Hockey Rink

[WyoGeezer]

Would a hockey rink fit in The Fieldhouse? Hockey rinks are usually 200feet by 85feet. I don't know the interior dimensions of The Fieldhouse. Walls at each end. Are they structural, or could they be removed? Some of you guys seem to think that Football will become a low-priority. I'm sure there are a lot of good high school hockey players who don't get a chance to play D-1 hockey, because there just aren't enough college teams. Omaha, Denver, Air Force, Colorado College, The Dakotas ... Lots teams nearby. Conflicts with Basketball? No problem ... Double-Headers.

[McPeachy]

Would a hockey rink fit in The Fieldhouse? Hockey rinks are usually 200feet by 85feet. I don't know the interior dimensions of The Fieldhouse. Walls at each end. Are they structural, or could they be removed? Some of you guys seem to think that Football will become a low-priority. I'm sure there are a lot of good high school hockey players who don't get a chance to play D-1 hockey, because there just aren't enough college teams. Omaha, Denver, Air Force, Colorado College, The Dakotas ... Lots teams nearby. Conflicts with Basketball? No problem ... Double-Headers.

Yes, it would fit perfectly, with room to spare. Personally, I am pro-hockey, especially in our market / area, but with the current landscape of college athletics, including Title IX, and the UW budget, coupled with the current hind-sight administration and poop running the CJC, there is absolutely no way it happens.

[FarEastPoke]

Would a hockey rink fit in The Fieldhouse? Hockey rinks are usually 200feet by 85feet. I don't know the interior dimensions of The Fieldhouse. Walls at each end. Are they structural, or could they be removed? Some of you guys seem to think that Football will become a low-priority. I'm sure there are a lot of good high school hockey players who don't get a chance to play D-1 hockey, because there just aren't enough college teams. Omaha, Denver, Air Force, Colorado College, The Dakotas ... Lots teams nearby. Conflicts with Basketball? No problem ... Double-Headers.

Dammed well ought to be done and I've said it for years, but especially now with interest in the sport at an all-time high. Denver just had a year where they brought home both a Stanley Cup and an NCAA title. A third revenue generating sport is just what the athletic department needs. Putting a rink in the Fieldhouse eliminates the expense of building a new arena for it, too. Hockey fans in Wyoming need to make their demands known, and if the university is still unwilling at first, then perhaps building some high school level programs across the state will bring about some changes later on. Now is the best time to make some efforts to start bringing this about.

[WestWYOPoke]

Would a hockey rink fit in The Fieldhouse? Hockey rinks are usually 200feet by 85feet. I don't know the interior dimensions of The Fieldhouse. Walls at each end. Are they structural, or could they be removed? Some of you guys seem to think that Football will become a low-priority. I'm sure there are a lot of good high school hockey players who don't get a chance to play D-1 hockey, because there just aren't enough college teams. Omaha, Denver, Air Force, Colorado College, The Dakotas ... Lots teams nearby. Conflicts with Basketball? No problem ... Double-Headers.

Dammed well ought to be done and I've said it for years, but especially now with interest in the sport at an all-time high. Denver just had a year where they brought home both a Stanley Cup and an NCAA title. A third revenue generating sport is just what the athletic department needs. Putting a rink in the Fieldhouse eliminates the expense of building a new arena for it, too. Hockey fans in Wyoming need to make their demands known, and if the university is still unwilling at first, then perhaps building some high school level programs across the state will bring about some changes later on. Now is the best time to make some efforts to start bringing this about.

While I think the idea would be very cool.... hockey would in no way be a revenue generating sport for Wyoming... far from it.

[LanderPoke]

I don’t give a poop about hockey

[Subcanis]

I don’t give a Sh#t about hockey

I do.

[FarEastPoke]

Would a hockey rink fit in The Fieldhouse? Hockey rinks are usually 200feet by 85feet. I don't know the interior dimensions of The Fieldhouse. Walls at each end. Are they structural, or could they be removed? Some of you guys seem to think that Football will become a low-priority. I'm sure there are a lot of good high school hockey players who don't get a chance to play D-1 hockey, because there just aren't enough college teams. Omaha, Denver, Air Force, Colorado College, The Dakotas ... Lots teams nearby. Conflicts with Basketball? No problem ... Double-Headers.

Dammed well ought to be done and I've said it for years, but especially now with interest in the sport at an all-time high. Denver just had a year where they brought home both a Stanley Cup and an NCAA title. A third revenue generating sport is just what the athletic department needs. Putting a rink in the Fieldhouse eliminates the expense of building a new arena for it, too. Hockey fans in Wyoming need to make their demands known, and if the university is still unwilling at first, then perhaps building some high school level programs across the state will bring about some changes later on. Now is the best time to make some efforts to start bringing this about.

While I think the idea would be very cool.... hockey would in no way be a revenue generating sport for Wyoming... far from it.

You don't seem to be aware of how well college hockey fans travel. If say, North Dakota were to come to Laramie, they would bring a large number of fans. Fans that would eat in Laramie restaurants, drink in Laramie bars, stay at Laramie hotels and shop at Laramie shops. That coupled with our own passionate fan-base means revenue is generated. But weather or not you think that will happen is not nearly as important as your approval of the idea, and for that, at least, I applaud you.

