The Wells Fargo Center

[Palatine]

The Wells Fargo Center is the arena where we just had our hat handed to us by Nova. It's the home of the Flyers and 76ers located about 10 miles from the Villanova campus. Nova has an on campus basketball arena, the Finneran Pavilion, where it plays some of its home games. But it prefers to play in the larger WFC versus it's bigger opponents.

The WFC was sold out for the UConn game. It's crowd was great. There wasn't crying and gnashing of teeth by the Nova fans, players or coaches. They shot extremely well and, frankly, ran us out of the gym. Nova has a better record in the Finneran. But they tend to play high profile (better) opponents at the WFC. Regardless, they have enjoyed much success in the larger venue.

Perhaps the complainers on the Boneyard are correct and it is impossible for UConn to play well at the XL Center. Maybe it's impossible for the Huskies to shoot well in the XL. But last week end would point in a different direction.

 

[gampelcrazies]

As someone who went to the game you really can't compare the two situations.

The Wells Fargo Center is a really nice NBA arena with tons of modern amenities. XL center offers nothing like that to fans.

Also, for the game Nova students were having tailgates in the parking lot. Something I don't believe students do in Hartford. And the game was on a Saturday not the middle of the week at 6:30. If this was a game mid-week same time at Wells Fargo I'm not sold it would have been the same type of crowd.

 

[HuskyPride87]

Also to add, SEPTA runs directly through Nova’s campus, which makes it super easy to get to and from game. If UCONN isn’t doing buses for the students, then that complicates the ability for them to get to Hartford and back.

 

[methodology]

As someone who went to the game you really can't compare the two situations.

The Wells Fargo Center is a really nice NBA arena with tons of modern amenities. XL center offers nothing like that to fans.

Also, for the game Nova students were having tailgates in the parking lot. Something I don't believe students do in Hartford. And the game was on a Saturday not the middle of the week at 6:30. If this was a game mid-week same time at Wells Fargo I'm not sold it would have been the same type of crowd.

The tailgating is a tad unique seeing that whole parking lot and complex has every major sports teams field there (Phillies, eagles,76ers/flyers) . That’sa huge open area tons of space

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Can we do some kind of prune juice and apple sauce giveaway to try to generate some interest tomorrow?

 

[SwingDog]

As someone who went to the game you really can't compare the two situations.

The Wells Fargo Center is a really nice NBA arena with tons of modern amenities. XL center offers nothing like that to fans.

Also, for the game Nova students were having tailgates in the parking lot. Something I don't believe students do in Hartford. And the game was on a Saturday not the middle of the week at 6:30. If this was a game mid-week same time at Wells Fargo I'm not sold it would have been the same type of crowd.

I'm curious to know, what are the amenities? I don't go to basketball games for amenities, but to watch a (hopefully) good basketball game. As long as there is ample and convenient parking, the facility is clean, and the seating is reasonably comfortable, I'm good. I understand a more modern-looking arena looks nice but is it really going to draw more fans? By the way, I'm not against updates or upgrades, and do believe at some point they're necessary.

 

[Get a Job]

The Wells Fargo Center is the arena where we just had our hat handed to us by Nova. It's the home of the Flyers and 76ers located about 10 miles from the Villanova campus. Nova has an on campus basketball arena, the Finneran Pavilion, where it plays some of its home games. But it prefers to play in the larger WFC versus it's bigger opponents.

The WFC was sold out for the UConn game. It's crowd was great. There wasn't crying and gnashing of teeth by the Nova fans, players or coaches. They shot extremely well and, frankly, ran us out of the gym. Nova has a better record in the Finneran. But they tend to play high profile (better) opponents at the WFC. Regardless, they have enjoyed much success in the larger venue.

Perhaps the complainers on the Boneyard are correct and it is impossible for UConn to play well at the XL Center. Maybe it's impossible for the Huskies to shoot well in the XL. But last week end would point in a different direction.

This post is a masterpiece of faulty logic and flawed argumentation. I don't recall any posters making any of the following claims:

• It's impossible for UConn to play well at XL.
• It's impossible for UConn to shoot well at XL (although it was argued that UConn shoots better at Gampel compared to XL).
• The distance from campus is why UConn performs more poorly at XL versus Gampel.
• The size of the venue is the reason why UConn performs more poorly at XL versus Gampel.

Your post appears to try to refute these statements, but no one made them.

How some other school performs at some other off-campus arena does not point in any direction relative to UConn's fortunes at XL, unless you point out similarities between said off-campus venue and the XL that are relevant to Boneyarders' complaints about XL. Student transportation, gameday atmosphere, home team's comfort, etc. There may be valid points to be made about our condemnation of the XL Center using the WF Center as a basis of comparison, but you did not make any such points.

