Dave Benedict on future of XL Center

[superjohn]

I like Gampel more than Hartford, but I do think it is a win-win having some games in Hartford, especially games during the week and the city's proximity to the largest population centers in Connecticut.

But to state the obvious, the arena needs significant upgrades.

I doubt UConn pulls the plug on Hartford anytime soon but makes a lot of sense to get those in Hartford to make the necessary investments to get the arena in a better state.

Only so much lipstick you can put on a pig.

Yeah id be really p`d off if they stopped playing in hartford. I dont even have to drive anymore. I just hop on the train to and from. Its the best! Im not a fan of driving out to Storrs from Meriden.

What is that a 45 minute drive? CT. people are spoiled.

 

[Get a Job]

Post/Handle

It's even worse than that. I actually graduated in May 2011, but I was in Germany for the last year and a half, so I didn't count that.

 

[Waquoit]

Personal space is not adequate.

XL space is like sitting in first class compared to Gampel.

 

[Husky25]

This Gampel vs XL discussion again. I live in Fairfield County and have season tix at XL. Hartford is just the better option for fans down here. I completely understand the play all games at Gampel argument. But less fans from here will make the trip or maybe only a game or two. And then less reason to donate also. I’d be OK with it but will spend my money at MSG.

...and another discussion where FFC residents seem as though they'd complain if UConn played ball in Shelton.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

This Gampel vs XL discussion again. I live in Fairfield County and have season tix at XL. Hartford is just the better option for fans down here. I completely understand the play all games at Gampel argument. But less fans from here will make the trip or maybe only a game or two. And then less reason to donate also. I’d be OK with it but will spend my money at MSG.

I keep forgetting there aren’t 10,167 UConn basketball fans in the northern 7/8 of the state.

 

[hardcorehusky]

It took the state about 5 years to address the peeling ceiling tiles that were an absolute embarrassment to all involved. Gampel needs to be renovated and could be done by.... getting a new naming partner.

XL is just way beyond its life but there is no way the state will fund, put up the bonds for funding, etc for a new Civic Center. For UConn, the key is a better deal with the CRDA, improvements to Gampel to help with revenue and hope the state continues it incremental improvements at the XL until it is just not viable anymore.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

...and another discussion where FFC residents seem as though they'd complain if UConn played ball in Shelton.

There’s a perfectly adequate court in my gated community. Why can’t they play there?

 

[Dogdeacon]

It is the same old story forever at UConn with outdated facilities, buildings etc.. The Civic Center was older in the 90's, became outdated as soon as the mall closed and has been ridiculous since. This would never be tolerated if UConn sat in the southeastern part of the state.

And the fact that UConn or the state let's the Civic Center operate as a cash cow is equally ridiculous, do the rents keep going down for increasingly inferior facilities? I understand all of the states infrastructure, cash flow are circular. Playing at Gampel this year is a good start on not participating in the dysfunctional relationship.

 

[Waquoit]

I keep forgetting there aren’t 10,167 UConn basketball fans in the northern 7/8 of the state.

Why don't they go to Gampel then? I went to a game there last year when the team was playing great and the place was half empty. So was the student section.

 

[Husky25]

XL space is like sitting in first class compared to Gampel.

Before the COVID restrictions went full-bore I went to Monster Jam, The Globetrotters, UConn/Memphis, and UConn/UMass hockey within 21 days, sitting all over the arena. I'm not a tall person, but I felt like I had to straddle the seat in front of me to be the least bit considerate, and it felt like I should have iced my knees after each event, even after the Globetrotters, when we sat virtually mid court in the lower bowl.

 

[Husky25]

There’s a perfectly adequate court in my gated community. Why can’t they play there?

Yeah, maybe the double rims would improve UConn's outside shooting..

 

[UConnDad]

I keep forgetting there aren’t 10,167 UConn basketball fans in the northern 7/8 of the state.

what?

 

[UConnDad]

...and another discussion where FFC residents seem as though they'd complain if UConn played ball in Shelton.

I said I have no problem if all games are played at Gampel.

 

[UConnJim]

We will all agree that UConn and the XL Center are supported by the same source, the state of Connecticut. And, we know that the UConn AD is under pressure to reduce the annual deficit. Unfortunately, the current deal for using the XL Center makes the UConn AD losses higher than they need to be which makes Benedict's job to reduce costs more difficult as he could easily reduce the AD deficit by moving all games to campus. So, of course he should complain about the XL Center.

As for the XL Center, The Times Union Center in Albany has produced an operating profit for 24 years straight! In 2019, they had 125 events and 589k in attendance or 4.7k per event and they made $2.6 million in profit. I don't know if they are using accounting tricks, but why can't the XL Center be like the Times Union Center? By the way, The Times Union Center is 30 years old and it has about half of the luxury suites that the XL Center has.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I went to a concert there two years ago; I am posting this from the parking lot.





