Toscano Family Ice Forum Impressions | Page 7 | The Boneyard

Toscano Family Ice Forum Impressions

CTBballfan243 said:
The 4th. However, every game I watch, the broadcasters and guests rave about the facility. On television the rink looks beautiful. The kids on the team and the coaching staff seem to love it. They say it is a first rate facility. I would tend to believe the players and staff. I get the impression that it is just the “boneyarders” nature to complain about everything. I suspect that is the case.
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You’re completely off base and wrong here about Bonyard comments Regarding this topic. The rave reviews you’re hearing are company line marketing propaganda. Seriously have you actually seen a game at Suctano? The fan experience is subpar and unfortunately the arena/barn piece doesn’t have an atmosphere due to design flaws and too many empty seats.

The rink doesn’t look good on TV either, The swaths of empty seats given the small size of a “sold out” arena don’t help, but the tall shower stall white paneling behind the benches are ridiculous, and even the painted lines are faded like they mixed in Vanilla Dairy Bar ice cream in with the water. When someone on the near side leaves the rink the block the camera because they are positioned too low.

Rather than reiterate comments from people who are required to be careful with their words, go to a game in person and then give us your impressions. We’d be curious to hear them.
 
DblCrossbar said:
You’re completely off base and wrong here about Bonyard comments Regarding this topic. The rave reviews you’re hearing are company line marketing propaganda. Seriously have you actually seen a game at Suctano? The fan experience is subpar and unfortunately the arena/barn piece doesn’t have an atmosphere due to design flaws and too many empty seats.

The rink doesn’t look good on TV either, The swaths of empty seats given the small size of a “sold out” arena don’t help, but the tall shower stall white paneling behind the benches are ridiculous, and even the painted lines are faded like they mixed in Vanilla Dairy Bar ice creami have been to a Han in with the water. When someone on the near side leaves the rink the block the camera because they are positioned too low.

Rather than reiterate comments from people who are required to be careful with their words, go to a game in person and then give us your impressions. We’d be curious to hear them.
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I have been to 5 or six games at Toscano. I think it is a great place to watch a game. I find much of the criticism to be ill founded.
 
LIUCHusky said:
I have been to 5 or six games at Toscano. I think it is a great place to watch a game. I find much of the criticism to be ill founded.
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That’s a fair opinion, at least in terms of just watching a game. There are a few seats in the arena that are actually ok. However, what was your impression of the atmosphere in the arena?

Have you been to other college hockey venues, and how does it compare? While the place is bright and shiny, Tuscano lacks the energy of other arenas, and a lot of that has to so with horrible design choices, and that can’t be denied.

Some problems are related to empty seats, but there also needs to be a core of student leaders that can organize their section and pump some juice into the game and support their team. First, move the band away from their prime spot - they are good but are a break in the student section and should be up above where the student deck is. Let student fans take over with signs and banners and make some noise. I’ve mostly witnessed students in hoodies with hands in their pockets and it contributes to the disappointing Dead Zone vibe to the place.
 
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huskymedic said:
It has very little to do with the inside dynamics of the building.
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Oh, I agree. But what is it? Laziness? If you aren’t going to use them, don’t buy them. The seats next to me have been empty since the first game.
 
Bomber36 said:
Oh, I agree. But what is it? Laziness? If you aren’t going to use them, don’t buy them. The seats next to me have been empty since the first game.
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I'm inclined to think that they're doing it to support the team. Still, I wish there was a better mechanism to donate them back to the school on a game by game basis.
 
Bomber36 said:
Oh, I agree. But what is it? Laziness? If you aren’t going to use them, don’t buy them. The seats next to me have been empty since the first game.
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Convenience.

It would be interesting to see if the corresponding Season ticket holders seats @ XL have butts in them for most games.
 
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Sea Goat said:
If they won consistently we would watch them on a frozen pond...

However, the tall table lounge is a farce!
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Winning consistently is helpful, especially winning those big games, but the promise of a small venue was that it was going to be sold out each game and the interpretation of that to many of us was that the place would be packed and rocking. Poor and overthought design choices and the lackluster effort of fans and Season ticket holders who just don’t show have sucked the life out of a place that could have been great despite being undersized.

UConn built A terrific facility for its players. They don’t need reconstruction or improvements there. But they will need to focus on the fan experience and figure out how to being.

I wonder what the mix of games will be at the XL next season. I’m hoping for at least 6.
 
Season ticket holder at both Toscano and XL center. We have a group of 5 sharing 3 tickets, so our tickets are almost always used. Regarding Toscano: I agree more consistent winning would fill more seats. The facility just seems so stark. Food choices are limited and boring. Also, why is it so bright. Maybe I shouldn't have had that cataract surgery. Parking is tough too. Apparently, we didn't have enough points for parking at Toscano, so we park in the lot behind the soccer field for $15.00 and walk about 5 minutes to the rink. Why no shuttles to make the hike a little easier, especially when it's pretty cold some night. I pay $10.00 for LAZ parking at the XL and the walk is under a minute. I've attended many UConn sporting events over the last 50 years, and will continue too, but I frequently think there isn't much thought given by the Athletic department about the average fan's experience.
 
