Does attendance make UCONN second guess capacity of on-campus barn

[FDNY99]

Attendance numbers have been argued on here a few times this year...one thing you can't argue is that UCONN seriously needs to look at building the new on-campus barn/team facility somewhere in the 5000-5500 capacity size. I have been a big proponent of making it 5500...doing it one time the first time. Attendance in Hartford has shown they can fill that size barn with no problem.

 

[Adios]

The XL Center might be a problem in even getting an on-campus barn. I doubt the HE would kick us out if we don't build an on-campus arena for the time being. The numbers in Hartford are eye-popping. If we started out in Storrs this season, there's no way we'd be #13 in the country in attendance. We were #52 last year.

I don't have an issue with an on-campus rink vs the XL Center but we do need the XL Center more.

 

[TheDoggPound]

The XL Center might be a problem in even getting an on-campus barn. I doubt the HE would kick us out if we don't build an on-campus arena for the time being. The numbers in Hartford are eye-popping. If we started out in Storrs this season, there's no way we'd be #13 in the country in attendance. We were #52 last year.

8th* if you go by strictly XL Center games.

 

[FDNY99]

The XL Center might be a problem in even getting an on-campus barn. I doubt the HE would kick us out if we don't build an on-campus arena for the time being. The numbers in Hartford are eye-popping. If we started out in Storrs this season, there's no way we'd be #13 in the country in attendance. We were #52 last year.

I don't have an issue with an on-campus rink vs the XL Center but we do need the XL Center more.

Butch...it was VERY clearly stated to UCONN when they applied to join HE that there are rules for a on-campus barn and that includes seating requirements. Everyone else has played by the rules...even ND. There is no doubt this thing is going to get built...it is just a matter of where on campus and what size. The only thing that this season has reinforced is that the XL Center is a definite option going forward for high profile games.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I would adjust arena plans up to the 6-6500 ballpark.

 

[kingdobbs]

Butch...it was VERY clearly stated to UCONN when they applied to join HE that there are rules for a on-campus barn and that includes seating requirements. Everyone else has played by the rules...even ND. There is no doubt this thing is going to get built...it is just a matter of where on campus and what size. The only thing that this season has reinforced is that the XL Center is a definite option going forward for high profile games.

Well, no, actually NOT everybody has played by those rules. Both Lawler (Merrimack) and Schneider (Providence) have been grandfathered in, and neither Merrimack nor Providence were required to increase their arena size in order to meet league requirements.

UVM's Gutterson (at just a shade over 4000) was not a qualifying arena upon the Catamounts' entry, and the requirement for them was waived.

What this may make Hockey East think twice about is "pushing" UConn to get out of the XL Center on a timetable; that is to say, if it ends up taking a year or two longer than anticipated to get a Storrs arena in place, Hockey East probably won't mind. The worry at the outset was that it would take UConn some time to build buzz (and it may yet come to pass that a season or two of dreadful Husky hockey will diminish that buzz) and we would be watching Frietas-level crowds in the XL Center.

I will say for sure I was wrong that I thought 5K would be the upper bound, and 3.5K would be what to expect. But I'm also happy to be wrong in this sense. 6K with an option to bump up to 6.5 is what UConn should shoot for now (although there's something to be said for deliberately undersizing the arena and capping it at the Hockey East requirement, to ensure demand stays high and the arena stays full).

 

[kibblesnbits]

If you wanted to be technical about it, UM-L's Tsongas Arena isn't on campus either. It is, however, only about a mile from each of the school's two campuses.

 

[kingdobbs]

Tsongas, though, IS owned by the university. Which does make a big difference in the end.