The New Hockey Arena?

[huskymedic]

Dumb question: what is the typical top flight hockey program arena size? 8k?

5-6 k seems to be the sweet spot

Hockey East Arenas:

Penn State's newer-ish arena is 6K
Notre Dame's is 5k

 

[crazyUCfan23]

I get that and the energy at XL for UConn hockey games is outstanding. If you haven't gone to any, you definitely should. That said, someone pointed out the XL probably isn't going to around forever. Building a small home rink will be a big mistake when that day comes.... unless it can be expanded. Think Gampel which was 8,500 when it was first built.

I wasn't necessarily complaining about playing games at both places... it just it what it is. I'm a big hockey guy and try to go to as many games that I can. Would love to have a 5,000 seat arena on campus...some day, but am willing to live with the XL Center until it is no longer a viable option. time will tell. I do believe that we are capable of winning a national title in hockey within 10-20 years.

 

[uconnphil2016]

The arena is a requirement of Hockey East.

Right, and since it absolutely has to be done; we should prioritize making it a sensible stadium. That would require putting Marrone on the back burner.

 

[Austin316]

On the bright side, place will be packed and loud.

 

[huskymedic]

Right, and since it absolutely has to be done; we should prioritize making it a sensible stadium. That would require putting Marrone on the back burner.

They aren't putting the new men's/women's soccer stadium on the back burner after they received a $8m donation from Rizza.

 

[uconnphil2016]

They aren't putting the new men's/women's soccer stadium on the back burner after they received a $8m donation from Rizza.

Understandable. It’s just annoying that we’re building an arena that is clearly a joke of a plan while a ton of money is getting put into a soccer stadium that doesn’t appear to be as pressing of a need

 

[Guapo]

Hello! As has been previously stated, there’s also a fun discussion about this on the hockey board. Come say hi!

But anyway, to sum things up:

New 2500 seat arena = dumb on many levels.

Related dumbness = taking 4 years FOUR YEARS to build a 2500 seat arena.

Dumb dumb dumb

Just when you think UConn athletics can’t get any dumber, UConn athletics sees itself in the mirror and says to its own reflection “hold my beer” [beer drops, shatters on the ground]

 

[CL82]

Right, and since it absolutely has to be done; we should prioritize making it a sensible stadium. That would require putting Marrone on the back burner.

Of course Tony Rizza pledged $5M for the Marrone upgrade back in 2014, so maybe it is reasonable to do not continue to delay that upgrade.

 

[whaler11]

....or this is phase one of a build that will eventually be expanded....but the budget for this one was passable, the budget for a larger arena wasn't.just maybe.

LOL sure.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

On the bright side, place will be packed and loud.

Unless UConn screws that up to. In typical UConn Athletics fashion, I bet they schedule all the on-campus games for when the students are on break!

 

[Husk1881]

This is an absolute Gong show

 

[Wordbomar]

What is crazy to me is after about 500 student tickets, there will only be room for 2,000 fan tickets. Which is way less than our normal season ticket base. This will cause a multitude of issues.

 

[Guapo]

What is crazy to me is after about 500 student tickets, there will only be room for 2,000 fan tickets. Which is way less than our normal season ticket base. This will cause a multitude of issues.

This was one of the levels of dumb, yes.

 

[firstnline]

Yup that's UConn, honesty, integrity and stupudity.

 

[Dooley]

Unless UConn screws that up to. In typical UConn Athletics fashion, I bet they schedule all the on-campus games for when the students are on break!

I want to laugh and cry because this will definitely happen. Schedule home hockey games at the same time as home football, a XL hoops game and a soccer game 3 hours earlier while the students are home over Thanksgiving break.

 

[Dooley]

Bare minimum at the very last minute is what CT excels at doing. We will have an outdated hockey arena 5 years after it opens very similar to Gampel and the Rent being outdated immediately after opening.

Yet another missed opportunity here to build something of substance and give one of its program a recruiting jump over our geographic r1vals.

 

[UConnNick]

Hockey East Arenas:
View attachment 34697

Penn State's newer-ish arena is 6K
Notre Dame's is 5k

If HE requires 4,500 seats, then why are there a few schools with far less capacity on this list? Did they all get waivers too? If so, the 4,500 rule doesn't really mean much if all you have to do is apply for and get a waiver granted.

