UCONN Home Game Atmosphere

[John]

It’s important for other schools too but they figured it out. It would be rough for a year or two but it would equalize and they’d get over it.

at this point it's a little more important in our peculiar case.

 

[Waquoit]

It’s important for other schools too but they figured it out. It would be rough for a year or two but it would equalize and they’d get over it.

How many other schools have won 5 times in 24 years? Maybe they could be more like UConn.

 

[krinklecut]

Maybe the first row of students (20 kids?) did that for bigger games. Let's not act like Gampel suddenly became Cameron Indoor.

When I was there (08-11) it was pretty much the entire main side of the student section.

 

[krinklecut]

How many other schools have won 5 times in 24 years? Maybe they could be more like UConn.

Okay, but the topic of this thread is gameday atmosphere

 

[DGRU]

We were in Lawrence (1st trip) and The Phog is amazing. The venue has a Fenway Park historic feel to it, but with some modern amenities added around the perimeter. Painted wooden bleacher seating through much of the arena, but they allow more knee room than Gampel. The angle of the bleachers is a bit less severe as well. Its a pretty good view. (we were near the rafters.)
Hot as @k. Students are super organized with chants and rituals.

We had a good, vocal Uconn contingent and we made a lot of noise that did not go unnoticed by Hurley, the media and certainly the KU faithful. (the kansas people were very polite and welcoming, almost to the point of annoyance).

We played like ass (everyone except Newton) and had no Castle. He was exactly what we needed to break that defense. Looking forward to March and hopeful we get them again. They are overated and we are maybe a little underrated, even with all the hype.

Dickinson plays to the crowd every time he even farts. So needy

 

[Waquoit]

Okay, but the topic of this thread is gameday atmosphere

And you want to throw away what's working for an incremental improvement.

 

[krinklecut]

And you want to throw away what's working for an incremental improvement.

This thread was started because people experienced AFH and thought “man that was awesome, how do we get some of that magic?”

By your logic, Gampel needs no improvements, XL needs no improvements, the floor at XL is fine, no notes on anything and no room for improvement because we’ve seen success.

 

[UConnSwag11]

How many other schools have won 5 times in 24 years? Maybe they could be more like UConn.

Agreed but that has nothing to do with getting the best home court advantage and atmosphere.

 

[AD DB Burner]

I think we could start by showing up on time and before tip. 30 minutes before tip at AFH looked like a UConn home game 5 minutes before tip.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

When I was there (08-11) it was pretty much the entire main side of the student section.

05-09 and I'll agree to disagree.

 

[Waquoit]

This thread was started because people experienced AFH and thought “man that was awesome, how do we get some of that magic?” By your logic, Gampel needs no improvements, XL needs no improvements, the floor at XL is fine, no notes on anything and no room for improvement because we’ve seen success.

And by your logic, big donors are going to be good with a bunch of knuckleheads standing up in front of them the entire game.

Y'wanna get some of that magic here? Play the same game in Gampel. Done.

 

[Skies2018]

As a fairly recent graduate I’d say the Gampel experience is a bit lackluster when considering our elite status in the sport. A few reasons come to mind:

1. Mansfield is tiny and not into sports compared to these Big 10/12 college towns. There aren’t a ton of bars to go to beforehand, the parking sucks, and the townsfolk just aren’t into it. They resent the university rather than embrace it. Completely different from other places in the country. Which is sad.

2. The arena itself kind of sucks. It’s an old ugly nipple in the middle of campus that until a few years ago didn’t serve beer. Theres no real history in it either so I’m not sure why they haven’t built a more modern one for their flagship programs.

3. The teams we play there aren’t that exciting. Usually it gets crazy for Villanova or a good Marquette team but nobody’s really thrilled to play St John’s or DePaul. It’s not like we’re playing other big state schools.

4. There is a lack of tradition. There’s nothing that’s passed down by the classes or alumni, people just pregame and show up. Besides a couple chants it’s really just like a professional environment - nothing really school specific.

 

[AntG168]

As a fairly recent graduate I’d say the Gampel experience is a bit lackluster when considering our elite status in the sport. A few reasons come to mind:

1. Mansfield is tiny and not into sports compared to these Big 10/12 college towns. There aren’t a ton of bars to go to beforehand, the parking sucks, and the townsfolk just aren’t into it. They resent the university rather than embrace it. Completely different from other places in the country. Which is sad.

2. The arena itself kind of sucks. It’s an old ugly nipple in the middle of campus that until a few years ago didn’t serve beer. Theres no real history in it either so I’m not sure why they haven’t built a more modern one for their flagship programs.

