Demolish the XL center

[Chelo]

The venue does matter. Site lines could be off, the floor has a different bounce, rims may be too tight ect....also the venue and the fans are our sixth man. Would you rather play in a arena that you practice on daily and feel comfortable on while filled with screaming student fans or the XL?

 

[Chelo]

Sometimes when people talk about sports they act like it’s a video game and completely forget their is a human element to every aspect of it.

I agree we need to win regardless of venue, but can we please stop ignoring the fact that the team clearly plays better at Gampel and has for the past 15 years.

Are people really advocating to keep playing XL purely on the principle of “we should win a anywhere?”

They want to keep the XL to keep Hartford alive....It will take more than UConn basketball to do that.

 

[McLovin]

The venue does matter. Site lines could be off, the floor has a different bounce, rims may be too tight ect....also the venue and the fans are our sixth man. Would you rather play in a arena that you practice on daily and feel comfortable on while filled with screaming student fans or the XL?

You’re not allowed to make very valid arguments on this thread.

You’re only allowed to call the fan base insufferable and demand they blindly win every game regardless of venue!

 

[McLovin]

They want to keep the XL to keep Hartford alive....It will take more than UConn basketball to do that.

Going to need more than 8 UConn games a year to defibrillate the Hart Beat!

 

[aburks41]

Our student section at the XL is legit worse than most mid majors. It's an absolute embarrassment. We probably had what, 10/30 rows filled up there for the #17 team in the country?? Just downright pathetic and the University doesn't even seem to care or think anything is wrong with that.

 

[McLovin]

Our student section at the XL is legit worse than most mid majors. It's an absolute embarrassment. We probably had what, 10/30 rows filled up there for the #17 team in the country?? Just downright pathetic and the University doesn't even seem to care or think anything is wrong with that.

The same people complaining about our games being walled behind ESPN+ are probably the same ones advocating to play our games at the XL center on cable TV with an empty arena and 5 students in the stands.

Honestly I don’t want people to see how sad 90% of the games at the XL look. We should firewall those game from the public.

It looks so sad for a school trying to rebuild its image as a basketball power.

But it doesn’t matter! The students should show up anywhere, according to the logic in this thread.

 

[aburks41]

The same people complaining about our games being walled behind ESPN+ are probably the same ones advocating to play our games at the XL center on cable TV with an empty arena and 5 students in the stands.

Honestly I don’t want people to see how sad 90% of the games at the XL look. We should firewall those game from the public.

It looks so sad for a school trying to rebuild its image as a basketball power.

But it doesn’t matter! The students should show up anywhere, according to the logic in this thread.

Meanwhile Texas Tech who barely even had a basketball program 5 years ago has sellout crowds every single game, and I'm pretty sure their entire student body shows up. When was the last time students at UConn ever had to camp out for a game? I know it sure as hell didn't happen when I was there. Probably the last time was 10 years ago when Cuse came to Gampel for College Gameday.

Hell, they don't even do the ticket lottery anymore. The tickets are completely free and we still cannot even get more than 100 students to get to the XL Center. How is anyone okay with that?!?

 

[Huskybass]

Sometimes when people talk about sports they act like it’s a video game and completely forget their is a human element to every aspect of it.

I agree we need to win regardless of venue, but can we please stop ignoring the fact that the team clearly plays better at Gampel and has for the past 15 years.

Are people really advocating to keep playing XL purely on the principle of “we should win a anywhere?”

A home court should be exactly that, a home court. The crowd was so quiet last night that I forgot it was a home game until I saw the Husky face at midcourt. I remember the Civic Center really rocking in 1990. Now it seems like an outdated, shabby facility with bad sight lines. I live 10 minutes from the XL Center and 35 minutes from Gampel. I'll gladly drive the extra 25 minutes to Gampel.

To those of you saying it doesn't matter which "home court" UConn plays on, I disagree strongly. I bet Hurley and most, if not all, of the players would choose to play all the home games at Gampel if possible. Home games should feel like home games, there are enough tough venues for road games.

The biggest problem is getting really good ball movement and good clean looks at the basket. That's a bigger issue than the home court venue, however, it is undeniable that Gampel provides more of a true home court than the XL Center does.