 

[Palatine]

This post is a masterpiece of faulty logic and flawed argumentation. I don't recall any posters making any of the following claims:

• It's impossible for UConn to play well at XL.
• It's impossible for UConn to shoot well at XL (although it was argued that UConn shoots better at Gampel compared to XL).
• The distance from campus is why UConn performs more poorly at XL versus Gampel.
• The size of the venue is the reason why UConn performs more poorly at XL versus Gampel.

Your post appears to try to refute these statements, but no one made them.

How some other school performs at some other off-campus arena does not point in any direction relative to UConn's fortunes at XL, unless you point out similarities between said off-campus venue and the XL that are relevant to Boneyarders' complaints about XL. Student transportation, gameday atmosphere, home team's comfort, etc. There may be valid points to be made about our condemnation of the XL Center using the WF Center as a basis of comparison, but you did not make any such points.

I did use exaggeration for effect. But after reading all caterwauling about the XL Center I just thought I would point out the foolishness of such a position as it was immediately followed by a team playing very well (against us) in the the exact same situation. My logic was impeccable. You objection misses the forest for the trees.

 

[Deepster]

So, good points brought up in this thread so far....

• SEPTA access for students
• State of the art NBA/NHL facility and amenities
• Tailgating options in the lots for students/pregamers

And, there you have the difference between a your college team playing in a professional sports city in Philly and a middling minor league city in Hartford.

 

[Get a Job]

I did use exaggeration for effect. But after reading all caterwauling about the XL Center I just thought I would point out the foolishness of such a position as it was immediately followed by a team playing very well (against us) in the the exact same situation. My logic was impeccable. You objection misses the forest for the trees.

But it's not even close to the exact same situation. I am only saying that your argument as expressed in that post is poorly constructed. Your larger point, presumably that the quibbles with the XL Center are not valid excuses for losing, is defensible and completely fair game for discussion, but you didn't support that point in my opinion.

 

[Kolumbo]

The tailgating is a tad unique seeing that whole parking lot and complex has every major sports teams field there (Phillies, eagles,76ers/flyers) . That’sa huge open area tons of space

I just looked at Googlemaps and I am not impressed with the sports complex area, overall, admittedly having never been there. It looks like parking lots as far as the eye can see. It is a nice setup for tailgating so for college students, that works out great. No need for ID's and much cheaper for dining before the game. One plus about Hartford for alumni is meeting friends at local pubs very close by to the arena. For weekend games, that is.

Location-wise, the Wells Fargo Center is no MSG, that's for sure.

Villanova - Wells Fargo Center
UCONN - XL Center
The 2 situations have nothing in common.

 

[auror]

We had a lackluster home crowd for a 6:30pm Tuesday tip in Hartford against an unranked team.

They had a great crowd for a Saturday noon tip in Philadelphia against a ranked rival playing in the building for the first time since 2010.

Not sure I see what one has to do with the other.

 

[ThabeetDown]

I was also at the game and to reiterate some of the points in here:

• It was not sold out -- plenty of empty seats in the upper deck. Out of the two XL games I've been to this year (PC and Creighton) it seemed more like the latter in % full for the record -- was a little disappointed in that sense. Now they might not have allocated all the seats to be sold (which would of course make it a sell out in that sense) but it was not even close to 100% capacity.
• It's significantly nicer than XL. Can't even compare the two. If XL was 50% as nice as WFC, we aren't even having this conversation. It's a modern arena that hosts two major professional teams, not a minor league hockey team and an NHL team 25 years ago.
• Student section was packed and looked great -- much better than our current students, but I'm sure our 2014-era student section could go toe-to-toe with them given their recent run of national success. We've obviously talked about the student section at length on this board and the only thing that will solve the issue is winning, which we have not done enough of
• At the end of the day, if UConn is good (we're not currently) and wins consistently (we're not currently) the XL becomes a big home court advantage. Using the XL as a crutch is a weak excuse even if it is a dump and 100% of games should be played in Gampel. I hate XL just as much as the next person but the teams coming in and beating us in Hartford aren't complaining. The team and fans need to toughen up and stop making excuses. Excuses were fine the past few years but we're a ranked team and need to act like it.

 

[kemba 2k]

I'm curious to know, what are the amenities? I don't go to basketball games for amenities, but to watch a (hopefully) good basketball game. As long as there is ample and convenient parking, the facility is clean, and the seating is reasonably comfortable, I'm good. I understand a more modern-looking arena looks nice but is it really going to draw more fans? By the way, I'm not against updates or upgrades, and do believe at some point they're necessary.

I was in the game as well. Because Citizens Bank and the Linc are right next door, the parking lot area is massive. There, Nova fans were able to amass and tailgate. Also 100 yards away from the Wells Fargo Center is the Xfinity Live bar. It's a MASSIVE centralized bar complex with around 6 bars interconnected to one another.