[WYO1016]

You don't seem to be aware of how well college hockey fans travel. If say, North Dakota were to come to Laramie, they would bring a large number of fans. Fans that would eat in Laramie restaurants, drink in Laramie bars, stay at Laramie hotels and shop at Laramie shops. That coupled with our own passionate fan-base means revenue is generated. But weather or not you think that will happen is not nearly as important as your approval of the idea, and for that, at least, I applaud you.

Revenue generating is a term that means it would generate positive income for the University. Hockey would certainly have a nice economic impact for Laramie, but would be a guaranteed money pit for the University. Still, as a fan I'd love to see hockey at UW!

[LanderPoke]

Doubt a hockey program would even get out of the red at UW

[laxwyo]

Wrestling is pretty well attended at times. The idea that hockey could never be a revenue generator is probably more correct than not, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. All programs start somewhere just as any business does. There probably isn’t many businesses that are profitable right out of the gate. It’d take time, sugar, the deed and tears, but it could happen. You’d need a big local contingent since winter travel sucks. Like most businesses, it probably wouldn’t work but it’d be cool

[PokeTransplant]

Doubt a hockey program would even get out of the red at UW

I disagree. We have had very successful club hockey teams at UW and believe that a University sponsored team would garner significant interest.

[WestWYOPoke]

Ok people, let me say that a varsity hockey team at UW would be awesome, I would be all for it.

Having said that, it would absolutely lose money, without question. How do I know this... hockey teams are expensive. Case in point...in 2017, North Dakota, one of the biggest hockey fan bases in the country, was in the red. In 2018 (or 19) they made a modest profit. Most college hockey programs lose money, UW would be no exception.

[LanderPoke]

Doubt a hockey program would even get out of the red at UW

I disagree. We have had very successful club hockey teams at UW and believe that a University sponsored team would garner significant interest.

You think a hockey team would get ~2k season ticket holders and average ~4-5k per game in attendance? Because that's what basketball gets and basketball barely breaks even. And I'm guessing a hockey team would be way more expensive to run than bball. Maybe I way underestimate the popularity of hockey, but for me, an avid sports fan, it's a complete afterthought.

[NowherePoke]

We barely provide enough fan support in Football and Men's Basketball to survive at this level. Doubtful we could support another sport.

Very few schools can. There are only (8) schools in the country that average 5k or more for Hockey. Unlikely we would become one.

[Poke in New England]

Would love it, but the logistics and finances would never work. Travel would be a nightmare for us. The teams in Wyoming's region are in a cream of the crop conference that Wyoming wouldn't even be able to sniff. Arizona State competes as an independent and has to travel to New York, New England, Alaska etc to get games in.

[WyoExpat]

Would a hockey rink fit in The Fieldhouse? Hockey rinks are usually 200feet by 85feet. I don't know the interior dimensions of The Fieldhouse. Walls at each end. Are they structural, or could they be removed? Some of you guys seem to think that Football will become a low-priority. I'm sure there are a lot of good high school hockey players who don't get a chance to play D-1 hockey, because there just aren't enough college teams. Omaha, Denver, Air Force, Colorado College, The Dakotas ... Lots teams nearby. Conflicts with Basketball? No problem ... Double-Headers.

Dammed well ought to be done and I've said it for years, but especially now with interest in the sport at an all-time high. Denver just had a year where they brought home both a Stanley Cup and an NCAA title. A third revenue generating sport is just what the athletic department needs. Putting a rink in the Fieldhouse eliminates the expense of building a new arena for it, too. Hockey fans in Wyoming need to make their demands known, and if the university is still unwilling at first, then perhaps building some high school level programs across the state will bring about some changes later on. Now is the best time to make some efforts to start bringing this about.

While I think the idea would be very cool.... hockey would in no way be a revenue generating sport for Wyoming... far from it.

I tend to agree that any new sport at UW would be very cool and we really should have more of a winter sports presence in Wyoming. Golf, but not skiing, is backwards in my opinion. Nothing would probably generate revenue though.

I personally think that, if we ever start talking about additional varsity sports at U.W., we should be paying closer attention to sports that the WHSAA sanctions and have good participation. The WHSAA and UW should be much better aligned overall.

[stymeman]

Look at both Men's and Women's teams...i think hockey could get quite a bit of traction in Laramie and at Cheyenne Ice and Events Center as well...wouldn't hurt....

[HomeOnTheRange]

the fieldhouse is basically falling apart. The indoor track area is terrible. The UniWyo area where Volleyball (who are also terrible this year) and Wrestling compete is also not very nice

why sink a ton of money putting a super expensive rink inside a building that is legit in need of a full renovation?

hockey players would also probably laugh at coming to Laramie to play. They want cities with fun things to do like Denver and Boston. And legal weed. They want that badly

WYO is already terrible enough in most of their sports, adding another program that would be bottom of the barrel probably isn't high up on the list of the administration's priorities