UConn to apply to Hockey East

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

The Big 10 does not accept partial membership.

And Notre Dame's football TV contract is the stumbling block. It is very lucrative and they are not about to share it with anyone.

 

[Lazyking]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

I'm all for Uconn joining, they're a school that drives to be the best at what they do and living in the state, as a huge fan of the school and hockey, I'm looking forward to it. Like I said earlier though, I don't like the thought of games being played at XL center... but its not like the state is gonna build a state of the art arena anytime soon so I'll deal.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Notre Dame should join Big 10 hockey.

ND joining the BTHC would require ND joining the Integer in all sports, and right now, I think that's ND's option of last resort, behind something approaching standing all-sports invitations from the Big XII and the ACC.

And Notre Dame's football TV contract is the stumbling block. It is very lucrative and they are not about to share it with anyone.

ND's TV contract puts the overall media revenue for the Irish in the same ballpark as the other top-drawing schools. Although ND appears to value the partnership generally, from purely a revenue point of view, I don't think it's an impediment to the Irish going anywhere if it turns out that they need to go.

If there were some sort of contractual stumbling block, I think it would more likely be over stuff like internet rights for games.

 

[Jim]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

I am sure Minnesota and Michigan already have penciled in the trip...

I don't think the 2017 schedule is out yet...

 

[jjmc85]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

I'm all for Uconn joining, they're a school that drives to be the best at what they do and living in the state, as a huge fan of the school and hockey, I'm looking forward to it. Like I said earlier though, I don't like the thought of games being played at XL center... but its not like the state is gonna build a state of the art arena anytime soon so I'll deal.

A UConn fan in favor of this?!?!?!?!?!?!?! We get why UConn would want this. Why should anyone else want this, except to make it 12 teams instead of 11? And if we just don't want 11, there better be a "as soon as Notre Dame leaves, UConn's out too" clause.

 

[schiegs]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

A UConn fan in favor of this?!?!?!?!?!?!?! We get why UConn would want this. Why should anyone else want this, except to make it 12 teams instead of 11? And if we just don't want 11, there better be a "as soon as Notre Dame leaves, UConn's out too" clause.

Every single HE team benefits from the addition of UConn. Yes, including BC. Forget the current on-ice product, it will be completley different in five years than the present incarnation. The conference as a whole just added the second largest New England media market to its footprint, two new rivalries, and the second largest student body in New England. To assume their attendance and fan support for HE games would remain the same as it is today is myopic. The "12th team" benefit is simply the bow on the wrapping.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Unless UConn puts in place a plan to have a on Campus Arena(4500-5000 cap)...bring in a Coach...like a Bennet from Union or take a chance and go for very Motivated man in Jim Montgomery and put their program squarely in his docket...take the Hockey recruiting to another level and branch out in all directions to push the sport then this is a disaster waiting to happen...and look for Notre Dame by year 4 in Hockey East to be looking for greener pastures and bolt to the NCHC.

 

[Lazyking]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Unless UConn puts in place a plan to have a on Campus Arena(4500-5000 cap)...bring in a Coach...like a Bennet from Union or take a chance and go for very Motivated man in Jim Montgomery and put their program squarely in his docket...take the Hockey recruiting to another level and branch out in all directions to push the sport then this is a disaster waiting to happen...and look for Notre Dame by year 4 in Hockey East to be looking for greener pastures and bolt to the NCHC.

I'll take this one by one.

The plan at first is to look into upgrading the on campus arena, play at XL in meantime.

I'm not sure about coaching but lets remember the program right now is running on zero scholarships yet they've gotten players that signed to the NHL like Cole Schneider

Which brings me to the next point, they will be adding full scholarships to the hockey program if this goes through.

As for branching out, I'm not sure what that means...

I really don't see how this will be a disaster, Uconn isn't a school that throws away a sport.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

I've got good and bad news for Uconn fans.

Bad news is that Uconn is never going to be any good in hockey. Ever.

Good news is that since no one will be going to these games and no one will be watching on tv, no one will see them lose all these games.

There's always a silver lining folks!

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

In-person support for a team is a different thing entirely from potential support from a broader market area. In a way, they are quite orthogonal to each other; a person in the arena is, by definition, someone to whom a television network cannot advertise.

Witness the passing over of East Carolina football by the Big East in two successive expansions.

(Not sure that East Carolina is much of an example... No pertinent conference wants them in any sport.)

My point is that if ND is already in (a bad fit, yes,) then UConn's addition might ameliorate the situation a bit.

I'm confident that the latter's attendance won't be the problem that so many think it will be, considering their proximity to the core of HE.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

I'm confident that the latter's attendance won't be the problem that so many think it will be, considering their proximity to the core of HE.

Are you saying that the fact that BC/BU/UNH/etc fans will travel to UConn will offset the fact that UConn fans would rather watch women's basketball? That certainly makes their admission to HEA a no-brainer.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

It's certainly a better choice than a school no one outside of Troy has ever heard of.

