Robert Morris dropping men's and women's hockey.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Unless the players were eating noodles, bread, water and sleeping on cots in the gym on every road trip, I find it hard to believe they operated TWO D-I hockey teams for a combined $380,000. Even if that is COST after revenue is deduced from expenses, I still don't buy it. Maybe if the cost of the rink operations is buried somewhere where else in the school's budget as a "multi-purpose" facility and they billed all those costs to roller hockey players... then maaaaaybe. If they truly cut two D-I hockey programs over a cost of less than $400k, then RMU's admins are truly gutless. They could have raised that in a month. At the very least they could have raised $200k and cut their budget by 50%.

Heck, cash strapped UAH could have loaned them $200k in exchange for an affirmative vote on AH membership.

[rpi82]

It's hardly as simple as "they could have put ice making equipment into their new arena." A multi-use building has a completely different footprint and cost structure than one designed solely for a single sport. Looking at pictures, it's an intimate 4,000 seat building with seats very close to the basketball court (roughly 100 x 50 feet) on all sides. Designing for multiple sports means starting with hockey's 200x85 that pushes the seats much farther back. Add extra and bigger locker rooms, training space, equipment space, icemaking equipment rooms, etc. and it's a much larger and more expensive building - often with poorer sightlines for both sports. Then you have competition for use and conversion costs, which is why most schools have separate buildings and some (e.g. QU, HC) have even built a single complex combining separate arenas for each around a common lobby. Alternatively, a school could combine a common arena for games with separate practice facilities. Any way you look at it, playing both BB and hockey means significantly greater facilities costs.

[Sean Pickett]

Unless the players were eating noodles, bread, water and sleeping on cots in the gym on every road trip, I find it hard to believe they operated TWO D-I hockey teams for a combined $380,000. Even if that is COST after revenue is deduced from expenses, I still don't buy it. Maybe if the cost of the rink operations is buried somewhere where else in the school's budget as a "multi-purpose" facility and they billed all those costs to roller hockey players... then maaaaaybe. If they truly cut two D-I hockey programs over a cost of less than $400k, then RMU's admins are truly gutless. They could have raised that in a month. At the very least they could have raised $200k and cut their budget by 50%.

As I noted, the overall expenses for the two programs was about a combined $2.8 million. The combined $383 thousand operating expenses covers just the expenses an institution incurs attributable to home, away, and neutral? site intercollegiate athletic contests (commonly known as "game?day expenses"), for (A) Lodging, meals, transportation, uniforms, and equipment for coaches, team members, support staff (including, but not limited to team managers and trainers), and others; and (B) Officials. You can claim that it is not enough to cover those expenses, but that is what RMU reported.

For reference, RMU had the second lowest amount among men's teams for reported operating expenses, with Quinnipiac the lowest, reporting just $58,676. For women RMU did better, being fifth lowest, with Quinnipiac again the lowest at just $50,742.

Sean

[Sean Pickett]

It's hardly as simple as "they could have put ice making equipment into their new arena."

I apologize if I was not clear, I should have said they could have designed and built a multi-use arena with ice making capability. As for cost, Bentley Arena is said to have cost $45 million, so I think it would have been possible to do the same with the UPMC Events Center without undue additional costs.

Sean

[rpi82]

I apologize if I was not clear, I should have said they could have designed and built a multi-use arena with ice making capability. As for cost, Bentley Arena is said to have cost $45 million, so I think it would have been possible to do the same with the UPMC Events Center without undue additional costs.

Sean

Perhaps I wasn't clear. The difference between a dedicated arena and a multi-purpose arena is far more than just an ice plant. They have dramatically different form factors and cost structures. A multi-use facility requires far more square feet of usable space (back of the envelope calculation is 50%+ more with the associated cost) and they are also inherently less efficient for both sports, but particularly basketball. To my knowledge the Bentley Arena is not used for basketball, which makes sense because its seating arrangement would be among the worst small basketball arenas in the country (most of its 2,000 permanent seats beyond the baselines, many not even facing the court, and with low or contorted viewing angles). In addition, schools with multi-use facilities usually own or have access to separate practice facilities for at least one of basketball or hockey, which also bring with them capital and operational costs.

One other thing to note about the RMU Arena's price tag, it's a lot more than an arena. It appears to contain a complete meeting and conference center and basketball practice facility. It's obviously RMU's intention that it be used for far more than basketball.

[The Sicatoka]

https://triblive.com/sports/how-stee...-want-to-help/

[wsummers]

An ethical President and Board would have either A) given the team one more year to play and attempt to raise X amount, or B) announce they were closing down the program in the early spring so players would have had an opportunity to move/transfer and coaches wouldn’t be recruiting and making commitments. Waiting until late May practically assures the current players are screwed for this coming season.

[The Sicatoka]

https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz...ity-accept-it/

[LtPowers]

An ethical President and Board would have either A) given the team one more year to play and attempt to raise X amount, or B) announce they were closing down the program in the early spring so players would have had an opportunity to move/transfer and coaches wouldn’t be recruiting and making commitments. Waiting until late May practically assures the current players are screwed for this coming season.

Can you imagine dropping that announcement just before you host the Frozen Four?


Powers &8^]

[RMUColonials]

Perhaps I wasn't clear. The difference between a dedicated arena and a multi-purpose arena is far more than just an ice plant. They have dramatically different form factors and cost structures. A multi-use facility requires far more square feet of usable space (back of the envelope calculation is 50%+ more with the associated cost) and they are also inherently less efficient for both sports, but particularly basketball. To my knowledge the Bentley Arena is not used for basketball, which makes sense because its seating arrangement would be among the worst small basketball arenas in the country (most of its 2,000 permanent seats beyond the baselines, many not even facing the court, and with low or contorted viewing angles). In addition, schools with multi-use facilities usually own or have access to separate practice facilities for at least one of basketball or hockey, which also bring with them capital and operational costs.

One other thing to note about the RMU Arena's price tag, it's a lot more than an arena. It appears to contain a complete meeting and conference center and basketball practice facility. It's obviously RMU's intention that it be used for far more than basketball.

The rumor (and I heard this from multiple people that worked in the athletic dept during that time) was that the biggest donor for the basketball arena requested it to be a basketball-only facility

[The Sicatoka]

https://twitter.com/MurryGunty/statu...56237672124423

Just got word.
@rmu
won't engage in any discussions with me regarding saving the
@RMUMHockey
and
@RMUWHockey
. Truly stunning.
@penguins

[Dutchman]

Any idea where the players will be heading? RMU always seemed to have good teams. Will they head to another AHA team? Is it possible the ECAC could pick up some of their better players?

[wsummers]

Any idea where the players will be heading? RMU always seemed to have good teams. Will they head to another AHA team? Is it possible the ECAC could pick up some of their better players?

Not likely there is any availability for hockey scholarships at any other school this year. With lots of players entering the portal and teams filling up rosters before RMU announced they were dropping hockey there just aren’t any good options. Basically, the admin screwed the team. The better players could be added to a different team, but would likely have to pay their own way for a year unless the school could arrange for an academic or need scholarship.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

https://twitter.com/MurryGunty/statu...56237672124423

You couldn’t pay RMU to keep the teams, I’m guessing.

They’re absolutely DOA. I hope parents of potential RMU recruits in other sports are paying attention.

[DrunkTrainPolka]

https://twitter.com/MurryGunty/statu...44105754021894

"Finishing up day 3 of @YtownPhantoms main tryout camp. Hosting for third year in a row in one of the best hockey cities in the country - Pittsburgh. I am here all week @rmu president @DrChrisHoward if you change your mind and want to talk…. @RMUMHockey @RMUWHockey"