Hartford Colonials - UFL team

[beash19]

The UFL has had its 2010 draft and the Hartford Colonials have drafted a hometown hero...Andre Dixon, former runningback of the UConn Huskies.

With a new permanent home...a new name...a new logo...and a recognizable name in Dixon, the Colonials are headed towards an exciting first (fulltime) season in Hartford.

I purchased season tickets to the Colonials this season and while it is only 4 games, the tickets are cheap and I was able to find perfect seats on Wednesday.

With Dixon playing on the team, I'll be happy to watch just to see him continue running people over.

[MadVlad]

They also took Asaph Schwapp, a fullback that used to play for Notre Dame (and a Hartford native).

[The Voice of Reason]

I will be at the opener for sure.

my buddy got 2 season tix so i will be buying the beer.

apparently the team is really coming together nicely in terms of media and the organization as well.

They now have a full roster, but there will likely still be quite a few changes as the NFL makes its preseason cuts.

the best thing is that the local media seem interested to cover the team. this is great news because without local media support, nothing survives!

I am hoping for 10,000 attendance a game. to me that would be good news.

I am a huge soccer fan, and MLS when it started did 18k its first season and never averaged less than 12k per season. I think a football league should be able to at least come close.

[beash19]

I will be at the opener for sure.

my buddy got 2 season tix so i will be buying the beer.

apparently the team is really coming together nicely in terms of media and the organization as well.

They now have a full roster, but there will likely still be quite a few changes as the NFL makes its preseason cuts.

the best thing is that the local media seem interested to cover the team. this is great news because without local media support, nothing survives!

I am hoping for 10,000 attendance a game. to me that would be good news.

I am a huge soccer fan, and MLS when it started did 18k its first season and never averaged less than 12k per season. I think a football league should be able to at least come close.

It looks like the one game played at Rentschler last season sold 10,460 tickets, but only 5,201 people actually attended. And this was without any media coverage. I knew it was coming but nobody else that I know, even die hard football and sports fans knew anything about it. This season I expect them to do much better, especially with all the publicity from Wednesday's draft picks.

[MadVlad]

I have season tickets (good season tickets, 50 yard line, 6 rows in), and had a good time yesterday, as did over 14k others. It set a regular season attendance record for the league, which is awesome. It did have to compete with the UConn game, which was on TV, though I would have liked to have seen 20k+. In my opinion, the success of this franchise could translate into a increased status of the Hartford sports market. Anyone that didn't go, please go. The next game is Oct 9th, it was a great time, and the team looked very well coached, and played extremely well.

[The Voice of Reason]

I went.

not a season ticket holder because my buddy bought 2 season tix, and I will likely go with him to a few of the games.

I was in 123 5th row, behind the offensive bench. it was a good time, and the team looked like a legitimate team to me.

physically the guys are on average not quite as big as NFL guys, but they are clearly atheletes. and concidering they had no pre season games etc, it was very clean footbal. not sloppy at all, so, more proof they are professional level guys on the field.

being behind the colonials bench It was good to see the team having fun as well. they were really enjoying themselves but I suppose having 20 points on the opposition helps in that regard.

Ill definately be back, and as always with anything hartford related, i am encouraging others to attend.

Can not beat the price.

[HartfordTycoon]

I have season tickets as well. First Row Section 117 on the Colonials side. We had a great time. The game was fun and definitely helped cheer me up from the UConn loss to Temple. I think it was a success and that it could potentially be pretty well followed here. The team definitely looked good and I think many will watch them on TV when they play Omaha Friday and if they look good then the next home crowd could be pretty decent. It definitely had the feel of pro football. Obviously some things were on a budget but the overall feel of it was high quality. The Cheerleaders looked good, the Colonial Militia was very cool and the cannon was pretty awesome!

