The XL Center looks awful on TV

[zls44]

Teams with more titles than UConn:

UCLA - Plays all their home games on campus
Kentucky - Plays all their home games on campus
North Carolina - Plays all their home games on campus
Duke - Plays all their home games on campus
Indiana - Plays all their home games on campus


Imagine thinking this proves your point. You'd have to be quite obtuse.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Are you going to watch a basketball game or check out the charm.

XL is not a good place to watch a basketball game.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Teams with more titles than UConn:

UCLA - Plays all their home games on campus
Kentucky - Plays all their home games on campus
North Carolina - Plays all their home games on campus
Duke - Plays all their home games on campus
Indiana - Plays all their home games on campus


Imagine thinking this proves your point. You'd have to be quite obtuse.

Last time I was there Kentucky played at Rupp Arena. Not located on Kentucky campus. Louisville is another Kentucky team that plays no games on their campus.

 

[zls44]

Last time I was there Kentucky played at Rupp Arena. Not located on Kentucky campus. Louisville is another Kentucky team that plays no games on their campus.

Rupp is in Lexington. The school's in Lexington.

Ditto Yum/UL and Villanova/Wells Fargo.

If Duke or UNC wanted to, they could play every game in Charlotte when the Hornets are out of town. They could've done it after the Hornets initially left the city, when they had a basically new 23,000 seat arena. But they didn't.

Kansas could play in the brand-new arena in KC that doesn't have a tenant. But they don't.

Indiana could play at Bankers Life, which nearly has defaulted several times and help out Indianapolis. But they don't. Funny how they don't need to save the capital city's arena.


Why does UConn *have* to play in Hartford? Why is it UConn's job to "save Hartford"?

"To thank the legislature!"...for what? For...funding the state university? That's what they're supposed to do!

What's the Chris Rock routine about wanting credit for loving your kids?

 

[Waquoit]

Teams with more titles than UConn:

UCLA - Plays all their home games on campus
Kentucky - Plays all their home games on campus
North Carolina - Plays all their home games on campus
Duke - Plays all their home games on campus
Indiana - Plays all their home games on campus


Imagine thinking this proves your point. You'd have to be quite obtuse.

You missed the point. Only 2 of the above have won more titles since UConn started playing in Hartford. That’s puts UConn ahead of 344 other programs. Maybe other teams should copy us. And you continue to miss the main point. Playing in Hartford works for UConn. “Helping Hartford” is an added bonus. Play all the games in Gampel and revenues, ticket sales and interest would plummet.

 

[zls44]

Play all the games in Gampel and revenues, ticket sales and interest would plummet.

Why?

 

[zls44]

You missed the point. Only 2 of the above have won more titles since UConn started playing in Hartford. That’s puts UConn ahead of 344 other programs. Maybe other teams should copy us.

Oh yeah, you cracked the code, 344 teams should play in a 40 year-old arena surrounded by business clothiers, overpriced restaurants, vacant storefronts and sandwich chains that are closed on Saturday (Panera, Toasted, the little deli across the street all have locations around the XL Center that are *LITERALLY CLOSED ON SATURDAYS EVEN WHEN THERE ARE UCONN EVENTS THERE THIS IS NOT NORMAL*).

He's cracked the code! Someone get Murray State on the horn! EASTERN WASHINGTON, NORTHERN ARIZONA, BOWLING GREEN, YOU CAN FINALLY MAKE IT! WE HAVE THE SOLUTION!!!

 

[whaler11]

Why?

because there are still 5k people who spend money to sit in the XL lower bowl.

i guess you can tell them to go pound sand but when your football coach is paying assistants out of pocket it might be the wrong time to infuriate a decent amount of fans

 

[zls44]

because there are still 5k people who spend money to sit in the XL lower bowl.

i guess you can tell them to go pound sand but when your football coach is paying assistants out of pocket it might be the wrong time to infuriate a decent amount of fans

Ok, fair enough. I disagree, but, let's say that's true...

...why do some people *not* think the arena also sucks? Is it because they're embarrassed to pay all that money for good seats in such a bad arena?

Its not your fault, guys. Appreciate what you contribute and your loyalty. Let's all agree the arena stinks and then we can move forward and maybe fix it, idk. I pay (way way way less) to sit in the lower bowl for hockey, but I also know the building should've been fixed/remodeled/imploded about 20 years ago. I don't randomly stan for it.

Its just...such a strange hill to die on.

 

[buddy]

Why?

For Fairfield County people, it is bad enough to have to go to Hartford, but maybe tolerable. Impossible to get to Storrs for a weeknight game.

 

[Fishy]

The state is broke and the arena is in a secondary city that has no chance to make it profitable.

None of these facilities make money. Every dollar Connecticut puts into XL is a dollar it will never see again.

So you can’t fix it. You spent the fun money on other crap and now you have none left.

And you can’t move all the games to Gampel because Charles and Augustus Storrs knew nothing about real estate and they bought land in the boonies instead of along the Connecticut River where they should have founded their school. Move all the games to Storrs and you will move those games out of realistic driving distance for a good number of fans.

It’s all screwed up and there is no fixing any of it.

But, by all means, pretend you have the answers.

 

[whaler11]

Ok, fair enough. I disagree, but, let's say that's true...

