Arizona State to launch Division I hockey program

[Temporary_User]

http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/sto...program-111814

The university announced on Tuesday that it will elevate its national champion club men's hockey team to NCAA Division I status over the next three seasons. Anderson made the announcement at a press conference at the Carson Student-Athlete Center.

The move comes at a time when many university athletic programs are cutting expenses and teams amid looming cost concerns, including the impending monetary compensation for student-athletes that came on the heels of a landmark federal court ruling.

The creation of the program will necessitate the addition of a women's sport to remain in compliance with Title IX, at a cost of $1 million to $1.5 million. The university is still researching which sport might be the best fit, with lacrosse and rowing among the possibilities.

The hope is that with Arizona State opting to add hockey, other Pac-12 schools will follow suit to reduce travel costs for the program. As it stands, the closest Division I competitors for ASU are Air Force and Colorado College in Colorado Springs and Denver University. There are very few Division I schools in the western United States. Aside from the Colorado schools, Alaska, Alaska-Anchorage, Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota all field teams.

Anderson said he has already spoken with Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott and Scott likes the idea of expanding hockey throughout the conference, both as a possible revenue sport and as a sport that would fit well on the conference's TV networks.

[Enoch Root]

excellent!

[powderjunkie]

Proof that hockey is starting to catch on in Arizona.

[PIMking]

University of Alabama Huntsville has a D1 hockey program.

[DirtyMike]

Would love to attend ASU. That place is unreal.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by DirtyMike

Would love to attend ASU. That place is unreal.

two different schools

[Derek Sutton]

Originally Posted by PIMking

two different schools

Linked article states ASU and the Sun Devile athletic program.

[PIMking]

oops I thought it was AZ

[saskflames69]

The only sport where players will choose North Dakota over Arizona.

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Proof that hockey is starting to catch on in Arizona.

Hockey is definitely catching on in Arizona. I don't know how anyone could say it isn't.

There just isn't enough interest to captivate enough interest for a NHL team 41+ games a year in Glendale Arizona.

[ForeverFlameFan]

ASU as a division I team? Interesting...

[Jacks]

Anything that increases the talent pool is good IMO. I hope hockey catches on throughout the US. With 10x the population think of all the stars that could have been over the years.

[ForeverFlameFan]

ASU hockey might actually benefit the Arizona Coyotes. I'll bet some ASU students don't even know what hockey is.

[Envitro]

Not really the case. I can see it being a big deal down there.

When I was at the Flames/Coyotes game last winter there was a whole section for ASU students at a very reduced rate and there were filling up the entire upper section of the arena. The lower bowl was empty but whatever

Now, I spoke to a few of them and some were Canadian kids who went to ASU because their parents or grandparents had residency or a place in AZ.
Most of the kids were American though.

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

ASU hockey might actually benefit the Arizona Coyotes. I'll bet some ASU students don't even know what hockey is.

[Jordan!]

This is a good thing, I haven't been to a game at the US Airways Arena since 2001. Close to work for me. I work downtown Phoenix, hop on light rail and i'm there.

If only Yotes games were that accessible..

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

This is a good thing, I haven't been to a game at the US Airways Arena since 2001. Close to work for me. I work downtown Phoenix, hop on light rail and i'm there.

If only Yotes games were that accessible..

They should back at the US Airways Arena. Way more people from the East would come to the hockey games.