Notre Dame headed to B1G for Hockey

[ct06111]

Not debating the choice. The question is why the delay in announcing them? Especially if this choice is such a slam dunk? Logistical reasons, I can understand.

I believe the delay relates to ASU's hockey barn. They currently play in a <800 capacity barn. Plans were to renovate it as of 1/30/2015.
http://www.houseofsparky.com/2015/1...-hockey-oceanside-ice-arena-renovation-update

That may change...

Recently, the Arizona Coyotes may be kicked out of Gila River Arena in Glendale after the COG(city of Glendale) voided a 15 year contract between the city and yotes by hiring a former Ice Arizona employee. The COG did this on purpose to get out of a 15 million a year management fee/subsidy paid to ice Arizona for running and managing the team while IA gets the subsidy and pretty much all other revenues other than paying rent. Stupid deal initially for COG, but smart to get out. Bond rating for city went up

Now, tony Leblanc and other fake owners (really the NHL) no longer can survive or afford all the losses without the 15 million arena management fee. They are trying avoid a lame duck season and telling fans they are going to partner with ASU and build a new NHL arena that will house ASU and the yotes.
http://howlinhockey.com/2016/01/31/...hip-with-arizona-state-in-tempe-seems-likely/

I could see the yotes relocating to Vegas or...

With a B1G invite, I could see them partnering with yotes and building a dual use arena for ASU sports and NHL hockey in Tempe. kinda like how were dreaming of a major tenant and uconn in new renovated arena in Hartford.

So, I think it's still up in the air where ASU will play. Unless ocean side gets renovated, they will still play most games @ GRA

 

[DarthGrumpy]

First domino to fall in this scenario will be if the B12 expands and gets Texas to roll the LHN into a B12 Network. If that happens it will be interesting to see what goes next.

Or the opposite. Texas digs its spurs in on maintaining the LHN's independents and Oklahoma puts a 'fore sale' sign out for its services with Kansas and maybe OK State following right behind.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

That would be a violation of their terms of membership in the ACC. If the ACC had a hockey conference this would be a moot point....with BC and ND required to be members.

Looking at the history of ND, there is no way they signed a GOR or whatever with the ACC that does not give them a loophole to get out if its in their best interests to do so.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I would, if I was UConn. Any kind of association with a P5 conference, especially the B1G, would make the other conferences think twice about waiting it out on UConn. It can only be good, especially if there are financial gains to be made.

It may also provide enough funding and interest to push forward with expanding the Rent to +50K, which will eventually be needed of UConn joins any P5/P4 conference.

 

[Ldandy]

There are ZERO competitive benchmarks that UCONN should need to meet in order to join the The B1G from an athletic perspective. They meet it, they have met it for 10+ years. Anyone saying otherwise is either a hater or brain damaged.

The only membership UCONN should accept from The B1G is a full membership. The only stipulation I would place on them would be a promise to upgrade Lacrosse at a point in the future.

 

[dayooper]

There are ZERO competitive benchmarks that UCONN should need to meet in order to join the The B1G from an athletic perspective. They meet it, they have met it for 10+ years. Anyone saying otherwise is either a hater or brain damaged.

The only membership UCONN should accept from The B1G is a full membership. The only stipulation I would place on them would be a promise to upgrade Lacrosse at a point in the future.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[DudeOfCT]

This must grind Swofford's gears. I'm sure he didn't think he'd have to put up with a B1G logo (or BTN) on ND's campus.

Best post ever

 

[FDNY99]

Looking at the history of ND, there is no way they signed a GOR or whatever with the ACC that does not give them a loophole to get out if its in their best interests to do so.

They actually were required to sign a GOR for their olympic sports that compete in the ACC. They will owe a $50 Million buyout if they leave the conference. Football and hockey are the 2 sports that don't compete in the ACC.

 

[TerryD]

It's obvious to me that Notre Dame has been desperate to Big Ten for quite some time now. I think they made the move in the hopes that it might open the door to join the Big Ten at some time in the future. Seems desperate to me, but I wish them well.

The word is that it was the Big Ten who approached ND and changed its "all or nothing" stance.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I believe the delay relates to ASU's hockey barn. They currently play in a <800 capacity barn. Plans were to renovate it as of 1/30/2015.
http://www.houseofsparky.com/2015/1...-hockey-oceanside-ice-arena-renovation-update

That may change...

