XL Center renovation

[Guapo]

Not get rid of students. Get rid of their empty seats.

Implode the XL Center

 

[Get a Job]

Are people seriously arguing that the feeling of excitement is better at the XL Center? That seems insane to me. Those people must have a vivid memory of some big time match up against Syracuse from 15 years ago that they are comparing with St. Joseph's this year. No one who has been to both venues in the same year against comparable opponents would ever say the atmosphere is better in Hartford.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Are people seriously arguing that the feeling of excitement is better at the XL Center? That seems insane to me. Those people must have a vivid memory of some big time match up against Syracuse from 15 years ago that they are comparing with St. Joseph's this year. No one who has been to both venues in the same year against comparable opponents would ever say the atmosphere is better in Hartford.

Atmosphere in xl this year for UNH vs any non-Florida game

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Honestly I’ve always been a Gampel guy and I don’t think it’s a bad venue at all. The days of it being an intimidating place are long long gone though. Students don’t give two craps about the sports teams. A lot of that blame falls on the Rent being built in East Hartford and hockey/b-ball playing in Hartford. And football/hockey/mbb having 1 total winning seasons in the last 4 years.

At this point we need to accept that they are not bringing the energy we all remember from the 90s and 00s. Sure they were able to fake it for the Florida game but it’s not really there.

 

[Get a Job]

Honestly I’ve always been a Gample guy and I don’t think it’s a bad venue at all. The days of it being an intimidating place are long long gone though. Students don’t give two craps about the sports teams. A lot of that blame falls on the Rent being built in East Hartford and hockey/b-ball playing in Hartford. And football/hockey/mbb having 1 total winning seasons in the last 4 years.

At this point we need to accept that they are not bringing the energy we all remember from the 90s and 00s. Sure they were able to fake it for the Florida game but it’s not really there.

Don't get me wrong. I think UConn crowds are the lamest they've been since I started attending in '03. We are lame in Storrs and we are lame in Hartford. I'm just saying we're a little lamer in Hartford.

 

[superjohn]

Honestly I’ve always been a Gample guy and I don’t think it’s a bad venue at all. The days of it being an intimidating place are long long gone though. Students don’t give two craps about the sports teams. A lot of that blame falls on the Rent being built in East Hartford and hockey/b-ball playing in Hartford. And football/hockey/mbb having 1 total winning seasons in the last 4 years.

At this point we need to accept that they are not bringing the energy we all remember from the 90s and 00s. Sure they were able to fake it for the Florida game but it’s not really there.

You've always been a "Gample" guy. Sure you have.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

You've always been a "Gample" guy. Sure you have.

Autocorrected to that. Sorry captain crapper.

 

[Dove]

... and then keep it a secret from those who genuinely don't know what you're referring to.

He's referring to Obama. You new here?

 

[CL82]

Gampel = bleachers. XL at least everyone has a chairback. At XL the pregame choices are abundant. You can get a beer during the game. Unfortunately there is no plan or money to build a new venue downtown. The bleachers behind the team benches upper level at Gampel are an insult to the fan. If you have knee osteoarthritis take 2 Aleve before the game. That place has also been built in an assbackwards way. The midlevel walkways remove great seating areas from the arena.

So if UConn builds the planned concourse at gampel, allowing it to put more seats at the mid-level and upgrade from bleachers to individual seats, you’d have no problem with playing all games in Storrs, right?

 

[Hoophound]

It seems that selling beer is critical to our fan base.

 

[Dove]

You realize of course that the design (including exits every 1/5 mile at one point) was to reward the merchants
and landlords. Pork. Some were so dangerous that they never actually opened. Highways which went around cities (New Britain, Meriden, Waterbury) did not save those cities either.

Last I looked NB, Meriden and Waterbury had no ring roads around them. Am I missing something?

Also, a strong NIMBY movement thwarted a ring road arong Hartford. Rt 291 was an attempt that was abandoned.

 

[Dove]

Just spitballin'

I-84 is a huge problem and a big dig is far too expensive. Ground level is about the best you can do.

How about focus on the south end of Hartford. Brainard Airport and a bunch of industrial complexes occupy a vast piece of riverfront property. Put a new esplanade complete with a sports arena and your typical cookie cutter malls and restaurants. They built The Rent on the wrong landing strip.

The Science Center and Convention Center were nice additions, although they have to overlook I-91.

Finally, merge Hartford & West Hartford. Problem solved.

Maybe merge Hartford with East Hartford, too. If Indianapolis can annex land why not Hartford? People will not want to lose their local powers but we're takling about survival in a small State.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Attendance for UConn vs Iona at Gampel Pavilion was 5900 people. Not during break. On campus. Meanwhile over 7k showed up in Hartford to watch UConn play Saint Peter's. A much, much worse game.

