Connecticut governor declares UConn is 'all in' on big-time college football despite its current spot at bottom (Yahoo Thamel)

[CONN78SEJ]

I would do a decent contract between $1M to $2M that's incentive laden. If the coach does well, we can always increase the payout later.

The perception of the UConn administration among college coaching ranks is not good. Several names who UConn reached out to after PP and Diaco wouldn’t even come here to talk, and in the end the only one who wanted the job for what they were paying was Edsall. Bottom line is if Gov Lamont wants big time football to come to Storrs, he’s gonna half to pay for it, and maybe even throw in an on campus stadium. If they did build an on campus stadium that certainly would shut up the critics who say UConn is not serious about FBS football. If Benedict does find a diamond in the rough so to speak I wouldn’t be surprised if the guy comes out of the Big 12, maybe a head coach or maybe a hot OC or DC.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

The state may agree to bond an on-campus stadium. But one of the big problems is what to do with the Rent. If Central CT wants to get serious about FCS football, they could take it over. Politically, it would look awful if the place remained empty. Maybe try to get some non-college sports using it too. Unless there is a potential buyer for the place. They could pay for it. Not sure what they would use it for.

 

[Hogoff]

The state may agree to bond an on-campus stadium. But one of the big problems is what to do with the Rent. If Central CT wants to get serious about FCS football, they could take it over. Politically, it would look awful if the place remained empty. Maybe try to get some non-college sports using it too. Unless there is a potential buyer for the place. They could pay for it. Not sure what they would use it for.

It would be a perfect MLS stadium.

 

[HardFacts]

I predict ... earlier than December 1. Benedict said December 1 this week. I think he is thinking he has an advantage in several ways to get the search complete - with Parker - and get someone in place near our last gam

The state may agree to bond an on-campus stadium. But one of the big problems is what to do with the Rent. If Central CT wants to get serious about FCS football, they could take it over. Politically, it would look awful if the place remained empty. Maybe try to get some non-college sports using it too. Unless there is a potential buyer for the place. They could pay for it. Not sure what they would use it for.

The Stadium is not the issue! A new stadium would cost at least more than 4 times the initial cost of the RENT not to mention road infrastructure. Of course maybe they got a commitment from Joe Bidden when he was on campus Friday to add the infrastructure to his proposed infrastructure bill.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The state may agree to bond an on-campus stadium. But one of the big problems is what to do with the Rent. If Central CT wants to get serious about FCS football, they could take it over. Politically, it would look awful if the place remained empty. Maybe try to get some non-college sports using it too. Unless there is a potential buyer for the place. They could pay for it. Not sure what they would use it for.

Lots of uses for it. The state high school playoffs for one, negotiate with the Pats to play a couple games there each year, major league soccer, and as you say Central, WesConn, Holy Cross, UAlbany and even Umass might be interested.

 

[Pudge]

I work in real estate development in the Northeast. There is a HUGE problem with 30-40,000 people coming to Storrs on a Saturday on a road that has trouble with weekday traffic into the University; there is a Town that fought multiple attempts at significant development in the last 40 years - with environmental and water/sewer problems; there are wealthy NIMBY elements; AND all this was true in 1993. Magic. You wish it were on campus.

It is absolutely true that you got a State-of-the-art stadium in 2003. You can look at 100+ stadiums on YOUTUBE right now. That stadium is still beautiful and functional. And when winning, it is a absolutely fun 40,000 sports environment. Helluva good. Above: the Opportunity Cost; the Replacement Cost. Nobody is going to vote in that legislature for a new stadium that will cost $300m+ (and it was reported at $91m in 2002; and then had multiple expenditures to enhance it)

I went to UCLA for grad school and traveled a 50+ minute light traffic I10 into the Rose Bowl for football. There is a compelling story for the State of Connecticut (small state) to have a easily accessible Rent. Sad. They haven't done a good job. It is a far under-improved valuable land development. A UCLA fan would tell you about Colorado Blvd in Pasadena after games. They are used to football being a 6-8 hour thing.

The saddest thing is the contrast today to 2004-2010. Many of us have watched sports for a long time. There is no structural/systemic reason to not achieve what we all would like. The biggest question mark ... was scheduling after the AAC; I am firmly convinced that we have done that superbly. Day 722: it is totally up from here.

