Expand the Rent.

[Adios]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...ig-ten-acc-expansion-20130423,0,7291419.story

Do we really have a choice now?

 

[whaler11]

The only UConn to the Big10 outcome is if the BTN is close to being over the top in NYC and UConn is the shove that puts it over the top.

We can stop talking about the Big 10 until you've got a few years of background on how the cable negotiations go in NYC.

 

[Adios]

Teddy Greenstein did not mention television market. He knows we go beyond just NYC. He only mentioned the stadium size. He is one of the most reliable people out there on this stuff.

 

[whaler11]

Teddy Greenstein did not mention television market. He knows we go beyond just NYC. He only mentioned the stadium size. He is one of the most reliable people out there on this stuff.

If you are the only available school that may upgrade the network from buy up to basic in NYC - guess what how big your stadium is doesn't matter.

Thinking the state is making an investment now is funny. Waste of time even thinking about it.

 

[Stinger92860]

If we ever get into the b1g why not play a Michigan in Gillette or MetLife or Yankee stadium. Same for Ohio st.

 

[whaler11]

If the Big 10 calls and says you are in under the condition you expand, it will get done. It's not even worth discussing otherwise because right or wrong it's not happening.

 

[Srqhusky]

I think we have to ban the word big ten the same way the mods banned the West Virginia hillbilly twitter account names. The big ten is not going to come calling. It goes much farther than stadium size. 1.) We have to be aau. 2.) we need to show big time foot ball traits. Pack the stadium we have and travel well. 3.). Be part of a major tv market. ( they think they have this with Rutgers). They want their big ten network shown and bought.

I h e the big ten network and its really not all that great. They show all the spring games , girls basket ball. Volleyball etc. there aren't any major news shows or anything but the network was part of a sports package so it wasn't expensive.
Think of the big ten along he same lines as you winning the powerball. It's possible but odds are low

 

[CL82]

So is now the time to announce expansion plans? Probably not. Maybe in the fall or if we get a new coach next season, maybe then. By plans, I mean ability to expand. Phase 1 build out to 50k, phase 2 more (60, 75k?) as needed.

 

[tzznandrew]

Phase 1: build out to 50K
Phase 2: ????
Phase 3: B1G!!!

 

[RS9999X]

Good Luck convincing state legislators that The Rent (which does not sell out) needs more seats. Try convincing them that a bigger Rent will keep East Hartford residents happier and they will support mega-concerts during the summer.

Better yet, try convincing them there's a compelling need to spend more money on UConn athletic facilities with 2 new practice training facilities, Gampel and the Rent the product of the last 25 years.

Maybe the XL gets some money for a refurb come 2015 when the new Governor instroduces their 2-year budget.

The two proposed budgets for FY 2013-14 and 2014-15 currently up for debate don't have any such thing in it or anyone even yapping about it except the BoneYard. Hear the silence from Dan Malloy?

 

[huskymedic]

It's easy Butch... make the invite conditional on stadium expansion to . "If you want in - we want stadium to seat 65k". No seats - no Tickee. If UConn has firm invite - ROI for State Legislators is mucho easier.

 

[Waquoit]

Try convincing them that a bigger Rent will keep East Hartford residents happier ...

The state doesn't give a rat's ass about East Hartford. That's no deal breaker.

 

[Afroabe224]

"If you build it, they will come" only works in movies. My UConn education + common sense is enough to know this would be a terrible business decision. If we sold out every game and had a waiting list for season tickets expansion would be a great idea, but then again if our football program had that kind of following we would be in a better CR situation with a B1Gger stadium already in the works.

 

[RS9999X]

The state doesn't give a rat's ass about East Hartford. That's no deal breaker.

One of the selling points was concerts not just UConn. Is the Rent a success given EH zoning and enforcement and noise stipulations? It's a problem. As soon as hearings would start EH would be out in force.

 

[CL82]

"If you build it, they will come" only works in movies. My UConn education + common sense is enough to know this would be a terrible business decision. If we sold out every game and had a waiting list for season tickets expansion would be a great idea, but then again if our football program had that kind of following we would be in a better CR situation with a B1Gger stadium already in the works.

Unless it was directly linked to a major conference invite. If it will get you a $20M annuity, investment in another 20K of seating is reasonable.

 

[Afroabe224]

Unless it was directly linked to a major conference invite. If it will get you a $20M annuity, investment in another 20K of seating is reasonable.

