jdub27

Presale is the 13th, general public on the 18th. It was bumped out a couple weeks due to UND and BC both making the Frozen Four. This website has a decent amount of info.

Sports Illustrated with a new article. Very well written.

Seemed to work well last year when UND had to move a WR to RB due to depth issues. Anyone have Craig Bohl's contact info? His help last year was invaluable.

The NDSU radio contract was only for 3 years (possibly with a 2 year option, but I would guess NDSU has the discretion on whether it is picked up). UND won't be doing anything on their contract until after next year. I don't see UND doing a 2 year contract (and having a different expiration than their TV rights) so I guess KFGO will sit with that hole for a year because I can't see UND opting out of their current WDAY deal and burning a bridge. However, I imagine knowing that the timing of expiration on the UND and NDSU deals and because KFGO's past behavior, there will be a very beneficial buy-out clause for UND put into the next deal if there wasn't one already. KFGO will have the same ability to put a bid in for UND's radio affiliation in Fargo as WDAY and any other F-M station that is interested will. Ball will be in their court on what they want to offer. They all know there will competition and that will benefit UND. However one needs to remember this is an affiliation deal, not a flagship one like NDSU was getting, and there is no reason to give anyone preferential treatment, which is what you seem to continue to keep implying by saying UND should be on KFGO end-stop.

UC-Irvine blew a late lead to lose in the CIT Championship game to Columbia.

Didn't realize he had been suspended for "conduct detrimental to the team" right before the Big Sky tournament. Signs seem to point to him heading to Europe.

Apparently time heals all wounds. 2 1/2 years after KFGO dropped UND, you were still "ticked off" about it but now, if I understand correctly, you are in favor of UND dropping WDAY and going right back to KFGO.

Just curious on why UND should be in a hurry to go back to KFGO after how they ended the previous relationship? They gave UND a 2 hour notice that they were dropping UND after 17 years, not to mention they were less than 1 year into a new 3 year deal. For the record, I believe the affiliation deal with WDAY is up after this season and I'm sure both KFGO and WDAY will be looked at.

You realize that WDAY's signal is almost identical to KFGO's right?

550 is are already a radio affiliate for both schools, doubt that will change. NDSU didn't get any offers from FSN. UND won't get one either but will likely continue as a sort of a partner to broadcast productions as they have been the last few years.

I'm all for talking about ideas, however it was your comment "It is time UND was proactive about stuff like this instead of being reactive" that I took issue with. It seemed nothing more than a cheap shot that in reality has no bearing. That is not up a "conversation starting" topic. UND does very well in the media area pretty much across the board outside a couple clauses in conference level contracts they have very little control over (though it still hasn't stopped UND for fighting for exclusions or changes they could benefit from).

I guess I'm not following the part about UND being proactive instead of reactive other than taking a potshot like that just seems like the easy thing to do. UND is currently in the middle of a media contract, one that paid significant cash well before NDSU had one that did. I can assure you that they are exploring multiple options for when their media rights with Midco expire after the 2016-2017 season and looking for the one that provides that balances good revenue and strong coverage for as many people as they can get it to. Having NDSU negotiate their contract with NBC right now should actually help UND from a market value perspective. As for the radio thing, I'm not positive how that contract works but UND also already has a radio affiliate in Fargo through WDAY 970 that carries football and hockey games. I doubt they look at adding KFGO at this time, especially considering their signal powers are very similar. I would think that Forum Communications was hoping to get a piece of the pie through radio and didn't, so staying on that station could be beneficial to UND in the long run. While not the biggest deal due to smartphones/technology, it would be nice to expand the radio footprint on MBB and WBB.

I know it was an article about NDSU but Caillou was flashing the type of research abilities that show why he usually just copies FargoU press releases. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Kleinsasser

That's assuming the pucks are going a quarter inch to the inside and not the outside.

