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How hard would it be to add Ice Hockey programs?

Buffnik

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
Club Member
Junta Member
The sheet at the rec center after the renovation is NCAA regulation size (200 x 85), but it doesn't look like it has many seats. Could this be a varsity home? Would anything need to be done to it? Can the seating be expanded?
CU_rec_11.jpg

ASU added varsity ice hockey and plays in an arena that only seats 747 people, but they're looking for an arena (LINK) since that's not going to cut it for a D1 program. Could CU start in the Rec Center and then look for a bigger home like ASU is doing?

But as a comparison (because the Ice Rink at the Rec is not going to be the long term option, I don't think), I looked into DU because if CU is going to do this it should do it with a goal of competing at the highest level. They use Magnes Arena as a multi-use (basketball, hockey and events). Seats 6,026 for hockey / 7,200 for basketball / 8,000 for concerts. Also looks like they host gymnastics events there.

I assume that if we had varsity ice hockey programs that they would practice at the Rec Center Ice Rink and then games could possibly be held at Coors? But Coors would need to install a conversion system to put the sheet down. Just how hard and costly is that? If not Coors, would the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield be a possibility for games?

One big reason I bring this up is because Ice Hockey is one of the very few sports that has the potential to be revenue neutral or even profitable. And damn would it be a lot of fun.
 
I don't have any answers to your questions but I could see my brother and I splitting season tickets much like my dad did with the guy we tailgate with did their bball tickets years ago. They knew they couldn't make all games so they split them up.

You get a few hundred people like that and you have a base for starting something.
 
The rec center would be a perfect practice facility. That isn't enough seating but the Broomfield event center is close, probably less time to drive there from Boulder than it takes to find parking for events at the CEC. Not on campus for the students but setting up a shuttle wouldn't be hard. It would also attract a lot of fans from the north metro area.

I have never looked at the structural plans for Coors but I think it would take a major renovation to make a floor large enough for a hockey rink. It would involve major excavation work and I am assuming foundation work then installing a bunch of movable seating to replace the courtside seating for basketball and volleyball that would be lost. Guessing at least 15-20 rows all the way around.
 
I'd be first in line for tickets. Would love it.

The rec center won't cut it, but the FirstBank center would be a very solid home ice. If they ever get the rail completed, it would be an easy trip for fans from both Boulder and Denver.
 
It's an expensive sport to get started. 18 scholarships for both men and women, specialized facilities and equipment, and high travel costs. But unlike other sports that would be considered, Ice Hockey has the advantage of actually being able to fill an arena with paying customers and there is even a little money in broadcast rights. The key for CU would be the arena and being able to sell tickets. DU had 20 regular season games on its home ice plus 1 exhibition and 2 tourney games. If you can pull 4k fans for 20 events at $20 a head, you're talking about $1,600,000 in revenue + whatever you can draw from women's and concessions. That doesn't cover the costs of the sport, but it loses a lot less money than others at that level. Where the numbers really start to work would be if home ice could be at the Keg and CU had an opportunity to double that attendance while also receiving the lion's share of all revenue streams.
 
Buffnik said:
The sheet at the rec center after the renovation is NCAA regulation size (200 x 85), but it doesn't look like it has many seats. Could this be a varsity home? Would anything need to be done to it? Can the seating be expanded?
CU_rec_11.jpg

ASU added varsity ice hockey and plays in an arena that only seats 747 people, but they're looking for an arena (LINK) since that's not going to cut it for a D1 program. Could CU start in the Rec Center and then look for a bigger home like ASU is doing?

But as a comparison (because the Ice Rink at the Rec is not going to be the long term option, I don't think), I looked into DU because if CU is going to do this it should do it with a goal of competing at the highest level. They use Magnes Arena as a multi-use (basketball, hockey and events). Seats 6,026 for hockey / 7,200 for basketball / 8,000 for concerts. Also looks like they host gymnastics events there.

I assume that if we had varsity ice hockey programs that they would practice at the Rec Center Ice Rink and then games could possibly be held at Coors? But Coors would need to install a conversion system to put the sheet down. Just how hard and costly is that? If not Coors, would the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield be a possibility for games?

One big reason I bring this up is because Ice Hockey is one of the very few sports that has the potential to be revenue neutral or even profitable. And damn would it be a lot of fun.
Click to expand...
I thought ASU already had an arena plans in the works? Maybe I misunderstood- I think they were doing a joint proposal with the Coyotes to move the Coyotes back to the east side of the metro Area from Glendale.
 
Colorado Springs World Arena: 8,099 seats.
AFA Cadet Ice Arena: 2,502 seats.

I'd say 5-7 thousand seats for ice hockey. Could we also even consider the Denver Coliseum as well?
 
Hockey is a bit risky. There are programs that make money, such as Minnesota. However, quite a few lose money. Colorado shouldn't consider building facilities without solid belief they will make it back.

An example: MIchigan State who lost over $600,000 on Revenue of $1.1M in 2010-11 school year.

High Risk high reward. LAX requires no such capital improvements, bringing the risk WAY down.
 
