The XL Center looks awful on TV

[Guapo]

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.

Imagine thinking that UConn playing games in Hartford actively helps the athletic department, and the school, accomplish the mission of college sports; which is a) to win b) show off your school to potential students and c) to create a tangible bond to the school for alumni to drive future donations (and ticket sales).

UConn is NOT Connecticut’s pro sports franchise. It’s mission is NOT to provide entertainment to the folks of greater Hartford or Fairfield County.

If you ever wonder how schools that are clearly inferior to UConn get much larger donations and have much larger endowments; it’s because those schools understand how to cultivate those relationships with students and alumni. The way UConn runs it’s athletic department is simply a major symptom of a much larger disease which is, as an institution, UConn is literally decades (if not centuries) behind its peers in this regard.

UConn approaches this stuff like its New Hampshire or Bridgewater State while viewing itself as though it’s Michigan.

Meanwhile, we are forced to watch our beloved program play in a dump inside a bigger dump.

UConn sports in Hartford is a Russian nesting doll of garbage.

Below is a visual representation:

 

[Guapo]

Imagine thinking that UConn playing games in Hartford actively helps the athletic department, and the school, accomplish the mission of college sports; which is a) to win b) show off your school to potential students and c) to create a tangible bond to the school for alumni to drive future donations (and ticket sales).

UConn is NOT Connecticut’s pro sports franchise. It’s mission is NOT to provide entertainment to the folks of greater Hartford or Fairfield County.

If you ever wonder how schools that are clearly inferior to UConn get much larger donations and have much larger endowments; it’s because those schools understand how to cultivate those relationships with students and alumni. The way UConn runs it’s athletic department is simply a major symptom of a much larger disease which is, as an institution, UConn is literally decades (if not centuries) behind its peers in this regard.

UConn approaches this stuff like its New Hampshire or Bridgewater State while viewing itself as though it’s Michigan.

Meanwhile, we are forced to watch our beloved program play in a dump inside a bigger dump.

UConn sports in Hartford is a Russian nesting egg of garbage.

Below is a visual representation:

View attachment 39801

TL; dr the XL Center is to Hartford what Oscar the Grouch is to his garbadge can

 

[the Q]

Imagine thinking that UConn playing games in Hartford actively helps the athletic department, and the school, accomplish the mission of college sports; which is a) to win b) show off your school to potential students and c) to create a tangible bond to the school for alumni to drive future donations (and ticket sales).

UConn is NOT Connecticut’s pro sports franchise. It’s mission is NOT to provide entertainment to the folks of greater Hartford or Fairfield County.

If you ever wonder how schools that are clearly inferior to UConn get much larger donations and have much larger endowments; it’s because those schools understand how to cultivate those relationships with students and alumni. The way UConn runs it’s athletic department is simply a major symptom of a much larger disease which is, as an institution, UConn is literally decades (if not centuries) behind its peers in this regard.

UConn approaches this stuff like its New Hampshire or Bridgewater State while viewing itself as though it’s Michigan.

Meanwhile, we are forced to watch our beloved program play in a dump inside a bigger dump.

UConn sports in Hartford is a Russian nesting egg of garbage.

Below is a visual representation:

View attachment 39801

Wouldn’t playing some games in Hartford and Fairfield county help cultivate those relationships?

Just do it when the students aren’t on campus.

 

[AAC Guru]

[QUOTE="

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.[/QUOTE]

Seems to me like they are putting more resources into the Stamford branch. Seems to be where the growth is.

 

[Guapo]

Wouldn’t playing some games in Hartford and Fairfield county help cultivate those relationships?

Just do it when the students aren’t on campus.

Yes. I agree. But that’s very clearly not what many on here are arguing for.

 

[HHusky]

Guano hit the 3/4 Court 3 to win the game with his assessment of UCONN's ability to "cultivate those relationships with students and alumni". May I add "non alumni and others who donate or have donated ".
They just don't get it. They should get a list of the ten schools with the largest endowments and send their staff to those schools to learn how to.

 

[HHusky]

Sorry. * "Guapo"

 

[Waquoit]

Sorry. * "Guapo"

Freudian slip

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Wouldn’t playing some games in Hartford and Fairfield county help cultivate those relationships?

Just do it when the students aren’t on campus.

If the argument is play games at XL primarily when UConn students are on break, then that's a very reasonable argument to make. I agree that would help cultivate relationships with those fans outside of the Hartford metro area and give students an easier opportunity to go to the game while at home.

However, I cannot remember a single time the home schedule was structured like that.

 

[Waquoit]

Yes, some midweek games should be moved to campus ...

