Podcast: Future of XL Center with Mike Freimuth of CRDA | The Boneyard

Podcast: Future of XL Center with Mike Freimuth of CRDA

Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
2,648
Reaction Score
15,202
Hi all,

I know a lot of debate about the future of the XL and UConn playing games there this week. I got some time with Mike Freimuth of the CRDA for my new episode of The Connecticut Scoreboard Podcast to talk about the future of the building, the importance of UConn playing games there, the recent RFP that went out for upgrades and renovations and more.

 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
3,217
Reaction Score
10,696
After listening to the podcast, Im still not really optimistic about any major renovations getting done any time soon. Does the place need it? Absolutely! It seemed like the renovations to the obsolete light switches and electrical things will be first on the list. Im not sure how the lower bowl renovations and expanding the concourses will do anything to move the needle. Also, what will that do to ticket prices by adding more premium seating to the lower bowl? This isn't Yankee Stadium or MSG where you can charge $100 per ticket and up for lower/premium seating for a college basketball game. Finally, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are the #1 entertainment destinations in the state of CT. they will always be able to bid higher for the top acts, and the casinos are always going to be a better destination on a Saturday night compared to downtown Hartford.
 
C

Chief00

I started listening with some sympathy due to impacts of out of control factors.

He doesn’t mention the key thing, a ventilation system that kills the Covid-19 virus. Mohegan did that and guess what, they are getting the bubble tournaments.

His premium seating lower bowl strategy is a disaster. Does he realize patrons for his only main client (UConn) already make premium seat donations to the school? Does he realize his premium fees are layered on top of those? He seems to be stuck in a 1980’s Greater Hartford mindset.
He pinched pennies and looked so bad with the NCAA game turnaround and everything he manages is in a downward spiral.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

HuskyV

Connecticut UConn Husky
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
523
Reaction Score
1,056
The rebuild of the lower level will create additional price points on the lower level. UConn or XL will have lower level suites to sell to corporations and the well-heeled. Right now there are a few sideline seats and 3 pricing of seats. The Authority and tenants will need more revenue in the future. Standing still is not an option.

A second concourse and expanded concourses are needed. Now I just want may beer and seat for the game. But if they put in 6 more bar or restaurant areas the would be full.

Many people do not go to see the game evidently. Arrive late, eat chicken fingers and leave at the 5 minute mark to avoid traffic.
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
6,299
Reaction Score
13,937
I hope Uconn plays at XL for years to come. Its so convenient for me its not even funny. Im 5 minutes walk from the train station in Meriden and im a 20 min ride from the steps of the XL. No traffic, gas or parking to deal with to catch a game.
 
C

Chief00

The rebuild of the lower level will create additional price points on the lower level. UConn or XL will have lower level suites to sell to corporations and the well-heeled. Right now there are a few sideline seats and 3 pricing of seats. The Authority and tenants will need more revenue in the future. Standing still is not an option.

A second concourse and expanded concourses are needed. Now I just want may beer and seat for the game. But if they put in 6 more bar or restaurant areas the would be full.

Many people do not go to see the game evidently. Arrive late, eat chicken fingers and leave at the 5 minute mark to avoid traffic.
Those other things may eliminate your seat and you were promised you could keep your seat as long as you made your UConn seat donation. There was no communication about any additional XL Center fee. Just a couple years ago when UConn went from points to the seat donation model, promises were made. The seat donation equates to an additional $50 per seat per game for me - that’s another $200 per game for 4 seats. - in addition to about $200 per game for 4 tickets per game. So whatever Mike wants to additionally charge to pay his inflated salary, despite failing at every venue (The Rent, CT Convention Center, XL) is too much.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Messages
2,083
Reaction Score
6,553
Exciting basketball played by a Championship winning team in a great league makes people forget about the long lines to the men's room, and many other warts. Doesn't Butler still play in "the barn"? So you lose some seats when you add the concourses, the availability of additional venues for food and drinks always seems to be a winner. Do what the Yankees and Red Sox do and sell tickets to creative new food/drink venues.

The state doesn't have the economic growth required to justify building a fabulous new arena, so dress this one up with some fan friendly items and get on with life. Stop the endless rise of taxes on everything they can think of and the fees on all sorts of activities people enjoy and get out of the way of business and maybe, just maybe, the entrepreneurs will return in sufficient numbers to lift the economy and make the state what it once was. Look how the virus has driven people from NYC to CT and turned around the real estate market. With all the natural beauty the state has to offer, there's no reason to play second fiddle to MA, NJ and NY.
 

