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University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
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AZcats Offline
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Post: #141
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-06-2019 09:33 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 07:54 PM)AZcats Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 06:39 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think the schools out west that do have club hockey out west should start a varsity program because it would help the schools out west more. The Alaska twins could switch hockey conferences for sure. Arizona State and UNLV would have a home.

There has been talk for several years on the hopes of more hockey teams in the west but it's much easier said than done. Hockey is one of the most expensive college sports; so, does the school have the finances to support a competitive team? You also have T9 issues; Arizona State had to add women's lacrosse and women's triathlon to satisfy T9 when hockey was added at additional costs.

So David, are you going to make donations to these schools in order for them to add varsity hockey?

Several schools out west already spending money on club or emerging sports already in place. Just need to upped the money for scholarships. Colorado Mesa and Central Washington are 2 schools that do have sports in place that could go varsity. I think the D1 and D2 schools in California also have some club sports in place like LAX that could go varsity. It is just when they get enough money in place to go varsity.

Really? Show this information.
05-06-2019 10:21 PM
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utpotts Offline
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Post: #142
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-06-2019 10:21 PM)AZcats Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 09:33 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 07:54 PM)AZcats Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 06:39 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think the schools out west that do have club hockey out west should start a varsity program because it would help the schools out west more. The Alaska twins could switch hockey conferences for sure. Arizona State and UNLV would have a home.

There has been talk for several years on the hopes of more hockey teams in the west but it's much easier said than done. Hockey is one of the most expensive college sports; so, does the school have the finances to support a competitive team? You also have T9 issues; Arizona State had to add women's lacrosse and women's triathlon to satisfy T9 when hockey was added at additional costs.

So David, are you going to make donations to these schools in order for them to add varsity hockey?

Several schools out west already spending money on club or emerging sports already in place. Just need to upped the money for scholarships. Colorado Mesa and Central Washington are 2 schools that do have sports in place that could go varsity. I think the D1 and D2 schools in California also have some club sports in place like LAX that could go varsity. It is just when they get enough money in place to go varsity.

Really? Show this information.

He has no sources.....
05-06-2019 11:51 PM
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Frank the Tank Offline
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Post: #143
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-06-2019 04:52 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 03:38 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  It appears Illinois is serious about hockey.





Given that the Big Ten is at seven, would this make it less likely that Arizona State would receive an invitation?

Well, last week, this did occur.

https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/the...uncil-stud

Quote:Champaign City Council members indicated in a study session Tuesday night that they’re ready to commit future tax revenue to help a quarter billion downtown project known as “The Yards”.

Developers Brian Neiswender, Marc Lifshin and Hans Grotelueschen are working together on the $250 million project. “The Yards” would use nearly 11 acres of land in what was Champaign’s original industrial district, located south of University Avenue. The site includes parking lots currently used by Christie Clinic employees, and now-vacant buildings that for many years housed the Goodyear Twin City Tire Co., and the Rogards office supply store.

But some of the city funding would reach developers early, in the form of bonds issued by the city to finance the building of the parking structures and also new sanitary sewers to serve both the new development and other buildings in the area.

That didn’t sit well with residents of the infrastructure-poor Garden Hills neighborhood, which isn’t expected to get its long-sought new storm sewers, streetlights and sidewalks until 2030. Two neighborhood activists, Chad Smith and Amy Revilla, told council members they didn’t appreciate waiting while the new downtown development was seemingly given priority. Another Garden Hills resident who complained was First District council member Clarissa Nickerson Fourman.

The development plan is really what makes Illinois hockey viable (at least on paper). This isn't just a hockey-only arena, but it would also be the new homes for the volleyball and wrestling teams along with a centralized youth sports center supporting basketball and other sports.

More importantly, this can really change Champaign in its overall attractiveness as a college town. I think that one of the drawbacks to Champaign compared to its peer competitor college towns (such as Madison, Ann Arbor and Bloomington) is that there's a gap between the downtown Champaign area (which is more professional and, for a lack of a better term, "grown up") and the campus itself. The Campustown area next to campus has a ton of bars and nightlife geared toward students, but there's very little reason for anyone other than a student to really go there. That's a big difference compared to, say, Madison, where it's a continuous transition from campus to the rest of its downtown and it's a much greater mix between the students and the larger community.

