Jacobs: UConn Fans Partially to Blame

[Wbbfan1]

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn...obs-column-kml-three-point-record-column.html


Have to Agree, more UConn fans should have been in attendance at last night's game.

If its not Spring Break time, would like to have seen more Students at the Game.

 

[Henry]

I would have liked to have gone but I have to work in the morning and don't bounce back as well when I get home at midnight. If it was a 7:00 game my wife and I probably would have gone.

 

[JBMudd]

I'm not sure how the ticket sales work for the NCAA tourney. I doubt tickets were available at the usual student rates as in the regular season. The 9pm start didn't help put fannies in the seats either. There were games being played in CA so why did UCONN have to play the late game?? Answer: RATINGS.

 

[terif831]

I was there & I wouldn't have missed it for the world - but I'm paying for it now at work! I'm sure the late time kept families away.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Game times were nuts yesterday. Uconn starts at 9pm, late for those that have work the next day.
Stanford starts at 3.30pm, PDT, while people are in work.
Who plans this stuff?

 

[VA Huskie]

Why fewer fans? Lots of reasons. Complacency, crazy start time on a weeknight, many fans are older, some (like me) moved away to warmer climates, some of us older folks have passed, etc. Clearly it's all about the ratings as Ocho said above.

Sad that K and Kiah didn't get a better turnout, but they'll be ok.

 

[ctfjr]

The reality is there is a large segment of the fanbase that is older, says Mr Obvious. The 9 pm start is a killer for most fans who live 30-40 miles away (I'm about 50). Getting home after midnight & having to work the next day is a bummer.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn...obs-column-kml-three-point-record-column.html


Have to Agree, more UConn fans should have been in attendance at last night's game.

If its not Spring Break time, would like to have seen more Students at the Game.

9 pm on a school night? It would take two hours to get home for me alone. The people who further out closer to the NY border and MA border.... In litchfield count with no highways would take longer. It was a bad time to plan the game. Don't blame fans especially the fans who are younger or people responsible for children. You can agree all you want. Does not make you right

 

[Tonyc]

For those of us in SW CT its tuff and late for a week nite. Over an 90minutes up and back plus traffic getting out, many of us are looking at getting home after midnite with work the next day. I have a income tax business and its impossible for me to get there this time of year unless its Harbor Yard which the Regionals will be the next 2 years. I hope the timing is right as Im planning to be there for those games.

 

[ctmom04]

I went back and forth yesterday on my decision to attend the game. Ultimately, I decided against it. Four children ranging in ages from 3-11, an hour and a half commute, and a 9 PM start time was just too much. If this was a 7 o'clock game, this family of 6 would have been present last night with many others I'm sure.

 

[Blueballer]

I'm not sure how the ticket sales work for the NCAA tourney. I doubt tickets were available at the usual student rates as in the regular season. The 9pm start didn't help put fannies in the seats either. There were games being played in CA so why did UCONN have to play the late game?? Answer: RATINGS.

I'd like to know if the actual ticket sales were the problem or if it was no shows? And I don't get the discount rate for students issue. I have a feeling that if they worked out a system for fans to buy the tickets (In advance) many would and if the time is too late then they would be willing to make those seats available to students like they did during one of those bad weather games this year.

 

[uconnell]

Jacobs is placing the blame on the wrong people.

 

[EricLA]

Jacobs is placing the blame on the wrong people.

There's definitely some truth to that, but where were all the students? If there were that many unused tickets, how about an announcement on campus inviting the entire student body to fill the arena?

 

[Ha Who]

Relax folks. If UCONN is not in a P5 league by the time Geno leaves the Olympic team, we will go the way of Monclair State and ODU. Fans will yearn for a 9:00 start time in Storrs.

 

[jsloanjr]

NCAA still tries to milk the UCONN faithful every year.......Hopefully, they will acknowledge that they need an early Tip time.......Lets do the 4 PM or 6 PM again.........

 

[JBMudd]

I'd like to know if the actual ticket sales were the problem or if it was no shows? And I don't get the discount rate for students issue. I have a feeling that if they worked out a system for fans to buy the tickets (In advance) many would and if the time is too late then they would be willing to make those seats available to students like they did during one of those bad weather games this year.

What I was trying to convey about the discount rate for students was that 1) maybe some students couldn't afford to attend the game and 2) the University doesn't control the tickets for the tournament. The NCAA does so the University may not be able to invite the student body to fill the empty seats.

