UND's New Hockey Conference

[mikejm]

While there might have been a "Love Feast" if you think that "ONLY" UND and DU are pulling the strings I would have to respectfully disagree with you. This is a package deal, I can't see Dean Blais or Scott Sandelin being patsys... I am also tired of UMD, C.C. UNO and Miami getting a pass while UND and DU are seen as the villians in this deal. UND and DU don't weild anymore power than the other schools.

UND and Denver are clearly the big dogs in the conference. I'm not saying that is a bad thing at all; in fact, after years and years of having to put up with second-class treatment at the hands of the inept WCHA "leadership", I'd say North Dakota deserves to be in the driver's seat. Our favorite team is one of a handful of big dogs in all of college hockey; they should be treated as such in their home conference.

[Chewey]

While UND and DU are without a doubt the driving forces of the NCHL (not a judgement, just an observation), Notre Dame and Miami are getting off easy. They were restless to dump the CCHA for anything else, including the WCHA (and in my opinion, simply adding ND and Miami to the WCHA would have been the WORST outcome for the CCHA schools remaining as well as making every conference full to bursting).

I honestly can't blame "leftover" fans for how they feel right now. It has to be scary for some fans to think their team might not be around in a few years. If they want to be upset, it's ok with me. I felt sick about the idea when it first surfaced and UMD was not in the discussion.

I am not comfortable right now about UMD's role in the new conference. I just have such a nagging feeling that won't go away until more organizational details emerge. It was a gutsy move. I just hope UMD didn't have to make costly concessions to get into the conference and that they are considered a true "founding member." We may never know, but I'd be interested in learning who was involved at the "hey, let's start a conference!" stage and who (if anyone) didn't get involved until they were invited. Lots of people are wondering "Why UMD?" And maybe it's just cause of our recent success and new arena that has been so, um, "welcoming" to UND and because at WCHA meeting and votes the UMD staff found themselves on the same side as these other schools, and I'm being overly paranoid, but maybe UMD did something extra (like agree to a lesser share of revenue for x number of years or something, I don't know) to make themselves more appealing because they were afraid to be left behind.

We'll all see, I guess!!

UMD is a great fit for the league. Great program with a solid history - Brett Hull, Tom Kurvers, etc. I can tell you why some of the teams made it, I think:

UMD -- rabid fan base in the heart of hockey country up nort AND a brand new arena AND, Scott Sandelin AND one NCAA championship.

UNO -- rabid fan base in a moderately large area the LOVES hockey AND a great arena that gets sold out EVERY game (seriously, go to a UNO game; it's tons of fun) AND Dean Blais.

UND - rabid fan base AND the best arena bar none that is sold out every night AND Hakstol AND 7 NCAA championships AND solid, decades' old hockey pedigree.

Denver - very nice arena AND great coach AND big population area AND 7 NCAA championships and solid, decades' old hockey pedigree AND gateway to ever up and coming west coast recruits (ex. Grimaldi).

CC -- rabid fan base, AND very nice arena AND at least One NCAA championship AND decades' old hockey pedigree AND great coach AND gateway to ever up and coming west coast recruits.

UNO will win a championship in the next 5 years, I think, with Blais there. ND connections helped UMD and UNO, no doubt about it.

Remaining WCHA teams NCAA championships? Michigan Tech with 2 or 3, I believe. Remaining WCHA teams rinks? Nice but second-tier, except for Bemidji probably. Personally, I'd really like to see Tech and Bemidji in the new conference. I hate seeing the MacNaughton go and I think Tech will be good again someday. Bemidji worked its ass off to get into the WCHA and basically gets left out and I feel really badly for them. Rich history for a program and good coach.

As some have said on here, the rest of the programs are going to have to step it up if they want to remain relevant. Mankato's practice facility is a nice rink but I bet Mankato loses some recruits because of how things are set up and how old the practice facility is. Mankato is going to have to make major improvements to the Verizon Wireless Center and get a new practice facility. St. Cloud is in a little better position in that it is making - or intends to make - major renovations to NHC. Kato alumni are really going to have to step it up financially because the state is not coming to help - bet on it.

