STORRS — The Basketball Capital of the World just got a home makeover.
With newly renovated locker rooms and team facilities, along with an expanded name to boot, the M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion is going to have a fresh look as UConn continues to modernize one of college basketball’s most storied programs.
Members of the media toured the updated basketball facilities on Friday morning. The new team spaces feature details intentionally designed to pay homage to the university and its basketball history.
Some of these details include cupholders embossed with the state outline of Connecticut and the iconic triangular pattern of Gampel Pavilion being featured all over the facility.
The locker room features fresh maple wood flooring, LED displays above each player’s locker, and an enormous dry-erase board that spans an entire wall. The maple flooring, black and white carpeting in the lounge areas, and the red trim are all consistent throughout the arena.
“What we wanted when we took this on was to create something that is on the same level as our program success,” UConn Director of Athletics David Benedict said. “The initial design that we got back wasn’t good enough, and I was very clear with them that they had to do better.”
The locker room upgrades are among the first completed steps of a $120.7 million overhaul, a multi-year project aiming to modernize the Huskies’ 36-year-old on-campus venue.
Originally announced in March, the first phase of renovations also included a recruiting lounge, sports medicine facilities, a coaches’ lounge and a new press conference room for postgame media.
Benedict explained that the renovations were made possible in part by combining previously separate men’s and women’s basketball locker room areas and utilizing additional space beneath permanent lower-bowl seating installed in recent years.
The project extends beyond just team facilities. The first phase also includes a full replacement of the roof, which will extend the arena’s lifespan, improve acoustics and provide better insulation.
The new roof should also put an end to one of the arena’s most persistent issues: leaks. Fans may remember when UConn’s March 5, 2025, matchup with Marquette was delayed by approximately half an hour after rainwater seeped through and onto the court.
The concourse will also see four new grab-and-go concession areas in the four corners of the arena. The second phase of construction will begin in March 2027.
“Next year will be the year in which I think they will have the same type of experience our student-athletes did yesterday when they come in and have access to lots of new things that you would expect to have at a venue like this,” Benedict said.
Alongside the physical transformation, another significant change to the building’s identity was unveiled this week.
UConn announced an extended partnership with M&T Bank on Wednesday, granting the financial institution naming rights to the arena. The agreement, approved by the university’s Board of Trustees, officially introduced Husky fans to the M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion.
Benedict views the agreement as more of a name expansion rather than name change. Though the official press release referred to it as a name change. The agreement is worth $32.5 million over 20 years, according to CT Insider, expanding the existing relationship between UConn and M&T Bank, which is already the official bank of the university’s athletic programs.
According to Wednesday’s press release from UConn Athletics, the partnership extends beyond just the arena name and will support academic and athletic initiatives.
Under the agreement, M&T Bank becomes the exclusive university banking sponsor across UConn’s campuses. The partnership will also include support for student-athlete name, image and likeness opportunities.
For Benedict, the naming-rights deal represents the financial demands of maintaining a nationally competitive athletic program in an increasingly expensive college sports landscape.
“We have a commitment and an expectation at UConn that we are the best in class with respect to men’s basketball, and that comes with a cost,” Benedict said. “We have to generate revenue, and if we don’t, the alternative is, we can continue to have old, outdated facilities.”
Even with the financial benefit, the decision has drawn criticism from UConn fans on social media.
The UConn Bananas, a group of UConn students known for their dedication as UConn basketball fans and signature banana costumes, weighed in on the social media debate. The group’s official X account replied, “We all hate this,” to the university’s announcement on the platform.
Despite the addition of the corporate sponsor, the arena will keep the name Gampel, preserving the legacy of Harry A. Gampel, who Benedict described as “the visionary” behind the building’s construction.
Since opening on Jan. 27, 1990, Gampel Pavilion has served as the on-campus home of UConn basketball. The building has become one of the most recognizable venues in college basketball.
The response to the name change hasn’t been all negative. UConn senior forward Jayden Ross told Marissa Caputo of UCTV Sports that he welcomed the change. He thinks it makes the arena feel more official and professional.
Benedict acknowledged the history associated with Gampel’s name but emphasized that honoring the past and investing in the future should not be mutually exclusive.
“I certainly appreciate the iconic nature of the name of this building,” Benedict said.
However, he argued that passing up opportunities to generate additional revenue would ultimately threaten UConn’s ability to maintain the championship standard established inside the arena over the past 36 years.
“So, either we want to remain competitive in what is a challenging environment, or we don’t,” Benedict said.