Watched the Avs preseason opener last night and it did rekindle my thoughts about CU ice hockey. I looked at Minnesota's ice hockey arena (even the women's team have their own arena!) and it seats nearly 10k. I think CU Ice Hockey will have to have their own arena unless we renovate The Keg (I think that would be the better option) to be able to have hockey. I wouldn't complain if seating for basketball was reduced to about 8-9K if that means we get ice hockey. The tenants of the Keg can go play in Broomfield for a season if necessary.

Someone ought to ask RG that question.
 
Buffnik said:
The sheet at the rec center after the renovation is NCAA regulation size (200 x 85), but it doesn't look like it has many seats. Could this be a varsity home? Would anything need to be done to it? Can the seating be expanded?
CU_rec_11.jpg

ASU added varsity ice hockey and plays in an arena that only seats 747 people, but they're looking for an arena (LINK) since that's not going to cut it for a D1 program. Could CU start in the Rec Center and then look for a bigger home like ASU is doing?

But as a comparison (because the Ice Rink at the Rec is not going to be the long term option, I don't think), I looked into DU because if CU is going to do this it should do it with a goal of competing at the highest level. They use Magnes Arena as a multi-use (basketball, hockey and events). Seats 6,026 for hockey / 7,200 for basketball / 8,000 for concerts. Also looks like they host gymnastics events there.

I assume that if we had varsity ice hockey programs that they would practice at the Rec Center Ice Rink and then games could possibly be held at Coors? But Coors would need to install a conversion system to put the sheet down. Just how hard and costly is that? If not Coors, would the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield be a possibility for games?

One big reason I bring this up is because Ice Hockey is one of the very few sports that has the potential to be revenue neutral or even profitable. And damn would it be a lot of fun.
Click to expand...

Perhaps this could be the way CU starts ice hockey? Build a practice facility next to the Keg with seating for about 3K and then when it is justfied, renovate the Keg to have hockey. Why not fix up Balch to host VB and WBB games with about 3-4K of seating?
 
Jalapeno said:
Watched the Avs preseason opener last night and it did rekindle my thoughts about CU ice hockey. I looked at Minnesota's ice hockey arena (even the women's team have their own arena!) and it seats nearly 10k. I think CU Ice Hockey will have to have their own arena unless we renovate The Keg (I think that would be the better option) to be able to have hockey. I wouldn't complain if seating for basketball was reduced to about 8-9K if that means we get ice hockey. The tenants of the Keg can go play in Broomfield for a season if necessary.

Someone ought to ask RG that question.
Click to expand...
Why not the South campus now that they are making plans?
 
I'll also add that if they ever do it, I would be one of the first in line for season tickets. I love me some hockey.
 
Jalapeno said:
Perhaps this could be the way CU starts ice hockey? Build a practice facility next to the Keg with seating for about 3K and then when it is justfied, renovate the Keg to have hockey. Why not fix up Balch to host VB and WBB games with about 3-4K of seating?
Click to expand...

No way should VB and WBB be relegated back to Balch. Once upon a time, WBB sold out games. I hope the program gets back to that level and does it again.

Original plan for the Keg was a dedicated VB court with screaming fans. If Balch can be fixed up to meet that criteria, then maybe I would support it. For WBB, never.
 
You don't build a brand new practice facility for the volleyball team and move their games to Balch.
 
sackman said:
You don't build a brand new practice facility for the volleyball team and move their games to Balch.
Click to expand...

Which is why WBB and VB should not play in Balch. Fix up a dedicated court in the Keg for VB. Dedicated VB facilities for top teams do very well and really do give the home team an advantage.
 
If I remember right the initial plans for the practice building attached to the keg called for a VB court with seating to be the VB home court but that got dropped as the plans evolved into final form.
 
No. The thing to do would be to re-do Carlson, Balch and the Student Rec as a single project for that area. Ideally the hockey ice gets an expansion so that you can seat about 7k or so for adding a hockey team. Balch as an open space that could host gymnastics would be pretty cool, I think.
 
Way back when, CU did have a gymnastics team, albeit not a very good one. I remember watching Bart Connor and other future Olympians at meets. Also used to go to swim meets in the Rec Center.

At one time, early in the program, WBB played in the Rec Center. Then moved to Balch.
 
Why the **** do we not have Gymnastics? We are a destination school.
 
Gymnastics was cut at the same time as wresting and swimming and diving. Might have been when baseball was cut.
 
buffgal said:
Gymnastics was cut at the same time as wresting and swimming and diving. Might have been when baseball was cut.
Click to expand...

My hope for the future, not likely to happen, is for gymnastics to be added as a balance to a mens wrestling program.

Ideally a renovation of Balch would provide an excellent venue for both sports. Both sports could be built around Colorado HS talent and be reasonably competitive
 
The possibilities are limitless. If they could tie the stadium complex together with the rec center, Carlson and Balch, it would make for a very impressive sports center. If they go that way, for Gods sake add an Olympic sized pool, diving well and water polo pool.
 
Jalapeno said:
Could be a good way to start CU Buffs D1 hockey in that instance and move it up to the Broomfield Events Center...they didn't throw away all their ice making equipment?
Click to expand...
Parking would be a huge issue there. There isn't any. I admit it's a nice enough facility.
 
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