Hockey East (?)

[ElmCityRhody]

is there any chatter about URI going to Division 1 and joining Hockey East conference ?

[PeterRamTime]

Not much after that football team that could never compete just became one of the best teams in the FCS.

[ElmCityRhody]

the only recent thing i can find online is

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/ ... ptions.php

[Rhodymob05]

URI should be able to support Hockey and football. We are the flagship school. Get rid of smaller sports like volleyball (for example).

[bigappleram]

Title 9 prevents that. What you are basically saying is eliminate a sport played by only women (Volleyball) and replace it with a sport played only by the men (Hockey). That isn't going to happen. It's something that should be discussed, and feasibility planning against it, but it would be an expensive endeavor for sure. I for one would prefer we invest behind football, and have the best football facilities and team in RI.

[RhowdyRam02]

A poster on here had indicated before that Hockey East approached us to see if we were interested, though I'm not sure if that is accurate, it was presented as a rumor. There has never been an indication the school is interested in hockey

[Ramulous]

If we add men's hockey we would have to drop another men's team with relatively equal scholarships or we would have to add another women's team with the same number of new scholarships to comply with Title IX

This is why providence college no longer has men's baseball as a sport.....

20 new scholarships for men requires the dropping of 20 existing scholarships for men or the creation of 20 new women's scholarships, thereby doubling the cost of adding hockey without dropping a current sport....

What choice would you make Rhodymob5 ?

[rjsuperfly66]

A poster on here had indicated before that Hockey East approached us to see if we were interested, though I'm not sure if that is accurate, it was presented as a rumor. There has never been an indication the school is interested in hockey

Hockey East has been playing with 11 schools since Notre Dame left in 2017.
12 would be ideal with scheduling.
The thing is, it is probably not best (nor am I sure HE would go for it) to have URI go from no hockey to Hockey East.
They'd probably benefit from starting in the Atlantic or even better, the ECAC.
Get facilities up to speed, get the D1 level talent on the roster.
It's an expensive ask, if it didn't happen before the football resurgence, it's going to be even harder to justify now.
Too many logistical issues, although you could probably solve the scholarship problem by just adding a women's program as well.

[steviep123]

If we add men's hockey we would have to drop another men's team with relatively equal scholarships or we would have to add another women's team with the same number of new scholarships to comply with Title IX

This is why providence college no longer has men's baseball as a sport.....

20 new scholarships for men requires the dropping of 20 existing scholarships for men or the creation of 20 new women's scholarships, thereby doubling the cost of adding hockey without dropping a current sport....

What choice would you make Rhodymob5 ?

Wouldn't adding both men's and women's hockey (with the same # of scholarships) satisfy Title IX compliance?

[Ramulous]

Yes it would solve the problem.....but do we have the money in the budget to support two more sports teams?

I think not....

[Rhodymob05]

If we add men's hockey we would have to drop another men's team with relatively equal scholarships or we would have to add another women's team with the same number of new scholarships to comply with Title IX

This is why providence college no longer has men's baseball as a sport.....

20 new scholarships for men requires the dropping of 20 existing scholarships for men or the creation of 20 new women's scholarships, thereby doubling the cost of adding hockey without dropping a current sport....

What choice would you make Rhodymob5 ?

I'd rather not get rid of ANY sports mens or women's. I'm a fan of the major sports though, football, baseball. basketball and hockey. The rest are extras to me.

[hrstrat57]

Men's and Women's Ram hockey are equally deserving, the two must be promoted together.

Men's hockey could have made the direct jump to Hockey East in 2005. The level of play has dropped a bit since. Atlantic hockey is the best starting point. Joining Brown in the ECAC might work too.

It will happen someday but both programs must be elevated.

[hrstrat57]

https://news360.com/article/524439087

Bobby V hockey guy?

[Brian Forster]

Now would be a good time to go to the state for the $$.
Am sure there is a definite level of interest at the legislative level in funding hockey.

[JimSidd]

From a personal standpoint, I would love to see D1 hockey at URI because I am a fan of the sport, but the legislature funding it would be a non starter at this point. We already had a projected budget shortfall this fiscal year and it will only get worse due to the revenue shortfall because of the pandemic (casinos closed, less revenue from sales taxes, etc).

[rambone 78]

Not to mention the shortfall in the athletic budget due to less revenue from the NCAA...….

[Brian Forster]

SIdd-starting with powerhouses like Cranston East and CCRI,how many public schools in RI have dropped hockey due to lack of interest over the last 20 years?

[RF1]

I don't understand how anyone in their right mind thinks now is the time for URI hockey to go D1. Has anyone noticed there is a pandemic going on all around us? It is not only taking lives but also taking a severe toll on the economy. This in turn very much affects the revenue streams of the State of RI and URI as well. Athletic departments operations and capital spending will be down for the next few years. Starting D1 hockey at URI is not happening any time soon and it shouldn't given the present situation.

