Expand the Rent.

[UCFBfan]

I think that more events, outside UConn football games, need to be scheduled to show an additional need for more seats. The soccer this summer is a step in the right direction but would it be enough to add more seats? Doubtful. However, get concerts in here, show the Rent as a moneymaker and others will support this. Are the E Hartford residents still a hurdle with a noise ordinance?

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[hthusky74]

The Rent might only be expanded under one of these two scenarios
1) Every game is sold out and we are at 35,000 or more in season's ticket sales. Even then it is an uncertainty. When the men and women were selling out Gampel (after the expansion) there were no realistic calls for a new arena or further expansion.
2) If the B1G or ACC make us a firm offer for admission and make it a stipulation.
Please note that I stated "might" be expanded. The state economy is in the crapper and Dan'l Malloy keeps on flushing so it goes deeper and deeper into the crapper. It would be a major accomplishment to get the legislature and Malloy to sign off on expansion.

 

[UConnJim]

The Rent might only be expanded under one of these two scenarios
1) Every game is sold out and we are at 35,000 or more in season's ticket sales. Even then it is an uncertainty. When the men and women were selling out Gampel (after the expansion) there were no realistic calls for a new arena or further expansion.
2) If the B1G or ACC make us a firm offer for admission and make it a stipulation.
Please note that I stated "might" be expanded. The state economy is in the crapper and Dan'l Malloy keeps on flushing so it goes deeper and deeper into the crapper. It would be a major accomplishment to get the legislature and Malloy to sign off on expansion.

People just don't get it. You can expand the Rent WITHOUT state support with interest rates so low. For politicians like Malloy, it's a no brainer as it increases jobs WITHOUT state funding!

Remember, I believe in 2018, the naming rights of the Rent can be sold, which is a new revenue stream. Throw in the BE settlement money, increased seat revenue from some UConn football games and other events and it is easily affordable. Sure, the pressure will be on UConn to fill the stadium, but that is a good thing!

Waiting for an invite means that you are never getting one! Did Rutgers and Louisville wait for a conference invite to expand their stadiums. No. And they were not regularly filling their stadiums before they expanded. And Rutgers certainly didn't fill the expanded stadium with paying customers. And, what did it get them? Probably $20 to $30 million of increased revenue PER YEAR by gaining a Big 10 invite.

 

[hthusky74]

People just don't get it. You can expand the Rent WITHOUT state support with interest rates so low. For politicians like Malloy, it's a no brainer as it increases jobs WITHOUT state funding!

Remember, I believe in 2018, the naming rights of the Rent can be sold, which is a new revenue stream. Throw in the BE settlement money, increased seat revenue from some UConn football games and other events and it is easily affordable. Sure, the pressure will be on UConn to fill the stadium, but that is a good thing!

Waiting for an invite means that you are never getting one! Did Rutgers and Louisville wait for a conference invite to expand their stadiums. No. And they were not regularly filling their stadiums before they expanded. And Rutgers certainly didn't fill the expanded stadium with paying customers. And, what did it get them? Probably $20 to $30 million of increased revenue PER YEAR by gaining a Big 10 invite.

Someone has to sign for the note. Whether it is the state or the university, ultimately one in the same, they have to pay off the interest and principal at some point. Without entry to a power conference, we will not fill the stadium, will not have enough tv revenue, or generate enough donations to have any prayer of paying off such a note. You say the pressure will be on UConn to fill the stadium, how do you propose they do it? You aren't the guy who keeps saying with better marketing efforts are you? That only goes so far. This state is not going to approve any debt even at a 0% apr for athletic endeavors in this economy unless there are hard core firm bottom line numbers that justify it. Even then it will require the Governor and some Legislative leaders to push it through. The pure conjecture you cite above isn't enough to get it done. I don't mean to discourage you, but you are dreaming. By the way, how about getting Husqvarna to pay for the naming rights? Then instead of The Rent, we could have The Husky Bowl?!

 

[UConnJim]

Someone has to sign for the note. Whether it is the state or the university, ultimately one in the same, they have to pay off the interest and principal at some point. Without entry to a power conference, we will not fill the stadium, will not have enough tv revenue, or generate enough donations to have any prayer of paying off such a note. You say the pressure will be on UConn to fill the stadium, how do you propose they do it? You aren't the guy who keeps saying with better marketing efforts are you? That only goes so far. This state is not going to approve any debt even at a 0% apr for athletic endeavors in this economy unless there are hard core firm bottom line numbers that justify it. Even then it will require the Governor and some Legislative leaders to push it through. The pure conjecture you cite above isn't enough to get it done. I don't mean to discourage you, but you are dreaming. By the way, how about getting Husqvarna to pay for the naming rights? Then instead of The Rent, we could have The Husky Bowl?!

