LarryL wrote, in part..
>I'm curious.  What's the rationale behind requiring the HE and NCAA
>Tourneys as a contest each?  Is this part of the longer "probation"
>sanctions?  What's the rationale?
 
One of Maine's penalties from last July was the loss of "annual
exemptions"(1) for this season.  This penalty was not appealed(2), but
(apparently because of contractual commitments(3)) Maine and the NCAA
agreed to postpone the penalty until next year.
 
As DeronT reported last week, the NCAA last week made a ruling *very*
favorable to Maine.  That is, that the 1998 HEA tournament and NCAA
tournaments would each be counted as one game, even though Maine might
play up to 5 time in the HEA tournament and 4 times in the NCAA tourny.
As far as I can see, the NCAA just made this one up; there is nothing
in the NCAA Manual to support the ruling(4).
 
>32 games... sheesh... you'd think we were in the ECAC.  At least my
>season tickets will be cheaper.
 
I wouldn't count on it.
 
As DaveW wrote, Maine might be able to schedule 17 home games and 15
away games next year.  But not likely.  As CathyH wrote, Maine has
declared a "stable" season ticket price for a year or two now at $220
(plus $2 handling fee).
 
Did you know that you pay 220/17=$12.94 per game for each of your season
tickets now?  So much for face value of $12.  If Maine only plays 16
games next year, the per game price would jump to a whopping $13.75.(5)
 
Guess where the "annual exemptions" penalty will fall: directly
on the season subscribers and players (unless the Athletics department
decides to shoulder responsibility for their (in)actions and lower the
package price next season.  Then only the players and revenue will
"suffer".
 
cheers,
Wayne Smith '70
Old Town Landing
 
Footnotes:
 
(1) There are many "annual exemptions" defined by the NCAA.  They include
    NCAA tournaments, conference post-season tournament games, an alumni
    game, a foreign tour (once each 4 years), and hosting a foreign
    team, among several others.
 
(2) Though the "annual exemptions" penalty was not directly appealed, it
    is commonly believed that the NCAA would have lifted this penalty
    *if* the NCAA post-season ban was lifted.
 
(3) Maine will play 35 games this season.  34 is the maximum for D-I.
    The 35h game was scheduled as an "annual exemption": Dalhousie.
 
    No one has really asked, but I'll offer that the NCAA considers
    the regular season to consist of all games up to the NCAA tournament.
    Thus when the NCAA just denied the appeal of this year's
    "post-season", it was referring to the NCAA tournament (only).
    (Maine will not compete in the HEA tournament only because of HEA
    rule that HEA tournament eligible teams must be eligible for the
    NCAA tournament -- a good rule, IMHO.  HEA should have the same rule
    in place for the regular season title).
 
(4) The NCAA *does* consider the annual exemption to count as one
    game per tournament in other sports, yet those rules are explicit
    and different from ice hockey in other ways.
 
(5) In the State of Maine I understand it is illegal to scalp tickets by
    selling them for more than face value.  I wonder if this applies to
    the ticket vendor?!  Who's going to file the class action suit to
    get that righted, if so?  :(