3. The teams we play there aren’t that exciting. Usually it gets crazy for Villanova or a good Marquette team but nobody’s really thrilled to play St John’s or DePaul. It’s not like we’re playing other big state schools.

4. There is a lack of tradition. There’s nothing that’s passed down by the classes or alumni, people just pregame and show up. Besides a couple chants it’s really just like a professional environment - nothing really school specific.

Gampel doesn’t lack tradition…

 

[JeannoCT]

They were doing that last year so unless they banned it this year it’s still a thing.

I've seen it done this year.

 

[whosurdaddy2720]

I honestly think it's more cultural than anything. Northeasterners generally love pro sports (especially baseball and NFL) more than college sports. In the Midwest and the South, college sports are embedded in the fabric of the community. We just don't do it like that up North. It is what it is.

 

[Skies2018]

Gampel doesn’t lack tradition…

What traditions do we have?

My post wasn’t meant to be insulting, it was just my opinion of why our home court atmosphere is lackluster when considering how dominant we’ve been over the past 25 years.

I would also argue that across all our sports - the lack of tradition and history is an issue. We were late to the game with athletics, no doubt about it. Many of the other big state schools have much longer and more ingrained traditions of athletic success. Doesn’t mean we can’t create them, just how it is now.

 

[superjohn]

I honestly think it's more cultural than anything. Northeasterners generally love pro sports (especially baseball and NFL) more than college sports. In the Midwest and the South, college sports are embedded in the fabric of the community. We just don't do it like that up North. It is what it is.

Midwesterners love pro sports too.

 

[superjohn]

What traditions do we have?

My post wasn’t meant to be insulting, it was just my opinion of why our home court atmosphere is lackluster when considering how dominant we’ve been over the past 25 years.

You answered your own question, 16 national championships.

 

[Gburyhusky]

This thread has taken a typical Connecticut turn. We have a great thing with Gampel that isn't quite Allen, so we trash it. Do you realize how many universities would kill to have a Gampel-type atmosphere?

 

[joelerg87]

I think we could start by showing up on time and before tip. 30 minutes before tip at AFH looked like a UConn home game 5 minutes before tip.

UConn is lucky to have Gampel or XL packed like that before tip.

I was shocked when I got to my seat like 25 minutes before tip and the place was already packed.

 

[John]

What traditions do we have?

My post wasn’t meant to be insulting, it was just my opinion of why our home court atmosphere is lackluster when considering how dominant we’ve been over the past 25 years.

I would also argue that across all our sports - the lack of tradition and history is an issue. We were late to the game with athletics, no doubt about it. Many of the other big state schools have much longer and more ingrained traditions of athletic success. Doesn’t mean we can’t create them, just how it is now.

our athletic success didn't start with Jim Calhoun.

 

[gampelcrazies]

As a fairly recent graduate I’d say the Gampel experience is a bit lackluster when considering our elite status in the sport. A few reasons come to mind:

1. Mansfield is tiny and not into sports compared to these Big 10/12 college towns. There aren’t a ton of bars to go to beforehand, the parking sucks, and the townsfolk just aren’t into it. They resent the university rather than embrace it. Completely different from other places in the country. Which is sad.

2. The arena itself kind of sucks. It’s an old ugly nipple in the middle of campus that until a few years ago didn’t serve beer. Theres no real history in it either so I’m not sure why they haven’t built a more modern one for their flagship programs.

3. The teams we play there aren’t that exciting. Usually it gets crazy for Villanova or a good Marquette team but nobody’s really thrilled to play St John’s or DePaul. It’s not like we’re playing other big state schools.

4. There is a lack of tradition. There’s nothing that’s passed down by the classes or alumni, people just pregame and show up. Besides a couple chants it’s really just like a professional environment - nothing really school specific.

This post is in the running for one of worst posts in boneyard history. So many things are wrong with it.

 

[CL82]

I'd like to think you have as good a chance of winning at the XL center as anyone.

 

[krinklecut]

And by your logic, big donors are going to be good with a bunch of knuckleheads standing up in front of them the entire game.

Y'wanna get some of that magic here? Play the same game in Gampel. Done.

It’s not remotely true that Gampel has the same energy as AFH.

If they gave the other baseline to students instead of the upper bowl there’d be no one in front of them and it would improve the energy of the building.

 

[krinklecut]

This thread has taken a typical Connecticut turn. We have a great thing with Gampel that isn't quite Allen, so we trash it. Do you realize how many universities would kill to have a Gampel-type atmosphere?

We can appreciate Gampel while opening a conversation about ways to make it an even better environment.

I swear half of the people on here are the 60+ year old dorks who yell at you if you stand and leave 30 minutes early