UConn grads give back to athletics
Trio helps fill empty seats at games, events with youth groups
For three 20-something UConn grads living in New York City, avid fans of the Huskies’ athletic teams, the urge to take action overtook the impulse to pine wistfully for past glory.
Kevin Kortsep, Kevin Solomon and Jeremy Longobardi channeled their passion for UConn — and the business acumen they learned there — to match empty seats with people, bringing positive energy to Rentschler Field, the XL Center and Gampel Pavilion.
“It was difficult from afar to try to support the athletic programs that we loved so much when we were in school,” said Kortsep, a 2012 grad from North Haven, who earned his degree in accounting and works for in private equity for Willis Towers Watson, Mergers & Acquisitions Group, “… so that’s where the idea of Husky Ticket Project was born.”
They gathered 18 months ago at Solomon’s apartment, which was then decked out in Husky posters and banners, and brainstormed. They started with the name, “Stubs for Pups,” then changed to “Husky Ticket Project,” developed a logo and ventured into cyberspace.
“Our mission,” Kortsep said, “is, we source donations from typically non-Connecticut area alumni, but it could be Connecticut, too, and we buy tickets for football, a few basketball games, and we try to partner with not-forprofit youth-mentorship organizations throughout Connecticut. We try to provide tickets for at-risk youth and try to get those kids out to a game.”
In 2018, the three set a goal of raising $4,000 and buying 40 season-ticket packages for football. They generated far more,
they say, and distributed more than 600 tickets to football, men’s and women’s basketball games. Among the organizations benefiting so far are Nutmeg Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Hartford Youth Scholars, Hartford Catholic Worker, Governor’s Prevention Partnership, Middletown Youth Bureau, Waterbury Youth Services, Klingberg Family Centers, ConnectiKids, Wilson Gray YMCA and The Susie Foundation.
“Our athletic standing is not where it was when we were in school,” said Solomon, from New Jersey, who graduated in 2014, earned his master’s in Digital Media and Design in 2015 and works in advertising for Verizon. “A lot of things you see on the internet is people complaining about attendance, `The reason nobody is there is the teams we’re playing.’ So we wanted to not only have youth experience games they might not experience otherwise, but the way we’re getting donations, the money is going into the athletic department funding. [UConn] is not just donating tickets, we’re sourcing the donations. So it’s a win, win, win. There are bodies in the seats, there is money going into the athletic department and we’re helping out the local community, too.
“With us, you give us the money and we’re constantly sending you updates with pictures of kids at the games. We’re more of your peers than just a big organization asking for your money.”
Dan Toscano, UConn Foundation chair, and Wes England, director of the Husky Athletic Fund and assistant athletic director, have been instrumental in helping the group, Kortsep said, and future ideas for the game experience are being discussed.
“Kevin Kortep, Kevin Solomon and Jeremy Longobardi are all proud alums and are trying to make a difference in the lives of young people and at UConn,” England said. “We are exploring creative ways to increase attendance and to enhance our gameday experiences. The Husky ticket project will help support our goals and we are excited to see how their efforts will both help the community and support UConn Athletics.”
The goal for the upcoming season is $10,000, and they have a donor willing to match other donations up to $5,000. “We’ll see how big we can grow this,” Solomon said.
Solomon gets to most home football games. At the UConnRhode Island, game, all three made the trip and met some of the kids and mentors who got the tickets.
“There was one story we heard,” Solomon said, “about a child who really had trouble connecting with his big [brother]. They went to a football game, his first football game ever, and they just connected.”
Experiences
like that have helped Kortsep, Solomon and Longobardi grow from being frustrated fans to productive doers.
“They’re not UConn Twitterverse that’s like, `Oh, God, we let up 50 points to Rhode Island and barely squeaked out a win,’” Kortsep said. “They’re just happy to be there and hang out at a football game on a nice day. It’s really refreshing. For us, this is like running a business. It’s not going to run itself, it takes lot effort after long days at work, after dinner, but it’s very rewarding.”
Solomon, whose father, Les, played football for UConn in the 1970s, played for the baseball team in 2011 and ’12.
“People want to help us grow the next generation of fans,” he said. “If we’re able to get people in the seats as youngsters, they’re going to be the same people who are there later when teams are doing well, and they’re going to want to share the memories they made. Their mentors are going to want to do the same. It’s getting people to remember the experiences, not just the wins and losses.”
The Husky Ticket Project is now incorporated as a non-profit, and is hoping to hear soon from the IRS with approval to become a 501(c)(3), allowing donations to be tax-deductible and eligible for matching from companies.
Longobardi, from Orange, graduated in 2012 with a degree in accounting, getting his master’s in 2013 and works as a CPA with The Siegfried Group.
Kortsep, who was born late in The Dream Season, forcing his father to give away his tickets to the game in which Tate George hit `The Shot,’ envisions a separate Husky Ticket Project section at games.
“That would be a dream come true,” Kortsep said. “It’s all to support UConn, and try to do a little good along the way.”
For more information on the Husky Ticket Project, email huskyticketproject@gmail.com.