it's not easy to lose, but is it really that difficult to sit outside for six fall afternoons and watch football with friends? Yes, the team sucks. Yes, people have left. Yes, we got screwed in CR. But let's not be mistaken, this isn't a nuclear fallout. We're lucky to have made the jump to 1A in the first place. In the next decade conferences will once again shift and we'll end up in a better place after the second realignment than we are now. People in CT are so damn negative, and that is why people have left. Football games are fun to watch. More people should be showing up. Period.

...Part of it is our New England New York City mind set. We want things done now...if you want to wait and have patience then anywhere in the South is for you! Here, if your not winning then your nothing! Yankee fans get really quiet when ther team is bad, they might reminisce about a previous season but will walk away from you if you want to talk about this year or worse, tell you how great they are because of their dynasty. Well, UConn has no dynasty and its a new seaon with negative expectations - so sure accept we are in 1A - BCS, accept that we can grill our food and be over-charged for a beer in the stadium! Then sit in your seat and strap yourself down cause your eyeballs are about to bleed! With this in mind, I cannot in good conscience judge my friends poorly who choose not to go to a game.

 

[buddy]

I have done so once or twice. And while I don't deny being a social misfit, it would be hard to overstate how little interest there is in Fairfield County about UConn football.

I have to say that you are correct.

 

[CTBasketball]

I flew into LGA early Thursday afternoon before the July 4th holiday this year, and it took me almost 4 hrs to get across the Q bridge. Decided to stop off at the Angus Steakhouse in Fairfield for a beverage to calm my nerves. Lesson learned after not living in S. CT for 19 yrs: driving north from Fairfield Cty on 95 or the Merritt sucks the day before a holiday weekend. I'm guessing you won't have enough time to get the grill fired up, etc., leaving at 3:30. If it was me, I would opt for a Gold's Deli sandwich or grinder-to-go, and a roadie along the way. Of course, I'd have my co-pilot driving at the time. Then I'd hope for a few minutes to relax and enjoy a second course once I got parked at PAWS ARF.

Should have stopped at the Grape in Fairfield or Anna Liffeys. Both former drinking spots for CTB back in college. However, I agree getting out of Fairfield County is impossible. Sometimes the best way is to go Rt. 8 and cut thru Prospect to Cheshire/Wallingford to 91. Other times it's the connector to 15.

I would stay away from Waterbury and New Haven. Unfortunately, those two cities blockade traffic from the southern part of the state.

My rule used to be that if you're out of Fairfield (the town) by 3:30 you should be OK. If not, get ready for hell.

 

[buddy]

Guys, I understand it's not easy to lose, but is it really that difficult to sit outside for six fall afternoons and watch football with friends? Yes, the team sucks. Yes, people have left. Yes, we got screwed in CR. But let's not be mistaken, this isn't a nuclear fallout. We're lucky to have made the jump to 1A in the first place. In the next decade conferences will once again shift and we'll end up in a better place after the second realignment than we are now. People in CT are so damn negative, and that is why people have left. Football games are fun to watch. More people should be showing up. Period.

UConn football has not been fun to watch for the past few years. I suspect you never made it from your tailgate to an actual game. UConn has been demoted. You can twist it any way that you want but that is a fact, and people are just not going to give their time and money for second tier games when there is so much else to do with their time. People have not left CT because UConn football is bad, or that UConn has been demoted to G5. People want to go to where there is opportunity, real or not. You cannot blame anyone for not wanting to watch what UConn football has been over the past few years. Hopefully, it will change, and hopefully it will not take a decade for it to happen.

 

[huskymedic]

I judge no one who chooses not to go to a game because they won't have a good time and people here can argue the product/date/weather/opponent/family commitments till the dairy bar cows come home but outside the group here - 17k on opening night is gonna be a bad optic compared to peers when week one attendance figures are tallied and will continue to push the narrative that UConn Football is going no where anytime soon. It is what it is - but it is.

UCFSports 7:44pm via TweetDeck
GOL says UCF is expecting 34,000 for the season opener vs. FIU, apparently including a full student section.

TomGroeschen Aug 31, 10:07am via TweetDeck
Some tickets remain but #UC still expects full house (40K) at Nippert reopening Saturday, AD Mike Bohn says. (versus Alabama A&M)

ECU is looking at well north of 30k if predications are to be believed (versus Towson)

See ya Thursday afternoon!

 

[CTMike]

Well you are right Medic, so folks should mentally prepare for 20k tops.

For us, the die hards - we are there no matter what. For most everyone else, we need to start winning first (or at least be entertaining) before people show up again... And for others, it will take winning/being entertaining against teams we care about. Which is an obvious problem. So let's hope winning is enough, for now.

Like you said, it is what it is, but there are no quick fixes.

 

[businesslawyer]

sdhusky likes to make up things and claim I said them. He doesn't like it when I do it to him.

Wait -- you are admitting to that? I think I just saw what heaven is like.