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Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:25 pm
by LawyersGunsnMoney
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2012/03/28_uconn_to_apply_to_hockey_east.php

Hockey East officials are taking a site visit this week at the University of Connecticut, and are also expected to visit Hartford's XL Center. And Connecticut is ready to commit additional resources to hockey. Both according to CHN sources....

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:48 pm
by bignick33
Oh fuck that. They dont have and never have had any commitment to hockey.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:56 pm
by uconnbaseball
Not sure what to think about this. I am for it if we legitimately fund & promote the program, and UConn has the resources to do so. Actually going out and doing that is no guarantee. CT beat writers are making this move sound like it has been in the works for a while and is close to a done deal.

I am a hockey fan and would get behind it so long we build an on-campus facility. Games at the XL center wouldn't even draw flies. If we promote the program well, the state of CT has enough local talent for us to be competitive with the right coach.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:27 pm
by claver2010
As I said on uscho there are three reasons I don't see this happening/would have a problem w it

First they can't play at the hcc it would be a joke and their current rink is worse than my hs rink. Their current rink would also be under the new he rule of 5k

It would also be the third most popular winter sport. Think about that

Also if it ever came down to a vote gene would tell them to go f themselves

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:42 am
by b0mberMan
So I've already seen a UConn fan suggest they get Brian Leech to coach the team. Let the fun begin.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:52 am
by claver2010
I might be dumb but I'm starting to warm up to the idea

Would be nice to curbstomp them every year in front of a 2/3 empty hcc where the BC fans outnumber the Yukon fans

Adding nd was stupid and forced the move to 12 without any good candidates

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:23 am
by pick6pedro
I like the ND add because they are a program who has had some success, have put obvious effort and funding behind their program, and could lead to some advantages elsewhere. Adding UConn is a complete joke. There is no reason the conference can't stay at 11 until a suitable 12 comes along. They're expanding just to expand at this point. As we all know too well leadership matters. Right now the leadership is not respecting the product they have.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:47 am
by b0mberMan
I wonder if they view the state school as a "safer" investment instead of going for a private school that has historically funded hockey. Plus if there are more TV opps for hockey, they may be looking at the casual viewer instead of the hockey die-hard who is going to be tuning in anyhow. I saw this as a reaction to the B1G hockey formation. Big schools, TV contract. The idea is that college hockey is going to be more commercially available and have the chance to make more $$. So I can see what the justification from the league's standpoint if that's the case.

The issue of course is that its not a big money-maker right now and expanding HE beyond being a "bus" league could financially strain some of the smaller schools. Personally, I hate that a game against BU or NU or Maine etc. is going off the schedule to make room for ND and UConn. That and when UConn gets a game on BC eventually, its going to be really annoying to listen to their fans.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:10 am
by bignick33
b0mberMan {l Wrote}:I wonder if they view the state school as a "safer" investment instead of going for a private school that has historically funded hockey. Plus if there are more TV opps for hockey, they may be looking at the casual viewer instead of the hockey die-hard who is going to be tuning in anyhow. I saw this as a reaction to the B1G hockey formation. Big schools, TV contract. The idea is that college hockey is going to be more commercially available and have the chance to make more $$. So I can see what the justification from the league's standpoint if that's the case.

The issue of course is that its not a big money-maker right now and expanding HE beyond being a "bus" league could financially strain some of the smaller schools. Personally, I hate that a game against BU or NU or Maine etc. is going off the schedule to make room for ND and UConn. That and when UConn gets a game on BC eventually, its going to be really annoying to listen to their fans.


