Bemidji State in the WCHA?

[Goon]

Neither of those schools did apply and are not going to apply (left to their own devices). It's going to take the WCHA headhunting to get it done, which is basically what the WCHA just authorized yesterday. I think everyone agrees the likely target is Omaha. Omaha makes a lot more sense than Northern Michigan. It's smart for Omaha to publicly state that they want to stay in the CCHA. The WCHA will have to put together a nice little incentive package to convince them to make the switch.

UNO didn't apply because of their old Ad who was going to be fired took a job at UIU.

[nodak hockey fanatic]

right on cue those who see it happening would also see multiple big ten schools joining div. 1 college hockey (which would be fine with me). if it happened today, it would be a six team big ten, if you include notre dame, which would make sense. so umtc, uw, um, mich. st., ohio st. and nd jr. whether it would happen or not in the future is out of our control. what we know now is we can't let college hockey flounder and lose teams, whether it be ua-huntsville or bsu. i say make the wcha 12 and see what happens in the future, but don't let college hockey lose more teams.

[MplsBison]

Neither of those schools did apply and are not going to apply (left to their own devices). It's going to take the WCHA headhunting to get it done, which is basically what the WCHA just authorized yesterday. I think everyone agrees the likely target is Omaha. Omaha makes a lot more sense than Northern Michigan. It's smart for Omaha to publicly state that they want to stay in the CCHA. The WCHA will have to put together a nice little incentive package to convince them to make the switch.

I see.

So, in other words, the WCHA is going to have to guarantee that the WCHA tournament is in Omaha every year and that UNO gets to keep all gate? Something like that?

[choyt3]

I see.

So, in other words, the WCHA is going to have to guarantee that the WCHA tournament is in Omaha every year and that UNO gets to keep all gate? Something like that?

Yeah, that's pretty much what could have been inferred from the post you replied to.

[Goon]

I see.

So, in other words, the WCHA is going to have to guarantee that the WCHA tournament is in Omaha every year and that UNO gets to keep all gate? Something like that?

No it doesn't mean that at all. The Final Five isn't leaving St Paul.

[Goon]

right on cue those who see it happening would also see multiple big ten schools joining div. 1 college hockey (which would be fine with me). if it happened today, it would be a six team big ten, if you include notre dame, which would make sense. so umtc, uw, um, mich. st., ohio st. and nd jr. whether it would happen or not in the future is out of our control. what we know now is we can't let college hockey flounder and lose teams, whether it be ua-huntsville or bsu. i say make the wcha 12 and see what happens in the future, but don't let college hockey lose more teams.

If college hockey allows teams to crash and burn College Hockey will probably never have teams want to start a program.

Meaning we will never see any growth.

[UND92,96]

Neither of those schools did apply and are not going to apply (left to their own devices). It's going to take the WCHA headhunting to get it done, which is basically what the WCHA just authorized yesterday. I think everyone agrees the likely target is Omaha. Omaha makes a lot more sense than Northern Michigan. It's smart for Omaha to publicly state that they want to stay in the CCHA. The WCHA will have to put together a nice little incentive package to convince them to make the switch.

I really think UNO should desperately want into the WCHA. The reason that never seems to get talked about but which could be a big issue for them is Title IX. UNO doesn't have a women's hockey program, and according to the OPE site, women make up 52% of the students, but only receive 37% of the athletic scholarships. And clearly women's hockey is a sport that makes sense for them to sponsor, and would greatly help them in terms of Title IX compliance.

I don't pretend to know how much money they would save by bussing to all the WCHA schools but Anchorage and Tech, but however much it is it would help offset the costs of starting and operating a women's hockey program, which presumably they're going to have to do eventually whether they want to or not.

[The Sicatoka]

The logical guesses ...

Northern Michigan -

Why it works: Former WCHA member, partner for Michigan Tech.

Why it won't: Money problems in Michigan, they can bus to all the CCHA except Fairbanks.

Nebraska - Omaha -

Why it works: Better travel makes for lower costs to UNO.

Why it won't: History. There's some baggage regarding why UNO is in the CCHA and not the WCHA.

