Another Reason BC May Not Want UConn in the ACC:

[UConnJim]

Ice Hockey. According to ACC bylaws, I think, if 4 teams in the ACC sponsor a varsity sport, it must be in the ACC. (Of course, they could change the bylaws or make an exception for hockey.) Currently, the ACC has 1 men's varsity hockey playing school and will go to 2 with ND joining. In women's hockey, the ACC will have 3 schools playing varsity hockey with Syracuse joining. If UConn joined, that would mean 3 schools play men's varsity hockey and 4 schools play women's varsity hockey. According to the bylaws, the women's hockey teams would have to join the ACC. Second, Syracuse may want to upgrade their men's programs to varsity, and if UConn was in the conference, they would have 4 men's varsity hockey schools in the ACC and they would have to join the ACC for hockey. There is also a possibility of Pitt upgrading hockey to varsity in the future.

Joining an ACC hockey conference is a non-starter for BC as this is the most popular and successful athletic program at BC. Sure, they could continue to play rivals, but not as many times in the future. I am sure BC's athletics administration has thought about this and they fully understand how upset the alumni would be if they ever did have to join the ACC for hockey.

There are other schools in the ACC (Duke, UNC, NC St., and Virginia) that play club hockey today in the ACC Hockey League, so there is a chance that a school may upgrade in the future.

 

[WestHartHusk]

There is no way this would be a hold up. We would kill the hockey program tomorrow if it meant getting in the ACC. The real problem is BC sucks at every sport but hockey and it is a lot easier to convince yourself otherwise if they don't have to take their licks from us head-to-head. Some day that wall will crash and BC will assume their proper role in New England, which, ironically, is doggie-style.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Those ACC by-laws would be immediately changed, as that four team conference would not get an auto bid to the NCAA, plus a league of BC, UConn, ND, and Syracuse would be a monumental downgrade for the BC program. While a move to the B1G hockey conference would be bad for the program, it wouldn't be much of a competitive downgrade at all, and the hockey people would go along with it. I can assure you if they left Hockey East for an "ACC" league of UConn, ND, and Cuse, Jerry York and his entire staff would probably all retire immediately, and their hockey profits (of which they have a fairly good amount) would all go out the window, as would their recruiting power. Every major recruit would go to BU, UNH, the major western schools, and maybe even Northeastern to play against better competition, on TV more frequently, etc. There's also no way they'd leave the national TV contract with NBC that HE has, in addition to the plethora of NESN/CBS Sports games. None of those southern schools are anywhere near adding an NCAA D1 program, there are club teams at nearly every university in the country. ACC hockey isn't happening, and BC (supposedly) voted us into HE, this is a non-factor with respect to our prospects with the ACC.

 

[kingdobbs]

Notre Dame doesn't have a women's hockey team.

 

[Dann]

guys, the acc.

 

[UConnJim]

Those ACC by-laws would be immediately changed, as that four team conference would not get an auto bid to the NCAA, plus a league of BC, UConn, ND, and Syracuse would be a monumental downgrade for the BC program. While a move to the B1G hockey conference would be bad for the program, it wouldn't be much of a competitive downgrade at all, and the hockey people would go along with it. I can assure you if they left Hockey East for an "ACC" league of UConn, ND, and Cuse, Jerry York and his entire staff would probably all retire immediately, and their hockey profits (of which they have a fairly good amount) would all go out the window, as would their recruiting power. Every major recruit would go to BU, UNH, the major western schools, and maybe even Northeastern to play against better competition, on TV more frequently, etc. There's also no way they'd leave the national TV contract with NBC that HE has, in addition to the plethora of NESN/CBS Sports games. None of those southern schools are anywhere near adding an NCAA D1 program, there are club teams at nearly every university in the country. ACC hockey isn't happening, and BC (supposedly) voted us into HE, this is a non-factor with respect to our prospects with the ACC.

