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Is Bowling Green Considering Dropping Hockey?


star2city

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Rumors are flying about hockey being dropped at Bowling Green, which won an NCAA championship in the 80's and had one of the great game environments until recently. As difficult it is to get college programs started, a loss of program at a mid-major 18,000 student DI university like Bowling Green would be tragic. Bowling Green's program has struggled recently; it's currently in last place in the CCHA. But the hockey program, which actually outdraws their basketball teams, has been allowed to wither while a new basketball arena was built.

Letters to the editor have expressed concern: Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com - Bowling Green's message board

Renovations (mostly basic maintenance) to their 5000 seat arena have been postponed: link

A new president was recently installed who was the President of Kent State when they dropped hockey: :DDr Carol Cartwright

Their new Stroh Center was built without ice capability: 1889793.jpeg

1889792.jpeg

Certainly hope Bowling Green's program can continue.

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Losing Bowling Green obviously would not be good for DI hockey. But the economics continue to make it harder and harder to justify big-time programs.

I can't find the link I used to have that detailed the expenses involved in college hockey. But just in generalities, compare the expenses to, say, basketball. More scholarships, a much more expensive facility to build and maintain, vastly more expensive equipment, and especially with the dwindling number of DI teams, travel distances that translate into ever-increasing expenses.

And for what? A trophy, certainly. Exposure, to some extent, but hockey remains such a regional phenomenon that south of, what, Iowa (?) what difference does a hockey title mean?

Look at the potential income a DI basketball team can hope for should it earn its way into March Madness or even the NIT? Heck, NDSU might make the Dance; what kind of check will they get for their investment?

The hockey community started out small, and continues to get smaller. The strong, storied programs (UND, UoMN, Mich, et al) need to focus on the growing the sport somehow. I think the onus falls upon the big, midwest public schools to entice more entries into DI hockey; the east coast teams are glorified DIII schools for whom hockey is simply a perk for the former preppies enrolled inside their ivied walls.

The WCHA is in a position to help expand DI hockey. Obviously the conference can't grow into a 20-team league, nor should it. But it has tapped into a rich income vein through the Final Five tourney, and is earning money hand over fist. There are some schools similar to WCHA and CCHA members who presently have ACHA teams that could be grown into DI programs with some financial help, either direct or indirect. Penn State, Illinois and Iowa State all have quite successful ACHA teams. They're not going to step right into either the WCHA or CCHA, they'd be killed. But if the weaker WCHA and CCHA teams were spun off into a new league (complete with an auto-bid) and some of these healthy ACHA (or even DIII) programs were invited in, we might grow the sport a little instead of watching it die a slow death. Heck the WCHA and CCHA teams could agree to schedule one team in the new league AT THEIR RINKS for a few years to help them grow their attendance.

Something has to be done to stanch the outflow from this sport. The colleges themselves are fighting for every dollar they can find to fund their own programs, so I think the conferences are going to have to step to the plate and try to make a difference. It is in their own best-interests.

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I can't find the link I used to have that detailed the expenses involved in college hockey. But just in generalities, compare the expenses to, say, basketball. More scholarships, a much more expensive facility to build and maintain, vastly more expensive equipment, and especially with the dwindling number of DI teams, travel distances that translate into ever-increasing expenses.

This report, FBS revenues and expenses, doesn't include hockey, but with Bowling Green participating at the FBS level, they almost assuredly must subsidize their football program far more than they spend in hockey. For basketball, just the coaches salaries for a top-level basketball coach ($1 M +) make it an expensive proposition relative to hockey (~$250 K for top coaches).

And for what? A trophy, certainly. Exposure, to some extent, but hockey remains such a regional phenomenon that south of, what, Iowa (?) what difference does a hockey title mean?

Bowling Green has gone to a few bowl games, but it will never be a national champion in either football (unless it drops to FCS) or basketball. With hockey, it can say it was a champion.

One of the issues Bowling Green faces is that the MAC requires its schools to sponsor baseball. Because the MAC commissioner as well as other all-sports conferences don't care about hockey, hockey-playing schools get pressure from their conference to spend less on hockey and more on other sports. Within the MAC, two natural rivals of both Bowling Green and Miami U, Ohio U and Kent State, dropped hockey in part because it wasn't a MAC sponsored sport.

With hockey outside the conference mainstream, hockey too often gets neglected at schools with AD's or Presidents that don't love it or where alumni/hockey fans don't demand their attention.

When Buffalo joined the MAC, incredibly Buffalo was forced to start a baseball squad from scratch and then build an on-campus baseball field to satisfy the MAC. Buffalo was so much more logically a hockey school, but MAC requirements forced baseball on it. The MAC's mandates tie Buffalo's hands to even consider hockey.

Imagine a MAC hockey conference of with the likes of

Western Michigan

Miami

Bowling Green

Buffalo

Kent State

Ohio U

Central Michigan / N Illinois as potential additions

It might not strike fear in the heart's of hockey fans now, but it's attendance would exceeded Hockey East's, the schools would have traditional rivals, and it could have grown into an elite league. If MAC officials would have embraced hockey - instead of forcing it's schools to waste money on the impossible dream of being a prominent northern baseball conference - the MAC would have gained recognition as a top-flight conference in something rather than being mediocre in everything.

With lacrosse basically realigning into all-sports conferences (e.g. the Big East), lacrosse will become a priority non-expendable sport at both the conference level and the AD level. Hockey's never had that benefit except in hockey-centric areas.

Look at the potential income a DI basketball team can hope for should it earn its way into March Madness or even the NIT? Heck, NDSU might make the Dance; what kind of check will they get for their investment?

