New XL Center

[UConnSwag11]

Overall, for the CT market outside of Fairfield County, I do not believe that there is a major difference between having games in Hartford or Storrs. Thus, I would prefer that Hartford' needs with the XL be separated from what UConn needs, which is basically an expanded and renovated Gampel or a new dual purpose basketball (12K)/hockey (6K) arena. This is where 75% of all UConn home games should be. The environment for on-campus games is a major positive for the players, students, and most fans, especially as there are now more options on or near campus for fans to enjoy before and after games. While classes are in session, the only exception shoudl be for 1 to 2 'neutral' court games in NYC or even Boston. Why? Because if UConn wants to escape the American, the Huskies have to show that they bring eyeballs and excitement in major television markets outside of Hartford. During winter break, no problem with having 2 to 3 games in Hartford and even a game in Bridgeport. Why Bridgeport? if it makes the UConn alumni in fans who have migrated to where the jobs and money are happy and they help increase UConn's poor endowment, which is an important metric to the AAU and B1G folks, then it is worth that 1 game. So to summarize in a 30 game regular season schedule:

• Away games: 15
• Tournament games: 3
• NYC games: 1
  
• Bridgeport game: 1
• Hartford games: 2
• Storrs games: 9

Agreed. Gampel needs renovations badly and during winter break play the lesser games at bpt and hartford. Uconn shoukd get back to making the game more enjoyable for the students. Also Ive been saying as well that uconn should be playing a game at MSG or Boston. Are they buikding a new hockey arena? If not I think it would be cool to expand and renovate gampel and put a hockey rink under the floor. Idk just ideas, but uconn should be active and expanding its brand and kdeas while keeping tradition and making the students experience memorable.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Agreed. Gampel needs renovations badly and during winter break play the lesser games at bpt and hartford. Uconn shoukd get back to making the game more enjoyable for the students. Also Ive been saying as well that uconn should be playing a game at MSG or Boston. Are they buikding a new hockey arena? If not I think it would be cool to expand and renovate gampel and put a hockey rink under the floor. Idk just ideas, but uconn should be active and expanding its brand and kdeas while keeping tradition and making the students experience memorable.

Just as a FYI, Gampel is a concrete bowl with classrooms under the lower stands on 3 sides and part of the university's pool under the other side. Thus, it would be cheaper to build a new arena than to add an ice sheet to Gampel. I personally do not dual-purposes arenas; but, I am realistic that UConn will not be able to fund 2 new arenas. Build it where Gampel is today or as part of Storrs center and create a true 'entertainment' district. The later, of course, will be strongly opposed by Mansfield in an effort to protect Mansfield's rural heritage. Plus, with a basketball practice facility now in place and the old ice hockey arena can be used for practice (and local youth leagues to give something back to the community), the new area is only needed for games, not practice.

 

[Deepster]

Here are the top 10 finalists for the name of the new Hartford minor league baseball team:

Blue Frogs: Combining Hartford's literary and baseball history, Blue Frogs marries Mark Twain's short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," and the name of Hartford's first baseball team, the Dark Blues.
Choppers: Celebrating Hartford's place in aviation history, Choppers honors Connecticut's invention of the first helicopter in 1939.
Hedgehogs: With Hartford known as the "Insurance Capital of America," the Hedgehog is a tribute to our insurance industry, while celebrating Hartford's fighting spirit.
Honey Badgers: Everyone loves a good alliteration and Honey Badgers is a fun name that falls in line with the Lugnuts, Biscuits and other wacky names that minor league baseball is known for.
Hound Dogs: A smart, loyal and useful dog who is always by your side, just like the community of Hartford.
Praying Mantis: As Connecticut's state insect, the Praying Mantis embodies Hartford's fighting spirit and being known for punching above its weight.
River Hogs: This name is a tribute to the Hog River that flows under the city of Hartford.
Screech Owls: A Hartford native, screech owls are known for their fierce piercing calls.
Whirlybirds: Celebrating Connecticut's helicopter manufacturing and the Northeast Helicopter School, the Whirlybirds opens up all kinds of fun mascot possibilities.
Yard Goats: Railroad slang for an engine that switches a train to get it ready for another locomotive to take over, the Yard Goats honors Hartford's rich railroad history.

http://touch.courant.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82973186/

 

[uconnbill]

Money is made out of paper. Just fix the damn highways. In New Haven, too!