Air Force -

Why it works: Proximity to Denver and Colorado College.

Why it won't: They just joined AHA to be with Army (and some day Navy).

Minnesota State - Moorhead -

Why it works: Travel, geography, and MnSCU (SCSU, MSU-Mankato, assumably Bemidji State).

Why it won't: Timeline and money. You need a program with institutional support.

My guess:

Money talks, and the new UNO AD (Trev Alberts) won't know the history (only Mike Kemp does, and how long will Kemp last)

I'm guessing Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha to make 12 in the WCHA.

Now, longer term wild scenarios ...

Wild Scenario 1:

Bowling Green hockey folds in 2011

Michigan Tech goes to the CCHA to save money (bus like NMU).

Open slot in WCHA for ______

Wild Scenario 2:

Wyoming or Colorado State or _____ starts hockey

A far west hockey conference breaks from the WCHA and forms.

That opens the doors to many things, like Air Force, or MSU-Moorhead finding a home in a few years.

Wild Scenarion 3:

Big Ten Hockey Conference

Minn, Wisc, Mich, Mich St, Ohio St: 5 <-- too small

Add affiliate Notre Dame: 6 <-- too small, only 20 conference games

So, add affiliate or affiliates of ____ and ____: criteria would be "hockey cred", big rink, and TV.

... or ...

Another Big Te(leve)n-er starts hockey (Iowa or Penn State)

Target number of teams guess: 8 teams (28 game full interlock conference schedule)

[Goon]

The logical guesses ...

Northern Michigan -

Why it works: Former WCHA member, partner for Michigan Tech.

Why it won't: Money problems in Michigan, they can bus to all the CCHA except Fairbanks.

Nebraska - Omaha -

Why it works: Better travel makes for lower costs to UNO.

Why it won't: History. There's some baggage regarding why UNO is in the CCHA and not the WCHA.

Air Force -

Why it works: Proximity to Denver and Colorado College.

Why it won't: They just joined AHA to be with Army (and some day Navy).

Minnesota State - Moorhead -

Why it works: Travel, geography, and MnSCU (SCSU, MSU-Mankato, assumably Bemidji State).

Why it won't: Timeline and money. You need a program with institutional support.

My guess:

Money talks, and the new UNO AD (Trev Alberts) won't know the history (only Mike Kemp does, and how long will Kemp last)

I'm guessing Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha to make 12 in the WCHA.

Now, longer term wild scenarios ...

Wild Scenario 1:

Bowling Green hockey folds in 2011

Michigan Tech goes to the CCHA to save money (bus like NMU).

Open slot in WCHA for ______

Wild Scenario 2:

Wyoming or Colorado State or _____ starts hockey

A far west hockey conference breaks from the WCHA and forms.

That opens the doors to many things, like Air Force, or MSU-Moorhead finding a home in a few years.

Wild Scenarion 3:

Big Ten Hockey Conference

Minn, Wisc, Mich, Mich St, Ohio St: 5 <-- too small

Add affiliate Notre Dame: 6 <-- too small, only 20 conference games

So, add affiliate or affiliates of ____ and ____: criteria would be "hockey cred", big rink, and TV.

... or ...

Another Big Te(leve)n-er starts hockey (Iowa or Penn State)

Target number of teams guess: 8 teams (28 full interlock conference schedule)

Sica what if one of the teams interested in the WCHA is another team not mention in your list?

[MplsBison]

Yeah, that's pretty much what could have been inferred from the post you replied to.

Yeah I was being a smart ass, but you're going to have to give them some reason to join over what they have now (and didn't apply).

[Goon]

Yeah I was being a smart ass, but you're going to have to give them some reason to join over what they have now (and didn't apply).

Did you ever think that there is something going on behind the scenes that most of us aren't privey to?

Things are not always as they appear. Before the old AD didn't want to move because UNO had tried to get into the WCHA

back in the 1990's. That AD is gone now he was going to get the axe and he took a job at UIU. Maybe just maybe a team

or two has already called the WCHA about being that 12th team.

