Hockey is for everyone....that can afford it.StanleyCup55 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 9:26 amIt’s moving with the times. The game of hockey has changed so much in so many ways over the past 20-30 years. The cost of playing hockey is insane especially when compared to other sports.thefatcat wrote: ↑Tue Mar 01, 2022 5:00 pm I thought the move to two classes was lame-o...I am now in favor of expanding to three classes with 40 something teams per class and make each class a super tourney like Class 6A football does now...a March Madness if you will. I honestly think it will help increase numbers / participation at the youth level as the middling programs like an Irondale, Armstrong, Hopkins, Kennedy, Jefferson, Woodbury, Tartan, etc. would have a realistic chance of not being first round cannon fodder for the perennial powers of Class AA. You don't have to waste time watching a team like Benilde beat a Hopkins team 10-1 in the first round anymore. The purists will bemoan this but I think it could work.
Also, the MSHSL board needs to be an elected position with term limits...get some people in there with new / fresh ideas.
It’s time to evolve and move to a 3 class, ranked system to promote the utmost fairness possible.
A buddy of mine has a Bantam AA that plays in Edina. Association Fees = $2000....they've been asked to pay an addt'l $3000 on top of that for "team fees". That's $5000 all-in to play Bantam AA at Edina, that is absolutely insane.
For comparison, MN Made is around $3000 all-in for the same amount of games and more ice time for practices that a typical bantam team. And if you add in travel costs for a team like Edina to travel out of town it makes it even more insane.