Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

[Dan]

I wish my employer would double my pay, but they’re not going to do it just because I want them to. It’s like the administrators are living in some alternate reality right now. The things they should be focused on are lowering ticket prices, providing a better game day experience, and having a better schedule. Instead they’re chasing some fantasy tv deal and believing the right marketing pitch will fill the rinks.

In what world does striving for the latter prevent them from addressing the former...?

If the schools (and those are mainly school centric issues) don’t wish to address the former than I see no problem searching for a commissioner who can bring other assets to the table. If the schools and the league wish to address your concerns, I also see no problem with them trying to find someone who can accomplish both goals - in lieu of a commissioner who accomplished neither...

[The Zlax45]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

I wish my employer would double my pay, but they’re not going to do it just because I want them to. It’s like the administrators are living in some alternate reality right now. The things they should be focused on are lowering ticket prices, providing a better game day experience, and having a better schedule. Instead they’re chasing some fantasy tv deal and believing the right marketing pitch will fill the rinks.

My PC season tickets have gone from 99 dollars for a Family of Four package to 250 (which includes a 75 dollar donation to the program) per ticket price. That is a substantial increase in six years.

[Yuppie Scum]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

I wish my employer would double my pay, but they’re not going to do it just because I want them to. It’s like the administrators are living in some alternate reality right now. The things they should be focused on are lowering ticket prices, providing a better game day experience, and having a better schedule. Instead they’re chasing some fantasy tv deal and believing the right marketing pitch will fill the rinks.

Merrimack season ticket prices went down. [emoji2369]

[J.D.]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

We shall see what happens then with this new commissioner. I'm certainly not saying it's a guarantee they will be able to do the things the schools want but at the same time I won't pretend like losing Joe Bertgana is a big deal. It isn't. It doesn't hurt to try and aim high. If they fail in that regard the league itself is very stable. There is nothing Bertagna did that can't be replaced.

[Drew S.]

What is delusional? The reporting? Or the schools wanting a national TV contract or something similar to the NCHC (Oh I don't know, maybe a freakin' NESN package like there was forever)?

I wish my employer would double my pay, but they’re not going to do it just because I want them to. It’s like the administrators are living in some alternate reality right now. The things they should be focused on are lowering ticket prices, providing a better game day experience, and having a better schedule. Instead they’re chasing some fantasy tv deal and believing the right marketing pitch will fill the rinks.

[buoldtimer]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

One man's opinion - I think the caliber of play in HE is as good as it's ever been, probably better. Attendance issues? Aging out of sizable segment of core audience, fewer marquee players stay for 3-4 years, fewer marquee players are local. These will be tough problems for any commissioner to solve. But as Nick said below, HE needs to aim high.

[J.D.]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

That has to be one of the most delusional things I’ve ever read.

What is delusional? The reporting? Or the schools wanting a national TV contract or something similar to the NCHC (Oh I don't know, maybe a freakin' NESN package like there was forever)?

[J.D.]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Hope all goes well under Bertagna's leadership.

Huh

[Drew S.]

You need to read more.

Ha, I wasn’t having a go at you. Are there many people who think thy marketing is the problem? I’m not sure it is one of Hockey East’s top 10 issues. The league has had a lot of the excitement and buzz taken out of it over the course of the last however many years and a return to the glory days seems a long ways off. I hope the league can turn things, but don’t see it happening at this moment in time.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Would it make some of you feel better if Jimmy just made up quotes and fabricated his story to suit your needs? Should he go to the houses of the AD's in question and hold a gun to their head to make them talk? Or would you prefer he wildly speculate based on nothing?

Didn't stop "Jimmy" from wildly speculating about a list of same old, same old potential replacements?

[Randy26]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Hope all goes well under Bertagna's leadership.

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

That has to be one of the most delusional things I’ve ever read.

You need to read more.

[ticapnews]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Would it make some of you feel better if Jimmy just made up quotes and fabricated his story to suit your needs? Should he go to the houses of the AD's in question and hold a gun to their head to make them talk? Or would you prefer he wildly speculate based on nothing? We have those people, especially in national politics. Those aren't journalists and real journalists don't take them seriously. Neither should you, but that ship has already sailed.

[Drew S.]

You can read between the lines for the story behind the story, and we talked about it on our podcast. Hockey East is looking to go in a different direction and emphasize marketing and revenue, like UVM's AD said. All the Hockey East schools need to do is look at the NCHC's national TV contract, digital platform, and NCAA tournament success and say, "We want that, too." So they're looking for a different skill set as commissioner.

That has to be one of the most delusional things I’ve ever read.

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Of course there's a "story behind the story". If no one ever talks publicly about it, there's nothing to report.

You can read between the lines for the story behind the story, and we talked about it on our podcast. Hockey East is looking to go in a different direction and emphasize marketing and revenue, like UVM's AD said. All the Hockey East schools need to do is look at the NCHC's national TV contract, digital platform, and NCAA tournament success and say, "We want that, too." So they're looking for a different skill set as commissioner.