XL Center- Plan C, D or ???

[Chief00]

Chief you really can’t have it both ways. You want an updated facility maybe you have to chang seats. It’s that simple. And the attendance Thing is just not sustainable in any case. As I pointed out in detail in another thread UConn had been seeing attendance decline since 2006 or there about. Despite 2 national championships In the period. The days of people shelling out money to watch the Huskies obliterate Texas Southern or Central Connecticut are gone and not coming back. They will likely have a short term blip with the new Big East, but it isn’t lasting 5 years. Live attendance at sporting events is just not what it was in 1996. Not in Fenway Park, not in Yankee Stadium, not at the Dean Dome and not at the XL center. Building/renovating more seats to attract fewer fans is just not reasonable. Within a couple of years UConn in the Big East won’t be that big a deal. Schedule a non-conference game wit UNC or Michigan State or Duke and you can sell out anywhere. But games with midlevel Big East teams will draw 7500.

Update it without the luxary BS. There’s so many common sense operational and customer service low hanging fruit improvements that can be made in a building that has been poorly managed for decades.

 

[CTBasketball]

The easy answer is play 3 games at XL (the maximum required to not claim the venue as a home court in the NCAA Tournament selection process), so when we finish 30-1 we get priority seeding and sent straight to Hartford for Rounds 1 and 2!

 

[BlueDogs]

Connecticut, as usual, screwed up. Should put together some sort of RFP tha included a gambling parlor/ sports betting component to the downtown development and made a new arena part of the deal. You want to run a casino in Hartford you build Hartford a new arena. The Casino gets to keep all gambling revenue plus arena revenue from events they run. If pro team ever relocated to Hartford they get revenue from tickets/suites/concessions from the sporting events. The City of Hartford get an attraction to bring people into the City on a regular basis. Sports betting is only going to get bigger. CT missed the boat.

Getting the Casinos to expand to Hartford years ago made sense to complements and create more draw for the convention center and downtown, but that requires a creative thought beyond the imagination of the boxes of rock running this state.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Take this funding, ditch UConn's on campus ice forum idea, pool the money, get a billionaire to kick it a nickel for a brand new arena while bringing back the Whalers

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Luxury bunkers, lol.

it’s a bad trend to ruin prime seating in favor of a bar area. Move the bar areas across the concourses so they don’t interfere with seating. Accept that this is an old building. Make the seating and viewing of the actual event as nice as possible.

if the bar venues are nice enough they will attract pre game and post game anyway. In Philly we have the Xfinity Live! venue across the parking lot and not even attached to the arena. It thrives even for college events. Some students and fans watch the game there and don’t even enter the arena.

Love the PBR Bar at Xfinity Live. I went there after (don't judge) Wing Bowl a few years ago. Lol

 

[Chin Diesel]

The easy answer is play 3 games at XL (the maximum required to not claim the venue as a home court in the NCAA Tournament selection process), so when we finish 30-1 we get priority seeding and sent straight to Hartford for Rounds 1 and 2!

NCAA isn't coming back to XL any time soon.

 

[John]

Ah yes, great idea! Move the season's best games away from the place we have the highest home court advantage! Makes sense, the team will do much better! They'll love it!

Hartford does perfectly well home court advantage wise

 

[Dogdeacon]

1. Move-able walls are always one of the worst ideas in construction, crazy costs, inevitably break. A stupid curtain is fine if you have to do this at 1/10,000 the cost.

2. What if UConn played a couple games in Providence, yes twice as far as HCC, but restaurants, hotels, bars and sends a shot across the bow of HCC. 14,000 capacity by the way.

3. The long-term answer is to figure out Hartford first and until the the HCC should be scrapped. If you feed the cash cow you continue to get an inferior facility. Plenty of examples of cities that have grown or been revitalized, it'll take years. Need to make the owner/developer bleed and sell.

 

[Kolumbo]

$ 28 million - 01/21/1990 - 8,241 - Gampel Pavilion
$119 million - 04/27/2002 - 12,508 - Peterson Events Center
$238 million - 10/10/2010 - 22,090 - KFC YUM! Center
$181 million - 08/16/2013 - 15,500 - Pinnacle Bank Arena
$173 million - 10/14/2017 - 10,387 - Wintrust Arena
$524 million - 08/26/2018 - 17,341 - Fiserv Forum (and Bucks)

List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas - Wikipedia

Just checking out costs of some other facilities.