Recently, the Arizona Coyotes may be kicked out of Gila River Arena in Glendale after the COG(city of Glendale) voided a 15 year contract between the city and yotes by hiring a former Ice Arizona employee. The COG did this on purpose to get out of a 15 million a year management fee/subsidy paid to ice Arizona for running and managing the team while IA gets the subsidy and pretty much all other revenues other than paying rent. Stupid deal initially for COG, but smart to get out. Bond rating for city went up

Now, tony Leblanc and other fake owners (really the NHL) no longer can survive or afford all the losses without the 15 million arena management fee. They are trying avoid a lame duck season and telling fans they are going to partner with ASU and build a new NHL arena that will house ASU and the yotes.
http://howlinhockey.com/2016/01/31/...hip-with-arizona-state-in-tempe-seems-likely/

I could see the yotes relocating to Vegas or...

With a B1G invite, I could see them partnering with yotes and building a dual use arena for ASU sports and NHL hockey in Tempe. kinda like how were dreaming of a major tenant and uconn in new renovated arena in Hartford.

So, I think it's still up in the air where ASU will play. Unless ocean side gets renovated, they will still play most games @ GRA

The Cayotes are building a New Area in the East Valley. The west valley was a huge mistake for them.
The land was donated by the Salt River Pima's between Scottsdale and Mesa
Not too far from Tempe.

 

[Ha Who]

Posted this in non key tweets by mistake

Only in the world of Karmanos and Bettman would ASU make sense. Hopefully, the Big is smarter than the NHL

 

[CL82]

The word is that it was the Big Ten who approached ND and changed its "all or nothing" stance.

 

[NYUConn]

The ASU addition makes sense at first glance, but once you peel back the layers I can't see how it's a good idea. The red flags that I see:

• Arizona State is far, far away from the other B1G Hockey programs. You're asking the existing programs to commit to playing at least one additional game 1,000+ miles away from campus. That's not a cheap endeavor to bring players, coaches, equipment across the country. It's not crippling, but you're talking a significant expense for something that isn't a preseason tournament and has conference championship (and by extension Frozen Four) implications.
• Arizona doesn't care about hockey. The Coyotes are 29/30 in attendance this season and haven't crept out of the bottom 5 in league attendance since 2006-07 when they were 24th.
• The B1G alums living in Arizona are on a fixed income. This isn't like when the B1G added Rutgers because they knew they had hundreds of thousands of alumni in the greater NYC-area aged 23-55. Arizona's B1G alums I would imagine are probably senior citizens who have retired there. You're telling me these folks are going to pack arenas and shell out hundreds of dollars per season ticket? No way, maybe they'll by an individual game when their alma mater is in town, but ASU is going to struggle to sell season tickets.

I may be wrong and ASU may get the nod as team 8, but I would be very weary of them if I were a B1G school president.

 

[Afroabe224]

The ASU addition makes sense at first glance, but once you peel back the layers I can't see how it's a good idea. The red flags that I see:

• Arizona State is far, far away from the other B1G Hockey programs. You're asking the existing programs to commit to playing at least one additional game 1,000+ miles away from campus. That's not a cheap endeavor to bring players, coaches, equipment across the country. It's not crippling, but you're talking a significant expense for something that isn't a preseason tournament and has conference championship (and by extension Frozen Four) implications.
• Arizona doesn't care about hockey. The Coyotes are 29/30 in attendance this season and haven't crept out of the bottom 5 in league attendance since 2006-07 when they were 24th.
• The B1G alums living in Arizona are on a fixed income. This isn't like when the B1G added Rutgers because they knew they had hundreds of thousands of alumni in the greater NYC-area aged 23-55. Arizona's B1G alums I would imagine are probably senior citizens who have retired there. You're telling me these folks are going to pack arenas and shell out hundreds of dollars per season ticket? No way, maybe they'll by an individual game when their alma mater is in town, but ASU is going to struggle to sell season tickets.

I may be wrong and ASU may get the nod as team 8, but I would be very weary of them if I were a B1G school president.

To be fair, ND/Michigan/Michigan St./Ohio St. all played in the CCHA with Alaska Fairbanks which makes Phoenix look like a day trip! Also, I think recruiting-wise promising a yearly vacation out of the mid-west winter could help bring kids to the B1G schools (if uniform style has an impact, it's worth a shot).

