Gampel/Hartford/both poll

[Kemba Time]

Voted both but they need free of charge chartered buses for students to get them to Hartford for all games.

Don't they already do that? Husky Roadshows | Student Activities

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Don't they already do that? Husky Roadshows | Student Activities

Ah okay, didn’t realize.

 

[CL82]

The big issue that I see is the natatorium, but I guess we could put the concourse around that?

 

[Chin Diesel]

The big issue that I see is the natatorium, but I guess we could put the concourse around that?

Natty Light can sponsor the natatorium. It's a natural fit.

 

[SoFla Steve]

Many years ago when I lived in CT and was a season ticket holder, I had tickets for both. Later on, we bought just Gampel tix.

I liked the atmosphere and game experience at Gampel much better than the old HCC, but I lived in Farmington and worked across the bridge at Mother Pratt so Hartford was much more convenient. Still I voted for Gampel both here in the poll and back in the day with my dollars.

 

[Greedo]

What are their basketball attendance numbers though? Football is another story--seven or eight Saturdays per year is nothing for a 1.5 hour drive (or more).

I've been to in conference games there and it was basically empty. I think the university built Bryce Jordan at its larger size more for events and concerts than for the basketball team.

But that being said, State College is really in the middle of nowhere, and not in the same way as UConn. The majority of PSU alums in PA would have a 3+ hour drive to get there. That's not the case for UConn.

 

[CL82]

Natty Light can sponsor the natatorium. It's a natural fit.

Add some natural lite banners up there and sell them there during the game. Take part of the old camp floor to build a temporary floor over the pool. Put some tables on it and put up a sign up that says Natatorium: Natural Lite Lounge. That’s what they call synergy.

 

[RC111]

Gampel is better for students and players. They play better there, and the crowd is better. However, for alumni, and indoctrination of young kids as life long fans Hartford is better. Playing in Hartford expands the fan base, keeps alumni actively attending games.

Exactly this. Getting kids to be fans early is important. When I taught middle school in Fairfield the kids were far less enthusiastic about UConn than other schools I've worked in. Proximity and access is important. Others have said it, but that's why I'd even do a game every year (or every other year) in Bridgeport.

 

[Husky25]

I wonder what a decibel meter would read, would Gampel or Hartford be louder?

Irrespective of the capacity difference, domes are generally louder. Anecdotally, the noise never caused me a headache in Hartford, but I'll never forget the one I had in Gampel when Izzo and Cleaves came to Storrs.

For me and others East of the River, it's six of one, 1/2 dozen of the other. Both venues are about 20/25 minutes away. There are more options for parking, refreshment, and traffic in Hartford, but the atmosphere was/is typically better in Storrs. Also the sightlines in Gampel are far superior from anywhere in the stands. I took my son to the Marquette game on Tuesday, but for what I paid and how far we were (S202, RS), I would have rather watched from home.

I can get on board with games in Hartford during break only, but that is only 4 home games. They are going to have throw Hartford a few more marque matchups. Preferably on the weekends.

 

[Sky ball]

Do I need an ID to vote?

 

[1999GoodSon]

Looking for a write-in, how about the Bahamas. We played pretty good down there a couple of years ago, and parking was a warm breeze.

 

[kemba]

Voted gampel but as others have said I’m in favor of games during break being in Hartford.

That said, as much as I prefer watching a game in gampel in just about every way, I’m not losing sleep over the current arrangement. Watching UConn basketball anywhere is fun and I’ll take an 8 minute drive home from xl

 

[JonnyRI]

Throw one of them to Bridgeport and really spread the love.

Deal. One of the non Gampel games to BPort each year.

Honest question though - if BPort has only a mediocre game, would it sell out on an annual basis? I ask out of ignorance. If not, hard to give them a game.

 

[Hamms30]

Probably, it's easily accessible in the most populated part of the state and on the metro north line from NYC.

 

[huskyjawz]

Deal. One of the non Gampel games to BPort each year.

Honest question though - if BPort has only a mediocre game, would it sell out on an annual basis? I ask out of ignorance. If not, hard to give them a game.

If the mediocre games don't sell out at Hartford or Gampel, then why is it a non-starter if it doesn't sell out in Bpt?

 

[Salty Dog]

I'm fine with playing games in Hartford. But under NO circumstances should the school be PAYING to make that happen. They should be paying us!

 

[whalerfan]

I'm all for bringing a game to Bridgeport. (But I have my own reasons for that.)

 

[HeyMoe]

Voted Gampel, but if they had to play in Hartford I would prefer it to only be when students are on break.

Couldn't agree with this more. When students are on campus, all games should be at Gampel.

 

[ToolzieFan]

Many have noted that all games during break should be at XL, and that’s totally reasonable. As someone who wants 1/3 to 1/2 the games at XL, I think the other idea I like is to put most or all weekend home games at Gampel and have most non-break XL games be on weeknights.

 

[1999GoodSon]

Couldn't agree with this more. When students are on campus, all games should be at Gampel.

I don't like half solutions, but this is actually brilliant. I just went through this, even the kids with cars probably aren't going to drive to Hartford on a Tuesday. It's actually hard to understand why, once Gampel was up, it wasn't implemented. We're all huge fans, but it's their team.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think the more important question is "what is the long term plan for the XL Center?".

My guess is those currently in charge prefer the idea of kicking the can down the road and let it be someone else's problem. The thing is however that there is very little road left.

The options are:

1. Continue putting more and more lipstick on the pig while they can still locate the pig's lips and maybe squeeze another decade out of the facility, which will end up throwing a ridiculous amount of money away maintaining the facility over that time.
2. Demo the current building (could be quite expensive but will be necessary at some point) and build a replacement (cost will be well into nine figures) without any true primary tenant or legitimate prospects of generating sufficient revenues to justify the cost.
3. Demo the current building and find some other use (luxury residential has failed in Hartford more than once; retail space is a non-starter as there is no longer a market; commercial office space is a shrinking market and Hartford currently has a surplus of inventory).

The issues, as they pertain to UConn are for every dollar spent on option 1 the pressure to increase the number of games played in Hartford will rise and for option 2 the demand to play the lion's share of the games in Hartford will dominate conversations. Option 3 will be a difficult to impossible sell, unless some dimwitted, deep pocketed developer arrives on the scene but sadly, while there are many dimwitted developers out there, you won't find any with deep pockets.

There are significant fundamental problems with Hartford. If you are a resident of the state you have skin in the game and if you are a fan of the school (and/or any of its athletic programs) a vested interest in these problems being corrected. To compound the problem, Hartford isn't the only large (by Connecticut standards) city with significant fundamental problems (New Haven and Bridgeport come to mind).

What's needed is some way for each of these cities to each bring in a significant number of white collar jobs (without cannibalizing other Ct cities), develop higher end residential properties within these cities (each of the three suffer tremendously here) and then adding local nightlife sufficient enough to generate a sustainable hospitality based economy (relative to the population). If possible (again, as much of a pipe dream as what I mentioned in the above) would be for Hartford to somehow recapture its waterfront, as that is normally the most valuable property in cities/towns that are fortunate enough to have a waterfront.

I don't know how any of this will be resolved but we need to demand more and better results from our politicians.