The U of I campus amenities (not the campus itself, but rather student-focused businesses and apartments) have increasingly grown closer to downtown Champaign, but they're still not quite linked. The proposed arena can really be that "last mile" link between the two areas and supercharge the connections between the two. All it takes is a couple of more blocks of development between that arena and the current Campustown boundaries and suddenly Champaign becomes a whole lot more attractive as a college town compared to now. (It will never be Madison/Ann Arbor/Austin-level, but it will at least no longer be a negative.) That's a potential campus/college town-changing initiative that goes far beyond the hockey team, which is why this new program might finally get off the ground (cross my fingers) after literally decades of discussions. We were talking about an Illinois Division I hockey program back when I was in college... and I'm 41 years old now.
05-07-2019 12:56 PM
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DavidSt Offline
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Post: #144
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-06-2019 10:21 PM)AZcats Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 09:33 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 07:54 PM)AZcats Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 06:39 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think the schools out west that do have club hockey out west should start a varsity program because it would help the schools out west more. The Alaska twins could switch hockey conferences for sure. Arizona State and UNLV would have a home.

There has been talk for several years on the hopes of more hockey teams in the west but it's much easier said than done. Hockey is one of the most expensive college sports; so, does the school have the finances to support a competitive team? You also have T9 issues; Arizona State had to add women's lacrosse and women's triathlon to satisfy T9 when hockey was added at additional costs.

So David, are you going to make donations to these schools in order for them to add varsity hockey?

Several schools out west already spending money on club or emerging sports already in place. Just need to upped the money for scholarships. Colorado Mesa and Central Washington are 2 schools that do have sports in place that could go varsity. I think the D1 and D2 schools in California also have some club sports in place like LAX that could go varsity. It is just when they get enough money in place to go varsity.

Really? Show this information.


It is on their athletics' websites saying that their club sports are emerging sports. The schools sponsor them as club teams and listed them as emerging.
Mesa's emerging sports are men's hockey, cheer-leading, cycling, rodeo, Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, and rugby.
The schools list three categories of sports.
Varsity
Emerging
Club
Varsity is full scholarships.
Emerging is like a club team, but more like varsity like rodeo is not an NCAA sanction sport which is put in emerging. But, there are others like men's hockey being treated as a club, but is being tested to become a varsity team. That was how South Alabama's first year of football was. A build up on the program to get the players ready for the big time. Many new sports teams were built up first as a club team until the school made them a varsity team. Arizona State, UNLV and Illinois men's hockey teams are club teams, but are also called emerging sport. Emerging sport is a step up from club team before entering varsity status. It is a way for schools to test which sports to add, but it would be cheaper just by adding scholarships since they already got the equipment and a place to play.
05-07-2019 04:00 PM
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AZcats Offline
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Post: #145
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-07-2019 04:00 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 10:21 PM)AZcats Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 09:33 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 07:54 PM)AZcats Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 06:39 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think the schools out west that do have club hockey out west should start a varsity program because it would help the schools out west more. The Alaska twins could switch hockey conferences for sure. Arizona State and UNLV would have a home.

There has been talk for several years on the hopes of more hockey teams in the west but it's much easier said than done. Hockey is one of the most expensive college sports; so, does the school have the finances to support a competitive team? You also have T9 issues; Arizona State had to add women's lacrosse and women's triathlon to satisfy T9 when hockey was added at additional costs.

So David, are you going to make donations to these schools in order for them to add varsity hockey?

Several schools out west already spending money on club or emerging sports already in place. Just need to upped the money for scholarships. Colorado Mesa and Central Washington are 2 schools that do have sports in place that could go varsity. I think the D1 and D2 schools in California also have some club sports in place like LAX that could go varsity. It is just when they get enough money in place to go varsity.

Really? Show this information.


