UConn Hires Consulting Firm

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

I am a couch potato because I'm old and broken down, not by choice. If I wasn't so broken down I'd be playing old guy hockey (badly).

Sorry to hear about that. I am kinda in the same boat but still able to compete as an age grouper in a couple of sports. I think it is important to push yourself to compete as long as possible in life. It's a lifestyle choice which is why there is so much adult hockey going on.

 

[Jim]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

UConn has a high level club team in Alpine Skiing that competes in the McConnell Division of the USCSA, toughest in the east. The McConnell Division has all the USCSA varsity programs in the east. The UConn Invitational is January 12-13 at Jiminy Peak this year.

UConn also has a past national championship or two in Equestrian, I believe.

Over the years their polo team has won a few national championships, too, although it isn't an NCAA sport.

 

[Jim]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

Good point. And the Friends had it a good two or three days before they gave it to the press. Jim, Patman, and Kingdobbs, it looks like it may be shortly time for us to open our wallets. If it is to move to HE, I hope you will be joining me.

Oh yes.

 

[Matt75]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

The only way I see Uconn in Hockey East is if they play the Hockey East games at Hartford. The Uconn rink is too small and too far away from the fan base.

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

Not at all sure that this is good news.

Link to new AD story.

The only way I see Uconn in Hockey East is if they play the Hockey East games at Hartford. The Uconn rink is too small and too far away from the fan base.

Obviously the current rink is too small. But if they can draw 9,000 to Gample, they should be able to draw 4,000 - 5,000 to a campus rink with a nationally competitive program playing HE and big name OOC opponents.

 

[Matt75]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

9,000 for Men's & Women's basketball, Uconn will need New Haven & Fairfield counties to draw that kind of crowd no mater how good they are or who they pay in hockey.

 

[kingdobbs]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

9,000 for Men's & Women's basketball, Uconn will need New Haven & Fairfield counties to draw that kind of crowd no mater how good they are or who they pay in hockey.

As isolated as Storrs is from the population centers of Connecticut, playing closer is not an asset for hockey as it is for basketball and football (football virtually required it given the road infrastructure into and out of UConn; basketball is just easier to monetize in Hartford).

Conservatively, I estimate UConn's upper attendance bound at 3K without sustained national-level success; UConn can clear that most likely with students, outreach to Hartford area and Eastern CT youth hockey and high schools, and the regional population. Playing in Hartford will probably be a break even at best, and have the double whammy of being in front of ten thousand fans dressed as empty seats for the non-top level games (and that would be much much worse if they couldn't upgrade in time for Hockey East to take them on, or couldn't do it to HEA's standards). Frankly, if UConn can't clear 3,000 between Hartford/Tolland/Windham counties, which themselves amount to a million people, then they'll never do it with Fairfield and New Haven too.

 

[Patman]

As isolated as Storrs is from the population centers of Connecticut, playing closer is not an asset for hockey as it is for basketball and football (football virtually required it given the road infrastructure into and out of UConn; basketball is just easier to monetize in Hartford).

Conservatively, I estimate UConn's upper attendance bound at 3K without sustained national-level success; UConn can clear that most likely with students, outreach to Hartford area and Eastern CT youth hockey and high schools, and the regional population. Playing in Hartford will probably be a break even at best, and have the double whammy of being in front of ten thousand fans dressed as empty seats for the non-top level games (and that would be much much worse if they couldn't upgrade in time for Hockey East to take them on, or couldn't do it to HEA's standards). Frankly, if UConn can't clear 3,000 between Hartford/Tolland/Windham counties, which themselves amount to a million people, then they'll never do it with Fairfield and New Haven too.

I agree... Playing in Hartford is a non-starter... You can't apply football logic and if UNH or Maine can do it with a smaller population base then it's within reach.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

I agree... Playing in Hartford is a non-starter... You can't apply football logic and if UNH or Maine can do it with a smaller population base then it's within reach.

