On Fri, 18 Dec 1998 08:57:57 -0600 Matthew Sullivan wrote:
 
> I would like to pose a question to the list.  It looks as if a new rink has
> become a necessity for success, at least in the WCHA.  Does anybody see
> college hockey developing into a two tier league of big-time schools who can
> afford to build these new rinks and those who cannot?  It is obvious that
> these new facilities can draw big-time recruits.
>
> Is this a trend in other conferences?  My knowledge of hockey facilities is
> limited to the WCHA.
 
It has become a huge issue in Hockey East.  The 1990's have seen some Class A
facilities come on line:
    Conte Forum at Boston College (aka the House That Flutie Built)
    Whittemore Center at University of  New Hampshire
    Mullins Center at University of Massachusetts - Amherst
    Tsongas Arena at University of Massachusetts - Lowell
 
In the meantime, the following arenas have undergone major renovations:
    Matthews Arena at Northeastern University
    Alfond Arena at University of Maine
 
These projects came about for different reasons; in some cases the continued
success of the school's hockey program wasn't a prime consideration (e.g.,
Mullins Center - basketball; Tsongas Arena - urban renewal and AHL).  The
recruits see these facilities, and it is a selling point.  Whittemore and
Tsongas are beautiful arenas (and virtually identical), and should have a
profound effect on recruiting.  Yet I am convinced that UMA has failed miserably
in bringing in top talent, despite having superior playing and practice
facilities.  Many people (myself included) argue that the MDC rink masquerading
as an arena at Merrimack College hurts recruiting.  OTOH, I kinda like being
right on top of the players at Volpe Complex.  It's quaint, but bring warm
clothes.  No matter what the facility, as long as the seats are empty at
Schneider Arena, Providence College will have problems.
 
FWIW, the big mystery is what Boston University's plans are.  There has been
talk for years that they will convert the old National Guard Armory on
Commonwealth Avenue to a new arena.  They outgrew Walter Brown Arena a long time
ago, and need desperately to expand from 3,800 seats to 5,500.  Anything larger
than that would be too big.  The quality of the recruits the last three seasons
at BU seems to indicate to me that recruits are looking very closely at the
facilities.  Walter Brown Arena is less than 30 years old, but you have to
remember what it was like before then.  There was no rink on the campus;
students had to go all the way down to the old Boston Arena (now Matthews Arena)
on Northeastern's campus, and share that with NU and a bunch of high schools.
When the current facility opened in 1971, it was considered state-of-the-art.
Today, it is outmoded and not at all conducive to concession sales (it does sell
beer and wine, however).  But more than any other rink in the league, Walter
Brown Arena provides its team with a serious home-ice advantage.  The capacity
and the acoustics make the fans a factor in the game.  It does need to be
replaced, and I am still waiting to hear what the plan is.  The one reason why
I'll miss the current spot is because I have one of the best seats in the house.
 
--
Edward N. Moller
Controller
Mount Ida College
Newton Centre, MA  02459-3323
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Tel (617) 928-4515
Fax (617) 928-4706
 
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