Norlander write-up on Hurley/UConn

[Storrs South]

Just curious, what changes in particular would make a huge change?

Me personally? I don't care, I'm fine going to the games so long as UConn is playing. I recall the person from CRDA talked about the placement of suites (they are currently nosebleeds) not being corporate friendly which has limited purchases of suites so there's a loss of a lot of revenue. There were other things he brought up but the general theme is there are more ways to monetize newer venues that XL is missing out on.

 

[whaler11]

Me personally? I don't care, I'm fine going to the games so long as UConn is playing. I recall the person from CRDA talked about the placement of suites (they are currently nosebleeds) not being corporate friendly which has limited purchases of suites so there's a loss of a lot of revenue. There were other things he brought up but the general theme is there are more ways to monetize newer venues that XL is missing out on.

yeah the crda gets all the revenue from the skyboxes and coliseum club.

there cant be a worse set of ‘suites’ in any building than the skyboxes.

the coliseum club is a little bit better but its not all that different than watching from a really expensive sports bar.

the secret decent place in the xl center is the hidden bar in what used to be the whalers owner suite tucked in the corner above the student section. decent place to rent for corporate events.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Gampel isn’t some sort of palace...

15 banners

 

[Robertelamin]

15 banners

Both places are dumps. There are 15 banners at the XL Center as well.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Both places are dumps. There are 15 banners at the XL Center as well.

Gampel is a dump?????????

 

[zls44]

Norlander's probably mad because the media areas in the underbelly are old.

But the truth is that's where the major problems with the building lie. You all talk about how those areas don't affect you. Well, other than the media area, that's kind of where the entire heartbeat of the building is. That's all the critical systems.

Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't shot.

 

[Chief00]

Thank the CDRA for their management and move on to a competent organization.

 

[Ts5034]

I dont think its any secret that Hurley is not a fan of the XL Center. Coming from somebody outside the program like Hurley, Its probably a little wierd to have two home arenas and play less home games at your on campus arena. Thats one area where UConn stands out in a negative way compared to other blue bloods. Kansas is synonymous with Allen Field House, Kentucky/Rupp Arena, Duke/Cameron, UNC/Dean Dome. As fans, we have an idea who is on our schedule for the upcoming season, but we usually dont know exactly where the games will be played until the schedule comes out. It would not surprise me If Hurley has had conversations with Benedict about this issue going forward along with the whole practice issue.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I don’t get why he thinks UConn needs the XL to be renovated to be at the top of the AAC. The bowels of an arena have nothing to do with the players putting the ball in the hole and getting wins.

Its simple and people are trying to turn this into rocket science. UConn stinks because our talent level is terrible. Yes, TERRIBLE! Hopefully we are seeing a turn around with what we have coming in next season and seasons beyond.

 

[Guapo]

Gampel isn’t some sort of palace...

Gampel is an amazing college basketball venue. Great atmosphere, not a bad seat in the house. Could it use some tweaks here and there? Sure. But, the XL Center and Gampel don’t even belong in the same conversation has to which is “better”

 

[Huskybass]

Gampel is an amazing college basketball venue. Great atmosphere, not a bad seat in the house. Could it use some tweaks here and there? Sure. But, the XL Center and Gampel don’t even belong in the same conversation has to which is “better”

Agreed, I live 6 miles from the XL Center, yet I attend far more games at Gampel. Play some games at the XL when the students are on winter break. Other than that, all the home games should be at Gampel.

 

[Vancat]

I love Gampel and usually only go to games there (as opposed to the XL). Recently a friend coerced me into an XL game. I hadn't been in years. Not sure why people call it a dump- it seemed the same as in years past to me.... I didn't use the restrooms, I didn't buy any food. What exactly is so dumpy about it?

 

[BaZZnBOAT]

I would not be a UConn fan had it not been for the XL Center. Not everyone is willing to drive up to Storrs, and I know many in the community believe that such an argument ("it's only 45 minutes away!") is just a lazy excuse, but Hartford is much more accessible than Storrs for a lot of people. I hope we make an effort to continue to play games there.

I think we can all agree that the Wolfpack are pointless.

 

[CTBasketball]

Gampel is an amazing college basketball venue. Great atmosphere, not a bad seat in the house. Could it use some tweaks here and there? Sure. But, the XL Center and Gampel don’t even belong in the same conversation has to which is “better”

Gampel doesn’t have a bad seat in the house, correct. The arena is also dated however.