[The Voice of Reason]

I have season tickets as well. First Row Section 117 on the Colonials side. We had a great time. The game was fun and definitely helped cheer me up from the UConn loss to Temple. I think it was a success and that it could potentially be pretty well followed here. The team definitely looked good and I think many will watch them on TV when they play Omaha Friday and if they look good then the next home crowd could be pretty decent. It definitely had the feel of pro football. Obviously some things were on a budget but the overall feel of it was high quality. The Cheerleaders looked good, the Colonial Militia was very cool and the cannon was pretty awesome!

That Cannon is now officially the coolest thing in Hartford.

seriously it was awesome.

I think 14500 is a good crowd.

as the fans gain familiarity they will get much louder too.

I am a die hard soccer fan, and back in 1996 when MLS started, the attendance averaged 17,000. it then dropped each of the next few years and settled around 14500. the last few years it has been on the rise, and within the next 2 years will definately surpass the innitial season. this took 14 years. I will say, it took 10 years before growth could happen.

I hope the investors are willing to invest at least 6 years. Football being more accepted than Soccer, it should take less time to turn the corner.

I really hope this league lasts a while and that Hartford is part of that.

The Courant needs to have a little more visibility though in my opinion. Sure Uconn rules the roost, but why should they? I think the local pro team should get top billing over UConn.

most of CT did not go to UConn.

[HartfordTycoon]

That Cannon is now officially the coolest thing in Hartford.

seriously it was awesome.

I think 14500 is a good crowd.

as the fans gain familiarity they will get much louder too.

I am a die hard soccer fan, and back in 1996 when MLS started, the attendance averaged 17,000. it then dropped each of the next few years and settled around 14500. the last few years it has been on the rise, and within the next 2 years will definately surpass the innitial season. this took 14 years. I will say, it took 10 years before growth could happen.

I hope the investors are willing to invest at least 6 years. Football being more accepted than Soccer, it should take less time to turn the corner.

I really hope this league lasts a while and that Hartford is part of that.

The Courant needs to have a little more visibility though in my opinion. Sure Uconn rules the roost, but why should they? I think the local pro team should get top billing over UConn.

most of CT did not go to UConn.

I think they should get more billing but not over the Huskies! UConn is playing on a stage that is already nationally relevant. We win at that level and ESPN and all of the major news networks take note. That has to be built up and sustained. We have to have the mindset of Big Time College Football. There is more money in it for the region whether you are a UConn fan or not. The Rent wouldn't even exist if not for the Huskies. UConn must be shoved down the non believers throats! I didn't go there either I just rep CT!

I too hope the UFL survives and thrives and that Hartford will be a marquee part of that puzzle. I think we can be. I will certainly spread the word and continue to support them.

It would be really cool if we could get MLS at the rent as well. It's a great stadium and could certainly be used even more often. With the CT Whale coming on board things are looking better for pro sports in CT then they were last year though. That is for sure!

[MadVlad]

My season tix are in section 100, row 6 (Six rows behind the visiting sidelines, 50 yard line). We gave Culpepper some grief...

[The Voice of Reason]

My season tix are in section 100, row 6 (Six rows behind the visiting sidelines, 50 yard line). We gave Culpepper some grief...

If I sit with my buddy next game i will let you know ahead of time. he sits just in front of you

[MadVlad]

He heard me yelling then, I was the smart-ass that was loudest...

[HartfordTycoon]

Hartford will be playing Omaha in a sold out stadium on Friday. That is pretty impressive on their part and a good sign that this league may be legit. The game is going to be on Friday at 8 PM on HDnet. I'll definitely be watching and rooting for the Colonials.

ProFootballTalk.com

[beash19]

It was a great game and a fun atmosphere last Saturday. I brought my family so it was much more subdued than the UConn games which I attend without them. But it was a great time! The team played a solid game of football with Offense, defense and special teams all contributing. What caught my eye as an exciting thing to see, was how the Colonials players and fans seated behind them (some of you it appears) were getting quite loud during the game. They played off each other. Unfortunately my season tix are on the other side of the field which was much quieter. Hopefully next game the fans will get into it more.

By the way, Howard "the man" Baldwin attended the game. He was busy during the 2nd quarter, doing business on the phone. Probably was getting last minute things done before the big announcement the other day.

