Jeff Jacobs, writing in The Hartford Courant, says that internal Notre Dame memos allude to the pending announcement of a 10-year football agreement between the Irish and UConn, with exactly zero games to be played in the great state of Connecticut.
According to the Courant, five games would be played in South Bend as Irish home games and five neutral-sites – such as Gillette Stadium or the new Giants Stadium – for the Huskie home games.
Needless to say, the UConn fans are less than pleased.
My first reaction is, this has to be a joke.
Did the folks at Notre Dame figure out UConn is in the same state as ESPN and decide to play a big prank on everyone within a 150-mile radius of Dana Jacobson?
Double-digit games between Notre Dame and the state university of Connecticut between 2009 and 2020, and not one game on state soil? Not one game in a stadium paid for by state taxpayers with the intent of building a major college football program? Wow.
From UND’s perspective, the prospect of playing in 40,000-seat Rentschler Field is untenable. The numbers don’t even compare to the potential revenue at Gillette or elsewhere. From the Huskies perspective, they seem content to stick it to the home crowd in exchange for the exposure (and a decent share of the revenues).
I understand the displeasure on the part of UConn fans. The deal is one-sided, but it’s Notre Dame… and (even in this era) you play it there way or you pass – plain and simple.
That said, the Huskies brass needs to stand up make a substantial effort to play one of the five “home” games… at home.
Hat Tip: EDSBS
Source: UConn signing five “home” road games with Notre Dame?
