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

[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.

 

[Slasher]

People need to be realistic about things.

Good luck with that. There's a lot of people here who think Kansas is going to leave the Big 12 to join the NBE.

 

[Hoophound]

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.

And, most of us that go to games like the Rent and just don’t care about an on campus stadium that much. When we win, the Rent rocks.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

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.

Agreed and moving the games further from New Haven and Fairfield counties (with more difficult access) is simply a non- starter for fans. It's not gonna happen. Let's move on from this topic. Someone start a new topic that most of us can ignore.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

from our friends at Underdog Dynasty:

The Time is Now for AAC Schools To Build On-Campus Stadiums

USF, Temple, and even Memphis continue to play their games off campus in rented stadiums. In the changing landscape, that needs to end now.

www.underdogdynasty.com

"it’s clear on-campus stadiums help programs grow, build fanbases, and create experiences. They get alumni and future generations of students to campus, and they’re easier for students to get to on game day. They may not be as big, and the seats might not all have two cupholders, but they’re more intimate, proud, loud, and cherished. They, along with all the rest of your facilities, also show a commitment to football and athletics on the whole."

"So, if you want to make your program viable in the next round of realignment, which the Big 12 is thought to be a part of, then you need an on-campus stadium. If you just want to have a better atmosphere and experience, you need an on-campus stadium. If you want to build a better football program, bring money into the school, and invest in your university’s future, you need an on-campus football stadium."

 

[Patman]

East Hartford is less than optimal. On campus is less than optimal. The facilities aren't the biggest issue the biggest issue is paying for coaching and recruiting (in the legit way). The program was building just fine until the 2008 economic meltdown occurred then the belts tightened. The state is realizing that UConn is the flagship for the state like other state universities. Even more so in CT which lacks a pro team.

CT like other Northeast states thrives on existing culture, its not based on economics per se. Big businesses would move tomorrow if it was about just the dollar and they could get the workers elsewhere. Connecticut keeps the nice things because they bring in highly educated people through the schools and they come for the schools because of their elite sanctioning and for the cultural standards. So, you need to generate more culture as tax rates go higher and higher... otherwise you're going to lose people. To that end, spending money on football is a small money return in contrast to the billions that will be generated by giving people to come and to stay in the state, economically. As long as the workers are in place because of cultural and social commitment the state can make money off of them to provide what they will.

The only reason we won't spend 10 million on a coach is because the regular people are going to balk at the idea, but I'll get you he will bring back more than 10 million to the state writ large even if its not 10 mill back to UConn itself.