No XL games until Fall 2021

[Letsgohuskies11]

i'd rather go to bridgeport than xl

 

[gampelcrazies]

The Bridgeport experiment worked. UConn decided they wanted the gate instead

 

[Fatroony5]

Not surprising. Gampel definitely needs some upgrades and please, for the love of god, turn the lights on! But to me, Gampel is UConn, it’s college basketball at its finest. Every time you hear an announcer like McDonough or Bilas on a call at Gampel, they always talk about how more games need to be in that building. It’s just a different feel. I don’t mind XL, but I’ve always preferred Gampel, it’s such a great arena. Maybe I’m in the minority, but with us going back to the Big East, I want all (or most) home games at Gampel.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

You would think Mohegan has probably lobbied UConn for at least one regular season basketball game per year, right? The Mohegan Sun Arena has taken a number of other events from Hartford, and you would think they have tried to get UConn basketball games there as well. I think that would be a good idea, and It would probably work out better than the Bridgeport experiment did.

UConn is not interested in appealing to the wasteland of south eastern CT. Bridgeport games were to appease/gain the favor of donors/alumni in Fairfield County.

 

[CL82]

Need more than 3 men’s games. At least 5, hockey and women’s hoops not gonna cut it

Why?

 

[formerlurker]

Rink wouldn't fit.



It does...when no fans are allowed in.

I've done zero research, z but I'm pretty sure I know developers who would have made it fit.

 

[UConnDad]

I think it is fine for a few big games scheduled when school is out of session. Other than that? Not so much. The problem is that it is hemorrhaging cash even with our supporting them. Without those games, it's over.

(Off the top of my head, I'm thinking three games men, 3 games woman, and 3 games hockey (after the rink is built, obviously). Can they get by on 9 games in total?

If my XL season tix were only for a few big games that would be sweet!

 

[jdb50]

If there are no fans this year I am donating my season tx for Gampel money. We all need to do something to keep our programs afloat. It is better than paying for ESPN+ to watch AAC games. This appears to me to be a way to keep expenses down in uncertain budget times as far as Gampel only games. We will see what the future holds.

 

[jimva]

Uconn has always preferred games at Gampel over XL Center. They had no choice but to play at the XL center because of politics.
Hartford bars and Restaurants will be really hurt by this decision.

this is an irrelevant footnote among stupid decisions by city and state politicians over the past 30 years that have hurt Hartford bars and restaurants. Don’t pin this on UConn

 

[RF79]

I’m totally ok with UConn keeping my donation money. When I purchase my season tickets every year I understand that that money is apart of the package.

 

[krinklecut]

I don’t understand how anyone thinks they’re going to watch a basketball game in-person this year, regardless of venue.

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

I’d be fine with canceling all attendance if I can have my season tickets applied to next year.

 

[JB75]

Why?

Because u can’t have every game at gampel, besides the game itself , everything else is sub par, long drive from central ct, no place to hang out beforehand and eat/ drink confortably, no cell service inside gampel(what is this 1998?) , brutal traffic getting in and out -especially the parking garage. U need some games to appeal to the rest of states residents geographically. I think it’s perfect the way the schedule was set up with 8-9 games in Hartford. Just easier access for all - unless yer 20 yrs old. Me and the fellas like to hang out before hand and after the game and drink /eat. Can’t do that in storrs really. don’t get me wrong, I like going to gampel , just want to have the option of Hartford as well. And Hartford can get some pretty big crowds for the decent games. (Cincy , Arizona A couple years ago) When Indiana played there maybe 7-8 years back I never heard the place so loud

 

[SteelCT]

The XL Center makes it much easier to go to a mid-week home game for those of us that work in the Hartford area. It would be great to have some upgrades and a way to bring the fans closer to the court, but it was built for hockey. Who doesn't like to play in a brand new arena?
I have been to packed games at Gampel and at the XL Center and when it comes down to it, ~2x the people is just louder, weird how that works. The Memphis game last year was one of the most impressive crowds we have had in quite some time, IMO.
With everything that has already been stated; ease of access (parking and traffic), restaurants, bars, higher capacity, alcoholic beverages served in the arena, it is just necessary to have a 2nd home at this point that is off campus.
I feel like it is not so much an argument of the games being in Hartford as it is the outdated arena that they are played in.

