Hartford > Gampel

[huskymedic]

 

[UConnJim]

They could just extend 384 the last nine miles to campus and build a giant parking garage at the old Depot Campus.

It would cut 10-15 minutes off the ride from points west and could be completed in a summer.

Or, we could hire Elon Musk's Boring Company to dig a tunnel from Hartford to Storrs.

 

[Bonk]

it's so simple. Play the games at XL when kids are on winter break, play the games at Gampel when they're on campus

 

[kemba]

This.

In a big game, the student section is always better at Gampel than at the XL. Greatly.

But, again in a BIG game, the NON-student sections are better at the XL than Gampel. Greatly.

Just my observation after decades of attending games at both venues.

I think that is mostly true, but the result is a much better big game atmosphere overall in gampel. By a lot.

 

[Chin Diesel]

They could just extend 384 the last nine miles to campus and build a giant parking garage at the old Depot Campus.

It would cut 10-15 minutes off the ride from points west and could be completed in a summer.

A 9 mile extension from existing end of 384 to Storrs can be completed in a summer. That's one of the funnier takes on this board.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Imagine if the XL Center was a 21st century facility like all the arenas all over the country? A beautiful building would energize the fanbase resulting in better attendance (especially students). Instead we're content with 2 relics but don't worry because Gampel got a new roof..

 

[Icehawk]

Closed campus games should be in XL and maybe some of the predicted big games (ie, Nova), the rest on campus - but both facilities are in need of an upgrade.

I agree with the posters saying it really has more to do with how the good the team is though, if we were on top then wouldn't matter where or when the joint would be packed. I think we're on that road now - and Covid IS still keeping a lot of people home that aren't student aged.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Was surprised at amount of empty seats considering they fire saled tickets. People should shut thier pie holes about XL, both venues are fine.

Hartford is far more convenient.

 

[TheChamps990411]

View attachment 73409
When was the last time Hartford was this full just before the opening tap?

The Providence game i went too.

 

[How Sway?!]

Now if the state REALLY wants to do it right, expand the logic and stop taking half measures here - take whatever money they were going to throw at the new latest XL disaster, burn the building down and use whatever's left over as a down payment and connect storrs/hartford Amtrak via light rail with stops in each suburb town, create a whole ton of jobs in the process, create a more convenient and long term durable transportation pipeline to their state university that connects it with all the big urban centers in the state.

This x1000. It would shut up everyone that complains getting in and out of storrs is a hassle and provide Students with a better transportation method to Hartford games. Bit OT but it appears that the XL might actually make some profit this year considering the successes from MBB, WBB and hockey.

 

[HuskyFich]

The place that brings the most students is going to be the best place to be. It's quite simple. Student section brings and leads the energy, and coupling that will a small and loud arena makes it easily Storrs...now if the XL would sell out, then we have a different story, but how often does that really happen?

 

[Ratso]

MSG BE tournament>>>>>> all of ‘em
I personally like hotford. gampel is overrated

 

[CallMeBruce]

it's so simple. Play the games at XL when kids are on winter break, play the games at Gampel when they're on campus

It is truly deranged that they didn't come to this conclusion years ago. Throw a handful of weekend games in Hartford outside of winter break to keep the non-students from complaining too much, and you're good to go. Playing games on campus during break is psychotic.

 

[Blue Devils]

Imagine if the XL Center was a 21st century facility like all the arenas all over the country? A beautiful building would energize the fanbase resulting in better attendance (especially students). Instead we're content with 2 relics but don't worry because Gampel got a new roof..

It is unlikely that the state will spend the money required to turn the XL Center into a modern, state-of-the-art venue. And it's naive to think that some billionaire will come along and spend his money to make it happen.

 

[BattersonBoyz]

IMHO the XL Center should be torn down before it falls down on someone.

It already tried falling on people in '78 but the timing was off. We should've taken that as a sign.

