Return of the McMaster Maurauders?

[11111]

While no one ever likes to see a city lose its team, the fate of the Belleville Bulls may have an interestingly positive, yet indirect effect on CIS hockey in the years to come.

Wondered about this possibility myself, but could the new OHL Hamilton Bulldogs pave the way for McMaster's return to the OUA?

From Damien Cox:

"Belleville’s loss is Hamilton’s gain: Nice to see junior hockey back in my hometown with the news the Belleville Bulls are moving to Hamilton.

I go back to the days of the Red Wings, and then the Fincups. But since then there have been so may false-starts and failures it’s hard to believe this will work out of the renamed Copps Coliseum.

The best plan, to me, is still for owner Michael Andlauer to do a deal with McMaster University, build a new, small rink that would accommodate an OHL team, and then use it to bring back CIS hockey to Mac and establish a women’s varsity program as well. Andlauer says he’s willing to listen, but for now, he plans to renew the lease on the downtown arena for two more years after next season."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/weekend-takeaways-fixing-draft-lottery/

If the Marauders have any hope of reinstating their hockey team, this would be appear to be it.

Click to read more...

 

[Rob]

Why was the program shut down in the first place?

 

[jason2020]

While no one ever likes to see a city lose its team, the fate of the Belleville Bulls may have an interestingly positive, yet indirect effect on CIS hockey in the years to come.

Wondered about this possibility myself, but could the new OHL Hamilton Bulldogs pave the way for McMaster's return to the OUA?

From Damien Cox:

"Belleville’s loss is Hamilton’s gain: Nice to see junior hockey back in my hometown with the news the Belleville Bulls are moving to Hamilton.

I go back to the days of the Red Wings, and then the Fincups. But since then there have been so may false-starts and failures it’s hard to believe this will work out of the renamed Copps Coliseum.

The best plan, to me, is still for owner Michael Andlauer to do a deal with McMaster University, build a new, small rink that would accommodate an OHL team, and then use it to bring back CIS hockey to Mac and establish a women’s varsity program as well. Andlauer says he’s willing to listen, but for now, he plans to renew the lease on the downtown arena for two more years after next season."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/weekend-takeaways-fixing-draft-lottery/

If the Marauders have any hope of reinstating their hockey team, this would be appear to be it.

If they do come back I would be shocked if it was before 2020.

 

[northvanman]

Why was the program shut down in the first place?

If memory serves me, the program was suspended in 88 or 89. The public reason they shut it down is that they couldn't field a competitive team and could not justify the expense for these kinds of results - they were sub-500 for several consecutive seasons, but in their last couple of seasons they were terrible - only winning a couple of games each season and on the receiving end of many big-time blowouts.

The root cause, though, was the facility. They did not have an arena on campus and, in the final years, could not secure primary tenancy in any local arena. In the last few years they were playing games in up to 3 different arenas and that was just games - think about practices. I remember them playing a game against Western with a 9:30pm start time. The facility issue was a major issue in attracting players (to say nothing of fan support) and the predictable results followed.

Interestingly the hockey team, for reasons I don't know, were not called the Marauders - they were called the Marlins.

 

[Hollywood3]

Hamilton losing the AHL and gaining the OHL has no impact on McMaster. They will get a team when they want one and find a facility. IMO a facility that holds at most 2,000 fans would be ideal, i.e. too small for an OHL team.

 

[Opinionated]

Hamilton losing the AHL and gaining the OHL has no impact on McMaster.

I agree -- it will have no direct impact . . . but it does provide the opportunity if both sides want it to happen.

IMO a facility that holds at most 2,000 fans would be ideal, i.e. too small for an OHL team.

While 2,000 seats would be ideal, McMaster has no desire to build an arena of any size presently, and I expect would not do so without partnering with somebody. Having the OHL team needing a venue less than 15,000 (the approximate current capacity of Copps) provides the opportunity for Mac and Andlauer to work together, seeking government funding and justify one facility that would suit both for a long time.

 

[Hollywood3]

...
While 2,000 seats would be ideal, McMaster has no desire to build an arena of any size presently, and I expect would not do so without partnering with somebody. Having the OHL team needing a venue less than 15,000 (the approximate current capacity of Copps) provides the opportunity for Mac and Andlauer to work together, seeking government funding and justify one facility that would suit both for a long time.

The best path for McMaster would be to build something with a small seating capacity for community use. A facility that seats 6,000 would make no sense.

I know that the Fleming Arena is used on a daily basis for intramural play and on an occasional basis for community use. I cannot imagine the U of M wanting 3-6,000 junior hockey fans on campus on a regular basis.

 

[AdamMcg83]

The best path for McMaster would be to build something with a small seating capacity for community use. A facility that seats 6,000 would make no sense.

I know that the Fleming Arena is used on a daily basis for intramural play and on an occasional basis for community use. I cannot imagine the U of M wanting 3-6,000 junior hockey fans on campus on a regular basis.

This is Waterloo's model as well. on-campus arena, capacity under 700, used all the time for open student skates, intramural games, student rentals, and varsity activities. It's also used every evening for the Warriors' minor hockey partnership with the Waterloo Ravens girls hockey teams, which run throughout the entire season. The camps and programs are staffed by Varsity men's and women's players, giving the players a chance to work, and the rink a chance to earn revenues to pay operating costs.

 

[MiamiHockey]

This is Waterloo's model as well. on-campus arena, capacity under 700, used all the time for open student skates, intramural games, student rentals, and varsity activities. It's also used every evening for the Warriors' minor hockey partnership with the Waterloo Ravens girls hockey teams, which run throughout the entire season. The camps and programs are staffed by Varsity men's and women's players, giving the players a chance to work, and the rink a chance to earn revenues to pay operating costs.

Guelph's model would have been the way to go - an arena constructed with / next to the athletics centre. There would seem to be no real appetite for ice hockey at Mac: they opened a brand-new athletic centre in 2007, and did not include a rink.

If they didn't do it in 2007, what are they odds they suddenly have a desire to do it now?