What don't you get? UConn has maybe $6 mill per year for 5 years from BE settlement. It has potential for $1 million+ per year in naming rights. It has revenue potential from extra seats for concerts, soccer, UConn football. Debt service costs of $2 million/year with interest rates at historical lows. This is a no brainer.

When Louisville expanded their stadium and Kragthorpe tanked the program, they fired him and brought in a new dynamic coach to rebuild as the pressure was on to perform. UConn needs the pressure to perform and improve so that we are attractive as an expansion candidate. We don't have football history to fall back on.

 

[Adios]

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

Imagine if Syracuse, Pitt and BC went to the Metro Conference in 1990. We have a lot to be grateful for.

 

[hthusky74]

What don't you get? UConn has maybe $6 mill per year for 5 years from BE settlement. It has potential for $1 million+ per year in naming rights. It has revenue potential from extra seats for concerts, soccer, UConn football. Debt service costs of $2 million/year with interest rates at historical lows. This is a no brainer.

When Louisville expanded their stadium and Kragthorpe tanked the program, they fired him and brought in a new dynamic coach to rebuild as the pressure was on to perform. UConn needs the pressure to perform and improve so that we are attractive as an expansion candidate. We don't have football history to fall back on.

What don't you get? That windfall will be used to offset the shortfall we will have in our not so lucrative new tv contract. We are going to be in deep poop once that windfall runs out in 5 years. Remember too that if we leave the conference, we have to pony up for that. Financially speaking the wallet is thin. By the way, did you notice that all of your arguments include the word potential? Potential doesn't put the pork chops on the plate.

 

[RS9999X]

The only way 15,000 adds would work is to include season tix in all student fees a la Miami. This would kill season ticket sales. Game day tickets would sell for a couple buds and include a free lapdance in downtown Hartford at the Russian Lady or Rocking Horse on a Friday Night.

 

[UConnJim]

What don't you get? That windfall will be used to offset the shortfall we will have in our not so lucrative new tv contract. We are going to be in deep poop once that windfall runs out in 5 years. Remember too that if we leave the conference, we have to pony up for that. Financially speaking the wallet is thin. By the way, did you notice that all of your arguments include the word potential? Potential doesn't put the pork chops on the plate.

We are talking $2 million per year to expand the Rent. $2 million! If UConn and the state is not willing to take that kind of risk, considering they will get at least $1 million per year in naming rights plus revenues from potential additional ticket sales, then UConn should just give up. Hopefully, we have people with more foresight and business savvy to push forward to expand the stadium.

 

[SubbaBub]

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

8 would need a win better than MD. Which means UM or a decent bowl win. 7 doesn't get it done. 9 in any way shape or form does.

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[uconNYC]

I actually think we lose some of the soccer games if we expand the Rent. The appeal of the Rent is its central location (between Boston and NYC) and medium sized capacity. Gillette and MetLife are too big and RedBull Arena is too small for the USSF.

Anyway - UConn football comes first and I'm hoping the bleachers for the Michigan game are a big success and maybe the AD will think about some temporary ways to expand capacity to maybe 45,000 or so. Just from a PR perspective it sounds good to say that we've already expanded the stadium by 5,000...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think we may be losing the soccer games anyway. Supposedly there will be a new ~25k seat (expandable to ~35k) soccer stadium built in Queens for a new NYC MLS club (won't be the Cosmos).

While these matches are a nice ancillary attraction for the Rent, they cannot be something that moves the needle one way or the other as they don't occur all that often and if they become somewhat successful here, there will be more competition from other potential venues for these events.

As far as expanding the Rent, from what I have heard (from a few different sources), there are considerable private donations that were ready to step forward not long after the Fiesta Bowl but due to the lack of success since, are holding off. If we can somehow (new HC is the logical route) build some excitement around the program, expansion may not be as difficult as some believe.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

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.

We're not 8 miles up Rhode Island Ave. from the D.C. border. We can't drive 31 miles up the Balt-DC Parkway and be in Baltimore.

 

[SubbaBub]

CR has made expanding the Rent on the come a fool's errand. What is needed is a legit commitment to expanding the Rent to 60,000 upon an invite from the B1G. And really, only the B1G needs to be convinced of its legitimacy. If the ACC comes calling, it will be because they need us, not because they want us. Stadium size wouldn't be an issue for them.