 

[Kemba15]

I was in the game as well. Because Citizens Bank and the Linc are right next door, the parking lot area is massive. There, Nova fans were able to amass and tailgate. Also 100 yards away from the Wells Fargo Center is the Xfinity Live bar. It's a MASSIVE centralized bar complex with around 6 bars interconnected to one another.

Xfinity Live is a key piece of the appeal. It’s a huge venue right in the middle of the parking lot. I went on Saturday and there are girls dancing on the bar at 10:30 AM lol. Obviously lots of people in there don’t have tickets to the game but many do and for them it’s an awesome pregame spot

 

[gampelcrazies]

I was in the game as well. Because Citizens Bank and the Linc are right next door, the parking lot area is massive. There, Nova fans were able to amass and tailgate. Also 100 yards away from the Wells Fargo Center is the Xfinity Live bar. It's a MASSIVE centralized bar complex with around 6 bars interconnected to one another.

This. And also the arena it self has things like a Shake Shack, bars, and tons of other food and drink options. These things don't appeal to me that much but the lines for those things were jammed almost the entire game.

 

[Palatine]

I was in the game as well. Because Citizens Bank and the Linc are right next door, the parking lot area is massive. There, Nova fans were able to amass and tailgate. Also 100 yards away from the Wells Fargo Center is the Xfinity Live bar. It's a MASSIVE centralized bar complex with around 6 bars interconnected to one another.

So UConn can't play well in the XL Center because it doesn't have a MASSIVE bar complex and there is no large parking lot.

Got it. Time to stop the excuses and crying like babies. Some of UConn greatest victories came in the HCC/XL. Lot's of teams occasionally use pro arenas. Some teams play very well in them.

Bottom line. Good teams play well in large venues. Bad teams play poorly in large venues. It is the team not the venue that decides the outcome of basketball games. If the Huskies play poorly, that's on the Huskies not the venue.

 

[gampelcrazies]

So UConn can't play well in the XL Center because it doesn't have a MASSIVE bar complex and there is no large parking lot.

Got it. Time to stop the excuses and crying like babies. Some of UConn greatest victories came in the HCC/XL. Lot's of teams occasionally use pro arenas. Some teams play very well in them.

Bottom line. Good teams play well in large venues. Bad teams play poorly in large venues. It is the team not the venue that decides the outcome of basketball games. If the Huskies play poorly, that's on the Huskies not the venue.

If you don't think a good home court advantage doesn't have an effect in college basketball then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[8893]

If you don't think a good home court advantage doesn't have an effect in college basketball then I don't know what to tell you.

Handle/post

 

[Palatine]

If you don't think a good home court advantage doesn't have an effect in college basketball then I don't know what to tell you.

When the XL is rocking, it's as good or better home court advantage than Gampel. I've been there when fans were raising the roof.

 

[Kathy]

We had a lackluster home crowd for a 6:30pm Tuesday tip in Hartford against an unranked team.

They had a great crowd for a Saturday noon tip in Philadelphia against a ranked rival playing in the building for the first time since 2010.

Not sure I see what one has to do with the other.

We played in that building in 2020 - I was there.

 

[pepband99]

Finneran also seats 6500, so there is much better reason to get game to the WFC. Apples and potatoes, a Palatine specialty.

 

[UConnSwag11]

This. And also the arena it self has things like a Shake Shack, bars, and tons of other food and drink options. These things don't appeal to me that much but the lines for those things were jammed almost the entire game.

I’m sure the university also makes the game fun for the fans and students as well

 

[JustbrewitMan]

 

[willie99]

The Wells Fargo Center is the arena where we just had our hat handed to us by Nova. It's the home of the Flyers and 76ers located about 10 miles from the Villanova campus. Nova has an on campus basketball arena, the Finneran Pavilion, where it plays some of its home games. But it prefers to play in the larger WFC versus it's bigger opponents.

The WFC was sold out for the UConn game. It's crowd was great. There wasn't crying and gnashing of teeth by the Nova fans, players or coaches. They shot extremely well and, frankly, ran us out of the gym. Nova has a better record in the Finneran. But they tend to play high profile (better) opponents at the WFC. Regardless, they have enjoyed much success in the larger venue.

Perhaps the complainers on the Boneyard are correct and it is impossible for UConn to play well at the XL Center. Maybe it's impossible for the Huskies to shoot well in the XL. But last week end would point in a different direction.

We used to be better in Hartford from 1989 through 2014

We sucked in Hartford under Perno

We suck in Hartford since 2014

When we're good, the fans were much like the Nova fans you describe

WINNING solves a lot of problems