WCHA lifts moratorium...

[Hale4David]

DU and C.C. good point. The WCHA will still survive. We have UMN, UW, OSU, MICHIGAN, MSU who is the 6th big ten team?

ND is an indy and said doesn't want to join the Big Ten in other sports. Or do the big ten teams form a super hockey conference with some other teams?

Apparently Penn State is funding a study to see the feasibility of building a hockey arena. Still a long ways out but that would make 6.

[mksioux]

Big Ten Network turns profit, will become "significantly" profitable this year

Hockey's going to be ruined by greed:

The Big Ten Network needs programming and hockey programming could earn schools major $'s quickly.

Penn State won't be joining the CCHA:

Penn State authorizes study for 6000 seat hockey arena

Notre Dame won't be staying in a CCHA without Mich/MSU/OSU:

Notre Dame to construct 5000 seat hockey arena

Quite possibly Minnesota has other motives than sincerity in it's sponsorship of Bemidji into the WCHA.

The article says "Crawford Architects announced today that the firm was selected for the study to design the Ice Hockey Arena for Pennsylvania State University." I don't think that means Penn State is for sure building a new ice hockey arena. I think it just means they are going to study the possibility of building a new ice hockey arena. If it was a for sure thing, I'd think there would be a lot more stories about it.

As for the Big Ten Network, does a school get its share of the network revenues depending on how many times its teams are televised on the network, or is it shared equally? Would Penn State get a larger piece of the pie by adding ice hockey? If not, I don't see how Penn State and a 6,000 seat arena can add mens and womens varsity hockey without losing money.

But if Penn State adds hockey, all of the rumors and speculation flying around about Big Ten hockey for years are going to played out. It will be a very nervous time for the rest of college hockey.

I too have serious doubts about Minnesota agreeing to be in the same conference as Bemidji State for the long haul. I just can't envision it.

[Smoggy]

I hate to say it (always very against it) but the only way for college hockey to survive at this point is for the Big Ten hockey conference. That way there are openings in other conferences for new teams to join.

Of course the opposite could be true and schools fold teams. Smaller schools wouldn't be getting home games and large attendance numbers that the Big Ten schools bring.

[mksioux]

I hate to say it (always very against it) but the only way for college hockey to survive at this point is for the Big Ten hockey conference. That way there are openings in other conferences for new teams to join.

Of course the opposite could be true and schools fold teams. Smaller schools wouldn't be getting home games and large attendance numbers that the Big Ten schools bring.

I agree that smaller conferences is important to future expansion, but putting all the big name schools in the west into one conference is not the way to do it. I can't imagine Big Ten Hockey being anything other than disastrous for college hockey.

[star2city]

Know there's a lot of cynicism about Canadians schools joining the NCAA and playing DI hockey, but there continue to be media reports confirming it. In all likelihood, Bemidji and British Columbia will both be added to the WCHA, but not until the 2011-12 season.

NCAA hockey will be wildly successful at UBC, even with major juniors, because Canadians always rally around their own when Canadian teams play hockey against "non-Canadians". It will hurt UND recruiting in BC and Alberta, but more interest throughout Canada may be focused on UND's program. Whatever league UBC is in, that league (not just UBC) could become the league of choice for Canadian recruits (even over a Big Ten conference).

Feb 11th - UBC's likely move to NCAA

Though UBC is still going through the complex process of academic accreditation for foreign (NCAA) institutions, SFU (Simon Fraser) has completed the process and is now trying to gauge public opinion about the possible move to Division II. And so far, according to SFU athletic director David Murphy, the reception has been almost unanimously positive

...

UBC currently faces more obstacles than SFU, as it offers men’s volleyball and men’s hockey, which are not sanctioned by NCAA Division II. The school also recently opened a new, 7,000-seat arena for the latter, one of its most popular sports. Yet university officials have been speaking with other divisions [Division I]and conferences [WCHA for hockey, and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for volleyball] about becoming members in the two sports and becoming a GNAC member in all others.

[ ] - indicates my additions. There are no other western leagues in either men's volleyball or men's hockey.