 

[Waquoit]

I think we may be losing the soccer games anyway. Supposedly there will be a new ~25k seat (expandable to ~35k) soccer stadium built in Queens for a new NYC MLS club (won't be the Cosmos).

I can't see that place affecting anything. The Rent never drew less than 25K. Also, whenever the USMNT comes to town they seem to spend the next day at ESPN. That will always be a point in our favor.

 

[Rumrunner]

Since the useful economic life of a football stadium is around 30 years, if the state does nothing with respect to expansion/improvements in the next five years, then all attention should be focused on building an on-campus stadium.

The state will have no cause to complain. UConn signed a 20 year lease. It will have fulfilled that before an on-campus stadium is built

As far as the naming rights windfall, the state I thought can't do anything for another five years. That was part of the pratt agreement. Besides, the state will get at least half of the revenue. UConn is the tenant, after all.

As for making UConn attractive to the big ten? An on-campus stadium is darn important. Ask minnesota, the last big ten team to have had an off-campus stadium. The big ten forced them to build one on campus for the college game day experience.

As an interesting aside, the proposed gym at UConn will cost more than the Rent, just food for thought for those who in the end would like to see a 50k stadium in Storrs.

 

[BoatShow]

So sick of the "traffic" argument against a Storrs stadium. Oh, 6-7 Saturdays a year there will be about 25k cars using 195, 32, 44 and it's the end of the world.

 

[ruskin]

Only way I'd be in favor of expanding stadium is it is announced the same day as accepting an invite to Big 10. Not for ACC (think Duke, Wake stadiums).

 

[Rumrunner]

More like 10k cars. 50k stadium. 15k will come from storrs/mansfield residents/students (after all enrollment is going to 25k).

35,000 people. Average of at least 3 people per car. But only in connecticut is driving in a car on a paved road a human impossibility.

So sick of the "traffic" argument against a Storrs stadium. Oh, 6-7 Saturdays a year there will be about 25k cars using 195, 32, 44 and it's the end of the world.

 

[uconnfan68]

More like 10k cars. 50k stadium. 15k will come from storrs/mansfield residents/students (after all enrollment is going to 25k).

35,000 people. Average of at least 3 people per car. But only in connecticut is driving in a car on a paved road a human impossibility.

Because we've seen how well those 3k cars are handled for Gampel? Backups out into I-84?

 

[CL82]

I've posted about this frequently. Managing the traffic is "doable." There is a lot of mythology that gets thrown out there to make it sound impossible.... one person, one car...everyone arrives and leaves at the same moment, etc. Other schools seem to manage it perfectly well - Rutgers and Army are two examples that I've used. There is no reason to believe that we wouldn’t be able to handle it. That said, a Storrs stadium is not going to happen in the foreseeable future.

 

[UConnJim]

I can't understand the naysayers on expanding the Rent. It is not that costly and would not need state money. Also, probably the biggest reason we didn't get an invite to the ACC is that people perceive our football program to be small time. Small stadium, short history, small fanbase. It is up to UConn to prove otherwise that we can build a fan base and act big time. Over the next ten years, do you think other schools are going to wait for an invite to expand or improve their stadiums or continue to expand their fan bases? Of course not. Can they pass us by during the next expansion round? Yes.

Bottom line is we can't wait for an invite and we can't promise what we will do if we get an invite. We have to prove to everyone that we are big time and we are the most attractive expansion candidate.

 

[Dooley]

More like 10k cars. 50k stadium. 15k will come from storrs/mansfield residents/students (after all enrollment is going to 25k).

35,000 people. Average of at least 3 people per car. But only in connecticut is driving in a car on a paved road a human impossibility.

And if UConn/Mansfield area were to also construct several hotel chains for traveling visitor fan bases, there will be even less traffic. Take out another 5K for fans of Michigan, OSU, Nebraska, etc who will already be in the area at the area hotels.

Sadly, I agree with CL82 though. An on-campus stadium will not be built for a long, long time. It's too bad because there is a ton of land out there and I would LOVE an opportunity to go back to campus 6-7 times a year. Going to Gampel is a tad different...it's usually too cold to walk around campus and go down Memory Lane. But 4+ hours of tailgating in Storrs would be AWESOME!

 

[Dooley]

Boise is talking expansion and they're not in a big conference and, let's not forget, they are in Idaho:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/...NewsUpdates+(IdahoStatesman.com+News+Updates)

Progressive thinkers and planners (ex- RU, Louisville) are rewarded. Not the wait-and-see monitors.

 

[RS9999X]

Expansion won't happen until UConn sells out two seasons and raises ticket prices at least once if not twice.

Then there's a solid market. More likely attendance dips this season