Level-Headed Analysis - Stadium

[Jetskies]

I'd love to hear y'alls perspective on stadiums.

I used to hate PW stadium so much - it is rather boring looking to me.
However, I researched some stadiums around FBS smaller programs, and geeeeez, there are some super-duper lame stadiums out there - particularly those that have been mostly built down into the earth, a-la-yale bowl.
Some examples of lame-o's that come to mind are Rice, Lousiana, UL Monroe, Sam Houston St, Middle Tennessee, UMass. There are many more.

That being said, I know those schools aren't the pool we want to compare ourselves to. UConn's football aspiration is clearly big, which I love. Therefore, PW's "aspirational" comparison pool makes it look pretty lame. (ohio stadium, Big House, most big 12 schools).

So here's my question:

• in as level headed/non-emotional as you can muster, what do you think is a financially/politically/logistically feasible plan to give us a true 21st century home for football?
• do you double down on PW stadium? i.e. pour the necessary millions into PW to transform it entirely and make a bad-ass venue for UConn FB? there's a lot of room there still, and the accessibility to highways really is convenient. But the country keeps crapping on its distance from Storrs, which i never understood. Doesn't seem like a dealbreaker to me, but to the rest of the country/social media, it's a killer.
• do you force the construction of an on-campus stadium? even with the comparably difficult commute to that part of the state? It could be great to get the kids in games consistently. But will CT come out to storrs...

Assumptions
- in this exercise, assume UConn is winning consistently 7-8 games per year, and averaging a healthy 35K attendance per game, which IMO puts it in above the threshold to merit consideration of a stadium project. Please don't say stuff like "we need more fans to warrant this" - I know that; just dream with me.

 

[bmayuc]

I take your level headed ask, and give you my 21st century plan to use an on-campus football stadium to take the blame for the necessary infrastructure spending and political ruthlessness needed to connect Storrs CT with the outside world and promote continued growth of the university.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

If fans are coming to watch a UConn FB game from Stamford, Danbury, New Haven or New London, or even New York City, it makes little difference if they are driving to Storrs or East Hartford.

 

[Waquoit]

I take your level headed ask, and give you my 21st century plan to use an on-campus football stadium to take the blame for the necessary infrastructure spending and political ruthlessness needed to connect Storrs CT with the outside world and promote continued growth of the university.

"Level-headed" didn't even make it to the 2nd post.

 

[bmayuc]

"Level-headed" didn't even make it to the 2nd post.

#boneyardin

lets just embrace who we are, troll people

 

[Palatine]

I'd love to hear y'alls perspective on stadiums.

I used to hate PW stadium so much - it is rather boring looking to me.
However, I researched some stadiums around FBS smaller programs, and geeeeez, there are some super-duper lame stadiums out there - particularly those that have been mostly built down into the earth, a-la-yale bowl.
Some examples of lame-o's that come to mind are Rice, Lousiana, UL Monroe, Sam Houston St, Middle Tennessee, UMass. There are many more.

That being said, I know those schools aren't the pool we want to compare ourselves to. UConn's football aspiration is clearly big, which I love. Therefore, PW's "aspirational" comparison pool makes it look pretty lame. (ohio stadium, Big House, most big 12 schools).

So here's my question:

• in as level headed/non-emotional as you can muster, what do you think is a financially/politically/logistically feasible plan to give us a true 21st century home for football?
• do you double down on PW stadium? i.e. pour the necessary millions into PW to transform it entirely and make a bad-ass venue for UConn FB? there's a lot of room there still, and the accessibility to highways really is convenient. But the country keeps crapping on its distance from Storrs, which i never understood. Doesn't seem like a dealbreaker to me, but to the rest of the country/social media, it's a killer.
• do you force the construction of an on-campus stadium? even with the comparably difficult commute to that part of the state? It could be great to get the kids in games consistently. But will CT come out to storrs...

Assumptions
- in this exercise, assume UConn is winning consistently 7-8 games per year, and averaging a healthy 35K attendance per game, which IMO puts it in above the threshold to merit consideration of a stadium project. Please don't say stuff like "we need more fans to warrant this" - I know that; just dream with me.