Mountain Pacific Sport Federation Men's Volleyball

* Brigham Young

* Cal State Northridge

* Hawaii

* Long Beach State

* Pacific

* Pepperdine

* Stanford

* UC Irvine

* UCLA

* UC San Diego

* UC Santa Barbara

* USC

(like men's hockey, there is no sanctioned championship in DII for men's volleyball)

[siouxhockeyfan11]

Without reading through the newer posts on this thread I'll assume it's the same as the stuff on USCHO about Penn State. First off I love the spot of expanding the game, personally anything that makes college hockey better is worth exploring IMO. It used to seem like this was dreamed up in some guys head but I like that there is some progress, if you wanna call it that. I also enjoy the idea of Colorado State looking at D-1 hockey, thought it was not really by the university. Read about that here. Though a business man collected over 700 signatures on a petition but hey it's a start at least some people are trying to expand the game. If they went D-1 I would think it would make sense for Colorado to do the same but thats a whole different argument. Back to Penn State.. I'm not gonna bring up the B10 hockey conference because I hate beating dead horses, though I don't think it would happen and this is not necessarily a step in that direction. IF some other schools would like to explore a move up and could manage to jump through the hoops to get here(finances, title IX) all that garbage then there could be a different landscape in 5-10 years. But my present concern is not allowing college hockey to shrink before we start thinking about expansion in the future, the leagues need to figure this thing out between them about what will be better for the game then what will be better for the bottom line IMO but we all know thats not how things will be viewed. My 2 cents(sorry I get bored and can't sleep)

[gopherz]

I'd much rather be in the Big 10 conference and play big teams like that as compared to no name universities. I'd miss playing UND but that's really about it.

[AZSIOUX]

I'd much rather be in the Big 10 conference and play big teams like that as compared to no name universities. I'd miss playing UND but that's really about it.

the no name universities that beat the gophers? those no namers that you guys give up 5 goals a game to? cool. yeah i forgot everyone should bow down to the gophers and their history

you have no sense of history ot knowledge of the wcha with a comment like that. hilarious

please, the all mighty M rises again

like penn state and others could hold a candle to even scsu/msu/bsu ect..... in recruiting or playing for at least 6-10 years

[gopherz]

the no name universities that beat the gophers? those no namers that you guys give up 5 goals a game to? cool. yeah i forgot everyone should bow down to the gophers and their history

you have no sense of history ot knowledge of the wcha with a comment like that. hilarious

please, the all mighty M rises again

like penn state and others could hold a candle to even scsu/msu/bsu ect..... in recruiting or playing for at least 6-10 years

Just because they've beat us, doesn't mean they aren't no name universities. I never once said that anyone should bow down to the Gophers, but to say many schools have the history of the University of Minnesota would just be foolish.

How do I have no sense of knowledge of history of the WCHA with that comment? Just because I wouldn't personally care if we left some of those teams behind doesn't mean it wouldn't be leaving history behind. I'd just rather play Big 10 teams, that's all. The WCHA would be very missed because of it's history, but it might be all for good in the long run.

Penn State would easily catch up to schools like SCUS/MSU/BSU, who do you think kids would rather play for? Penn State in the Big 10, or Bemidji/MSU/SCSU? I'd take the Big 10 and a much more sought after education.

[star2city]

As for the Big Ten Network, does a school get its share of the network revenues depending on how many times its teams are televised on the network, or is it shared equally? Would Penn State get a larger piece of the pie by adding ice hockey? If not, I don't see how Penn State and a 6,000 seat arena can add mens and womens varsity hockey without losing money.

Conferences usually have a method of prorating revenue based on the teams participating. Non-football Big East schools do not receive any portion of TV football revenue. With the Big Ten Network and hockey, it would be more difficult to apportion earnings (depends on ratings, advertising sales for hockey etc.), but it is normal practice. The Big East managed to gather all the lacrosse-playing Big East schools under its own banner- effectively disowning lacrosse history - because the schools could make more money and be more dominant. Since the majority of Big East schools do not sponsor lacrosse, only the participating schools share the net revenue.

[AZSIOUX]

Just because they've beat us, doesn't mean they aren't no name universities. I never once said that anyone should bow down to the Gophers, but to say many schools have the history of the University of Minnesota would just be foolish.

How do I have no sense of knowledge of history of the WCHA with that comment? Just because I wouldn't personally care if we left some of those teams behind doesn't mean it wouldn't be leaving history behind. I'd just rather play Big 10 teams, that's all. The WCHA would be very missed because of it's history, but it might be all for good in the long run.