It's weird. NESN is already on basic cable in most of CT. I don't see what there is to gain from a TV perspective. ND brought NBC Sports which made it a no-brainer.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:29 am
by flyingelvii
From talking to some UConn people, I guess the new president is big into promoting sports so the thought is that this would not have gone public or as far as it had unless UConn was going to make a serious commitment to the program. I'm still somewhat skeptical but if they do actually make this commitment, I think it would be a good move for Hockey East. The only thing is it's all based on contingencies, which makes me uneasy.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:36 am
by pick6pedro
b0mberMan {l Wrote}:I wonder if they view the state school as a "safer" investment instead of going for a private school that has historically funded hockey. Plus if there are more TV opps for hockey, they may be looking at the casual viewer instead of the hockey die-hard who is going to be tuning in anyhow. I saw this as a reaction to the B1G hockey formation. Big schools, TV contract. The idea is that college hockey is going to be more commercially available and have the chance to make more $$. So I can see what the justification from the league's standpoint if that's the case.

The issue of course is that its not a big money-maker right now and expanding HE beyond being a "bus" league could financially strain some of the smaller schools. Personally, I hate that a game against BU or NU or Maine etc. is going off the schedule to make room for ND and UConn. That and when UConn gets a game on BC eventually, its going to be really annoying to listen to their fans.


If this is all true, what is the rush? Is someone else going to swoop in and grab UConn? Why get stuck with them when the landscape could change so much in the upcoming years? HE is one of if not the premiere hockey conference. When they want a program (for the right reasons), they can get them.

As far as the series change to the schedule I look at it one of two ways. 1) It actually makes the schedules even as it's a home and away versus everyone rather than 2 home 1 away OR 1 home 2 away and it offers more opportunities for difficult out of conference matchups/tourneys. 2) it takes away more traditional matchups and replaces them with a trip to a cornfield and a waste of skates plus leaves more open space for teams to schedule patsies which hurts them in the long run (Warriors - I'm looking at you).

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 9:56 pm
by claver2010
For those interested, the release of the consulting report: http://www.courant.com/media/acrobat/2012-03/69132067-31130345.pdf

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:16 am
by DuchesneEast
They keep singling out "2 Hockey Easy Programs" I assume they mean BU and BC. Not that I ever trust a word out of D.Fillippo's mouth. but with those numbers, I cant believe that the hockey program loses money.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:22 am
by commavegarage
DuchesneEast {l Wrote}:They keep singling out "2 Hockey Easy Programs" I assume they mean BU and BC. Not that I ever trust a word out of D.Fillippo's mouth. but with those numbers, I cant believe that the hockey program loses money.


Same, what are the high costs? They fly maybe 2x a year, the rest is busing. They rarely have to stay in hotels. You just can't convince me that they don't at least break even.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:29 am
by DuchesneEast
commavegarage {l Wrote}:
DuchesneEast {l Wrote}:They keep singling out "2 Hockey Easy Programs" I assume they mean BU and BC. Not that I ever trust a word out of D.Fillippo's mouth. but with those numbers, I cant believe that the hockey program loses money.


Same, what are the high costs? They fly maybe 2x a year, the rest is busing. They rarely have to stay in hotels. You just can't convince me that they don't at least break even.


Gene probably includes schollie costs and gives a larger percentage of Conte upkeep to the hockey team. Schmuck.

I imagine some people only donate to support Hockey also.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:40 pm
by claver2010
DuchesneEast {l Wrote}:
commavegarage {l Wrote}:
DuchesneEast {l Wrote}:They keep singling out "2 Hockey Easy Programs" I assume they mean BU and BC. Not that I ever trust a word out of D.Fillippo's mouth. but with those numbers, I cant believe that the hockey program loses money.


Same, what are the high costs? They fly maybe 2x a year, the rest is busing. They rarely have to stay in hotels. You just can't convince me that they don't at least break even.


Gene probably includes schollie costs and gives a larger percentage of Conte upkeep to the hockey team. Schmuck.

I imagine some people only donate to support Hockey also.