Unless you are skiing or ice fishing in Orono, there is really nothing else to do on the weekends, more of a captive audience up there. New Hampshire not quite so much. I would like to see an improved facility at the Campus between 3 and 4K. Of course it all depends on the new AD's "vision", he may be a football guy only concerned with solving the D-1 conference mess that is going on. The new boss at UCONN will certainly earn his or her pay, it is going to be interesting times for athletics at the University. As you can see with the reduced womens basketball attendance, it's all about putting a winning team on the court, field or ice.

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

The other thing, Pendergast not getting the permanent AD post, concerns me. Not sure what it means other than he must have disagreed with the Prez on something.

The only person I have met on the search committee is Tom Ritter. Really good guy. He and I once had a long discussion about bipartisanship on the sidelines of a HS soccer match that our kids were playing in. (He was the House or Senate Majority Leader in the CT legislature at the time if IIRC.) But I think he is a BB guy and may not see the importance of having an AD at least conversant in college hockey. Maybe the opportunity to rebuild ties with BC might not be lost on them though.

At the end of the day, gotta think they are focused on BB and FB though.

 

[moose97]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

What if UConn changes their logo to this:

Then will they draw well in Hartford?

 

[LTsatch]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

It's too bad that the Whalers were never as popular as their logo. It amazes me how many times that I see some kid wearing it these days. It's a nice logo, but just not sure why it became a fad? Still not as nice as the old black and silver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHO-TMBu7G4&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL1C2175E2C24037A1

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

It's too bad that the Whalers were never as popular as their logo. It amazes me how many times that I see some kid wearing it these days. It's a nice logo, but just not sure why it became a fad? Still not as nice as the old black and silver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHO-TMBu7G4&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL1C2175E2C24037A1

Somehow, the Whalers are among the top 5 NHL teams in terms of merchandise sales and have been for at least a year or two now. I was at a random hat store in Maine and Whaler hats were their top selling hat in the store.

 

[Patman]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

Unless you are skiing or ice fishing in Orono, there is really nothing else to do on the weekends, more of a captive audience up there. New Hampshire not quite so much. I would like to see an improved facility at the Campus between 3 and 4K. Of course it all depends on the new AD's "vision", he may be a football guy only concerned with solving the D-1 conference mess that is going on. The new boss at UCONN will certainly earn his or her pay, it is going to be interesting times for athletics at the University. As you can see with the reduced womens basketball attendance, it's all about putting a winning team on the court, field or ice.

In eastern CT the only option is to "go to Hartford"... in Hartford the only option is "Hartford"... people will come, Ray... people will come... but yes, BB and FB will always come first... the question is "is this a legitimate fourth" (after WBB)... I know a lot of the UConn fans want to get into lax... but lax has fewer home games. I think, however, there is a good reason to strengthen their New England profile... as a legit long term plan... if you TRULY mark yourself as New England's premier public college in the minds of those in the Northeast then you'll spike you admissions even higher than they are and start to lift the overall academic profile.

Somehow, the Whalers are among the top 5 NHL teams in terms of merchandise sales and have been for at least a year or two now. I was at a random hat store in Maine and Whaler hats were their top selling hat in the store.

I own a scarf... I'd buy a jersey if the counterfeits matched the color scheme... or if the NHL allowed a printing.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

I own a scarf... I'd buy a jersey if the counterfeits matched the color scheme... or if the NHL allowed a printing.

I believe the NHL does allow printing of them, they're sold at the NHL store in NYC.

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

I believe the NHL does allow printing of them, they're sold at the NHL store in NYC.

I think the State of Connecticut owns the logo as part of the Whalers exit settlement. I think they also own the rights to Brass Bonanza being played at hockey games. Howard Baldwin currently has an exclusive license to Brass Bonanza at CT Whale games obtained when he bought the Hartford Wolfpack and changed their name. (UConn was using Brass Bonanza at men's hockey games prior to that juncture.)

