Gampel update

[Stew Crew]

Gampel as far as the game viewing experience is nearly perfect: there is no bad seat in the house, it can be a loud an intimidating place. The only thing that holds it back is how many seats by corporations and wealthy donors go unused for the non A-tier games in the lower bowl that look horrible on TV.

I don't think it is the donors that are leaving seats empty. As we saw during the seat selection process in the spring, the Athletic Dept controls a large % of the sideline seats. Tonight, I will guarantee that a lot of the empty seats you see on TV are in section 108 (opposite visitor bench). The Athletic Dept controls about half that section. It is routinely mostly empty for non A-Tier games. I know because I used to sit across the aisle in 107. The only consistent fans in that section are Coach Baylock and his wife.

 

[Storrs South]

I don't think it is the donors that are leaving seats empty. As we saw during the seat selection process in the spring, the Athletic Dept controls a large % of the sideline seats. Tonight, I will guarantee that a lot of the empty seats you see on TV are in section 108 (opposite visitor bench). The Athletic Dept controls about half that section. It is routinely mostly empty for non A-Tier games. I know because I used to sit across the aisle in 107. The only consistent fans in that section are Coach Baylock and his wife.

That's fair. Whoever the seats are controlled by: AD, donors, companies, whoever I do think that 1) there needs to be a better effort to fill those seats for all games of all tiers A, B, C and 2) there needs to be a rethink of how to make the overall atmosphere better.

It's unfortunate the seating selection process came and went and there was no rethink on student section placement since that basically has locked everything in place until the next time they can come up with a reason to reseat everyone.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

One of the problems with student tickets right now is they are completely free for students which leads some casual fans (or maybe i'll go fans) to grab them but then not go. (per my my daughter who is a student right now) . They are also not transferable any more. They need to make the seats have a nominal price tag like $5.00 or something.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I don't think it is the donors that are leaving seats empty. As we saw during the seat selection process in the spring, the Athletic Dept controls a large % of the sideline seats. Tonight, I will guarantee that a lot of the empty seats you see on TV are in section 108 (opposite visitor bench). The Athletic Dept controls about half that section. It is routinely mostly empty for non A-Tier games. I know because I used to sit across the aisle in 107. The only consistent fans in that section are Coach Baylock and his wife.

It's those two to three rows behind the UConn bench that are never filled at tip off. I assume those are athletic department big wigs and university controlled seats and those people are too important to get to their seats before the first TV timeout. Almost every game that section behind the UConn bench has 15-20 seats empty at tip off.

 

[huskyjawz]

That's fair. Whoever the seats are controlled by: AD, donors, companies, whoever I do think that 1) there needs to be a better effort to fill those seats for all games of all tiers A, B, C and 2) there needs to be a rethink of how to make the overall atmosphere better.

It's unfortunate the seating selection process came and went and there was no rethink on student section placement since that basically has locked everything in place until the next time they can come up with a reason to reseat everyone.

I think at Texas, if you dont show up to your lower level seat by the ten minute mark of the first half, then that seat is available for someone to come down and take.

This should be the policy at UConn.

And all those tix that UConn holds in Sec 108, if they aren't distributed, then they should have people from the upper deck move down and fill the seats, or let students fill the seats

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I do love the inside of Gampel but wish a few thousand more fans could be crammed in somehow.

That said, if I hit the $1bil Mega Millions at some point, kiss it good bye and say hello to the Screw Laettner Arena with 18k seats and every IPA in the northeast on tap.

Edit: Not $18k

 

[uh-no]

I do love the inside of Gampel but wish a few thousand more fans could be crammed in somehow.

That said, if I hit the $1bil Mega Millions at some point, kiss it good bye and say hello to the Screw Laettner Arena with $18k seats and every IPA in the northeast on tap.

$18,000 for seats seems like it would price a lot of people out.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Gampel as far as the game viewing experience is nearly perfect: there is no bad seat in the house, it can be a loud an intimidating place. The only thing that holds it back is how many seats by corporations and wealthy donors go unused for the non A-tier games in the lower bowl that look horrible on TV.

I believe student council decades ago decided for the current configuration of more seats for students instead of sidelines which meant less seats, and I think that was the right call for the time but in today's environment it's time for change and students should be the one's on TV.

Otherwise, add an outer envelope for a concourse with better food options and people movement and if you can get another 500-1000 seats in somewhere great but I don't think it's really possible.

Oh yea and get the Husky Heritage museum out of the basement and into Gampel to be part of the gameday experience.

Isn’t the Husky Heritage Museum in Alumni House?

 

[StllH8L8ner]

$18,000 for seats seems like it would price a lot of people out.

Ha…high rollers only!

 

[GampelPBA]

Best history I have come across: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Someone mentioned the general public can repurchase student seats? Is that true?

 

[DRBackup]

Until the mentality with the state's leadership and Hartford's leadership changes dramatically, we won't be able to build an on campus arena that holds more than Gampel currently holds. They believe the school needs to provide economics to Hartford and the threat that the arena would provide to the Civic Center (that will always be the real name) would set off half of the politicians in the state.

There was a reason they needed to lie about Gampel's initial capacity (first reports were 5,600 seats) and claimed that it could never expand (nearly 1,900 seats were added a half dozen years after it opened).

We have always faced a ton of resistance every time we tried to behave like a major university (I still don't get building Toscano with a 2,700 seat capacity). We need to comfort ourselves with the fact that Gampel is basically the same size as Cameron and accept that having Gampel as our home hasn't hindered us from winning championships l.

Indeed. As soon as the capacity of an on campus arena is close to the Civic Center capacity, they stop playing in Hartford, and we certainly can't have that!