Yup, I only donate to hockey and I know a lot of the other diehards do the same

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:49 pm
by DuchesneEast
claver2010 {l Wrote}:
DuchesneEast {l Wrote}:
commavegarage {l Wrote}:
DuchesneEast {l Wrote}:They keep singling out "2 Hockey Easy Programs" I assume they mean BU and BC. Not that I ever trust a word out of D.Fillippo's mouth. but with those numbers, I cant believe that the hockey program loses money.


Same, what are the high costs? They fly maybe 2x a year, the rest is busing. They rarely have to stay in hotels. You just can't convince me that they don't at least break even.


Gene probably includes schollie costs and gives a larger percentage of Conte upkeep to the hockey team. Schmuck.

I imagine some people only donate to support Hockey also.


Yup, I only donate to hockey and I know a lot of the other diehards do the same


My last real donation after Jags was fired was earmarked for Hockey. Luckily for me, I wont give a dime to any dept Gene runs. If I have $250 to hockey, he would just take it away from them from the general budget.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 1:44 pm
by bignick33
Aren't rinks obscenely expensive to maintain?

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 1:52 pm
by flyingelvii
Yes. Especially when you don't have an AC so you have to do other preventative measures. Plus you have two Zambonis and have to hire a staff to switch over from basketball to hockey and hockey to basketball. That would also be why the hockey team would have a greater allocation of Conte-related expenses.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 2:07 pm
by twballgame9
The addition of ND was a no-brainer for a number of reasons. UConn perplexes me.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:30 pm
by pick6pedro
Supposedly the UConn move is official and will be for 2013-2014. As I've stated before - not a fan.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:32 pm
by claver2010
pick6pedro {l Wrote}:Supposedly the UConn move is official and will be for 2013-2014. As I've stated before - not a fan.


Agreed, make them raise some money for the expansion then talk about it

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 1:12 pm
by uconnbaseball
It isn't official yet. To be honest, I want to know where we are getting the money for this. If the money is going to be there, then I am happy that UConn wants to be a player in the hockey world. I certainly understand and even agree with some of the skepticism here, though. We still haven't completed the practice basketball facility, which should take precedence over anything else.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:51 pm
by PhillyandBCEagles
UConn has decent potential in hockey IF they make a major commitment to the program. They aren't ever going to consistently compete with the big 4, but there's no reason they can't be a UMass/Northeastern/Vermont (this year aside)-caliber program.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2012 8:49 pm
by MilitantEagle
As soon as ND joined, I knew this would happen.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... -expansion

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:57 pm
by shockdoct
Where is uconn getting the cash for an 11MM expansion to the rink and scholarships for 36 athletes (18 M/W)?

Do they have some secret donor who is diverting money from WBB?

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 12:04 am
by RedBaron67
shockdoct {l Wrote}:Where is uconn getting the cash for an 11MM expansion to the rink and scholarships for 36 athletes (18 M/W)?

Do they have some secret donor who is diverting money from WBB?


I suspect they've had it in mind for some time and have been preparing. They've already gotten a foot inside the door with their women's hockey team playing in HE, and HE's need for a 12th men's team is the opening they've been waiting for.

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 7:13 am
by claver2010
shockdoct {l Wrote}:Where is uconn getting the cash for an 11MM expansion to the rink and scholarships for 36 athletes (18 M/W)?

Do they have some secret donor who is diverting money from WBB?


I don't see the point of inviting them until they have finalized financial support to fix their arena situation. Their current rink is a low grade HS rink and the idea of playing downtown at the HCC is comical. When BC/BU/Maine play it'll be 5k, half of which are opposing fans. When it's Mack/UMLOL/etc it'll be 2k

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:41 am
by Endless Mike
I wonder if Gene tried to stop this. :ignign

Re: Ucon to apply to HE

PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 1:24 pm
by Snooks Kelly
shockdoct {l Wrote}:Where is uconn getting the cash for an 11MM expansion to the rink and scholarships for 36 athletes (18 M/W)?

Do they have some secret donor who is diverting money from WBB?


Malloy will just raise taxes again.