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Post by rf1 on Jun 11, 2024 8:42:50 GMT -5
McCoy, whose last regular use ended in Sep-2019, will sadly soon be demolished. Work is expected to start on the new high school at the site later this year. Shawmut Construction was just recently selected to build it.
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Post by rf1 on Jun 5, 2024 14:19:19 GMT -5
So the top half of this tourney will have 3, not 4, trams ? Yes. Just three teams now.
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Post by rf1 on Jun 5, 2024 11:43:41 GMT -5
Word is that Florida State will be the third team in the revised HOF Tournament at Mohegan with UMass and Temple. Florida State was 17-16 last year with an NET rank of #96. Temple was 15-20 with an Net of #191. UMass had the best performance last year with a record of 20-11 (NET #91) but it was not even good enough for the NIT and has since lost its best players to the portal. Mohegan Sun is taking a big hit as its big draw PC departed. UMass struggles with attendance at home and has traditionally not drawn well at the casino. I think that organizers knew Friar fans would show and local opponent match-ups might increase interest from BC and UMass fans. The tournament will now have no local contests and it has been been extended to three days with only one weekend date as opposed to two.
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Post by rf1 on Jun 4, 2024 15:30:22 GMT -5
I believe former HC Head Athletic trainer Anthony Cerundolo is still on the Red Sox support staff. He still lives in Worcester.
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Post by rf1 on May 31, 2024 17:12:25 GMT -5
The Holy Cross game with PC could be in a bit of jeopardy. Creighton dropped out of the Battle for Atlantis to play in a Las Vegas NIL event. The Friars have in turn taken their place in Atlantis and dropped out of the Mohegan Sun tournament. The Battle for Atlantis has far better competition - Arizona, Davidson, Gonzaga, Indiana, Louisville, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. The Mohegan tourney had UMass, BC, and Temple. As I indicated earlier in this thread, PC had concerns about its SOS and this will very much help address it. PC has to now scramble to rearrange its OOC schedule as the dates of the tournaments are different. The date that had been originally set for the game with HC might be affected.
It would appear that Boston College had second thoughts about the Mohegan Sun Tournament after Providence dropped out. Word is the Eagles have withdrawn from the event. Leaves just UMass and Temple with two open slots for teams.
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Post by rf1 on May 31, 2024 11:19:36 GMT -5
I have seen URI play BU at both Agannis and The Roof at WBA. Agannis is a beautiful facility, probably the nicest on campus venue in New England. I have also seen Rhody play Northeastern at Matthews Arena. It is a relic of the past with few amenities. There is no concourse and the only way to get around the sidelines is a narrow aisle at the top of each level. The wall this aisle abuts is the exterior of the building. Entrances, bathrooms, and concessions are at each basket/net end. I enjoyed my visit imagining all the history that had taken place there.
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Post by rf1 on May 19, 2024 14:22:13 GMT -5
Richmond, like Providence enjoys a "No major league teams" dividend. Worcester like the other two cities has no major league team but doesn't get the same benefit for it's D-1 team. This is one area where the Patriot League definitely holds HC back. If either the Big East or A-10 had been joined at inception it would have been easier to grow budgets organically as league revenue grew. But HC has one positive option available to it now and forever, just win baby, and then see what happens.
The University of Richmond however has to compete with the more popular VCU in its own city as well as the very popular VA state schools of UVa and Va Tech.
ATTENDANCE
TEAM | GAMES | TOTAL | 2023-24 AVG | 2022-23 AVG | 2021-22 AVG
VCU | 19 | 136,813 | 7,201 | 7,303 | 6,827 RICHMOND | 16 | 93,336 | 5,834 | 6,285 | 6,072
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Post by rf1 on May 19, 2024 12:54:02 GMT -5
Would love to see Richmond in PL Bball. An upgrade in faculties to view a game for sure.
The Robins Center on the campus of the University of Richmond is a 7,201 seat capacity arena that first opened in 1972 and underwent extensive renovations in 2014. It is currently the 7th largest venue in the A-10. The Spiders in recent years have typically placed around fourth for average annual attendance in the A-10 with numbers in the 5-6k range.
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Post by rf1 on May 18, 2024 9:20:15 GMT -5
I am old enough to be able to say I saw him play in person.
