OT: Men's Hockey Possibly to Hockey East

[freescooter]

I don't think the costof expanding Frietas is actually going to be too far out of line. Maybe not $10 million, but the construction of that building is essentially a Pre-engineered steel structure if I remember correctly and those are comparatively easy and inexpensive to expand (neither inexpensive nor simply, just comparatively so), and in fact that is one of the selling points to businesses which use them. Often the various elements are largely modular, too. that would address the seating/rink question, at least. Not so much the locker rooms and so forth.

 

[TRest]

Rich Coppola of fox 61 just said his "sources" told him it was a done deal, with Malloy's approval. Unfortunately, Malloy wants all home games at XL, which is asinine. I would be surprised if HE goes along with that.

 

[HuskyFan16]

why would there need to be approval on malloy's part unless there was state bond issuance? if all the games were at xl then that makes that issue moot, and even if the school had to raise the 10 mil, you would think that donations would be on the uptick and that could be raised privately if the move to HE was announced?

 

[UCONNJACK]

why would there need to be approval on malloy's part unless there was state bond issuance? if all the games were at xl then that makes that issue moot, and even if the school had to raise the 10 mil, you would think that donations would be on the uptick and that could be raised privately if the move to HE was announced?

Malloy is the President of the UConn Board of Trustees. He doesn't attend all the meeting but he does have a member of his staff at every board meeting. He definitely has a strong influence over the direction UConn is heading.

 

[HuskyFan16]

ya but didnt the board of trustees give the president the power to deal with conference affiliation issues?

 

[kibblesnbits]

If it was a move from one third tier hockey conference to another it would probably just be handled inside the AD's office. However, this is a major step up that will require significant capital and operating investments plus increased scholarships so it undoubtedly requires input and approval at the president and BoT levels. Hockey is an inexpensive sport and competing at the HE level is in the top tier of college hockey programs, so UConn is probably looking at it becoming the one of the largest program budgets after FB and the two BB programs. That's an investment that must be signed off at the highest levels.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Hockey is by no means an inexpensive sport. Facility construction and maintenance, equipment, etc. alone grossly outweigh basketball, and rival football. There's a reason only 59 schools now have programs.

 

[epark88]

Hockey is by no means an inexpensive sport. Facility construction and maintenance, equipment, etc. alone grossly outweigh basketball, and rival football. There's a reason only 59 schools now have programs.

By the context of his post, I'm guessing he really meant 'expensive'...

 

[freescooter]

Hockey is by no means an inexpensive sport. Facility construction and maintenance, equipment, etc. alone grossly outweigh basketball, and rival football. There's a reason only 59 schools now have programs.

I agree that it is fairly expensive, but not too sure that it is crazily so. the real costs are the upfront ones since you need a rink. After that, it is probably more costly than some sports but less than lots of others, and beyond that the costs to a degree balance out. Aty least in the northeast travel is modest at best. most games are a bus ride...UCONN spends under 100,ooo per year on travel and goes to colorado one year and usually another midwestern site for a tourney in non-Air Force years. Hockey East teams average less than $100,000 in travel too. The other huge saving is in coaching costs. I don't know exactly what Calhoun gets, but the range for a top tier ice hockey coach is well under $500,000, about half of what a mediocre Big East Coach gets. Frankly, I think the reason there are only 59 D1 hockey schools has more to do with the fact that its a regional northeastern, upper midwestern niche sport if you will. That is where people grow up playing it. it is where people understnad it and its where it has its greatest appeal. It isn't unlike lacrosse which is played at the D-1 level mainly in the great lakes region, the middle Atlantic and in New England mostly, though not exclusivley, at private schools. In fact it is a pretty good comparison since there are only 61 D-1 lacrosse programs. Not too many in Texas, for example. Not too many hockey programs south of the Mason Dixon line mostly because it isn't 'part of the culture." And because until pretty recently they didn't have ice in the winter...that, not cost is the major factor why it is a regional sport.

 

[CTHUSKY74]

This move could potentially be very positive for us if supported correctly by the administration and the fans. With football, the move to big-time football brought many new fans to the team. Hopefully this would occur here. There are probably hockey fans in the state who are not UCONN fans who would probably support HE level play here. Maybe right now the best they can see is minor league hockey. Possibly we can get a new group of fans to jump on board. My question has to do with what type of Title IX balancing would we have to do to allow the scholarships men's hockey? Are there women's teams that we could expand scholarships on or would we have to actually field new sports? Does anyone know what that would add to the cost estimates? Is it prohibitive?

 

[kingdobbs]

This move could potentially be very positive for us if supported correctly by the administration and the fans. With football, the move to big-time football brought many new fans to the team. Hopefully this would occur here. There are probably hockey fans in the state who are not UCONN fans who would probably support HE level play here. Maybe right now the best they can see is minor league hockey. Possibly we can get a new group of fans to jump on board. My question has to do with what type of Title IX balancing would we have to do to allow the scholarships men's hockey? Are there women's teams that we could expand scholarships on or would we have to actually field new sports? Does anyone know what that would add to the cost estimates? Is it prohibitive?