Rentschler field was built with the footings for a second deck across from the tower and boxes. It would expand the stadium to 50,000 much more cheaply than building a new stadium. I think tat would be the logical next step if the stadium is being filled.

 

[CL82]

I take your level headed ask, and give you my 21st century plan to use an on-campus football stadium to take the blame for the necessary infrastructure spending and political ruthlessness needed to connect Storrs CT with the outside world and promote continued growth of the university.

View attachment 90948

Personally, I think we should just pave the entire state so that people will always have an available lane.

 

[giddyup]

The Rent is a fine facility. Good views. Loud. Concourses are easy. Room for tailgates. It’s the least of our worries.

 

[CTBasketball]

The state is in no position to fund another stadium. The Rent is fine.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

The state is in no position to fund another stadium. The Rent is fine.

HOW ABOUT: The state is in no position to fund a renovation of the XL Center. The current one is fine.

 

[Windham4th]

HOW ABOUT: The state is in no position to fund a renovation of the XL Center. The current one is fine.

XL Center is a pile of crap. They should have demolished when the snow caved the roof in. I hate that place.

The beltway to Storrs, as noted above, would easily take most states 20 years to build, but here in CT, I'd say 50 years.

Rentschler is also centrally located so the high schools can play there for championships, soccer friendlies, etc. It's a perfect location for the state. Maybe they can move the main UCONN campus to East Hartford instead...

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

HOW ABOUT: The state is in no position to fund a renovation of the XL Center. The current one is fine.

It is funded.

 

[Patrick79]

XL Center is a pile of crap. They should have demolished when the snow caved the roof in. I hate that place.

The beltway to Storrs, as noted above, would easily take most states 20 years to build, but here in CT, I'd say 50 years.

Rentschler is also centrally located so the high schools can play there for championships, soccer friendlies, etc. It's a perfect location for the state. Maybe they can move the main UCONN campus to East Hartford instead...

Maybe get Elon Musk to drill a tunnel from Storrs to the Rent. Hell, do the same to NYC to pull in that market we talk about

 

[Woof 101]

I used to hate PW stadium so much - it is rather boring looking to me.
However, I researched some stadiums around FBS smaller programs, and geeeeez, there are some super-duper lame stadiums out there -

No attack here but do you attend a game for the venue or the game? The Dog House, Rentschler Field is a perfectly fine venue in a very good location. What is it that some folks need a Taj Mahal to play six games a year? The field is great and all sight lines also. Easy in and easy out compared to anything possibly on campus. Great open space for tailgating.

If fans are coming to watch a UConn FB game from Stamford, Danbury, New Haven or New London, or even New York City, it makes little difference if they are driving to Storrs or East Hartford.

Not sure of your mileage orientation on this one. That or the knowledge of CT roadways along with the back roads that lead to the campus. There is a huge difference between coming to a UConn game in Storrs vs East Hartford. That in mileage and time.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

No attack here but do you attend a game for the venue or the game? The Dog House, Rentschler Field is a perfectly fine venue in a very good location. What is it that some folks need a Taj Mahal to play six games a year? The field is great and all sight lines also. Easy in and easy out compared to anything possibly on campus. Great open space for tailgating.

Not sure of your mileage orientation on this one. That or the knowledge of CT roadways along with the back roads that lead to the campus. There is a huge difference between coming to a UConn game in Storrs vs East Hartford. That in mileage and time.

using my computer:
Stamford to the Rent:
1 hr 17 min (77.9 mi) via I-95 N and CT-15 N

Stamford to UConn Storrs
1 hr 38 min (100.1 mi) via CT-15 N

Is the time difference that much?

 

[Austin316]

I’d rather see an upgraded rent at 40k then spend $200m on a rinky dink stadium that seats 25k. Plus the rent can expand and it’s not hard to get to for most people. Also, students can bus to the games from campus. They have just enough time to get drunk and zig zag their way into the stands haha.

 

[UCFBfan]

Not sure of your mileage orientation on this one. That or the knowledge of CT roadways along with the back roads that lead to the campus. There is a huge difference between coming to a UConn game in Storrs vs East Hartford. That in mileage and time.

I'll start by saying that I think The Rent is fine a great stadium that just needs some much needed TLC and updating.