And just like the rest of the moves they have made, if they can get the BTN rolling in Pac-12 country that is a huge bonus for the conference even if it doesn't rake in NYC money.

 

[Whale22]

That's so simple I can't understand it at all.

After I read it for a fifth time I got it.

Notre Dame one of 6 from HE making NCAA tourney this year. Penn State arguably just as good as ND but the B1G with an awful Wisconsin and Ohio St crushed the B1G pairwise which is all that matters for selection to tourney. Does ND make it playing a "weaker" B1G schedule this past year? What happens with NBCSports ND hockey contract?

 

[Jimbo]

Okay, let's play more hypothetical games....

Let's say the B1G offered UConn a Notre Dame/ACC style of package, until UConn is AAU or the B1G feels completely confident in its football program remaining competitive. All sports invite except for a 5-game B1G football scheduling deal for the "interim" (interim = anywhere between 0-15 years). The payout would obviously be less than full share but even a partial B1G payment would roundhouse any full AAC payment we are scheduled to receive. Would UConn accept that?

I think UConn would have to take that deal, and the increased payout is the primary reason why. Someone with more knowledge in this area can correct me if I'm wrong, but UConn's budget situation appears to be a real problem. It seems to me that we're spending money on athletics to try to maintain a P5-level athletic department even though we don't have P5 revenue coming in. Personally, as an alumnus and a fan, I approve of that strategy for as long as we can sustain it (particularly as it relates to our efforts to look attractive as a P5 expansion candidate), but I worry that it may not be financially viable for very long. Accepting the provisional Big 10 membership you propose would probably go a long way toward alleviating that problem. Plus, the step-up in conference affiliation across most sports except hockey probably helps recruiting, and I'd have to think even a partial Big 10 schedule increases the football program's exposure and stature. In almost every way, I think this hypothetical situation would be better than our current one, even if we'd be stuck in limbo for a while as far as permanent full membership.

But as long as we're hypothesizing… If UConn ever entered into such an arrangement with the Big 10, what would happen if another conference came calling during the "interim"? Better to accept full membership in the Big 12 or ACC then, or wait it out and hope the Big 10 eventually brings UConn's football team into the fold?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Given we only heard about ND yesterday, we can hardly call the lack of an announcement of another team a "delay".

FWIW, it appears you "... only heard about ND yesterday". The ND hockey to B1G rumor's been floating about for some time.

 

[CallMeBruce]

FWIW, it appears you "... only heard about ND yesterday". The ND hockey to B1G rumor's been floating about for some time.

Yeah, and there are rumors floating around about ASU and UConn, as well. But they haven't made an official announcement. Which they did about ND yesterday. Which is what he was talking about.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

To be fair, ND/Michigan/Michigan St./Ohio St. all played in the CCHA with Alaska Fairbanks which makes Phoenix look like a day trip! Also, I think recruiting-wise promising a yearly vacation out of the mid-west winter could help bring kids to the B1G schools (if uniform style has an impact, it's worth a shot).

And just like the rest of the moves they have made, if they can get the BTN rolling in Pac-12 country that is a huge bonus for the conference even if it doesn't rake in NYC money.

What does a fixed income have to do with.
the level an income is fixed at is variable.
No or very little mortgage , low property taxes , no worry about tuitions, or even saving for retirement all tend to increase descrisionary

I believe the delay relates to ASU's hockey barn. They currently play in a <800 capacity barn. Plans were to renovate it as of 1/30/2015.
http://www.houseofsparky.com/2015/1...-hockey-oceanside-ice-arena-renovation-update

That may change...

Recently, the Arizona Coyotes may be kicked out of Gila River Arena in Glendale after the COG(city of Glendale) voided a 15 year contract between the city and yotes by hiring a former Ice Arizona employee. The COG did this on purpose to get out of a 15 million a year management fee/subsidy paid to ice Arizona for running and managing the team while IA gets the subsidy and pretty much all other revenues other than paying rent. Stupid deal initially for COG, but smart to get out. Bond rating for city went up

Now, tony Leblanc and other fake owners (really the NHL) no longer can survive or afford all the losses without the 15 million arena management fee. They are trying avoid a lame duck season and telling fans they are going to partner with ASU and build a new NHL arena that will house ASU and the yotes.
http://howlinhockey.com/2016/01/31/...hip-with-arizona-state-in-tempe-seems-likely/

I could see the yotes relocating to Vegas or...