It is on their athletics' websites saying that their club sports are emerging sports. The schools sponsor them as club teams and listed them as emerging.
Mesa's emerging sports are men's hockey, cheer-leading, cycling, rodeo, Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, and rugby.
The schools list three categories of sports.
Varsity
Emerging
Club
Varsity is full scholarships.
Emerging is like a club team, but more like varsity like rodeo is not an NCAA sanction sport which is put in emerging. But, there are others like men's hockey being treated as a club, but is being tested to become a varsity team. That was how South Alabama's first year of football was. A build up on the program to get the players ready for the big time. Many new sports teams were built up first as a club team until the school made them a varsity team. Arizona State, UNLV and Illinois men's hockey teams are club teams, but are also called emerging sport. Emerging sport is a step up from club team before entering varsity status. It is a way for schools to test which sports to add, but it would be cheaper just by adding scholarships since they already got the equipment and a place to play.

1) That did not answer the question. No surprise. 2) Absolutely nothing is correct in this post. Again, no surprise.
05-07-2019 04:29 PM
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Captain Bearcat Offline
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Post: #146
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-07-2019 12:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 04:52 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 03:38 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  It appears Illinois is serious about hockey.





Given that the Big Ten is at seven, would this make it less likely that Arizona State would receive an invitation?

Well, last week, this did occur.

https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/the...uncil-stud

Quote:Champaign City Council members indicated in a study session Tuesday night that they’re ready to commit future tax revenue to help a quarter billion downtown project known as “The Yards”.

Developers Brian Neiswender, Marc Lifshin and Hans Grotelueschen are working together on the $250 million project. “The Yards” would use nearly 11 acres of land in what was Champaign’s original industrial district, located south of University Avenue. The site includes parking lots currently used by Christie Clinic employees, and now-vacant buildings that for many years housed the Goodyear Twin City Tire Co., and the Rogards office supply store.

But some of the city funding would reach developers early, in the form of bonds issued by the city to finance the building of the parking structures and also new sanitary sewers to serve both the new development and other buildings in the area.

That didn’t sit well with residents of the infrastructure-poor Garden Hills neighborhood, which isn’t expected to get its long-sought new storm sewers, streetlights and sidewalks until 2030. Two neighborhood activists, Chad Smith and Amy Revilla, told council members they didn’t appreciate waiting while the new downtown development was seemingly given priority. Another Garden Hills resident who complained was First District council member Clarissa Nickerson Fourman.

The development plan is really what makes Illinois hockey viable (at least on paper). This isn't just a hockey-only arena, but it would also be the new homes for the volleyball and wrestling teams along with a centralized youth sports center supporting basketball and other sports.

More importantly, this can really change Champaign in its overall attractiveness as a college town. I think that one of the drawbacks to Champaign compared to its peer competitor college towns (such as Madison, Ann Arbor and Bloomington) is that there's a gap between the downtown Champaign area (which is more professional and, for a lack of a better term, "grown up") and the campus itself. The Campustown area next to campus has a ton of bars and nightlife geared toward students, but there's very little reason for anyone other than a student to really go there. That's a big difference compared to, say, Madison, where it's a continuous transition from campus to the rest of its downtown and it's a much greater mix between the students and the larger community.

The U of I campus amenities (not the campus itself, but rather student-focused businesses and apartments) have increasingly grown closer to downtown Champaign, but they're still not quite linked. The proposed arena can really be that "last mile" link between the two areas and supercharge the connections between the two. All it takes is a couple of more blocks of development between that arena and the current Campustown boundaries and suddenly Champaign becomes a whole lot more attractive as a college town compared to now. (It will never be Madison/Ann Arbor/Austin-level, but it will at least no longer be a negative.) That's a potential campus/college town-changing initiative that goes far beyond the hockey team, which is why this new program might finally get off the ground (cross my fingers) after literally decades of discussions. We were talking about an Illinois Division I hockey program back when I was in college... and I'm 41 years old now.

It doesn't help that the University of Illinois has a VERY spread out campus. It's 2.5 miles from north-to-south and over 1 mile wide once you get south of the original quad. And it's got a 52 acre cemetery right in the middle.

