120 Games.

I've been to 120 games. Here are the six I studied closely.

At some point I started paying attention to more than the score: the lines, the giveaways, the sponsors, everything that happens during a timeout. This is what I found.

Read the case studies

Photos from my games will play here.

I've been to 120 live games across four sports, and 22 of them were UConn games. Somewhere along the way I realized I was watching the timeouts almost as closely as the game.

How I scored each game

I scored every case study from 1 to 10 on the same eight things, so I could compare a WNBA game in May with a sold-out Gampel in November. If I couldn't really judge something, I marked it N/A instead of guessing.

Arrival & entryTicketing & pricingConcessions & merchIn-game entertainmentSponsorshipTechnology & appAtmosphere & crowdFacility & operations

Six case studies

Two UConn games, three pro games and a conference tournament, in the order I went.

Nov62024
Banner NightGampel Pavilion, Storrs
Aug132025
The Rain DelayCiti Field, Queens
Dec92025
UConn at the GardenMadison Square Garden
Jan242026
Derrick Rose NightUnited Center, Chicago
Mar112026
Big East TournamentMadison Square Garden
May102026
The Sun's Last OpenerMohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville
Aug
13
2025

The Rain Delay

Citi Field, Queens, NYBraves 11, Mets 638,647 fans95-minute rain delay

What happened

It was Mets in the Community Night, and the gate giveaway was a Mrs. Met Gives Back bobblehead. Then the rain came, and we waited out a 95-minute delay. Once the game finally started, the Braves came back from down 6-0 to win 11-6, and Michael Harris II, the Braves outfielder I got to talk to, hit a grand slam.

What I noticed

  • Even with the weather, the atmosphere kept people into it.
  • I won a free Mets T-shirt.
  • Between innings, the Citi Vision board ran the Dance Cam and Kiss Cam, trivia and other games.
  • There was a 50/50 raffle for fans 18 and older that you could enter at kiosks or online. Half the pot went to the winner and half went to the Amazin' Mets Foundation.
  • Sponsors were all over the ballpark. Citi seemed like the biggest, which makes sense since it's their name on the stadium. The lit-up Coca-Cola sign leads you to the Coca-Cola Corner, and New Balance and the New York Lottery were easy to spot too.
  • Near the end of the game there was a blue and orange light show.
  • To make up for the long delay, the Mets gave fans a voucher for a future game.

What I took away

A long rain delay could have ruined the night, but between the bobblehead, the T-shirt, the fan cams and getting to meet a player, it turned into one of my favorite games. The voucher was the smartest part. It made up for the wait, and it also gave people a reason to come back to Citi Field, where they'll probably spend money on parking, food and merch all over again. I also liked how everything matched the theme: the bobblehead was literally called "Mrs. Met Gives Back," and the raffle money went to the team's foundation.

What I'd change

I'd make the delay part of the show. When 38,000 people are stuck under cover for an hour and a half, the team has a captive audience. Real-time updates in the app, plus something like concourse trivia for prizes, would make the wait feel like part of the night. I'd also send the voucher straight to everyone's phone with a link to pick their return game, so it's easy to actually use.

Dec
9
2025

UConn at the Garden

Madison Square Garden, New YorkUConn 77, No. 18 Florida 7319,694 fansJimmy V Classic

What happened

UConn beat No. 18 Florida 77-73, which felt good since Florida knocked UConn out of the NCAA Tournament the year before. It was part of the Jimmy V Classic, which raises money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Same team as Banner Night, but a totally different setting: a neutral arena in New York instead of Gampel.

What I noticed

  • You could scan a QR code to donate to the V Foundation right from your seat.
  • Chase was the only brand on the jumbotron. Principal was the presenting sponsor of V Week, and I also saw Spalding, Gatorade, SpotHero, CLEAR, Lexus and Modelo.
  • There was a T-shirt toss, and another QR code let fans send in pictures to show on the jumbotron.

What I took away

This game showed me a sponsor can own the biggest screen in the building. With Chase as the only brand on the jumbotron, you couldn't miss it. And the donation QR code made the cause something you could act on in ten seconds instead of something you just heard about.

What I'd change

I'd show the donation total on the jumbotron as the game goes on so fans can watch it climb. Seeing the number move would probably get a lot more people to scan.

