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UConn men's hockey might play in Bridgeport

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According to Mike Anthony in today's Courant, UConn is looking to schedule at least one men's ice hockey game in Bridgeport during the 2014-15 season.
 
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According to Mike Anthony in today's Courant, UConn is looking to schedule at least one men's ice hockey game in Bridgeport during the 2014-15 season.

Sacred Heart game?
 
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Sacred Heart game?

Seems like it would be a UConn home game. To quote the article, "The decision has been approved on the Bridgeport/UConn side, and now an opponent and date must be set."
 
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Seems like it would be a UConn home game. To quote the article, "The decision has been approved on the Bridgeport/UConn side, and now an opponent and date must be set."

Ah... Missed the 2014/2015 part.
 
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I want to know when an announcement will be made on the permanent home of UConn Hockey and it better be on campus.
 
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I want to know when an announcement will be made on the permanent home of UConn Hockey and it better be on campus.
I don't know if I've seen this anywhere but I have been told that part of the agreement with Hockey East is that UConn will have an on-campus venue by 2016. I've heard that even though Hockey East wanted 5000 seats minimum, they gave on that point and UConn is proposing something in the 4-4500 seat range. 4500 would put us in the middle of Hockey East Arenas. Vermont, 4000, Providence 3050, Merrimack 3000 are all smaller. Northeastern is 4600 I think. To me it is more important to have an area that is (A) on campus; and (b) intimidating, than it is to have any specific number of seats.
 
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I don't know if I've seen this anywhere but I have been told that part of the agreement with Hockey East is that UConn will have an on-campus venue by 2016. I've heard that even though Hockey East wanted 5000 seats minimum, they gave on that point and UConn is proposing something in the 4-4500 seat range. 4500 would put us in the middle of Hockey East Arenas. Vermont, 4000, Providence 3050, Merrimack 3000 are all smaller. Northeastern is 4600 I think. To me it is more important to have an area that is (A) on campus; and (b) intimidating, than it is to have any specific number of seats.

This all sounds good to me. Like Freescooter said, the home arena has to be on campus. At the same time, it would not surprise me if the occasional game gets played either in Hartford or even Bridgeport when students are on break.
 
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This all sounds good to me. Like Freescooter said, the home arena has to be on campus. At the same time, it would not surprise me if the occasional game gets played either in Hartford or even Bridgeport when students are on break.

Agree, to be successful, UConn hockey needs a home on campus (preferably as a new hockey/basketball complex, just to address two needs at once) with an occasional game in Hartford, Bridgeport, heck MSG (BU plays a game at MSG annually now).
 
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I don't know if I've seen this anywhere but I have been told that part of the agreement with Hockey East is that UConn will have an on-campus venue by 2016. I've heard that even though Hockey East wanted 5000 seats minimum, they gave on that point and UConn is proposing something in the 4-4500 seat range. 4500 would put us in the middle of Hockey East Arenas. Vermont, 4000, Providence 3050, Merrimack 3000 are all smaller. Northeastern is 4600 I think. To me it is more important to have an area that is (A) on campus; and (b) intimidating, than it is to have any specific number of seats.

I think to a degree Hockey East's seat requirements aren't really "hard limits" on what the membership would accept for a new candidate, but rather a starting point for negotiation, and what HEA was looking for more was a demonstration of commitment. Something like "Well, 4500 is probably the best we can do with the current site, and there are bigger concerns with finding other space on campus, or acquired from the town, that means it would be difficult to do any better. In the meantime, enjoy the fact that you can probably turn the XL Center into a home game for the next couple of years."
 
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I think to a degree Hockey East's seat requirements aren't really "hard limits" on what the membership would accept for a new candidate, but rather a starting point for negotiation, and what HEA was looking for more was a demonstration of commitment. Something like "Well, 4500 is probably the best we can do with the current site, and there are bigger concerns with finding other space on campus, or acquired from the town, that means it would be difficult to do any better. In the meantime, enjoy the fact that you can probably turn the XL Center into a home game for the next couple of years."
Agreed. they wanted the "right" candidate rather than the "right"number of seats.
 
