XL - Uconn Contract Talks

[ScottBonz]

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20150316/PRINTEDITION/303139978/1002

Was told to post it to realignment board.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Thanks, from the end of the article.

"CRDA wants that long-term deal — which would be separate from the ongoing lease negotiations — to guarantee 30 UConn games a year in Hartford.

But XL may not have as big a piece of UConn hockey for long. Under its membership agreement with Hockey East, UConn is required to put a shovel in the ground for a new on-campus arena in the 2016-2017 academic year, Enright said. Early estimates peg the size at 185,000 square feet, with a minimum cost of $20 million.

The arena would replace the 2,000-seat Freitas Ice Forum. If UConn plays more hockey games on campus, more XL Center basketball games would be needed to get to the 30 games CRDA wants in a long-term arrangement."​

My answer to that is no way in hell. if Hockey is contractually required to move most home games, if not all, back to Storrs as part of it's Hockey East membership, that means 15 games per year in Hartford for both men's and women's teams. That practically the entire home game slate. So no games on-campus in Storrs, no game in Bridgeport from help open-up alumni wallets ti increase the university endowment, no marquee home games in NYC to increase's UConn's marketability while it is in American purgatory. Give Hartford 10 total games per year (men & women) and let Hartford solve its own problems.

 

[SubbaBub]

Can't build XL on the back of UConn. 20 dates, 8 & 8 for BB and,4 hockey, is about it. Maybe you can squeeze 25, 10/10/5, but I think that's pushing it.

 

[CTGoonie]

By 2016/2017 we'll be on our way to the B1G and won't need the on-campus arena anyway. Just sayin.

 

[Dooley]

Remember that $1.5B the state gave UConn to expedite its research/AAU push (with very little pushback)? This is part of the cost of doing business.

 

[MASSconn]

Just like that beautiful football stadium in East Hartford that the ACC/Big10 laugh at. The State $ has reallly helped the reputation academically but what a joke this relationship is on an athletic standpoint.

 

[kingdobbs]

By 2016/2017 we'll be on our way to the B1G and won't need the on-campus arena anyway. Just sayin.

Yeah...we will.

The B1G neither needs nor wants another Ohio State.

It already has Ohio State.

 

[dayooper]

Just like that beautiful football stadium in East Hartford that the ACC/Big10 laugh at. The State $ has reallly helped the reputation academically but what a joke this relationship is on an athletic standpoint.

I don't understand this statement. The purpose of any university is to educate it constituents, not to entertain the masses with their students. There are many flagship schools that would love to be in your predicament. The amount of money being pumped into the academics of your school will pay off for you in so many more ways than a stadium would.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Yeah...we will.

The B1G neither needs nor wants another Ohio State.

It already has Ohio State.

You'll need to add this one to your exception on just 1 like @dayooper.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Just like that beautiful football stadium in East Hartford that the ACC/Big10 laugh at. The State $ has reallly helped the reputation academically but what a joke this relationship is on an athletic standpoint.

Seems like you just had a Big Ten team pay a visit last season...

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I don't understand this statement. The purpose of any university is to educate it constituents, not to entertain the masses with their students. There are many flagship schools that would love to be in your predicament. The amount of money being pumped into the academics of your school will pay off for you in so many more ways than a stadium would.

True; but, as President Herbst herself said - 'UConn athletics is the front door of the university.' Its the most visible part of the university and attracts passionate supporters. While STEM investment may yield more money for the university over the long-term and make contributions to world that we likely cannot not even imagine, success and failure in STEM research does not drive Mr. Average Joe to throw his TV out the window when a STEM project fails. The same applies to Michigan, too, I imagine.

 

[CL82]

There's too many mouths to feed right now. A game or two in Bridgeport, a game at CT Sun Arena plus 20 at XL? Can't be done. I get it, though. Private investors need to know that the XL's biggest tenant is playing a lot of dates there or dumping a lot of money into massive renovation (and no one is going to build a new arena in Hartford) doesn't make sense. Well if that is your break even number...it doesn't make sense.

 

[Kolumbo]

Hartford could use one brand new retractable roof stadium where they could play football, baseball, and maybe even hockey.
Would it be possible to build a new campus facility for both hockey and basketball or does that not work? Is that what Nebraska is doing?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Hartford could use one brand new retractable roof stadium where they could play football, baseball, and maybe even hockey.
Would it be possible to build a new campus facility for both hockey and basketball or does that not work? Is that what Nebraska is doing?

I can only think of a few on-campus, dual purpose arena's off the top of my head. Many schools (BU, UNH, Penn St, both Michigan & Michigan St, Minnesota, have separate venues for basketball and hockey

• BC's Conte Forum holds 8,600 for basketball and 7,900 for hockey and cost $25 million in 1988
• Ohio St's Value City arena holds 18,800 for basketball and 17,500 for hockey while costing $110 million in 1998
• Wisconsin's Kohl Center holds 17,200 for basketball and 15,400 for hockey while costing $76 million in 1998
• North Dakota's Ralph Engelstad Arena holds 12,100 for basketball (select games only) and 11,600 for hockey while costing $104 million in 2001
• U Nebraska (Lincoln)'s Pinnacle Bank Arena hold 15,100 for basketball and 12,700 for hockey while costing $180 million in 2013

It's damn expensive; but, likely cheaper overall than trying to expand and renovate Gampel and build a new on-campus hockey arena at the same time. One concern is how hockey games would feel if they average on 6K a game, which is still very good for college hockey) in an area sized for UConn basketball at 12K to 14K. The second concern is if Hartford (UConn must save the XL and Hartford!!!!) and Mansfield (NIMBY!) politics would allow such.

