UConn loses $1.8 mil playing in Fiesta Bowl

**Tornado man** · 03-02-2011, 02:53 PM

Wow - if you don't sell your ticket allotment, you pay through the nose:

"The university incurred total expenses of $4,280,998 at the Fiesta Bowl while only receiving a payout of $2,523,200 from the Big East.
By far the largest expense the university incurred came from absorbed ticket sales. The university sold only 2,771 out of an allotmentof 17,500 tickets, resulting in the university absorbing 14,729 tickets worth $2,924,385.
The official figure of 2,771 tickets sold is substantially lower than the previously reported amount of 4,600 tickets sold.
That expense completely soaked up UConn's revenue allotment of $2.5 million from the Big East all by itself. UConn's losses were then further inflamed by the costs of travel, meals, lodging and other bowl expenses."

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**dtclones** · 03-02-2011, 02:57 PM

Wow. Do their fans know that they have a FBS football team now?

**3GenClone** · 03-02-2011, 02:59 PM

Does UConn receive any compensation from Maryland for losing Edsall?

I'm wondering why UConn could sell only 2,771, did everyone at ESPN get their tickets for free?

**Go2Guy** · 03-02-2011, 03:03 PM

And some ISU fans think it is critical for our program's success to take a 6-win team to a crappy bowl game..

**chadm** · 03-02-2011, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Go2Guy

And some ISU fans think it is critical for our program's success to take a 6-win team to a crappy bowl game..

There are benefits. And ISU would sell more that around 2,700 tickets.

**Senolcyc** · 03-02-2011, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Go2Guy

And some ISU fans think it is critical for our program's success to take a 6-win team to a crappy bowl game..

What a ******* post.

**RayShimley** · 03-02-2011, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Go2Guy

And some ISU fans think it is critical for our program's success to take a 6-win team to a crappy bowl game..

What a ******* post. ISU sold over 8,000 tickets to the INSIGHT BOWL after a 6 win season just 2 years ago. I would imagine that if we were in a BCS bowl for the first time EVER in the exact same area that we would do pretty damn well.

ISU up to 8,000 Insight Bowl tickets sold, etc | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

**Clones33** · 03-02-2011, 03:16 PM

They sold 2,700 tickets through the University. The Bowl makes each University buy x number of tickets at full face value and then resell them so that it is the Universities risk and not the bowls. In this case, if you were a UConn fan you would have had to buy a $150+ ticket from your school or go to ticketmaster and pick your seat for around $50. Odds were that you would get a better seat too.

UConn brought more than 2,700 fans, those were just the dumb ones that paid $100+ more than they needed to.

**alarson** · 03-02-2011, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by 3GenClone

Does UConn receive any compensation from Maryland for losing Edsall?

I'm wondering why UConn could sell only 2,771, did everyone at ESPN get their tickets for free?

Their football fanbase probably isnt all that huge, plus if the cost of flights was anything like what it was for us to get to phoenix last year, that hurts attendance too. On top of that, without knowing the exact situation, i wonder how the seating in the allotment compared to seats you could get directly through the bowl? I know a lot of our fans went through Insight instead of getting them from the AD

**Cyclone06** · 03-02-2011, 03:24 PM

If this doesn't prove that the bowl system is nothing more than a sham and money grab then I don't know what will.

"Hey you've been invited to play in the prestigous fiesta bowl! Now fork over $3 million. Thanks and enjoy your trip!"

**Clones33** · 03-02-2011, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Cyclone06

If this doesn't prove that the bowl system is nothing more than a sham and money grab than I don't know what will.

"Hey you've been invited to play in the prestigous fiesta bowl! Now fork over $3 million. Thanks and enjoy your trip!"

Of course the bowl system is a money grab. What business isn't? Would a tournament be any less of a money grab?

As for a sham, it only proves that once a team declines the invitation. UConn knew that this was going to happen and they still decided to go because going to a BCS bowl will likely help your bottom line in the long run, even if you have to pay $3 Million initially.

**BirdOfWar** · 03-02-2011, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Clones33

They sold 2,700 tickets through the University. The Bowl makes each University buy x number of tickets at full face value and then resell them so that it is the Universities risk and not the bowls. In this case, if you were a UConn fan you would have had to buy a $150+ ticket from your school or go to ticketmaster and pick your seat for around $50. Odds were that you would get a better seat too.

UConn brought more than 2,700 fans, those were just the dumb ones that paid $100+ more than they needed to.

Who wouldn't want to save $100 on their ticket? When you are already paying a lot for travel and a hotel it's just the smart thing to do. They really shouldn't force the schools to be responsible for all those tickets.

**Go2Guy** · 03-02-2011, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by chadm

There are benefits. And ISU would sell more that around 2,700 tickets.

I agree - we'd sell way more than 2,700.......but that doesn't mean it's worth it, or critical to our programs's success.

What benefits do you feel we'd gain?

**Senolcyc** · 03-02-2011, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Go2Guy

I agree - we'd sell way more than 2,700.......but that doesn't mean it's worth it, or critical to our programs's success.

What benefits do you feel we'd gain?

What is this "success" you talk about, if it's not making it to bowl games?

Rhoads said that college football is all about playing in bowl games and winning bowl games. I'm with the big guy.

**Go2Guy** · 03-02-2011, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Senolcyc

What is this "success" you talk about, if it's not making it to bowl games?

Rhoads said that college football is all about playing in bowl games and winning bowl games. I'm with the big guy.

I agree.....provided the NCAA drops the number of bowls so 6-win (and possible for 5-win teams qualifying) matchups are extinct.