 

[Kolumbo]

Our student section at the XL is legit worse than most mid majors. It's an absolute embarrassment. We probably had what, 10/30 rows filled up there for the #17 team in the country?? Just downright pathetic and the University doesn't even seem to care or think anything is wrong with that.

Some students are likely going to the games and making a night of it and some students actually go back home to study if they need to. The latter are more likely to go to a game at Gampel and study immediately afterward. Drive to Hartford which requires a 4-5 hour block of time, minimum? Probably not. Again, this isn't difficult. The only university in the country which believes games need to be off campus.

 

[CV1]

Was at the game. Fan support was pathetic. Atmosphere resembled that of a morgue. And that was even before the team started playing bad. Just a disappointing performance from all in the building.

If this was a Tuesday game at Creighton, the place would have been packed to the rafters and rocking. Just sayin.

I agree. I was in the 200’s and even with 5 minutes to go and the game was tied, the fans were mostly sitting in their seats and barely cheering. It seems like the only thing that gets these casual fans riled up is when we dunk the ball or have a flashy play. Instead, we need the crowd the most when Uconn is on defense. Seems like half the crowd is more interested in being on their phone or talking with the people they came with rather than cheer on the team and give the guys a 6th man on the court.

 

[aburks41]

Some students are likely going to the games and making a night of it and some students actually go back home to study if they need to. The latter are more likely to go to a game at Gampel and study immediately afterward. Drive to Hartford which requires a 4-5 hour block of time, minimum? Probably not. Again, this isn't difficult. The only university in the country which believes games need to be off campus.

No one needs to study on a Tuesday night 2 weeks into a semester. Maybe that's our problem, too many nerds on campus, not enough people who like sports.

 

[aburks41]

I agree. I was in the 200’s and even with 5 minutes to go and the game was tied, the fans were mostly sitting in their seats and barely cheering. It seems like the only thing that gets these casual fans riled up is when we dunk the ball or have a flashy play. Instead, we need the crowd the most when Uconn is on defense. Seems like half the crowd is more interested in being on their phone or talking with the people they came with rather than cheer on the team and give the guys a 6th man on the court.

I was at the Providence game, I'm pretty sure I was standing up more often than the students were. Even during that game the crowd was extremely dead. People don't understand how important crowd noise can be on the psychological side of sports. There are studies that show how important it is.

 

[McLovin]

I agree. I was in the 200’s and even with 5 minutes to go and the game was tied, the fans were mostly sitting in their seats and barely cheering. It seems like the only thing that gets these casual fans riled up is when we dunk the ball or have a flashy play. Instead, we need the crowd the most when Uconn is on defense. Seems like half the crowd is more interested in being on their phone or talking with the people they came with rather than cheer on the team and give the guys a 6th man on the court.

I’d venture a guess that all the people in this thread saying “don’t blame the court!” are the same old farts who were sitting on their hands all night last night.

At a very minimum, at Gampel, the students are on top of the court and the section is usually full. They can breathe some energy into that stadium.

 

[aburks41]

This isn't your father's UCONN. No, nerds on campus isn't a problem, it's an asset. Students can be nerds and sports fans.

I was at Storrs from 2014-2018. I've had season tickets my entire life with my family. I've seen the shift in real time from a party school atmosphere to one that puts sports and fun dead last. I'm sure the nerds who need to study on a Tuesday night are realll big sports fans

 

[Kolumbo]

No one needs to study on a Tuesday night 2 weeks into a semester. Maybe that's our problem, too many nerds on campus, not enough people who like sports.

This isn't your father's UCONN. No, nerds on campus isn't a problem, it's an asset. Students can be nerds and sports fans.

I was at Storrs from 2014-2018. I've had season tickets my entire life with my family. I've seen the shift in real time from a party school atmosphere to one that puts sports and fun dead last. I'm sure the nerds who need to study on a Tuesday night are realll big sports fans

Not dismissing your point, but no one wants the kids having to drive to Hartford either. I'm sure there are still plenty of partiers but those are the last folks who should be driving to Hartford. Make no mistake, being a top 25 public flagship is far better than the UCONN of 30 years ago. Puke doesn't seem to have a problem with nerds showing up to games.

