UConn president hopes fans will be at games this season
UConn president Thomas C. Katsouleas said that UConn men’s and women’s basketball games will likely be held without fans when (and if ) their seasons begin in late-November.
But he believes that, at some point this season, fans will be able to attend UConn games.
“As I like to say, someday not too soon but before too long, we’ll again be able to cheer our Huskies to victory in person and all together,” Katsouleas said on Wednesday at a Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce virtual luncheon.
Last week, the NCAA announced that the college basketball season can begin on Nov. 25, though there are multiple hurdles to overcome to determine where and how the games can be held.
“We’re learning more all the time about strategies to allow players to compete and travel safely,” Katsouleas said. “It’s less clear about protecting fans, so the games may be on TV (only) at first.”
UConn’s full 2020-21 schedule won’t be released until after the Big East determines its league schedule, and that’s not expected to happen any time before late next week. While the MAAC released its entire league schedule
earlier this week, that league features teams from only three states (Connecticut, New York and New Jersey). The Big East features teams from 11 different jurisdictions — 10 different states and the District of Columbia (Georgetown) — making it more tricky to work out logistical plans, such as travel.
The league is expected to try to start conference play within a Dec. 12-21 window, though some schools (including UConn) will be in the midst of exams at the time. Everything is still on the table as to where and how the games are played, from individual on-campus games to on-campus “minibubbles” to bubble settings (which the coaches don’t appear to be a big fan of ).
Playing games in a Mohegan Sun bubble is still a possibility, but it’s not the only one. One proposal that still has some legs is playing several games in a bubble out in Omaha, Neb., at Creighton, which has Hilton and Marriott hotels right across the street from the arena, as well as a convention center attached to the arena where extra practice courts could be added.
There has also been talk of UConn staging a minibubble at Storrs, involving a few other teams.
It appears UConn could be playing a pair of nonconference games at Mohegan Sun on Dec. 2-3. Per Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the Legends Classic (which is slated to feature UConn, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and USC) is scheduled to be held at Mohegan Sun on those dates (or possibly Dec. 3-4).
Katsouleas also noted that the UConn football team, which became the first FBS team to cancel its season last month, continues to train and is “looking forward to next season, or perhaps even a regional game or two this spring.”