Utica College: The gang's all here.

[Fishman'81]

Fish you're misinformed, I promise you. You can believe what you want to believe, but knowing what I know and not giving up my sources, they are working hard to make it happen and it may not be next season, but in the near future

But why would UC want to go D-1?

I don't get it on any level, aside from the venue/attendance thing. (And the attendance will drop off sharply if and when D-1 teams come into The Aud and start burying UC.)

Please explain why this is a good idea. A big fish in a small pond seems to work out better. Ask RIT.

[JSicedog]

But why would UC want to go D-1?

I don't get it on any level, aside from the venue/attendance thing. (And the attendance will drop off sharply if and when D-1 teams come into The Aud and start burying UC.)

Please explain why this is a good idea. A big fish in a small pond seems to work out better. Ask RIT.

What kind of question is that? If you approach any Oswego, Plattsburgh, Norwich, St Norbert, etc. and ask them if they want to go D1 they would all jump on the opportunity no questions asked. Its good for the community and college.

How do you know they will get buried the moment they join the AHA. There will undoubtedly be some roster turnover but this team right now could compete in that league.

Tell me why its a bad idea? Utica is a unique hockey market, this isn't Rochester or Buffalo - where 90% of the city doesn't know a RIT, Canisius, Niagara even exist. The city will rally around any competitive product.

[Transplanted Tiger Fan]

Please explain why this is a good idea. A big fish in a small pond seems to work out better. Ask RIT.

Can’t speak for all of RIT, but as the token RIT fan with a continued interest on this forum, I kinda like the move ‘we’ made to DI!

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Remember that Utica doesn't have to go Division I in everything. They could move everything up to Division II and then be eligible for the Division I hockey tournament.

[OZFEST]

I don't care where you go but I think it's cool your coach is calling a Comets game.

[Fishman'81]

Remember that Utica doesn't have to go Division I in everything. They could move everything up to Division II and then be eligible for the Division I hockey tournament.

Wouldn't they eventually have to go D-1 in something like 6 sports?

[Fishman'81]

What kind of question is that? If you approach any Oswego, Plattsburgh, Norwich, St Norbert, etc. and ask them if they want to go D1 they would all jump on the opportunity no questions asked. Its good for the community and college.

How do you know they will get buried the moment they join the AHA. There will undoubtedly be some roster turnover but this team right now could compete in that league.

Tell me why its a bad idea? Utica is a unique hockey market, this isn't Rochester or Buffalo - where 90% of the city doesn't know a RIT, Canisius, Niagara even exist. The city will rally around any competitive product.

"Competitive" is the salient term here.

I absolutely don't see UC competing for an NC in D-1 any time soon. Take that to the bank, my friend. Utica would probably take years to even become a mid-range AHA team, and AHA teams very rarely do anything noteworthy in The Show.

I like where they are right now (National contenders), as opposed to being cannon-fodder in D-1. If they were to go D-1 and get their asses handed to them most nights, there goes the local interest and the gate.

There's a reason nobody in Rochester and Buffalo supports D-1 Lite: people don't show up to see losing teams, or even > .500 teams in weak-sister conferences that aren't going to go anywhere in the playoffs.

Simple as that.

[JSicedog]

"Competitive" is the salient term here.

I absolutely don't see UC competing for an NC in D-1 any time soon. Take that to the bank, my friend. Utica would probably take years to even become a mid-range AHA team, and AHA teams very rarely do anything noteworthy in The Show.

I like where they are right now (National contenders), as opposed to being cannon-fodder in D-1. If they were to go D-1 and get their asses handed to them most nights, there goes the local interest and the gate.

There's a reason nobody in Rochester and Buffalo supports D-1 Lite: people don't show up to see losing teams, or even > .500 teams in weak-sister conferences that aren't going to go anywhere in the playoffs.

Simple as that.

Based on what? You have no idea if they will compete or not. There is no knowledge on the type of recruits that would come here and what kind of team they could put together. What kind of kid would choose empty buildings at Mercyhurst, Holy Cross, Niagara, SH, Canisius, AIC over the Aud?

The local interest thing is BS - the Comets had their second best attendance numbers in their worst statistical year...Fans will come

Utica isn't a Rochester or a Buffalo. You out of all people know you can't make a comparison there.

