I'm not sure where they have room to build one and I'm sure the residents in that area will put up a fight.
In the mean time, they could play at the Xcel Center or Target Center, both are about a 10-15 minute drive from campus.
USCHO Fan Forum
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
-
The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.
Welcome St Thomas to Division I and the CCHA
- Thread starter moose97
- Start date
I'm not sure where they have room to build one and I'm sure the residents in that area will put up a fight.
In the mean time, they could play at the Xcel Center or Target Center, both are about a 10-15 minute drive from campus.
beaverhockeyfan
Well-known member
I have heard the Xcel Center has a hellish rental rate. That was part of the reason the Minnesota State High School League has had to raise their ticket prices to get out of the red.
Would the Target Center take them on?
TRIA Rink would give them 1800 seats, still below seating standards of the current WCHA, but more than what they have now. But working around Wild Practices, the Whitecaps, Hamline Men's and Women's teams and local beer leagues and youth hockey, not sure how they would get pigeon holed in.
If it's just for home games, which may be around 18 games a year, it might doable at Xcel.
When Target Center took on the Frozen Faceoff, it took the arena three days to make ice and the Thursday before to set up, for two days of hockey and Disney on Ice.
The arena still makes ice for the Disney show each year. The arena does have locker rooms directly behind each team's bench that wouldn't interfere with a lot of the basketball locker rooms.
Target Center can easily curtain off the upper level, the curtain is up all year, but the hockey press box would have to be moved. You'd probably have about 7,000 seats in that set up.
But will UST hockey draw enough fans in to make it worthwhile for either arena? Drawing fans for games against NMU and LSSU is a lot different than drawing fans for games against Mankato and Bemidji.
beaverhockeyfan
Well-known member
I can see using the lower bowl at Target or Xcel if they have a non-conference game against the Gophers or Hawks, but outside of that, and especially for conference games, anything over 4000 will probably be overkill.
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
Options are:
- Rent out an obscenely large arena (Xcel/Target Center)
- Rent out one of the Gophers’ rinks
- Continue using a high school sized arena.
What other choice do they have?
- Rent out an obscenely large arena (Xcel/Target Center)
- Rent out one of the Gophers’ rinks
- Continue using a high school sized arena.
What other choice do they have?
moose97
New member
The cheapest option would be to pay to renovate the State Fairgrounds Coliseum, which has hosted hockey for years but doesn't anymore because the ice plant needs replaced. It holds 5-6,000. And it's less than 5 miles from campus.
As for HS rinks, as discussed earlier, there are several Twin Cities metro schools that have rinks that could pass in Atlantic Hockey. I'm not sure why folks don't understand how many options there are in the Twin Cities
Sol Diablo
Active member
You bring up some good points. I'm betting they will be in good shape both short & long term.
beaverhockeyfan
Well-known member
Build new. Yes, St Thomas is land locked as a campus, but someone(s) will throw enough money around to get it done.
Ya, they'll easily find the money to build a nice arena. And if they need to play a year in the arena at the HS (which is a newish, modern arena) they'll be fine.
I can see UST competing for recruits with the Gophers and in games against them within 5-7 years. Money rules the world and they have a strong network of rich alumni.
I can see UST competing for recruits with the Gophers and in games against them within 5-7 years. Money rules the world and they have a strong network of rich alumni.
Maybe UST can build one on the old Ford plant, it's being developed right now. There's also an empty Walmart next to Allianz Field. Both are, at most, 10 minutes from the campus.
Split-N
All Hail
To the extent folks assign credibility to the US News & World Report annual college rankings, here are some 2018 tidbits re St. Thomas:
Ranking: 139 of 399 in the National Universities category
Students: 6,395
Endowment: $436.2M (remarkable for a school of this size)
Acceptance rate: 82% (umm....)
Tuition: ~$42K (a relative bargain these days)
Campus: 78 acres (Not a whole lot of room. Now I understand the previous comment (#61) about neighbors likely resisting an on-campus rink construction project.)
Ranking: 139 of 399 in the National Universities category
Students: 6,395
Endowment: $436.2M (remarkable for a school of this size)
Acceptance rate: 82% (umm....)
Tuition: ~$42K (a relative bargain these days)
Campus: 78 acres (Not a whole lot of room. Now I understand the previous comment (#61) about neighbors likely resisting an on-campus rink construction project.)
the question about the other rinks would be how many have 16-18 Friday/Saturday dates available in the October to February window and can block of 3 weekends in March for potential playoff dates. I’m sure they’ll come up with the best plan they can. Looking forward seeing them develop at the D-1 level.
As of 2019 wiki has UST at $541.6 million endowment. Still crazy when you consider the size of the school.
Split-N
All Hail
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
I get that there’s an abundance of Atlantic Hockey caliber rinks around town for the high school programs, but does anyone seriously think that’s an option for them? Like can you envision St Thomas playing at Richfield Ice Arena?
I think people put too much emphasis on endowments, especially in comparisons between private and public schools. Private schools fund themselves unlike public universities.
Don't get me wrong, they have a nice sized endowment. But to put things in perspective, Lafayette College has about 2,600 students with an endowment of over $800 million.
DavidNardolillo
Member
Would the UMN rinks be realistically available, even if there were enough open dates? In other words, would UMN choose to assist a new recruiting rival, even if it got a steep premium on rent?
DavidNardolillo
Member
I wouldn't underestimate UST's ability to raise money for specific projects, but I am not sure whether its basketball and football facilities also need upgrades for Division I.
moose97
New member
"Need"? Duquesne (Northeast Conference) football plays in a 2200 seat "stadium" and is DI. Rider (MAAC) basketball plays in a 1950 seat barn & is DI. Technically UST only "needs" a bigger barn because of conference requirements (if the CCHA has the same requirements as the WCHA) as Anchorage is playing DI hockey in a 800 seat rink
The CCHA wants St Thomas in their conference. Anyone notice how CCHA commissioner Don Lucia worked together with the current UST athletic director back at Minnesota?
The CCHA is not going to hold them over the coals about their ice rink. If UST says they’re going to figure something out, then they will. Besides, St Thomas Academy’s rink is already better than a handful of D1 rinks to begin with.
The CCHA is not going to hold them over the coals about their ice rink. If UST says they’re going to figure something out, then they will. Besides, St Thomas Academy’s rink is already better than a handful of D1 rinks to begin with.