Agree with you. Remember, this is ANOTHER reason, not the main reason BC wouldn't want us in the ACC. Yes, we got voted into Hockey East, but BC wants to play in Hockey East, not the ACC. And, I was wrong about ND, they have a club women's team. Still, UConn would be the third men and women's team which means one other team would hit the magical 4. Sure, bylaws could be changed, but do you think anyone in the ACC would care about BC's problem? I live in Boston and this issue was brought up when UConn was rumored to be the replacement for Maryland. Given the importance of ice hockey at BC (it is at least as important to BC as men's basketball is to UConn), they have to protect one of their most valuable assets.

 

[RMoore1999]

Ice Hockey. According to ACC bylaws, I think, if 4 teams in the ACC sponsor a varsity sport, it must be in the ACC. (Of course, they could change the bylaws or make an exception for hockey.) Currently, the ACC has 1 men's varsity hockey playing school and will go to 2 with ND joining. In women's hockey, the ACC will have 3 schools playing varsity hockey with Syracuse joining. If UConn joined, that would mean 3 schools play men's varsity hockey and 4 schools play women's varsity hockey. According to the bylaws, the women's hockey teams would have to join the ACC. Second, Syracuse may want to upgrade their men's programs to varsity, and if UConn was in the conference, they would have 4 men's varsity hockey schools in the ACC and they would have to join the ACC for hockey. There is also a possibility of Pitt upgrading hockey to varsity in the future.

Joining an ACC hockey conference is a non-starter for BC as this is the most popular and successful athletic program at BC. Sure, they could continue to play rivals, but not as many times in the future. I am sure BC's athletics administration has thought about this and they fully understand how upset the alumni would be if they ever did have to join the ACC for hockey.

There are other schools in the ACC (Duke, UNC, NC St., and Virginia) that play club hockey today in the ACC Hockey League, so there is a chance that a school may upgrade in the future.

"this is the most popular and successful athletic program at BC"

Replace "most" with "only", and you have it about right....

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Agree with you. Remember, this is ANOTHER reason, not the main reason BC wouldn't want us in the ACC. Yes, we got voted into Hockey East, but BC wants to play in Hockey East, not the ACC. And, I was wrong about ND, they have a club women's team. Still, UConn would be the third men and women's team which means one other team would hit the magical 4. Sure, bylaws could be changed, but do you think anyone in the ACC would care about BC's problem? I live in Boston and this issue was brought up when UConn was rumored to be the replacement for Maryland. Given the importance of ice hockey at BC (it is at least as important to BC as men's basketball is to UConn), they have to protect one of their most valuable assets.

It wouldn't be that the other ACC schools wouldn't care about BC not wanting to join, it would put all four schools in the conference at a MAJOR competitive disadvantage to not have an autobid. All four, including ND, would not want it. Autobids are extremely important in college hockey.

 

[Fishy]

We'd tie the hockey team to a boulder and drop them in the Sound if they were the cause of any realignment friction.

 

[uconnfan68]

We'd tie the hockey team to a boulder and drop them in the Sound if they were the cause of any realignment friction.

Not Mirror Lake?

 

[upstater]

I have to wonder why schools like Buffalo and UMass are even bothering with football. Go all out on hockey and you'll have some campus spirit. The hockey season goes from October to April!!

 

[Adios]

I have to wonder why schools like Buffalo and UMass are even bothering with football. Go all out on hockey and you'll have some campus spirit. The hockey season goes from October to April!!

FBS level football programs are essential for an athletic department to be at the top of the pyramid. Especially in the future.

 

[upstater]

FBS level football programs are essential for an athletic department to be at the top of the pyramid. Especially in the future.

Top of what pyramid? I don't get it. Certainly not the hockey pyramid. A school like North Dakota will continue to excel at hockey no matter what.

 

[Adios]

Top of what pyramid? I don't get it. Certainly not the hockey pyramid. A school like North Dakota will continue to excel at hockey no matter what.

The athletics department pyramid. Right now, UND is FCS. They have the potential to go FBS when the market for natural resources here develops more.

 

[The Funster]

Yeah, it's a matter of perspective.

