College sports agreement promises major boost to CT downtown (Courant) | The Boneyard

College sports agreement promises major boost to CT downtown (Courant)

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-> In a major boost for downtown Hartford, the University of Connecticut would keep playing basketball and hockey at the newly-renovated PeoplesBank Arena through the spring of 2031, under an agreement that is close to being signed.

A summary of the licensing agreement — recently reviewed by the board of the Capital Region Development Authority — calls for UConn to play at least eight men’s basketball games, seven women’s basketball games and four men’s hockey games a season at the 16,000-seat venue. <-

-> Other provisions are:

* UConn would pay a license fee of $40,500 for each basketball game played at the arena plus a facility fee of $3 for each paid ticket to the game. OVG shall pay UConn $4 for each basketball game attendee over 112,500 for the season.

* UConn would pay a license fee of $20,500 for each hockey game played at the arena plus a facility fee of $2 for each paid ticket to the game. OVG shall pay UConn $4 for each hockey game attendee over 15,000 for the season.

* OVG reserves the right to sell tickets for luxury suites and club spaces that existed before the renovation. UConn shall receive $5 for each club seat attendee for basketball games and $2.50 for each club seat attendee for hockey games.

The licensing agreement would run from Sept. 1, 2025 to April 15, 2031 <-
 
I hope more games are played in Hartford. Hartford has had the better atmosphere for the past 2 seasons. The gouging of parking prices in Storrs is another reason for those who go to the games.
 
The Connecticut Sun will also be playing in Hartford.

"The Connecticut Sun are bringing the WNBA to Hartford this summer with two games on the 2026 schedule set to be played at PeoplesBank Arena.

The Sun will host their first game in Hartford against Los Angeles Sparks on May 30, and UConn women’s basketball great Paige Bueckers will return to the arena where she played much of her college career when the Dallas Wings come to the state capital on July 2."

 
I don't get why there needs to be a deal like this it's all state money UConn and CRDA.

That said I like games in Hartford and ensuring the next 5 years is a good thing
 
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UConnTrumbull said:
Why does UConn have to pay a dime? Hartford needs UConn, not the other way around.
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Probably because politicians would threaten to take funding away from the University if we left Hartford altogether. The city would be put on triple life support (it’s already on life support).
 
CTBasketball said:
Probably because politicians would threaten to take funding away from the University if we left Hartford altogether. The city would be put on triple life support (it’s already on life support).
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No I agree but we shouldn’t have to pay anything for the “privilege” of playing in Hartford
 
CTBasketball said:
Probably because politicians would threaten to take funding away from the University if we left Hartford altogether. The city would be put on triple life support (it’s already on life support).
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Exactly right
 
mjmoney23 said:
I hope more games are played in Hartford. Hartford has had the better atmosphere for the past 2 seasons. The gouging of parking prices in Storrs is another reason for those who go to the games.
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Have to agree... I haven't gone to either venue in a few years, but Gampel always felt kind of tame/lame compared to the HCC. TV echoes that. If you've ever seen a game at another major school's on-campus arena, you walk away realizing that Gampel is really underwhelming.
 
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The real question, which no one ever answers, because apparently, it is a state secret, is, how much money does UConn make per game in each venue?

Do the extra six thousand fans make Hartford more profitable or do the expenses associated with Hartford make Gampel more profitable?

Without knowing the answer to these questions it is tough to compare the venues.
 
CTBasketball said:
Probably because politicians would threaten to take funding away from the University if we left Hartford altogether. The city would be put on triple life support (it’s already on life support).
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thought it was already dead
 
mjmoney23 said:
I hope more games are played in Hartford. Hartford has had the better atmosphere for the past 2 seasons. The gouging of parking prices in Storrs is another reason for those who go to the games.
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This is interesting. I went to my first game in Storrs in about 15 years against Marquette. Parked in the North garage, about a 10 minute walk to the game. There was a sign on the way in that said I think $25 to park. But there was no one collecting. Ended up having to park on the roof. The only place I saw to pay was one of those self parking machines. But we were running late, so I said we'll just pay on the way back. Well, never did that either and just drove out of the garage. No harm, no foul.

How do they not have someone collecting for parking???
 
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uconngb said:
This is interesting. I went to my first game in Storrs in about 15 years against Marquette. Parked in the North garage, about a 10 minute walk to the game. There was a sign on the way in that said I think $25 to park. But there was no one collecting. Ended up having to park on the roof. The only place I saw to pay was one of those self parking machines. But we were running late, so I said we'll just pay on the way back. Well, never did that either and just drove out of the garage. No harm, no foul.

How do they not have someone collecting for parking???
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We never pay for parking in the garage.
 
gampelcrazies said:
Perfect time to renovate Gampel and dump Hartford down the road
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Like UConn is gonna renovate Gampel without State money. And think about it, why has UConn won six titles in the last quarter century? What do they do different than almost every other team in D1? I’ll tell you what it is, they play half their games in a pro style arena. So when the tournament comes, arenas are nothing to them.
 
UConn isnt a private university, its all one big shell game.
Make the decision makers in Hartford happy. Quite frankly they should expand hockey from 4 to 6 games.
 
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Deepster said:
LOL. Okaaaay. New England's rising star!!!

How is the development around Dunkin Donuts park coming along? That park is only 9 years old at this point. The Sportsbook is a colossal failure. And off the top of my head, Morton's never re-opened. City Steam has no plans to re-open that I could find. The movie theater on Front St closed. Where's the good news?
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All of the other new things that have opened that you choose to ignore or misremember when you decide to paint Hartford in a negative light in conversations with people that help to perpetuate the negative stigma around Hartford for people who don't live there.
 
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