Jacobs - UConn Teams Need A Better Home In Hartford

[GoldCstHusky]

Jacobs goes full heel in his Court column this morning, advocating for more games away from campus and at the XL Center instead.

There's going to be an answer on the XL Center in 2015. There better be. It is far past due. And when that answer is found, it is difficult to imagine that if somewhere between $150 million and $500 million is poured into the downtown Hartford block where the XL Center stands that it would be wise for UConn to traipse to Bridgeport or Mohegan Sun.

In fact, if the biggest ticket is played, if the state does look in some way to duplicate the Louisville model with the KFC Yum! Center, UConn needs to play as many basketball games as possible, especially the men, downtown and away from Gampel Pavilion.

There I said it.

 

[Kitaman]

I don't understand his point about playing more home games away from campus. I always thought that college games are primarily student/alumni based, therefore on-campus play. I hope UConn doesn't go that route, because students are the priority.

Invest on campus!

Perhaps I'm old fashioned and naive.

 

[UConnSwag11]

If there are more games at hartford than storrs I won't to to them. That I absolutely ridiculous. This isn't about downtown hartford it's about the school. How about pouring money from fans into the stores and students working on campus? I would rather have every game at storrs than a split. Why not renovate gampel? He's crazy

 

[prankster]

I understand that the state and the city would be looking for bigger returns on their investment.

However, that is a somewhat parochial approach.

The state is getting payback for their investment in Bridgeport, when we play there.

And Gampel is the campus home of the team and the students (including the players, who Jacobs might be reminded, are students, too) deserve to have as many games as possible at their home arena.

(And I am still a bit unclear as to how Mohegan Sun figures into this....have we ever played there?)

 

[upstater]

Jacobs goes full heel in his Court column this morning, advocating for more games away from campus and at the XL Center instead.

UConn is looking to join a P5 conference.

This means TV revenue. The rest of Conn. can watch UConn sports on their TV sets if they don't want to go to Storrs.

What's best for UConn is indeed the "plusher" acommodations on campus. And take $100m of the proposed $500m for a new XL and use it for those roads (I admit I know nothing about road construction).

 

[alexd]

But the new sports bar area in the endzone at he XL, overlooking the court totally rocks.

 

[Irish Loop]

UConn is looking to join a P5 conference.

This means TV revenue. The rest of Conn. can watch UConn sports on their TV sets if they don't want to go to Storrs.

What's best for UConn is indeed the "plusher" acommodations on campus. And take $100m of the proposed $500m for a new XL and use it for those roads (I admit I know nothing about road construction).

The live experience is part of building loyalty from fans. If you live in Fairfield County, are you more likely to drive to Hartford or Storrs? Storrs is in the middle of nowhere. If you live in, say, Bridgeport, after traffic and everything you're looking at a 90 minute ride home after a game, easy. And Storrs can't easy to get out of, compared to Hartford.

Not saying I agree/disagree with Jacobs so much as providing a Devil's Advocate situation in that I can see positives and negatives to both approaches.

 

[mauconnfan]

But the new sports bar area in the endzone at he XL, overlooking the court totally rocks.

Is it nice alex? How do you get in or is it like PCC was? First come first serve

 

[upstater]

The live experience is part of building loyalty from fans. If you live in Fairfield County, are you more likely to drive to Hartford or Storrs? Storrs is in the middle of nowhere. If you live in, say, Bridgeport, after traffic and everything you're looking at a 90 minute ride home after a game, easy. And Storrs can't easy to get out of, compared to Hartford.

Not saying I agree/disagree with Jacobs so much as providing a Devil's Advocate situation in that I can see positives and negatives to both approaches.

I just think the future is going to be less about the live experience.

Revenues don't play a part for UConn since the revs are in the TV money.

Also, I really really doubt that the state or anyone else will be making any money from this.

Hartford should take a page out of every single other city's book and give incentives for development of small business. New Haven, Providence, Buffalo, a ton of other small cities, have more night life than Hartford. Why? It's not because of bigtime sports.

 

[CL82]

Can't read Jacobs column anymore. What was the gist of it?