[Blackheart]

A moral victory

Thanks Wooger!

[Goon]

UND and Denver are clearly the big dogs in the conference. I'm not saying that is a bad thing at all; in fact, after years and years of having to put up with second-class treatment at the hands of the inept WCHA "leadership", I'd say North Dakota deserves to be in the driver's seat. Our favorite team is one of a handful of big dogs in all of college hockey; they should be treated as such in their home conference.

I agree they will be "big dogs" but for some to suggest that they are going to weild all of the power like some have suggested is short sited. Some have also suggested some how that these programs have sold their sole is silly...

[Goon]

Remaining WCHA teams NCAA championships? Michigan Tech with 2 or 3, I believe. Remaining WCHA teams rinks? Nice but second-tier, except for Bemidji probably. Personally, I'd really like to see Tech and Bemidji in the new conference. I hate seeing the MacNaughton go and I think Tech will be good again someday. Bemidji worked its ass off to get into the WCHA and basically gets left out and I feel really badly for them. Rich history for a program and good coach.

Michigan Tech spent 250,000 to hire their new coach. I think that might put them in the serious program department...

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Via GF Herald

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/209657/

Faison is dreaming if he thinks that a national TV deal will put every Sioux game on television. Home games, yes. This is already the case. Away games? Perhaps some, but hardly all of them. The League may get a "Game of the Week" kind of deal, and one or two games every week may be on television (Eastern and Mountain time zones will help with possible double headers, but every Sioux game is not going to be on television. Maybe every league game. Maybe. Fox College Sports is the likely candidate to bite on a deal. Maybe it will be one of the obscure ESPN channels. Once the television networks crunch the numbers on audience size and ad revenues, reality will set in, at least on the perceived many television exposure claims regarding the new venture. The league will still need fans in the stands, and the best way to ensure that is to practice the old blackout game.

Wow, Faison has sure made a quick trip from the outhouse to the penthouse, eh? I wonder if Gino Gasperini still has the energy to pick up the Commissioner's role?

[IrishSiouxFan]

Faison is dreaming if he thinks that a national TV deal will put every Sioux game on television. Home games, yes. This is already the case. Away games? Perhaps some, but hardly all of them. The League may get a "Game of the Week" kind of deal, and one or two games every week may be on television (Eastern and Mountain time zones will help with possible double headers, but every Sioux game is not going to be on television. Maybe every league game. Maybe. Fox College Sports is the likely candidate to bite on a deal. Maybe it will be one of the obscure ESPN channels. Once the television networks crunch the numbers on audience size and ad revenues, reality will set in, at least on the perceived many television exposure claims regarding the new venture. The league will still need fans in the stands, and the best way to ensure that is to practice the old blackout game.

Wow, Faison has sure made a quick trip from the outhouse to the penthouse, eh? I wonder if Gino Gasperini still has the energy to pick up the Commissioner's role?

You know, it's just possible Faison knows something that you don't. It's possible he's been talking to networks who believe that college hockey is a product that has a lot of potential that has been poorly marketed in the past. If you haven't noticed, hockey is becoming very popular throughout the US over the last couple of years. I never thought I would see the day when Tennesseans adopted the sport and not only buy tickets to Predators games but understand the rules and follow recruit development. Faision is a smart guy who wouldn't have made a statement about every Fighting Sioux game being on tv if he didn't mean it, have a little faith in the guy, this is the second time he's pulled UND up from certain death into greener pastures (BSC and NCHC).

[Sioux-cia]

Faison is dreaming if he thinks that a national TV deal will put every Sioux game on television.

I wonder if Gino Gasperini still has the energy to pick up the Commissioner's role?