Penn State would easily catch up to schools like SCUS/MSU/BSU, who do you think kids would rather play for? Penn State in the Big 10, or Bemidji/MSU/SCSU? I'd take the Big 10 and a much more sought after education.

so you want to be in conferences that have history only? yeah like any new big10 teams would have any history. you think a kid is gona go to penn state with no history right away? it would take a long time my friend. not overnite so yes a kid would go to those schools with history for now until new teams can create their programs which would take a nice chunk of years to do. i never said they wouldnt catch up but like ive said it would take a while. of course the gophers have a nice hockey history but there is a nice group of schools out there that have it as well east and west

[gopherz]

so you want to be in conferences that have history only? yeah like any new big10 teams would have any history. you think a kid is gona go to penn state with no history right away? it would take a long time my friend. not overnite so yes a kid would go to those schools with history for now until new teams can create their programs which would take a nice chunk of years to do. i never said they wouldnt catch up but like ive said it would take a while. of course the gophers have a nice hockey history but there is a nice group of schools out there that have it as well east and west

The history of the University itself would much outweigh the hockey "history" at a school like BSU/SCSU/MSU-M. You seriously think the "history" of those 3 schools is anything to call home about? Absolutely not. It would be hard to turn down a school with the caliber of Penn State, hockey withstanding, especially in comparison to BSU/SCSU/MSU-M. Now if you're talking UND or something, of course the history of the Sioux would outweigh anything Penn State has to offer because that history is so deep and impressive.

Obviously there's no way to know for sure, but I can't see many people going to BSU/SCSU/MSUM or whatever over PSU. Besides, if a B10 conference forms, the competition would be just as much, probably more, than the WCHA minus UMN and UW.

[AZSIOUX]

The history of the University itself would much outweigh the hockey "history" at a school like BSU/SCSU/MSU-M. You seriously think the "history" of those 3 schools is anything to call home about? Absolutely not. It would be hard to turn down a school with the caliber of Penn State, hockey withstanding, especially in comparison to BSU/SCSU/MSU-M. Now if you're talking UND or something, of course the history of the Sioux would outweigh anything Penn State has to offer because that history is so deep and impressive.

Obviously there's no way to know for sure, but I can't see many people going to BSU/SCSU/MSUM or whatever over PSU. Besides, if a B10 conference forms, the competition would be just as much, probably more, than the WCHA minus UMN and UW.

greeat, we know minny has a nice hockey history. who cares. i was referring to other schools with history like minny are the sioux, bc, bu, michigan ect....i wasnt comparing umtc history to bsu/scsu/msu so relax on that. i simply was saying they can hang with any team now and beat any wcha on any given night. thats all. it would take penn state years to establish a solid program to compete at a level with minny and sioux or uw. years.

[gopherz]

greeat, we know minny has a nie hockey history. who cares. i was referring to other schools with history like minny are the sioux, bc, bu, michigan ect....i wasnt comparing umtc history to bsu/scsu/msu. i simply was saying they can hang with any team now and beat any wcha on any given night. thats all. it would take penn state years to establish a solid program to compete at a level with minny and sioux or uw. years.

I didn't say UMN was better, that wasn't the argument. I'm saying the history of Penn State (not hockey), would be a much bigger draw then the hockey history of programs that really have none to speak of. I'm also not saying they can't hang with any team, they can. Kind of playing devils advocate here because a change would be a pain, but at the same time it would be kind of cool. The revenue a B10 hockey conference would get would be unbelivable.

[AZSIOUX]

I didn't say UMN was better, that wasn't the argument. I'm saying the history of Penn State (not hockey), would be a much bigger draw then the hockey history of programs that really have none to speak of. I'm also not saying they can't hang with any team, they can. Kind of playing devils advocate here because a change would be a pain, but at the same time it would be kind of cool. The revenue a B10 hockey conference would get would be unbelivable.

penn state will be able to build it for sure. no doubt but just would take a while.

[gopherz]

penn state will be able to build it for sure. no doubt but just would take a while.

Oh absolutely. But you'd have to think their first recruiting classes would already be better than those that BSU/MSU/SCSU brings in, or at least close. It wouldn't be long at all, PSU is big time in everything else, I don't see why hockey wouldn't come FAST

[Goon]

Oh absolutely. But you'd have to think their first recruiting classes would already be better than those that BSU/MSU/SCSU brings in, or at least close. It wouldn't be long at all, PSU is big time in everything else, I don't see why hockey wouldn't come FAST

Why would you say something silly like that. BSU has more hockey history than a lot of people are giving them credit for.