 

[Stinger92860]

Nobody is going to vote in that legislature for a new stadium that will cost $300m+

This is without the road improvements?

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Lots of uses for it. The state high school playoffs for one, negotiate with the Pats to play a couple games there each year, major league soccer, and as you say Central, WesConn, Holy Cross, UAlbany and even Umass might be interested.

There's some potential there, but would it make financial sense for the Pats, or even the Jets, to play there? Even preseason, would they lose money on the deal compared to Foxborough or the Meadowlands? High school playoffs would not generate much if any revenue. The out of state colleges have other options and it would look odd playing in another state. Can Connecticut land the highest level of pro-soccer? Not sure they want to come to Hartford, but would be great to get them. I think Central CT may be best bet. I would suggest if they do end up there, and UConn has another stadium, make sure their home game schedules are not on the same day. It could hurt the attendance at both schools if times conflict.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

This is without the road improvements?

As I said before, the locals resisted the downtown Storrs business development for years. It was built eventually. Many of them are now visiting it for dining, shopping and medical appointments. The advantage of football is there are likely six home games a year. Assume most are on Saturday. The locals can just avoid traveling over those few hours a year. Also, if the stadium is built near the new technological park there is a road there that heads out to Route 44. It may keep some of the traffic from the center of Mansfield. If need be, shuttle service could be provided from some nearby locations. For instance, parking lots at the Eastbrook Mall, Eastern CT, and maybe a few locations around Hartford could be used to lessen traffic impact. A strong FBS program with an on-campus stadium would help UConn in numerous ways. Many of the locals work for the university.

Also, for decades people who lived in Westville, the residential section of New Haven close to the Yale Bowl, had traffic very close to their houses when Yale had home games. Attendance was often over 60,000. They survived. Those were some of the most expensive houses in New Haven. Some residents even sold parking spaces for the games using their lawns or driveways.

One of my main concerns is that Horsebarn Hill not be used for a stadium. It is essential to the character of UConn.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

There's some potential there, but would it make financial sense for the Pats, or even the Jets, to play there? Even preseason, would they lose money on the deal compared to Foxborough or the Meadowlands? High school playoffs would not generate much if any revenue. The out of state colleges have other options and it would look odd playing in another state. Can Connecticut land the highest level of pro-soccer? Not sure they want to come to Hartford, but would be great to get them. I think Central CT may be best bet. I would suggest if they do end up there, and UConn has another stadium, make sure their home game schedules are not on the same day. It could hurt the attendance at both schools if times conflict.

The question is about uses for the Rent, not revenue. Just forget about revenue except for Pats games. Remember that they are the New England Patriots, not the Boston Patriots as they once were called, so to my mind a couple games a year in Hartford makes sense especially for the Fairfield and New Haven counties crowds. I don’t know about the Jets, possibly but it’s a stretch. Good point about any conflicts.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The Stadium is not the issue! A new stadium would cost at least more than 4 times the initial cost of the RENT not to mention road infrastructure. Of course maybe they got a commitment from Joe Bidden when he was on campus Friday to add the infrastructure to his proposed infrastructure bill.

I don’t think infrastructure would be as big an issue as you make it to be. Eighteen wheelers drive to the Storrs campus every day and every hour and there has never been talk a major highway being built to accommodate that. Some improvements and road widening would be well spent, but a major overhaul of all roads leading to Storrs is I think not necessary. What would have to be addressed is all those cars lined up at the front gate waiting to get on campus, go through security, etc. so what would be needed are some on campus accommodations for fans, stadium workers, food vendors, etc. To my mind the way to address the fans is to construct a large parking area just off campus and a large walk thru gate,with security stops, walk thru detectors, etc. This would mean building the stadium on campus but strategically close to the parking area. The nearby state police barracks might have to be beefed up as well. This can all be accomplished, just needs some planning. The revenue the schools makes off all of this is gravy.

 

[06029]

The question is about uses for the Rent, not revenue. Just forget about revenue except for Pats games. Remember that they are the New England Patriots, not the Boston Patriots as they once were called, so to my mind a couple games a year in Hartford makes sense especially for the Fairfield and New Haven counties crowds. I don’t know about the Jets, possibly but it’s a stretch. Good point about any conflicts.