And atmosphere comes and goes with the team that’s on the court. We’ve had better crowds and rowdier atmospheres at XL vs. CCSU on a Tuesday afternoon in December than we did at Gampel when Yale, Northeastern, and Wagner beat us.

 

[BlueDogs]

Gampel doesn’t have a bad seat in the house, correct. The arena is also dated however.

And atmosphere comes and goes with the team that’s on the court. We’ve had better crowds and rowdier atmospheres at XL vs. CCSU on a Tuesday afternoon in December than we did at Gampel when Yale, Northeastern, and Wagner beat us.

They both have their value. In the old days, XL was needed to handle the capacity for big games. Xl also makes UConn BB much more accessible to the state as a whole. Gampel provides the friendly “college” feel and better student access (although student presence is weak). Both are actually outdated, with the XL leading the way.

 

[Guapo]

They both have their value. In the old days, XL was needed to handle the capacity for big games. Xl also makes UConn BB much more accessible to the state as a whole. Gampel provides the friendly “college” feel and better student access (although student presence is weak). Both are actually outdated, with the XL leading the way.

I get that, but it’s always important to note that the only reason games had to be played at the Civic Center to accommodate bigger crowds was because politicians kneecaped the on-campus arena project so that they’d be forced to keep playing games in Hartford.

Without going to into too much of my rant that y’all have already heard before, UConn needs to continue to try and break away from being viewed as Hartford’s pro sports team.

 

[Guapo]

Gampel doesn’t have a bad seat in the house, correct. The arena is also dated however.

And atmosphere comes and goes with the team that’s on the court. We’ve had better crowds and rowdier atmospheres at XL vs. CCSU on a Tuesday afternoon in December than we did at Gampel when Yale, Northeastern, and Wagner beat us.

I actually happened to be at both that CCSU game and that Wagner game and this statement is simply incorrect.

However, I’m ok with playing the games in Hartford while the students are on break (as was the case for that CCSU game).

 

[jibsey]

XL is big arena atmosphere and and vs a good opponent the crowd gets electric in there. The idea that it’s been holding back recruiting is ludicrous.

 

[Guapo]

XL is big arena atmosphere and and vs a good opponent the crowd gets electric in there. The idea that it’s been holding back recruiting is ludicrous.

Does it hold back recruiting? Probably not.

Does it help recruiting? Uh, no.

 

[Waquoit]

Great atmosphere, not a bad seat in the house.

Nonsense, all of the bench seats suck, especially if you have an inseam over 28". The rows are jammed way too close together, going in and out is an ordeal.. Sitting in the middle of a Gampel row is torture. It's the kind place people that don't actually go to games think is great.

 

[Guapo]

Nonsense, all of the bench seats suck, especially if you have an inseam over 28". The rows are jammed way to close together, going in and out is an ordeal.. Sitting in the middle of a Gampel row is torture. It's the kind place people that don't actually go to games think is great.

Bless your heart, you probably think that the new Yankee Stadium is a better baseball venue than Fenway or Wriegly.

 

[AdamaNation]

It wasn't an issue but the program has also been run by Calhoun or the someone who played under Calhoun and accepted the way things are. I'd consider it preferable to have more access to the building.

This isn't the first time we've heard this come up since March. Hurley is challenging the status quo and probably doing it for the better.

Maybe the big tournament exposure will be the deciding factor on what and how the XL is used.

 

[AdamaNation]

Bless your heart, you probably think that the new Yankee Stadium is a better baseball venue than Fenway or Wriegly.

Anything is better than Wriegly.

 

[AdamaNation]

Thank the CDRA for their management and move on to a competent organization.

Chief en fuego today!!! Is there another shoe to drop or something negative coming to give us the terrible three some of events? KO. XL. ??

 

[CTBasketball]

I actually happened to be at both that CCSU game and that Wagner game and this statement is simply incorrect.

However, I’m ok with playing the games in Hartford while the students are on break (as was the case for that CCSU game).

Nonsense, all of the bench seats suck, especially if you have an inseam over 28". The rows are jammed way to close together, going in and out is an ordeal.. Sitting in the middle of a Gampel row is torture. It's the kind place people that don't actually go to games think is great.

XL is a dump and Gampel is a slightly better dump. Gampel is a sad product of mid/late 1980’s arena architecture - there’s really nothing special about the place other than the fact it gets rowdy when we actually have a good team.