It makes Purdue look like a compact urban campus by comparison (and Purdue is pretty spread out compared to most universities).
05-07-2019 07:08 PM
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dbackjon Offline
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Post: #147
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-07-2019 07:08 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  
(05-07-2019 12:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 04:52 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 03:38 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  It appears Illinois is serious about hockey.





Given that the Big Ten is at seven, would this make it less likely that Arizona State would receive an invitation?

Well, last week, this did occur.

https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/the...uncil-stud

Quote:Champaign City Council members indicated in a study session Tuesday night that they’re ready to commit future tax revenue to help a quarter billion downtown project known as “The Yards”.

Developers Brian Neiswender, Marc Lifshin and Hans Grotelueschen are working together on the $250 million project. “The Yards” would use nearly 11 acres of land in what was Champaign’s original industrial district, located south of University Avenue. The site includes parking lots currently used by Christie Clinic employees, and now-vacant buildings that for many years housed the Goodyear Twin City Tire Co., and the Rogards office supply store.

But some of the city funding would reach developers early, in the form of bonds issued by the city to finance the building of the parking structures and also new sanitary sewers to serve both the new development and other buildings in the area.

That didn’t sit well with residents of the infrastructure-poor Garden Hills neighborhood, which isn’t expected to get its long-sought new storm sewers, streetlights and sidewalks until 2030. Two neighborhood activists, Chad Smith and Amy Revilla, told council members they didn’t appreciate waiting while the new downtown development was seemingly given priority. Another Garden Hills resident who complained was First District council member Clarissa Nickerson Fourman.

The development plan is really what makes Illinois hockey viable (at least on paper). This isn't just a hockey-only arena, but it would also be the new homes for the volleyball and wrestling teams along with a centralized youth sports center supporting basketball and other sports.

More importantly, this can really change Champaign in its overall attractiveness as a college town. I think that one of the drawbacks to Champaign compared to its peer competitor college towns (such as Madison, Ann Arbor and Bloomington) is that there's a gap between the downtown Champaign area (which is more professional and, for a lack of a better term, "grown up") and the campus itself. The Campustown area next to campus has a ton of bars and nightlife geared toward students, but there's very little reason for anyone other than a student to really go there. That's a big difference compared to, say, Madison, where it's a continuous transition from campus to the rest of its downtown and it's a much greater mix between the students and the larger community.

The U of I campus amenities (not the campus itself, but rather student-focused businesses and apartments) have increasingly grown closer to downtown Champaign, but they're still not quite linked. The proposed arena can really be that "last mile" link between the two areas and supercharge the connections between the two. All it takes is a couple of more blocks of development between that arena and the current Campustown boundaries and suddenly Champaign becomes a whole lot more attractive as a college town compared to now. (It will never be Madison/Ann Arbor/Austin-level, but it will at least no longer be a negative.) That's a potential campus/college town-changing initiative that goes far beyond the hockey team, which is why this new program might finally get off the ground (cross my fingers) after literally decades of discussions. We were talking about an Illinois Division I hockey program back when I was in college... and I'm 41 years old now.

It doesn't help that the University of Illinois has a VERY spread out campus. It's 2.5 miles from north-to-south and over 1 mile wide once you get south of the original quad. And it's got a 52 acre cemetery right in the middle.

It makes Purdue look like a compact urban campus by comparison (and Purdue is pretty spread out compared to most universities).

I was there in the early 80's - never really got the sense that it was that spread out.

Freshman year I lived in Oglesby (far SE corner of campus) Union 1 mile away, Ice Arena 1 mile away.
05-07-2019 07:40 PM
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Post: #148
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-07-2019 12:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 04:52 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 03:38 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  It appears Illinois is serious about hockey.





Given that the Big Ten is at seven, would this make it less likely that Arizona State would receive an invitation?

Well, last week, this did occur.

https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/the...uncil-stud

Quote:Champaign City Council members indicated in a study session Tuesday night that they’re ready to commit future tax revenue to help a quarter billion downtown project known as “The Yards”.