Except the with the Pats the owner owns the stadium and parking in Foxboro. It seats more than40k and has two levels of luxury boxes and two club level sections and he gets premium dollars for all of those. How does he explain moving even 1 game to his season ticket base? How does he justify the financial loss even on a preseason game.

I think you also forget how bad Kraft used CT to get everything he wanted in Foxboro.

 

[Banta55]

I don’t think infrastructure would be as big an issue as you make it to be. Eighteen wheelers drive to the Storrs campus every day and every hour and there has never been talk a major highway being built to accommodate that. Some improvements and road widening would be well spent, but a major overhaul of all roads leading to Storrs is I think not necessary. What would have to be addressed is all those cars lined up at the front gate waiting to get on campus, go through security, etc. so what would be needed are some on campus accommodations for fans, stadium workers, food vendors, etc. To my mind the way to address the fans is to construct a large parking area just off campus and a large walk thru gate,with security stops, walk thru detectors, etc. This would mean building the stadium on campus but strategically close to the parking area. The nearby state police barracks might have to be beefed up as well. This can all be accomplished, just needs some planning. The revenue the schools makes off all of this is gravy.

They're not building another stadium..This thread is about a head coach..

 

[Pudge]

I looked it up: up to 2010, UCONN Football had 30 sellouts. One meager sellout since. It is a great environment when winning with a compelling program. It ain't sterile (as that Purdue guys said). It can be fixed

 

[Waquoit]

The state may agree to bond an on-campus stadium.

What state are you talking about? Surely not Connecticut.

 

[Waquoit]

I don’t think infrastructure would be as big an issue as you make it to be.

Yeah, well you're wrong there. The current infrastructure can't handle a sellout at Gampel.

 

[Waquoit]

Lots of uses for it. The state high school playoffs for one, negotiate with the Pats to play a couple games there each year, major league soccer, and as you say Central, WesConn, Holy Cross, UAlbany and even Umass might be interested.

You've listed no realistic uses here. The bolded part is when I realized you were insane.

 

[Waquoit]

One of my main concerns is that Horsebarn Hill not be used for a stadium. It is essential to the character of UConn.

Sleep easy.

 

[SubbaBub]

Lots of uses for it. The state high school playoffs for one, negotiate with the Pats to play a couple games there each year, major league soccer, and as you say Central, WesConn, Holy Cross, UAlbany and even Umass might be interested.

This is stupid on many levels. No, the Pats are not playing home games away from a stadium and entertainment development they own to play in a Stadium about half the size. No, MLS isn't moving a team out of that same development owned by the same guy. No, Central isn't upgrading, neither is WesConn. Albany is going to drive 2 hrs to play out of state? UMass is going to do drive an hour? You say all this while complaining the Rent is too far from campus?

Final tally, wrong on 7 levels.

If the Rent were to go away, it becomes houses or some commercial development or at best a community amphitheater like in Bridgeport. It would be incredibly easy to demo. I wouldn't worry about it becoming a white elephant.

 

[SubbaBub]

I don’t think infrastructure would be as big an issue as you make it to be. Eighteen wheelers drive to the Storrs campus every day and every hour and there has never been talk a major highway being built to accommodate that. Some improvements and road widening would be well spent, but a major overhaul of all roads leading to Storrs is I think not necessary. What would have to be addressed is all those cars lined up at the front gate waiting to get on campus, go through security, etc. so what would be needed are some on campus accommodations for fans, stadium workers, food vendors, etc. To my mind the way to address the fans is to construct a large parking area just off campus and a large walk thru gate,with security stops, walk thru detectors, etc. This would mean building the stadium on campus but strategically close to the parking area. The nearby state police barracks might have to be beefed up as well. This can all be accomplished, just needs some planning. The revenue the schools makes off all of this is gravy.

Stop, you are talking out your ass. The infrastructure is incredibly undersized to support a 40k football stadium. This is a 20 year old debate than hasn't improved with age.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Except the with the Pats the owner owns the stadium and parking in Foxboro. It seats more than40k and has two levels of luxury boxes and two club level sections and he gets premium dollars for all of those. How does he explain moving even 1 game to his season ticket base? How does he justify the financial loss even on a preseason game.

I think you also forget how bad Kraft used CT to get everything he wanted in Foxboro.