Actually, the mid-week games should be tilted toward Hartford. That extra hour of driving on a workday isn't nothing and the fans have voting with their feet. Even those with great seats already paid for don't go to mid-week Gampel games.

 

[joober jones]

One's like/dislike of the 80s era Boston Garden sort of hinges on their like/dislike of the Celtics from that era.

 

[Devland]

Maybe it's just me. But I read comments here like "horrible place to watch a game" and I think it is dependent on the game itself. If UConn is playing an inspired well played game, I leave satisfied regardless of the arena. If they turn in a dud, I leave disappointed. I have done both at the XL/Civic center and Gampel. Give me a good performance in a subpar arena over a dud in a palace. If they're going to turn in a good performance every time I'd watch games at the court in Goodwin Park and play a round of golf afterword's.

 

[BPT2Storrs]

In my mind it's a Catch - 22. Seeing as how we have an on-campus arena, along with the recent development of Storrs Center and the push for UConn to be more of a "college town", I see the benefit to having as many games played on campus. At the same time, I get that Hartford needs UConn at the XL Center to draw people Downtown.

If you stop playing games at the XL Center what are the residual impacts? How detrimental would it be on Downtown Hartford? I am all for a vibrant capital city, but playing a few games a year at an aging facility doesn't seem to have done (or will do) much of anything.

It seems like a lot of people are advocating for Hartford due to it's proximity for fans. Is the distance to Storrs really that big of an inconvenience? Are we just spoiled? I mean Connecticut is a small state and Hartford to Storrs is only 25 miles. In other parts of the country you can drive 25 miles and still be in the same city. If the product on the court is good, I think people would be willing to drive the extra 25 miles.

 

[CL82]

One's like/dislike of the 80s era Boston Garden sort of hinges on their like/dislike of the Celtics from that era.

Or Bruins.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

In my mind it's a Catch - 22. Seeing as how we have an on-campus arena, along with the recent development of Storrs Center and the push for UConn to be more of a "college town", I see the benefit to having as many games played on campus. At the same time, I get that Hartford needs UConn at the XL Center to draw people Downtown.

If you stop playing games at the XL Center what are the residual impacts? How detrimental would it be on Downtown Hartford? I am all for a vibrant capital city, but playing a few games a year at an aging facility doesn't seem to have done (or will do) much of anything.

It seems like a lot of people are advocating for Hartford due to it's proximity for fans. Is the distance to Storrs really that big of an inconvenience? Are we just spoiled? I mean Connecticut is a small state and Hartford to Storrs is only 25 miles. In other parts of the country you can drive 25 miles and still be in the same city. If the product on the court is good, I think people would be willing to drive the extra 25 miles.

It is not UConn's job to prop up Hartford. UConn is not located there, the city has to stand on its own two feet.

Yes, some UConn fans are spoiled.

 

[the Q]

It is not UConn's job to prop up Hartford. UConn is not located there, the city has to stand on its own two feet.

Yes, some UConn fans are spoiled.

This is fair.

It would still be smart to play some games in Fairfield county imo. At least on a weeknight or when school isn’t in session.

 

[Waquoit]

It is not UConn's job to prop up Hartford. UConn is not located there, the city has to stand on its own two feet.

Again, if UConn stops playing in Hartford they lose and Hartford loses. What do you think UConn would gain?

 

[the Q]

Again, if UConn stops playing in Hartford they lose and Hartford loses. What do you think UConn would gain?

Do they definitely lose?

 

[CL82]

Again, if UConn stops playing in Hartford they lose and Hartford loses. What do you think UConn would gain?

If XL wants UConn in Hartford they need to restructure the deal so it is profitable for UConn. Having games off campus that cost more than they bring in isn't a recipe for success.

 

[Waquoit]

Do they definitely lose?

I think so. What do they gain?

If XL wants UConn in Hartford they need to restructure the deal so it is profitable for UConn.

I can't disagree with UConn getting a better deal.

 

[ElGuapo]

#FAKENEWS
The XL Center isn't as grungy as Oscar's home...

 

[ElGuapo]

Also this AAC dig while I'm at it. ...

 

[Caronimo]

Anyone check out the lady Huskies today? geno obviously looked great, but the same cannot be said for the arena. We all know how it is inside, but the translation to television was worse than I thought. No more bandaids and lipstick; the state needs to build a new arena!

Some fond memories from playing hockey on that ice, to seeing some great memorable games... but your take is spot on.

 

[uconnell]

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?

The ceiling dripped at Gampel at one time too.

 

[whaler11]

The ceiling dripped at Gampel at one time too.

the dripping ceiling was symbolism