HOF
Posted 07 February 2015 - 09:56 AM
How do we get this started?
Now that MD Is in the Big Ten, they need an ice hockey program. Given the rabid hockey fan base of the Caps in the MD/DC/VA area, I feel like the crowds would support it. Wonder what it would take to get that going? Have a frozen four at Verizon center, and pack the house? Kevin Plank donates another few million?
I don't doubt that MD could come up with some bad ass hockey sweaters.
Moderator
Posted 07 February 2015 - 10:13 AM
How do we get this started?
Now that MD Is in the Big Ten, they need an ice hockey program. Given the rabid hockey fan base of the Caps in the MD/DC/VA area, I feel like the crowds would support it. Wonder what it would take to get that going? Have a frozen four at Verizon center, and pack the house? Kevin Plank donates another few million?
I don't doubt that MD could come up with some bad ass hockey sweaters.
They have an ice hockey program, but it's a club sport. In the ACC they still had a conference tourney (which MD has won a few times in the past decade or so). They do have some awesome sweaters actually.
While the Big 10 can support an actual program, I don't know if MD actually can. After they cut all those sports a few years back, they still haven't shown any interest in bringing any back even with the B10 money, and jumping into another major sports program would be insanely expensive. Not to mention, it's not exactly a hotbed of national hockey talent here, so being able to build a program that could compete with Michigan for example would be a real uphill battle.
HOF
Posted 07 February 2015 - 10:23 AM
They have an ice hockey program, but it's a club sport. In the ACC they still had a conference tourney (which MD has won a few times in the past decade or so). They do have some awesome sweaters actually.
While the Big 10 can support an actual program, I don't know if MD actually can. After they cut all those sports a few years back, they still haven't shown any interest in bringing any back even with the B10 money, and jumping into another major sports program would be insanely expensive. Not to mention, it's not exactly a hotbed of national hockey talent here, so being able to build a program that could compete with Michigan for example would be a real uphill battle.
CFB Analyst
Posted 10 February 2015 - 06:28 PM
Didnt know about the club team. Thats cool. I dont think money is an issue. I mean, they had $50M sitting around to buy out of the ACC. Billionaire backer in Plank. Of course there will be growing pains, they likely wont compete for national titles (although in a sport thats so closely contested anything can happen) but neither does football.
Just sayin, it'd be cool
Money is still an issue at UM, and will be for some time. That settlement with the ACC (it was actually $31 million) wasn't cash that was "sitting around." It was money that the ACC was supposed to pay UM in shared conference distributions, but withheld after the Terps announced their plans to depart while the matter was wrapped up in litigation. So the Athletic Department had to borrow millions from the university to fund much of its budget during those 2 years....money it will now have to pay back. And the overwhelming majority of Kevin Plank's worth is in shares of Under Armour he owns, not cash sitting in a bank account....and even a one-time donation from him isn't going to cover a program year-after-year (and ice hockey isn't a cheap sport to begin with). And of course there is Title IX to consider....if you start a men's ice hockey program, you have to start and fund an equal amount of scholarships in another women's athletic program. UM won't be sponsoring hockey at the NCAA level anytime soon.
Also, the notion that a UM hockey program would have a lot of public support based on the Capitals is specious. If that were the case, Byrd Stadium would be packed for every home football game based on the Ravens and Redskins selling out their games.
Sr. Terps Analyst
Posted 16 February 2015 - 10:35 AM
It won't happen anytime soon, if ever. Money is a huge issue, for one. They'd be much more likely to bring back the sports that they cut three years ago than to start a new one. Most of those sports are now club sports, much like ice hockey. There is an obvious question of venue for the ice hockey team. Right now, the club team plays at one of two different arenas in Laurel/College Park. They are the only club sport team that does not have a potential venue on campus. And, as others have said, supporting an ice hockey team would be much more expensive than the dismissed sports.
As for a fanbase, I do see the potential for a small group of students to become hardcore Maryland ice hockey fans. However, I can't see it being nearly enough to support a team. It has taken the men's soccer team many years to develop what has become known as "The Crew", a group of a few hundred students making up a rabid fanbase. For an ice hockey team that will likely be very bad most of the time, the fans will be few and far between.
Right now, most of the club sports' funding comes from Campus Recreation Services (my on-campus employer). We provide them a ton of funding for facilities, equipment, and (most importantly) travel costs. Ice hockey isn't even the most popular sport club. Rugby and Ultimate Frisbee probably take that prize.
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