The New England Cup (a proposal)

[weyuo]

The “New England Cup” (a proposal)

Q: What is the “New England Cup”?

A: A sports trophy to be passed back and forth from qualifying New England colleges participating in NCAA Division 1 sports that compete for a national championship.

Q: How does a college qualify to compete for the “New England Cup”?

A: 1) The college/university must reside in one of the six New England states

2) To qualify a school must participate in a minimum of 5 NCAA Division 1 sports competing for a national championship. For example: 5 sports could include women’s soccer, men’s basketball, football, men’s ice hockey, women’s basketball, women’s softball, men’s baseball, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, men’s golf, etc. The 5 sports do not have to include both men’s and women’s versions of the sport.

Q: How many “New England Cups” are there?

A: There is only ONE “New England Cup”. There IS NOT a cup for each sport. There will only be one “New England Cup”.

Q: How does a qualifying New England college or university win/hold/possess the “New England Cup”?

A: The qualifying school must formally challenge the current holder of the “New England Cup” in a sport that each school participates in. It does not have to be the sport the holder of the “Cup” won the right to hold the “Cup” in. It only has to be any sport both schools compete in at a Division 1 level. The challenging school must defeat the holding school in the challenged sport.

• The challenge event must be scheduled during the most immediate season of the sport chosen. The date of the challenge cannot interfere with either school’s conference schedule. The challenge event will always be a non-conference event as the “New England Cup” is a very special occasion unique to New England only and participated by New England schools only. An exception to this rule would be if both schools belonged to the same conference and the challenge was scheduled as a regular season conference game.
• To formally challenge the current holder of the “Cup” a school’s president or athletic director, of the challenging school, hand delivers a written challenge to his/her counterpart of the holding school.
• Once the challenge has been completed and a winner has been determined that current holder cannot be formally challenged for 7 consecutive days to allow the current holder of the “New England Cup” a proper celebratory period. In almost every case the current winner of the “New England Cup” challenge will hold the “Cup” for a considerable amount of time while the next challenger and the holder schedule the next event during the most immediate season for the sport chosen.
• If two schools formally challenge the “Cup’ holder at the same time: Each school’s AP ranking for ALL of their Division 1 sports during the current season of the challenge is tallied and the lower number is awarded the formal challenge. Example: School A has a ranking of #1 in men’s basketball, #2 in football and #3 in women’s hockey and school B has a ranking of #1 in baseball, #2 in women’s golf and #4 in football the tally would be school A(1+2+3) = 6 and school B(1+2+4) = 7. School A would receive the formal challenge. All schools will not have the same amount of Division 1 teams so if Team A has 10 D-1 teams on campus and Team B only has 5 you tally the highest rankings of 5 teams from each school.

Q: The Purpose of the “New England Cup”?

A: To provide a sense of school and region pride. Because only 5 Division 1 teams are required UMass, UConn and BC will not be the only New England schools with a chance to compete for and hold the “New England Cup”. It gives New Englanders a unique series of sporting events to contemplate, plan a day for, argue about at the dinner table or local bar. If taken in the proper perspective this could become a nice little buzz to make the lives of New Englanders a little more interesting.

The “Cup” itself, should be made from materials unique to New England and garnished with items deemed appropriate for a one of a kind trophy this special.

 

[formerlurker]

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

Would we have won this for the last 30 years?

 

[How Sway?!]

I think it would be better if it was given every year from the results of off the sports that every school plays like mens and womens soccer, mens and womens basketball, mens and women's hockey or/and baseball and softball. Points are given with regards to the head to head in each sport, the school that wins the most gets the cup.

 

[CCSUblue]

22 colleges and universities currently, soon to be 23 when Merrimack goes D1.

Connecticut:
Central Connecticut State University
University of Connecticut
University of Hartford
Fairfield University
Quinnipiac University
Sacred Heart University
Yale University

Maine:
University of Maine

Massachusetts:
Boston College
Boston University
Harvard University
College of the Holy Cross
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Northeastern University
Merrimack College (full membership 2023)

New Hampshire:
Dartmouth College
University of New Hampshire

Rhode Island:
Brown University
Bryant University
Providence College
University of Rhode Island

Vermont:
University of Vermont

When you look at the list, Hockey seems like it would be the most hotly contested sport in a New England Cup.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Can’t we resume “ The throw rocks at BC’s bus cup?”

 

[jdb50]

We lost the game but I will never forget the "energy" level in the parking lots pregame at the Rent. That was insane. Fans stamping on the top of vans chanting "B.C. sucks!" as we walked in.

 

[thatguyed]

Diaco put you up to this?

 

[Bobol]

The Brown and Yale women would dominate women’s rowing with your proposed “New England Cup.