[The Voice of Reason]

if I ruled the world............ and I do not unfortunately..

I would have a section of the stadium that reserved from ticket sales for every game. a "blank spot" so to speak

that once people get into the stadium, ushers identify "loud" fans and offer them a spot in the rowdy section. This would be a prime section of the stadium by the way, so its would generally be an upgrade.

so, by mid way through the first quarter, the section is briming with the rowdy croud, and they could begin to get cohesive is their fan-dom.

its called being proactive

I firml;y believe that fans are not born, but made.

I am an American Outlaw, a supporters group for US Soccer that stands and chants all game long. the crazy people if you will. until you sit next to a group like us, you probably dont "get it", but once you do, you never want to leave it, and you are a fan of rlife, and never a quiet one.

I think its the same in all sports.

if you were to end up sitting next to the student section for a NCAA basketball game, you will yell louder and participate more than if you were in the VIP section. its just the way things are.

if the colonials front office really wanted to create something special, they would encourage passionate fans by rewarding their efforts.

after being moved to that section twice, you are automaticly let in there for the other 2 games, and can then buy season tickets there for the next season.....

I know, I too think I should rule the world.

[MadVlad]

So, as of today, i have an enormous bone to pick with the Hartford Courant. I am now firmly in the camp that that rag is a piece of crap. How dare they give the Colonials one little paragraph tucked away on PAGE 2!!! Associated Press wrote the article, so they DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A BEAT REPORTER COVERING IT!!!!! That is some major BS. No wonder sports team tend to struggle around here with the crap coverage that rag gives to anyone but UConn...

[HartfordHope]

So recently most UFL news has not been so good... Hopefully things are turning aroung though.

We just signed Jerry Glanville as our new coach and it looks like Marty Schottenheimer is about to follow suit in Virginia. I am a Colonial's season ticket holder and really enjoy the UFL games so I hope everything works out for the best.

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/ufl/news/story?id=6241713

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/ufl/news/story?id=6243241

[HartfordHope]

Looks like The Colonials may be dead. Jeff jacobs tweeted "rumor is the Colonials are Folding" about an hour ago.

Things haven't been looking so good for the league for the past few months... seemed like the writing was on the wall. On a positive note it did prompt me to buy Whale season tickets!

[HartfordTycoon]

Looks like The Colonials may be dead. Jeff jacobs tweeted "rumor is the Colonials are Folding" about an hour ago.

Things haven't been looking so good for the league for the past few months... seemed like the writing was on the wall. On a positive note it did prompt me to buy Whale season tickets!

It is kinda dissapointing. Who knows, maybe they still salvage this season but I don't see how this thing keeps going. It's really just not possible to compete with the NFL during football season. I had season tickets last year and it was a good value for a good product. I'm a huge UConn football fan as well though and will certainlly be OK without the Colonials but it would have been nice to see what might have happened with an NFL lockout. Don't get me wrong, I like the NFL and all, but I don't have any team I root for consistently and would have been OK with a shortened season if it meant that the Colonials and the UFL would have been able to generate some buzz.

[beerbeer]

Did Jeff Jacobs blame Jim Calhoun for the Colonials folding?

[nor'easter]

Did Jeff Jacobs blame Jim Calhoun for the Colonials folding?

give him time. he is a little dim, though once he gets something in his head, it's there forever

[drc72]

It's to bad the NFL couldn't absorb the UFL franchises, just like the Whalers got absorbed into the NHL.

[mikel]

What a waste Rentschler Field is. Nothing but 5 or 6 UConn games this year.

[HartfordTycoon]

What a waste Rentschler Field is. Nothing but 5 or 6 UConn games this year.

That is not a waste. It's a college football stadium. That is what it was built for. Most college football stadiums are pretty much just used for their teams. As a huge UConn fan I can't wait for it to be expanded.

[mikel]

That is not a waste. It's a college football stadium. That is what it was built for. Most college football stadiums are pretty much just used for their teams. As a huge UConn fan I can't wait for it to be expanded.

You'll be waiting a very very very long time.