[Russell Jaslow]

Wouldn't they eventually have to go D-1 in something like 6 sports?

No. This is one of the loopholes we discussed before.

Because there is no D2 national tournament (not enough teams) D2 hockey teams can automatically play in the D1 tournament. There are a few things which need to be done, but it’s minimal.

In other words, the NE-10 conference could declare themselves a D1 conference and get an automatic bid. In fact, the women’s hockey teams of that equivalent conference are doing exactly that. And they will be getting an AQ I believe next year.

So Utica could move their entire school to D2 and have their hockey teams compete in D1 without any waiver or exception.

[Russell Jaslow]

"Competitive" is the salient term here.

I absolutely don't see UC competing for an NC in D-1 any time soon. Take that to the bank, my friend. Utica would probably take years to even become a mid-range AHA team, and AHA teams very rarely do anything noteworthy in The Show.

I like where they are right now (National contenders), as opposed to being cannon-fodder in D-1. If they were to go D-1 and get their asses handed to them most nights, there goes the local interest and the gate.

There's a reason nobody in Rochester and Buffalo supports D-1 Lite: people don't show up to see losing teams, or even > .500 teams in weak-sister conferences that aren't going to go anywhere in the playoffs.

Simple as that.

RIT's attendance is actually higher than when they were in D3. Their problem is they built too big of an arena, so appearances aren’t good because it looks "empty" at times, despite having more people than the Ritter could ever hold.

[Fishman'81]

Based on what? You have no idea if they will compete or not. There is no knowledge on the type of recruits that would come here and what kind of team they could put together. What kind of kid would choose empty buildings at Mercyhurst, Holy Cross, Niagara, SH, Canisius, AIC over the Aud?

Well, you almost call out yourself by referencing the above teams, who all are D-1 afterthoughts (to put it mildly). None of them have ever even had a remote sniff of the FF.

I suspect that people will show up at the Aud should UC go D-1, too, but probably more for the beer than to see the likes of AIC, Sacred Heart, et al... My question is this: will they still show up when Utica turns into an also-ran, instead of the perennial D-3 National contender that it is now? Those beery folks like to see wins.

I don't pretend to understand the economics of the issue. I'm just a fan of D-3 hockey. It's great just as it is, and be careful what you wish for, "moving up".

Guess we'll see, but if I had to bet my life, I would predict that UC won't even attempt the legal gymnastics involved in PJ's scenario. It's really difficult to make a case for it on its face.

And, as lovely as Utica is, I don't see a recruiting advantage over Erie PA, Buffalo, Worchester... Especially when they start going 12-18 every year, and are irrelevant in a National sense.

(Yeah, you never know, and there's still the beer. :-)

[Sir Nubs]

Well, you almost call out yourself by referencing the above teams, who all are D-1 afterthoughts (to put it mildly). None of them have ever even had a remote sniff of the FF.

I suspect that people will show up at the Aud should UC go D-1, too, but probably more for the beer than to see the likes of AIC, Sacred Heart, et al... My question is this: will they still show up when Utica turns into an also-ran, instead of the perennial D-3 National contender that it is now? Those beery folks like to see wins.

I don't pretend to understand the economics of the issue. I'm just a fan of D-3 hockey. It's great just as it is, and be careful what you wish for, "moving up".

Guess we'll see, but if I had to bet my life, I would predict that UC won't even attempt the legal gymnastics involved in PJ's scenario. It's really difficult to make a case for it on its face.

And, as lovely as Utica is, I don't see a recruiting advantage over Erie PA, Buffalo, Worchester... Especially when they start going 12-18 every year, and are irrelevant in a National sense.

(Yeah, you never know, and there's still the beer. :-)

Perennial D3 national contender? How many Frozen Fours has Utica been to? One?

[geneseo]

RIT's attendance is actually higher than when they were in D3. Their problem is they built too big of an arena, so appearances aren’t good because it looks "empty" at times, despite having more people than the Ritter could ever hold.

I really liked watching games in the old arena.

[jerrynu26]

Perennial D3 national contender? How many Frozen Fours has Utica been to? One?

Getting the popcorn ready!!!

[Pioneer247]

Perennial D3 national contender? How many Frozen Fours has Utica been to? One?

Let's not pretend like they weren't the #1 overall seed in the COVID-canceled tournament...