Bring Blue-White Game To Memorial
Kevin Meacham
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Sports
This Saturday's Blue and White football game got me thinking. Yes, I know - that makes one of us.
But seriously, it occurred to me that, as we are not a major football school like Auburn, Nebraska or Wake Forest, the Blue and White game doesn't draw the type of interest even XL Center basketball games do.
Two years ago, 9,000 fans made the trek to watch a team coming off a 5-6 season play each other. Last year's game, featuring a 4-8 squad and the awesome, incomprehensible Modified Edsall Scoring System (defensive touchdowns are worth eight points, passing touchdowns worth negative-seven points), does not have an official attendance listed in its box score, but it couldn't have been much more.
And after a 9-3 season, a bowl trip and a pretty nice crop of returning and new players? It looks to me like the game could approach attendance of about 12,000-15,000, depending on weather.
Keep that number in mind.
In the meantime, about 200 yards to the right of where I'm currently sitting, there sits an empty lot filled with grass, dilapidated bleachers and an inexplicably working scoreboard.
Memorial Stadium's official uses are slim, though it sits in prime real estate in between Gampel Pavilion, the Sherman Complex, the Burton Complex and that one parking lot I can never find a spot in.
The ghosts of Dan Orlovsky, Shane Stafford, Terry Caulley's working right ACL and hundreds of players most UConn students don't know about are still there though. They will be until the space is filled by the long-talked about basketball practice facility. Or a parking garage. Either way.
In its glory days, Memorial Stadium was probably like a big high school football field. That's what it looks like every time I walk by. In its last game in November 2002, Memorial Stadium drew 15,332 to watch UConn pound Kent State.
Remember that projected number for the Blue and White game (and tag sale, if you've seen Randy Edsall's ridiculous, awesomely deadpan video on UconnHuskies.com)?
But seriously, it occurred to me that, as we are not a major football school like Auburn, Nebraska or Wake Forest, the Blue and White game doesn't draw the type of interest even XL Center basketball games do.
Two years ago, 9,000 fans made the trek to watch a team coming off a 5-6 season play each other. Last year's game, featuring a 4-8 squad and the awesome, incomprehensible Modified Edsall Scoring System (defensive touchdowns are worth eight points, passing touchdowns worth negative-seven points), does not have an official attendance listed in its box score, but it couldn't have been much more.
And after a 9-3 season, a bowl trip and a pretty nice crop of returning and new players? It looks to me like the game could approach attendance of about 12,000-15,000, depending on weather.
Keep that number in mind.
In the meantime, about 200 yards to the right of where I'm currently sitting, there sits an empty lot filled with grass, dilapidated bleachers and an inexplicably working scoreboard.
Memorial Stadium's official uses are slim, though it sits in prime real estate in between Gampel Pavilion, the Sherman Complex, the Burton Complex and that one parking lot I can never find a spot in.
The ghosts of Dan Orlovsky, Shane Stafford, Terry Caulley's working right ACL and hundreds of players most UConn students don't know about are still there though. They will be until the space is filled by the long-talked about basketball practice facility. Or a parking garage. Either way.
In its glory days, Memorial Stadium was probably like a big high school football field. That's what it looks like every time I walk by. In its last game in November 2002, Memorial Stadium drew 15,332 to watch UConn pound Kent State.
Remember that projected number for the Blue and White game (and tag sale, if you've seen Randy Edsall's ridiculous, awesomely deadpan video on UconnHuskies.com)?
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Nostical
Larry Cohen
posted 4/18/08 @ 12:22 PM EST
You know what? That's not a bad idea. Kudos for the "out of the box" thinking.
I'm sure there are good reasons why it won't work, but it certainly is a thought provoking piece. (Continued…)
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