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Has anyone looked at the master athletic facilities plan for campus? It was put out about 12-13 months ago. In it the soccer stadium is moving on top of the hill where the football practice field is now. The football practice field will be turned and placed directly behind Burton/Schenkman facility (making it look like a T). Baseball and softball will get basically new stadiums with lights where they are, and the added room between the football facility and where Freitas rink is now will give them the room to expand Freitas to make it bigger. According to the guidelines set forth by HE when they accepted UCONN as a member they have to present plans by either this spring or next spring for their on campus rink. They have already raised the money from soccer alumni to move the soccer field, so as soon as the hoops facility is done, I can see this project being started next. Somebody can tell me if I'm wrong on this but because of Title IX they only have to raise half the money in donations if the facilities are used by both men's and women's sports.
 
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Agree, to be successful, UConn hockey needs a home on campus (preferably as a new hockey/basketball complex, just to address two needs at once) with an occasional game in Hartford, Bridgeport, heck MSG (BU plays a game at MSG annually now).

BU plays Cornell bi-annually at MSG, and it's more of a Cornell event than BU, it's generally 60/40 CU fans at least. I would think the game in Bridgeport would really have to be an annual thing against Yale or QU, otherwise it'd be worthless. Outsourcing the BU, BC, or ND game to Bridgeport would be a mammoth failure.
 
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BU plays Cornell bi-annually at MSG, and it's more of a Cornell event than BU, it's generally 60/40 CU fans at least. I would think the game in Bridgeport would really have to be an annual thing against Yale or QU, otherwise it'd be worthless. Outsourcing the BU, BC, or ND game to Bridgeport would be a mammoth failure.


I agree that UConn would need to keep the marquee match-ups on campus (hopefully) to generate buzz amount the students, which are the key revenue generator for college hockey teams. As for Bridgeport, I agree it makes sense to find the best fit. I can even see a rotation of teams, like QU, Yale, Army, etc. plus rotate a team like ND, who has a large fan base in NYC, to Bridgeport every other year.
 
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Personally I don't love giving up a home game. Maybe a one off now and again, preferably with a non-conference opponent. if they want to make it Quiny-UConn every year, I'm ok with that I guess. But I'd prefer not to play a conference opponent at a neutral site ever.
 
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Has anyone looked at the master athletic facilities plan for campus? It was put out about 12-13 months ago. In it the soccer stadium is moving on top of the hill where the football practice field is now. The football practice field will be turned and placed directly behind Burton/Schenkman facility (making it look like a T). Baseball and softball will get basically new stadiums with lights where they are, and the added room between the football facility and where Freitas rink is now will give them the room to expand Freitas to make it bigger. According to the guidelines set forth by HE when they accepted UCONN as a member they have to present plans by either this spring or next spring for their on campus rink. They have already raised the money from soccer alumni to move the soccer field, so as soon as the hoops facility is done, I can see this project being started next. Somebody can tell me if I'm wrong on this but because of Title IX they only have to raise half the money in donations if the facilities are used by both men's and women's sports.

Link?
 
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Thanks! Note sure if I am more excited about UConn's future if this vision moves forward or more mad at Jeff Hathaway for leaving UConn in this position.
Basically what Hathaway should have been doing over time...just shows what a piss poor AD he was !!
 
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Thanks! Note sure if I am more excited about UConn's future if this vision moves forward or more mad at Jeff Hathaway for leaving UConn in this position.

I lay the blame on the lack of progress with the updating of facilities squarely with Hathaway, and that makes me mad. Everything seemed to stop under his watch. There seems to be a lot more positive movement with fundraising and such ever since he left.
 
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I lay the blame on the lack of progress with the updating of facilities squarely with Hathaway, and that makes me mad. Everything seemed to stop under his watch. There seems to be a lot more positive movement with fundraising and such ever since he left.
You have that right...just look at the basketball facility..he couldn't even raise enough money to get anything else but the plans...then he leaves and in 18 months the thing is under construction, on it's way to completion.
 
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Along the lines of the Big Ten-ACC bball challenge, this year begins the annual Hockey East-Big Ten hockey challenge. Perhaps UConn will be a part of this soon, on one side or the other.
http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/092413aac.html

I wager they plan to actually, you know, plan for it in future seasons, as opposed to just declaring already scheduled games to be part of the challenge (which is why Ohio St is markedly absent; the Buckeyes did not schedule any games against Hockey East opponents) and with Hockey East rounding off to an even 12, it would be logical for the six Big Ten teams to each play two games against two HEA opponents (or two-game series if necessary; I believe part of this is the desire to have 'pre-filled holes' in much expanded non-con scheduling, and the Big Ten teams can easily dedicate four games a year to playing Hockey East opponents).
 
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