I think Faison is smart enough not to make a public statement that will come back and bite him in the azz.

Didn't Gino just sign on with St. Cloud as some kind of advisor?

C'mon now, we're all going to miss the WCHA, the old WCHA. The new conference is a done deal. The Debbie Downer attitude isn't going to change anything.

[Johnny Five]

I stopped reading all the crap out there about UND and the new conference. According to everything I read, UMtc and UW were 'forced' to join the BTHC. The BT took them by the cojones and set them in the new conference against their will. They didn't want to go but, oh, woe is me, they had to go, they had no choice. Boo Hoo, Boo Hoo. UND, et al, were suppose to stay put and ensure the continuation of the 'little guy programs' left behind because, well, UMtc and UW couldn't. Never mind that they didn't seen to care before but now, big bad BT won't let them even if they decided they wanted to.

UND made a conscious decision to do what they believe is best for their program and so did UMD, DU, CC, UNO and O-M, unlike the BTHC members who had the decision made for them. Good, bad or indifferent, it's not only the hockey world who knows who we are, everyone interested in college sports is talking about us. 'There's no such thing as bad press' and you can't buy all the media coverage this new conference is getting!

So ... you stopped reading all the crap out there about the new conference.........and then to sum it up you can't buy all the media coverage?

I'm not sure how the TV deal would work for the new conference. Would UND have to step on WDAZs toes and do something completely different or would they be able to keep the home games with Mr. Sweeney and Co.?

[buckysieve]

UND and Denver are clearly the big dogs in the conference. I'm not saying that is a bad thing at all; in fact, after years and years of having to put up with second-class treatment at the hands of the inept WCHA "leadership", I'd say North Dakota deserves to be in the driver's seat. Our favorite team is one of a handful of big dogs in all of college hockey; they should be treated as such in their home conference.

Out of curiosity, do you have examples of this second class treatment UND received from the WCHA?

[Sioux-cia]

So ... you stopped reading all the crap out there about the new conference.........and then to sum it up you can't buy all the media coverage?

I'm not sure how the TV deal would work for the new conference. Would UND have to step on WDAZs toes and do something completely different or would they be able to keep the home games with Mr. Sweeney and Co.?

Yep and yep. Just because I stopped reading other forums/blogs that are disparaging our decision to move to a new conference doesn't mean it has stopped. It's out there and people are reading it. Just not me.

Faison said national television coverage is a goal and then went on to say he expects us (Fighting Sioux fans) to see every game on television. I didn't see anywhere that one (national ) or the other (local) would have exclusive rights. Who's to say it won't be six of one and half a dozen of the other? Or is it possible they can work together?

[dakota fairways]

... C'mon now, we're all going to miss the WCHA, the old WCHA. The new conference is a done deal. ...

Actually, I do miss the old WCHA - UND, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Denver, Colorado College, Minnesota Duluth and Notre Dame - from the 70s and early 80s. But times, they are a changin'. All of these teams except MTU have now moved on to new conference homes and almost half of them have already committed to the new National Conference. Who knows, maybe Notre Dame will come and maybe not. Michigan Tech will also cycle through their down time and have shown their long term committment to their hockey program. Actually, UND was not a power in this league until Gino took over the reigns in '78 and now look what has happened.

[krangodance]

My perfect world:

BTHC:

UMN

UM

UW

PSU

MSU

OSU

NCHC:

UND

DU

CC

UMD

UNO

Miami

ND

W.Mich

WCHA:

SCSU

MSU-Mankato

MSU-Moorhead

BSU

UA-Anchorage

UA-Fairbanks

CCHA:

MTU

LSSU

N.Mich

Ferris St

BGSU

UAH

I know some people don't like the idea of both Alaska schools in the same conference but, geographically speaking, this makes the most sense. Plus it would be nice for those two schools to have two conference series within their own state every year, one series at home and one on the road.