No one said the Rent doesn’t need to be dressed up. I think Kraft would bite and would fix up the Rent himself if Connecticut made it worth his while. Kraft is a businessman and college football is big business.

 

[CL82]

The state may agree to bond an on-campus stadium.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

This is stupid on many levels. No, the Pats are not playing home games away from a stadium and entertainment development they own to play in a Stadium about half the size. No, MLS isn't moving a team out of that same development owned by the same guy. No, Central isn't upgrading, neither is WesConn. Albany is going to drive 2 hrs to play out of state? UMass is going to do drive an hour? You say all this while complaining the Rent is too far from campus?

Final tally, wrong on 7 levels.

If the Rent were to go away, it becomes houses or some commercial development or at best a community amphitheater like in Bridgeport. It would be incredibly easy to demo. I wouldn't worry about it becoming a white elephant.

I would just point out Bridgeport's Ballpark at Harbor Yard was a 5,500-seat arena. The Rent has 40,000 seats. HarborYard now has concerts.

The locals in East Hartford don't appreciate hearing live music in the evenings. It may be hard to get the place transformed into something else.

The state should not consider knocking it down, like what happens to so many of these stadiums no longer in use.

Though we are concerned about UConn on this board, I could see Central CT upgrading to play teams like URI or Maine in the Colonial Athletic Association. Get someone like Lou Spanos in charge of their football program and give them some extra cash and the upgrade is possible.

 

[Hoophound]

No one said the Rent doesn’t need to be dressed up. I think Kraft would bite and would fix up the Rent himself if Connecticut made it worth his while. Kraft is a businessman and college football is big business.

Why would he do that? He has a state of the art stadium in Foxboro with twice as many seats. The revenue generated there can’t be made at the Rent. There is nothing in it for the Pats or Robert Kraft. Odd take.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

It could be packaged not just as a sports stadium. If the design included decent meeting and conference space (that could double for luxury space during FB games), the new technology park at uconn could also benefit. Interesting place for corporate high-tech presentations and the like. If it is part of a wider endeavor to bring the state's economy into the 21st century, who knows, the fiscal conservatives may like it too. I agree with the skeptics, the price tag is high. Especially if it is only used six days a year.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

We need a Raid On Entebbe to end this hijacking before it gets any more ridiculous.

 

[Griggs]

Let's worry about getting the right coach before discussing an on-campus facility.

Been there for sellouts , been there when less than half filled. Nothing wrong with the Rent.

With the right coach,and the independent schedule with P5 teams coming here, success is possible.

Wanting an on-campus facility is way way beyond a stretch.
Least of Uconn's worries

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Unfortunately, the way Connecticut works, it takes years for ideas to become reality. If the ACC or B10 or B12 have openings, UConn has to prove it takes football seriously. No better way than to have cutting edge facilities on the campus as well as a competitive program. In 2019, Susan Herbst before she left as president floated the idea of an on-campus football stadium. Jeff Jacobs: An exit interview with outgoing UConn president Susan Herbst

 

[noeynox]

Unfortunately, the way Connecticut works, it takes years for ideas to become reality. If the ACC or B10 or B12 have openings, UConn has to prove it takes football seriously. No better way than to have cutting edge facilities on the campus as well as a competitive program. In 2019, Susan Herbst before she left as president floated the idea of an on-campus football stadium. Jeff Jacobs: An exit interview with outgoing UConn president Susan Herbst

Let's get that competitive program 1st.

 

[jostar1]

Bottom line is if Gov Lamont wants big time football to come to Storrs, he’s gonna half to pay for it, and maybe even throw in an on campus stadium.

1) Gov. Lamont is not paying for UConn football, or giving them more money for a coach. Funding for UConn comes out of the state budget, which is already set. It is up to UConn to allocate more money to the Athletic Dept. As someone else posted, Lamont's public support of UConn football may give political cover for UConn to do that.

2) There would be public outrage from Connecticut citizens if money was allocated for a new stadium. There is no political will to do that. Especially for a team that has been losing for years.

3) Why people continue to talk about an on-campus stadium baffles me. It is totally unrealistic based on the fact that a) there is already a stadium for UConn football and b) the residents of Mansfield will never support it.

People need to be realistic about things.