LeMoyne discussing hockey

[fr. joe]

LOL...

Folks I've known who have deep ties to Syracuse claim that well-heeled alumni (of which the 'cuse has more than a few) have had blank checks at the ready for years. So, money apparently isn't the problem. That leaves Title IX and entrenched basketball interests that don't want to share the winter sports spotlight. Too bad. Syracuse would be a great fit for Hockey East.

Entrenched basketball interests... LOL...ya think?

[Split-N]

...Am surprised Syracuse doesn't but Canisius has a D1 program.

Folks I've known who have deep ties to Syracuse claim that well-heeled alumni (of which the 'cuse has more than a few) have had blank checks at the ready for years. So, money apparently isn't the problem. That leaves Title IX and entrenched basketball interests that don't want to share the winter sports spotlight. Too bad. Syracuse would be a great fit for Hockey East.

[Lost_Husky]

For the extra auto-bid. I know that many years the ECAC is getting 2-3 bids with at least 1 Ivy and 1 non-ivy. But, with tourney chapions, they'd likely get another bid at least every other year.

I don't think they will change. But, I honestly don't get the downside to splitting into 2 6-team conferences with a scheduling agreement between them, so they keep a guaranteed number of home games. That maintains the rivalries & schedule certainty.

Is it worth it to hire a new league front office?

The B1G was a 6 team league and regular season match-ups were stale as you played the same teams over and over again. It may have hurt their attendance and hockey quality as the match-ups weren't "special" or an attraction. In any case, there was a reason they went to 7, and it wasn't out of kindness to ND. Something about 6 team leagues just don't work.

[LordofBrewtown]

Why should the ECAC change? Whatever they have/are doing is working.

For the extra auto-bid. I know that many years the ECAC is getting 2-3 bids with at least 1 Ivy and 1 non-ivy. But, with tourney chapions, they'd likely get another bid at least every other year.

I don't think they will change. But, I honestly don't get the downside to splitting into 2 6-team conferences with a scheduling agreement between them, so they keep a guaranteed number of home games. That maintains the rivalries & schedule certainty.

[Russell Jaslow]

Wouldn't surprise me with lacrosse going to D1 for the Dolphins. Am surprised Syracuse doesn't but Canisius has a D1 program.

There's a big difference there. Canisius has had a hockey program for a very, very, very long time. Syracuse ... well, not at all.

Canisius played a D3 schedule, in the ECAC West, for most of their early existence. They were the ones who spearheaded getting all the D1 institutions who were playing hockey at the D3 level to form a D1 league -- the MAAC. Which eventually morphed into AHA.

Totally different cultural and historical aspects that play into Canisius vs. Syracuse having a hockey program.

[Lost_Husky]

It’s speculated by random people on the internet.

Not necessarily by anyone involved in the ECAC.

Every time you see an ECAC coach, admin, commish, etc. on the USCHO, CHN, or any other college hockey podcast, they are always saying how satisfied they are with the status quo. In fact, even when it comes to membership, the ECAC is the most status quo league in college hockey. They added Union when they came on board and took in Quinnipiac when Vermont went to HE. And that’s the only changes they’ve made since the birth of HE. They’ve even been the last holdouts in shootouts and the like. They don’t change easily.

Thats not saying that they never would (especially if Penn came back and/or Columbia apparated from nothingness), but the Ivies have had the ability to split off if they so chose for A LONG TIME at this point and haven’t.

Why should the ECAC change? Whatever they have/are doing is working.

[Basement Bias]

Wouldn't surprise me with lacrosse going to D1 for the Dolphins. Am surprised Syracuse doesn't but Canisius has a D1 program.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

It’s speculated by random people on the internet.

Not necessarily by anyone involved in the ECAC.

Every time you see an ECAC coach, admin, commish, etc. on the USCHO, CHN, or any other college hockey podcast, they are always saying how satisfied they are with the status quo. In fact, even when it comes to membership, the ECAC is the most status quo league in college hockey. They added Union when they came on board and took in Quinnipiac when Vermont went to HE. And that’s the only changes they’ve made since the birth of HE. They’ve even been the last holdouts in shootouts and the like. They don’t change easily.

Thats not saying that they never would (especially if Penn came back and/or Columbia apparated from nothingness), but the Ivies have had the ability to split off if they so chose for A LONG TIME at this point and haven’t.

[fr. joe]

Unless the Ivies decide to go their own way there won't be a new travel pairing joining the ECAC. The other possibility would be for one to join if HE and QU match up, but all I've heard from the QU world is that they are quite happy in the ECAC and to have a Whitney Ave rivalry with Yale.

From time to time it is speculated the Ivies would like to go on their own (their own conference gets an auto bid, branding, consistent with most other Ivy D-1 teams being in all-Ivy conferences). This might be the time for the ECAC 'core' to keep Le Moyne, and Utica... and RIT, Canisius, AIC, and Holy Cross on speed dial.

Hey, just sayin.'

[Snively65]

I was just trying to be provocative with DN’s travel partner suggestion, as the AHA does not have travel partners. With all these new teams looking for a conference, probably makes sense to consider splitting up the AHA.

[rpi82]

Don't sleep on Binghamton. Their intention is to add D1 men's squad within two years as part of their major athletics upgrades... There are three ice sheets within a 10 min drive of campus -- including the downtown rink where they'd likely play home games.

Unless the Ivies decide to go their own way there won't be a new travel pairing joining the ECAC. The other possibility would be for one to join if HE and QU match up, but all I've heard from the QU world is that they are quite happy in the ECAC and to have a Whitney Ave rivalry with Yale.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

So Le Moyne and Utica would be joining ECAC in your scenario?

Don't sleep on Binghamton. Their intention is to add D1 men's squad within two years as part of their major athletics upgrades... There are three ice sheets within a 10 min drive of campus -- including the downtown rink where they'd likely play home games.

[Snively65]

Le Moyne would be an intriguing potential travel partner with Utica.

So Le Moyne and Utica would be joining ECAC in your scenario?

[DavidNardolillo]

Wouldn't be a hoot and a half if the Le Moyne Dolphins had a D1 Men's team before Syracuse?
It would be the 4th Jesuit university to field a team (Boston College, Holy Cross, and Canisius).

Le Moyne would be an intriguing potential travel partner with Utica.

[DavidNardolillo]

If we were to make an "Adding Hockey Defcon Scale" it would probably be:

1. Non-athletic department/president's office declaration of interest (UNLV club team says they want to move up, UCLA student paper says they should add hockey)
2. Athletic department/president's office declaration of interest (LeMoyne AD says they have interest, High Point's president's office releases sketches of arena)
3. Commissioning studies (Tennessee State partners with College Hockey Inc.)
4. Starts talking to money people/partnering with developers (Illinois includes hockey in its redevelopment of downtown)
5. Actually raises the money, hires staff and starts a team

Obviously, we've seen this fail all the way to Defcon 4, but 2 is a step!

Good list but you've got the DEFCON scale upside-down. DEFCON 5 is actually the lowest state of readiness.