Even if one of the Alaska schools were swapped with one of the CCHA schools in my break-out, that would be cool too. The thing I'd most like to see is keeping the WCHA and CCHA at six teams each. That way they'd each have a 20-game conference schedule, giving them 16 games to schedule outside of the conference. That many non-conference games will allow them to play at least a couple teams that they'll need to play in order to boost their PWR.

[jodcon]

I wonder if anyone's been knocking on Huntsvilles door yet? Haven't heard anything but...

[tnt]

Yep and yep. Just because I stopped reading other forums/blogs that are disparaging our decision to move to a new conference doesn't mean it has stopped. It's out there and people are reading it. Just not me.

Faison said national television coverage is a goal and then went on to say he expects us (Fighting Sioux fans) to see every game on television. I didn't see anywhere that one (national ) or the other (local) would have exclusive rights. Who's to say it won't be six of one and half a dozen of the other? Or is it possible they can work together?

I thought he did say just that. Some might be on national t.v. via a game of the week or something and some on regional. He never said for a fact all the games would be on tv, but did say most of them were last year already.

[Runninwiththedogs]

I understand the rest of the WCHA's fans anger, etc. I had a problem with the Goofs shouting from the roof tops how they would never have screwed the little guys BUT for the fact, poor them, they were forced to join the BTHC. Now I don't care what they think. They can keep up the hate banter. They're just making themselves look like the hypocritical a$$es they are. UND, et al are not sitting behind and bemoaning the fact that UMtc and UW left the WCHA. They looked to the future and made a decision to form a new conference. We'll see.....

Oh, I agree, Gopher fans' anger is unjustified. (And DU, Miami and Notre Dame are getting off easy.)

Remaining WCHA teams NCAA championships? Michigan Tech with 2 or 3, I believe. Remaining WCHA teams rinks? Nice but second-tier, except for Bemidji probably. Personally, I'd really like to see Tech and Bemidji in the new conference. I hate seeing the MacNaughton go and I think Tech will be good again someday. Bemidji worked its ass off to get into the WCHA and basically gets left out and I feel really badly for them. Rich history for a program and good coach.

I thought I was the only person who would like to see Tech in the conference. I know it's weird because they've been terrible, but they have totally shown they are a "like-minded" school with the $$$$$$ they were willing to spend on Mel. I doubt there are many people out there who, now that we aren't in the same conference as Tech, would like nothing more than to see that school flourish again. Plus the MacNaughton rules. We saw what happened when they replaced the Broadmoor: ugliest f***ing trophy ever.

Maybe in the future the NCHL will have a chance to invite them.

I agree they will be "big dogs" but for some to suggest that they are going to weild all of the power like some have suggested is short sited. Some have also suggested some how that these programs have sold their sole is silly...

We still have our shoes, so no soles have been sold... You can say it's me, Goon, you don't have to say "some people." It's not a secret! Maybe I've used a little hyperbole but it's not like schools haven't made concessions when joining conferences before. UAA, UAF, BSU, they all made concessions to get in to their conferences.

I don't know that UND received "second class" treatment in the WCHA. We have no idea what happens at those WCHA meetings, but what it seems like is UND, UW, UMTC, DU, CC, UMD and UNO have been on the same side of issues for quite some time (well, except for UNO because they've only been there a year!) and have held a majority, which means that they have gotten what they wanted more often than not. I'm glad UMD is on the side of the D-1 schools, frankly, because it shows they are looking forward and looking at growth. I know UMD would be top dogs in the WCHA had they stayed, but they would have been left with that former-minority-now-majority that didn't have the same philosophies about the sports and the league that UMD did. I do think it's a very exciting time to be a Bulldog right now.

