How It All Came Together For Arizona State
Team Begins 2020-21 Season This Week With Big Ten Schedule Arrangement, and New Arena, In Hand
by Adam Wodon/Managing Editor (@CHN_AdamWodon)
This week, Arizona State will begin its 2020-21 season amid a strange time for everyone. It may be even more strange for Arizona State, which will be in a scheduling arrangement with the seven Big Ten schools, and not have any home games.
But as the pandemic raged on through the summer, it became more and more clear that this would be the only way Arizona State could get a slate of games. In the first few years of its independent existence, it's relied on teams loving the opportunity to come to Arizona in the winter, plus many teams looking to fill schedule holes elsewhere, and a tournament or two. Most of that was out the window with the pandemic.
The arrangement with the Big Ten turned into a win-win/no-brainer for all parties. It allows ASU to have a set schedule, and allows the Big Ten teams to have a healthy set of non-conference games without having to travel. It also fits because ASU is a larger school, like all the Big Ten schools, so it allows it to fit into the Big Ten's coronavirus testing protocols, which are the most extensive of any league.
"I'm really happy they will be able to play a season," Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky said. "And they're a great team. Instead of just beating up on each other all year, it gives us another option, and because they've been so successful and so good, it's a win-win all around."
Ohio State coach Steve Rohlik agreed that the additional challenge would be good for everyone.
"I think Arizona is gonna be as good as any team in our league," Rohlik said. "They've proved that over the last couple years. We know those games are going to be just as important. It's truly going to be a different year. We felt with getting our 24 league games with league members was first and foremost, then getting as many games as possible. ... They stepped up to the plate, and certainly the Big Ten welcomed that in terms of playing four non-conference games. We thought that was really important. We'll see this weekend when Arizona plays at Michigan. They have a veteran team, and a team we all respect."
For Arizona State's coach, Greg Powers, the whole thing was a long time in the making, and the Big Ten schedule only officially just came out last week. They needed to scramble to finalize travel plans.
"It all worked out," Powers said. "We're just thrilled to make the most of it."
There will be more challenges ahead. The virus still has a mind of its own.
CHN: How did everything come about?
Powers: We came to the conclusion that we could play a good meaningful schedule in November and December, but our struggle was finding games after January 1st. It was becoming clear it was not going to probably be possible unless we aligned in some way with a league in a more formal manner. So we talked to a few of the Big Ten coaches, then I reached out to Red (Berenson), and it became clear it was a really good solution for everyone. They could diversify their schedule a bit, and we agreed to testing and having all games on the road. For us, it's a pathway to having a season, and they're all gracious enough to guarantee return trips (in the future), so it will end up working out. We're just going to go have fun, and compete and just be thankful we are playing.
CHN: Did you speak to the NCHC as well? Was there something that didn't work out there before turning to the Big Ten?
Powers: They didn't shoot us down. They were incredibly helpful and gracious in coming up with a solution. But there wasn't much of a solution there. It literally was about figuring out what was the best. (NCHC commissioner) Josh (Fenton) was encouraging us, and because the Big Ten had an odd number of teams, it made more sense. (The NCHC was) aggressively supportive and helpful to help us find a solution. Josh had sincere empathy towards our situation. He's always been good to us and supporting what he could to help us grow. We got a lot of calls from coaches asking if there's anything we can do. It became clear that no one wanted to see us left out in the cold. When we made the announcement, it was across the board congratulations. It was like a sigh of relief for college hockey, because we feel we contributed to college hockey a bit, and to have to take a step back for something out of our control, no one wanted to see that.
CHN: Did it take a while to put together and convince everyone it would work?
Powers: It had legs right away because it provided a potential solution for them to balance out their schedule. It took a few weeks to find out what was doable and possible. We're gonna stay out for 22 days at one point. We can create our own bubble without having to get on a plane back here. So we have eight games in 22 days. It's not that bad. All our guys are (taking classes) online already. This gives us the best chance for success. Our administration and university was supportive in doing everything we could to limit air travel.
It was clear we weren't going to get home games this year. Air travel was shut down for a lot of schools and (hockey teams) don't have resources to charter. It became clear we were going to have to spend a good portion on the road. And the way the Big Ten is laid out geographically, we can go out and stay out.
CHN: Were there any major issues to get through before this would all work?
Powers: I don't think there was many issues. We're a program where we've traveled a ton as it is. Traveling and playing road games doesn't bother us. When the solution to having a turnkey season was presented, it was a no-brainer. We're a Power 5 school, we're doing daily antigen testing. Our policies didn't exactly align but it's close, almost the same. So dotting those I's and crossing those T's, making sure we were aligned in that regard, and in future years making sure those teams would come back to us. That's a big piece for us as we move into a new arena. Those are big-name schools, and that's what our fan base identifies with right now.
CHN: The Big Ten and PAC-12 seem to have a working relationship of some kind. Did that help?
Powers: The stuff with football and fall sports has been similar, so that helped. They worked together. But I think it was just the reciprocal value for both sides. And we're excited, and I think they are too. It would've been tough for a conference-only schedule with just seven teams. So we provided a good solution.
CHN: Amid all this, your brand new arena was finalized. That's certainly nice.
Powers: It was a big deal what happened last week. We're going to be in that arena in August 2022. What's exciting for us is, you take this year out, there's no games at (current 800-seat arena) Oceanside. So we'll have one more year at Oceanside (2021-22) and then we're in a new arena. So we're down to one year of not having first-class facility. That's a huge milestone moment for our program. You'll see groundbreaking some time in December.
