bincitysioux

I think alot of us wonder the same thing. Maybe just because there was a healthy and experienced senior, junior, and sophomore ahead of him on the depth chart. Nobody really knows how talented Sparks may or may not be because he only played once against non DI team. He just looks to have a totally different build and skill set than any other back on the roster right now, so fans are intrigued by his potential.

The average attendance next year should get a bump simply due to the fact that there are 4 home games before the start of the hockey season. The first 3 games could all touch 10,000. Anyone know when homecoming is? The later the better as far as I am concerned. They should have it for either Sac St. or UNC. UNC is probably too late in the year though. That game will be poorly attended.

It's a great concept, but would likely never get off the ground. Alot of us, myself included, proclaimed scheduling would be a piece of cake for UND during the transition because of our hockey ties, and our schedules for other sports would be be full of teams like Maine, Denver, New Hampshire, etc. Well that didn't quite pan out.

I get what you are saying. We have been spoiled in recent years. But at the same time, this is not the early 90's when MSC was in play 20 years ago. The avenues for distribution are so much greater now. I remember when the only time you could see Sioux football or basketball on TV was when they were playing the Bison. The point is, I don't think it is acceptable to go backwards 5 years from where we are now just because that is still better than what it was 15 years ago.

Agree. They can buy low end FBS teams for the same or less that they can buy top end FCS teams for. One could probably thank App St., NDSU, and USD for this legislation. Good for them for influencing Big 10 policy.

Miller had a ho-hum season as far as I'm concerned in 2012. He's the type of back that is going to have alot of 2 yard carries, but you never know when he is going to bust one for 30 yards or more. He was averaging nearly 6 yds a carry against Eastern, but that game got out of hand in a hurry so there wasn't alot of handoffs going on after the 1st quarter. He had excellent games against Sac St. and SUU. In 2011, he completely ripped apart Fresno St. and Southern Utah, and did very well against FBS Idaho as a freshman. I just expect he'll have a better year in 2013. I would like to see Sparks get an opportunity this year though. That kid is built like brick shithouse.

I was just using that as an example of the coverage and viewership that CBS can provide. I think all schools should be allowed to market their product accordingly. UND is getting money from Midco. Denver is getting money from Root. UMD and St Cloud could probably get money from Charter. WMU and Miami could probably get money from Fox. CC could probably get money from Altitude. Like i just said, it is obvious the reasons for this are financial. That's fine. Just don't agree with the new coverage options.

Also, UND is getting $250K per year from Midco. In addition, UND Insider subscriptions will probably go way up. Obviously, if CBS is paying anything, it is much better financially for UND.

I agree. But also have to remember that the current UND administration didn't hire Idalski, Jones, or Mussman. Idalski and Jones were Buning guys, and Mussman was hired as an in-house guy by Steve Brekke. Hardee is the only coach that Faison has hired that I think we can grade to this point. And I'd say he's done well and is paid well. Not sure I'd say Jones or Mussman have earned significant raises to this point. I really wonder Brewster's salary is. He is another guy promoted from within, and was a logical choice. But not sure he is worth Roebuck's $110,000 salary. At the same time, I think he is worth more than the $113,000 NDSU is apparently paying Dehoff. That to me is a major red flag that Dehoff was paid more than Roebuck. But again, I believe Roebuck recieved a hefty raise shortly after Faison was hired.

That's really the only plausible explanation.

Let preface the following by saying that I'm formulating my opinion under the assumption that UND games could have continued to be carried by Fox College Sports if not for the exclusivity of the CBS deal. Perhaps Fox informed UND that they wouldn't pick up the games after this season anyways, but since we've never been told otherwise, I'm assuming the status quo would have continued. One of my biggest problems with the CBS deal is the lack of commitment for carriage. Here's the release: NCHC Gets Deal With CBS Sports Network Seriously, 18 games, including the tournament on a national cable channel. That's it. Last season, FCS televised at least 16 WCHA games, including playoffs, nationally. And they were all played in Grand Forks. Fox College Sports is available in 54 million homes, while CBSSN is available in 44 million homes. So, basically, if the NCHC had no national TV contract at all, and UND had the same one that's been in place for the last 4 years, every other NCHC team would likely play on national television roughly the same number of times on FCS that they will on CBSSN, and those games would have been available to more households than the conference deal can offer. So somebody please try to put some lipstick on that pig for me................. The only possible benefit of the deal with CBSSN could be monetary. As far as I know, FCS pays little or nothing to the air our games. I'm hoping like hell, that the NCHC is getting some revenue from this deal.