 

[bfs3]

The problem with playing 3-4 games in Hartford isn’t the concept. It is what 3-4? Do you want to move the 3-4 big games, let’s say Villanova, PC, and 2 big time NC games ( I can’t honestly name another “big” Big East team besides Villanova but PC is nearby) so they are away from Gampel and maybe you have a shot at a few extra bucks but less homecourt advantage or do you put the typical crud that occurs during semester break, the Texas Southerns and New Hampshires of the world that might draw a little better in Hartford than in Storrs without students But won’t fill the place by any means?

Personally I would like to see 1 or 2 top flight out of conference games a year there. Not necessarily top flight programs but match ups. I’d love to see a home and away with Syracuse, Louisville or Memphis. Those shouldn’t be tough gets for us even if it’s just 1 of those at home and 1 away the following year.

I don’t think we would have trouble selling out Villanova, Louisville/Syracuse Georgetown, Creighton in a typical season at the XL center. I think we could have packed the house for NC State, USC or if we had Miami at XL instead of Gampel last year.

 

[bfs3]

Yes, I am. Long and distinguished. Which is why your mom loves it so much.

But at least I don't enter a thread suggesting Hartford build a 12k-14k arena to attrack an NHL team and then admit I don't follow or know the sport.

Why not? It’s the Boneyard. Most people don’t know anything about hockey but would probably come out for it if it were in Hartford.

My guess is you probably have a Micro if you watch Hockey and have 30k posts on a forum so good luck with my mom she’s had five kids. Next time you want to watch me with your wife I’m going to have to charge.

 

[Improviser]

Personally I would like to see 1 or 2 top flight out of conference games a year there. Not necessarily top flight programs but match ups. I’d love to see a home and away with Syracuse, Louisville or Memphis. Those shouldn’t be tough gets for us even if it’s just 1 of those at home and 1 away the following year to make sure we get some big out of conference games in Hartford each year to go with Villanova, Georgetown (I have faith they’ll get better) and whoever else finished top of the conference the year before (Creighton for this year.).

I don’t think we would have trouble selling out Villanova, Louisville/Syracuse Georgetown, Creighton in a typical season at the XL center. I think we could have packed the house for NC State, USC or if we had Miami at XL instead of Gampel last year.

I would especially like a Louisville game. They have always been physical, top 10-20 or better , and would be a good test for the team. Not so much Syracuse with having to make adaptations for their zone. Maybe Memphis. I cannot recall if they are still building a recruiting juggernaut.

 

[glastonbury50]

I go to a lot of games at both gampel and xl center and honestly could care less if they renovate xl. I can't be the only one not offended by its current state. It's a seat and a basketball game.

 

[Zissou]

Love the PBR Bar at Xfinity Live. I went there after (don't judge) Wing Bowl a few years ago. Lol

Too late

 

[UCLJ0211]

1. Move-able walls are always one of the worst ideas in construction, crazy costs, inevitably break. A stupid curtain is fine if you have to do this at 1/10,000 the cost.

2. What if UConn played a couple games in Providence, yes twice as far as HCC, but restaurants, hotels, bars and sends a shot across the bow of HCC. 14,000 capacity by the way.

3. The long-term answer is to figure out Hartford first and until the the HCC should be scrapped. If you feed the cash cow you continue to get an inferior facility. Plenty of examples of cities that have grown or been revitalized, it'll take years. Need to make the owner/developer bleed and sell.

DD center capacity is only 12,400 for basketball. 14k is capacity for concerts. Not worth the extra travel time and would never be considered since UConn is CT’s team. Playing in Rhode Island is more than just sending a message to Hartford, it would send the wrong message to all the fans.

 

[freescooter]

The Big East is one of the best conferences in basketball and yet you do this is in every single thread you post in...what's the point?

