Level-Headed Analysis - Stadium

[Waquoit]

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?

I've seen some bad faith on the Yard before but this is could be a new top.

 

[CL82]

I've seen some bad faith on the Yard before but this is could be a new top.

Lol because facts are such bad faith if they're inconvenient?

 

[uconnric]

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.

I doubt it.

 

[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. .

 

[Chin Diesel]

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.

This is the way to go. Most on this board are aware of the ability to add another level on the UConn side of the field. I've also proposed adding another level above the student section which basically ends up turning the Rent in to a horseshoe. Leave the other end zone as is with the open air concourse.

55k is all the Rent really needs. If UConn football gets so popular that a 55k Rent is no longer a suitable facility, I'll be a happy Husky football fan.

 

[Chin Diesel]

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

And the slowest driver will still be in the far left lane with the "If you're going to ride my ass at least pull my hair" bumper sticker.

 

[Devland]

Why are so many people so concerned about venues? The Rent is a great tailgating site and unlike many places they don't squish you in like sardines. I go to tailgate and watch football. This is all I need. A bonus is the open concourse. I need to stand sometime due to back issues. I can go to the concourse when I feel the need without impeding anyone's view.

 

[Waquoit]

This is the way to go. Most on this board are aware of the ability to add another level on the UConn side of the field. I've also proposed adding another level above the student section which basically ends up turning the Rent in to a horseshoe.

The expansion plan includes the UConn side and the end zones.

 

[DoctorWho85]

I love The Rent. My one any only complaint is the jumbotron. I'd like to see them get an modern one like Rutgers.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

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.

USC’s football stadium, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, is also a “down into the earth” stadium. It was built in 1921 and was actually modeled after the Yale Bowl.

 

[coachcap]

This is the way to go. Most on this board are aware of the ability to add another level on the UConn side of the field. I've also proposed adding another level above the student section which basically ends up turning the Rent in to a horseshoe. Leave the other end zone as is with the open air concourse.

55k is all the Rent really needs. If UConn football gets so popular that a 55k Rent is no longer a suitable facility, I'll be a happy Husky football fan.

First, win ballgames consistently such that there is a demand for tickets. Then expand the Rent as originally designed & planned. While undergoing construction, reinstall the temporary seating under the Jumbotron as at the Michigan game to accommodate fans. Once the renovation is complete, if there is STILL demand for tickets, make the temp, seating permanent. VOILA! Seating capacity at @ 60K...

 

[CONN78SEJ]

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.

That’s not good news for the B12 or ACC hopefuls.

 

[Bongo Fury]

This would be nice?

 

[Chin Diesel]

The expansion plan includes the UConn side and the end zones.

Yep.

I'm suggesting if it has to be done piece-meal over a 3-5 year period start with another concourse on the UConn side first and then add the seating above the students.

I am not in favor of enclosing the end zone section opposite the student section.

First, win ballgames consistently such that there is a demand for tickets. Then expand the Rent as originally designed & planned. While undergoing construction, reinstall the temporary seating under the Jumbotron as at the Michigan game to accommodate fans. Once the renovation is complete, if there is STILL demand for tickets, make the temp, seating permanent. VOILA! Seating capacity at @ 60K...

That was my point. Win first. Only way for fan demand to get that high is UConn winning a bunch. And for us fans, that is all good. Then we can worry about how to expand rather than if expansion is needed. Not a fan of the temporary bleacher seats by the Jumbotron.

 

[uconnfan68]

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?

Your computer needs to be re-calibrated. Only 21 minutes from Rent to Storrs?

 

[husky429]

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?

It takes 30 minutes to get to Storrs from the Rent with 0 traffic. I think your GPS might be broken, brother.

 

[CL82]

And the slowest driver will still be in the far left lane with the "If you're going to ride my ass at least pull my hair" bumper sticker.

Yeah, but the far left lane will be in North Canaan, so I figure I should be able to figure out a workaround.

 

[CL82]

Why are so many people so concerned about venues? The Rent is a great tailgating site and unlike many places they don't squish you in like sardines. I go to tailgate and watch football. This is all I need. A bonus is the open concourse. I need to stand sometime due to back issues. I can go to the concourse when I feel the need without impeding anyone's view.

I think the open concourse was actually a mistake. First, it would be better for us to have 40,000+ seats rather than 38,000. Second, people wandering around the concourse make the stadium look more empty.

 

[tiger paw]

Kansas is spending 300m on FB Stadium + area renovations. They have raised 165m with no state money. KU +UC are both considered BB schools with weak FB. Wealth in Connecticut has to be far superior than Kansas. So how come they can get it done? And you wonder why America's perception of UC is week + un-caring in regards to FB. Yale Bowl was built in 1914. Very little renovations. Most of the seats are still the original(wood). Did you know that the original plan called to increase the capacity to 120k ? WW1 put an end to that. At 1 time college FB in Connecticut was huge.

 

[CL82]

This is the way to go. Most on this board are aware of the ability to add another level on the UConn side of the field. I've also proposed adding another level above the student section which basically ends up turning the Rent in to a horseshoe. Leave the other end zone as is with the open air concourse.

55k is all the Rent really needs. If UConn football gets so popular that a 55k Rent is no longer a suitable facility, I'll be a happy Husky football fan.

In the end, I suspect this will be the answer. If Connecticut has a choice between and let me just throw in a random number 20 million to expand Renschler versus $400 million to build in Storrs we suck it up and keep the stadium in East Hartford.

On the other hand, if the choice is 395 million to rebuild and expand in East Hartford and 400 million to build new in Storrs, we should think hard about building on campus.

(Before anyone gets all excited and wants to see the back up for those numbers, they are completely random.)

 

[gtcam]

Always should have been a football/multi use stadium constructed on campus or at least in Storrs area.
Being that CT politics screwed this up, UConn has the Rent. It could be a worse scenario and in reality, the Rent is not a bad facility but so much more could be done to better the experience. Better concourse food and drink (a UConn football themed bar/bistro), areas for interactive entertainment etc. I would say a playscape but kids would force parents to be there rather than watching the action on the field.

 

[RSTuthill]

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?

Think you neglected to add the extra 1.5 hours for game day traffic.

 

[Jetskies]

USC’s football stadium, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, is also a “down into the earth” stadium. It was built in 1921 and was actually modeled after the Yale Bowl.

yep, that sounds about right.

That being said, the coliseum has an amazing history. but it's history.
The only thing notable about that stadium NOW, is the team playing in it. It was built long ago and has served its purpose, but take USC out of it, and it is an outdated dump. If you look at photos, the field isnt even symetrically placed on the pitch. it is closer to one end of the stands, leaving a very awkward open end of nothing on the far side. If you said the coliseum was the home of any of the low-tier FBS programs i mentioned, people would call it a dump.

 

[Jetskies]

In the end, I suspect this will be the answer. If Connecticut has a choice between and let me just throw in a random number 20 million to expand Renschler versus $400 million to build in Storrs we suck it up and keep the stadium in East Hartford.

On the other hand, if the choice is 395 million to rebuild and expand in East Hartford and 400 million to build new in Storrs, we should think hard about building on campus.

(Before anyone gets all excited and wants to see the back up for those numbers, they are completely random.)

how about 200M to stay/update and 500M to go home?

 

[CL82]

how about 200M to stay/update and 500M to go home?

That's a tougher call. If this stadiums are equivalent with and equal life expectancy, I think you'd have to stay in East Hartford. But if 200 million updates at 20 year stadium to get it an extra 15 years versus building a new state of the art stadium on campus, maybe you don't. But here's the thing until we're looking at real numbers it's all meaningless.