DblCrossbar said:
Winning consistently is helpful, especially winning those big games, but the promise of a small venue was that it was going to be sold out each game and the interpretation of that to many of us was that the place would be packed and rocking. Poor and overthought design choices and the lackluster effort of fans and Season ticket holders who just don’t show have sucked the life out of a place that could have been great despite being undersized.

UConn built A terrific facility for its players. They don’t need reconstruction or improvements there. But they will need to focus on the fan experience and figure out how to being.

I wonder what the mix of games will be at the XL next season. I’m hoping for at least 6.
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XL is a better venue for the fans and program.
 
huskymedic said:
Do the tables behind the boards @ XL bother you as much? Serious question - no snark intended.
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(It is a very fair question because I know I am capable of dead horse abuse...)

I don't care for the tall tables at XLC, but they don't really diminish seating quality or capacity. I think they are stupid, but tolerable at XLC. (You're there to watch a hockey game - not to have a business meeting with your banker or CPA or to flirt with your would-be wife or husband!) At Toscano, they gouged out about what could have been additional 125 + or - very good seats behind the net. Many purists prefer a behind the net perspective anyways. Importantly, when you are dealing with a 2691 capacity at Toscano; every seat is important. We don't have that problem at XLC since the lower tier holds about 7,000 or 8,000. You can fit such a dubious attraction in the current confines of XLC w/o much difficulty.

Further, if you've been to some other similar sized (or larger) arenas - they don't waste the space on a tall table lounge where you can comfortably sit maybe 25 fans. (beyond that you have have sight line problems.) Please check out any of the following arenas in HE, AH or the ECAC - QU, Sacred Heart (Matire Family Arena - capacity 3600, built in the same time frame as Toscano for $70m also!), Harvard, UNH, BC, BU, Cornell, UVM etc. Simply put, there would be a more good seating available without the unneeded novelty of such an add-on. Please note that all of the arenas I've mentioned have, in varying amounts, larger capacities than Toscano.
 
Sea Goat said:
(It is a very fair question because I know I am capable of dead horse abuse...)

I don't care for the tall tables at XLC, but they don't really diminish seating quality or capacity. I think they are stupid, but tolerable at XLC. (You're there to watch a hockey game - not to have a business meeting with your banker or CPA or to flirt with your would-be wife or husband!) At Toscano, they gouged out about what could have been additional 125 + or - very good seats behind the net. Many purists prefer a behind the net perspective anyways. Importantly, when you are dealing with a 2691 capacity at Toscano; every seat is important. We don't have that problem at XLC since the lower tier holds about 7,000 or 8,000. You can fit such a dubious attraction in the current confines of XLC w/o much difficulty.

Further, if you've been to some other similar sized (or larger) arenas - they don't waste the space on a tall table lounge where you can comfortably sit maybe 25 fans. (beyond that you have have sight line problems.) Please check out any of the following arenas in HE, AH or the ECAC - QU, Sacred Heart (Matire Family Arena - capacity 3600, built in the same time frame as Toscano for $70m also!), Harvard, UNH, BC, BU, Cornell, UVM etc. Simply put, there would be a more good seating available without the unneeded novelty of such an add-on. Please note that all of the arenas I've mentioned have, in varying amounts, larger capacities than Toscano.
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Nicely put. Not only are those arenas larger, they’re twice as large. Agganis being nearly three times the size of Toscano (6,300 but expandable to 7,200)
 
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Duncan Idaho said:
Why was having a Schneider Arena so tough?
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Good point! Initial Schneider Arena built 50 years ago at a cost of $1.8m! >3000 capacity.

Apples to apples is really the Matire Family Arena at Sacred Heart. Nice facility built at same cost as Toscano, with 900+ more capacity and nary a tall table to be found... Perhaps no coincidence - the architect for the Sacred Heart Arena designs (you guessed it!) smaller capacity hockey arenas nationwide. Take a look at it - pretty damn nice for Atlantic Hockey at the same cost as Toscano!
 
huskymedic said:
Do the tables behind the boards @ XL bother you as much? Serious question - no snark intended.
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No, because at XL right behind the tables are fans, in seats. Plus XL does not have hundreds of people who would love to attend but can't, unlike Toscano which is too small to accommodate demand. Another hundred or two could be seated in/above that ill-conceived space. Add an additional hundred or two by replacing the (no-student) deck, and the capacity exceeds 3,000.

Each time I come to Toscano (I attend every men's game and several women's) I dislike it more. I have become quite friendly with the parents of one of the women's captains, and they say the players rave about the facility. I don't doubt the off-the-ice amenities are terrific for the players, coaches and potential recruits. That's great, and I approve. But the fan experience leaves (and I am being charitable here) much to be desired.
 
