College Hockey Expansion

[southpaw]

On 4/27/2016 at 8:34 PM, Wildfan said:

Air Force gets alot of players from the NAHL, or a few years ago they did. Not even USHL, but they have had some strong teams in the past. Big problem is for them that there is a high academic requirement to get in. Coach Serratorre's son even had a quote saying he wanted to play for AFA but couldn't get in so went to UMN. There have been a few All-Americans and players that the NHL wanted but most will stay in for their service instead of taking the way out after I believe it is 2 years. I know I read before that after graduation there is a minimum 2 years before a waiver for release will be granted for those that want to go professional in sports. I can't remember exactly but do remember it was in a article about one of their players who was playing part of a AHL season with Lowell

 

There is now the option for high-end athletes to "serve" by being a professional athlete and a promoter of USAFA.  It's on a very limited, case by case basis however essentially someone could play in the AHL/NHL and that would be considered their service.  They would have to meet certain requirements for speaking engagements, media availability and promotional work for the Academy.

[NDSU grad]

On April 24, 2016 at 8:58 PM, SiouxVolley said:

The is an article on www.sbncollegehockey.com on how Simon Fraser and Minot State are investigating DI and the WCHA.  Minot State would have the option to play in the All Seasons Arena at the fairgrounds.  SBC doesn't realize that there is an alternative to Maysa, where the Minot State club rink which seats under 2000.  All Seasons seat nearly 4000.

There hasn't been a hockey game played at the All Seasons in years.  Maysa's getting a new sheet of ice that will be used as the main arena.  Tauros, Minot State, and Minot High will all use that sheet for games.

[SiouxVolley]

1 hour ago, NDSU grad said:

There hasn't been a hockey game played at the All Seasons in years.  Maysa's getting a new sheet of ice that will be used as the main arena.  Tauros, Minot State, and Minot High will all use that sheet for games.

Weren't the WDA HS regionals there?

[NDSU grad]

12 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

Weren't the WDA HS regionals there?

Nope. At the Maysa. I'm not a 'hockey guy' so hardcore fans probably don't mind watching games at the Maysa, but the current arena is not a great place to watch games.  It's basically a set a of metal bleachers running along the boards on one side. I don't know if there's a seat in the place where you have a decent view of the entire ice. I've been told the new sheet will be more of a true arena with better sight lines, but we'll see.  

[SiouxVolley]

38 minutes ago, NDSU grad said:

Nope. At the Maysa. I'm not a 'hockey guy' so hardcore fans probably don't mind watching games at the Maysa, but the current arena is not a great place to watch games.  It's basically a set a of metal bleachers running along the boards on one side. I don't know if there's a seat in the place where you have a decent view of the entire ice. I've been told the new sheet will be more of a true arena with better sight lines, but we'll see.  

Maya can't break even for Minot State varsity if it stays under 2000 capacity.  All Seasons has like 3900 seats and it's possible that Minot State can break even there.

Maya is a cheap place for the club team so it make sense that the club team plays there.

[SiouxScore]

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2016 at 4:42 PM, GFG said:

There were rumors about a month and a half ago that said ASU was for sure joining the WCHA. Maybe they were true. 

I hope it was true I'd rather not have ASU in the NCHC.

[siouxforeverbaby]

3 hours ago, SiouxVolley said:

Maya can't break even for Minot State varsity if it stays under 2000 capacity.  All Seasons has like 3900 seats and it's possible that Minot State can break even there.

Maya is a cheap place for the club team so it make sense that the club team plays there.

The Maysa is horrible for any sort of crowd.  I don't know what the plans are for the new rink yet...and I don't feel like looking it up....so we will see.

 

The seating capacity of the All Seasons Arena is listed as 3,900. However, I would like to know what that is for.  I have never been there for hockey, but it doesn't seem like it would seat 3,900 when they have the boards up for the rodeo or for 4-H showings.

[NDSU grad]

5 hours ago, SiouxVolley said:

Maya can't break even for Minot State varsity if it stays under 2000 capacity.  All Seasons has like 3900 seats and it's possible that Minot State can break even there.

Maya is a cheap place for the club team so it make sense that the club team plays there.

From what I understand the break with the All Seasons Arena happened over concession sales.  As stupid as that sounds, it's typical small-minded Minot politics.  

[Sioux>Bison]

The state fair board wouldn't budge on sharing boards ads and concession profits. Both sides need to come to a compromise. There is no reason the HS team should practice all week there and then pack everything up for home games at the Maysa. It's a real shame because the all seasons has new boards, ice system and seats. 

Maysa would never be able to support a DI team no matter how much a guy can dream. They have not even raised enough money to pay for the first set of bleachers. As someone said before, usual minot politics. Always leading from behind with the drive to fight for the #4 city in the state title.