 

[upstater]

Remember that $1.5B the state gave UConn to expedite its research/AAU push (with very little pushback)? This is part of the cost of doing business.

That was actually a public-private partnership, no? It's about startups and such, is it not?

Because I think I just read the state slashed UConn's subsidy by a huge amount ($30m?)

 

[upstater]

The state would be much better off taking the money from a proposed arena that does not have enough demand and simply handing the money back to UConn.

 

[businesslawyer]

Just like that beautiful football stadium in East Hartford that the ACC/Big10 laugh at. The State $ has reallly helped the reputation academically but what a joke this relationship is on an athletic standpoint.

Huh? Compared to the one UConn put up witout state help? WTF

 

[MASSconn]

I don't understand this statement. The purpose of any university is to educate it constituents, not to entertain the masses with their students. There are many flagship schools that would love to be in your predicament. The amount of money being pumped into the academics of your school will pay off for you in so many more ways than a stadium would.

They are still forcing the flagship University to play Football and Basketball games in the state capital that is 35 minutes from campus. We scratch your back with $$, you scratch ours. Forcing a location change for 50% of your games is not commonplace in college athletics. I don't understand how this doesn't piss more people off. As a student it had me beside myself and I got the chance to speak to Warde about it. It's clear that most of the administration wishes things were different- even Kevin Ollie requested more games in Storrs last year.

There is no culture in Hartford in regards to UCONN. Storrs is UCONN's home and it should stay that way. You don't see Purdue alumni (West Lafayette is remote) forcing Purdue to play games in Indianapolis because it's easier to get to by highway and the state government is there.

Decades of bad decision making put us in this predicament. Ranging from highway expansion, bad stadium planning with the town, and the delayed development of Storrs. The one plus is that the Hockey East has forced their hand and I cannot wait for the new arena.

There is absolutely no point in a new XL Center unless the NHL comes calling. The NBA has no interest and a minor-league team will not provide the income.

 

[Waquoit]

How many titles does Purdue have?

 

[uconndogs]

"There is no culture in Hartford in regards to UCONN."

That is simply not true.

And putting a football stadium in Storrs was not feasible at the time the Rent was planned and then constructed. We would still be waiting for a stadium to be approved in or around Storrs.

Is the current situation perfect? Of course not. But folks need to take more of a pragmatic view on why things are the way they are.

 

[CL82]

"There is no culture in Hartford in regards to UCONN."

That is simply not true.

And putting a football stadium in Storrs was not feasible at the time the Rent was planned and then constructed. We would still be waiting for a stadium to be approved in or around Storrs.

Is the current situation perfect? Of course not. But folks need to take more of a pragmatic view on why things are the way they are.

Disagree. The University pitched a plan for Shenkman, Burton and a stadium all from State money and the State balked. I was doable then. It is doable now but for the investment in the Rent.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Disagree. The University pitched a plan for Shenkman, Burton and a stadium all from State money and the State balked. I was doable then. It is doable now but for the investment in the Rent.

I believe the original plan was to build the stadium on-campus behind North Campus where the tech park is now going. Mansfield raised holy heck over the idea. Then the now infamous attend to build a 70K indoor stadium in Hartford for the Pats and UConn where the convention center is today that was a 'done' deal until we realized a signed contract with Mr. Kraft was worth less than paper it was written on because he used the 'done deal' to arrange for a sweeter deal for him to build Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. That was then followed by UTC donating the old airfield in East Hartford, which happended to be a very contaminated site, to the state for UConn field and that became Rentschler Field.

 

[Waquoit]

"There is no culture in Hartford in regards to UCONN."
That is simply not true.

Without Hartford, there is no UConn basketball success. Period. I know the Hartford haters refuse to recognize this but facts are facts.

 

[ScottBonz]

I believe the original plan was to build the stadium on-campus behind North Campus where the tech park is now going. Mansfield raised holy heck over the idea. Then the now infamous attend to build a 70K indoor stadium in Hartford for the Pats and UConn where the convention center is today that was a 'done' deal until we realized a signed contract with Mr. Kraft was worth less than paper it was written on because he used the 'done deal' to arrange for a sweeter deal for him to build Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. That was then followed by UTC donating the old airfield in East Hartford, which happended to be a very contaminated site, to the state for UConn field and that became Rentschler Field.

My sociology teacher was represented on the BOT. He said that if Rent didn't become available at the price for it did then they would have pulled eminent domain and we'd have an on campus field.

 

[Dooley]

UConn does need to keep Hartford engaged. In addition to alumni, playing games all over the state grows the fanbase. Just about everyone living in CT is a UConn fan unless they have strong alumni ties. And even then, some/most root for UConn as long as we're not playing their school.

I'm not a fan of the atmosphere at XL in most seasons (although this past year was very good) and I'd like to see as many on-campus games as possible to keep the student base engaged, but the school is truly flagship in our state and should continue to play games in Hartford to strengthen and grow the fanbase. I just hope that Gampel will continue to play host venue for several games throughout the season too.