[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Speaking of Gampel, UConn wants to spend $100 million to rebuild and expand it. I can’t see it. That’s an insane amount of money for just a university basketball arena in a remote part of the state.

https://www.ctinsider.com/sports/uco...n-19422007.php

I'd prefer $100 mill on Gampel vs XL. Our most well known teams are university teams, yet I have known UConn grads who could never get tickets to their own games. XL is just a minor league hockey rink who holds some modest sized shows. $107 mill will not change XL's outlook. That same amount would bring Gampel up to major college bb standards in all likelihood.

If we ever were taken seriously by pro sports, there is another zero in the investment required. Yes, its billions in 2024. Yes, it's a brand new arena with at least 100 luxury suites and 18,000 total capacity minimum. Yes, it would require 12,000 season ticket sales, all 100% prepaid, long before we'd get final league approval plus an agreement with the Boston & NY teams costing billions. The total cost would exceed what we spent on all our stadiums in our 2 century existence. It amazes me too how well the Big 4 sports have done raising the bidding wars to get a franchise.

Hence, IMO, if we pick one arena to dump a modest 100 million investment in, Gampel makes far more sense than the XL.

[robr2]

The yet unnamed Utah NHL team received 20 thousand season ticket deposits in a mere hours. Could that happen in Hartford?

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by robr2

The yet unnamed Utah NHL team received 20 thousand season ticket deposits in a mere hours. Could that happen in Hartford?

The Utah Salt Flats?

We'll never know until they build the glitzy shiny 18K seat The Aetna Arena River Complex and Expo Center, all public funded

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

Giving the XL a fresh coat of paint isn’t raising eyebrows at NHL and NBA HQ. It will go unnoticed.
UConn has plenty of money to spruce up Gampel if that’s what they want. There’s plenty of out of state suckers born every minute willing to waste 200 plus in tuition for a desk jockey role at Aetna or Henkel

No, most of the money for upgrades at UConn comes from taxpayers like you and me. Thats how UConn 2000, the massive capital improvement and expansion program that has guided the school for the past 30 years. At least half of the money for it came from taxpayers.

https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/23/n...face-lift.html

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

I'd prefer $100 mill on Gampel vs XL. Our most well known teams are university teams, yet I have known UConn grads who could never get tickets to their own games. XL is just a minor league hockey rink who holds some modest sized shows. $107 mill will not change XL's outlook. That same amount would bring Gampel up to major college bb standards in all likelihood.

If we ever were taken seriously by pro sports, there is another zero in the investment required. Yes, its billions in 2024. Yes, it's a brand new arena with at least 100 luxury suites and 18,000 total capacity minimum. Yes, it would require 12,000 season ticket sales, all 100% prepaid, long before we'd get final league approval plus an agreement with the Boston & NY teams costing billions. The total cost would exceed what we spent on all our stadiums in our 2 century existence. It amazes me too how well the Big 4 sports have done raising the bidding wars to get a franchise.

Hence, IMO, if we pick one arena to dump a modest 100 million investment in, Gampel makes far more sense than the XL.

You are wrong about tickets to basketball games. Those UConn graduates can get tickets at XL without problem. I have close family members who have gotten season tickets to the Men’s Gampel games for the past few years. UConn graduates can get tickets at Gampel IF they pay enough. It all comes down to money.

Gampel is almost exclusively used for UConn basketball. Spending $100 million on just this facility would be foolish and a waste of taxpayers money. If UConn Athletics Department wants to pay for it themselves, fine but that hasn’t been the case with other UConn projects. At least with the XL Center a $100 million investment benefits a lot of people. It’s used by multiple organizations and entertainment events. It also gives downtown businesses a boost. That makes more sense.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by robr2

The yet unnamed Utah NHL team received 20 thousand season ticket deposits in a mere hours. Could that happen in Hartford?

The city is a great pick by the NHL. They will thrive there.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You are wrong about tickets to basketball games. Those UConn graduates can get tickets at XL without problem. I have close family members who have gotten season tickets to the Men’s Gampel games for the past few years. UConn graduates can get tickets at Gampel IF they pay enough. It all comes down to money.

Gampel is almost exclusively used for UConn basketball. Spending $100 million on just this facility would be foolish and a waste of taxpayers money. If UConn Athletics Department wants to pay for it themselves, fine but that hasn’t been the case with other UConn projects. At least with the XL Center a $100 million investment benefits a lot of people. It’s used by multiple organizations and entertainment events. It also gives downtown businesses a boost. That makes more sense.

UConn is an elite basketball program. Need to have elite, up to date facilities since the other schools will have them. Just life in the fast line. I agree UConn, not taxpayers, should pay. UConn loves to cry poverty but I find that very hard to believe. But they probably won't. So I see this as inevitable.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by robr2

The yet unnamed Utah NHL team received 20 thousand season ticket deposits in a mere hours. Could that happen in Hartford?

I actually think it would. The problem is never in the beginning. The problem is 10 years in when the honeymoon is over. Especially if you aren't winning on the ice or don't have any major stars.

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by robr2

The yet unnamed Utah NHL team received 20 thousand season ticket deposits in a mere hours. Could that happen in Hartford?

They didn’t get 20,000 people all committing to buy full season tickets. It was $100 to “get in line”. You decide later if you actually want to buy based on choices available. In year one, I’m guessing having season tickets is a big money maker because you can sell most of them for higher than face value and go to the games you want for essentially free.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by BHW2436

They didn’t get 20,000 people all committing to buy full season tickets. It was $100 to “get in line”. You decide later if you actually want to buy based on choices available. In year one, I’m guessing having season tickets is a big money maker because you can sell most of them for higher than face value and go to the games you want for essentially free.

Thats impressive. They got $2 million dollars for the opportunity to buy season tickets. (20,000 * $100)
SLC was a superb choice.