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2016 at 5:57 PM, SiouxVolley said:

CBS, DU, CC, UND, and probably UNo  would want Ariz St.  Miami and W Mich would want BGSU.  There probably isn't a way that UNLV comes aboard with Miami and WMU leaving to get with BGSU in a new CCHA.

The B1G might snag a team also to get their numbers to eight?

[MafiaMan]

So...when the B1G was interested in ASU, we laughed because they'll be a bottom-feeder in a morgue of a rink.  Now that the rumors are that the Sun Devils are NCHC-bound, it's about expanding the conference national imprint and we're all excited.

Meanwhile, the "other guys," who viewed ASU as a big-time, like-minded institution of higher learning and thought that the Sun Devils were a logical choice for the B1G, now feel that the NCHC can have them since they're not investing money into the program like Penn State has.

My head hurts.

[Blackheart]

ASU rink holds less than 1,000 people, how in the hell would they get the 2,000 Sioux fans in there?  

[The Sicatoka]

46 minutes ago, Blackheart said:

ASU rink holds less than 1,000 people, how in the hell would they get the 2,000 Sioux fans in there?  

Dehydration. It is Arizona after all.

[Cratter]

Didn't ASU already play games in the NHL rink last year?

[brianvf]

4 hours ago, Blackheart said:

ASU rink holds less than 1,000 people, how in the hell would they get the 2,000 Sioux fans in there?  

They'd probably put the "high attendance" games at Gila River Arena where the Coyotes play...that's what they did this year.
That would just be until the rumored combo ASU/Coyotes arena goes through.

[UNDBIZ]

16 minutes ago, brianvf said:

They'd probably put the "high attendance" games at Gila River Arena where the Coyotes play...that's what they did this year.
That would just be until the rumored combo ASU/Coyotes arena goes through.

ASU needs to build a 5-7,000 seat arena.  They won't be able to fill a 15,000+ seat building, especially off-campus.

[siouxforeverbaby]

10 hours ago, Blackheart said:

ASU rink holds less than 1,000 people, how in the hell would they get the 2,000 Sioux fans in there?  

a communal trough instead of a beer glass?  Everyone stands...no one sits?

[MafiaMan]

5 hours ago, brianvf said:

They'd probably put the "high attendance" games at Gila River Arena where the Coyotes play...that's what they did this year.

And what games would those have been?

[Cratter]

24 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

And what games would those have been?

http://www.thesundevils.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=166608&SPSID=971111

[MafiaMan]

14 minutes ago, Cratter said:

http://www.thesundevils.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=166608&SPSID=971111

5,385 for the D-1 opener against Arizona

1,135 against the US Under-18 team

Just over 5,000 and just under 3,800 for Yale and UConn, respectively, in the Desert Hockey "Classic"

I dunno...still makes Ohio State home games look packed in comparison.

[Cratter]

Pretty decent numbers for a first year, transitioning, no conference, no campus arena program.

ASU will play most of their home games next year at Gila River Arena.

No doubt they want to build an on campus arena that would match their average attendance long term. 

[farce poobah]

5 hours ago, Cratter said:

Pretty decent numbers for a first year, transitioning, no conference, no campus arena program.

ASU will play most of their home games next year at Gila River Arena.

No doubt they want to build an on campus arena that would match their average attendance long term. 

Me putting two plus two together ...

The ASU Athletic Director is quite ambitious AND their basketball arena (Wells Fargo Arena) really shows its age.   I was to a basketball game there in December, and it reminded me a lot of the old St Paul Civic Center. 

Wouldn't surprise me if they went for a multi-purpose arena with luxury boxes and the like.   In the meantime, Gila River + a lot of buses would suffice. 

[The Sicatoka]

They'd have an easier time fundraising and building a new BB only facility and then retrofitting WFA for the IceDevils.

They'd get the bonus of being able to keep ice in there all the time and renting it out (because Phoenix has an ice time shortage). 

[ArchyAlum11]

On 4/26/2016 at 6:42 AM, GFG said:

There were rumors about a month and a half ago that said ASU was for sure joining the WCHA. Maybe they were true. 

i think the WCHA has some advantages for ASU, ASU would be able to win some games against the Alaska schools or Huntsville, keep in mind that that beaver blanked them 6-0 two nights in a row so they're are not going to get into the WCHA and be able to roll all over anyone. ASU has a lot of work to do to build there program. If their is anything that BIG Ten hockey has shown us is that being a Power 5 school doesn't give you a free ticket to the top.

[cberkas]

I've noticed the new head coach for Alabama's club team, John Bierchen, has been tweeting hockey areas. He has tweeted pictures of the Ralph and Little Ralph, and the new Jamestown arena. He has also gone back and forth with JLG Architects.