Brad Edward Toberman asks:
 
>         Who contols the economic side of (A.C.H.A. hockey)?  I take it
the athletic department has nothing to do with it since it is just a
club sport.  By sounds of it UI makes a lot of money off hockey.  Where
does it go?  Do the players get payed?  Who arranges the TV and radio
deals?  Who sells the tickets?  Why is it just a club sport?
 
        I can tell you how things work at Illinois - and from my
experience, most A.C.H.A. teams operate, more or less, the same.  By the
University's standards, the team at Illinois is a club - just like the
Pre-Law Club or any other club on campus.  We generally sell 2,000
tickets per game (for 14-16 home games per year) at $3.50 to $5.00.
Keeping in mind that we are a club, we pay for all our ice-time -
practices and games.  Everyone involved with hockey knows how expensive
ice-time is - for us it runs $40-$60 per hour (and that's cheap).  We
practice three to four times per week from August to March.  For games
we must rent the entire Arena, paying for the ice-time and approximately
30 people to work (including security, clean-up, concessions,
officials, etc.) There goes much of our revenues!
        We also pay, out of gate receipts, for all our roadtrips -
transportation, hotels, and meals for 23 players and the
coaching staff.  There goes more of our revenues!  Finally, we provide
equipment for the players; we spend several thousand dollars advertising our
games; and there are always other incidental expenses.  At Illinois, the
players do not get paid.  However other A.C.H.A. teams (including Arizona
and Ohio) do provide scholarships.
 
        He also asked who manages the team's affairs.  At Illinois, the
players do.  The *club* has an executive board consisting of players.
Last year I was the club's Vice President (Marketing) ... and the
starting goalie (A.C.H.A. Division I All-American).  Fortunately, we also
have several volunteers who help manage the team.  Last year it was my
job to arrange the team's newspaper, television, and radio advertising
deals.  Other exec. board members handle the team's money matters,
community relations, etc.  Having been around since 1957 our team is
well-known in the community, and local businesses and individuals enjoy
helping and supporting us.
 
        Despite all the work we do off the ice (and believe me it's a
lot!) we have had lots of success on the ice, too.  Last year we finished
the season ranked No. 6 in the A.C.H.A. Division I poll.  During the year
we beat Penn State and Ohio (the eventual national champs).  Five of our
players were named to the All-American teams.
        In essence, I believe A.C.H.A.teams operate the way all college teams
should.  It's pretty rewarding to beat a top-ranked team like Penn State
at home before a sold-out crowd, knowing that not only did I have a part
in our success on the ice, but off the ice too.
 
                                        Thanks for listening to me jabber,
                                                  Terry Kasdan
                                        ----------------------------------
                                        http://students.uiuc.edu/~t-kasdan
 
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