 

[CL82]

People should shut thier pie holes about XL, both venues are fine.

 

[CL82]

Gampel vs XL is the most obnoxious pissing match on this board. I hate every one of you same ten people that continue to vomit the same tired arguments every single game.

Lol and yet here you are reading the thread…

 

[Ratso]

who lives nears storrs if you’re over 30?

 

[CL82]

The Providence game i went too.

Surprising but good to hear.

 

[KingAG]

The Providence game i went too.

It wasn’t that packed before tip. I was there.

 

[uconnbill]

Homecourt advantage is just better at Gampel with the student section and 10000 wild fans. Sorry but the tomb in Hartford is not the same and that is a fact.

 

[husky8273]

if all games were at Gampel, Season ticket holders would only pay 1 PSL each year rather than 2 today if you have ST at both

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

who lives nears storrs if you’re over 30?

Me.

I've lived in Storrs for 28 years, met my wife at UConn and we never left.

 

[WestHartHusk]

if all games were at Gampel, Season ticket holders would only pay 1 PSL each year rather than 2 today if you have ST at both

Logic would say the PSL would be 2x no?

 

[Kathy]

Me.

I've lived in Storrs for 28 years, met my wife at UConn and we never left.

We lived in Tolland for 33 years.

 

[Vancat]

who lives nears storrs if you’re over 30?

Me. 20 minutes from Storrs. For 32 years.

 

[Kemba Time]

Can someone going to Gampel on Saturday and Hartford on Tuesday bring a decibel meter to both games and report back? UConn could even get in on the fun and hand out Blue and White t-shirts to the louder venue.

 

[Kathy]

Can someone going to Gampel on Saturday and Hartford on Tuesday bring a decibel meter to both games and report back? UConn could even get in on the fun and hand out Blue and White t-shirts to the louder venue.

You'd have to control for opponent and how well we are playing.

 

[August_West]

Can someone going to Gampel on Saturday and Hartford on Tuesday bring a decibel meter to both games and report back? UConn could even get in on the fun and hand out Blue and White t-shirts to the louder venue.

Sure I will do it it. I have a killer app for that (NIOSH) because I have to use it for outdoor gigs at times.

However, it's not really a fair comparison. There is little doubt the XL will be rocking Tuesday with a top 7 (at minimum) team in Nova coming in. XL is fine in that environment. Packed house. Problem with XL is that it is a once a year happening. Twice at best. I live an hour from both the XL and Gampel so (actually I think the exact difference between me getting to the two is 57 minutes to XL and 59 to Gampel) so I can take travel out of equation. And I prefer to be in Gampel. By a wide margin.

Maybe we should just play the one or two games a year at XL that the casuals will come out for.

 

[Kemba Time]

You'd have to control for opponent and how well we are playing.

Sure I will do it it. I have a killer app for that (NIOSH) because I have to use it for outdoor gigs at times.

Would love to see what you find @August_West . That's what makes this week a great comp @Kathy: two ranked teams, two sold out buildings, three days apart when our team is presumably playing at the same level in the same point of fan interest. Odds are there's slightly more anticipation for playing Nova, but also a better chance we're up/giving reason for the place to be rocking vs. Xavier. Both buildings are going to be full with the potential for maximum loudness/advantage.

We can argue all the other crap until everyone on this board is blue in the face, but it would be fascinating to see something empirical on how the top-end crowd compares in both venues since the anecdotal version always desolves into I was at X when we beat No. 3 Syracuse/Florida/some all-time great game and Y when we struggled against ECU/Coppin State/some directional nobody so clearly X is better!

I'm willing to guarantee that on the other side of the pandemic, with UConn back to consistently ranked, Hartford will be full for every Big East opponent and significant non-conference game (and the same for Storrs) which works out to about 5-6 per venue -- and that's where the crowd environment and homecourt advantage actually come into play. We can play the KemPom 250+ games at a Park 'N Ride in Tolland for all I care.