Who besides Villanova is an exciting opponent consistently? Syracuse and Pitt aren’t coming through the door. Louisville and Cincy aren’t. No West Virginia. Georgetown hasn’t been a nationally relevant team for a decade. Nobody cares about Creighton, the Tulsa of Nebraska. The Big East is Villanova and the 10 dwarfs. It gets by based on Villanova and a legacy built by teams that are mostly no longer there. It gets a bunch of bids and everyone not named Villanova goes out the first weekend. It’s games Are on the Equivalent of the floral design Channel and its championship games gets fewer viewers than the MWC the AAC or the A10. If Villanova ever got poached it would be just awful.

 

[Hoophound]

The XL would be completely viable for sports, concerts, wrestling and other events with abundant and renovated restrooms, first class locker rooms, modern climate control, great bar spaces and good food. I think it is entirely doable with strong UConn basketball teams, a minor league hockey team and an aggressive staff bringing in big names for winter concerts, skating shows, monster trucks and so on.

You’ve got to offer something unique and the venue just isn’t good anymore. Fix it and the central location absolutely blows away Mohegan Sun, Bridgeport etc.

 

[freescooter]

DD center capacity is only 12,400 for basketball. 14k is capacity for concerts. Not worth the extra travel time and would never be considered since UConn is CT’s team. Playing in Rhode Island is more than just sending a message to Hartford, it would send the wrong message to all the fans.

Why in the n@me of Jim Calhoun would UConn play games in Providence? That is an all time bizarre concept.

 

[Hoophound]

Who besides Villanova is an exciting opponent consistently? Syracuse and Pitt aren’t coming through the door. Louisville and Cincy aren’t. No West Virginia. Georgetown hasn’t been a nationally relevant team for a decade. Nobody cares about Creighton, the Tulsa of Nebraska. The Big East is Villanova and the 10 dwarfs. It gets by based on Villanova and a legacy built by teams that are mostly no longer there. It gets a bunch of bids and everyone not named Villanova goes out the first weekend. It’s games Are on the Equivalent of the floral design Channel and its championship games gets fewer viewers than the MWC the AAC or the A10. If Villanova ever got poached it would be just awful.

Nope. The entire Big East schedule is more appealing than any AAC game with the exception of Cincy.

 

[freescooter]

Nope. The entire Big East schedule is more appealing than any AAC game with the exception of Cincy.

Didn’t say it wasn’t marginally more appealing. It isn’t that good. And it won’t sell out a 16000 seat arena except maybe Villanova and whoever is the 2nd team any given year.

 

[Guapo]

Who besides Villanova is an exciting opponent consistently? Syracuse and Pitt aren’t coming through the door. Louisville and Cincy aren’t. No West Virginia. Georgetown hasn’t been a nationally relevant team for a decade. Nobody cares about Creighton, the Tulsa of Nebraska. The Big East is Villanova and the 10 dwarfs. It gets by based on Villanova and a legacy built by teams that are mostly no longer there. It gets a bunch of bids and everyone not named Villanova goes out the first weekend. It’s games Are on the Equivalent of the floral design Channel and its championship games gets fewer viewers than the MWC the AAC or the A10. If Villanova ever got poached it would be just awful.

Computers are powerful machines, but not powerful enough to magically make false things typed into them true.

 

[UCLJ0211]

Why in the n@me of Jim Calhoun would UConn play games in Providence? That is an all time bizarre concept.

Agreed, reply to the original poster though! Lol

 

[Chin Diesel]

Why not? It’s the Boneyard. Most people don’t know anything about hockey but would probably come out for it if it were in Hartford.

My guess is you probably have a Micro if you watch Hockey and have 30k posts on a forum so good luck with my mom she’s had five kids. Next time you want to watch me with your wife I’m going to have to charge.

You have seriously misread the BY if you think most people on this board don't know anything about hockey.
You are way over your head on this topic and I'm done with you. Much like I was done with your mom 9 months before you were born son.

 

[Hoophound]

Didn’t say it wasn’t marginally more appealing. It isn’t that good. And it won’t sell out a 16000 seat arena except maybe Villanova and whoever is the 2nd team any given year.