[hockey1]

According to what most people are interpreting, the reason Denver, CC and Anchorage are having a problem with Bemidji being accepted in the WCHA is because of the travel these three schools would have to ancurr. If the WCHA does find a 12th team ( UNO or NMU ?) how with this change the minds of these three schools since Bemidji will still be a problem in terms of travel.

[hrkac]

If they use a three- 4 team grouping for the league, hope is it looks like this.

CC

Denver

UAA

12th team- (Omaha would make geographical sense here)

North Dakota

St Cloud

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Duluth

Mankato

Michigan Tech

Bemidji

[siouxweet]

If they use a three- 4 team grouping for the leauge, hope is it looks like this.

CC

Denver

UAA

12th team- (Omaha would make geographical sense here)

North Dakota

St Cloud

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Duluth

Mankato

Michigan Tech

Bemidji

geographically speaking it would make much more sense to flip us and mankato which would suck.

[The Sicatoka]

Sica what if one of the teams interested in the WCHA is another team not mention in your list?

OK, "another team not mentioned" ...

a) a new team (like MSU-Moorhead)? --> same issues regarding timeline

b) a team new to the NCAA (like U of British Columbia)? --> timeline problems, and see "Wild Scenario 2" as that could trigger a new western conference down the road

c) an existing team called Alaska (formerly called Alaska-Fairbanks)? No way unless a schedule where you were guaranteed no more than one trip to the state of Alaska (Anchorage or Fairbanks) per year could be worked out ... PS - Denver would be really excited about trying to fill a barn for Bemidji and Fairbanks.

d) Alabama-Huntsville? They applied to the CCHA. Let the CCHA pick up part of the CHA problem.

Which other teams are left?

[The Sicatoka]

If the WCHA does find a 12th team ( UNO or NMU ?) how with this change the minds of these three schools since Bemidji will still be a problem in terms of travel.

Bemidji is a travel problem.

But it's a bigger "gate" problem for DU and CC.

Life is a series of give and takes:

If you can get a 12th member that's better for travel and at the gate they might view it as "a wash".

I think that could be UNO in the eyes of DU and CC.

[The Sicatoka]

Yeah I was being a smart ass, but you're going to have to give them some reason to join over what they have now (and didn't apply).

Better. Money.

That's via lower travel costs or better conference revenues or better home gates (as it'd be easier for road fans to attend*).

* I'm guessing you don't see a lot of Western Michigan Broncos fans making a visit to the Qwest.

[siouxweet]

OK, "another team not mentioned" ...

a) a new team (like MSU-Moorhead)? --> same issues regarding timeline

b) a team new to the NCAA (like U of British Columbia)? --> timeline problems, and see "Wild Scenario 2" as that could trigger a new western conference down the road

c) an existing team called Alaska (formerly called Alaska-Fairbanks)? No way unless a schedule where you were guaranteed no more than one trip to the state of Alaska (Anchorage or Fairbanks) per year could be worked out ... PS - Denver would be really excited about trying to fill a barn for Bemidji and Fairbanks.

d) Alabama-Huntsville? They applied to the CCHA. Let the CCHA pick up part of the CHA problem.

Which other teams are left?

I still think there will be some kind of deal between the ccha and wcha in that each have a cha member applying that would leave each conference with an odd number. I could see something like if it were omaha to come over that the ccha would get some postseason $$$ for a few years if omaha were to make the final six.

[mksioux]

Interesting tidbit from Kevin Fee's blog:

Another possibility for the WCHA is Northern Michigan. I hear the Wildcats would love to get back in the league

I'm not sure who he's talking to, but I've not heard anywhere that Nothern Michigan would love to get back in the league. I don't doubt that a few influential alumni or boosters would like to see NMU return to the WCHA, but it would seem to me that from a financial standpoint, Northern Michigan is very happy in the CCHA. Right now, I'd think financial considerations would trump any nostalgia from alumni, boosters, etc. And obviously NMU did not apply to the WCHA the first go-around, so they couldn't want back into the WCHA that bad.