[star2city]

My perfect world:

BTHC:

UMN

UM

UW

PSU

MSU

OSU

NCHC:

UND

DU

CC

UMD

UNO

Miami

ND

W.Mich

WCHA:

SCSU

MSU-Mankato

MSU-Moorhead

BSU

UA-Anchorage

UA-Fairbanks

CCHA:

MTU

LSSU

N.Mich

Ferris St

BGSU

UAH

I know some people don't like the idea of both Alaska schools in the same conference but, geographically speaking, this makes the most sense. Plus it would be nice for those two schools to have two conference series within their own state every year, one series at home and one on the road.

Even if one of the Alaska schools were swapped with one of the CCHA schools in my break-out, that would be cool too. The thing I'd most like to see is keeping the WCHA and CCHA at six teams each. That way they'd each have a 20-game conference schedule, giving them 16 games to schedule outside of the conference. That many non-conference games will allow them to play at least a couple teams that they'll need to play in order to boost their PWR.

There are more and more reports stating that four AHA schools, Robert Morris, Canisius, Niagara, and Mercyhurst are looking at sliding over to the CCHA, shifting that conference east and centering it around Lake Erie. That's all the more reason for NMU to leave. Lake Sup St could still live with that geography. Since Atlantic Hockey only allows 12 scholarships, that kind of move would be good for college hockey, as four more programs would be "all in".

CCHA:

Lake Sup St

Ferris St

Bowling Green

W Mich (maybe)

Mercyhurst

Robert Morris

Canisius

Niagara

UAHuntsville (hopefully)

Perhaps Grand Valley State could add hockey too, giving that league manageable divisions.

If Atlantic Hockey is down to 8 schools, they would have room to add Navy and Rhode Island, which have both been long rumored as possible additions. Except for RIT and AFA, Atlantic Hockey would then be an I-95 conference.

[The Sicatoka]

C'mon star, you can't put scenarios out there where long rumored DI programs, stalled by conference gridlock, might actually come about and college hockey might grow from the creation of The National.

You can't do that. You just can not do that. Even when MSU-Moorhead seems to be positioning for starting their long rumored program.

You must comply with the Minnesota spin that UND killed college hockey.

Resistance is futile. Discussion is irrelevant.

[darell1976]

Maybe I missed it or it hasn't been said, but who is going to be the new NCHC commish? Any names been thrown around?

[The Sicatoka]

Maybe I missed it or it hasn't been said, but who is going to be the new NCHC commish? Any names been thrown around?

Wednesday they said they haven't got a name yet.

An obvious name to come up would be a guy who is a former DI head coach, former AD, and former commissioner of a developmental league: John "Gino" Gasparini.

[The Sicatoka]

Anybody guess what's gonna happen at the MSU-Moorhead presser today???

Either:

a) State that they're a go

b) State that if they get money right away they'll go really soon

c) State that they can't do it.

I'm really out there on a limb with that, aren't I?

[Johnny Five]

Where is the Gopher fan anger? Most are angry about going to the BTHC and want the WCHA to stay as is. As far as Moorhead State, I think it is garbage if they say they are gonna start a program. They have a terrible history of athletics.

[The Sicatoka]

Where is the Gopher fan anger?

USCHO.com

Most are angry about going to the BTHC and want the WCHA to stay as is.

Sure, but they are blaming the breakup of the WCHA on UND, forgetting that the Big Ten was the first shoe to drop onto the fate of the WCHA.

[star2city]

Either:

a) State that they're a go

b) State that if they get money right away they'll go really soon

c) State that they can't do it.

I'm really out there on a limb with that, aren't I?

If Moorhead wasn't pursuing hockey, they would have a press release or statement, not a press conference. So I think we can safely eliminate ( c).

Other than Bemidji's arena, Scheels arena would be top in the new WCHA.

[buckysieve]

USCHO.com

Sure, but they are blaming the breakup of the WCHA on UND, forgetting that the Big Ten was the first shoe to drop onto the fate of the WCHA.

And a lot of UND fans are blaming UM and UW when in reality they had no choice, while UND DID have a choice. I have NO problem at all with UND's decision but they certainly had a choice unlike UM and UW.