 

[billybud]

We lost the game but I will never forget the "energy" level in the parking lots pregame at the Rent. That was insane. Fans stamping on the top of vans chanting "B.C. sucks!" as we walked in.

Can you imagine if the Huskies ever beat BC? Cars in the streets blaring their horns, impromptu block parties....I have once witnessed such an outpouring of joy after a win...

 

[weyuo]

The Brown and Yale women would dominate women’s rowing with your proposed “New England Cup.

Do Brown and Yale each have 5 division 1 sports teams on campus? It would be great to see Brown or Yale win the cup for a few months and then have another school take it from them in another sport they both compete in at the Division 1 level

 

[weyuo]

Diaco put you up to this?

No. I just thought that if taken in the proper perspective this could be a fun thing in New England sports unique to only New Englanders as those schools are the only ones allowed to compete for the cherished "New England Cup". And, only New England schools with 5 combined men's or women's Division 1 sports teams. 5 is enough of a variety so that there would be an ample amount of other schools that could formally challenge for the cup. It would give an event type of atmosphere that diehards and occasional sports fans could make a day out of.

Here is a hypothetical of what I am thinking:

BC holds the cup. UConn formally challenges them to a women's basketball game as a nonconference game the next season. UConn wins it and now UConn holds the cup for a time until say Providence College challenges UConn in men's basketball but since both are in the Big East they decide to hold they're challenge at the XL Center in Hartford as a regular-season conference game that also has the added allure of being a challenge for the "New England Cup". Say Providence College wins and now they hold the cup for a time being until URI challenges them to a men's basketball game the following season. URI wins, holds the cup for a while until someone challenges them to a Division 1 game and so on. But it is not confined to basketball alone. The challenger picks the sport(men's or women's) but the sport must be one that both play at a Division 1 level.

And this is just a thought to be bantered about, tweaked and fine-tuned as the schools and the fans see fit.

 

[weyuo]

22 colleges and universities currently, soon to be 23 when Merrimack goes D1.

Connecticut:
Central Connecticut State University
University of Connecticut
University of Hartford
Fairfield University
Quinnipiac University
Sacred Heart University
Yale University

Maine:
University of Maine

Massachusetts:
Boston College
Boston University
Harvard University
College of the Holy Cross
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Northeastern University
Merrimack College (full membership 2023)

New Hampshire:
Dartmouth College
University of New Hampshire

Rhode Island:
Brown University
Bryant University
Providence College
University of Rhode Island

Vermont:
University of Vermont

When you look at the list, Hockey seems like it would be the most hotly contested sport in a New England Cup.

Do all of those schools play 5 Division 1 sports men's or women's? For a total of 5 Division 1 sports teams on campus?

 

[CCSUblue]

Do all of those schools play 5 Division 1 sports men's or women's? For a total of 5 Division 1 sports teams on campus?

Yes, to be a division 1 school you must field at least 7 teams for both men and women. Or at least 6 for men and 8 for women with two team sports for each. The thing I am unclear about is if all sports compete for a national championship. Can anyone name a sport, team or individual, where division 1 athletes don't compete for a national championship? Genuinely curious.

 

[huskymedic]

Yes, to be a division 1 school you must field at least 7 teams for both men and women. Or at least 6 for men and 8 for women with two team sports for each.

It’s a 16 sport minimum for FBS schools.. not 14.

 

[CCSUblue]

It’s a 16 sport minimum for FBS schools.. not 14.

FBS is 16, FCS and non-football is 14 I believe.

 

[Ldandy]

This seems unnecessarily complicated. Why not just create a trophy and hand it out to whatever school finishes at the top of The Directors Cup Standings for New England Schools every year? You can call it “The UConn and once every 30 or so odd years Harvard, Yale, BC, or Providence too Cup”

 

[TheDrifter75]

This seems unnecessarily complicated. Why not just create a trophy and hand it out to whatever school finishes at the top of The Directors Cup Standings for New England Schools every year? You can call it “The UConn and once every 30 or so odd years Harvard, Yale, BC, or Providence too Cup”

Because it's not complicated

 

[06029]

No. I just thought that if taken in the proper perspective this could be a fun thing in New England sports unique to only New Englanders as those schools are the only ones allowed to compete for the cherished "New England Cup". And, only New England schools with 5 combined men's or women's Division 1 sports teams. 5 is enough of a variety so that there would be an ample amount of other schools that could formally challenge for the cup. It would give an event type of atmosphere that diehards and occasional sports fans could make a day out of.

Here is a hypothetical of what I am thinking:

BC holds the cup. UConn formally challenges them to a women's basketball game as a nonconference game the next season. UConn wins it and now UConn holds the cup for a time until say Providence College challenges UConn in men's basketball but since both are in the Big East they decide to hold they're challenge at the XL Center in Hartford as a regular-season conference game that also has the added allure of being a challenge for the "New England Cup". Say Providence College wins and now they hold the cup for a time being until URI challenges them to a men's basketball game the following season. URI wins, holds the cup for a while until someone challenges them to a Division 1 game and so on. But it is not confined to basketball alone. The challenger picks the sport(men's or women's) but the sport must be one that both play at a Division 1 level.