With a B1G invite, I could see them partnering with yotes and building a dual use arena for ASU sports and NHL hockey in Tempe. kinda like how were dreaming of a major tenant and uconn in new renovated arena in Hartford.

So, I think it's still up in the air where ASU will play. Unless ocean side gets renovated, they will still play most games @ GRA

 

[TerryD]

After I read it for a fifth time I got it.

Notre Dame one of 6 from HE making NCAA tourney this year. Penn State arguably just as good as ND but the B1G with an awful Wisconsin and Ohio St crushed the B1G pairwise which is all that matters for selection to tourney. Does ND make it playing a "weaker" B1G schedule this past year? What happens with NBCSports ND hockey contract?

My understanding is that ND retains the NBC Sports contract for its home games and its away games will be on the BTN.

 

[jimva]

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Completely disagree. Take the chance to get our foot in the door any way we can. We know realignment isn’t over and if we want a marriage proposal it is better to be dating at the time than not.

 

[huskymedic]

As Notre Dame moves to a more like-minded fit, what is next for Big Ten and college hockey?
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big...ins-big-ten-college-hockey-future-who-is-next

 

[Ldandy]

Basically a marriage of convenience. ND gets out of their ridiculous travel situation in Hockey East, and The B1G gets to sell The ND Brand. Win/Win. As far as an 8th I'd like to see them take North Dakota to make the west wing of the conference happy. That said the tea leaves seem to read ASU here.

 

[Waquoit]

Completely disagree. Take the chance to get our foot in the door any way we can. We know realignment isn’t over and if we want a marriage proposal it is better to be dating at the time than not.

We wouldn't be a "date" if we went B1G for hockey only. We would be the lowly pissboy.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

ASU is hugely attractive for the B1G
Taking a trip to Phoenix in winter is a huge recruiting tool

What's in for ASU and us taxpayers.
The prospect of making multiple winter trips to the Midwest doesn't. sound like a good deal for the team or our pocketbook.(sorry purse in AZ)
The Coyotes are staying in Phoenix ,but leaving the the West Valley for Scottsdale
does provide ASU a home closer to Tempe.

 

[pj]

ASU is hugely attractive for the B1G
Taking a trip to Phoenix in winter is a huge recruiting tool

What's in for ASU and us taxpayers.
The prospect of making multiple winter trips to the Midwest doesn't. sound like a good deal for the team or our pocketbook.(sorry purse in AZ)
The Coyotes are staying in Phoenix ,but leaving the the West Valley for Scottsdale
does provide ASU a home closer to Tempe.

Where else besides the Midwest is ASU going to find opponents? The question here is why ASU wants a hockey program.

 

[Adios]

Now Michigan and ND want to play each other again in football. What a surprise.

 

[dayooper]

Now Michigan and ND want to play each other again in football. What a surprise.

That has been known for a month or so. After the season, it was leaked that both Brian Kelly and Jim Harbaugh want the series renewed. Then Michigan interim AD Jim Hackett was mentioning that in an interview with a Detroit newspaper.

 

[Point6]

Remember the B1G is the only P5 that recognizes us as a P5 opponent for scheduling in football. I would want to protect that. Joining them in hockey (hopefully as a start, if we are not in B12) should at least lock that up going forward and hopefully lead to other favorable treatment in scheduling.

 

[Rappin'Rodney]

Remember the B1G is the only P5 that recognizes us as a P5 opponent for scheduling in football. I would want to protect that. Joining them in hockey (hopefully as a start, if we are not in B12) should at least lock that up going forward and hopefully lead to other favorable treatment in scheduling.

Reminds me of an excerpt from an article I once read in the Chicago Tribune:

Penn State's Joe Paterno again has publicly pushed for Big Ten expansion, this time during an interview on ESPN.

"Right now we play -- and then we sit and watch," he said. "We were through (with the regular season) Nov. 21st. I think we put ourselves at a little bit of a disadvantage in that we're out of it soon and everybody's talking about everyone but the Big Ten."

Paterno reiterated his desire to add Rutgers, Pittsburgh and/or Syracuse to create a Big Ten title game.

"Even Connecticut," he said.
​

Yes, Joe--even Connecticut.