 

[aburks41]

Not dismissing your point, but no one wants the kids having to drive to Hartford either. I'm sure there are still plenty of partiers but those are the last folks who should be driving to Hartford. Make no mistake, being a top 25 public flagship is far better than the UCONN of 30 years ago. Puke doesn't seem to have a problem with nerds showing up to games.

Maybe that's because Cameron Indoor is....on campus. Wouldn't it be amazing if we had an on campus arena to play in?

 

[Chelo]

The XL in the 90's was a totally different beast. Sold out games, 15k in the arena, the place was rocking! The reason? We had a product that was just starting to gain momentum. The excitement was in the air that UConn may compete for a national championship. Something that CT has never experienced. It was that hot ticket at the time. Now after all of our championships and a lull in our program for the last 7 years, has the UConn fan become complacent with the program? Is the excitement of UConn basketball gone? Have we become used to being mediocre?

 

[UconnU]

We probably had what, 10/30 rows filled up there for the #17 team in the country??

On a 5 game win streak….

 

[aburks41]

The XL in the 90's was a totally different beast. Sold out games, 15k in the arena, the place was rocking! The reason? We had a product that was just starting to gain momentum. The excitement was in the air that UConn may compete for a national championship. Something that CT has never experienced. It was that hot ticket at the time. Now after all of our championships and a lull in our program for the last 7 years, has the UConn fan become complacent with the program? Is the excitement of UConn basketball gone? Have we become used to being mediocre?

The excitement for students is gone because every fun thing they used to do (or try to do) ends up with the administration shutting it down. Remember when the storm chasers came to Gampel a few years back? Every other college embraced them and what does UConn do? Arrests them. Literally. They arrested them. For trying to have fun at a UConn game.

 

[Tenspro2002]

It’s amazing to me how many are not getting this. UConn doesn’t have a home court advantage with Hartford unless it’s sold out. Teams are not uncomfortable coming into a place that has a 5,000 empty seats. If you don’t get that then you don’t get college basketball.


They are only playing 3 games this year at Wells Fargo Center. All being on the weekend. They would never play Creighton on a Tuesday night in downtown.

Hartford is only a home-court advantage for the biggest games when it's sold out and fans are amped up. Otherwise it's a mausoleum.

We should have maybe 2-3 games there all year (vs. Nova, a big OOC game, maybe one more), plus during winter break. That's it.

 

[Kolumbo]

Maybe that's because Cameron Indoor is....on campus. Wouldn't it be amazing if we had an on campus arena to play in?

 

[Kiddddddd34]

Aside from the students theres no difference in fans from XL to Gampel, Ive been at most home games this year and St Johns & Gtown were pretty sad performances as well from our fans. If our coach as to implore and beg the fans to get up and make noise mid game that's pretty pathetic. The band being MIA and game times/dates have really changed the environment as well.

 

[freshler40]

I agree. I was in the 200’s and even with 5 minutes to go and the game was tied, the fans were mostly sitting in their seats and barely cheering. It seems like the only thing that gets these casual fans riled up is when we dunk the ball or have a flashy play. Instead, we need the crowd the most when Uconn is on defense. Seems like half the crowd is more interested in being on their phone or talking with the people they came with rather than cheer on the team and give the guys a 6th man on the court.

Why do hockey team have an organist as the Whalers did? It was a great atmosphere during those games. Another plus was the announcer Chuck K.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Meanwhile Texas Tech who barely even had a basketball program 5 years ago has sellout crowds every single game, and I'm pretty sure their entire student body shows up. When was the last time students at UConn ever had to camp out for a game? I know it sure as hell didn't happen when I was there. Probably the last time was 10 years ago when Cuse came to Gampel for College Gameday.

Hell, they don't even do the ticket lottery anymore. The tickets are completely free and we still cannot even get more than 100 students to get to the XL Center. How is anyone okay with that?!?

Cue the "what else is there to do in Lubbock on a Tuesday night?" talking point. As if Hartford and CT on a Tuesday in February are entertainment meccas.

 

[UConnDad]

Take away 2 of the luckiest 3 pointers of the year and they shot 29% from 3. They shot under 40% in the game from the floor, well below their season average of 46%.

Are you really saying if this game was in Gampel the script would have been exactly the same?

Who knows? You’re blaming the loss on the court? On the venue? Not on the poor play?