The argument I don't buy is the one that says people from Fairfield county wouldn't go to games. How many of those same fans travel to Gampel for basketball on a weeknight? Football is on the weekend. I have a feeling that while it's nice and closer to go to EH, the same fans from Fairfield county would have no problem driving a little further to a Storrs stadium. Plus, on campus stadiums provide the opportunity to get on campus on a beautiful fall day.

 

[uconnbill]

They screwed this up at the beginning when Mansfield and a certain State Senator killed the idea of a stadium on the campus. Unless Connecticut and UConn have a huge surplus in the next ten years, it isn't happening.

I hope to fix The Rent with updates and get into the Big 18 or whatever it is called now.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Believe the plan for upgrading the stadium will be piecemealed with the two-year state budget recently passed including 24MM to begin the process and the intent of passing another 24MM in the next budget and so on until the necessary upgrades are completed. UConn will be playing in East Hartford for awhile.

 

[CTBasketball]

I'll start by saying that I think The Rent is fine a great stadium that just needs some much needed TLC and updating.

The argument I don't buy is the one that says people from Fairfield county wouldn't go to games. How many of those same fans travel to Gampel for basketball on a weeknight? Football is on the weekend. I have a feeling that while it's nice and closer to go to EH, the same fans from Fairfield county would have no problem driving a little further to a Storrs stadium. Plus, on campus stadiums provide the opportunity to get on campus on a beautiful fall day.

I disagree on the second part. I live in Newington and am down in Fairfield all the time, that drive sucks especially after 3pm on any weeknight. Hell I hit traffic on weekends too. Telling me I’d have to drive an extra 25-30 min to Storrs would turn off a lot of casual fans.

There’s a reason you see more Fairfield and Sacred Heart athletic advertising down there.

 

[McLovin]

IMO 1 of 2 things should happen…

1) an on campus stadium with 45,000 seats on depot campus.

Since that won’t happen…

2) modernize the Rent. Specifically, make it a venue non-UConn fans want to go to for an afternoon out of the house on a nice Saturday (kind of like how 6,000 people show up for a Yardgoats game). Better food / drink options and eating areas and add a few more in stadium activities (batting cage, 9 hole mini golf course, sports bar overlooking the field - these are all things the minor league baseball stadium here in Nashville have, no reason the Rent couldn’t have them).

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Once the power conferences are so large and they all play 10 game league slates there will not be exciting games for us to play. Especially at home. .

 

[uconnric]

using my computer:
Stamford to the Rent:
1 hr 17 min (77.9 mi) via I-95 N and CT-15 N

Stamford to UConn Storrs
1 hr 38 min (100.1 mi) via CT-15 N

Is the time difference that much?

Sure, completely discount the time it would take to get in and out of a stadium in Storrs.

The stadium discussion is the least we have to worry about.

 

[CL82]

using my computer:
Stamford to the Rent:
1 hr 17 min (77.9 mi) via I-95 N and CT-15 N

Stamford to UConn Storrs
1 hr 38 min (100.1 mi) via CT-15 N

Is the time difference that much?

Exactly. It's six games a year. The vast majority of them are going to be on a Saturday afternoon. 21 minutes is not a material difference in time.

I love how a few people on this board push the myth that you need to build a super highway right up to the front gate of the stadium. Somehow the vast majority of college stadiums seem to manage just fine without this. I suspect we can in Connecticut as well.

That said, I like the Rent. It absolutely does have good site lines and is a good tailgating venue. It's also 20 years old, which is the life of a stadium. We could easily stretch that out another 5-10 years with nominal reinvestment. But when it comes time to significantly reinvest or rebuild the stadium, very strong consideration should be given to doing it on campus.

 

[CL82]

Sure, completely discount the time it would take to get in and out of a stadium in Storrs.

The stadium discussion is the least we have to worry about.

Lol, again, college football stadiums all across the country manage to hold six games a year without building as super high way up to the front gate. There's not a reason in the world why we could not manage that in Storrs. Tailgating feathers the traffic so not everyone would arrive or leave at the same time. And smart traffic management can handle the flow out pretty quickly. These are principles that work for hundreds of colleges across the country every Saturday. I'm pretty confident they would work for us as well.