[robr2]

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.

That's true but keep in mind that the arena seats 15,000 for hockey. Not all will follow through and some will buy half season packages. But if they can get 7,500 seats sold for the year it would be considered a success.

The Jazz have sold out over 300 games in a row and cap season ticket packages to 13,000 seats leaving about 5,000 for single game purchase.

What that tells me that there is strong support for professional sports in greater SLC.

[Johnho771]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

Hartford would be a perfect fit for the Sun if they weren’t tied to the tribes.

Honestly, sometimes I think the best thing for Hartford would be to turn the whole city over to the tribes. The tribes made a less populated isolated more remote area of the state quite a destination with cool restaurants, hotels, entertainment, shopping, great music acts and comedians, and most of all people. Was at Foxwoods a night in February, and the place and restaurants were bustling. A contrast from what I often see and hear of Hartford.

That's why we want a big 4 team. We know its a big stretch, but would hope it would be a big step in the right direction for Hartford.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by Johnho771

Honestly, sometimes I think the best thing for Hartford would be to turn the whole city over to the tribes. The tribes made a less populated isolated more remote area of the state quite a destination with cool restaurants, hotels, entertainment, shopping, great music acts and comedians, and most of all people. Was at Foxwoods a night in February, and the place and restaurants were bustling. A contrast from what I often see and hear of Hartford.

That's why we want a big 4 team. We know its a big stretch, but would hope it would be a big step in the right direction for Hartford.

I can be critical of leadership of tribes but basically they run very different from towns. The reason why you see activity is frankly because tribes do not tax themselves, they run on economic growth only. So they allow nearly everything but they don't tax themselves. Way back in '03 there was a raid in RI over tobacco taxes. It took seven years in court to finally end.

To be fair Hartford has had a growing comedy scene on Pratt street for awhile now but I know what you mean about the restaurants.

I could argue they might take over MGM springfield depending on things although that would burn relations with much of hartford county.

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by Johnho771

Honestly, sometimes I think the best thing for Hartford would be to turn the whole city over to the tribes. The tribes made a less populated isolated more remote area of the state quite a destination with cool restaurants, hotels, entertainment, shopping, great music acts and comedians, and most of all people. Was at Foxwoods a night in February, and the place and restaurants were bustling. A contrast from what I often see and hear of Hartford.

That's why we want a big 4 team. We know its a big stretch, but would hope it would be a big step in the right direction for Hartford.

A few years ago I was in DT Hartford for a wedding on a beautiful warm saturday evening. I couldn't believe how dead the streets were. At one point there was literally not one person around or even a car driving by. I was like what is going on here, is this for real, is someone playing a joke, is this a Twilight Zone episode.
This was near the wedding club venue right in the middle of DT. A couple of nice looking restaurants were even closed.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by ryanthegoldengod

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.

UConn's athletic department is notoriously in debt. They need to either get their FB into a conference like UMass just did or drop it. It's totally unnecessary to have when your BB is as good as it is. They'd save a lot of money.

UMass has decided they will be a football school- for real-now. They have a conference; they are doubling and tripling down on investment, and they've got a large active collective for Football specifically. Their chancellor is on the field for Spring games with a headset, he's taking interviews about the program, and has plans to upgrade the stadium at some point again.

They've almost given up on the BB dreams. UConn is already a BB powerhouse..just let the football go, and they'd probably even out sooner rather than later. It was different for UMass they need to find some success in FB or BB to be recognized as the university they want to be nationally

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

A few years ago I was in DT Hartford for a wedding on a beautiful warm saturday evening. I couldn't believe how dead the streets were. At one point there was literally not one person around or even a car driving by. I was like what is going on here, is this for real, is someone playing a joke, is this a Twilight Zone episode.
This was near the wedding club venue right in the middle of DT. A couple of nice looking restaurants were even closed.