The Stafford report indicated that 14.6 scholarship equivalencies were required, and that the gap could be made up by adding more scholarships to women's tennis (to the NCAA max) and women's rowing.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

The Stafford report indicated that 14.6 scholarship equivalencies were required, and that the gap could be made up by adding more scholarships to women's tennis (to the NCAA max) and women's rowing.

Uconn has a women's rowing team??? and a women's tennis team???

 

[kingdobbs]

Uconn has a women's rowing team??? and a women's tennis team???

Surprisingly enough, women play other sports than basketball at UConn.

 

[danlow1963]

Surprisingly enough, women play other sports than basketball at UConn.

They sure do, my daughter is on the UConn rowing team so I know they exist, and so do they every morning when they catch their bus at 5 am for practice for both fall and spring seasons, plus lifting and workouts 6 days a week year round. I'm thrilled at the idea of the team getting more scholarships. Right now their competing against numerous D1 teams with more than double their scholarships and this past week they won 5 out of 6 races against Marist and Trinity. The committment of these young women is incredible.

 

[TRest]

Uconn has a women's rowing team??? and a women's tennis team???

I once met a women's crew member at UConn who watched her club team go to scholarship overnight because of the football upgrade. The men's club team was not pleased.

 

[Rumrunner]

UConn is way too honest, much like its APR reporting. UConn should just do what USF does:


"At the University of South Florida, more than half of the 71 women on the cross-country roster failed to run a race in 2009. Asked about it, a few laughed and said they did not know they were on the team....

But university officials tried anyway. A primary strategy was to expand the women’s running teams. Female runners can be a bonanza because a single athlete can be counted up to three times, as a member of the cross-country and the indoor and outdoor track teams.

In 2002, 21 South Florida women competed in cross-country. By 2008, the number had grown to 75 —more than quadruple the size of an average Division I cross-country team.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/sports/26titleix.html?pagewanted=all

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

http://www.ctnow.com/videogallery/69198812/Sports/uconn-moves-to-hockey-east-04/03#pl-62894825

According to Coppola, it's a done deal. And of course, Malloy wants all home games at the XL Center. I really can't see HE liking that as a long term solution. It would be TERRIBLE for the development of the program. Just plain freaking awful.

Edit: Multiple actual college hockey reporters are saying it is NOT a done deal and nothing is imminent. These reporters have actual sources within HE and other HE programs.

 

[TRest]

http://www.ctnow.com/videogallery/69198812/Sports/uconn-moves-to-hockey-east-04/03#pl-62894825

According to Coppola, it's a done deal. And of course, Malloy wants all home games at the XL Center. I really can't see HE liking that as a long term solution. It would be TERRIBLE for the development of the program. Just plain freaking awful.

Edit: Multiple actual college hockey reporters are saying it is NOT a done deal and nothing is imminent. These reporters have actual sources within HE and other HE programs.

Coppola played HS hockey in Hamden or West Haven or god-know's-where 40 years ago so his sources are impeccable.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The hockey writers arent saying UConn *isnt* in, just that no decision has been made. In fact, many believe UConn will be team 12.

 

[TRest]

I am dogging Coppola, just in case you didn't know.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Oh, I know, I'm just adding it regardless. I know Coppola has garbage for sources on this.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Coppola played HS hockey in Hamden or West Haven or god-know's-where 40 years ago so his sources are impeccable.

I'm fairly sure Coppola played high school hockey for a Division II-reach of an East Haven program. So, it was geographically close yet not remotely on par with Hamden let alone even West Haven now and especially back when he played. If not mistaken, he may have played for a club or possibly Division 3 or maybe 2 level Quinnipiac College team. Again, a big step down from the current day and Quinnipiac's ECAC program.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I'm guessing this is someone within UConn leaking some kind of information out. I do not believe for one second that Coppola has a legitimate source within Hockey East. I also cannot believe that the conference took a vote the day before the Frozen Four starts (today), especially with a team participating, and all of the coaches down in Tampa for it. Maybe next week at the earliest something will come out on the progression of this.

 

[freescooter]

My guess is that this has been in the works in one way or another for a while now and both sides have a general agreement on how it will work out. While it could certainly still fall apart, I would guess that all sides are more or less on board and while there is no "official" decision, much like Texas A&M to the B-12, it is going to happen at some point. Makes too much sense, really.

 

[UCONNJACK]

My guess is that this has been in the works in one way or another for a while now and both sides have a general agreement on how it will work out. While it could certainly still fall apart, I would guess that all sides are more or less on board and while there is no "official" decision, much like Texas A&M to the B-12, it is going to happen at some point. Makes too much sense, really.

Hartford Courant reported within the past two hours that there are positive vibes between HE and UConn. UConn will decide within the next several days and that HE will offer UConn membership if the decision is yes. Unable to upload article.