With what with dwindling tax income, how are we suppose to pay for it. You sound like the governor and his pie in the sky outlook towards busway.

 

[J187Money]

Really? how much money would uconn lose because they play 18 games on campus? It would cripple the program? first off, if they can't see how much better Gampel is than an arena in downtown hartford then how did they make their money? second-and not a snarky answer-from my experience, the money in fairfield doesn't send their kids to uconn and didnt go there themselves-it is a much more prep to private college area than a bastion of support for uconn. Third, if they are so committed to the program then why is another 30 minutes a problem? Its is unequivocally easier to move families to the campus than move 2-4k students to hartford.

If you want to be invited to the big ten you need to look like a big ten school-part of being a big ten school (outside the outstanding academics and research capacity) is the environment and experience they recall. I get that the liberal northeast is different than the midwest, but there is a distinct difference between pulling into campus, walking through the buildings and being surrounded by that spirit from the minute you hit north eagleville and driving into downtown hartford and walking to XL. I am absolutely flabbergasted that this is even a discussion-that there are people pining for a new arena in hartford and more games there.

I'm not pining for more games at XL. And I'm not talking about ticket sales. I'm talking about money donated to the school. I don't know what the data shows, and maybe all of the high roller $ comes from the Hartford area and so making it logistically impossible for anyone from FFLD county to attend any games wouldn't make any difference. But I doubt it.

And it isn't another 30 minutes. It's another 30 minutes on top of what can sometimes be an extra hour getting out of the parking lots.

I'm not saying it matters. I'm saying I think it matters. The actual data re: where do the donors / season ticket holders live, what is their attendance rate, etc. all of it matters.

As an example, I have 2 at XL and 4 at Gampel (which I split with someone) and I've been to 3 games this year - mostly because I work in NYC. Getting to a game in Hartford during the week is nearly impossible, but I don't even attempt to go to a Gampel game. I do my best to spread the tickets around, and if they went to 100% Gampel, I'd probably still get tickets, but only because I know someone who lives local and can always use the spares. Even when I try and give Gampel tickets away for free, I get the "no way - but keep me in mind for XL games" - and that is from people that live in the New Haven area and work near Hartford.

XL center sucks as an arena. I wouldn't suggest building one if it wasn't already there. And yes you would sell out Gampel if all of the games were there. And people would feel great about stuffing 6K students into a building on campus. But money is part of the equation. And I don't think it is in the overall best economic interest of the hoops program to abandon Hartford.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

With what with dwindling tax income, how are we suppose to pay for it. You sound like the governor and his pie in the sky outlook towards busway.

That leads to an interesting point. How on earth are people west of Hartford going to get to XL game and to a lesser degree Rent and Gampel games when the state works on the next major project - replacing the I-84 viaduct in Hartford?

 

[whaler11]

I'm not pining for more games at XL. And I'm not talking about ticket sales. I'm talking about money donated to the school. I don't know what the data shows, and maybe all of the high roller $ comes from the Hartford area and so making it logistically impossible for anyone from FFLD county to attend any games wouldn't make any difference. But I doubt it.

And it isn't another 30 minutes. It's another 30 minutes on top of what can sometimes be an extra hour getting out of the parking lots.

I'm not saying it matters. I'm saying I think it matters. The actual data re: where do the donors / season ticket holders live, what is their attendance rate, etc. all of it matters.

As an example, I have 2 at XL and 4 at Gampel (which I split with someone) and I've been to 3 games this year - mostly because I work in NYC. Getting to a game in Hartford during the week is nearly impossible, but I don't even attempt to go to a Gampel game. I do my best to spread the tickets around, and if they went to 100% Gampel, I'd probably still get tickets, but only because I know someone who lives local and can always use the spares. Even when I try and give Gampel tickets away for free, I get the "no way - but keep me in mind for XL games" - and that is from people that live in the New Haven area and work near Hartford.

XL center sucks as an arena. I wouldn't suggest building one if it wasn't already there. And yes you would sell out Gampel if all of the games were there. And people would feel great about stuffing 6K students into a building on campus. But money is part of the equation. And I don't think it is in the overall best economic interest of the hoops program to abandon Hartford.

If you can't sell out 10 games at Gampel how do you sell out 20?