RPI has zero national recognition, in any sport; essentially another Holy Cross in the modern era.

Live with it.

 

[Lazyking]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

its not like Uconn hockey before this time has given anyone besides current students any reason to go watch them play. They're currently running on zero scholarships so its hard to bring in anyone and they play in a conference with alot of unfamiliar teams to the rest of their athletics. I don't think attendance will be great, this state is very much a front running town but I fail to see how them joining hockey east will be a bad thing for Hockey east or Uconn.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

It's certainly a better choice than a school no one outside of Troy has ever heard of.

RPI has zero national recognition, in any sport; essentially another Holy Cross in the modern era.

Live with it.

I would take RPI in Hockey East way before UConn.

 

[fr joe]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Maybe you don't notice the signature... I spent FIVE years at UConn... THREE of those living 50 feet from Gampel. I do not trust that UConn will invest in the required items and I worry that UConn will wobble... especially given the financial problems. I don't know if UConn has gotten through their issues but they were really having problems propping up when i was headed out. Bottom line is that I want HEA to have an out clause that's exercisable if UConn does not show continued commitment to facilities... 5K seats, etc, etc. I also believe that HCC/XL is a non-starter. Sounds nice, but its not practical. Without an out clause I think they'd be extremely foolish. On the other hand, if UConn half-asses it that's good for Lowell.

Patman's words should not be overlooked; think about 'terms and conditions' and make them stick! Had HEA moved to consider and invite RPI to be their 12th member, no one would have questioned RPI's commitment to play and compete at a high level. HEA may have invited someone who is 'happy to be here' and happy to reside in the second division for years to come.

Ma#1ne Hky gets it.

 

[BC/HE]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

There is a lot more to this than simply UConn joining Hockey East. Connecticut sees it as a necessary move in case Notre Dame does join the ACC in all sports. The association with BC and Notre Dame would give them enough of a nudge to place them just above Rutgers for that coveted 16th ACC spot. If that does happen then this would be an acceptable move by Hockey East as it would cement Notre Dame in Hockey East for the long term as well. If not then perhaps Notre Dame would leave sometime down the road(I do think they will stay even in that case for at least 7 or 8 years though) and the door would re-open for a school like RPI, Holy Cross or URI to close the book on a totally intact geographic conference.

 

[fr joe]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Re: Fishman'81 and UConn being well situated to the core of the HEA fanbase...

Can't you hear Joe Bertagna at the presser now:
"I am pleased to announce that the Washington Generals have accepted an invitation to join Hockey East beginning with the 2013/14 season. And our newest member has agreed to take the role as 'the visiting team' even in games played in Hartford and in their on-campus facility in Storrs, throwing open the doors in a welcoming gesture to fans of HEA member schools. The Generals will be aggressively marketing their team on NESN under the banner 'Our home is your home. C'mon down!' "

 

[Tater]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

There is a lot more to this than simply UConn joining Hockey East. Connecticut sees it as a necessary move in case Notre Dame does join the ACC in all sports. The association with BC and Notre Dame would give them enough of a nudge to place them just above Rutgers for that coveted 16th ACC spot. If that does happen then this would be an acceptable move by Hockey East as it would cement Notre Dame in Hockey East for the long term as well. If not then perhaps Notre Dame would leave sometime down the road(I do think they will stay even in that case for at least 7 or 8 years though) and the door would re-open for a school like RPI, Holy Cross or URI to close the book on a totally intact geographic conference.

Maybe I am just being cynical, but I don't see ADs from Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Duke, etc. giving one hoot that UConn is in a hockey conference with BC and Notre Dame.

 

[johnk]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

It's certainly a better choice than a school no one outside of Troy has ever heard of.

RPI has zero national recognition, in any sport; essentially another Holy Cross in the modern era.

Live with it.

What the hell does national recognition have to do with it? Its a team with no fans, no hockey recognition, no arena and no success. Union would be a better choice than UConn and you can have the 18 scholarships! Uconn will be the 12th team and when ND leaves for the NCHC in a few years I hope HE boots them out and the AHA doesnt take them back. You draw as many fans as Alabama Huntsville so you can schedule each other 16 times to fill in you schedule.

 

[claver2010]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Every single HE team benefits from the addition of UConn. Yes, including BC. Forget the current on-ice product, it will be completley different in five years than the present incarnation. The conference as a whole just added the second largest New England media market to its footprint, two new rivalries, and the second largest student body in New England. To assume their attendance and fan support for HE games would remain the same as it is today is myopic. The "12th team" benefit is simply the bow on the wrapping.

Yeah no.

Outside of 2 wins every year there is zero benefit

Yukon is 1-23-0 all time against effing Merrimack

http://www.bcinterruption.com/2012/...ast-expansion-uconn-to-hockey-east-notre-dame