(Photo: Patty Vicente/WCSN)
According to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, Holy Cross has cancelled its 2020-2021 two-game series at Arizona State. Schlossman wrote that the cancellation came in the wake of COVID-19 related budget deficits.
According to the Grand Forks Herald, more programs are expected to cut parts of their non-conference schedule in the upcoming season that incolve flights to eliminate costs.
Currently the only independent program among 60 Division I teams, these cancellations are critical for ASU as it relies entirely on a non-conference schedule to build out its campaign.
“It is what it is,” ASU head coach Greg Powers told Schlossman. “We have a ton of respect for (Holy Cross head coach) David (Berard) and that program. We have a great relationship with them. Once this clears up, they’re going to come back out. We’ll go from there. I think he was very disappointed he had to make that call. It’s completely out of anybody’s control. It’s the budget they have to operate from in this situation.”
As of now, Holy Cross’ cancellation is the only reported alteration to ASU’s schedule. However, the Sun Devil staff will have to keep close tabs on their remaining 2020-2021 opponents. Schlossman reported that more cancellations could be on the horizon.
“We’re in close contact with everybody,” Powers told Schlossman. “We’re to the point where we’ve had detailed discussions about hotel arrangements and all that stuff. We’re committed to our schedule from a travel standpoint. We know as an independent that we’re not going to cancel road games.”
The Sun Devils have 14 home games at Oceanside Ice Arena and 20 road games in a complete 34-game schedule in the upcoming season, according to the Grand Forks Herald. Its schedule currently includes a return to the Desert Hockey Classic at Gila River Arena in Glendale and an appearance at the inaugural Holiday Face-Off at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee during the holiday tournament season.
“Whatever happens happens,” Powers told the Grand Forks Herald. “There’s still so much unknown. The worst thing we can do is negatively speculate. We’re just going to plan like we’re moving forward, because in our minds, we are.”
Budget cuts within athletic programs across the country brought on by COVID-19 are beginning to have direct affects on the college hockey landscape. On May 22, the University of Alabama-Huntsville informed its players that it was eliminating its hockey program. The university also eliminated men’s and women’s tennis.
Alabama-Huntsville became the first Division I program to eliminate its college hockey team since Wayne State in 2008.
According to wide-spread reporting, athletic deparemtns could continue to make cost-cutting moves over the course of the next weeks and months.
