Fairfield and Uber crafted a new offer for students called Stag Rides on Nov. 7. Stag Rides is a promotion that offers students free Uber rides that would normally be up to $15 to attend the two biggest basketball games of the season at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. Students were given the opportunity to try the offer through the Uber app on Nov. 11 as the Stags took on Sacred Heart Pioneers and will be able to utilize it again on Dec. 6 at the last home game of the semester against the Bucknell Bison. They simply have to select Stag Rides and get a free ride from the University to Harbor Yard and then back to campus after the game.
I think that the collaboration is brilliant and that Stag Rides will definitely increase the attendance of students at games. As an underclassman, one of the worst things about being on campus is not being allowed to have a car. Additionally, taking an Uber to any location off campus can definitely add up pricewise. It is important, though, for underclassmen, specifically first-year students, to attend sporting events to show school spirit and in turn, meet new people and do something with their friends off campus.
Getting to these games at Harbor Yard is definitely tedious for first-year students and sophomores, alike. I feel that many students have issues with taking the StagBus and do not find it to be a desirable method of transportation due to the fact that it takes much longer to get to the target location than it would by car and because the general bumpy ride of the bus is not appealing. In addition, the bus runs hourly, which requires students to plan rides according to the StagBus schedule, which can get complicated. I think that although the StagBus is disliked by many students, they have continued to utilize it because it is free of charge, so Stag Rides also being free for students will definitely benefit student body attendance.
Sophomore Jake Tamagni said, “I think that Stag Rides is really a great idea. The StagBus is actually the worst. It takes forever to get places that are not even that far and honestly, the ride just makes me nauseous. I will definitely be going to the games with the Stag Rides.”
Freshman Victoria LaPietra stated that normally she would not attend games at Harbor Yard because she does not like to ride the StagBus and because Uber rides tend to rack up in price. After being asked about Stag Rides, LaPietra commented, “Who doesn’t love free stuff?”
I think that Stag Rides is definitely not a waste of money for the school and I think that there will be a lot of students that will put the opportunity to use. As a college student, I am pretty frugal with spending money, so spending money on two Uber trips to and from Harbor Yard would not be something that I would do. Now with Stag Rides, I actually think that it is more likely that I will attend these games. Overall, I think that the University definitely made an excellent decision in offering another transportation choice for its students and they will see positive results in attendance at these big games.
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