A UConn women’s basketball fan will sit on the Huskies’ bench during two preseason games this October, a rare opportunity available through an auction launched by the University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. The winning bidder will join the team for the Oct. 19 exhibition against Texas at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford and the Oct. 25 exhibition against Army at Gampel Pavilion on campus.
The auction opened Friday afternoon, starting bids at $2,000 per game, and will close Thursday at 9 p.m. ET. The winner will gain access to premium parking, hospitality passes to the Champions Club, and receive a team-issued Nike polo to wear courtside. The auction was announced on the official UConn Huskies Twitter account, inviting fans to bid on the exclusive preseason bench experience.
UConn’s women’s basketball bench typically accommodates some of the sport’s top talent and staff. Geno Auriemma’s roster includes eight former five-star recruits, and his coaching staff has professional playing experience. This fan inclusion is an unusual move, but the university has set clear rules to avoid any conflicts with NCAA recruiting or eligibility policies. Bidders must be at least 25 years old, cannot be enrolled in high school or college, and must not be coaches of prospective student-athletes or instructors to current UConn players.
For those who don’t secure the auction spot, tickets to the Army and Texas exhibition games are available starting at $17 through SeatGeek. UConn’s preseason opener against Syracuse is scheduled for Monday evening at Mohegan Sun Arena, with tipoff at 6:30 p.m. ET and tickets beginning at $74.
The auction offers a unique look behind the scenes with one of women’s college basketball’s most successful programs, giving a fan a close-up view usually reserved for recruits and staff. The auction remains open until Thursday evening, with the winning bidder to be announced shortly after.
According to Yahoo Sports.