[RhodyKyle]

I agree with RF1, there is a massive hit to the RI economy from covid-19. The state will end up with a massive budget deficit this year. The absolute last thing they will be doing is giving money to URI so they could take hockey D1.

[JimSidd]

It seems like we’re all in agreement that this won’t happen anytime soon: likely never.
As to interest in hockey in certain areas within the state, some of it is due to changing demographics. I grew up on the east side of Cranston and the demographics are completely different now from what they were 50, 40 and even 20 years ago. Also, as with other sports, the move away from town based rec and travel teams to more expensive elite travel teams has resulted in fewer kids playing. The sport was never cheap compared to others, but now it’s totally unaffordable for many families.
Interest will likely never be the same as it was in the 70s, when it road the coattails of Bobby Orr and two Stanley Cups. There was also a lot less competition for people’s interests back then. However, I believe New England is still a hockey area, though, especially when the Bruins are playing well.

[ElmCityRhody]

Sacred Heart University campus has come a long way

They are building like crazy and that new hockey arena is sweet

They won the CT CU Pthat had Yale, Quinnipiac and UConn in it

tHINK BIG THEY DO

[ElmCityRhody]

Sacred Heart University campus has come a long way

They are building like crazy and that new hockey arena is sweet

They won the CT CU Pthat had Yale, Quinnipiac and UConn in it

tHINK BIG THEY DO

[RF1]

The other reality is that the numbers participating in youth hockey has been on a steep decline in this area for the last two decades. It is an expensive sport given the cost of equipment and ice rental. High school hockey programs have been dropped at many schools in the state, particularly in the urban core.

[Ramulous]

I don't know how many times I have to type this......If you want football you cannot add hockey...without adding women's hockey.....due to Title IX...and the cost of adding both is prohibitive....

[Brian Forster]

I was being facetious.
Hockey doesn't have a snowball chance in Hades under circumstances.

[Brian Forster]

any circumstances

[Brian Forster]

Communities are dropping hockey so fast your head would spin,but there's demand for it at the State level?
Come on.

[Brian Forster]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/spor ... arena.html

[ramster]

bump

[RF1]

Communities are dropping hockey so fast your head would spin,but there's demand for it at the State level?
Come on.

If I am not mistaken, none of the public high schools (approx 10) in the state's urban core of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket presently sponsor hockey teams fully on their own. These are the communities which saw the greatest growth in RI per the 2020 census. Many once had teams but dropped the sport as they had issues with the cost and filling out rosters. Some of these schools have followed the growing Co-op team trend in the RIIL. Schools are joining forces with other schools in similar situations. Woonsocket High several years ago formed a Co-op team with Scituate High. This pairing may seem odd given these communities are far apart by RI standards and share little in common but necessity brought them together.

While youth and high school hockey still remains popular in some quarters of RI, it is becoming increasingly restricted to the schools with more affluent student demographics - private schools and suburban public schools. It would seem the demographics in the growing urban parts of the state are not conducive to hockey. The sport is expensive given the cost of equipment and ice rental. The children of less affluent families who make up much of the urban cities are not participating in the sport. There are probably far fewer athletes playing hockey in the RIIL than some two to three decades ago.

[RhowdyRam02]

Communities are dropping hockey so fast your head would spin,but there's demand for it at the State level?
Come on.

If I am not mistaken, none of the public high schools (approx 10) in the state's urban core of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket presently sponsor hockey teams fully on their own. These are the communities which saw the greatest growth in RI per the 2020 census. Many once had teams but dropped the sport as they had issues with the cost and filling out rosters. Some of these schools have followed the growing Co-op team trend in the RIIL. Schools are joining forces with other schools in similar situations. Woonsocket High several years ago formed a Co-op team with Scituate High. This pairing may seem odd given these communities are far apart by RI standards and share little in common but necessity brought them together.

While youth and high school hockey still remains popular in some quarters of RI, it is becoming increasingly restricted to the schools with more affluent student demographics - private schools and suburban public schools. It would seem the demographics in the growing urban parts of the state are not conducive to hockey. The sport is expensive given the cost of equipment and ice rental. The children of less affluent families who make up much of the urban cities are not participating in the sport. There are probably far fewer athletes playing hockey in the RIIL than some two to three decades ago.

Yes and no. Yes, urban high schools aren't sponsoring the sport the way they once did. That said, with the opening of Boss Arena it led to a boom of schools playing the sport in the southern part of the state. Also, just like any other sport at URI, the average RIIL player is not who you'd be filling the roster with. We'd be filling it out primarily from students who played in private schools and/or out of state students

[RF1]

It is not encouraging for the sport to have a school such as Woonsocket High unable to field a hockey program entirely on its own. This school is located in a city with a long association with French-Canadians from the Province of Quebec, the birthplace of the game of hockey. The sport had long been very popular in the city but today its public high school cannot even fill out a team roster.

