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If Atlantic Hockey Accepts UAH, They're the New College Hockey America

gfmorris

gfmorris

New member
Discuss.

Okay, just kidding. You'd have four of the five extant CHA programs (less Bemidji State), plus Army, which was possibly headed to the CHA before going to the MAAC.

It always felt like it "worked" that MAAC/AHA and CHA were the "walk-on" leagues where programs figured out if they could cut it at this level, self-assigned by geography. AH always had the numbers and reduced geographic footprint to keep costs down and reduce concerns about any single program failing dragging down the rest. Also, if a team rose up (Quinnipiac, Connecticut), it didn't put the league in danger.

If UAH and LIU come as a quasi-package deal, it attenuates the geography impact of throwing a team from Alabama in with a team from Colorado.

GFM
 
UAH needs to get on the phone and broker a league wide air travel package via Air Force. Huntsville's connection to NASA and government should get their foot in the door with Air Force to have the conversations. Cadets can build their flight hours and AH never has to bus again... it's a win all around for the conference and UAH.
 
The major problem with admitting both LIU and UAH is the member numbers. It would still be odd unless you add another(Navy would be great) or drop one going to another league or dropping out. If Navy were to join, 14 is a little too high for one league, would the league split in two? The Army airfield nearby instead of Huntsville International could help with any of the service academies too. Huntsville is a lot closer for the rest of the league than Colorado Springs but still a flight for everyone. Would UAH possibly move a few home games to Atlanta or Nashville to tempt the teams that may object?
 
this story is not even close to being over... fives teams are homeless right now; UAA, UAF, UAH, LIU, & ASU. maybe throw in navy as well?

even if the ice product sucks this coming season because of this pandamic, the off the ice happenings should be exciting...

GO TECH GOLD!
 
JohnsonsJerseys said:
UAH needs to get on the phone and broker a league wide air travel package via Air Force. Huntsville's connection to NASA and government should get their foot in the door with Air Force to have the conversations. Cadets can build their flight hours and AH never has to bus again... it's a win all around for the conference and UAH.
Click to expand...

We have a hard enough time getting more than three people into space at a time. (I'm not looking forward to planning activities for five people come October.)

Also, USAFA and USMA have no love for UAH.

GFM
 
BC/HE said:
The major problem with admitting both LIU and UAH is the member numbers. It would still be odd unless you add another(Navy would be great) or drop one going to another league or dropping out. If Navy were to join, 14 is a little too high for one league, would the league split in two? The Army airfield nearby instead of Huntsville International could help with any of the service academies too. Huntsville is a lot closer for the rest of the league than Colorado Springs but still a flight for everyone. Would UAH possibly move a few home games to Atlanta or Nashville to tempt the teams that may object?
Click to expand...

Where would you expect them to play in Atlanta or Nashville?
 
davyd83 said:
Where would you expect them to play in Atlanta or Nashville?
Click to expand...

Please note that UAH has only played the one series at the Gaylord in the last decade. The idea was that 'Mack fans would be more likely to travel to the bigger city, and I gotta tell ya, having all those restaurants and bars (remember when you could safely go to those?) within two blocks of the rink was super nice. But the money ended up not working for anyone.

Atlanta hockey is dead above the Glads.

GFM
 
As much as I'd like to see Huntsville join the AHA, I was skeptical before the pandemic based on budgetary concerns. Now? An annual trip to Alabama might be the difference between a few AHA schools keeping hockey or cutting it.

With LIU, travel costs aren't a concern, but how much worse do we want our OOC record to get?! Maybe a few years down the road....
 
gfmorris said:
Please note that UAH has only played the one series at the Gaylord in the last decade. The idea was that 'Mack fans would be more likely to travel to the bigger city, and I gotta tell ya, having all those restaurants and bars (remember when you could safely go to those?) within two blocks of the rink was super nice. But the money ended up not working for anyone.

Atlanta hockey is dead above the Glads.

GFM
Click to expand...
I know the Preds and UAH have had a good relationship, but numbers are numbers. It will be interesting to see when the Preds add another facility in Metro Nashville and if they put an AHL/ECHL affiliate at the new barn in Clarkesville. Or maybe Austin Peay...
 