If it was a conditional thing I would be all for it but blindly throwing money into a totally unwarranted stadium expansion is foolish. I understand we need to spend money to make money but I think that means recruiting money and possibly a big name coach (anything less than 7-5, PP has to go). If we could lure Nick Saban from 'bama with a $9 M base salary I'd be all for it!

 

[tzznandrew]

7-5! He can't stay with 7-5. 8-4, better, or out.

 

[Adios]

Srqhusky points out in another thread that Maryland got into the Big 10 with a crappy football product. Worse than ours. BUT, they have a stadium that seats 54,000. And had an average attendance that was comparable to what we had this past season under PP.

As Teddy Greenstein implied, we need to expand the ****ing stadium.

 

[Adios]

Have to bump this up to share that I am not the only one saying stadium size is perhaps THE issue.

http://snyuconn.com/uconn/football/other-views-on-uconns-place-in-realignment/

Nice that we have become #1 or close for the ACC, Big 12 and B1G. Who'd have imagined that?

 

[UConnJim]

You really don't need state money to expand the Rent. Interest rates are so low, you could use debt. I don't know how much it would cost to expand the Rent, but let's say it is $30 million to add 10k seats. (Rent was built for $91 million.) $30 million in debt at 3.5% interest is ~$1 million of interest expense plus maybe $1 million in principal paydown per year. So, you expand the Rent for $2 million per year, with no state funding.

On the revenue side, 10k extra seats at the Rent could bring in more income, but you need to fill the seats. Clearly, you need to have a good product, improved marketing, attractive opponents, etc. Fortunately, we have the BE settlement to help pay service the debt for the first few years. In addition, come 2018, I believe naming rights for the stadium become available. Could be $1 million + per year. Minnesota got ~$1.4 million for their stadium naming rights, North Texas got $1 million per year, and UCF gets $1 million per year.

Bottom line is that if you ever want to expand the Rent, you should do it now as interest rates are as low as they will ever be and UConn needs to be in a good position for the next round of realignment. Anyone who thinks you should wait for an invite to expand the Rent doesn't get it.

 

[Dooley]

I agree 100% that the Rent needs to be expanded. At the very least, UConn/the state/CT media should strum up some sort of news story with *how* the Rent could be expanded and how it easy it would be. I'm talking about stating publicly that the stadium was designed to expand when necessary (B1G invite = necessary) and throw in some architect drawings of what the stadium would look like with expansion. Throw in some sort of quote from a CT politician saying something along the lines of "if UConn needed to expand their football stadium to ensure conference stability, it would have to be something that we'd seriously have to look into" and blam-o!, you have further proof that CT is committed to joining the ranks of the B1G time. Delany must be impressed with how aggressively UConn and the state are financing academic improvements and expansion. Now if a small stadium is all we need to address (or at least show more definitively just how quick and easy the process would be), then let's get something out there.

 

[whaler11]

Nice that we have become #1 or close for the ACC, Big 12 and B1G. Who'd have imagined that?

Not exactly something to brag about. It just means everyone else found a home.

 

[CL82]

I agree 100% that the Rent needs to be expanded. At the very least, UConn/the state/CT media should strum up some sort of news story with *how* the Rent could be expanded and how it easy it would be. I'm talking about stating publicly that the stadium was designed to expand when necessary (B1G invite = necessary) and throw in some architect drawings of what the stadium would look like with expansion. Throw in some sort of quote from a CT politician saying something along the lines of "if UConn needed to expand their football stadium to ensure conference stability, it would have to be something that we'd seriously have to look into" and blam-o!, you have further proof that CT is committed to joining the ranks of the B1G time. Delany must be impressed with how aggressively UConn and the state are financing academic improvements and expansion. Now if a small stadium is all we need to address (or at least show more definitively just how quick and easy the process would be), then let's get something out there.

Agree Dooley, except that the politicos statement could be stronger. We are committed to keeping Connecticut athletics at the very highest levels, blah, blah blah

 

[UConnJim]

One other thought. As conferences go to 9 conference games, it will become harder to schedule big name schools at home. Having a 40k seat stadium will only make it harder.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

We absolutely need the Rent to be a larger venue. The thing is that this is not a realistic proposal until after we demonstrate that we would actually fill a larger venue on a semi-regular basis.

I want better for this football program and I believe that our university's high level leadership is finally occupied by people with sufficient vision, ambition and talent to get us to where we want to be. Unfortunately this will take a few years (and very likely a new head football coach).