Notre Dame to Hockey East

[sterlippo1]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

Which is why it was foolish hearing fans of the smaller HE teams endorse this move by the league.

Well, they would get to sell out a home game though..............great point by you as usual

[Craig P.]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

@BobF:

The tinfoil hat territory is suggesting that ND has pre-planned to dump Hockey East for the Integer down the road. I think the rest of your observations are largely accurate, though I think you give basketball too much credit. It's football, then everything else at ND—it's easier to find a good landing spot for basketball than it is for the remaining sports.

Also, there's more to it than just money. I'm fairly certain ND could have marginally improved the athletic department's revenue by jumping to the Integer when they went from eleven to twelve teams (though not as much as some possibly-planted stories in the media at the time suggested). The independence of the football team is fiercely guarded as part and parcel of its identity, as is ND's national reach. That's why I suggest that the Irish are more likely to land in the ACC or the XII than the Integer if such a move becomes necessary, although that may be projection of my own wishes rather than what Swarbrick and Jenkins really have in mind.

[ronmexico]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

There are rumors floating around over on the DU thread that they might jump ship and become the 12th member of Hockey East. I guess they are upset about the whole TV thing. Can anyone confirm this as a possibility???

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

There are rumors floating around over on the DU thread that they might jump ship and become the 12th member of Hockey East. I guess they are upset about the whole TV thing. Can anyone confirm this as a possibility???

Now that would be awesome.

[Priceless]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

There are rumors floating around over on the DU thread that they might jump ship and become the 12th member of Hockey East. I guess they are upset about the whole TV thing. Can anyone confirm this as a possibility???

Like we'd be interested.

Maybe they can try the WCHA.

[ND Hockey]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

There are rumors floating around over on the DU thread that they might jump ship and become the 12th member of Hockey East. I guess they are upset about the whole TV thing. Can anyone confirm this as a possibility???

By "rumors floating around over on the DU thread" you actually mean only one post on the subject, which you yourself authored.

[Priceless]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

By "rumors floating around over on the DU thread" you actually mean only one post on the subject, which you yourself authored.

You're trying to spoil his fun!

[mookie1995]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

there is a poster on here (name starts with "m" and rhymes with "dookie", who is nailing halle berry.

[ronmexico]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

By "rumors floating around over on the DU thread" you actually mean only one post on the subject, which you yourself authored.

keep that on the down low...

[bronconick]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

I've heard that Western's worked out a deal with the MAC football offices to play all their home football games in October while the hockey team plays road games so we can just put a rink in the center of Waldo Stadium. Bam! Biggest Arena in the NCHC. The lousy ice will be a home advantage.

Can anyone else confirm this?

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

I wonder if the NBC sports contract will make some of the larger schools think about Notre Dame as a non-conference foe that they don't mind having away non-con games for.

[ronmexico]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

I wonder if the NBC sports contract will make some of the larger schools think about Notre Dame as a non-conference foe that they don't mind having away non-con games for.

Probably. My opinion is if they don't return the favor no thanks. These are college hockey programs not prostitutes.

[J.D.]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

hockey eastofthemississippi was a bit rushed here, sure. but they were somewhat proactive. now say nd goes to ecac... they can claim academic prestige with the ivy's. get that same footprint in new england, as well as upstate ny. they still get that versus/nbc deal, because really, nobody is watching. but now they are showing games at harvard instead of from the other side of the tracks at haa (). or up from thompson (great rink) instead of conte. or at Q's instead of the bad tv lighting at uhn.

would that national exposure be enough to elevate the ecac teams to the current hea's level? maybe, maybe not. but why let them?

The problem with this is the ECAC was never an option. They have 12 teams and weren't interested in expanding. This was between an Eastern conference and a Midwestern/Western conference. Also, you gotta forget the fact that "nobody" watches. Again, this isn't about who doesn't watch. It's about who does.

Call me cynical, but definitely not a tin foil hat. Look at BC's move a few years ago to ACC, it is about the money in college sports. Those of us who are passionate about college hockey are not accustomed to how these institutions are out for themselves with little regard for those around them. However at the esteemed institutions in South Bend and Chestnut Hill history tells us otherwise.

Let's be real here, Bob. Like it or not, every school is looking out for themselves. If the little schools had the opportunities BC/ND had, they'd be doing the same thing.

The independence of the football team is fiercely guarded as part and parcel of its identity, as is ND's national reach. That's why I suggest that the Irish are more likely to land in the ACC or the XII than the Integer if such a move becomes necessary, although that may be projection of my own wishes rather than what Swarbrick and Jenkins really have in mind.

I'm not understanding you're reasoning as to why ND might go to the ACC over the Big Ten. I know it wouldn't be money because the Big Ten is better than the ACC in that regard, but are you saying ND would prefer the ACC because they're already well known in the Midwest? (seems to be what the hockey team ended up doing). Could it have anything to do with the ACC being easier to win in than the Big Ten?

[Hockey Dogg]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

It has nothing to do with how good you are. I doubt NBC is hiking up to the Whit or the Alfond. Rinks in Boston that they'll broadcast from include Kelley Rink, Agganis Arena and TD Banknorth Fleetcenter Whateveritisthisweek Garden.

Which would include, I presume, showing the Hockey East tournament on national TV. That is a good thing for all teams in the league, and it is something that all teams can use to gain exposure.

From NBC's perspective, this is all about the Notre Dame brand and offering more hockey programming. I agree with everyone who says that the ratings will be miniscule. However, this is not about reaching the SEC football fan and convincing him that he would love to see LSU - Alabama play an outdoor hockey game in Tuscaloosa some day. It is about reaching the 13 -14 year old elite hockey prospect anywhere in the US and showing them: a league that plays a high level of hockey; that sends players on the NHL; plays in NHL barns (the Gahden); and will allow their parents to watch a certain number of their games on TV.

I think this will be good for Hockey East, and really, if Notre Dame joins the ACC / Big 12 or some new football superconference that hasn't even been created yet, odds are good that it will still need a hockey conference. I have no inside information, but from all of the animosity / money grubbing / fighting, I believe that ND would rather fold it's football program than join the Intiger

[Craig P.]

Re: Notre Dame to Hockey East

I'm not understanding you're reasoning as to why ND might go to the ACC over the Big Ten. I know it wouldn't be money because the Big Ten is better than the ACC in that regard, but are you saying ND would prefer the ACC because they're already well known in the Midwest? (seems to be what the hockey team ended up doing). Could it have anything to do with the ACC being easier to win in than the Big Ten?

The bolded is the reasoning of a number of alumni and fans. I don't know if the administration feels the same way; Jack Swarbrick is notoriously good at playing his cards close to the vest.