 

[The Funster]

Why would any school want to go FBS anyways? The best one can hope for is to get backstabbed by "like-minded" institutions. Add in a dash of grandstanding, a sprinkle of collegial subterfuge, and a smarmy smirk from Greg Marmalard and you have...?

Here's my Christmas prediction: college athletics, FBS football in particular, is gonna be the cart that got too big for the horse. There will be a jumping off point that most FBS schools are going to turn away from. Those that take the leap of faith will get their asses handed to them because they won't be in anything resembling college athletics anymore. The rest of us will return to an era of competition and old rivalries and will be happier for it. The more I've talked to people and looked into things, the more I say, "Be careful what you wish for."

 

[kingdobbs]

Top of what pyramid? I don't get it. Certainly not the hockey pyramid. A school like North Dakota will continue to excel at hockey no matter what.

Few schools also draw fans and merchandising dollars like North Dakota's hockey team. Having an attendance of 6000 fans or so, in college hockey, puts you in the top 10 for Division I, and you have to be seriously elite to break 10K (only 5 teams, all out west, play in arenas 10K or larger, and two of them, Nebraska-Omaha and Ohio State, don't fill them anywhere near 50% of capacity). Unless you want to be a small-time AD like North Dakota or New Hampshire (and make no mistake, they are small-time), you can't build with hockey as your cornerstone (and I say this as a true enthusiast of the college game).

UMass made the call to try FBS football because although the chance of making it be a profitable cornerstone is low, the potential rewards are too big not to at least give it a shot.

 

[Vowelguy]

There are other schools in the ACC (Duke, UNC, NC St., and Virginia) that play club hockey today in the ACC Hockey League, so there is a chance that a school may upgrade in the future.

Uhhh ... No.

There's barely any interest in college hockey below NYC - certainly not below DC.

 

[upstater]

Few schools also draw fans and merchandising dollars like North Dakota's hockey team. Having an attendance of 6000 fans or so, in college hockey, puts you in the top 10 for Division I, and you have to be seriously elite to break 10K (only 5 teams, all out west, play in arenas 10K or larger, and two of them, Nebraska-Omaha and Ohio State, don't fill them anywhere near 50% of capacity). Unless you want to be a small-time AD like North Dakota or New Hampshire (and make no mistake, they are small-time), you can't build with hockey as your cornerstone (and I say this as a true enthusiast of the college game).

UMass made the call to try FBS football because although the chance of making it be a profitable cornerstone is low, the potential rewards are too big not to at least give it a shot.

Build what? What are you guys talking about? I'm talking about UMass and Buffalo here. You want them to build a national athletic reputation? I'm talking about excelling at a sport for campus spirit. We all well know hockey is considered small-time, but winning at hockey can mean a lot for a school. Besides, Buffalo is a hockey hotbed. I would not be surprised at all to see them getting 6,000 per game.

 

[upstater]

Why would any school want to go FBS anyways? The best one can hope for is to get backstabbed by "like-minded" institutions. Add in a dash of grandstanding, a sprinkle of collegial subterfuge, and a smarmy smirk from Greg Marmalard and you have...?

Here's my Christmas prediction: college athletics, FBS football in particular, is gonna be the cart that got too big for the horse. There will be a jumping off point that most FBS schools are going to turn away from. Those that take the leap of faith will get their asses handed to them because they won't be in anything resembling college athletics anymore. The rest of us will return to an era of competition and old rivalries and will be happier for it. The more I've talked to people and looked into things, the more I say, "Be careful what you wish for."

If you hitch your horse to the SEC, you're in for a helluva ride.

 

[The Funster]

If you hitch your horse to the SEC, you're in for a helluva ride.

I think the SEC would embrace it more than most. Are they football crazy enough to root for what will evolve to be NFL Developmental teams?

 

[upstater]

I think the SEC would embrace it more than most. Are they football crazy enough to root for what will evolve to be NFL Developmental teams?

Yes. I really believe they will support it wholeheartedly.