 

[alexd]

Is it nice alex? How do you get in or is it like PCC was? First come first serve

First come first serve with bar stools facing the court. A few large TV’s…small tables….the only issue is still no bathrooms on the ends of the XL. Here’s the view…

 

[Skiblets]

XL Center (like the State of CT but I'll leave that for the cesspool), has never addressed the cost of doing business. It's the main reason concerts avoid that venue like the plague and would rather play Mohegan Sun. The rental fee is not market competitive. My guess is that a number cruncher in the AD office did the math and found that 8k in Bridgeport or Mohegan >10-12k in Hartford

 

[Waquoit]

Can't read Jacobs column anymore. What was the gist of it?

The gist was we need a better building in Hartford. Not sure what the OP is talking about.

 

[Palatine]

The state has been very nice to UConn. And branding UConn as more than Storrs team is probably a good idea. It is a unique relationship that benefits both. Jacobs is right about one thing, they need to figure it out.

 

[Husky25]

The problem with the current athletic (and economic) climate is that municipalities can't afford to build arenas on spec. They need assurances the arena will be used in order to at least offset a portion of the cost of operations. Gone are the days of the Depression era work programs and publically funded arenas dedicated to VFW's. The only way the state ponies up 1/2 $Billion is if Gary Bettman sticks a needle in his finger over the contract that guarantees the Coyotes are moving 2,500 miles east (New York be dammed) or Panthers 1,500 miles north.

Hartford loves it some hockey, but the AHL isn't coming close to covering it and UConn will be pulling up in a couple years. What's sad is that it's not the AHL's fault. What was a great business decision on the part of the MSG was awful for the city and State (Not surprising given the leadership back then). You can't replace a major league team with the farm team of one of their biggest rivals. The visceral hate in the northern 7 counties for the Rangers is palpable. CT and HTFD leaders will never know how the AHL will actually do in HTFD unless they have a feeder system for a team other than the Rangers, Bruins or Hurricanes.

 

[SubbaBub]

I've reversed my thinking on this. The future of college sports consumption is TV or more likely streaming media. Pay streaming media

The idea that the school needs go coddle people to get them to attend I think is counter productive to building a fan base. What you are looking for is intensity of following and if it's cool enough, people will find it. Half empty arenas from an AAC schedule don't generate excitement. Neither do the old fuddy duddies. You need young, loud, and mildly altered fans.

Keep a marquee game for the alumni off campus. DUKE did OK revenue wise from a NJ game. Let the donors travel to MSG once a year and make sure the rest of the games are played in an exciting venue.

I think the long term payoff is better.

 

[August_West]

I've reversed my thinking on this. The future of college sports consumption is TV or more likely streaming media. Pay streaming media The idea that the school needs go coddle people to get them to attend I think is counter productive to building a fan base. What you are looking for is intensity of following and if it's cool enough, people will find it. Half empty arenas from an AAC schedule don't generate excitement. Neither do the old fuddy duddies. You need young, loud, and mildly altered fans. Keep a marquee game for the alumni off campus. DUKE did OK revenue wise from a NJ game. Let the donors travel to MSG once a year and make sure the rest of the games are played in an exciting venue. I think the long term payoff is better.

That's absolutely the case in today's era. People will not come just to come anymore " because it's there" It is no different than building a band following in today's day in age, nothing is handed to you. You grind it out and offer an atmosphere that people "have to" be at. If you are successful creating that product they will come.

 

[CTGoonie]

I don't understand his point about playing more home games away from campus. I always thought that college games are primarily student/alumni based, therefore on-campus play. .

In most cases I would agree with this but Uconn bball fandom is not primarily student/alumi based. If it was Uconn would be BC. Uconn is CT's pro-team.

 

[Kitaman]

In most cases I would agree with this but Uconn bball fandom is not primarily student/alumi based. If it was Uconn would be BC. Uconn is CT's pro-team.

I here you but I said 'primarily based'. I just hope that students are always the priority, regardless of how big we have grown. As I said I may be naive but any college sports program should be rooted to its students/alumni. The 'outsiders' are welcome as they should be, however I would hope that every college basketball decision takes its students into consideration. That includes travel time to games and of course seat assignments. I don't see why this can't be accomplished on campus with a substantial investment.

