Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?
The AHA will NEVER add another western team; there's going to be far too much opposition in the east. The only way they add another western team is if it's a huge name, marquee school like Bowling Green or Lehigh. They will never reach out for a D2 or D3 school that's in the west because of the cost containment of travel. While we don't foresee it as something huge, I know of at least three schools int he east that would put their foot down and use travel as the thing to hide behind.
The only reason why they're so agreeable to St. A's is becuase of travel; it keeps harmony by losing UConn. Before UConn announced its move to the Hockey East, they were considered a "have not" because they ranked 3rd behind men's and women's basketball down in Storrs. Adding St. A's just adds another eastern "have not."
Personally - I'd like the league to remain at 11 and go to a 10-team playoff. Then I'd like them to maybe cull down to 10 and let someone else go, and not in a "Temple Football" kind of way. I'd love to see a team exit and have the league go back to 10, play everyone 4 times a year. Then they can wait out and get a real marquee team from whoever adds. We're hardly done with realignment. In 5 years, some other conference will split in some capacity.
The AHA will NEVER add another western team; there's going to be far too much opposition in the east. The only way they add another western team is if it's a huge name, marquee school like Bowling Green or Lehigh. They will never reach out for a D2 or D3 school that's in the west because of the cost containment of travel. While we don't foresee it as something huge, I know of at least three schools int he east that would put their foot down and use travel as the thing to hide behind.
The only reason why they're so agreeable to St. A's is becuase of travel; it keeps harmony by losing UConn. Before UConn announced its move to the Hockey East, they were considered a "have not" because they ranked 3rd behind men's and women's basketball down in Storrs. Adding St. A's just adds another eastern "have not."
Personally - I'd like the league to remain at 11 and go to a 10-team playoff. Then I'd like them to maybe cull down to 10 and let someone else go, and not in a "Temple Football" kind of way. I'd love to see a team exit and have the league go back to 10, play everyone 4 times a year. Then they can wait out and get a real marquee team from whoever adds. We're hardly done with realignment. In 5 years, some other conference will split in some capacity.
