New Loge Box at Gampel

[XLCenterFan]

Bro, it's 6 bar chairs they got on Craigslist from a Applebee's located on a concrete concourse next to a guy selling popcorn.

You can say a lot about these "loge box" seats but I'm not sure it's for "snobs" lol.

Did you see the price tag? $175 a head for Arkansas Pine Bluff? Mega causals with too much money to blow. Some crew of Vineyard Vines quarter zips will be in there asking about why Jordan Hawkins isn’t playing tonight.

 

[temery]

That painted line on the floor is definitely going to keep people from cutting in front of the chairs, or brushing up against the back.

And who in their right mind pays a premium to have people stand in front of them.

 

[CL82]

Can you imagine inviting people to a game in a "box" and then telling 4 of them they have to stand?

Yes SRO in "boxes" is a thing. Now, telling people they have to stand on the concourse is a different thing.

For what it's worth, there exists a plan to build an external concourse for Gampel. I've always guessed that as a part of that they would utilize the internal concourse for additional seating. Putting in boxes at that level makes sense as a part of that plan. And the problem is Connecticut has said they don't have the money to do it. Maybe this is a feeler to gauge interest, as part of a halfway measure where they only build out one or more "corners". If so there would be a new external concourse just in those areas. Just a guess.

(Rendering from 2015 master plan. It was scheduled to be completed by 2025.)

 

[Chuck]

The first game in Gampel was in January, 1990 vs- St John's. We had already outgrown the building and there was no way every student could get tickets so there was a Willy Wonka like lottery on campus to win a Golden Ticket for free and early entry to home games for the 89-90 season. First couple of games were still in the fieldhouse.

I think that only happened after the Syracuse, Georgetown and St. John's games? I will admit I may be misremembering this, but here's how I remember the tickets for that year.

Remember, we were supposed to be trash. I went to the ticket office (literally I think it was someone's office) with a couple fellow freshmen to get season tickets just because we were college hoops fans. We got there as soon as they opened and there was no line or anything. I think they gave you tickets for HCC and that punch card for on campus (field house and Gampel). People mocked me about getting season tickets. I remember they charged students for tickets. It wasn't much, but it added up when you bought all games so people thought it was dumb since you could always get tickets right around the time of the game. Fast forward to beating back-to-back number 1s (EDIT: Syracuse was number 5. Georgetown was number 2 and slated to be number 1 that week) and then the ridiculously loud opening night at Gampel and tickets became a hot commodity. So, they started having those lotteries. I was happy to have gotten those season tickets. At least that's how I remember it.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Cringy and Division II type of stuff. The reason I know that is my lowly DII school did the same thing except it was folding chairs roped off between two sets of rollaway bleachers. But at least no one had to stand.

 

[CTBasketball]

There’s literally zero room on that concourse as it is. Or you can pay minimum to get in the building then stand 2” outside the painted lines.

 

[HU5KIES]

This is embarrassing.

 

[navery12]

I'm curious what the actual result will look like. I can't imagine there's any way it looks good but I've been surprised before

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Did you see the price tag? $175 a head for Arkansas Pine Bluff? Mega causals with too much money to blow. Some crew of Vineyard Vines quarter zips will be in there asking about why Jordan Hawkins isn’t playing tonight.

Looking at what season tickets cost, sitting in the "loge" is basically the mid point of what season tickets cost per game.

So unless you want to tell the entire lower bowl to take a hike, the price (in a vacuum) it's that exorbitant compared to our other per game prices.

Now of course the idea is ridiculous, pea brained, and overpriced, but it's not as if a good portion of the arena isn't paying more.

 

[August_West]

The people buying those boxes will be the fakest fans in the building and won’t be able to name 3 players on the team or an assistant coach. They should stay home like they’ve been for the past 10 years and we shouldn’t be catering to them.

That's silly. When you have a product people want to buy, you sell it.

 

[August_West]

That painted line on the floor is definitely going to keep people from cutting in front of the chairs, or brushing up against the back.

I think they will have some type of partition up.

 

[August_West]

Man, I remember my first beer. Stay safe tonight.

Yeah he's having quite the meltdown.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I'm curious what the actual result will look like. I can't imagine there's any way it looks good but I've been surprised before

I could see it being pretty cool if they built a riser, added some kind of half-or full-wall surrounding the seats, added a little mini-bar or bar tables for the SRO folks. Maybe stocked a mini-fridge with Treehouse or other local CT brewery offerings, a mini-freezer with Dairy bar offerings, etc.

 

[Waquoit]

XL sucked for wheelchairs

How so?

 

[Waquoit]

The people buying those boxes will be the fakest fans in the building and won’t be able to name 3 players on the team or an assistant coach. They should stay home like they’ve been for the past 10 years and we shouldn’t be catering to them.

The fakest fans are ones that don't pony up to support the program.

 

[Kathy]

How so?

They removed one chair so the wheelchair could go in - wasn't even close to enough width so the other chairs got smooshed together. The seats were where people entered the section so lots of people standing that needed to get out of the way for the wheelchair to go in and out. And the space for people to walk behind the wheelchair was very narrow so constantly getting bumped and moved.

 

[CTBasketball]

The fakest fans are ones that don't pony up to support the program.

So you’ll be sitting here at the Arkansas Pine Bluff game? Beers on me!

 

[Dove]

I'm curious what the actual result will look like. I can't imagine there's any way it looks good but I've been surprised before

Maybe they will install a high bar for a shower curtain to add privacy.

 

[Dove]

Man, I remember my first beer. Stay safe tonight.

 

[Waquoit]

So you’ll be sitting here at the Arkansas Pine Bluff game? Beers on me!

Free? I can't afford that! $100 per game for my XL seats is the best I can do.

 

[husky429]

The fakest fans are ones that don't pony up to support the program.

Being well-off doesn't make you a better fan. Plenty of great fans can't afford games. I know a DIE-HARD UConn hoops family who are getting sneakers from the Salvation Army.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Man this is a rough crowd. I hope the loge box is successful and brings in new or old Husky fans who don’t have season tickets and want to experience UConn BB.

Perhaps a hedge fund roller who hasn’t been to games buys a box for the office and lo and behold has a great time at the game. The next call could be to AD David Benedict saying here’s my blank check - get me 4 nice season seats. Or AD David Benedict I will take this loge box for every game for rest of season.

 

[August_West]

Free? I can't afford that! $100 per game for my XL seats is the best I can do.

As someone who has been on the receiving end of a few of CTBasketball's free beers, I can tell you they are worth every penny! (He's a great guy)

 

[Dove]

As someone who has been on the receiving end of a few of CTBasketball's free beers, I can tell you they are worth every penny! (He's a great guy)

Is he the real Johnny Selvie?

 

[Waquoit]

Being well-off doesn't make you a better fan. Plenty of great fans can't afford games. I know a DIE-HARD UConn hoops family who are getting sneakers from the Salvation Army.

Unfortunately, yeah it does.