Still, UCONN thinking, as always, is small time, New England provincial and parochial. I realize the money isn't there, but expanding the capacity at Freitas is like putting lipstick on a pig. Why even bother spending the money if you can get a waiver? There are a couple of other arenas on this list about the same size or even smaller than Freitas.

If the upgrade allows for a future expansion to the minimum 4,500 then OK, but that's doubtful because in usual, CT political fashion, Hartford will be protected at all costs. Ironically the XL is the largest arena in HE, by a wide margin. The question is how much longer will it be there?

 

[huskymedic]

If HE requires 4,500 seats, then why are there a few schools with far less capacity on this list? Did they all get waivers too? If so, the 4,500 rule doesn't really mean much if all you have to do is apply for and get a waiver granted.

Still, UCONN thinking, as always, is small time, New England provincial and parochial. I realize the money isn't there, but expanding the capacity at Freitas is like putting lipstick on a pig. Why even bother spending the money if you can get a waiver? There are a couple of other arenas on this list about the same size or even smaller than Freitas.

If the upgrade allows for a future expansion to the minimum 4,500 then OK, but that's doubtful because in usual, CT political fashion, Hartford will be protected at all costs. Ironically the XL is the largest arena in HE, by a wide margin. The question is how much longer will it be there?

It's 4k. The minimum seating requirement for on-campus rinks was for "new " schools that join HE.

>>Minimum seating capacity 4000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats. Current HEA members must have a minimum capacity of 2000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats.<<

Current Freitas seating is about 1600 +/- w/ SRO making up the rest of the capacity of 2k +/-

 

[UCFBfan]

Just out of curiosity, how many people actually travel all the way to Storrs for Hockey? I mean this honestly. It's not like it's a centrally located place. I'm curious if they built a 4.5k arean if they'd fill it.

I'm honestly just wondering. I went to one UConn Hockey game when I was a student in the early 2000s. I know it's a different situation now but no one showed up back then. Maybe since games are on weekends they'd be more likely to fill it?

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Just out of curiosity, how many people actually travel all the way to Storrs for Hockey? I mean this honestly. It's not like it's a centrally located place. I'm curious if they built a 4.5k arean if they'd fill it.

I'm honestly just wondering. I went to one UConn Hockey game when I was a student in the early 2000s. I know it's a different situation now but no one showed up back then. Maybe since games are on weekends they'd be more likely to fill it?

Good question. I went to 4 games last year and there were at least 4500 at each.

 

[Guapo]

Just out of curiosity, how many people actually travel all the way to Storrs for Hockey? I mean this honestly. It's not like it's a centrally located place. I'm curious if they built a 4.5k arean if they'd fill it.

I'm honestly just wondering. I went to one UConn Hockey game when I was a student in the early 2000s. I know it's a different situation now but no one showed up back then. Maybe since games are on weekends they'd be more likely to fill it?

They’d have no problem getting 5-6k on a Saturday vs BC or BU or PC

 

[UCFBfan]

Good question. I went to 4 games last year and there were at least 4500 at each.

On campus??

 

[kibblesnbits]

If HE requires 4,500 seats, then why are there a few schools with far less capacity on this list? Did they all get waivers too? If so, the 4,500 rule doesn't really mean much if all you have to do is apply for and get a waiver granted.

UConn will be tied with Merrimack's Lawler Center (universally considered the worst rink in HE) for smallest rink in the league. Holy Cross is on the list with just 1,600 seats but they are a women's member only.

 

[RSTuthill]

Unbelievable.

Some of the players we will be recruiting from the high level New England High School Prep ranks will be getting a downgrade in facilities by coming to UConn from their fancy prep schools!

Haven't been to many prep rinks, have you. And UConn by and large no longer recruits many preps. Junior hockey such as BCHL, USHL, etc. Twenty one year old freshmen.

But I agree this is insane. I will happily go to the few games they will have in Storrs. OOC games such as Sacred heart and AIC, games that won't draw and games for which the XL can't give them the dates they want. But big games will stay at the XL.

 

[CL82]

It's 4k. The minimum seating requirement for on-campus rinks was for "new " schools that join HE.

>>Minimum seating capacity 4000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats. Current HEA members must have a minimum capacity of 2000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats.<<

Current Freitas seating is about 1600 +/- w/ SRO making up the rest of the capacity of 2k +/-

Medic you are pretty good a ferreting stuff out. Is there a plan of what this thing will look like. Still hanging on the to dream that it will be built for easy expansion, like Gampel (8,500 to 10k) and the Rent.