CathyH reported..
>The schedule will not be publicized until it is set in stone.
 
This will probably sound like what I wrote last year in this forum
(because I'm still sure this is a poor policy)...
 
A schedule is *never* cast instone.  It is always subject to change.
 
This policy caused the season-ticket packages last year to be mailed
without a schedule: here, buy the package, but we're not going to tell
you when the games will be nor how many there will be.  :-(
 
There are probably 2 ways of viewing this.  First, never publish a
schedule until everything is completely settled.  This means the U never
has to retract (administrators like that).  This means that changes
never have to be explained (administrators like that).  This means that
no one makes a plan due to the "tentative schedule" and has to change it
when the tentative schedule is changed (administrators like fewer
complainers).  This means that scheduling decisions will be independent
from whatever bad might happen because the public knew of the tentative
plans (administrators like that).  Some negotiations for games might
best be done privately and secretly until concluded.  No tentative
schedule means that figuring out which games might fall into this
category might take some time and an error could be embarrassing
(administrators need all the time they can find and like to avoid being
embarrassed).  Waiting until Fall to publish "the schedule" will allow
the media to report on the schedule when the general public needs a
nudge to start thinking about hockey games, not in the Spring when there
is no hockey (unless you count NHL playoffs).
 
On the other hand, making a tentative schedule available (publishing has
such fancy connotations) is good for the fans (paying customers).  Heh,
I promise to stop complaining (in this forum) for a month if a schedule,
tentative or otherwise, arrives with my season tickets package.
 
Let's say that Maine schedules the maximum of 34 regular season games
(plus Blue-White and playoffs).  Let's say that 10% of those 40 games
are changed: 4 games change (change/add/delete).  That means that 90% of
our tentative plans work out.  Not a bad deal.  What did it cost?  (see
above).  An excellent tradeoff, IMHO.
 
Maybe I've left something out?  Maybe some school somewhere was sued
because they changed their "tentative schedule"?  Maybe administrators
think more season ticket holders will renew if they don't know a
tentative schedule?  Maybe we shouldn't know who is scheduled to come to
the JCPenney Classic this Fall?  Maybe I shouldn't be given the chance
to figure Thanksgiving and Christmas/NewYear's games into my upcoming
holiday travel plans?
 
Maybe no schedule should be published at all.  Let the media announce
the upcoming weekend's games (home or away & opponent).  This makes the
media seem important (they like that, maybe they'll even become Maine
fans ...  a little).
 
Releasing a tentative schedule *helps* me be a Maine Hockey fan.  I can
only assume it would do the same for others.
 
As Dan implied, Hockey-L is covered with tentative schedules this time
of year.  A substantial portion of the Maine tentative schedule *can* be
figured out now.
 
Think Anaheim!
 
Wayne T. Smith
[log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing
Co-owner of the College Hockey lists - Hockey-L/Info-Hockey-L/Hockey3