Actually RIT has a lot more hockey history than MSU-M has if you want to be technical.

[AZSIOUX]

Why would you say something silly like that. BSU has more hockey history than a lot of people are giving them credit for.

Actually RIT has a lot more hockey history than MSU-M has if you want to be technical.

yes history is its own thing really. many many smaller schools have rich rich history that many dont realize.

my point was it would just take a newer big 10 school years to develop their program which we all agree upon then they can start recruiting with the likes of those of scsu/msu ect.....then when they get there they could turn into a nice solid program who competes. history isnt just und.um, bc ect........thats why i love college hockey. there are many smaller schools that dont exactly compete for a ncaa title every year like some that have just as rich of a hockey history

[Goon]

yes history is its own thing really. many many smaller schools have rich rich history that many dont realize.

my point was it would just take a newer big 10 school years to develop their program which we all agree upon then they can start recruiting with the likes of those of scsu/msu ect.....then when they get there they could turn into a nice solid program who competes. history isnt just und.um, bc ect........thats why i love college hockey. there are many smaller schools that dont exactly compete for a ncaa title every year like some that have just as rich of a hockey history

I think you're right and I think in the long run if they have the 6-8 team big ten hockey, you will see them actually regret it.

You would be like the WCHA beating the crap out each other and in the long run it would probably hurt them of the PWR/RPI.

You're still going to have those powerful school that aren't in the Big Ten.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Oh absolutely. But you'd have to think their first recruiting classes would already be better than those that BSU/MSU/SCSU brings in, or at least close. It wouldn't be long at all, PSU is big time in everything else, I don't see why hockey wouldn't come FAST

So are we talking Holy Cross good within a couple of years. I guess the Gophers better get them on their schedule right away so they have a chance to have one victory against them.

[dagies]

When the Big 10 conference gets going their regular season Champ can win the DQ Cup.

[Big A HG]

I think looking at a school like Penn State, a good comparison would be a team like Ohio State. OSU has been around a while, and is a huge, national recognized University, but they still don't have that niche in hockey. Michigan as a state is a storied hockey region, something that Ohio and Pennsylvania don't have. PSU, after ten years of hockey, would be no farther along than a school like Ohio State, unless something of a small miracle happened.

[siouxhockeyfan11]

I think looking at a school like Penn State, a good comparison would be a team like Ohio State. OSU has been around a while, and is a huge, national recognized University, but they still don't have that niche in hockey. Michigan as a state is a storied hockey region, something that Ohio and Pennsylvania don't have. PSU, after ten years of hockey, would be no farther along than a school like Ohio State, unless something of a small miracle happened.

I agree with this PSU would not become world beaters right away just like OSU has not. I hate the Big10 conference network though so I'm gonna stay out of it.

Penn State Just a Pipe Dream?

[mksioux]

I think looking at a school like Penn State, a good comparison would be a team like Ohio State. OSU has been around a while, and is a huge, national recognized University, but they still don't have that niche in hockey. Michigan as a state is a storied hockey region, something that Ohio and Pennsylvania don't have. PSU, after ten years of hockey, would be no farther along than a school like Ohio State, unless something of a small miracle happened.

The BIG difference in that comparison is that Ohio State did not have the benefit of a Big Ten hockey conference. Penn State would.

The tradition of smaller schools would be no match for the lure of the big names and television exposure of a Big Ten hockey conference team. I agree with Gopherz that it would not take long at all and Penn State would be recruiting better than most schools in the WCHA. The reality is that the Big Ten conference would immediately become THE conference in the west.

[gopherz]

The BIG difference in that comparison is that Ohio State did not have the benefit of a Big Ten hockey conference. Penn State would.

The tradition of smaller schools would be no match for the lure of the big names and television exposure of a Big Ten hockey conference team. I agree with Gopherz that it would not take long at all and Penn State would be recruiting better than most schools in the WCHA. The reality is that the Big Ten conference would immediately become THE conference in the west.

Exactly. I forgot to talk about the Big 10 Network and how successful that has been as of late. The allure of every game being televised on a great network would be huge and would help PSU get off it's feet faster than anyone would think. B10 would be a powerhouse.