It's a fine venue and the train access is a nice benefit, but the traffic pattern and parking are a nightmare.

The best advice is to park at the Stratford train station and take the train for one stop, during which they don't even have time to check for tickets. If we have to drive there, we now park at shopping center on the other side of the overpass. It's a longer walk, but it saves you the madness of the circuitous route to get out of the parking area and back on the highway.

You've got me there. Getting off of that I95 exit is indeed terrible. I took my kid to see Marvel Live there a few years back and, yes the parking garage is a nightmare. I parked in the outdoor lot a few times and didn't have the same issues but I think one time was for a Bluefish game so it wasn't exactly a packed house. Although it was Star Wars night. I'll be interested to see how the new amphitheatre works out.

 

[Apollo]

I grew up in suburban Hartford and now life in FC. Moving all games to gampel would not be ideal for fans in the southwest part of the state.

... yet would be incredibly ideal for fans in the northeastern part of the state.

 

[Apollo]

Yeah id be really p`d off if they stopped playing in hartford. I dont even have to drive anymore. I just hop on the train to and from. Its the best! Im not a fan of driving out to Storrs from Meriden.

It’s 45-minutes lol. Wow, people in CT really don’t like to drive.

 

[Ts5034]

I didn't hear his comments as a threat, more just stating plainly how poor the arena condition is at the moment, even touching on Gampel needing similar improvements. The problem as others have noted is that having a Mohegan / Foxwoods in the state that can get events to come and payout better because theyre looking to attract folks to gamble and looking more for the foot traffic hurt XL's ability to get non-UConn/Wolfpack events.

But, hopefully they can improve seating arrangements and expand concourses and modify concession locations/types to improve arena profitability.

The university is part of the state and is a partner with the government as reflected in who sits on the board and where a portion of university funding comes from so it's not as if one entity is going to do something without the full understanding and consent of the other.

I know I've mentioned that point about Mohegan and Foxwoods in the other XL Threads. Those are just the facts. Even though Mohegan and Foxwoods always cry about losing money, they are loaded beyond loaded, and they will always outbid anybody In the state for a show or concert if they really want it that bad. Thats why I ask the question of what are you actually gaining by dumping tens or hundreds of millions of dollars into the XL Center? Connecticut will never get another professional sports team, so the only benefit of making major renovations to the XL is to improve the UConn basketball game day experience.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It’s 45-minutes lol. Wow, people in CT really don’t like to drive.

People in the northeast don't like to drive, not just CT. People from KC never seemed to have any problem driving to Lawrence for KU games. Part of it is culture. If you're going to a game, you get to leave work at 3:00. End of story. No questions asked.

 

[Ts5034]

It’s 45-minutes lol. Wow, people in CT really don’t like to drive.

I do not mind the extra drive time out to Gampel for one second. I prefer Gampel 99% of the time, but with that said, I don't hate the XL. One solution that kind of meets in the middle is to just have less games in Hartford. Play all the games during winter break at the XL Center like you already do, and maybe two conference games per year. That would be about 6-7 games in Hartford instead of the 10 or 11 like it is now.

 

[John]

I do not mind the extra drive time out to Gampel for one second. I prefer Gampel 99% of the time, but with that said, I don't hate the XL. One solution that kind of meets in the middle is to just have less games in Hartford. Play all the games during winter break at the XL Center like you already do, and maybe two conference games per year. That would be about 6-7 games in Hartford instead of the 10 or 11 like it is now.

exactly - don't bail out completely on the XL, but cut it to 3-5 games. And for pete's sake, don't have bland cupcake games at the XL where there's barely anyone there (considering UConn is renting the place).

 

[August_West]

...and another discussion where FFC residents seem as though they'd complain if UConn played ball in Shelton.

Absolutely. You’d trip over syringes on way into arena. Hartford has less of an issue.

 

[UCDaveD]

Uproot Gampel and plant it in Hartford. Problem solved. Everyone wins.

 

[Waterbury]

The "play all games at Gampel" crowd must hate drinking some of the most delicious microbrews that the state has to offer. The refreshing taste of Two Juicy on my lips while we provide a beatdown to Georgetown? Yes please!

 

[Guapo]

Play games during break at XL; all other games should on campus. @HuskyHawk had it right. Nearly every other fanbase in America somehow makes it work, and if it were to come to pass I think UConn fans would figure it out too.

UConn is not Connecticut’s pro team. People suggesting the program barnstorm around the state in FFC and Mohegan Sun etc are out of their minds