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I wouldn't mind banging out to Holy Cross on the commuter rail for away games. Some really good bars in the Woo.
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Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
- Thread starter Dutchman
- Start date
Split-N
All Hail
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
If you're a "Power-5" institution, the football god must constantly be worshipped.
If you're a "Power-5" institution, the football god must constantly be worshipped.
mookie1995
there's a good buck in that racket.
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
yo dummy!!!! (
)
harvard gets newton college rejects these days
haven't you been paying attention?!?!
yo dummy!!!! (
)harvard gets newton college rejects these days
haven't you been paying attention?!?!
Patman
Rodent of Unusual Size
UConn also has the strongest brand identity in New England and compares to other state schools in terms of pervasiveness.
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I think Holy Cross still has to prove itself and this smacks of doing something to do something. The issue of compounding errors (adding UConn before they were going to truly fully commit) is in play here.
Agree with this 100%. As much as I didn't want any teams added I could accept that Notre Dame and UConn are big name schools with large followings and other successful sports. The same can't be said of Holy Cross, Bentley, Quinnipiac etc.
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
Not really sure what you're referring to. Someone mentioned the conflicts of sharing the arena. I was just pointing out that UConn is doing right now exactly what Holy Cross is doing...sharing the arena with a pro team etc.
Anyway, UConn has the strongest basketball brand identity in New England but what does that even mean? Certainly hasn't helped them in football where as of right now, no major conference wants them.
Not really sure what you're referring to. Someone mentioned the conflicts of sharing the arena. I was just pointing out that UConn is doing right now exactly what Holy Cross is doing...sharing the arena with a pro team etc.
Anyway, UConn has the strongest basketball brand identity in New England but what does that even mean? Certainly hasn't helped them in football where as of right now, no major conference wants them.
brassbonanza
Super Serial
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
He means UConn has an established athletic brand in the state and in New England. Holy Cross does not. Yes, UConn hockey was poor at best prior to joining Hockey East, but the school had a large and established fan base to get behind the program if it properly upgraded its commitment to hockey, which it has. Holy Cross does not have that baked in. So they can go play in the DCU Center all the want and upgrade their practice facilities or something, but that doesn't mean anyone's going to come watch the team play. Put that on top of the fact that they aren't already good at the sport and this becomes a dumb inclusion for Hockey East right now. If in three or four years there are no better options depending on how the conference landscape shakes out, and if HC has made some strides toward being a more competitive program, then great. Otherwise, no reason to rush to add them now simply to fill a spot.
He means UConn has an established athletic brand in the state and in New England. Holy Cross does not. Yes, UConn hockey was poor at best prior to joining Hockey East, but the school had a large and established fan base to get behind the program if it properly upgraded its commitment to hockey, which it has. Holy Cross does not have that baked in. So they can go play in the DCU Center all the want and upgrade their practice facilities or something, but that doesn't mean anyone's going to come watch the team play. Put that on top of the fact that they aren't already good at the sport and this becomes a dumb inclusion for Hockey East right now. If in three or four years there are no better options depending on how the conference landscape shakes out, and if HC has made some strides toward being a more competitive program, then great. Otherwise, no reason to rush to add them now simply to fill a spot.
Patman
Rodent of Unusual Size
Bingo! I mean, people like holy cross out that way... But love? I think they could be something at some point. Worcester is a large city but for now... Ehhhh...
Edit: minor hockey has failed twice in Worcester as I have to sadly admit (as the proud owner of an Ice Cats jersey). Their AHL numbers weren't stellar after the beginning.
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mookie1995
there's a good buck in that racket.
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
Kids are not going to come to a school until they see a commitment (which includes, AHEM, a major conference footprint).
UConn stepped up and after bumps they are getting high end kids.
No reason HC won't do the same.
To sit and compare HC now vs what they can be in 5-7 years is folly
Kids are not going to come to a school until they see a commitment (which includes, AHEM, a major conference footprint).
UConn stepped up and after bumps they are getting high end kids.
No reason HC won't do the same.
To sit and compare HC now vs what they can be in 5-7 years is folly
brassbonanza
Super Serial
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
Oh OK, didn't read that far back in the thread. In that case, yeah the sharing facility thing isn't much of an issue. Only thing would be avoiding some of the ridiculous Tuesday/Wednesday night or Friday at 5:00 start times that AHL games in Hartford forced UConn to do. Attendance was never an enormous concern when UConn started, but with HC having such a small fanbase, playing games midweek and at oddball times would be torpedo any chance of getting thousands of people to show up.
Oh OK, didn't read that far back in the thread. In that case, yeah the sharing facility thing isn't much of an issue. Only thing would be avoiding some of the ridiculous Tuesday/Wednesday night or Friday at 5:00 start times that AHL games in Hartford forced UConn to do. Attendance was never an enormous concern when UConn started, but with HC having such a small fanbase, playing games midweek and at oddball times would be torpedo any chance of getting thousands of people to show up.
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
Holy Cross has been a much more competitive program over the years than UConn was in Atlantic Hockey. They have been mostly a top tier team in that league. Surely one remembers them knocking off #1 Minnesota in the NCAA's. They play a decent brand of hockey and have had skill players. One year they even came into Conte and beat BC. The rest of your post rings true: Until we see it there is a great unknown as to whether they can get enough fan support. In one way they are the best possible fit though; geographically.
Holy Cross has been a much more competitive program over the years than UConn was in Atlantic Hockey. They have been mostly a top tier team in that league. Surely one remembers them knocking off #1 Minnesota in the NCAA's. They play a decent brand of hockey and have had skill players. One year they even came into Conte and beat BC. The rest of your post rings true: Until we see it there is a great unknown as to whether they can get enough fan support. In one way they are the best possible fit though; geographically.
Patman
Rodent of Unusual Size
And we told you why... It's not likely to work... Lowell had all kinds of problems as long as the lock monsters existed.
You are trying to compare situations to each other and a response was given to the idea.
Patman
Rodent of Unusual Size
What in the world does that have to do with inherent marketability? You act as if UConns figures aren't because of crossover between sports.
Hartford likes hockey and UConn and they always felt the AHL was a runner up prize. Those dynamics aren't in play in Worcester.
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
Arena logistics is not the issue per se'. After all, UMass Lowell shared their building with AHL teams for 12 years. It's the contracts that each team signs with the building and the requirements for each team put forth by their respective leagues. How is the ad revenue going to be split up? Will the building be able to sell alcohol when HC plays there? Will the alcohol advertising need to be covered up when HC plays there? Who will have priority when it comes to scheduling games? The article said that the league commissioner for the ECHL has concerns. Probably because he has had to deal with these issues in other parts of the country where other ECHL teams play.
You do bring up a good point about the XL Center and how it handles those that play there. I can't speak for that venue but I have seen both sides of the Lowell one.
Arena logistics is not the issue per se'. After all, UMass Lowell shared their building with AHL teams for 12 years. It's the contracts that each team signs with the building and the requirements for each team put forth by their respective leagues. How is the ad revenue going to be split up? Will the building be able to sell alcohol when HC plays there? Will the alcohol advertising need to be covered up when HC plays there? Who will have priority when it comes to scheduling games? The article said that the league commissioner for the ECHL has concerns. Probably because he has had to deal with these issues in other parts of the country where other ECHL teams play.
You do bring up a good point about the XL Center and how it handles those that play there. I can't speak for that venue but I have seen both sides of the Lowell one.
brassbonanza
Super Serial
Re: Report: Holy Cross to replace Notre Dame in Hockey East?
And before HC rejected a bid to the Big East when it was forming.
And before HC rejected a bid to the Big East when it was forming.