All home games at Gampel

[Greathusky]

These kind of posts COMPLETELY MISS THE POINT of the problem.

I was stuck in the north garage with about 150 other cars until 9:45. A few of you having a secret parking place where they don't ticket is not a global solution, is it? It was gridlock on campus until 10 pm, and the other several thousand people stuck in traffic also don't care that jslack03 knows someone that knows someone that lets him park in a faculty spot, or whatever it is you do.

Never ever park in the garage. I park in the lot next to the garage and go out the back roads. I am on Rt 44 heading west in 10 minutes. Take that all the way to I-84.

 

[Waquoit]

Since it is the University of Connecticut that we're talking about, the primary consideration must be the benefit to the students at the university.

Primary? I don't think so. Big-time college sports are for the alumni, or so the saying goes.

 

[ecasadoSBU]

Since it is the University of Connecticut that we're talking about, the primary consideration must be the benefit to the students at the university.

It is easier, less disruptive, and cheaper for students to attend HOME games where they live, which last time I looked is Storrs.

Now since UCONN is looked at as a state owned pro franchise by politicians, and these politicians control the purse strings to a significant portion of UCONN's capital budget and operating budget, the welfare of the students, much like comments in this thread, will be far down on the priority list.

Which sucks.

EXACTLY. We are talking about College Basketball here. What the heck is going on with a few of the posters here?!?! This is not a professional sports team here, a College student crowd is what builds enthusiasm and excitement for the program. And those college students today, when they graduate will be huskies forever and will spend and donate tons of money back to the school depending on whether their college years were memorable or not. If they are not able to attend half of the games today, they probably won't feel as attached to the programs. The Gampel should be expanded to 15,000 seats somehow and play at least 85% of the home games at the Pavilion. expand the infrastructure to allow more traffic. Its costly for sure, but it is the best for the future of Connecticut basketball. Playing at Hartford at a half-full arena does not sound exciting at all...

 

[hthusky74]

EXACTLY. We are talking about College Basketball here. What the heck is going on with a few of the posters here?!?! This is not a professional sports team here, a College student crowd is what builds enthusiasm and excitement for the program. And those college students today, when they graduate will be huskies forever and will spend and donate tons of money back to the school depending on whether their college years were memorable or not. If they are not able to attend half of the games today, they probably won't feel as attached to the programs. The Gampel should be expanded to 15,000 seats somehow and play at least 85% of the home games at the Pavilion. expand the infrastructure to allow more traffic. Its costly for sure, but it is the best for the future of Connecticut basketball. Playing at Hartford at a half-full arena does not sound exciting at all...

 

[Waquoit]

If they are not able to attend half of the games today, they probably won't feel as attached to the programs.

The student section at Gampel was only full for the Florida game. All the others to date have been less than 2/3's full. Why weren't the students able to make those games?

 

[CL82]

The student section at Gampel was only full for the Florida game. All the others to date have been less than 2/3's full. Why weren't the students able to make those games?

Well, I hear that traffic's a bitch....

EXACTLY. We are talking about College Basketball here. What the heck is going on with a few of the posters here?!?! This is not a professional sports team here, a College student crowd is what builds enthusiasm and excitement for the program. And those college students today, when they graduate will be huskies forever and will spend and donate tons of money back to the school depending on whether their college years were memorable or not. If they are not able to attend half of the games today, they probably won't feel as attached to the programs. The Gampel should be expanded to 15,000 seats somehow and play at least 85% of the home games at the Pavilion. expand the infrastructure to allow more traffic. Its costly for sure, but it is the best for the future of Connecticut basketball. Playing at Hartford at a half-full arena does not sound exciting at all...

We are expanding the University size so some infrastructure improvements make sense. Why not do it a piece at time and gradually build up capacity?

 

[mauconnfan]

Thanks been a while........GREAT stuff!! The Bros. were some of the best.........and this one of theirs!

 

[Huskybass]

I can't believe that anyone who has been to a game at Gampel actually prefers going to a game at the XL center. All of the great homecourts nationwide are on campus. Ask any player which building provides a stronger home court advantage and I bet nearly all of them would say Gampel. I'll gladly drive a little further to go to Gampel, where the students are more a part of the scene. I have/had season tickets to both buildings, the XL center just does not provide the same homecourt advantage that Gampel does.

 

[GlastonTim]

The big games at Gampel are great, the ones against mediocre comp aren't. The big games at XL, like Cuse last year are pretty darn good too. With the games at the XL, we go out to dinner at a nice restaurant, go to the game and then have a beer to celebrate(hopefully) after. It's a whole evening of entertainment. Loading the schedule with top 50 teams will improve things. I'd rather go to a cupcake game at the XL because of the dining and drinking options than Gampel any day. Play better OOC games!

 

[mauconnfan]

I can't believe that anyone who has been to a game at Gampel actually prefers going to a game at the XL center. All of the great homecourts nationwide are on campus. Ask any player which building provides a stronger home court advantage and I bet nearly all of them would say Gampel. I'll gladly drive a little further to go to Gampel, where the students are more a part of the scene. I have/had season tickets to both buildings, the XL center just does not provide the same homecourt advantage that Gampel does.

Again preferences right? Gampel has never achieved the vibe which HCC did for the GTowns, the Cuses, KU game and others ("back in the day") although you may be right now and the tide may have turned as the state of the fan has.......again too many people eventually started buying tickets just because it was the thing to do and the bandwagon became full suddenly, mostly full of people without legacy and attachment to the basketball team..........so maybe you are correct now but if the fanbase can come back to the same vibe of the 89-mid 90's it's clearly louder and more fun than Gampel and i must say it's not close when you add what GlastonTim says about post-celebrations and such........the parties after some of those games at the Russin Lady, Challengers, The Fed, Civic pub and such were great memories........too bad the "new" fans don't feel the same!

 

[David 76]

I think Shabazz and Jim Calhoun are on record that the crowds these days are better (more intense) at Gampel. Unless we move the fan base back a decade or two, the home crowd advantage is better at Gampel with school in session.