Jan
24
2026

Derrick Rose Night

United Center, ChicagoBulls 114, Celtics 11122,093 fans

What happened

The Bulls retired Derrick Rose's No. 1 jersey, and the whole night was built around him. They planned the day well before tip-off: the atrium was turned into a tribute with art by local students, a hologram machine and a TV wall of Rose highlights, and it was open to the public that morning. Then Kevin Huerter won the game with a corner three at the buzzer, and the ceremony started.

What I noticed

  • Everyone got a free Rose No. 1 T-shirt, and I got a free fitted Bulls cap just by stopping at a booth.
  • Keke Palmer, who's from the Chicago area, sang the anthem and came back at halftime to perform with Chicago poet J. Ivy, dancers and the After School Matters Vocal Arts Ensemble.
  • The main team store was super packed. It was so crowded that people were getting antsy and even aggressive. Thankfully, there were makeshift booths and areas all around the arena where you could buy merch, especially the special Derrick Rose gear and T-shirts with his face on them.
  • There was a commemorative game ticket for sale, and even the food was themed, like No. 1-shaped chips and rose cake pops.
  • State Farm was the title sponsor, and there were QR codes everywhere. If you scanned the one on the jumbotron at the start and the Bulls won, you got a code for a free Crumbl mini cookie. Another one in the concourse entered you to win a trip to NBA All-Star.
  • For Wingstop's "Fling for the Wing," Benny the Bull had to hit a half-court shot to unlock 5 free boneless wings with any wing order. He made it.
  • Old videos of Rose played asking the crowd to get loud, and it worked.
  • The ceremony was emotional. There were video tributes from his family, NBA legends and old teammates, and even a video showing how his banner was made. When it was revealed, fake rose petals fell from the rafters.

What I took away

This was the best-planned night I've ever been to. Every detail tied back to Rose, down to the petals and the cake pops. The one thing that got out of hand was the main store, where the crowd started getting frustrated. The Bulls had planned for that, though: the extra booths around the arena gave people somewhere else to go and picked up sales the main store couldn't handle. And the QR codes were smart for sponsors, because every scan tells them who their fans are.

What I'd change

Let people order the commemorative merch from their seats and pick it up at a booth or get it shipped home, so the rush doesn't jam the concourse.

Mar
11
2026

Big East Tournament, first round

Madison Square Garden, New YorkThree games, one ticket

What happened

The first day of the Big East Tournament was a tripleheader: Providence beat Butler 91-81, Xavier edged Marquette 89-87 and Georgetown beat DePaul 63-56. UConn had a bye as the No. 2 seed, so this was my chance to see a conference tournament without my team on the floor.

What I noticed

  • The energy was high all day.
  • CollegeApp, one of the main partners, had a booth on the lower level with a spin-to-win prize wheel. It was one of the most fun things in the building.
  • The food was a big step up from Gampel. More choices, better quality and more expensive.

What I took away

The CollegeApp booth was the best sponsor setup I saw at any of these games because people actually wanted to do it. A prize wheel turns a brand into a game.

May
10
2026

The Sun's Last Home Opener

Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CTStorm 89, Sun 827,374 fans

What happened

This was the Connecticut Sun's home opener, and the last one they'll ever have in Connecticut, since the team is moving to Houston after this season. The Sun lost 89-82 to the Seattle Storm, but the game-day crew kept the energy up the whole time.

What I noticed

  • TD Bank was everywhere. During a Sun timeout there was a Lucky Row giveaway, and with about four minutes left in the third quarter TD Bank presented Dress and Dribble.
  • They played a behind-the-scenes video from the team's media day.
  • QR codes promoted Sun Academy registration and a Healthy Habits pledge where you could enter to win game tickets.
  • In one timeout during a 2-point game, the CT Sun Dance Team performed while the DJ played "Level Up," and you could feel the energy going up.
  • There was a 50/50 raffle and a relaxation lounge sponsored by Anthem and Carelon.
  • Honestly, I was bored by the food. There's Frank Pepe pizza, hot dogs, soft pretzels (still my favorite), gelato, popcorn and soft drinks, and that's about it.
  • The team advertised the Sunset Season a lot, and you could see it throughout the game with different signs and special moments honoring the Sun's time in Connecticut. Fans could also order a commemorative ticket from any Sun home game as a keepsake.