For lower-ranked basketball conferences like the Summit or even the MAC, there really is no great direct financial benefit unless the conference can annually win NCAA games or place two or more schools in the Dance (the Summit routinely takes a 1/127th share of the NCAA's distribution - which is shared by all the conference schools, while the Big East or ACC routinely take 18-20 out of the 127 shares which is also shared equally among members). The Summits conference schools greatest benefit is the media recognition .

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I can't help but think that UAH is hoping for it. It would DEFINITELY help their cause.

IMO, and I don't like wishing demise on anyone but... better UAH folding than BGSU.

Then BSU still needs a team to join the league with.

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UBC

Hello Canadian schools. :D

I honestly don't know if UBC would really put that much of a dent into OUR recruiting, maybe other teams like UAA.

UND hasn't taken a lot of recruits out of that area lately since I don't remember anyone this year or next coming in from the BCHL. It's like people freaking out over Notre Dame getting a new arena. So what UND is still going to be a top school because

of our history and tradition. Can't get them all. Look at Minnesota they are stuff with talent and still suck.

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I honestly don't know if UBC would really put that much of a dent into OUR recruiting, maybe other teams like UAA.

UND hasn't taken a lot of recruits out of that area lately since I don't remember anyone this year or next coming in from the BCHL. It's like people freaking out over Notre Dame getting a new arena. So what UND is still going to be a top school because

of our history and tradition. Can't get them all. Look at Minnesota they are stuff with talent and still suck.

Actually, I see it being VERY detrimental towards UAA.

I do think it will affect our recruiting eventually.

They are right there when it comes to BC and Alberta. Even Saskatchewan isn't that far away.

I don't want UBC. I don't want UAH. I don't want BGSU to go away either.

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I don't want UBC. I don't want UAH. I don't want BGSU to go away either.

I know what you're saying, but I think it is time for the strong hockey schools and conferences to bite the bullet and start doing things for the greater good. We're down to what, 59 DI hockey schools now? College hockey is already insignificant to a great deal of the country; now is not the time to stand by and let another team or two go by the wayside.

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Actually, I see it being VERY detrimental towards UAA.

I do think it will affect our recruiting eventually.

They are right there when it comes to BC and Alberta. Even Saskatchewan isn't that far away.

I don't want UBC. I don't want UAH. I don't want BGSU to go away either.

Remember, many years ago, some would have said the same thing about UND.

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I know what you're saying, but I think it is time for the strong hockey schools and conferences to bite the bullet and start doing things for the greater good. We're down to what, 59 DI hockey schools now? College hockey is already insignificant to a great deal of the country; now is not the time to stand by and let another team or two go by the wayside.

I agree with that statement. If a team joins say the WCHA or the CCHA wouldn't they probably have to make a substancial payment

or fee somewhere in the area of 100,000.00 - 250,000.00? I thought I read somewhere that was the case.

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  • 2 weeks later...

CHN: Bowling Green Program in Jeopardy

BGSU believed on verge of cutting hockey

NHL Fanhouse: Bowling Green Hockey in Peril

While he had a rather nondescript ten-year NHL career, Holzinger made his mark on college hockey. In the 1994-95 season, Holzinger capped his career at Bowling Green with a bang. He posted 35 goals and 69 points in 38 games, winning the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is handed out annually to the top player in college hockey.

On March 24, 1984, Bowling Green beat Minnesota-Duluth in four overtimes to claim a national championship. Since that title and Holzinger's award-winning season, the Falcons' program has fallen on some hard times ... none harder than what they are facing right now.

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Bowling Green Hockey survives for at least one year:

Open Letter to All Falcon Fans from BGSU Athletic Director

Rather than eliminating any sports, in the coming year budget cuts will be made throughout the athletics department. This will significantly affect all 18 of our sports and support areas.

Fans may remember that two years ago we went through an extensive strategic planning process for the future of BGSU Athletics. Unfortunately, that plan is no longer sustainable given how the overall financial landscape has changed.

In the coming months, we will focus on the budget direction for fiscal year 2011 and beyond. As we head into new budget territory, BGSU undoubtedly will face more tough choices concerning competitive Division 1 Athletics.

We have heard the concerns raised by supporters of BGSU ice hockey and appreciate their passion for the program. We also recognize the significant role the Ice Arena plays in the Bowling Green community. We will work with Recreational Sports (which operates the arena) and the community to review the issues related to the facility and begin collaborating on the development of possible solutions.

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  • 1 month later...

Bowling Green Explores Future of Hockey

If Bowling Green State University decides to keep its hockey program, it will not be retained on a year-to-year basis and would be funded to operate successfully, according to university president Dr. Carol Cartwright.

The university announced last month the hockey program is guaranteed to last only through next season.

The arena, a state-of-the-art-facility when it opened in 1967, has been allowed to deteriorate into one of college hockey's worst facilities. The condition of the arena and the solution has divided some of the former players. Generally speaking, the players who played at BG before 1990 want the arena renovated and the players who played after 1990 want a new arena. During the program's glory days, the arena and its sold-out atmosphere gave the Falcons one of the nation's best home-ice advantages. Virtually every other program in the country has significantly renovated or built new facilities since the north end seats were added to the Ice Arena for the 1989-90 season.

Since BG played in the NCAAs in 1990, Michigan Tech, Merrimack and Dartmouth are the only other teams from the four established leagues which have not competed in the national playoffs. Alaska and Union haven't qualified either, but they haven't been in their current league each year since BG last played in the NCAAs.
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The NCAA if it wants to keep hockey from declining needs to re-open access to MJ players. Figure out a way for MJ kids to keep their amateur status and give them options. If you want to charge them a year of eligibility for each season a kid plays MJ after high school, fine. College and MJ needs to become a two-way street.

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