OT: RMU seeking to build $28M hockey arena

[razzaba]

applied for a grant with the state, and looking to build a new 2-sheet rink on campus, instead of playing on the Island.

To go from the programs folding, to coming back to life, to now exploring an on campus arena, is quite the turnaround.

Though it really is frustrating in that if the city has only one D1 hockey program, why it would be RMU and not Pitt.

 

[pittdan77]

Though it really is frustrating in that if the city has only one D1 hockey program, why it would be RMU and not Pitt.

Probably a good question for @CrazyPaco

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Hockey just seems like a bad use of resources. But maybe PSU hockey has been a good investment? I don’t know. But PSU and their base seems like apples and oranges to RMU.

 

[pittchagg]

Hockey just seems like a bad use of resources. But maybe PSU hockey has been a good investment? I don’t know. But PSU and their base seems like apples and oranges to RMU.

Any time you can get an unsolicited $120M donation to basically get a free arena and permanently endow the entire program, it’s a good investment.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Any time you can get an unsolicited $120M donation to basically get a free arena and permanently endow the entire program, it’s a good investment.

Agreed. I should have worded it differently. Would it make money on its own?

 

[pittchagg]

Agreed. I should have worded it differently. Would it make money on its own?

Definitely not, especially since to start a mens’ program you also usually have to start a womens’ program, which loses a significant amount. The men’s program at PSU barely operates in the black as it is, even with a huge amount of annual revenue from the endowment.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Pitt should have used that "we need to fold the program" method to get donations for a new stadium instead of moving to HF.

 

[WillyDavis33]

Never been to a college hockey game but maybe check out a RMU game??? Anyone remember Pete's Island grill at the Neville Island Complex? Good food and plenty of wine options thanks to Mario.

 

[razzaba]

One of the first drinks I had in a bar/restaurant was there, before I was 21. Knew a lot of people there back in the day because I practically lived at the rink. And the beach bar next to the bowling alley, across the street, never carded at all.

 

[razzaba]

Any time you can get an unsolicited $120M donation to basically get a free arena and permanently endow the entire program, it’s a good investment.

Fair enough. Down here in NC, the hockey boosters for UNC which is currently ACHA D2 (2nd tier club) secured land for and plan to build a new $20M 2000 seat rink next to campus. Now they plan to move to ACHA D1 apparently, but it is still club hockey!

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

To go from the programs folding, to coming back to life, to now exploring an on campus arena, is quite the turnaround.

Especially for a program that still only averages probably about 800 fans per game.

 

[WillyDavis33]

One of the first drinks I had in a bar/restaurant was there, before I was 21. Knew a lot of people there back in the day because I practically lived at the rink. And the beach bar next to the bowling alley, across the street, never carded at all.

Yeah that bar along the river was pretty rowdy back in the day. Once they finish the on-campus arena they should sell the island sports complex. It is too far away from campus in my opinion

 

[razzaba]

Yeah that bar along the river was pretty rowdy back in the day. Once they finish the on-campus arena they should sell the island sports complex. It is too far away from campus in my opinion

Yeah probably. Although I don’t know what the terms of the deal were when they got the facility Hillman. If you recall, RMU didn’t build that place, it was private initially. Back then the rumor was they gave it to RMU for like $1 or something stupid as a tax write off. There could be some stipulations on that transaction, although it’s been like 20 years now.

 

[bwh05]

Probably a good question for @CrazyPaco

We have explored adding hockey but nothing came of it, and I don't expect anything to ever come of it.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

applied for a grant with the state, and looking to build a new 2-sheet rink on campus, instead of playing on the Island.

To go from the programs folding, to coming back to life, to now exploring an on campus arena, is quite the turnaround.

Though it really is frustrating in that if the city has only one D1 hockey program, why it would be RMU and not Pitt.

I can't imagine a bigger waste of taxpayer resources than spending money on a hockey arena for a private university with a tiny fanbase and alumni base.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Fair enough. Down here in NC, the hockey boosters for UNC which is currently ACHA D2 (2nd tier club) secured land for and plan to build a new $20M 2000 seat rink next to campus. Now they plan to move to ACHA D1 apparently, but it is still club hockey!

UNC D1? Perfect. It reignites my dream of an ACC Hockey Conference

ND
BC
UNC
UConn
Harvard
Princeton
Yale
Brown
Dartmouth
Cornell

 

[razzaba]

UNC D1? Perfect. It reignites my dream of an ACC Hockey Conference

ND
BC
UNC
UConn
Harvard
Princeton
Yale
Brown
Dartmouth
Cornell

Ha! I don’t know if they will ever get to NCAA level… but if there is a school in the south that could add ice hockey, Carolina could. NCSU actually gets great support for their club team as well.

There are regularly 5-8k people that attend the games at PNC Arena between those 2 schools (again for D2 club hockey, that really isn’t very good level of play!) and there were more than 40k in attendance for their outdoor game last year.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Especially for a program that still only averages probably about 800 fans per game.

That’s not bad considering the location being as far from campus as it is.

too bad they didn’t have the foresight to include a hockey arena when they built the basketball arena. They could have saved money and built a combined facility along the lines of what Quinnipiac has.

 

[cbpitt2]

applied for a grant with the state, and looking to build a new 2-sheet rink on campus, instead of playing on the Island.

To go from the programs folding, to coming back to life, to now exploring an on campus arena, is quite the turnaround.

Though it really is frustrating in that if the city has only one D1 hockey program, why it would be RMU and not Pitt.

Playing college sports on campus??? What a stupid idea!!! They should see if they could play at Pittsburgh Paints Arena and share it with the Pittsburgh Penguins. That would SURELY help with recruiting as recruits would want to play in the same arena as a professional team does and they could bus the players and students like elementary school kids to practice and for games. That makes so much more sense.

 

[perchance]

Any time you can get an unsolicited $120M donation to basically get a free arena and permanently endow the entire program, it’s a good investment.

Unsolicited?
That hockey arena was repaid in full to the tune of $4,000,000,000 plus.

 

[MJG-90]

Definitely not, especially since to start a mens’ program you also usually have to start a womens’ program, which loses a significant amount. The men’s program at PSU barely operates in the black as it is, even with a huge amount of annual revenue from the endowment.

It costs a lot to maintain two sheets of ice for about 10 months of the year. Hockey sticks are like $300 each now. Coaches get paid. 18 scholarships (x2 if you have a women’s team too). Charter planes for road games (unless you’re in a bus league) ain’t cheap.

Penn State sells around 6,200 tickets for around 18-20 home games per season. That apparently generated about $2.16 million in 2023. Throw in concessions, parking and other revenues (including endowment revenue I’d assume) and you end up around $4.37 million PSU reported in 2023. Unfortunately, they reported $4.67 million in operating expenses. This was for a season they were an OT loss away from making the Frozen Four.

So, yeah, unless you’re starting off with no debt, and a massive endowment, you aren’t making a profit on hockey.