I'd bet money on them being in for 13-14. HE wants them, they don't want to deal with small time schools like RPI/QU/Holy Cross. Plus, with their recent deal with NBC Sports, it adds to their potential TV profile, since UConn would instantly be the second most nationally recognized sports program in the league behind ND. The big problem with UConn is facilities. They don't want games in a 5% full XL, and Freitas is 100% inadequate.
Do they do anything to the XL now for Whale games (curtain off upper sections, etc.) to make it more intimate? The lower bowl at XL wouldn't be bad if the school committed to buses from campus, etc.
You wouldn't be able to convince many students to bus to Hartford on Friday nights for a hockey game against Lowell, Merrimack, Vermont, UNH, or Northeastern. Even BU and Maine would be tough draws because of the lack of national name power. It'd be very sad to see a Maine-UConn game at XL where Maine fans outnumber UConn fans. As it stands now, that would most certainly happen.
I doubt they'd go 8K, probably more in the 5 range. ND's new arena is 5. 8 is bigger than what everyone else in HE draws, so it's a bit unrealistic to think UConn would draw those numbers. Only Amherst's rink is above 8, and they only come close to filling it by giving out literally thousands and thousands of free tickets to students to fill half of the arena, and purposely looking the other way in terms of letting them bring alcohol into the games, so the students will continue to show up since they can get drunk at the game. Wish I were joking about that.
Eek, UConn doesn't offer any? Sheesh, yeah, then the increase would be far more. Wow, they really did let that program languish in the gutter.
I wouldn't at all be surprised if upgrading hockey was in Lew Perkins long range plan...only to be pushed aside by Jeff "Small Mind...Small Time" Hathaway.