Developers Brian Neiswender, Marc Lifshin and Hans Grotelueschen are working together on the $250 million project. “The Yards” would use nearly 11 acres of land in what was Champaign’s original industrial district, located south of University Avenue. The site includes parking lots currently used by Christie Clinic employees, and now-vacant buildings that for many years housed the Goodyear Twin City Tire Co., and the Rogards office supply store.

But some of the city funding would reach developers early, in the form of bonds issued by the city to finance the building of the parking structures and also new sanitary sewers to serve both the new development and other buildings in the area.

That didn’t sit well with residents of the infrastructure-poor Garden Hills neighborhood, which isn’t expected to get its long-sought new storm sewers, streetlights and sidewalks until 2030. Two neighborhood activists, Chad Smith and Amy Revilla, told council members they didn’t appreciate waiting while the new downtown development was seemingly given priority. Another Garden Hills resident who complained was First District council member Clarissa Nickerson Fourman.

The development plan is really what makes Illinois hockey viable (at least on paper). This isn't just a hockey-only arena, but it would also be the new homes for the volleyball and wrestling teams along with a centralized youth sports center supporting basketball and other sports.

More importantly, this can really change Champaign in its overall attractiveness as a college town. I think that one of the drawbacks to Champaign compared to its peer competitor college towns (such as Madison, Ann Arbor and Bloomington) is that there's a gap between the downtown Champaign area (which is more professional and, for a lack of a better term, "grown up") and the campus itself. The Campustown area next to campus has a ton of bars and nightlife geared toward students, but there's very little reason for anyone other than a student to really go there. That's a big difference compared to, say, Madison, where it's a continuous transition from campus to the rest of its downtown and it's a much greater mix between the students and the larger community.

The U of I campus amenities (not the campus itself, but rather student-focused businesses and apartments) have increasingly grown closer to downtown Champaign, but they're still not quite linked. The proposed arena can really be that "last mile" link between the two areas and supercharge the connections between the two. All it takes is a couple of more blocks of development between that arena and the current Campustown boundaries and suddenly Champaign becomes a whole lot more attractive as a college town compared to now. (It will never be Madison/Ann Arbor/Austin-level, but it will at least no longer be a negative.) That's a potential campus/college town-changing initiative that goes far beyond the hockey team, which is why this new program might finally get off the ground (cross my fingers) after literally decades of discussions. We were talking about an Illinois Division I hockey program back when I was in college... and I'm 41 years old now.

When I visited Champaign, I thought it sucked compared to Columbia and Springfield. For a Big Ten school, it wasn't very good college town IMO. I even went to a homecoming game and Ohio State was in town.
05-07-2019 07:40 PM
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MidWestMidMajor Offline
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Post: #149
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(a bit of a tangent: MissouriStateBears-
I've watched of a couple of the Missouri State Ice Bears ACHA games via the internet. They seem to have good support & a good organization. The announcer was first class. They have an experienced paid head coach. With no other minor league or junior hockey team for competition in a metro area of nearly 500,000; if it wasn't for title IX I wonder what they could do as an NCAA program?)
05-07-2019 11:48 PM
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Post: #150
RE: University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
(05-07-2019 07:40 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  
(05-07-2019 07:08 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  
(05-07-2019 12:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 04:52 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  
(05-06-2019 03:38 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  It appears Illinois is serious about hockey.





Given that the Big Ten is at seven, would this make it less likely that Arizona State would receive an invitation?

Well, last week, this did occur.

https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/the...uncil-stud

Quote:Champaign City Council members indicated in a study session Tuesday night that they’re ready to commit future tax revenue to help a quarter billion downtown project known as “The Yards”.

Developers Brian Neiswender, Marc Lifshin and Hans Grotelueschen are working together on the $250 million project. “The Yards” would use nearly 11 acres of land in what was Champaign’s original industrial district, located south of University Avenue. The site includes parking lots currently used by Christie Clinic employees, and now-vacant buildings that for many years housed the Goodyear Twin City Tire Co., and the Rogards office supply store.

But some of the city funding would reach developers early, in the form of bonds issued by the city to finance the building of the parking structures and also new sanitary sewers to serve both the new development and other buildings in the area.