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Post by rf1 on May 16, 2024 14:01:41 GMT -5
God Forbid the trio of UNH, URI and Maine follows their original Yankee Conference partners UMass and UConn into FBS, that's been a rough ride, or into oblivion like UVM FB. I don't think the six New England land grant flagship State universities realized how good they had it in football. They would be a strong FCS conference today if they hung together in FB and pursued their BB dreams as the saw fit in the leagues of their choice. Now they really should patch together a northern FB league or division of their own but it won't include Holy Cross. If I’m the Northern half of CAA football… Maine, UNH, URI, Albany, Stony Brook, Bryant, Monmouth - I go grab Duquesne (who is football only in the NEC) and start a new football conference. I don’t think Merrimack or Sacred Heart have the financial resources yet. The problem is only UHN, URI, Maine and Albany are football only affiliates. Stony Brook, Bryant and Monmouth are all sports CAA members and as we are hearing and reading with W&M, that’s a much trickier situation. If the 4 football only members were going to secede (no way they are going FBS IMO), then you would need Duquesne, Merrimack and Sacred Heart to form a new conference and get to 7 total teams for auto bid playoff eligibility. Not a crazy idea but definitely very low probability that happens. If Nova and W&M leave the CAA, then we might be approaching a coin toss those 4 northern football only affiliates believe they have to do SOMETHING cause at that point it looks like the CAA is on the verge of eating itself. I heard on a pod yesterday Elon and the So Con are in talks again about maybe going back to their roots in 2026. Even the MEAC smells blood and is supposedly courting Hampton and NC A&T to come home. All eyes on Villanova for now… Bryant is a full America East sports member with only its football program competing in the CAA as an affiliate member. Stony Brook is a full CAA member and cannot play just football in another conference.
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Post by rf1 on May 16, 2024 10:08:58 GMT -5
Reading some other message boards there is a consistent thought that UR was done with CAA football (for unspecified reasons) and had discussions with SoCon and PL. That, in fact, was the earliest print report. SoCon (a better geographic fit and a bit stronger in FCS football) insisted on all-sports while PL was willing to do football only.
Richmond did not like the direction of the CAA. It had lost several old rivals and was not happy with many of the schools that the CAA recently added. The football and academic credentials of the new adds did not meet the standards UR wanted.
The founding northern affiliate schools of the CAA (URI, UNH, Maine) are also not all that happy with the new members. The CAA automatically guarantees football membership to any of its full members. Football affiliates have no say or vote in new full member adds.
This is the presently known CAA Football conference makeup once Delaware and Richmond depart.
Albany Bryant Campbell
Elon Hampton
Maine Monmouth
New Hampshire NC A&T
Rhode Island Stony Brook Towson
Villanova William & Mary
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Post by rf1 on May 16, 2024 9:10:52 GMT -5
The Holy Cross game with PC could be in a bit of jeopardy. Creighton dropped out of the Battle for Atlantis to play in a Las Vegas NIL event. The Friars have in turn taken their place in Atlantis and dropped out of the Mohegan Sun tournament. The Battle for Atlantis has far better competition - Arizona, Davidson, Gonzaga, Indiana, Louisville, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. The Mohegan tourney had UMass, BC, and Temple. As I indicated earlier in this thread, PC had concerns about its SOS and this will very much help address it. PC has to now scramble to rearrange its OOC schedule as the dates of the tournaments are different. The date that had been originally set for the game with HC might be affected.
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Post by rf1 on May 15, 2024 12:34:04 GMT -5
"Tobacco money has made for solid endowments across the South." I'm not sure this is true of Richmond, but there is a lot of old money in Richmond from different sources. I've read that their endowment's rate of return for 2010-2020 was 10% annually, but for the FY ending 6/30/21 the rate of return was 45%. Richmond has benefitted greatly from the generosity of the Robins family (initial gift of $60M over 50 years ago). Their wealth is from pharmaceuticals. Robitussin and chapstick were some of their company products. Richmond's endowment is today in excess of some $3B.
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Post by rf1 on May 6, 2024 9:55:35 GMT -5
Won't matter as much with giving to school athletic departments on the decline and giving to NIL collectives on the rise.
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Post by rf1 on May 5, 2024 12:47:07 GMT -5
The Providence Bruins benefit from several factors - being in a large metro of some 1.6M (38th largest in USA), being affiliated with the nearby Boston Bruins, being a member of the top minor hockey league, and being in a large market with several varied media channels (tv/radio/print) that promote the team. The P Bruins attendance has fluctuated up and down over the years. Its high average of 9,279 was in its first year (1992-93) and its low of 6,107 was in 2007-08. It is presently at 7,713 for the 2023-24 season which is 6th best in the 32 team AHL.
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Post by rf1 on May 4, 2024 10:29:40 GMT -5
Good I wish they would leave and Holy Cross could play in Hockey East.
Given the Railers owner Cliff Rucker's investment in downtown Worcester, I would not think a move is imminent. Rucker must however be concerned that his attendance has declined every season since its inception and is now close to the bottom of the 28 team ECHL. It seems to be following a similar path that the IceCats and Sharks experienced.