Chin Diesel

Power of Love
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
32,402
Reaction Score
97,205
Exciting basketball played by a Championship winning team in a great league makes people forget about the long lines to the men's room, and many other warts. Doesn't Butler still play in "the barn"? So you lose some seats when you add the concourses, the availability of additional venues for food and drinks always seems to be a winner. Do what the Yankees and Red Sox do and sell tickets to creative new food/drink venues.

The state doesn't have the economic growth required to justify building a fabulous new arena, so dress this one up with some fan friendly items and get on with life. Stop the endless rise of taxes on everything they can think of and the fees on all sorts of activities people enjoy and get out of the way of business and maybe, just maybe, the entrepreneurs will return in sufficient numbers to lift the economy and make the state what it once was. Look how the virus has driven people from NYC to CT and turned around the real estate market. With all the natural beauty the state has to offer, there's no reason to play second fiddle to MA, NJ and NY.


You suggest not investing in new facilities and say they should put.lipstick on the lig and then say no need to play second fiddle to neighboring areas with much better facilities and tenants.

So which one is it?
 
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Messages
2,083
Reaction Score
6,553
Those other things may eliminate your seat and you were promised you could keep your seat as long as you made your UConn seat donation. There was no communication about any additional XL Center fee. Just a couple years ago when UConn went from points to the seat donation model, promises were made. The seat donation equates to an additional $50 per seat per game for me - that’s another $200 per game for 4 seats. - in addition to about $200 per game for 4 tickets per game. So whatever Mike wants to additionally charge to pay his inflated salary, despite failing at every venue (The Rent, CT Convention Center, XL) is too much.

Many look to leaders like the Chief for guidance in their daily lives, and leadership requires sacrifice, regardless of the impact on oneself.
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
16,560
Reaction Score
19,293
If we can't afford a PPG Paints Arena, build a Wintrust Arena.
 
C

Chief00

Many look to leaders like the Chief for guidance in their daily lives, and leadership requires sacrifice, regardless of the impact on oneself.
So has Freimuth and his political cronies in CRDA taken a pay cut due to all their financially bleeding facilities?
 
C

Chief00

Exciting basketball played by a Championship winning team in a great league makes people forget about the long lines to the men's room, and many other warts. Doesn't Butler still play in "the barn"? So you lose some seats when you add the concourses, the availability of additional venues for food and drinks always seems to be a winner. Do what the Yankees and Red Sox do and sell tickets to creative new food/drink venues.

The state doesn't have the economic growth required to justify building a fabulous new arena, so dress this one up with some fan friendly items and get on with life. Stop the endless rise of taxes on everything they can think of and the fees on all sorts of activities people enjoy and get out of the way of business and maybe, just maybe, the entrepreneurs will return in sufficient numbers to lift the economy and make the state what it once was. Look how the virus has driven people from NYC to CT and turned around the real estate market. With all the natural beauty the state has to offer, there's no reason to play second fiddle to MA, NJ and NY.
Freimuth has already totaled up a chunk of a new arena in various “upgrades” in which I would love a forensic accounting of how much of those upgrades got somehow charged back to CRDA for project management or other miscellaneous costs? Bottomline, we don’t have much to show for them and he failed with the NCAA tournament opportunity giving UConn a black eye.
 
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
4,448
Reaction Score
17,731
Freimuth has already totaled up a chunk of a new arena in various “upgrades” in which I would love a forensic accounting of how much of those upgrades got somehow charged back to CRDA for project management or other miscellaneous costs? Bottomline, we don’t have much to show for them and he failed with the NCAA tournament opportunity giving UConn a black eye.
Did they really fail with the NCAA Tournament?

I didn't attend but from how tickets were sold it looked to me like a success.

I know they had a major issues with the time in between sessions but even a world class arena would have a hard time to turn it over that quick.
 

HuskyV

Connecticut UConn Husky
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
523
Reaction Score
1,056
Those other things may eliminate your seat and you were promised you could keep your seat as long as you made your UConn seat donation. There was no communication about any additional XL Center fee. Just a couple years ago when UConn went from points to the seat donation model, promises were made.

I agree with the sentiment, but UConn did not promise the price would remain the same - we could all be priced out at some point. And I am sure that they would suggest that they do not have the ability of stopping XL Authority from making changes/improvements.
 
C

Chief00

Did they really fail with the NCAA Tournament?