 

[Waquoit]

I feel like it is not so much an argument of the games being in Hartford as it is the outdated arena that they are played in.

Cameron Indoor is older, Duke is doing OK. Not playing in Hartford hurts the program. Now that things have turned around, why would one want to hurt the program?

 

[8893]

Cameron Indoor is older, Duke is doing OK. Not playing in Hartford hurts the program. Now that things have turned around, why would one want to hurt the program?

Are you really comparing Cameron to the XL?

Have you been to Cameron?

 

[Waquoit]

Are you really comparing Cameron to the XL?

Have you been to Cameron?

No. It's old. Would anyone say it was great if Wake played there?

 

[Chin Diesel]

How far do people consider "too far" in terms of travel for a game a Gampel? 45 minutes? 60 minutes? 75? And where does that correlate to in terms of physical location of fans?

I would think anyone living east of the river and north of Middletown could get from their starting location to their seats at Gampel and less than an hour. To me that's not asking too much for fans.

Even New London has to be able to do that in about an hour.

Roughly, put 1K students in Gampel and you are asking for 9000 fans to come from Windham and Tolland Counties and parts of Hartford, New London and Middlesex for a weeknight game. That doesn't seem like too much to ask for, is it?

Weekend games, could bring in fans from southern CT, and Southwest CT.

Everyone understands the dilemma is population center of CT goes from center of the state south and southwest and the school is north central to northeast part of the state.

There's about 3.5 million residents in the state, but its not like there is a requirement for equal representation in the stands from every town and city.

 

[HooperScooper]

Has anyone ever watched a game at Rupp Arena? I went a long time ago, about 25 years ago, and the place was a dump. I think they've renovated it since then. No idea what it looks like now.

 

[CL82]

Even New London has to be able to do that in about an hour.

Probably about 35 minutes depending on where you are.

 

[Watchdog]

If you weren't at the XL for the Syracuse and Georgetown games in January of 1990 you may not appreciate how loud and exciting that arena can be. We went to all games in both arenas from the mid-80's on and even opening night against St. Johns at Gampel wasn't as loud and electric as those two games......and many others, because the sheer difference in the numbers of fans (double with Gampel at 8240 capacity) added to all the promise of a great season in progress.

Of course, we were on the rise, not languishing in a bad league with odd start times, but you could feel the anticipation during warmups and as you got closer to game time. Introduction of starting lineups didn't need the phony bell ringing and the recording telling us to "get ready to rumble". We already were.

 

[BPT2Storrs]

Connecticut = Shortsightedness.

The State requires UConn to play in Hartford to prop up the city. At the very same time, UConn Basketball loses out on having a dedicated home that is so prevalent in college athletics. A program as big as ours and as successful as ours should have a dedicated and upgraded facility.

For decades our state has failed to invest in our cities and they use UConn to keep one of those cities afloat, not understanding that maybe if they had invested the correct way they wouldn’t need UConn to play at the XL. If that had happened maybe the state would be able to shift some resources to the flagship university to make the necessary improvements to build up our only true college town, instead of applying band aid fixes to our cities and the facilities (XL) located in those cities.

 

[Waquoit]

For decades our state has failed to invest in our cities and they use UConn to keep one of those cities afloat, not understanding that maybe if they had invested the correct way they wouldn’t need UConn to play at the XL.

Does anyone in this thread actually follow the program or are they just using it to hate on Hartford and the state? UConn needs Hartford as much as Hartford needs it. AD Dave knows it and that's why he's saying it out loud.