It's not 1991 anymore. Gampel is not some shiny new toy people are willing to drive across Connecticut to deal with. CT's most populous centers are over an hour and a half way from Storrs. Those people will drive to Hartford. If UConn is good.

The solution is not to abandon Hartford. Stop suggesting it. You sound like a child. It's not happening.

Whatever needs to be done with XL Center, UConn needs a home in the Greater Hartford area.

 

[dennismenace]

Last I looked NB, Meriden and Waterbury had no ring roads around them. Am I missing something?

Also, a strong NIMBY movement thwarted a ring road arong Hartford. Rt 291 was an attempt that was abandoned.

Here are maps of New Britain and Waterbury and Meriden. They have highways that both surround and intersect around the downtown area. I think it is an oversimplification to think that Hartford can be restored by putting a highway around it and tearing out the mess that runs through it. Until this country grasps the idea that value added labor (manufacturing principally) is the way to build wealth and good jobs (and thus bring economic prosperity) we are just rearranging the furniture on the deck of the Titanic. The One World Order people see North America as raw material/agriculture based. So bring everything back to nature and don't even think about manufacturing. Bring back the seals (and Great Whites ) to Cape Cod). Not everybody buys that model. What good would it have done to wreck all the country side around Hartford with highways if there are no JOBS in Hartford? Would you bring (or would you have brought) a manufacturing plant into Hartford if a highway ran around it?

Waterbury · Connecticut

Connecticut

www.google.com

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Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[willie99]

I'm sorry, our biggest and best crowds were at the HCC over the years in our heyday. While GP is newer with better sightlines, it has to be the only facility in country with worse concessions than the XL.

I too would love to have more students at the games, they don't even fill GP anymore.

Winning will help solve a lot of problems, at both facilities

You want donations to fall off a cliff? Play all the games at GP

PS: I buy season tickets to both facilities

 

[willie99]

Are people seriously arguing that the feeling of excitement is better at the XL Center? That seems insane to me. Those people must have a vivid memory of some big time match up against Syracuse from 15 years ago that they are comparing with St. Joseph's this year. No one who has been to both venues in the same year against comparable opponents would ever say the atmosphere is better in Hartford.

Georgetown, Nova, Wichita St, Cinci.... big names still draw great crowds to Hartford. 16,000 people make more noise than 10,000 people each and every time

 

[kemba]

Georgetown, Nova, Wichita St, Cinci.... big names still draw great crowds to Hartford. 16,000 people make more noise than 10,000 people each and every time

No they don't. Acoustics matter. Seats being right on top of the court matter.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Attendance for UConn vs Iona at Gampel Pavilion was 5900 people. Not during break. On campus. Meanwhile over 7k showed up in Hartford to watch UConn play Saint Peter's. A much, much worse game.

It's not 1991 anymore. Gampel is not some shiny new toy people are willing to drive across Connecticut to deal with. CT's most populous centers are over an hour and a half way from Storrs. Those people will live to Hartford. If UConn is good.

The solution is not to abandon Hartford. Stop suggesting it. You sound like a child. It's not happening.

Whatever needs to be done with XL Center, UConn needs a home in the Greater Hartford area.

And how many of those 4,000 empty seats were students? Probably at least 2,000. No one behind the UConn basket maybe 1/2 full behind the visitor basket.

 

[gampelcrazies]

This is way off topic but why don’t the men play one of these games at Mohegan like the women? I’m sure it would be close to a sellout and they would probably get a guaranteed gate from Mohegan.

 

[John]

I'm an XL season ticket holder, but for years I've felt they should pull out of Hartford save for 2 or 3 games and do everything else on campus.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

This is way off topic but why don’t the men play one of these games at Mohegan like the women? I’m sure it would be close to a sellout and they would probably get a guaranteed gate from Mohegan.

I’m pretty sure that was a showcase or something not produced by the school

 

[Waquoit]

Also, people can drive the extra miles to watch their favorite team. The idea that Gampel is too far is laughable.

This is always gets me when these discussions pop up, someone badmouthing people that go to games.

 

[Dooooooomed]

XL sells booze. Gampel does not.

XL > Gampel

 

[Dooooooomed]

This is way off topic but why don’t the men play one of these games at Mohegan like the women? I’m sure it would be close to a sellout and they would probably get a guaranteed gate from Mohegan.

They really should. It would also be considered a "neutral" game and boost our NET.

 

[gampelcrazies]

I’m pretty sure that was a showcase or something not produced by the school

I know. They should sell one of the garbage games to Mohegan. I'm sure they would get a nice payday.