Hugh Bailey: What does UConn owe Hartford? Maybe nothing (Hearst Editorial)

[CL82]

I’m not the one charging exuberant student fees for athletics. UConn got themself into the deficit with reckless spending and failed opportunities.

UConn plays in Hartford because they get funding from the state and they want to increase their fan base. You want to pivot to playing all the games on campus? Bye bye money. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Openly making students pay a premium in tuition to support Hartford bar owners?

Bye bye votes.

 

[CL82]

Having a large venue that is easily accessable to state residents is a common practice in college basketball. It gives many thousands of people the opportunity to connect in person with the university. It's good smart marketing. Schools recognize this, that's why they do it. Playing in the city has helped both Hartford and UConn.

Lol how so? The vast majority of schools play on campus.

 

[navery12]

If they scheduled accordingly they could probably work a split like that. The way this staff elects to schedule you'd be sticking Hartford with ooc dregs all in a months worth of time.

It's a mutually beneficial situation that has more or less worked for 30+ years, but we act like it a) needs to change or b) ever will, every single season.

That's not true, Hartford would get the first month of conference play in that scenario

 

[ConnHuskBask]

That's not true, Hartford would get the first month of conference play in that scenario

So XL season ticket package would be 3 games?

 

[gampelcrazies]

No it's not

If it's not renovated it will 1000% be phased out

 

[CL82]

(Actually, I’m quite fine paying taxes that benefit people with less financial resources than me. But the fact that some idiotic crybaby sees their pennies going out the door to support others and whines without asking what pennies are given to them I have no patience for.)

Are you though? Because I’ve seen you whine about SALT and suggest that poor states should only receive money commensurate to what state pay in federal taxes.

 

[navery12]

So XL season ticket package would be 3 games?

Yes

 

[John]

So XL season ticket package would be 3 games?

Because of the attendance levels required for profitability at the XL, it'd make the most sense to put the three projected highest-interest marquee games every season at the XL.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yes

Good luck selling seat licenses for a 3 game schedule.

 

[Waquoit]

Because of the attendance levels required for profitability at the XL, it'd make the most sense to put the three projected highest-interest marquee games every season at the XL.

And they already charge more for seats to the good games.

 

[SubbaBub]

The money is a shell game. Playing at the XL is a political decision and a fan engagement decision.

 

[Alum86]

University needs to set up an arrangement where XL buys games…

Exactly. And if it cannot, then let the dinosaur die.

 

[Jbirdp5]

You XL center fans - How does it feel to make UConn students subsidize your favorite watering hole because you're too effen lazy to drive 20 minutes out of the city?

You disgust me.

First off are XL fans forcing the state or the university to make decisions? Talk about misplaced anger.
Secondly if the state will give the university less money if they choose to stay out of XL isn’t playing there actually giving the students less fees?

 

[UConnDad]

They should have allowed/required? the Casinos to build a new arena in Hartford way back when. Could probably stil happen. they woudl be payign uconn to play there. Not the other way around.

Good luck selling seat licenses for a 3 game schedule.

Just have seat licenses for Gampel.

 

[John]

Just have seat licenses for Gampel.

Drives the athletic department debt even higher.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Just have seat licenses for Gampel.

They already do?

 

[Waquoit]

And without you as well

Maybe, as long as they stay in the Top 20. Fans like me carried this program during the post-Bazz years.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Drives the athletic department debt even higher.

Just double it up. Problem solved.
And if not offer half packages. Like other programs and professional teams offer now.

 

[UConnDad]

Just double it up. Problem solved.
And if not offer half packages. Like other programs and professional teams offer now.

Wouldn’t be enough. Not enough seats. Maybe triple.

 

[Billy Jack]

UConn should play on campus except the games during winter break.

I certainly agree with this point. And yet only 3 of 7 XL games this year we’re scheduled during either Thanksgiving or winter breaks. Meanwhile 3 of the 7 Gampel games were scheduled during the breaks when there was no one on campus to benefit from the location. Why not swap those 3 games?

While we’re at it, can anyone explain to me why games against Stonehill, Buffalo, and Delaware State we’re scheduled at the XL Center??? The only legitimate reason to put games there in the first place is to accommodate a greater number of fans for high demand games. These certainly don’t fit that description. The attendance at none these games exceeded the capacity at Gampel, so why pay $40,000 per game to rent a facility when we already have a facility which we own and which can accommodate all of the fans interested in these games? Makes no sense.

 

[UConnDad]

Drives the athletic department debt even higher.

Not if you raise them enough to be revenue neutral.

 

[Billy Jack]

Me too. I drive from Brooklyn. Would rather drive the extra bit to Gampel and have a better atmosphere. Hang out at Teds. Hartford blows. Only play in Hartford during holidays when students are gone.

Brooklyn, CT or Brooklyn, NY?

 

[gampelcrazies]

Wouldn’t be enough. Not enough seats. Maybe triple.

Idk about that. They have around 3-4k season ticket holders at Gampel. XL probably has 6-7k.

 

[UConnDad]

Idk about that. They have around 3-4k season ticket holders at Gampel. XL probably has 6-7k.

But what matters is how many Gampel will have in this scenario.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Then good riddance to those fake fans

Not a good business decision.