Hockey Arena Groundbreaking/Progress | Page 13 | The Boneyard

Hockey Arena Groundbreaking/Progress

My disappointment with this whole process is off the charts. This was the first year since we moved to HE that I didn’t get season tix. Turns out I should have, as I only missed 2 games. Picked a bad year to nix the season tix.

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huskymedic said:
Video/pics of both the shooting room and weightlifting areas have been shown in previous posts in this thread. I believe the video review area was also addressed in a WHOC post.

It will will be a first class facility. You wanna continue to peck @ the capacity that’s fair game but they seemed to have covered all the other facility issues that were lacking from a player/student athlete perspective.
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Re: capacity - consider that a lot of "no shows" in Hartford have been assigned seats (probably some pretty good ones) in the new rink. Let's see how it shakes out. Remember, in 9 years, we never again approached the turn-out (8000+) we had for game one @ the XL vs. BC in November 2014! UConn is playing great now, but how loyal are the season tix holders from say the Farmington Valley or down state going to be if we hit a rough patch? It's a hot ticket now, but does the enthusiasm last? We'll see.

So maybe the capacity is too small - we'll see in the long run. I was hoping for 3300-3500, but I didn't have the spare millions to make that possible. (Yale and Quinnipiac are in that range.) For someone, who has been there since day one (the 1-0 victory over #3 BC on 11/5/14), the jury is out on the capacity question. Fans (and season ticket holders) are fickle and can be of the "fair weather" type. I hope it turns into a "Lynah Rink" atmosphere. If you want to see 4300 of the most intense fans ever assembled for a college hockey game, it is worth the trip!
 
I sit near, and have sat near Farmington Valley fans, and both groups told me they will not be making the trip to Storrs. Since some folks are older (including me), it is understandable that they don't want to make the trip. Doesn't make them bad fans at all. I consider myself a very loyal hockey fan, but I didn't even consider going to Fenway. Lousy views, and the cold I can do without. I'm usually up for a UConn road trip - I've been to Ireland with hockey, Arizona with baseball, and several football bowls and women's final fours. But as I get older, I have to think about it a bit more. Just the way it is, for me.
 
JeannoCT said:
I sit near, and have sat near Farmington Valley fans, and both groups told me they will not be making the trip to Storrs. Since some folks are older (including me), it is understandable that they don't want to make the trip. Doesn't make them bad fans at all. I consider myself a very loyal hockey fan, but I didn't even consider going to Fenway. Lousy views, and the cold I can do without. I'm usually up for a UConn road trip - I've been to Ireland with hockey, Arizona with baseball, and several football bowls and women's final fours. But as I get older, I have to think about it a bit more. Just the way it is, for me.
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I am certain there are many loyal fans who are in the same boat. I' m (or at least feel) two days older than dirt and know what you're talking about. I consider myself loyal, but I have sons who love HE hockey and provide the transportation which is especially helpful post game! This admittedly is a huge factor in my steady attendance at games. Frankly, don't know what I would do without it.
 
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Forr those wodering how SHU built an extra 1,000 seats for similar money, the answer is they didn't. Now that tickets are on sale you can see their seating chart at: https://www.ticketmaster.com/sacred...connecticut-01-20-2023/event/1D005D6AB4D61617

The lower bowl seats 2,650 with another 250 upstairs for a total of 2,900. That includes what appears on the seating chart to be a drink rail row (at a premium price) that wasn't on the videos (perhaps they hadn't been installed yet) so SRO may be limited, making it unlikely they'll reach 3,600 even with standing room. The bottom line is that their $70M (originally announced at $60M pre-construction) rink is only marginally bigger if at all compared to UConn's $70M rink. Everyone was hit with the massive construction cost increases since the pandemic started 3 years ago.
 
kibblesnbits said:
Forr those wodering how SHU built an extra 1,000 seats for similar money, the answer is they didn't. Now that tickets are on sale you can see their seating chart at: https://www.ticketmaster.com/sacred...connecticut-01-20-2023/event/1D005D6AB4D61617

The lower bowl seats 2,650 with another 250 upstairs for a total of 2,900. That includes what appears on the seating chart to be a drink rail row (at a premium price) that wasn't on the videos (perhaps they hadn't been installed yet) so SRO may be limited, making it unlikely they'll reach 3,600 even with standing room. The bottom line is that their $70M (originally announced at $60M pre-construction) rink is only marginally bigger if at all compared to UConn's $70M rink. Everyone was hit with the massive construction cost increases since the pandemic started 3 years ago.
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It would also be interesting to see what amenities it has for the team. Despite its limited seating capacity, Toscano is a first class facility for players. In any event, I suspect within a year or two we will expand to get it to 3000 seats. The room appears to be there.
 
Dan Connolly saying UConn will not play more than 3 or 4 games a season at XL.

All postseason games will be played at Storrs.

Season ticket packages will include Storrs and Hartford.
 
mac2351 said:
Dan Connolly saying UConn will not play more than 3 or 4 games a season at XL.

All postseason games will be played at Storrs.

Season ticket packages will include Storrs and Hartford.
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I can't see them only doing 3/4 games in Hartford
 
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mac2351 said:
Dan Connolly saying UConn will not play more than 3 or 4 games a season at XL.

All postseason games will be played at Storrs.

Season ticket packages will include Storrs and Hartford.
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That seems like a massive course correction. I'd always been let to believe it would be a 50/50 split like for basketball.
 
zls44 said:
Let’s see what terms the CRDA offers now. Could be a negotiating ploy. Smart idea by UConn if so.
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Idk. There may be more money in Storrs unless they give an unbelievable deal.
 
CL82 said:
It would also be interesting to see what amenities it has for the team. Despite its limited seating capacity, Toscano is a first class facility for players. In any event, I suspect within a year or two we will expand to get it to 3000 seats. The room appears to be there.
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I doubt either school skimped on player amentiies. Here's a video featuring the SHU coaches showing off Martire's features:

I think that's far more important in recruiting than seating capacity. As long as they can get comps for family, gfs, etc. the players are satisfied. They want to know that they have the tools to develop at a high level, win and move on to the pros. Remember that virtually all of these guys are coming from junior teams that overwhelmingly draw 1K-2K per game (and sometimes less) in small barns. Give the players a competitive environment, good facilities and the knowledge that pro scouts are sitting in nice comfortable seats at every game and recruiting will be fine. I doubt many think or care that my school's **** is bigger than yours because our rink is bigger.
 
kibblesnbits said:
I doubt either school skimped on player amentiies. Here's a video featuring the SHU coaches showing off Martire's features:

I think that's far more important in recruiting than seating capacity. As long as they can get comps for family, gfs, etc. the players are satisfied. They want to know that they have the tools to develop at a high level, win and move on to the pros. Remember that virtually all of these guys are coming from junior teams that overwhelmingly draw 1K-2K per game (and sometimes less) in small barns. Give the players a competitive environment, good facilities and the knowledge that pro scouts are sitting in nice comfortable seats at every game and recruiting will be fine. I doubt many think or care that my school's **** is bigger than yours because our rink is bigger.
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Thanks, I hadn’t seen that. That is a very nice barn.
 
Has the façade been finished on the front of the building?
 
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