August 29, 2008
Tampa Tournament Moved
CHN Staff Report
Despite Tampa hosting the 2012 Frozen Four, the new Tampa Bay Lightning ownership group has decided to dissolve the Lightning College Classic, forcing the four teams involved to scramble for a new location for the Christmas-time tournament.
Notre Dame -- the organizer of the tournament -- along with Minnesota-Duluth, Massachusetts-Lowell and Union, will instead play the tournament at the Sears Centre in suburban Chicago (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) on Jan. 2-3. It will be called the Shillelagh College Hockey Tournament.
The Lightning College Classic was originally arranged by Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson, through his contacts with the Tampa Bay Lightning ownership. In addition to being a fun place to have a tournament, the Lightning were excited because it was a long lead-in to their hosting of the 2012 Frozen Four.
Jackson said he started getting concerned when he couldn't get a firm commitment from the marketing contacts in Tampa. Ultimately, final word came from Tampa just last week, sending everyone scrambling.
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"I was concerned because there's three other teams involved," Jackson said. "People have been calling me about travel arrangements."
Jackson said that no official reason was articulated clearly to everyone, but assumes "it was a matter of finances. That's all I can think of."
The tournament had not drawn well, though last year was a little bit than the initial year.
The Sears Centre is an 11,000-seat arena that is home to an arena football team, and indoor soccer and indoor lacrosse teams.
"It will be a nice tournament," Jackson said. "We have alumni involved with the building there who stepped up."
Nonetheless, eyebrows were raised because of the involvement of Tampa with the Frozen Four. Is pulling the plug on the Christmas tournament some indication that the new ownership will be un-friendly to college hockey?
"I don't think so. Brian Lawton is involved there, and he's always been a friend of ours," said Jackson. "Barry Melrose is the coach there.
Massachusetts-Lowell is in this tournament not Massachusetts
Aug 29 2008, 4:09 pm by
Fixed. Thanks.
Aug 29 2008, 11:00 pm by CHN Editor
test
Aug 29 2008, 11:05 pm by CHN Editor
Why should they city get the Frozen Four if they won\'t honor a commitment already made to college hockey?
Aug 31 2008, 8:17 pm by Bill, Albany
I have been thinking about giving up my season tickets, with they way they just screwed these college kids, my mind is made up, See you later Tampa Bay
Aug 31 2008, 8:22 pm by Former Lightning Fan, Tampa Bay Fla
novelty wearing off?
Sep 2 2008, 11:31 pm by retired in florida
it's somewhat hard to believe that a team which just made a good-will move at the draft to pick up David Carle, would pull such a fast one. Where's ownership on this one?
Sep 3 2008, 2:40 pm by Mike, NYC
Though they should, the NHL does not care about college hockey. This should not surprise anyone.
Sep 3 2008, 5:34 pm by JM, Minny
no doubt! Garth Snow can get hosed...I just hope that they don't lure Ness away early.
Sep 4 2008, 3:01 pm by D Mac, Fort Collins, CO
They don't deserve to have the frozen four. I would love to see the NCAA move it to another city. Of course I doubt they can get out of the contract.
Sep 9 2008, 12:39 pm by Roy, Coon Rapids, MN
Yeah, forget them. Move the tournament anywhere else. The NCAA should move away from using all NHL facilities. Their are big enough arenas to hold the NCAA tournament in without making the NHL money.
The final four is sold out about every year ( I didn't want to take the time to look it up). I'm sure it's a nice paycheck for the hosting arena and city. Despite NCAA hockey not being as big of a draw as basketball or football it still makes big money come tournament time. The NCAA needs to stick it to the NHL because they have shown they obviously don't care about the NCAA.
As the NHL becomes more and more irrelevant in main-stream media you'd think they'd want to make money somehow or at least save a little face.
Sep 20 2008, 4:39 pm by
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