 

[DRBackup]

As much as I hate to reference Canadian teams, how much did the Carrier Dome cost? Can we throw a huge dome up in Storrs for a couple hundred mil?

Their most recent renovation that replaced the inflatable roof with a permanent structure, cost $163M total

 

[DRBackup]

CT is so big that most fans can't get to UConn. We heard that about football.

This sounds like a supply and demand issue. the on campus- stadium for a blue-blood shouldn't be so small that only the older quiet fans can afford it. The larger Hartford arena is a PITA for students to get to while the convenient on-campus stadium can't allow for more students. Typical CT problems. More students please.

I mean, you do realize that while the state is small, you can't go from any one place to another on any straight path. It's insane. My mother lives in the western hills of Litchfield County, about 10 miles from the NY border and it is a 70 minute drive to Gampel. Used to live South of Boston. That drive was only 90 min

 

[CL82]

Ha…high rollers only!

Pssh, no one needs two kidneys.

 

[CL82]

Also...

 

[jdb50]

Tear out the offices under the sideline stands and make that the concourse like at PBA. Add seats on all the sideline walkways with portals to the rear to access restrooms, food etc. Right now 2 rows of seats can be added behind the top rows of sideline chairback sections. At least 2 sections on chairback side 207 and 211. Do not know why this hasnt been done already. On the upper bleacher side the same could be done to sections 220,221,222. The upper level adds I mention would be very inexpensive to do.

 

[Palatine]

If you had a clear floor you could add seats under the court!

 

[WestCoastHusky]

They definitely need to increase the seating capacity to bring more fans in, and to increase the overall revenue.

Has anyone seen the overview of the renovation plan? Is there any plan to increase seating capacity?

 

[shizzle787]

They definitely need to increase the seating capacity to bring more fans in, and to increase the overall revenue.

Has anyone seen the overview of the renovation plan? Is there any plan to increase seating capacity?

Not by much though. A capacity of 11k for a relatively rural part of the state is not bad. If they went to 12k, it will probably be fine. Anything more than that is getting greedy.

 

[WrenchFan69]

I absolutely love the size and atmosphere of Gampel and despite the building being a circle, the seating bowl is rectangular and just fine IMO.

The big thing they need to do is put on a big addition to house concessions, beer garden, bathrooms, gathering space and other amenities. I was recently at Crisler Arena in Michigan and they have an old building with a concrete perimeter, no windows etc. What they did was added a whole structure right off the side of it with atrium spaces, more concessions. etc. Before and after pics:

View attachment 114237

View attachment 114238

The big thing with Gampel would be where to get the land to build it. Could they take that diagonal connector building between Gampel and the fieldhouse down and build something there that extends all the way out to Hillside and the Jonathan the Husky Statue?

I've long said something like this is our best option.

Within the red lined polygon: That street parking really isn't necessary with the garage right next door. Use that space to expand sidewalks. Then enclose the corners and take over the no-longer-necessary athletic department offices (accommodated in Werth, Shenkman, or the updated field house) at the concourse level for expanded concessions.

Yellow polygon: if and when we cut the women's swim and dive team (I'm expecting further pressure to ditch non-rev sports with the NCAA eventually lowering their D1 minimum rules, though Title IX considerations will persist), it could be an option to take over the Natatorium for concessions and bathrooms and possibly a dedicated production studio, considering they bring in a truck still for Gampel games.

 

[Chief00]

The problem with your numbers here is most you’ve posted numbers on are their alternate, not on campus arenas, true some teams mostly do not use these arenas, but UConn has a 16k+ capacity alternate as well. So using these to compare primarily to Gampel vs them doesn’t make sense. So for that reference:

Creighton 18k, DJ Sokol Arena on campus 3000
Georgetown 20k, McDonough Arena on campus 2500
Marquette 19k, Al Maguire Center on campus 3700
SHU 19k, Walsh Gymnasium on campus 1316
SJU 20k, Carnasecca Arena on campus 5260
Nova 20k, Finneran Pavilion on campus 6501

So in other words UConn has a larger on campus arena than EVERY team you used to make your point.

I think we need to be realistic. When the President of UConn last threaten to play more games on campus, the Hartford politicians sent her a message about funding UConn overall and she immediately reversed course. This is a political reality.

 

[Chief00]

It's those two to three rows behind the UConn bench that are never filled at tip off. I assume those are athletic department big wigs and university controlled seats and those people are too important to get to their seats before the first TV timeout. Almost every game that section behind the UConn bench has 15-20 seats empty at tip off.

Many prime seats come with the buffet and bar access/exited thru the nearby tunnel entrance.

 

[jdb50]

They definitely need to increase the seating capacity to bring more fans in, and to increase the overall revenue.

Has anyone seen the overview of the renovation plan? Is there any plan to increase seating capacity?

I tried to find info on what actually is planned with all the spending last night but came up empty. Maybe better minds can find the job proposal.

 

[Chief00]

I get some are much more expensive but for what you get with Gampel, it shouldn't compare. No fancy metal or brick design, no windows, no amenities, nothing. Just a concrete silo.

It is true whatever political donors who got The Rent and Gampel design jobs surely loved basic concrete at the expense of any other design thought.

 

[Chief00]

I tried to find info on what actually is planned with all the spending last night but came up empty. Maybe better minds can find the job proposal.

We spend a lot of money to put in club type seating. In Hartford that produces $12,500 per seat each season. The rest of the stuff is lip stick on the pig stuff and pretend it’s for the average fan. Not faulting UConn for doing it that way, since politically that’s how you get the votes for the funding.