I think we’ll learn to appreciate Creighton once they blow our doors off once or twice. They routinely sell 16,000 tickets at their place. Our fans will catch on. It’s a great match up.

 

[UConnJim]

A couple of points. First, in the 2011/2012 season, UConn men's basketball had 8 games with attendance >13k at the XL Center: Arkansas, Holy Cross, Fairfield, St. John's, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, and Marquette. Fans will come to the XL Center when UConn is in the Big East and the team is good.

As a side note, UConn did win 2 national titles over the past 11 years, but they masked the underlying decline in UConn basketball. UConn has been ranked in the final polls only 2x in the past 11 years, had 3 losing seasons in the past 4 years, and only 5 winning conference records over the past 11 years. And, UConn has had one NBA 1st round pick in the last 7 years. Throw in the move the AAC Conference and you can see why attendance has been in a decline.

The idea of reducing capacity at the XL for most events is not a bad idea, although I think you want to use curtains instead of a wall. Let's say the "reduced" capacity is 12k. If UConn basketball is good, it would mean more people would buy season tickets which would result in the early season games having higher tickets sold. And, by having the extra seats, you can also host some larger events.

 

[superjohn]

Who besides Villanova is an exciting opponent consistently? Syracuse and Pitt aren’t coming through the door. Louisville and Cincy aren’t. No West Virginia. Georgetown hasn’t been a nationally relevant team for a decade. Nobody cares about Creighton, the Tulsa of Nebraska. The Big East is Villanova and the 10 dwarfs. It gets by based on Villanova and a legacy built by teams that are mostly no longer there. It gets a bunch of bids and everyone not named Villanova goes out the first weekend. It’s games Are on the Equivalent of the floral design Channel and its championship games gets fewer viewers than the MWC the AAC or the A10. If Villanova ever got poached it would be just awful.

I hope it's just trolling because your repeated takes on this are beyond dumb and you've been doing it for years now. Syracuse is mediocre these days and Pitt is just flat out bad, Cuse would be lucky to be middle of the pack and Pitt would be dead last in the Big East...You then named a bunch of other teams that weren't Big East teams. It's hilarious you constantly complain about the Big East and talk about a legacy built by teams that are no longer in the Big East while at the same time hailing the Conference USA teams (Xavier beats Cincinnati pretty much every time they play) that are no longer in the Big East.

 

[Waquoit]

Getting the Casinos to expand to Hartford years ago made sense to complements and create more draw for the convention center and downtown, but that requires a creative thought beyond the imagination of the boxes of rock running this state.

Yeah, no. Springfield is a bust. And you don't think putting an incredibly successful baseball stadium downtown where vacant land and surplus parking used to be is creative? Then what's creative to you? Providence and Richmond wish they were Hartford, they couldn't get a stadium done. Providence instead went with pursuing a USL Championship franchise, it's slated to start in 2022. Hartford's team in the same league will be starting it's 4th year.

 

[husky8273]

plans dated October 2020 - https://crdact.net/wp-content/uploa...tford-XLC-ConstructionPhase-12-Basketball.pdf

 

[BlueDogs]

Yeah, no. Springfield is a bust. And you don't think putting an incredibly successful baseball stadium downtown where vacant land and surplus parking used to be is creative? Then what's creative to you? Providence and Richmond wish they were Hartford, they couldn't get a stadium done. Providence instead went with pursuing a USL Championship franchise, it's slated to start in 2022. Hartford's team in the same league will be starting it's 4th year.

I said “years ago.” The market is now saturated. Had they done it 10 years ago it would be a home run and would have locked up the market within a 100 mile radius, knocking out Springfield, Worcester, Providence, etc. It would have helped the convention center and also drive more business downtown. The baseball stadium was well done.

 

[CTBasketball]

I think we’ll learn to appreciate Creighton once they blow our doors off once or twice. They routinely sell 16,000 tickets at their place. Our fans will catch on. It’s a great match up.

Plus think about visiting fans. We know no one was traveling from Cincinnati or even Temple. I expect Providence, St John’s, Seton Hall, Villanova, and Georgetown fans to routinely travel to CT for games. Especially if they’re at XL. After all, it’s New England’s Rising Star.