UConn to apply to Hockey East

[johnk]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Unless I'm mistaken, BC was invited to the NCHC and wanted no part of such a thing.

BC has no desire to leave Hockey East.

Ok Tony and in 2003 I bet they had no desire to leave the Big East in other sports. If ND leaves so will the TV and with the other leagues formed, watch the domino's fall.

 

[Lazyking]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

ND is just now joining.. Their must be a clause where they have to stay a certain amount of years..

 

[Jim]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

http://www.uscho.com/2012/05/09/report-hockey-east-wants-connecticut-as-12th-member-for-2013-14/

first quote I have seen from Bruce Marshall on the topic.

This is sounding more and more like it will happen. When you have the Hockey East commissioner saying what he is saying, the UCONN AD saying what he is saying and even the coach, who has in the past always downplayed the possiblitiy in a big way, now saying what he is saying, I'm not sure how you can bet against it. I know things always can happen, but usually when something gets this far those thigns eventually get ironed out.

 

[Jim]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

AspeyDad,
Any feedback from the players?

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

This is sounding more and more like it will happen. When you have the Hockey East commissioner saying what he is saying, the UCONN AD saying what he is saying and even the coach, who has in the past always downplayed the possiblitiy in a big way, now saying what he is saying, I'm not sure how you can bet against it. I know things always can happen, but usually when something gets this far those thigns eventually get ironed out.

Time to jump through that door. If not now, then when exactly? This door is never going to open again, that is for sure.

 

[Harry Cleverly]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Time to jump through that door. If not now, then when exactly? This door is never going to open again, that is for sure.

This is the hockey version of when Holy Cross passed on joining the Big East in basketball.
How did that work out for the Cross?

UConn is getting a hockey opportunity that Holy Cross, Quinnipiac and maybe RPI would have jumped at without needing a second thought.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

This is the hockey version of when Holy Cross passed on joining the Big East in basketball.
How did that work out for the Cross?

UConn is getting a hockey opportunity that Holy Cross, Quinnipiac and maybe RPI would have jumped at without needing a second thought.

I'm not sure UConn is in the process of deciding if they want to join, but rather the logistics of joining.

And to TT's point, BU and BC were both approached last year to join the NCHC when it was being formed, and both rejected. I don't see any of the current 10 going anywhere, unless one decides to downgrade their program somewhere down the road.

 

[aparch]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

I'm not sure UConn is in the process of deciding if they want to join, but rather the logistics of joining.

And to TT's point, BU and BC were both approached last year to join the NCHC when it was being formed, and both rejected. I don't see any of the current 10 going anywhere, unless one decides to downgrade their program somewhere down the road.

What benefit did BC and BU have in joining NoDak, CC, DU, UNO, Miami, and the potential Notre Dame? Those really aren't any schools that BC/BU or their fan bases would be interested other than Notre Dame.

If the NCHC was founded by NoDak, DU, CC, UNO, tUMD, and Miami, the ACHC could be BU, BC, UNH, Maine, Notre Dame, and UConn or Vermont (or both). Those schools seem to be the most "like-minded" of the Eastern schools that match up with the NCHC.


It seems conferences don't mean a d*mn, just "recognizability" based on fan-bases of the sport.

 

[ericredaxe]

Those really aren't any schools that BC/BU or their fan bases would be interested other than Notre Dame.

The BU fan base is interested in notre dame?

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

UConn is getting a hockey opportunity that Holy Cross, Quinnipiac and maybe RPI would have jumped at without needing a second thought.

UConn is a state school. A few more stakeholders to get on board compared to private schools. But I agree, although I am not so sure about RPI being all that eager.

I do not mind if UConn and HE take their time to get it right. Just don't want them to take TOO much time.

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

the ACHC could be BU, BC, UNH, Maine, Notre Dame, and UConn or Vermont (or both).

So, we boot a bunch of teams out of Hockey East? What?

 

[mookie1995]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

The BU fan base is interested in notre dame?

*YAAAAWWWWWN*

who?

 

[Priceless]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

The BC fans are only interested in Miami and North Dakota is March and April.

 

[kingdobbs]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

So, we boot a bunch of teams out of Hockey East? What?

It would probably be "addition by subtraction", yes. If it were to be done, it would be for the purposes of television.

This is not to say that the programs themselves are a drag competitively, but now that Hockey East has its own national TV contract with NBCSN, it will be something to consider in the future. And the "elephant in the room" problem TV wise is that Hockey East has six of its current ten in the Boston DMA. Notre Dame will add a small home market, but presence in New York and Chicago (there's no doubt in my mind Notre Dame will be trying to leverage its 'subway alumni' for hockey, which is why NBCSN is fairly interested in ND hockey in the first place), and should UConn join, they add the 'best available' DMA to the HEA portfolio (Hartford-New Haven, in the top 30; HEA's current next best is Providence-New Bedford, somewhere in the 50-55 range).