I too often see corporate sponsors sending execs (perks) who sit with their hands under their arse.

 

[FartMan69]

We are never not going to play games in Hartford. For that reason we should support a new building. The XL is too far gone to renovate any more and without a total rebuild the place is going to need 50 mil every 10 years just to keep the place open. A lot of you talk about isolating UConn in Gampel (which itself is a barebones facility) and are "sick of UConn catering to Hartford" but forget how much this state supports the university. This relationship with the state and school has worked nearly perfectly but if you want to put that in jeopardy go ahead let's turn into Amherst.

 

[SubbaBub]

In most cases I would agree with this but Uconn bball fandom is not primarily student/alumi based. If it was Uconn would be BC. Uconn is CT's pro-team.

Based strictly on revenue, playing in front of more and higher priced seats lends to playing more games in Hartford. The political benefit of supporting the City also factors in here.

But I see a different model going forward. The NHL games were an event, the AHL games decidedly, no. It helps the bars because 2000 people downtown is still 2000 people downtown, so the State will want them.

When UConn sold 12k seats at the old CC regardless of the opponent. That was better than selling 8k at Gampel and helped build the statewide following.

Today, UConn has different goals and the $ benefit to playing in Hartford just isn't what it used to be. What UConn needs now is a rabid fanbase, that comes from demand for tickets and high market visibility and winning. The visibility you get from TV these days. What they need is excitement.

Also, you now have FB to carry the brand in the Hartford area plus a little bit of Hockey. Schedule big games over winter break in Hartford if you can. That will serve both masters. Playing Cincinnati or Temple in Hartford does nothing for UConn.

 

[Waquoit]

Playing Cincinnati or Temple in Hartford does nothing for UConn.

Be careful what you wish for Hartford haters. UConn without Hartford is the A-10.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The live experience is part of building loyalty from fans. If you live in Fairfield County, are you more likely to drive to Hartford or Storrs? Storrs is in the middle of nowhere. If you live in, say, Bridgeport, after traffic and everything you're looking at a 90 minute ride home after a game, easy. And Storrs can't easy to get out of, compared to Hartford.

Not saying I agree/disagree with Jacobs so much as providing a Devil's Advocate situation in that I can see positives and negatives to both approaches.

This is the same argument that's been made for years, too far to Storrs. Too bad for them. The point isn't to make things less of a nuisance for the far corners of the state, it's to do what's best for the program and team overall, which is not to play games in all corners of the state, and the majority in, arguably, the worst city in New England. UConn's been keeping the craphole city of Hartford afloat for too long because of politics. It's not UConn's job to make Hartford a desirable place to go and live.

 

[SubbaBub]

Be careful what you wish for Hartford haters. UConn without Hartford is the A-10.

In the past, yes. Not sure that is the optimum model going forward. The AAC isn't much different from the old A10.

If the reason for a complete rebuild of XL for half a billion dollars with no designs on an NHL team is UConn games, then I don't see the math working out to justify that expense.

Especially when a new Gampel is factored in. You essentially be funding two stadiums for one team. (Three versions but one team as far as event dates are concerned)

 

[Husky25]

This is the same argument that's been made for years, too far to Storrs. Too bad for them. The point isn't to make things less of a nuisance for the far corners of the state, it's to do what's best for the program and team overall, which is not to play games in all corners of the state, and the majority in, arguably, the worst city in New England. UConn's been keeping the craphole city of Hartford afloat for too long because of politics. It's not UConn's job to make Hartford a desirable place to go and live.

Kind of a myopic view, IMO. What you say, of course, is true. It is not UConn's job to make Hartford a desirable place to live or visit, but the last thing a program should want to do is test the faith of its supporters and those men and women working on Capitol Ave. support the program(s). Yes, partly because it is the State's flagship university, but also because there is absolutely a quid pro quo, regarding the capital city. If UConn pulled back, I'd make a wager that the $Billion (with a "B") pipeline flowing into Storrs by this cash strapped state would slow considerably. If you want to see what that looks like, there's an example of that not far from here. In fact, CT shares its northern boarder with it.

I think fans can all agree that creating a situation like what goes on in Amherst is decidedly not best for the program and team overall.