Leather Lungs said:
Crazy as it sounds, don't sleep on ASU. If Hockey East teams were willing to fly to South Bend, why not Arizona?
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Hockey East teams were never happy about the South Bend trip; nor was ND happy about having to fly to New England several times a year. Everybody knew ND/HEA was a marriage of convenience until something better came along. The idea of Arizona State as a Hockey East member is DOA.
 
Split-N said:
Hockey East teams were never happy about the South Bend trip; nor was ND happy about having to fly to New England several times a year. Everybody knew ND/HEA was a marriage of convenience until something better came along. The idea of Arizona State as a Hockey East member is DOA.
Click to expand...

ASU joining Hockey East would also be a marriage of convenience. I'm not predicting it, but I'm slightly less skeptical about it than I am Sacred Heart joining HE.
 
i don't think this has been posted here;

https://www.twincities.com/2020/07/3...-wcha-men/amp/

"Now Robertson [WCHA commissioner] must piece together a disparate group of startups with no regional ties to keep the men’s conference alive. Among teams he is courting: Arizona State, Long Island University, Lindenwood University (LU) in St. Charles, Mo. — which played a club schedule in 2019-20 — and Simon Fraser University (SFU) of Vancouver, B.C., which is working on the process of becoming Division I team."

UA* (3X), ASU, LIU, LU, and SFU?

the two closest distances would be UAA to UAF (~353 miles) and LU to UAH (~436 miles). if teleportation is possible, this is possible. otherwise...

LIU might as well change their mascot name from sharks to land sharks... hell, maybe it needs to actually be flying sharks instead.
 
Leather Lungs said:
ASU joining Hockey East would also be a marriage of convenience. I'm not predicting it, but I'm slightly less skeptical about it than I am Sacred Heart joining HE.
Click to expand...

Sorry, this suggestion is just ridiculous. While there is some convenience to having an even number of teams, that is far outweighed by the inconvenience and cost of flying in what is currently strictly a bus-only league. They learned their lesson with the Fighting Irish (Why, exactly, is that racist/classist moniker still allowed?).
 
UncleRay said:
Sorry, this suggestion is just ridiculous. While there is some convenience to having an even number of teams, that is far outweighed by the inconvenience and cost of flying in what is currently strictly a bus-only league. They learned their lesson with the Fighting Irish (Why, exactly, is that racist/classist moniker still allowed?).
Click to expand...

It's not ridiculous. I already said I'm not going out on a limb and predicting it will happen. But keep in mind that while the fanbases were never enthused about Notre Dame, the ADs and presidents were. Hockey East teams were being nationally televised on NBCsn!

As for flying, Jack Parker was flying his teams into Bangor back in the 80s. Sure, BU isn't one of the have-nots in Hockey East so bad example, right? But that's my point. The top tier teams in HE don't want any more have-nots. Of course they'd prefer Syracuse. They'd happily settle for URI. And if they allow ASU in for a few seasons until circumstances change and ASU leaves for a conference that makes more sense, HE can go back to pining for Syracuse and URI. No harm, no foul, everyone's happy. Except SHU.
 
DrunkTrainPolka said:
i don't think this has been posted here;

https://www.twincities.com/2020/07/3...-wcha-men/amp/

"Now Robertson [WCHA commissioner] must piece together a disparate group of startups with no regional ties to keep the men’s conference alive. Among teams he is courting: Arizona State, Long Island University, Lindenwood University (LU) in St. Charles, Mo. — which played a club schedule in 2019-20 — and Simon Fraser University (SFU) of Vancouver, B.C., which is working on the process of becoming Division I team."

UA* (3X), ASU, LIU, LU, and SFU?

the two closest distances would be UAA to UAF (~353 miles) and LU to UAH (~436 miles). if teleportation is possible, this is possible. otherwise...

LIU might as well change their mascot name from sharks to land sharks... hell, maybe it needs to actually be flying sharks instead.
Click to expand...

Man, if you got me super drunk in 2010 after the CHA folded and told me this was the case, my thoughts would be, in order:

1. Why is UAH in the WCHA?
2. How is UAH still a program?

You'd interrupt me, "Fans have saved the program from cancellation, twice." I'd close my eyes, nod slowly, and go back to my thinking...

3. This league is even more geographically hosed than the CHA.
4. This league won't manage more than three seasons.
5. I guess the CCHA still hates biscuits.

GFM
 
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