New thread on Collegiate Challenge

[Benny_Gulakiw]

As I mentioned in a previous post, I would be willing to put together an event where teams from all CRHL divisions can get together and play each other. This can be done on conjunction with the CRHL or as a side event. I am based in Buffalo so I can arrange a relatively low cost event. Southwest does fly into Buffalo and hotel are pretty cheap. There are a number of other advantages of having such an event in Buffalo, like free TV coverage. I post this thread to see if this type of event can actually happen and if people would want me to do it, through Inline Hockey America. I'll also be open and honest here, I wouldn't be doing this just out of the goodness of my heart. There would be some benefits to Inline Hockey America if I were to stage the event. I don't want my motivations to be questioned. Beyond, that, though, I have the experience and the connections to pull something like this off and an event like this would help the development of college roller hockey in general.

Basically, people can post here any specific ideas about this event to see if we can make this happen. Keep in mind, time and money are short. Many teams that may be interested in playing in this event are also playing in either of the NCT's. Maybe it might be determined to do something in the Fall as a pre-season event or next Spring 2004.

If anyone else is interested in coordinating this event, that's cool, too. Just post any specific ideas here or e-mail me directly at [email protected]

Benny Gulakiw
President
Inline Hockey America

[JMUDukes26]

Benny,
Got your IM today, but I deleted it before adding you to my BL (yes.. moron I know). But as I said before, I'm willing to help out any way you need it. Right now I am acting as Public Relations Officer for ECRHA pending an ACC vote on Sunday, so I have met some people who might be able to help out. Also, Hotels should be easy to work with in the summer, especially since UB and the surrounding schools will not be in session (demand should be low.)

[DannyG]

Benny, and anybody else:

Just a thought for discussion...

How about having four regional situations, with the resultant, regional champions heading for the "Final Floor" National Collegiate Roller Hockey Championship in Buffalo...

Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest seem like legitimate geographic demarcations, but it would be totally arbitrary as to how you do it. This preliminary level of competition, leading to a final level of championship, of course, is how the NCAA does it. Not to be comparing, but it does put a special glow on it to "make the final four" in almost every NCAA team sport.

Just for the record, El Paso is midway between Dallas and L.A., we've got a brand new rink, and we could get you the use of it for a song...

and just in case I've totally missed something, the event that USAHIL and CRHL is currently putting on...could indeed be restructured to do this???

lemme know if I can help in any way.

-Dan

[MDE3]

I agree - and there is no real reason not to have a "privately" run tournament. My fear would be that involving any of the current governing bodies might get the whole show caught up in other agendas (no offense intended to anyone here but a non political agenda might be easier to pull off).

Let the tournament run as a pilot program - which does NOT involve any of the current related sanctioning bodies and then if successfull try to merge it later - if possible.

[DannyG]

I think that is probably a good idea...

1. you avoid people shying away from participation because "those guys are running it.."

2. it wakes up the "powers that be," into seeing how simple a good event could really be...sometimes the gb's are too much in their own way...

3. It also gives the sport a fair chance to have some failures along the way, then the gb's can step in and "save the day," they can do right anything the pilot program has done "wrong" (even if the gb's would have done it the same way originally themselves...) Some Roman guy once said that it was amazing what you could get accomplished if you didn't care who took the credit.

Lemme know how I can help...

[rollerfan]

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse, but you have to consider the location of the event. If you are not centrally located for travel ease, then you have to offer something else. Look at the participation at Narch 2 years ago in Florida. Everyone had fun stuff to do between games. Last year in Milwaukee I heard many comments about it being a little easier to reach because of the location and venue. On the other hand, Vancouver was not well-attended because of the travel involved.

[MDE3]

Not to repeat myself too much, but I dont think Southwest services Vancouver and other than a few very select routes -not many bargain fares to be had there. I think you support the issue when you indicate that Florida was well attended, again probably because cheap fares are available. Florida is not exactly central either, being the polar opposite of Vancouver geographically - relative to the continental USA.

As far as entertainment goes - well as I recall in my somewhat frivolous youth - I didn't have much trouble being entertained as a college student. Maybe I was just "easily amused" :)).

[rollerfan]

Southwest flies to St. Louis and, I presume, Detroit. You may have to wait till August for the snow to melt in Buffalo.