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Post by rf1 on May 3, 2024 12:11:32 GMT -5
The Worcester Railers saw their average attendance fall to 3,666 this past season, the lowest in franchise history. That placed it 23rd in the 28 team ECHL. The team’s average per-game attendance figure of 3,666 is lower than last year’s figure of 3,934 and a 16.5% decrease from the Railer’s debut season of 2017-2018, where the team drew a record high of 4,393 fans per game. The Railers have now recorded a drop in average attendance every year since their inaugural season. Since most professional sports teams draw best in their first few years in a new market or stadium, this decline should not be unexpected as it follows the industry norm. ECHL 2023-24 Average Attendancewww.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph_season.php?lid=ECHL2004&sid=2024This article concerning attendance was published back in Feb with two months remaining in the season: Railers see bigger crowds in 2024, but attendance lags behind prior seasons as team makes playoff push
Worcester Railers Average Attendance by Season
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Post by rf1 on May 3, 2024 11:35:12 GMT -5
The City of Providence, unlike some other cities, will not have future budget concerns impacted by looming potential deficits related to paying off bonds in excess of $100M for a public sports stadium built to benefit millionaires.
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Post by rf1 on May 3, 2024 8:44:11 GMT -5
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Post by rf1 on Apr 27, 2024 12:48:11 GMT -5
I don't think many Big East schools are worried about it when Kansas is playing at Creighton and Baylor is at UConn this upcoming season. PC last season had the 39th toughest schedule in the country. Those games are part of the Big East vs Big-12 challenge series which I previously alluded ends this upcoming season one year after the final BE-Big Ten challenge series. The loss of these challenge series (with two quality games guaranteed) are a big hit for much of the Big East. While the very top programs (UConn, Marq, Creighton, Villanova) may still be able to get marquis games versus power teams, many other members might struggle to replace what had been two quality opponent contests. I think this will much apply to schools such as Depaul, Seton Hall, and PC.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 11:54:58 GMT -5
It will always be the Providence Civic Centahhh to me Good news....a game that should be played nearly annually imo
I would not bet on it. PC dropped Brown for a number of years before playing last season but it remains to be seen if that will continue. PC has rarely played local Bryant. Some Friar fans are also concerned about playing URI every season. Rhody has had four consecutive losing seasons and has not helped their SOS. Friar fans are not even happy about playing BC as it has not been a strong program for many years now.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 11:46:31 GMT -5
It seems that Providence fans are paying a bit more attention to the the crafting of their OOC schedule and its strength this year. For many seasons the team had the benefit of automatically being in two BE conference challenges along with an MTE Tournament. They didn't worry too much about their other OOC opponents so much as they only wanted them for easy wins to pad their record. The BE had recently been so strong that the quality of OOC opponents did not matter as much. That may now be changing. BE teams did not provide the big SOS NET numbers LY it had typically done in recent seasons. There were big gaps in the league's NET rankings last year. Three teams were rated in the top 15 but the next six fell in the 32-68 range with half of them hovering near .500 records. The bottom two members (min 4 games) dragged down everyone else being ranked #205 & #320. This very much factored in the league only getting three NCAA bids, its lowest total since it was reformed back in 2013. The conference challenge with the Big Ten ended last year and the similar series with the Big12 ends this upcoming season as a result of these power leagues increasing members and adding more conference games. The quality of OOC games may now have more importance for BE members, especially for teams such as a PC or SHU.
Friar fans are already a bit antsy about the 2024-25 schedule as it looks like something the program might have had some 50 years. Supposed opponents at this time for Providence are thought to be Central Ct, Holy Cross, @uri, BC & UMass at Mohegan Sun, and BYU (Conference Challenge). Some of their fans fear this may again not be strong enough. It is getting particularly hard to even now gauge the possible future strength of opponents as rosters are in such a state of flux.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 11:24:33 GMT -5
Saw something on the PC Friars Fan Forum that many here may like. A PC fan has posted that Providence College will host Holy Cross at the AMP in late November. Assumed to be a one off buy game. Nothing official confirmed but thought I would pass it along. AMP is the Dunk?
The Amica Mutual Pavilion (AMP) was originally built as the Providence Civic Center and operated as such for 29 years. It was then renamed the Dunkin Donuts Center for the next 21 years before the naming rights were purchased in 2022 by the local Amica Insurance which had originated in Providence but relocated some two plus decades ago to the intersection of Rtes 295 & 146 in Lincoln (visible from the highways - the large red brick building with green roof) for all that travel down from Worcester.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 10:12:33 GMT -5
Saw something on the PC Friars Fan Forum that many here may like. A PC fan has posted that Providence College will host Holy Cross at the AMP in late November. Assumed to be a one off buy game. Nothing official confirmed but thought I would pass it along.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 17, 2024 9:21:50 GMT -5
First Mike Gorman with the Celtics and then days later Jack Edwards with the Bruins. There will be several new voices in the Garden broadcast booth next year.
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