What I took away

The Sun do a great job keeping people engaged. There was something going on in almost every timeout. What stood out to me is that even in their last season in Connecticut, they were still signing kids up for Sun Academy and getting families to take a health pledge. That's about building fans for the long run, not just selling one game.

What I'd change

I'd shake up the food. Add a couple of local Connecticut spots that rotate, plus at least one healthier option, especially since the team was already pushing healthy habits on the big screen.

What six games taught me

The same patterns kept showing up in different arenas, sports and leagues.

Giveaways get people there early

The towel at Gampel only went to the first 3,500 fans, which made people show up before the banner went up. The Mets' bobblehead worked the same way. The Rose T-shirt for everyone did something different: it made the whole arena look like one team.

Banner Night, the Rain Delay, Rose Night

The best sponsor stuff gives fans something to do

A logo on a wall is easy to ignore. A prize wheel, a Lucky Row giveaway or Benny trying to win everyone wings isn't. The sponsors I remember are the ones that gave me something to do.

Big East Tournament, Rose Night, the Sun

QR codes are everywhere now

I scanned or saw QR codes for donations, jumbotron photos, free cookies, free wings, an All-Star trip, youth camp sign-ups and a health pledge. They get fans to act right away, and they tell teams and sponsors who their fans are.

UConn at the Garden, Rose Night, the Sun

Giving back fits right into the game

The Jimmy V Classic raised money for cancer research, the Mets' 50/50 raffle split the pot with their foundation, and the Sun ran a 50/50 too. None of it felt forced. It made fans part of something bigger than one game.

UConn at the Garden, the Rain Delay, the Sun

The building sets the limit

I saw UConn at Gampel and at Madison Square Garden. Gampel has the louder, more personal crowd, but the cramped corners and backless benches hold it back. The Garden has more room and better food, at a higher price. And at Mohegan Sun, the menu didn't keep up with everything else the Sun were doing.

Banner Night, UConn at the Garden, the Sun

Plan for the big nights and the bad ones

Rose Night was a huge spike in demand, and the pop-up merch booths handled it. The Mets night could have been ruined by a 95-minute rain delay, but the team kept fans entertained and gave out vouchers for a future game to make up for it. The best teams seem to have a plan for both before the doors open.

Rose Night, the Rain Delay

The UConn chapter

22 of my games were UConn games, and Gampel is basically my home arena. Two of my case studies are UConn games in completely different buildings, and the Big East Tournament took me back to the Garden.

Gampel Pavilion (Banner Night)Madison Square Garden (Jimmy V, Big East)
SettingOn campus in StorrsNeutral site in Manhattan
The crowd10,299, sold out, almost all UConn fans19,694 for UConn-Florida; at the tournament, the crowd changed every game
FoodPretty good, about 4 out of 5, but long linesMore choices and better quality, but more expensive
Biggest problemCramped corner food stands and benches with no backsNo built-in home crowd, so the event has to create the energy
Best momentThe national championship banner going upWatching people scan to donate to cancer research

The good news is UConn already knows Gampel needs work. The $99.4 million renovation is replacing the corner concession stands with grab-and-go spots to cut down on crowding, and the first phase is supposed to be done in November 2026. These are the ideas I'd add.

Make grab-and-go even faster

Pair the new grab-and-go spots with mobile ordering and pickup windows, plus roaming carts for pretzels and drinks at halftime, so the corners don't fill up all at once.

Seats with backs all the way around

Sitting on a bench with someone's knees in your back for two hours is rough. If the renovation's seating work reaches every section, it'll make a big difference for fans.

Give sponsors something fans want to do

A spin-to-win booth like the one at the Big East Tournament, set up outside Gampel before doors open, would add fun where there's actually room for it.

Reward wins with a scan

The Bulls' Crumbl QR code would work great at UConn with a sponsor that's already there. Picture a free Dunkin' coffee for everyone who scans when UConn wins.

The best game days I went to didn't just happen. Someone planned the towels, the rose petals, the timeout music and the QR codes. That's the job I want to learn how to do at UConn.

Photos & videos

From 120 games.

Photos are on the way.

Edit site