IrishSiouxFan

BSU fans seem delusional about what their real options are. The WAC Is disintegrating, the WCC consists of private schools well above BSU academic standards, and the Big West is a California bus conference with no desire to expand. One commenter suggests that the Big Sky conference is inferior because it's adding Southern Utah and North Dakota, last time I checked we were fairly decent. Boise has a great football program but for how long, we'll find out after Kellen Moore graduates and their coach gets poached by an SEC team Ole Miss or Kentucky.

I know for fact that's not always the case. Middle Tennessee State produces it's own ESPN 3 broadcasts (students mainly), The Tennessee vs. Montana football game was produced by UT. Most of the SunBelt, WAC, C-USA, and MAC games on ESPN3 are produced by the institution hosting the game. All UND would have to do is work out an arrangement with them and send them the live feeds, assuming that UND is not contractually obligated to another network.

That's not how ESPN 3 works. They take broadcasts of games and aire them, the broadcasts often come from production units with no affiliation with ESPN. The Fighting Sioux network does a great job of covering home games and could easily work out deals UMD and SCSU if ESPN 3 would make them available for live streaming. I'm positive the ratings for Sioux games would be substantially higher than the majority of sports programs they currently have on there. It seems like it would be a fairly easy to sell to ESPN.

It's not fair to compare the enthusiasm of the Wisconsin student section in football to UND. They play in one of the best football conferences in the country and they do so in a stadium that is rich in tradition and culture. The Alerus Center will never be able to create an authentic UND game day experience because it doesn't look or feel like UND. I'm not blaming the Alerus for the poor student turn outs but it is a part of the problem. The Alerus sends off this vibe that says "this is where mediocre football is played", where as the Ralph says "this is one of the finest hockey facilities in the world for one of the finest hockey programs in the country because UND is worth it, be proud of your school!". I think the the Big Sky will do a lot in terms of selling more tickets to games, but students aren't interested because we don't play in an FBS league on national television.

It's not bad, but it's not at all impressive.

Maybe the NCHC needs to talk to ESPN3 to see about getting games streaming on the internet. I wouldn't mind that at all.

Looks like the NCHC should have been more flexible toward Notre Dame. I wonder what this ultimately means for us and how it will effect our recruitment. Is their any other networks out there that would pick us up?

Sucks how we have the best program, fans, and facilities and we get one game. We should start a petition to get Versus to add more Sioux games.

What was UND men's hockey? Women's sports are expected to be in the red in just about every sport (with exception in some cases to basketball).

Have you seen them, and if so how did they come out last year?

That's a serious accusation, I have never heard of hockey players receiving any type perks around town. I see them all the time at restaurants and stores and they wait in line and pay their tabs like any one else. I will say they 're usually in the company of very attractive young ladies, but I'm sure the NCAA doesn't have a policy against procreation yet.

Are you kidding me, the men's hockey team bank rolls the majority of the athletic budget at UND. The least these guys deserve is an additional stipend for all the hard work they put in to give us something to be proud of.

NCHC schools would have to come up with a total of $576,000 to cover both men and women's hockey (even though the NCHC doesn't sponsor women's hockey). That could be covered from potential television contracts or league dues. It's honestly not that big of a deal and it could entice more players to go the NCAA route.

I hate the way this sounds, but I wonder why he decided to come to UND over the prospect of playing at a more established program? Was it the Big Sky, or possibly some other factors (ne w facilities) that kept him from shopping around for another FBS team? I'm not hating on the Sioux, I'm just curious how we were able to land a recruit like him.

UND could definitely afford to pay for the players, but schools like St. Cloud will be hard pressed to find that kind of money.

We should seriously consider doing away with baseball and starting a lacrosse team, I don't think it would be as popular as hockey but it could easily be in the top four. It would also be nice to be in a conference with the schools you just mentioned.

Great minds think alike

UND should seriously consider dropping baseball for lacrosse.

According to the Summit League president the Sioux logo was never an issue for him or the league and that President Kelley asked him to make statements that it would jeopardize a possible invite. The only reason USD joined the Summit league is because they couldn't afford the Summit buy out, South Dakota is a state that is hemorrhaging from a bad economy and they couldn't afford to join the BSC at the time because of the Summit. History and hockey has taught us that Sioux fans travel very well and our alumni are spread evenly throughout the footprint of the BSC, so we should be represented nicely at football and basketball games. Don't kid yourself, NDSU would give it's left nut to be in the Big Sky.

You're dead wrong. If UND wanted Summit/MVFC membership it could have gotten it. UND loves having an identity that distinguishes it from the other Dakota schools, we are better than you and we know it! USD made a huge mistake by not joining the Big Sky and only time will tell how it will come back to haunt them.

I'm glad to hear that the UND/Wis battles will continue after new conference play starts. But honestly, is anybody really surprised? Wisconsin needs UND to fill their stadium as much as we need them to fill ours. The world of college hockey is a small planet and it continues to get smaller as UAH drops out of the D1 race. North Dakota is and always will be a relevant team in NCAA hockey and teams will be lining up around the block for the opportunity to put us on their schedule.

Too bad for the University of Alabama Huntsville that they're not the University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, they wouldn't have had trouble finding a willing and able conference then.

Notre Dame's new facility is nice but it doesn't hold a candle to the Ralph!

I can't imagine why he wouldn't get an extension or why he would want to leave. I think he knows he is where he is suppose to be.

I do like the Out Laws, the rough necks wouldn't be bad either. I believe North Stars is a reference to the state of Minnesota so that wouldn't be acceptable.