[RhowdyRam02]

It is not encouraging for the sport to have a school such as Woonsocket High unable to field a hockey program entirely on its own. This school is located in a city with a long association with French-Canadians from the Province of Quebec, the birthplace of the game of hockey. The sport had long been very popular in the city but today its public high school cannot even fill out a team roster.

Woonsocket isn't a French Canadian city anymore, hasn't been in years

[RF1]

It is not encouraging for the sport to have a school such as Woonsocket High unable to field a hockey program entirely on its own. This school is located in a city with a long association with French-Canadians from the Province of Quebec, the birthplace of the game of hockey. The sport had long been very popular in the city but today its public high school cannot even fill out a team roster.

Woonsocket isn't a French Canadian city anymore, hasn't been in years

The influence of French Canadians may be less today in the city but it still likely remains the single biggest ethnic group in Woonsocket. As recently as the 2000 census, 46% of its population identified it was part of their ethnic heritage background.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

It is not encouraging for the sport to have a school such as Woonsocket High unable to field a hockey program entirely on its own. This school is located in a city with a long association with French-Canadians from the Province of Quebec, the birthplace of the game of hockey. The sport had long been very popular in the city but today its public high school cannot even fill out a team roster.

those kids remaining of that demo go to Mount.

Woonsocket is a dump. the HS even worse. take no stock in WHS not being to field a team.

[RF1]

It is not encouraging for the sport to have a school such as Woonsocket High unable to field a hockey program entirely on its own. This school is located in a city with a long association with French-Canadians from the Province of Quebec, the birthplace of the game of hockey. The sport had long been very popular in the city but today its public high school cannot even fill out a team roster.

those kids remaining of that demo go to Mount.

Woonsocket is a dump. the HS even worse. take no stock in WHS not being to field a team.

My earlier post acknowledged that high school hockey was still popular at private schools. Mt St Charles, Hendricken, LaSalle, and Moses Brown fall into this category. It is also popular at many of the public high schools in the wealthier suburbs.

Its popularity in the urban communities is declining. That cannot be ignored as you must put stock into it given these are the areas with the highest growth rates in the state.

Population Change from 2010 to 2020 Census
Central Falls +16.5%
Providence +7.1%
Pawtucket +5.5%
Woonsocket +3.7%
RI Total +4.3%

[RhowdyRam02]

It is not encouraging for the sport to have a school such as Woonsocket High unable to field a hockey program entirely on its own. This school is located in a city with a long association with French-Canadians from the Province of Quebec, the birthplace of the game of hockey. The sport had long been very popular in the city but today its public high school cannot even fill out a team roster.

those kids remaining of that demo go to Mount.

Woonsocket is a dump. the HS even worse. take no stock in WHS not being to field a team.

My earlier post acknowledged that high school hockey was still popular at private schools. Mt St Charles, Hendricken, LaSalle, and Moses Brown fall into this category. It is also popular at many of the public high schools in the wealthier suburbs.

Its popularity in the urban communities is declining. That cannot be ignored as you must put stock into it given these are the areas with the highest growth relates in the state.

Population Change from 2010 to 2020 Census
Central Falls +16.5%
Providence +7.1%
Pawtucket +5.5%
Woonsocket +3.7%
RI Total +4.3%

Yes, but in relation to your previous post, the French Canadian community has largely moved out of Woonsocket to the suburbs to be replaced by other minority communities. Woonsocket in 2000 is vastly different from Woonsocket in 2022. My guess is you're seeing similar things in all of the communities you listed

[RF1]

Yes, but in relation to your previous post, the French Canadian community has largely moved out of Woonsocket to the suburbs to be replaced by other minority communities. Woonsocket in 2000 is vastly different from Woonsocket in 2022. My guess is you're seeing similar things in all of the communities you listed

I would agree the demographic breakdown for these cites has changed. You cannot however summarily dismiss them for this reason, especially when they are growing faster than the rest of the state. What is happening in these cities does not portend well for future hockey participation in RI. The number of teams and boys playing the sport in the RIIL today versus a few decades ago bears this out.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

It is not encouraging for the sport to have a school such as Woonsocket High unable to field a hockey program entirely on its own. This school is located in a city with a long association with French-Canadians from the Province of Quebec, the birthplace of the game of hockey. The sport had long been very popular in the city but today its public high school cannot even fill out a team roster.

those kids remaining of that demo go to Mount.

Woonsocket is a dump. the HS even worse. take no stock in WHS not being to field a team.

My earlier post acknowledged that high school hockey was still popular at private schools. Mt St Charles, Hendricken, LaSalle, and Moses Brown fall into this category. It is also popular at many of the public high schools in the wealthier suburbs.