 

[Blueballer]

What I was trying to convey about the discount rate for students was that 1) maybe some students couldn't afford to attend the game and 2) the University doesn't control the tickets for the tournament. The NCAA does so the University may not be able to invite the student body to fill the empty seats.

Yes I get that they can't give them away, but a donated seat is a donated seat. It shouldn't matter if you give it to your sister in law or a student.

 

[Lurker]

Jacobs is placing the blame on the wrong people.

Absolutely agree. This is an arrogant, condescending, self-righteous, and naive story by Jacobs that enables him to meet his publishers deadline and stake out holier than thou ground for himself. Really ticks me off. We fans do what we can and have to manage the complexities of our own lives. It does not take a genius to recognize that a late start is a problem to the fan base. Yet, some people expect they can have it both ways, a very late tip-off for families that have to travel AND a full stadium. Sorry - NOT! We fans have to be disappointed that the system creates scheduling that does not allow us to see our team, and then we get kicked for the outcomes of decisions we had no say over. Jacobs - go advocate for timing that can allow us to attend and please stop harping on us fans!

 

[geneticrex]

Pay the games in Brdgeport and watch the "southerners" fill it up.

 

[OldAlum]

I managed to get there - but only because I retired this year and haven't spent $$$ on season, regional or final four tickets.
I noticed when I got on the website that the lower bowl seats on the sides were just about sold out. I got the last in my section according to that. Yet when I got there, there were more empty seats than accounted for by just a few no-shows.
Didn't everyone have to specifically buy these tickets? So no season ticket holders or corporate seats for no-shows? One problem is that if a fan looked at the ticket possibilities, they could have decided that there were no "good seats" left.

The students that were there were great. Of course would have liked more of them. I don't know what their ticket price was. It does become a cost issue for many students to attend many games - especially a game that was perceived as an "easy win". Still WCBB hasn't had the size of the student fan base that the mens game enjoyed.

Cost is an issue for many of us. Tickets aren't that expensive compared to other amusements, but it adds up over a season. And you add in parking and snacks, etc. so it is harder for families when times are tougher. And if you buy early or spring for season tickets, you face the possibility that you won't be able to get to some games because of winter weather.

TV is helping to kill UConn WCBB live sport attendance. Casual fans have access to their team through TV and are tough to persuade to spend the time and money to attend in person. Expecting them to come relatively late at night on a weekday just compounds the difficulties. Many fans are TV-only. They became fans by watching on TV and the extensive coverage means they are used to watching from the comfort of home. And some of us started this way when the games were sellouts and you had to pay $$$ to try to get good season tickets. Only the big rivalry games create the buzz to get sellouts.

Sure, in some ways UConn women are victims of their own success. Fans are tougher to excite over games UConn figures to win big. It is more difficult to get bodies in the seats. But the UConn fan base extends well beyond the in-person attendance. The TV networks know this. Unfortuantely it is why we got these crummy start times in the first two rounds.

 

[barbrox]

Even some TV viewing fans would prefer an earlier starting time. Some folks have to go to work the next day or school.... and some of us older folks just can't handle the late nights. What makes ESPN think that they get higher viewership after 9PM?

 

[Alydar]

The people an honest journalist would interview are Lobo and Lawson and the director of scheduling at ESPN. But Jeff is either a sloppy investigator or else he sees the writing on the wall for sports journalists at newspapers and he won't criticize what may be his best option for a job when the courant lays him off.

I'd love to hear what Lobo and lawson think. Jeff can get to them and report back to us if he wishes.

 

[triaddukefan]

9pm starting times on the east coast are ridiculous for WCBB.

 

[Gate81]

I'm not sure how the ticket sales work for the NCAA tourney. I doubt tickets were available at the usual student rates as in the regular season. The 9pm start didn't help put fannies in the seats either. There were games being played in CA so why did UCONN have to play the late game?? Answer: RATINGS.

agreed -- Stanford game started at 3:30 p.m. local time! Could have swapped the two!

 

[uconnfan68]

NCAA still tries to milk the UCONN faithful every year..Hopefully, they will acknowledge that they need an early Tip time..Lets do the 4 PM or 6 PM again....

ESPN and the NCAA still tries to milk the UCONN faithful every year..Hopefully, they will acknowledge that they need an early Tip time..Lets do the 4 PM or 6 PM again....

fixed it for you.