Game at PPL Center?

[StablerBumParticipant]

Very interesting and exciting (to me) tweet from Tom Fallon of ESPN Lehigh Valley:

Tom Fallon ‏@fallonlv 3h
I have it on good authority that @LehighMBB is looking into playing a game @ the new PPL Center in Allentown next season. Hope it works out.

I think this is great, especially if it is a “name” opponent. I also think it would be an awesome event if the PPL center could organize some sort of college basketball triple header. There are so many D1 programs in Pennsylvania across all levels that I think you could create some good match-ups. Something like Penn/Laff, Lehigh/Drexel, & PSU/Nova. And that’s only drawing from the eastern part of the state. Massachusetts did a similar thing this year with their 6 D1 programs that HC participated in.

[toddcuddParticipant]

Am I too cynical if I’m fearing that this will be vs. Moravian, Muhlenberg, or DeSales?

[TMHParticipant]

Todd,
I think you may be too cynical. The only reason that I know of that moving a game to PPL is because it may surpass capacity at Stabler. Why take on the added expense?
I wish StablerBum’s post would have come a day earlier. I was with the trio of Sterrett, Griffin and Haas yesterday. I might have been able to get some form of confirmation.

[LU65Participant]

From what I understand, if this game takes place – nearing certainty – our opponent will NOT be a D-1 cupcake or come out of D-II or D-III.

[StablerBumParticipant]

Fallon has confirmed that the game will take place:

Tom Fallon ‏@fallonlv 2h
Next season, @LehighMBB will play their opener at the new PPL Center in Allentown against a name program. Not allowed to say who it will be.

I commend all involved in thinking outside the box to make this happen to 1) try to engage the region about Lehigh hoops 2) doing what is necessary to get a name program to visit the Lehigh Valley. Excited to see how this turns out.

[toddcuddParticipant]

Completely agree with SBum. I was concerned that this was more of a “community outreach” thing, with the new arena – but it sounds like it will be a good thing for Lehigh hoops, too. Woo-hoo!! I am, of course, eager to hear who the opponent will be!
Thanks and congrats to those that made it happen!

[LUHoops00Participant]

Awesome news, must make it back for this game now!

[TMHParticipant]

Well, I now know the opponent for the PPL matchup although the final details are yet to be done. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be public knowledge so I’ll simply say that they are very high on your wish list. Hint…think of one of the main criteria teams use to put together an OOC schedule.

[TMHParticipant]

Wow…looks like you guys are nova gonna get this

[RichHParticipant]

Lol… Yeah we got it.

[LUHoops00Participant]

Hilarious tmh, great news indeed. That will be a very very good nova team who only loses Bell off a great season. I think they have a good incoming class as well so that will be challenging.

This is very smart job by LU, scheduling an opponent that will draw fans to this arena as well and maybe we sell this out, grow local interest, and we should try to do this sort of thing once a year every year.

[StablerBumParticipant]

This is great news. I think it could end up being a pretty solid crowd when you consider local Lehigh and Nova fans, travelling Nova fans, one of the first events at the new arena, and a homecoming game for Darrun Hilliard (Nova sr captain next year from Bethlehem).

I’m with you Hoops. It would be great if they used this “nuetral site” to try to lure one big game a year. Really like that the athletic department wants to try something new and different.

[toddcuddParticipant]

Awesome! Exactly the kind of opponent we’ve all wanted to see for our “reach” OOC games. They are a team that crossed my mind based on the early excitement in this thread.
But I do have to admit that the “think of one of the main criteria teams use to put together an OOC schedule” quote threw me for a loop. I was trying to figure out what good a game vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute could possibly do for us… Ha!

[TMHParticipant]

StablerBum,
My hunch is that Hilliard is the biggest reason we got this game. Hence my first clue.
Lehigh has done a wonderful job recently in increasing their national profile. The Yankee Stadium game has sold over 40,000 tickets. The Choral Group will be singing on the big stage at Carnegie Hall. Now a game at the hockey arena.
It will however take a hook to fill the slot even there. This year’s game needs to sell out. Due to the proximity of the opponent, I expect it to. I think Penn State will now come. Perhaps Michigan in a few years.

[TMHParticipant]

BTW, if Fallon was not allowed to announce it a week ago, I suggest that we not make it too public just yet. I would hate for pipelines of information to suddenly dry up.

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