This is off topic but you seem to be judging Hartford by a New York standard. It’s not the same. In comparison to other similar sized non-tourist non-major university cities (Birmingham, Fresno, Buffalo, Rochester, Tulsa), Hartford holds its own. I know I’ve said it before but I’ve had people from other states say they were impressed by Hartford.

I’m not sure what restaurants you saw closed in the evening but all the restaurants I know of would be open and busy on a Saturday night. What time were you there? Where exactly were you?

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by JayCT

This is off topic but you seem to be judging Hartford by a New York standard. It’s not the same. In comparison to other similar sized non-tourist non-major university cities (Birmingham, Fresno, Buffalo, Rochester, Tulsa), Hartford holds its own. I know I’ve said it before but I’ve had people from other states say they were impressed by Hartford.

I’m not sure what restaurants you saw closed in the evening but all the restaurants I know of would be open and busy on a Saturday night. What time were you there? Where exactly were you?

Taking a visitor into Hartford to do a very specific activity and having them be “impressed” is one thing but “impressive” is not a word I use to describe Hartford.

People are drawn to cities for restaurants, sports, shows, shopping, culture/history…Hartford is poor to good in each but “impressive” it is not, but everyone can have their own opinion.

I took some friends into Hartford prior to Covid…went to a large brew fest downtown near river. It was a nice night, we had a good time. Took put of town parents to a Yard Goats game. Also nice. For most things though, since CT is so small and drivable, I’d rather take them to New Haven for restaurants or the casino for a show, etc. Hartford, for me, is an in/out for a specific reason, that’s it.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

UConn's athletic department is notoriously in debt. They need to either get their FB into a conference like UMass just did or drop it. It's totally unnecessary to have when your BB is as good as it is. They'd save a lot of money.

UMass has decided they will be a football school- for real-now. They have a conference; they are doubling and tripling down on investment, and they've got a large active collective for Football specifically. Their chancellor is on the field for Spring games with a headset, he's taking interviews about the program, and has plans to upgrade the stadium at some point again.

They've almost given up on the BB dreams. UConn is already a BB powerhouse..just let the football go, and they'd probably even out sooner rather than later. It was different for UMass they need to find some success in FB or BB to be recognized as the university they want to be nationally

The football team has existed for 100 years. It's not going anywhere. People need to stop with this fantasy. It's. Not. Happening.

And with all due respect to UMass, UConn this century has been ranked in the top 25 multiple times and played in The Fiesta Bowl. Far more success than UMass can claim and likely ever will be able to claim.

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by JayCT

This is off topic but you seem to be judging Hartford by a New York standard. It’s not the same. In comparison to other similar sized non-tourist non-major university cities (Birmingham, Fresno, Buffalo, Rochester, Tulsa), Hartford holds its own. I know I’ve said it before but I’ve had people from other states say they were impressed by Hartford.

I’m not sure what restaurants you saw closed in the evening but all the restaurants I know of would be open and busy on a Saturday night. What time were you there? Where exactly were you?

I want to say it was maybe Sept-Oct 2017 or 2018 early evening to nighttime wedding. The ceremony was downstairs and the reception upstairs. It was right smack dab in DT amongst all the tall buildings. From the hotel window a few blocks over you could see the monument leading into the park.
I understand West Hartford probably has the nighttime market cornered in the Hartford area.
You’re right I’m spoiled by FCounty (not NY) which has a plethora of crowded downtowns.

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by ryanthegoldengod

The football team has existed for 100 years. It's not going anywhere. People need to stop with this fantasy. It's. Not. Happening.

And with all due respect to UMass, UConn this century has been ranked in the top 25 multiple times and played in The Fiesta Bowl. Far more success than UMass can claim and likely ever will be able to claim.

No one cares about college football in the Northeast anyways. In Texas more people show up to a regular season high school football game than the XL Center holds. In the Northeast people care about pro sports. They don’t care about Umass or UConn football. Unless your kid goes there or you are an alumni, no one cares. And no one cares about random teams with no personal attachment.

I’ll watch an Ohio St Michigan game, or an Alabama Texas game. But Umass or UConn? Nope.