To me, I think the answer is 1) eliminating most or all of the student deck and adding seats there, 2) installing three or four wide angle cameras at the bottom of the glass in front of the ice level lounge, and pumping those feeds to a series of LED TVs mounted in the lounge where the glasses now, and 3) putting seats in front of the ice level lounge.
 
Sea Goat said:
(It is a very fair question because I know I am capable of dead horse abuse...)

I don't care for the tall tables at XLC, but they don't really diminish seating quality or capacity. I think they are stupid, but tolerable at XLC. (You're there to watch a hockey game - not to have a business meeting with your banker or CPA or to flirt with your would-be wife or husband!) At Toscano, they gouged out about what could have been additional 125 + or - very good seats behind the net. Many purists prefer a behind the net perspective anyways. Importantly, when you are dealing with a 2691 capacity at Toscano; every seat is important. We don't have that problem at XLC since the lower tier holds about 7,000 or 8,000. You can fit such a dubious attraction in the current confines of XLC w/o much difficulty.
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I do understand your perspective on missing out on additional “behind the net” chairbacks w/ the student section knocking out that option on the other end of the rink.

I’ve been to both MHOC/WHOC games over the year + and have had a good time each game. I get amenities (or lack there of) are often a personal preference - I’ve tried to move around the rink w/ the WHOC tickets and use the standing room tickets for MHOC (I’m used to watching games standing @ a railing/glass @ rinks over New England - it’s actually my preference since I’m often running solo nowadays).

Will be interested to see if they break out XL/Toscano season ticket packages next year after this year’s experiment.
 
Eastwood said:
Season ticket holder at both Toscano and XL center. We have a group of 5 sharing 3 tickets, so our tickets are almost always used. Regarding Toscano: I agree more consistent winning would fill more seats. The facility just seems so stark. Food choices are limited and boring. Also, why is it so bright. Maybe I shouldn't have had that cataract surgery. Parking is tough too. Apparently, we didn't have enough points for parking at Toscano, so we park in the lot behind the soccer field for $15.00 and walk about 5 minutes to the rink. Why no shuttles to make the hike a little easier, especially when it's pretty cold some night. I pay $10.00 for LAZ parking at the XL and the walk is under a minute. I've attended many UConn sporting events over the last 50 years, and will continue too, but I frequently think there isn't much thought given by the Athletic department about the average fan's experience.
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a few shuttle buses running a loop from the South Garage is a no-brainer
 
Having bench seating behind the goals on a 20k student campus for a place to go on a Friday night or GA seating. Can't believe it was that expensive to incorporate. The deck probably cost more to build then adding benches.
 
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I don't dislike Toscano but they definitely can improve it greatly.

Band higher up - students who don't play instruments should be stacked right behind the visitor goalie - and loud.

Take out longe tables. No need for them as there is already a place for donors to go - up in that big area that looks great (never been up there but I hear it's nice). Fill that lounge area as well with actual seats so the rink doesn't look like a horseshoe.

Win hockey games at home so fans will get into it more. We've struggled there in 2023 and it has stifled crowd reaction. Chicken and egg argument about the crowd yes but just win games at home.

Add Guinness

I'm sure I'm missing a few but those 4 are on my must have.
 
The fan experience at XL is so much better than Toscano. From parking to food options to even the play on the ice. It's quite frustrating the investment that was made into Toscano and the return the fans have seen.
 
UC15 said:
The fan experience at XL is so much better than Toscano. From parking to food options to even the play on the ice. It's quite frustrating the investment that was made into Toscano and the return the fans have seen.
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Hard to imagine the options are better at XL but I know what you mean. Some are just a function of a large “all purpose” facility vs an on campus ice rink. Parking is better in Hartford because there are so many vacant properties.

I agree with getting rid of the tables and that the student deck is just a dumb idea. But I think most of the complaints would at least be reduced if not eliminated entirely if we would just WIN SOME GAMES there. We seem to struggle mightily on Fridays!

One other suggestion: Lose the recorded music and let the pep band play during breaks. And a related item, tell them to practice less. Hockey bands should be less “polished” and more tinny sounding. At least that is my view.
 
It does not help the atmosphere that UConn has the worst student section of the 3 best conferences (NCHC, Big Ten, HE) in college hockey. Not to mention other schools such as Quinnipiac, Cornell, St. Thomas, etc.
 
freescooter said:
One other suggestion: Lose the recorded music and let the pep band play during breaks. And a related item, tell them to practice less. Hockey bands should be less “polished” and more tinny sounding. At least that is my view.
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LOL - it's not our fault that the pep band draws from the excellent marching band, unlink most of the rinky-dink ADs we have to play against. You're just used to mediocrity - no thanks.
 
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