And this is just a thought to be bantered about, tweaked and fine-tuned as the schools and the fans see fit.

So every time Uconn loses the cup, the WBB or field hockey team challenges and it comes back to Uconn?

Fun idea but show me how any school not named Uconn, BC or PC ever wins the cup? Maybe UNH, Umass and UM in hockey every once in a while but in MBB, WBB, field hockey or baseball, not a chance. CCSU, Fairfield and Holy Cross, never a chance.

But it is a fun idea.

 

[Ldandy]

Because it's not complicated

You’re probably right, it’s not really that complicated. I mean what casual fan at schools like URI or Quinnipiac wouldn’t keep tabs on an event that consisted of Athletic Directors delivering hand written challenge decrees to each other to meet in women’s crew?

Overheard in a CT Pizza Parlor: “ Vermont just challenged Dartmouth in Men’s Golf. Hopefully our AD can challenge a completely different school to a different sport after the requisite celebratory time period has elapsed.” Not complicated at all...

 

[TheDrifter75]

You’re probably right, it’s not really that complicated. I mean what casual fan at schools like URI or Quinnipiac wouldn’t keep tabs on an event that consisted of Athletic Directors delivering hand written challenge decrees to each other to meet in women’s crew?

Overheard in a CT Pizza Parlor: “ Vermont just challenged Dartmouth in Men’s Golf. Hopefully our AD can challenge a completely different school to a different sport after the requisite celebratory time period has elapsed.” Not complicated at all...

See, you got it.

 

[Deuce]

No. I just thought that if taken in the proper perspective this could be a fun thing in New England sports unique to only New Englanders as those schools are the only ones allowed to compete for the cherished "New England Cup". And, only New England schools with 5 combined men's or women's Division 1 sports teams. 5 is enough of a variety so that there would be an ample amount of other schools that could formally challenge for the cup. It would give an event type of atmosphere that diehards and occasional sports fans could make a day out of.

Here is a hypothetical of what I am thinking:

BC holds the cup. UConn formally challenges them to a women's basketball game as a nonconference game the next season. UConn wins it and now UConn holds the cup for a time until say Providence College challenges UConn in men's basketball but since both are in the Big East they decide to hold they're challenge at the XL Center in Hartford as a regular-season conference game that also has the added allure of being a challenge for the "New England Cup". Say Providence College wins and now they hold the cup for a time being until URI challenges them to a men's basketball game the following season. URI wins, holds the cup for a while until someone challenges them to a Division 1 game and so on. But it is not confined to basketball alone. The challenger picks the sport(men's or women's) but the sport must be one that both play at a Division 1 level.

And this is just a thought to be bantered about, tweaked and fine-tuned as the schools and the fans see fit.

I do like your creativity and the idea sounds fun but the bolded above is not possible given scheduling complications right?

 

[weyuo]

I do like your creativity and the idea sounds fun but the bolded above is not possible given scheduling complications right?

Because of scheduling the cup wouldn't be passed around month to month. A school that possesses it holds it for a time until another school can work out a feasible challenge date that works for both schools. UConn couldn't refuse a formal challenge from BU in hockey. They would just have to work out the date it is held in the most immediate season possible for both schools and everyone else would have to wait their turn. In the best possible world it would add more intriguing regional matchups and possibly spark some new regional rivalries. In a world where everyone seems to want to cut out the excess travel this might be the ticket to schedule in your region more.

And so what if two women's crew teams fought it out for the cup. It might give some exposure in the local/regional media that women's crew would not ordinarily get and that's not a bad thing is it? One thing I guarantee, you put a "New England Cup" out there for the taking and both teams will treat you to the best crew race ever in New England. And that's the beauty of it. Giving each school in New England a chance to shine at the sport or sports they excel at and not just limit it to the 3 or 4 major collegiate sports. It gives that school and that community something to be proud of and something to tell they're grandkids. It might seem trivial to you but to the individuals competing for it and their families and their school mates it was the one day where they were better than anyone else in New England and that can't be a bad thing. Pride, comradery, winning. What's wrong with that?

I would hope that from time to time the "Cup" is won by a rowing team, or a tennis match, or a wrestling match or a UConn vs UMass or UConn vs BC football game. Bet it would be packed.

And what would be the motivation behind it? Because UConn holds the "New England Cup" and BC doesn't. And we could wave it around and put signs up on the border,"Current holder of the New England Cup" or something a little more creative than that like a sign with the cup that says "We have it and you don't"