With that amount of redundancy, Hockey East could probably secure a similar contract with fewer teams. Merrimack, Northeastern and UML could probably be dropped with no significant loss to the league's presence in the Boston DMA. UMA only brings Springfield with it, which is a market outside the top 100 (and made somewhat redundant being sandwiched between Boston and Hartford, DMA-wise). Hypothetically, were those four to be "left behind" from an Eastern NCHC, the per-team revenue share for that league would probably go up even if the contract itself stayed the same.

Now, if the line holds true thus far, and college hockey does not make for a significant source of ratings (read: advertising revenue), then such a possibility would be moot; if the overall contract is ****, then it doesn't matter if the per-team share is too low, because it won't be a measurable source of revenue for the teams. But I would think the "big players" in Hockey East would be foolish not to have such a plan in their back pocket.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

It would probably be "addition by subtraction", yes. If it were to be done, it would be for the purposes of television.

This is not to say that the programs themselves are a drag competitively, but now that Hockey East has its own national TV contract with NBCSN, it will be something to consider in the future. And the "elephant in the room" problem TV wise is that Hockey East has six of its current ten in the Boston DMA. Notre Dame will add a small home market, but presence in New York and Chicago (there's no doubt in my mind Notre Dame will be trying to leverage its 'subway alumni' for hockey, which is why NBCSN is fairly interested in ND hockey in the first place), and should UConn join, they add the 'best available' DMA to the HEA portfolio (Hartford-New Haven, in the top 30; HEA's current next best is Providence-New Bedford, somewhere in the 50-55 range).

With that amount of redundancy, Hockey East could probably secure a similar contract with fewer teams. Merrimack, Northeastern and UML could probably be dropped with no significant loss to the league's presence in the Boston DMA. UMA only brings Springfield with it, which is a market outside the top 100 (and made somewhat redundant being sandwiched between Boston and Hartford, DMA-wise). Hypothetically, were those four to be "left behind" from an Eastern NCHC, the per-team revenue share for that league would probably go up even if the contract itself stayed the same.

Now, if the line holds true thus far, and college hockey does not make for a significant source of ratings (read: advertising revenue), then such a possibility would be moot; if the overall contract is ****, then it doesn't matter if the per-team share is too low, because it won't be a measurable source of revenue for the teams. But I would think the "big players" in Hockey East would be foolish not to have such a plan in their back pocket.

Getting uppity before UConn is even in HEA. You're not going to get MC, NU, UML, and UMA's votes on admittance with that attitude. (You could be correct however.)

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

UConn is a state school. A few more stakeholders to get on board compared to private schools. But I agree, although I am not so sure about RPI being all that eager.

I do not mind if UConn and HE take their time to get it right. Just don't want them to take TOO much time.

I think that RPI was interested but read the tea leaves correctly long ago.

 

[Patman]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Getting uppity before UConn is even in HEA. You're not going to get MC, NU, UML, and UMA's votes on admittance with that attitude. (You could be correct however.)

I'm still a strong against until there's a firm commitment from the university... i mean, unwalk-back-able.

 

[Lazyking]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

What kind of commitment? They're probably looking right now into updating their facilities. They did so when they decided to go up to division one football, there is no reason they wouldn't for hockey. Yes, I know Hockey isn't the revenue maker but obviously you don't make this kind of jump, adding full scholarships and half *** it. That would be stupid.

 

[jjmc85]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Let's all just wait until Notre Dame joins the Big 10 and gets the hell out of Hockey East. Then we'll be back to 10 teams.

EDIT- When UMass Football joined the MAC, it was because the MAC had 13 teams (1 Football only member, Temple) and wanted 14. However, the conference (with good reason) was worried that one of the Football Only Members would leave, sticking them with 13 again. Therefore Temple, UMass and the MAC agreed to the following:
1) A 2.5 million exit fee for the first to leave.
2) If one team left, the other could get out for only $500,000
3) If one left, the other could join the conference as an all sports member at no additional cost. The idea behind this, I think, is that Temple and UMass both would have helped the MAC's basketball profile, so both would be welcomed for that reason.
4) If the other didn't join as an all sports member, the conference could give them two years notice and kick them out.

Hockey East should give UConn similar conditions. If Notre Dame leaves, Hockey East should get the right to kick UConn out with them to go back to 10. UConn does nothing to improve Hockey East's non-existant basketball profile, so there's no need to give them option 3.

 

[kingdobbs]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Getting uppity before UConn is even in HEA. You're not going to get MC, NU, UML, and UMA's votes on admittance with that attitude. (You could be correct however.)

If the presidents of any of those four institutions are going to vote based on one virtually anonymous Internet message board poster, then frankly they have greater problems than any of us could anticipate.