Now that is funny

I actually agree with all of this. The B1G had to start a conference (unless they changed their by-laws) and it has not worked out well and there really is no good solution. However a change would require athletic directors and school presidents at B1G schools to care more about hockey, which they won't. In terms of revenue and exposure that hockey brings to the conference when only 6 of the 12 schools sponsor it, it is somewhat tough to argue they should change their view. Then you look at the schools that do sponsor it, hockey is the #3 sport in revenue/exposure at best and even then it is a long way behind FB and MBB. Possible but it seems that most conferences like to stay at even numbers. I just think the flexibility with ASU is much greater than UND and that is something that is important for both sides.

I should have clarified. Any team that joins would be crazy not to ask for some sort of revenue sharing and would almost assuredly get something but people need to be realistic on the amount. Football and basketball are what drive that contract, the rest of the sports are just TV filler. As @UNDBIZ mentioned, something replacing the Midco payment is closer to the realm of possibilities (original contract was $1 million over 5 years). What's more likely is that whoever joins gets some token amount in return for a handful of games and then keeps the rest of the content themselves to sell, similar to the setup with CBS Sports. Edit: From a little looking, it appears that Johns Hopkins does not receive any revenue sharing from the B1G but has their own TV deal with ESPNU for home lacrosse games, a stipulation that was put into their contract before they agreed to join. The biggest issue I have is that I don't think whatever 8th team is picked is going to be in the conference long term. There are rumblings of multiple B1G looking starting hockey. All it takes take is for one of them to start up and that 8th team would likely be squeezed out because you know it won't be Notre Dame being asked to leave. That's why ASU is the perfect fit, they aren't necessarily looking for a long term home and if they get asked to leave, they would be accepted by another conference in the interim. If UND were to leave the NCHC (and pay the large exit fee) and the after 5-10 years get removed from the B1G, what do they do besides go back to the NCHC, which would have likely backfilled to an even number?

I think its a pretty big stretch to assume that an affiliate member in a minor sport would get any sort of significant chunk of TV revenue from the B1G Network.

Because he's not the athletic director at ASU. I can assure you he has a good understanding of the situation.

Possible but I don't think that UConn has the academic chops to get into the B1G as a full member. Notre Dame is obviously the biggest question. I don't see them joining a football conference until they feel like they were slighted out of the College Football Playoffs and their hand is almost forced.

No worries, they aren't.

B1G gets a legitimate, recognizable name to all fans, not just hockey ones, an upstart program to beat up on for a few years and it brings them to an even number to balance out the addition of Notre Dame, who they've been chasing on and off for years (in all sports). ASU gets into a recognizable conference and home games against teams that their fans have heard of, even if it isn't permanent, which will ultimately help them grow their program. Doubt they will get much, if anything, from a revenue standpoint, but I'd guess that is an afterthought at this point. This move won't necessarily help much on the B1G Network, nor that much in the stands for that matter, but both sides benefit from it more so than the addition of any other team and they weren't going to go forward with an odd number. I do agree that hockey doesn't operate the same as football or basketball The ASU arena situation is the one thing that has made every conference hesitate, including the NCHC. Obviously the pros outweigh the cons.

Way to hedge your bets. Set it up perfectly for an "I told you so" if UND doesn't make it out of the regionals but left one foot on the bandwagon just in case... It's been a fun season, with results that far exceeded expectations in the regular season. I'm not ready for it to be over, nor are the players or staff and I'm not going to let a game against a good team that was playing for its life or another where neither team had anything to play for change that. Time and time again, UND has shown it doesn't matter whether they limp into the tournament or come in red hot.

B1G cares about TV markets to force cable providers to carry their network. The ratings/attendance are an afterthought and UND, while having a bigger following than any other option, does not move the needle anywhere near enough to overcome the other things they have going against them. ASU. Book it. No way the B1G didn't have someone lined up before Notre Dame was accepted, they aren't going to an odd number, and it wasn't an NCHC team, that I can guarantee with almost certainty. Wouldn't be surprised if they put in an "out" clause of some sort that allow them to severe ties with ASU if a B1G school adds hockey in the future. I'll be the first to admit if I'm wrong but this is the scenario I see happening based on reliable things I've heard.

Pretty much assures ASU to the B1G. Don't expect any shake-up in the NCHC (adding or subtracting) unless there are a lot of other dominoes that fall, which I don't see happening. ASU to the NCHC had the possibility to cause more turmoil, going to the B1G won't have the same effect.