I didn't attend but from how tickets were sold it looked to me like a success.

I know they had a major issues with the time in between sessions but even a world class arena would have a hard time to turn it over that quick.
How would you like if you paid to see UConn in a tournament location, and you missed the first half of the game due to arena incompetence. You staff and built processes appropriately to get fans in on-time. Should have had a holding area where fans could be processed and stored during a 90 minute period before the second game - so you could just released them from there to the game through a secure path.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
2,648
Reaction Score
15,202
In all fairness they really did get screwed over with the TV times for their NCAA Tournament games that ultimately resulted in fans getting in late. Really don't think any arena would've been able to do anything differently
 
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
4,448
Reaction Score
17,731
How would you like if you paid to see UConn in a tournament location, and you missed the first half of the game due to arena incompetence. You staff and built processes appropriately to get fabs in online. Should have had a holding area where fans could be processed and stored during a 90 minute period before the second game - so you could just released them from there to the game through a secure path.
I would be upset. But I don't know if this is 100% on the XL center.
 

TJT

Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Messages
203
Reaction Score
412
How would you like if you paid to see UConn in a tournament location, and you missed the first half of the game due to arena incompetence. You staff and built processes appropriately to get fans in on-time. Should have had a holding area where fans could be processed and stored during a 90 minute period before the second game - so you could just released them from there to the game through a secure path.


In addition to the massive entry issues, don't forget the issues inside the XLCenter. The concourses with concessions and bathrooms were also a nightmare during the NCAA Tournament games. People could barely move and there were long lines for all the concessions and restrooms. Making matters worse, the concession stands could not get restocked quickly enough to meet demand and ran out of many menu items.
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Messages
23
Reaction Score
56
Hi all,

I know a lot of debate about the future of the XL and UConn playing games there this week. I got some time with Mike Freimuth of the CRDA for my new episode of The Connecticut Scoreboard Podcast to talk about the future of the building, the importance of UConn playing games there, the recent RFP that went out for upgrades and renovations and more.


One of my favorite podcasts. Keep it up.
 
C

Chief00

In addition to the massive entry issues, don't forget the issues inside the XLCenter. The concourses with concessions and bathrooms were also a nightmare during the NCAA Tournament games. People could barely move and there were long lines for all the concessions and restrooms. Making matters worse, the concession stands could not get restocked quickly enough to meet demand and ran out of many menu items.
There’s no reason given how much they have already invested in updates that significant additional bathrooms were not added.
 
C

Chief00

I agree with the sentiment, but UConn did not promise the price would remain the same - we could all be priced out at some point. And I am sure that they would suggest that they do not have the ability of stopping XL Authority from making changes/improvements.
Layering a whole new layer of premium revenue to generate the type of cash Freimuth and his cronies need to stay afloat; wound effectively change the model. There was no indication at time of commitment that a third party could assess huge premium fees on top of UConn’s. UConn has leverage on XL given Gampel is a less costly model to operate.
 

HuskyV

Connecticut UConn Husky
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
523
Reaction Score
1,056
Layering a whole new layer of premium revenue to generate the type of cash Freimuth and his cronies need to stay afloat; wound effectively change the model. There was no indication at time of commitment that a third party could assess huge premium fees on top of UConn’s. UConn has leverage on XL given Gampel is a less costly model to operate.

I was in on great seats at Old Yankee Stadium. Last year there we had $85 seats (up from $40 in 1997) - 35 rows off the field - in the shade at noon and covered from rain - looking across the visitors on deck circle right down 1st baseline with view of the Yankee dugout. When the new palace was opened we had the option to buy similar seats for $325 the next year. The best option for us was seats in the mezzanine level (called main level to make us feel better) at 3rd base for $100 per. It was great while it lasted.

XL improves building & thus increases rent to UConn as they have provided additional/unique amenities/seating options which the market will recognize.

I my lower level seats were widened and provided exclusive club access, I would expect UConn to offer me 1st dibs on the seats/suite or if I was not interested comparable seat relocation. If they were smart UConn would increase the price - you would not see 2 premiums. UConn offers 1st option to those holding seats, but not everyone will want to pay the price. Some will move up and some will move back. Those displaced & offers to reseat at the nearest relief.

Opportunity to buy - not guarantee to afford.
 

Online statistics

Members online
233
Guests online
2,592
Total visitors
2,825

Forum statistics

Threads
155,756
Messages
4,030,475
Members
9,864
Latest member
leepaul


Top Bottom