 

[kingdobbs]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

The other thing, Pendergast not getting the permanent AD post, concerns me. Not sure what it means other than he must have disagreed with the Prez on something.

It may have just been a recognition that he'd be best served, going forward, by being in an auxiliary yet important position involved in fundraising and donor management. He was appointed interim AD because he had a good relationship with donors and alumni and the skills to manage donations and funding. While that's important for an AD (and one of the biggest failings of Hathaway), UConn isn't in the position where it just needs a good financial manager. I think Herbst, looking forward, wants someone who'll help raise the profile of the AD (including "we're not just a basketball school!"), and who's had some experience working with a big time department.

At the end of the day, gotta think they are focused on BB and FB though.

We'd be foolish not to be. Football will clear a solid amount of revenue, and basketball's what we're best known for. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for hockey in that calculation.

 

[CHFAN222]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

I think as long as UCONN sees a path in which it can get hockey to at least break even in a few years at a full allotment it will do it. At the end of the day having another sport that can at least break even isn't a bad thing. I really hope UCONN is serious about this since this can really do a lot to help promote the TV brand of HE. As for Atlantic Hockey I think they should try to encourage another school such as Navy or URI to start up with a departure from UCONN or Holy Cross.

 

[redhead18]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

As for Atlantic Hockey I think they should try to encourage another school such as Navy or URI to start up with a departure from UCONN or Holy Cross.

If UConn or HC are leaving Atlantic Hockey for Hockey East, Navy would be a really good replacement and I think theres a good chance you see them start up a varsity program pretty soon, especially if a spot in the league will be opening up. This was posted on ushr a couple months ago:

With the elevation of Penn State to Div. I status and the attendant realignment that occurred this summer, a lot of college hockey fans have wondered if Navy, which ices a thriving club program, will someday be joining the ranks of Div. I teams.

The answer: there’s a very good chance. As of right now, the school has a standing offer to join Atlantic Hockey, which would bring the three service academies together in one league We can see Navy facing off against Air Force on the eve of their football game, and then facing off against Army on the eve of those two schools’ gridiron grudge match in early December.

Right now, the club program is in a somewhat similar position to that of Penn State before the Nittany Lions took the plunge. The Naval Academy has a track record in hockey – for 42 consecutive years they’ve had a squad – and the support of the administration and fans.

They also have a new arena, McMullen Arena, a gift of the late John McMullen, the former owner of the New Jersey Devils. The arena, which seats 500 and has room to expand to 3,000, is part of a spiffy on-campus athletic complex.

Navy, which hosted the NCAA Frozen Four in Washington, DC in 2010, currently competes in the ACHA Div. I level of the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association. Navy’s AD, Chet Gladchuk, does indeed get alumni pressure to elevate the program to Div. I. However, the former AD at Boston College knows exactly what is required to compete at the Div. I level, and is not going to be rushed. In other words, there will be no move until he’s sure Navy has their ducks in a row. That means funding, and college hockey is not a cheap sport.

In the meantime, Navy club hockey keeps the tradition alive. And for the right players, it’s a very good option, a chance to use hockey to open doors.

“We run our program like a Div. I program right now,” says head coach Mike Fox. “I’m always looking for players that enable us to be competitive, to get to the next level.”

“We’re narrowing the gap. We have great young talent. If we just keep going and continue to win things will fall in place in time. There are people who never thought we’d be where we are right now.”

 

[LtPowers]

Re: UConn Hires Consulting Firm

If UConn or HC are leaving Atlantic Hockey for Hockey East, Navy would be a really good replacement and I think theres a good chance you see them start up a varsity program pretty soon, especially if a spot in the league will be opening up. This was posted on ushr a couple months ago:

I would prefer to see AHA take in Alabama-Huntsville should an opening occur. Not that Navy would be a bad addition, but UAH has an existing program that needs a home.


Powers &8^]