Its popularity in the urban communities is declining. That cannot be ignored as you must put stock into it given these are the areas with the highest growth rates in the state.

Population Change from 2010 to 2020 Census
Central Falls +16.5%
Providence +7.1%
Pawtucket +5.5%
Woonsocket +3.7%
RI Total +4.3%

these are shit areas. their population growth means poor people are moving to where they can afford to move. not because it's a nice place to raise a family.

[RhowdyRam02]

Yes, but in relation to your previous post, the French Canadian community has largely moved out of Woonsocket to the suburbs to be replaced by other minority communities. Woonsocket in 2000 is vastly different from Woonsocket in 2022. My guess is you're seeing similar things in all of the communities you listed

I would agree the demographic breakdown for these cites has changed. You cannot however summarily dismiss them for this reason, especially when they are growing faster than the rest of the state. What is happening in these cities does not portend well for future hockey participation in RI. The number of teams and boys playing the sport in the RIIL today versus a few decades ago bears this out.

The demographic numbers you are citing are completely and totally irrelevant, just like the participation in those teams. The kids playing for their town high schools were never college level talent. The kids that were college level talent were already playing at a private school so they had a better chance of getting recruited. It doesn't matter that Woonsocket doesn't have a team because the kid wearing a Villa Novans jersey wasn't playing at a D1 college then, now, or, anytime in the future. The argument you think you're making has not, is not, and never will be relevant

[RF1]

Where did I ever state RI public high school players were going on to play in D1?

My contention is that hockey participation and interest is waning in RI when compared to the past. That is completely RELEVANT.

As for posters denigrating entire cities because they are not wealthy and then completely writing them off as if they don't matter, that is pretty insensitive as it ignores a big portion of the population of RI.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

Where did I ever state RI public high school players were going on to play in D1?

My contention is that hockey participation and interest is waning in RI when compared to the past. That is completely RELEVANT.

As for posters denigrating entire cities because they are not wealthy and then completely writing them off as if they don't matter, that is pretty insensitive as it ignores a big portion of the population of RI.

oh please. take your woke ass and go take a long walk off a short pier. Please, show me where I said they don't matter.. I'll wait.

Those urban booms you citied, are not playing hockey either way. ever. then. or. now. street hockey? nope, not that either.

and you're wrong on the hockey too. you need to look at the youth hockey #s. they are WAY up, bud. those in the youth programs that are moving on to play college hockey will never play high school hockey here or anywhere else. they're playing elite hockey, and moving out of RI to pursue.

it's OK to be wrong sometimes.

[Bartoburger]

Sounds like someone is really triggered about public schools actually providing talent for local schools. Woonsocket is a lower middle class town, however there are athletes (yes even some hockey players to come out of there to play in college over the past few decades) and is still loaded with folks who identify as "French Canadian". I know, some of my family grew up there and went to the public schools. The reason you don't see a hockey team there is the sport is too darn expensive. This directly relates to 20-30 years ago you could support a family working an unskilled labor job. Now you need two people working overtime to enjoy the same quality of life as their parents did.

Back to the main point of URI going to Hockey East. To be clear URI will never have a Division 1 hockey program. They cant keep Meade Stadium up to D3 standards, never mind supporting an Atlantic Hockey team. Providence is the state's college hockey team and the Friars actually have some tradition unlike URI who have had a fun club team for the Frat boys to flex on.

[Brian Forster]

https://friars.com/sports/mens-ice-hock ... core/10481

How do two D1 teams draw 842 people?


Makes sense to me.

[RF1]

https://friars.com/sports/mens-ice-hock ... core/10481

How do two D1 teams draw 842 people?


Makes sense to me.

College hockey is just not a huge general public draw beyond its small but very loyal hard core fans. Just look to the attendance of the NCAA Tournaments for men's hockey and men's basketball for perspective.

The NCAA Hockey Tournament just finished its first weekend of regional games that will lead up to the Frozen-4 that will be held at the TD Garden in Boston April 7th - 9th. Attendance at the four regional sites, one of which was Worcester, was not very high. The DCU Center (ice cap 12,135) with local schools UMass and Northeastern had the best first day crowds. Unfortunately, both local schools lost in OT in their opening games setting up an all mid-west final game in which Worcester had the lowest attendance of the four sites.

First Round Games (2)
Worcester,MA 6,002
Albany, NY 2,345
Allentown, PA 2,155
Loveland, CO 3,138


Second Round Final
Worcester,MA 2,848
Albany, NY 3,449
Allentown, PA 3,256
Loveland, CO 4,812


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_NCAA ... Tournament

[steviep123]

While I don't know if it will ever happen, at least not anytime soon, I would love to see it.

[hrstrat57]

hrstrat57 sniffs NCAA URI hockey bait and swims away…

[Rhodymob05]

I would love uri to join and become a legit D1 squad. Unfortunately, hockey will always be 4th in the US.