[Benny_Gulakiw]

I believe that the talk about starting a collegiate challenge event came from some DIII schools who think that they are as good as, or better than, some DI schools and do not have an opportunity to challenge schools from other divisions. I think this stems from the restrictions at NARCh Winternationals College Division. This may be true, but until the community colleges change their enrollment criteria, it will be hard to determine on a level playing field. That doesn't mean that there can't be an event where schools from different divisions can get together to challenge each other. I don't think, though, that this event should be a replacement for the current CRHL NCT, just a supplement to it. I don't necessarily agree with the CRHL's decision to separate into Premier and Competitive although I do support the underlying principles behind it. My opinion is that in order for the CRHL and it's member teams to survive and grow is to break the league down into smaller geographic components. This will help keep team's cost more manageable while giving the league better overall control. With close to 150 teams and more being added every year, it seems to me that the league should operate more along the lines of college basketball. I still believe that the current divisional breakdowns should remain in place but that conferences should be created on a smaller geographic scale each consisting of approximately 8 to 15 schools. Teams play mainly in their conference, but will play several non-conference games as well. At the end of the regular season, conference playoffs take place to determine an champion which gets an automatic bid to the NCT while there are a number of at-large bids.

This doesn't solve the problem of DIII schools challenging DI schools. Going back to the original idea of a collegiate challenge event, there are several questions that need to be answered to determine if such an event should be put together.

1. What should the criteria be for teams who want to participate? Should this be open to any school that plunks down the money or should it be invite only? How do you get the best teams to participate? What should their incentive be to spend the additional money to participate in such an event? Why should, for example, Lindenwood, who is the favorite to win the Premier NCT, spend the extra money and travel to play, say, O.C.C.? Sure some teams will do it for pride or the challenge. I'm sure you'll get the DIII and DII schools who will want to knock the crown off the king, but how do you get the DI schools to play along?

2. How many teams are allowed? Is open or do you cap it?

3. When do you have it? Time is very tight to do something for this Spring. Plus you have to consider that not a lot of schools will have the money, especially after their respective NCT's. Maybe you do something in the Fall as sort of a "pre-season" event or just start working on it now for next Spring.

4. Where to have it? I only suggested Buffalo because that's where I'm located and if it's decided to do something for this Spring, it would be easier for me to do it here. If someone else wants to do it in their city, be my guest. I agree that Buffalo isn't the most glamorous location, but there are other advantages to having it here. Rink rental rates are very low, hotel costs are very low, Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away, casinos on both sides of the border, drinking age in Canada is 19, the Hockey Hall of Fame is 1.5 hours away in Toronto, the Canadian ballet, I can almost guarantee free television coverage here locally. Again, maybe it's a good idea to have the inaugural event here in Buffalo and see how it goes. You can always move it to a new location every year. There are some advantages of having it in the same location every year, though. Also, if it's determined to hold the event in the Fall or next Spring, I can coordinate the event to take place in any location other than Buffalo because I would have more time.

These are just some things to get you thinking about. Keep in mind that if the top teams don't want to participate than it doesn't make sense to do this.

Benny Gulakiw
President
Inline Hockey America

[columbus_RHstar]

I think that there should be some sort of Minimum number of games played. You can't play 5 games and win them all and be more qualified than a team who plays 20 games and loses 2.

As far as how many teams, you coul do something like the NCA does with Selection Sunday for basketball. You invite the top, lets say 32 teams (thats half as many as the NCAA does for basketball) you establish a board of individuals don't have connections with schools/teams. Then you invite them, if they turn down you have 15 more teams who are your "back up plan."

You would lie to have it somewhere that tis between other national championships so there are not conflictions.

And you have to have it where hotels are available and airfare is cheap. Buffalo may appeal to college students because of its closeness to Canada and the lower drinking age, but what kind of image is that, athletes going out and getting drunk during a national championship tournament.

[MDE3]

Personally I think it's the "Canadian Ballet" which holds the biggest attraction - hey and they have decent players there too in spite of the "Brador and Ballet" distractions /wtimages/icons/cool.gif /wtimages/icons/wink.gif, /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

[JMUDukes26]

I think the cheap airline tickets are also appealing to broke college students. A few discount airlines fly into buffalo. BIG Arena in Albany might be another possibility, they have a first class facility, but they aren't always equipped for Roller (sometimes they have 2 sheets of ice). The rink is amazing though.

[bonesy21]

my question is this:

if we are looking to make things cheap for college students, why dont we get an airline to sponsor us, i can somehow look into possibilities or if anyone has any friends, relatives, or anyone else who are close that can somehow put in a good word? if "everyone" flew through one airline, thats a TON of atheletes flying, and im sure an airline company would be ready to negotiate like once a year. what do you all think, would it or would it not work?

bonesy

[JMUDukes26]

That could probably work well. Southwest Airlines, and U.S. Air tend to be accomidating. Besides, after 9-11 they could use the business. If an airline would get on board, you could move the tournament somewhere more central, like Philly, or St. Louis, maybe Chicago. I know NCT V D1 will be just outside of Philly.

[MDE3]

If they will compete with fares from SW it would be a good deal. Of course that's the appeal of Vegas and Florida - there are alot of cheap airline connections from a variety of locations. If US air would get on board that would give good coverage from the east coast, but not necessarily from the west. Maybe US Air and Southwest together could offer pretty comprehensive access.