That didn’t sit well with residents of the infrastructure-poor Garden Hills neighborhood, which isn’t expected to get its long-sought new storm sewers, streetlights and sidewalks until 2030. Two neighborhood activists, Chad Smith and Amy Revilla, told council members they didn’t appreciate waiting while the new downtown development was seemingly given priority. Another Garden Hills resident who complained was First District council member Clarissa Nickerson Fourman.

The development plan is really what makes Illinois hockey viable (at least on paper). This isn't just a hockey-only arena, but it would also be the new homes for the volleyball and wrestling teams along with a centralized youth sports center supporting basketball and other sports.

More importantly, this can really change Champaign in its overall attractiveness as a college town. I think that one of the drawbacks to Champaign compared to its peer competitor college towns (such as Madison, Ann Arbor and Bloomington) is that there's a gap between the downtown Champaign area (which is more professional and, for a lack of a better term, "grown up") and the campus itself. The Campustown area next to campus has a ton of bars and nightlife geared toward students, but there's very little reason for anyone other than a student to really go there. That's a big difference compared to, say, Madison, where it's a continuous transition from campus to the rest of its downtown and it's a much greater mix between the students and the larger community.

The U of I campus amenities (not the campus itself, but rather student-focused businesses and apartments) have increasingly grown closer to downtown Champaign, but they're still not quite linked. The proposed arena can really be that "last mile" link between the two areas and supercharge the connections between the two. All it takes is a couple of more blocks of development between that arena and the current Campustown boundaries and suddenly Champaign becomes a whole lot more attractive as a college town compared to now. (It will never be Madison/Ann Arbor/Austin-level, but it will at least no longer be a negative.) That's a potential campus/college town-changing initiative that goes far beyond the hockey team, which is why this new program might finally get off the ground (cross my fingers) after literally decades of discussions. We were talking about an Illinois Division I hockey program back when I was in college... and I'm 41 years old now.

It doesn't help that the University of Illinois has a VERY spread out campus. It's 2.5 miles from north-to-south and over 1 mile wide once you get south of the original quad. And it's got a 52 acre cemetery right in the middle.

It makes Purdue look like a compact urban campus by comparison (and Purdue is pretty spread out compared to most universities).

I was there in the early 80's - never really got the sense that it was that spread out.

Freshman year I lived in Oglesby (far SE corner of campus) Union 1 mile away, Ice Arena 1 mile away.

Maybe it wasn't then... but that was almost 40 years ago. It's grown from 33,000 students in 1980 to 49,000 today.

Other Midwestern state schools have seen similar growth. But landlocked campuses like Ohio State and Cincinnati and Wisconsin chose to build UP rather than OUT.

Purdue built UP for its business buildings, but most of Purdue's construction over the past 10 years has been far away from the Main Quad. Yet Purdue is avoiding Illinois' mistake because they are making the dorms the center of campus. The quad is east of the dorms, and new construction is mostly south and northwest of the dorms. Illinois, on the other hand, is making the football stadium & the neighboring cemetery the center of campus.
05-10-2019 11:15 AM
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Post: #151
University of Illinois upgrading Club Hockey to D1?
https://247sports.com/college/illinois/A...132974025/

"On Tuesday at his annual media roundtable, Whitman said the men’s hockey could be a self-sustaining sport financially at Illinois but that finalizing partnerships — which Whitman declined to detail — for an estimated $100 million multi-sport arena in downtown Champaign remains the big hurdle in green-lighting the program."

"Whitman did say that Illinois has received consultation that even if Illinois starts a men’s hockey program that it doesn’t need to add a women’s sport to comply with Title IX rules. He said that because roughly 55 percent of the university’s enrollment is male that Title IX requires that about 45 percent of its athletic representation is female, not an equal 50/50 split. Whitman said he has looked into adding women’s hockey but that costs are high because so few Division-I teams increases travel costs. He also has looked into women’s lacrosse and women’s field hockey."

"Whitman said a men’s hockey program would have estimated operating costs of $3-3.5 million per year and that revenue from tickets at an estimated 5,000-seat arena would pay for most of those costs."
06-18-2019 07:43 PM
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