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Post by bfoley82 on Dec 3, 2018 13:04:06 GMT -5
in a small way it does. Shows a willingness to invest in the program and compete. I guess but, if there is a decision pending and it’s going to be based on whether someone thinks our men’s team can compete in Hockey East, I think we’re screwed based on where the men’s team is at the moment. Hockey East took on a new program in UMass which is number 1 in the country this week.
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Post by nhteamer on Dec 3, 2018 13:55:11 GMT -5
uhh, agree; not good
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Post by HC92 on Dec 3, 2018 15:46:21 GMT -5
I guess but, if there is a decision pending and it’s going to be based on whether someone thinks our men’s team can compete in Hockey East, I think we’re screwed based on where the men’s team is at the moment. Hockey East took on a new program in UMass which is number 1 in the country this week. The new program they took in in 1994-95 that has had two winning records in HE in its first 24 seasons? Hey, HE, good news. We’re going to be really good in 2043-44. Trust us. UMass did it. So can we!
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Dec 3, 2018 16:39:56 GMT -5
I believe that for men's hockey, HC offers the full complement of scollies allowed by the AHL, so it is not as if HC is doing men's ice hockey on the cheap.
Maybe the HE PTB are skeptical about a LAC competing in HE because it doesn't offer a spectrum of majors, and that only hampers recruiting. (I believe the AI does not apply to non-conference sports.) Enrollment-wise, HC has about 500 fewer U/Gs than Merrimack, so HC would be the smallest school..
And HE wants -- to the point of almost insisting -- on-campus arenas, so HC committing to play at the DCU forever is not a selling point.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 11, 2018 13:19:20 GMT -5
Like it or not, they are the only program at HC that competes in a top tier D1 conference. Worcester would like more teams at HC to be at this level! Soon! Patriot League Mens Lacrosse is no slouch either.
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Post by Tom on Dec 11, 2018 16:48:16 GMT -5
And HE wants -- to the point of almost insisting -- on-campus arenas, so HC committing to play at the DCU forever is not a selling point. I believe that Lowell plays all (not just HE games) off campus at nearby Tsongas UConn plays off campus in Hartford
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Post by gate93 on Dec 11, 2018 21:22:20 GMT -5
UM-L owns the Tsongas and it is on the edge of their campus only a block to three from major dorm complexes. UConn has sent out an RFP for a new on campus arena. Part of their admission to HE was the promise to build one. That promise ended up being broken for political (Hartford needs tenants for their arena), financial and town/goen(was to be part of a large new campus center that went over like a lead balloon with the locals) reasons. UConn is why HC can’t have nice things (yet). HE can wait for HC to come up with viable home ice option. The DCU isn’t it. UConn’s new rink request calls for max seating below the current HE minimum. If that rink works out, and then I think a well designed 3,000 +/- on campus rink gets HC the invite.
And to the topic of the thread - big congratulations to your women’s team. Great to get that first one so early in the campaign
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 11, 2018 22:45:38 GMT -5
A new rink would be nice, but it is getting a bit urban on the HC campus with so much new building. I wonder if the old Howard Johnson's lot, which is owned by the college would be big enough for a new arena and parking. It's close enough to the parking garage - in the spring, summer and fall - but it could be a treacherous walk on a cold, snowy or icy winter day/night, and day can turn to night by the time an afternoon game is over in the dead of winter. Perhaps a shuttle bus for us older broken hip candidates would make it work.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Dec 12, 2018 7:49:19 GMT -5
Merrimack's rink seats about 2,500, so that's probably closer to the 'real' floor.
2018-2019 attendance, year-to-date / percentage of rink capacity
UMass 5000 60% UMass Lowell 4800 80% UNH 4200 64% BC 3900 50% BU 3800+ 62% UConn 3700 41% Vermont 3700 91% Maine 3700 71% Quinnipiac 3300 107% Northeastern 2500 52% Providence 2400 80% Merrimack 2000+ 80% Harvard 2000+ 66% Army 1750 64% HC 1255 90% (HC's attendance was 37% of rink capacity in 2001-2002) (HC's 2018-19 numbers are inflated)
Looking at 2001-2002 stats, I note that Fairfield and Iona were playing Division I ice hockey back then. The number of Div I schools has remained at 60. For example, Penn State and Arizona State have joined the Div I ranks. Several other schools have dropped as well.
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 12, 2018 22:34:59 GMT -5
Fascinating data Phreek. As Beanpot Tournament participants with storied Hockey Programs, one would think that BC, BU, NU and Harvard would out-draw current and former Division Two institutions (for all sports except hockey) like Quinnipiac, Merrimack and UMass Lowell. Yet one would be wrong to assume that. Thanks for pointing this out.
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Post by bfoley82 on Dec 15, 2018 4:37:02 GMT -5
Fascinating data Phreek. As Beanpot Tournament participants with storied Hockey Programs, one would think that BC, BU, NU and Harvard would out-draw current and former Division Two institutions (for all sports except hockey) like Quinnipiac, Merrimack and UMass Lowell. Yet one would be wrong to assume that. Thanks for pointing this out. Lowell has been near the top of hockey east in the standings and at the gate for the last five years or so. Helps that the hockey team is the “pro” sport in that area once they booted the AHL team from the arena.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Dec 15, 2018 18:25:05 GMT -5
Fascinating data Phreek. As Beanpot Tournament participants with storied Hockey Programs, one would think that BC, BU, NU and Harvard would out-draw current and former Division Two institutions (for all sports except hockey) like Quinnipiac, Merrimack and UMass Lowell. Yet one would be wrong to assume that. Thanks for pointing this out. Lowell has been near the top of hockey east in the standings and at the gate for the last five years or so. Helps that the hockey team is the “pro” sport in that area once they booted the AHL team from the arena. UMass Lowell also has 14,000+ undergraduates. As Merrimack is less than 10 miles away as the crow flies, has Merrimack also benefited?.
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Post by bfoley82 on Dec 17, 2018 4:15:52 GMT -5
Lowell has been near the top of hockey east in the standings and at the gate for the last five years or so. Helps that the hockey team is the “pro” sport in that area once they booted the AHL team from the arena. UMass Lowell also has 14,000+ undergraduates. As Merrimack is less than 10 miles away as the crow flies, has Merrimack also benefited?. Lowell has always had a large student population but they didn’t start going until the AHL team left which coincided with Lowell getting good. I think Lowell picked up the ahl season ticket holders who needed to fill that entertainment area in their budget. Merrimack is down and has been for 3-4 years but when they are good like when they were number 1 in the country, people packed that arena. Winning breeds attendance everywhere
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