...why do some people *not* think the arena also sucks? Is it because they're embarrassed to pay all that money for good seats in such a bad arena?

Its not your fault, guys. Appreciate what you contribute and your loyalty. Let's all agree the arena stinks and then we can move forward and maybe fix it, idk. I pay (way way way less) to sit in the lower bowl for hockey, but I also know the building should've been fixed/remodeled/imploded about 20 years ago. I don't randomly stan for it.

Its just...such a strange hill to die on.

there seems to be a weird subset of people who defend the building under the premise they are there for the game and who cares if the ceiling drips on you?

 

[zls44]

The state is broke and the arena is in a secondary city that has no chance to make it profitable.

So you can’t fix it. You spent the fun money on other crap and now you have none left.

Except...this was also true in dozens of other broke cities. But they found ways, somehow.

...

Admittedly, that's not exactly a compelling reason in favor of it. I just think its really weird how all of these places still found a way but Hartford decides to build a baseball stadium and renovate a soccer stadium.

 

[CL82]

Well, only 0.57% of programs have won more titles than UConn since they started playing in Hartford.

... and you think playing in Hartford was more of a factor in those wins than, oh I don't know, say having Jim Calhoun as our coach?

 

[CL82]

It’s all screwed up and there is no fixing any of it.

Two words: "Bullet trains"

 

[Fishy]

Except...this was also true in dozens of other broke cities. But they found ways, somehow.

...

Admittedly, that's not exactly a compelling reason in favor of it. I just think its really weird how all of these places still found a way but Hartford decides to build a baseball stadium and renovate a soccer stadium.

There are few places that are in the dire straights that Hartford and Connecticut find themselves in.

There's broke and then there's Hartford broke.

XL will never be restored or replaced. Spare yourself the angst of thinking about it.

 

[arch]

Just spent 35 million on this puppy.

Prefer XL to Gampel even before 35 million update.

State government looking to tax food and air.

Hopefully politicians have other priorities.

 

[Ha Who]

I have XL season tickets. I love Gampel but it is a bit of a drive. If all games were there, I would suck it up

My son is a sophomore in a very competitive program. He had his first exams of the semester last week and really wanted to see the Houston game. If it were on campus, he could have walked 5 minutes and used the game as a break. Hartford was not feasible this past week

I’m not saying what is right and wrong in this debate, but whoever throws the schedule together should have an idea of when classes are in session, what a big exam week is, etc

Ok XL is a dump. Have to say it though Gampel kills my back

 

[Waquoit]

there seems to be a weird subset of people who defend the building under the premise they are there for the game and who cares if the ceiling drips on you?

Has the ceiling ever dripped on you? I’ve been there at least 500 times and it has never dripped on me.

 

[whaler11]

Has the ceiling ever dripped on you? I’ve been there at least 500 times and it has never dripped on me.

is spectra holding your family hostage? blink three times if you need help.

 

[Waquoit]

is spectra holding your family hostage? blink three times if you need help.

I admit the concourses are way too crowded. But why make stuff up?

 

[whaler11]

I admit the concourses are way too crowded. But why make stuff up?

it’s colorful language to make a point in a more humorous fashion not a signed affidavit

 

[Hoophound]

Rupp is in Lexington. The school's in Lexington.

Ditto Yum/UL and Villanova/Wells Fargo.

If Duke or UNC wanted to, they could play every game in Charlotte when the Hornets are out of town. They could've done it after the Hornets initially left the city, when they had a basically new 23,000 seat arena. But they didn't.

Kansas could play in the brand-new arena in KC that doesn't have a tenant. But they don't.

Indiana could play at Bankers Life, which nearly has defaulted several times and help out Indianapolis. But they don't. Funny how they don't need to save the capital city's arena.


Why does UConn *have* to play in Hartford? Why is it UConn's job to "save Hartford"?

"To thank the legislature!"...for what? For...funding the state university? That's what they're supposed to do!

What's the Chris Rock routine about wanting credit for loving your kids?

You do need to be reasonable in these debates to get traction. Raleigh/Durham is like 150 miles from Charlotte. Bloomington is 50 miles to Indy and Lawrence is 50 miles to KC.

Storrs is 25 miles from Hartford. Hartford is the epicenter of our fanbase and has no high major schools within it to compete with. Playing basketball in Hartford has never been a mistake. Yes, some midweek games should be moved to campus and a football stadium on campus would be nice. Still, football at the Rent was just great when our team was slightly above average so even there, I’m ok with it.

I’d like to see UConn really grow in Hartford and bring those kids to the games too. Tying the Hartford and Storrs campus together with buses and internships downtown and at places like Pratt would help. Make the Hartford campus more a part of the mothership and treat it differently than the other branches. More as an extension of Storrs than something more independent. Make Downtown Hartford explicitly UConn country. It is good for donations and a million other things. Substantial student housing downtown is critical.

 

[superjohn]

There are few places that are in the dire straights that Hartford and Connecticut find themselves in.

There's broke and then there's Hartford broke.

XL will never be restored or replaced. Spare yourself the angst of thinking about it.

lol, never?

 

[Guapo]

Personally, I’m looking forward to the completion of the new baseball stadium on campus just in time for them to announce the baseball team will be playing half it’s games at DD Park