Rentschler Field facing its largest loss since opening as UConn football attendance plummets

[CL82]

TOWN OF MANSFIELD was against it

Not so much. UConn's on campus proposal included the state paying for the equivalent of Shenkman and Burton and the legislature rejected it. Then Kraft's dalliance with playing in Hartford suddenly made an off campus arena an option. When Pratt and Whitney offer the state land, there was a push to take advantage of it... even though UConn already owned suitable and on and around campus. The last kicker was the notion that an East Hartford stadium would enhance the economic fortunes of East Hartford. I'm not sure that really worked out for them.

I say this with prospective of distance, but the Connecticut legislature are idiots. It was a crappy idea that isn't getting better with age. That said, it's not changing any time in the near future. And despite its quirky location the Rent is a great place to see a game, and tailgating on the runway is a blast.

 

[Robo03]

is the CRDA a state agency? if the state tax dollars are going to upgrade these facilities, then i think of it as a state building. anyone else think it is stupid that a STATE schools pays to play in a STATE stadium and arena! its like a school system paying rent to the town to use the school building, just stupid!

 

[raf46]

They'd have to build a new stadium first (old Memorial Stadium is gone). How much would that cost? And if they did would it be big enough to get FBS schools to come to Storrs to play UConn?

I love the timing of this story. UConn's been in the process recently of filling out their indy schedule for the next few upcoming years with several P5 schools, but the Courant posts this today and now we should just pull the plug on everything. Great.

Drop d1 football. Play on campus on the soccer field.

 

[John]

Drop d1 football. Play on campus on the soccer field.

move back to the leaky field house for basketball too. Big rivalry game against URI this week!!

 

[outlaw]

Drop d1 football. Play on campus on the soccer field.

no

 

[husky8273]

Why didn’t we just build a stadium on campus?

They tried numerous times. The state legislators would not approve the funding for an on campus stadium.

 

[Husky25]

Why didn’t we just build a stadium on campus? Around $172,000 a game since 2003 is a lot of money. That’s stadium money.

Congratulations on your release.

 

[MustangMan]

Stupid Questions from a recent CT Taxpayer:
- Why doesn’t Uconn own the stadium if it is the only viable tenant? I don’t understand why one state institution is paying “rent” to another and subsidizing “losses.”

 

[glastonbury50]

At least Rentschler has the potential to be a money maker. You can't say that about most of the things the state throws money at.

We should immediately sell all state and municipal parks using the logic of the original poster.

1 million is really nothing in the grand scheme of things you're correct. And really seeing that this is ROCK bottom, just goes to show that we can turn this thing around in a few years

 

[glastonbury50]

I think it's time for UConn to stop subsidizing the XL Center and have all basketball games on campus.

Also will be a bigger problem next year when tickets will most definitely be harder to come by. Not against this for fiscal or locational reasons just simply going to be much more demand for tickets.

 

[CL82]

They tried numerous times. The state legislators would not approve the funding for an on campus stadium.

Just one serious proposal, IIRC, which they dramatically overbid. Then came the Kraft non-sense, then Pratt offer to donate the land. It was a perfect storm of stupidity.

 

[uconnbill]

Drop d1 football. Play on campus on the soccer field.

Go pound sand

 

[Waquoit]

This is a ridiculous angle. UConn is a customer of Rentschler Field. UConn is not in control of Rentschler Field's finances.

What makes it not ridiculous for me is that The Rent was built for UConn. Full stop. UConn isn't holding up their end of the deal.

 

[Yup!]

Congratulations on your release.

Oh

 

[pepband99]

What makes it not ridiculous for me is that The Rent was built for UConn. Full stop. UConn isn't holding up their end of the deal.

The ridiculousness of it is the deal, specifically the other party.

 

[ZooCougar]

Get more events in there. Make some money. Seems like it is really underused.

 

[Husky25]

Get more events in there. Make some money. Seems like it is really underused.

Major caveat: Unless the event is a guaranteed lock to make money, UConn must give their consent or else they will not pick up the first $250,000 of losses. It really affects the CDRA from low balling other venues around the state on use and making up the difference on concessions, merch, and parking.

It's like the CDRA is a welfare abuse stereotype. "I can't get a job. I'll lose my check from the government."

The irony is thick here.

 

[ZooCougar]

Major caveat: Unless the event is a guaranteed lock to make money, UConn must give their consent or else they will not pick up the first $250,000 of losses. It really affects the CDRA from low balling other venues around the state on use and making up the difference on concessions, merch, and parking.

It's like the CDRA is a welfare abuse stereotype. "I can't get a job. I'll lose my check from the government."

The irony is thick here.

Sounds like a strange arrangement.

 

[Husky25]

Sounds like a strange arrangement.

But well documented.

Medic in post #2 above and this from last year:

...
The reason is the lease with UConn. Aside from paying a $172,000 per game fee and the $250,000 subsidy to offset losses, the lease stipulates that the stadium cannot book events that don’t break even.
...

Tough to have this stipulation at the event level.

 

[CL82]

But well documented.

Medic in post #2 above and this from last year:

...
The reason is the lease with UConn. Aside from paying a $172,000 per game fee and the $250,000 subsidy to offset losses, the lease stipulates that the stadium cannot book events that don’t break even.
...

Tough to have this stipulation at the event level.

If the CDRA really felt like there were viable opportunities out there they could waive the $250,000 loss guarantee and book whatever they want. As I noted above they have never run anything at a profit. The state needs to get out of the venue management business. It isn't good at it.

 

[Husky25]

If the CDRA really felt like there were viable opportunities out there they could waive the $250,000 loss guarantee and book whatever they want. As I noted above they have never run anything at a profit. The state needs to get out of the venue management business. It isn't good at it.

I thought Global Spectrum manages the venue, but the CDRA certainly ties their hands.

 

[huskymedic]

I thought Global Spectrum manages the venue, but the CDRA certainly ties their hands.

Yup... they are now called Spectra Venue Management (Comcast).

 

[CL82]

I thought Global Spectrum manages the venue, but the CDRA certainly ties their hands.

Last summer Lamont was talking about a review of the quasi-public agencies in Connecticut. Did it ever go anywhere?

Lamont Wants An ‘Intrusive’ Look Into State’s Quasi-Public Agencies | CT News Junkie

Gov. Ned Lamont (Christine Stuart / ctnewsjunkie) HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced investigations this week of incidents at both the Connecticut

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