I'm gonna submit the names of a couple guys who will be upper classmen: Jake Miller & Ben Peters I think Miller looked too good as a freshman and sophomore to have two seasons as a non-factor. He did average nearly 6 yards per carry last season. Better play calling and improved line play can help him. Even get him the ball as a reciever, he's just so quick. Peters was sure and steady last season. He should only get better over the next two seasons.

This is all true, but as we all know, there is alot of moving and shaking going on right now in college athletics, and there are few conferences that are going to be immune from it.

Yeah, games can be sporadic in the non conference season, but now with conference affiliaton, almost all games starting in mid December are Thursdays and Saturdays.

Personally, I'd only support that if the Sioux Center were sold out for 6 to 8 years straight, and there was a hockey-like waiting list for season tickets. The REA is only good for basketball when there is at least 7,000 in there. However, I admit I've never been to basketball at the Alerus so I can't comment. I'll take 3,000 in the Sioux Center vs. 5,000 in the Ralph every time though. From an atmosphere standpoint that is. I understand there would financial aspects to consider if demand ever got to that point. But there would have to be a major surge in interest in basketball from where it is at now. EDIT: I do recall dakotadan having an intriguing idea about placing the basketball court at one of the ends of REA to make it more conducive to preserving high energy atmosphere with smaller crowds. If I remember right it had some merits.

I don't disagree. But honestly, I feel that the Sioux Center is not far off from being an elite game facility. Small upgrades like video boards, sound system, lighting, electronic scorers table, and some sort of solution to the ugly bleachers at at least one end would go along way IMO. I have been to sold out games at the Sioux Center, and the atmosphere is magnificent when it is full. When one flips through the player bios in the media guides, when players were asked why they chose to come to UND, a common response is the facilities, and I'd assume that means both game and practice.

You never know these days though. Air Force exploring conference options

That sounds fine to me.

This is true, but I've been told for years that the biggest need of the athletic department is for a practice facility for the football players. If practice facilities are so important, I'm not sure how beneficial it would be to effectively downgrade the Sioux Center's practice capabilities, when it is considered an elite practice facility for basketball and volleyball as far as the Big Sky goes.

I don't think they can give up all that practice court space.

I'd like to see a smaller version of the moveable risers that are in the Fargodome put into the North end of the Sioux Center. I don't really think they could do anything different at the South end where the overhead doors are and because they need that space for concessions due to the lack of a concourse. I also think there is room above all 4 restrooms to put a small luxury suite in each corner.

I used to poo-pooh the idea that a video board was needed. But I now think it would help, and so would a better sound system in the Sioux Center. Even Portland St. and Sac St. have large video screens at the end of their arenas. And their facilities are worse than most North Dakota Class A gyms..............

I have no inside knowledge of course, but I'll speculate that the CBSSN menu will include a somewhat heavy diet of UND and Denver games. Probably not quite how Root has a Montana school participating in every single telecast, but these are the two "name" programs in the conference and have followings that set themselves apart from the rest of the league. Still, we'll be going from 20 or so nationally televised games, to maybe 6 to 8?

The conference's deal with CBS is exclusive on a national scale, meaning that no games between NCHC teams can be on another "national" network. FCS is a "national" network. Midco can is "regional", so they can sell their production to the small cable companies in the area, but not to a network like FCS, NBCSN, ESPNU, NHLN, etc............ I suppose UND could still try to get Midco produced games against non-conference opponents on a different national netwok.

I wonder if the women's hockey program has gotten enough of a "boost" from the Lamarouexs to continue to be successful going forward after their departure.