I like the history that NMU would bring to the league, but I think Omaha is a much better fit for the WCHA. I personally would rather see Omaha as the 12th member than NMU.

[siouxweet]

Interesting tidbit from Kevin Fee's blog:

I'm not sure who he's talking to, but I've not heard anywhere that Nothern Michigan would love to get back in the league. It would seem to me that from a financial standpoint, Northern Michigan is very happy in the CCHA. Right now, I'd think financial considerations would trump any nostalgia from alumni, boosters, etc.

I like the history that NMU would bring to the league, but I think Omaha is a much better fit for the WCHA. I personally would rather see Omaha as the 12th member than NMU.

NMU's president came out a few weeks ago and said that the wildcats aren't going anywhere.

[mizzou/sioux]

I'm guessing given the general tone of the recent meeting in Florida that Bemidji State at some point--maybe much sooner than we think is "virtually IN" the WCHA, the sticking point at the moment being a necessary 12th team. Given the comments made, Minnesota State University-Moorhead at this point is likely to have quite a ways to go to become that 12th team. I would not at all be surprised if a 12th team soon becomes available. I was in Bemidji recently and chanced to purchase a "Support BSU Hockey" T-shirt. With college hockey have the few teams it has relative to D-I college basketball, I think it essential to preserve strong and vital programs instead of permitting them to possibly wither away on the vine. Maybe the Big Ten will form a separate hockey conference one day. Maybe not. In any event, we can't live in constant fear of an event which may or may not happen. A new Big Ten hockey conference could happen regardless whether the WCHA expands to 11 or 12 teams. As a Sioux graduate I would prefer both Minnesota and Wisconsin remain in the WCHA. The strength of the WCHA through the years might be somewhat of a factor in whether or not the Gophers and the Badgers would choose to opt out. Nevertheless, it's hard to predict the future. I, for one, hope Bemidji State's men's hockey program is admitted into the WCHA. BSU's women's hockey program is already part of the WCHA. Shouldn't that mean something? Another thought has just occurred to me. Awhile back the WCHA and Hockey East had somewhat of an interlocking schedule. Is is possible for the WCHA and the CCHA to develop somewhat of a similar type scheduling? Might this permit Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State to participate in two separate conferences simultaneously, thereby possibly eliminating the need for the teams to withdrew from current WCHA/CCHA affiliations. With some modifications, there could still be a Big Ten hockey conference while leaving the WCHA/CCHA relatively intact. Just a thought.

[mksioux]

NMU's president came out a few weeks ago and said that the wildcats aren't going anywhere.

Right. I think there are probably people within the NMU hockey community that would love to return to the WCHA, but I highly doubt that NMU as an institution would "love" to get back into the WCHA.

All signs are pointing to Omaha being the target, but who knows, stranger things have happened.

[mksioux]

Awhile back the WCHA and Hockey East had somewhat of an interlocking schedule. Is is possible for the WCHA and the CCHA to develop somewhat of a similar type scheduling? Might this permit Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State to participate in two separate conferences simultaneously, thereby possibly eliminating the need for the teams to withdrew from current WCHA/CCHA affiliations. With some modifications, there could still be a Big Ten hockey conference while leaving the WCHA/CCHA relatively intact. Just a thought.

Minnesota and Wisconsin already play Michigan and Michigan State every year. I imagine a regular Ohio State game could be worked out if the schools thought it was important enough to do so.

The Big Ten hockey conference isn't going to materialize unless and until another Big Ten school adds varsity hockey. That could happen or it may never happen. And whether it happens may not depend on whether Minnesota and Wisconsin are happy in the WCHA. But then again, maybe it would.

[Goon]

The Big Ten hockey conference isn't going to materialize unless and until another Big Ten school adds varsity hockey.

The pundits have been talking about the big ten hockey conference since before 1992. Yet there hasn't been even a hint of a

move in that direction. I don't think IMHO we will ever see it.

[Smoggy]

smart move by both Omaha and NMU. Now the WCHA has to recruit them and they could get some incentives. The Herald made it seem like there is an entrance fee into the conference. Anyone know how much? I bet that gets waived for the recruited team.