UND's New Hockey Conference

[fightingsioux4life]

You are not understanding this, WDAZ airs its own broadcasts in HD because its all done in the studio. The FSSN or UND Sports Network is the Universities problem not WDAZ or MIDCO. It is not a smart investment for WDAZ to buy traveling equipment and a semi trailer full of HD hookups when it will get used for a total of 50-60 home games, less now that CBS Sports will be airing NCHC games. The University has to make up their mind if they want to air their games in HD and right now they feel the need to air stuff in HD can wait.

Okay, so that means that the UND Sports Network will go bye-bye once HD is the only game in town? I sure hope we don't get into a situation where we absolutely need the new HD equipment to broadcast our games and we don't have the resources to do it. Let's hope that UND and REA can work together to get the equipment in place before that happens. Don't just assume it will happen because it should happen or because we want it to happen.

[Rick]

As to the new conference, the Colorado Springs Gazette has a nice overview of Jim Scherr:

http://www.gazette.c...mez-scherr.html

I don't want to waste my time, so before I click on that link I have one question, is the overview in High Def?

[tnt]

Curious why you think that most would only be able to get tickets for the outdoor game? There were definitely tickets available last year for the Omaha series and they had most of if not all of the upper deck closed off. I believe that it holds just under 17,000 for hockey which is a huge amount.

Had a friend who went last year and said it was pretty full. Are there two levels to the arena? Maybe she meant the lower bowl was full.

If there are plenty of tickets, it would be nice to see the "Sioux" have a bigger crowd than Omaha for both games.

[Cratter]

Had a friend who went last year and said it was pretty full. Are there two levels to the arena? Maybe she meant the lower bowl was full.

If there are plenty of tickets, it would be nice to see the "Sioux" have a bigger crowd than Omaha for both games.

I there last year and the Friday game the upper bowl was open attendance was 11181. The UNO fans kept telling us saturday there would be a big dip in attendance as Nebraska had a home game. They were right as attendance was 7027.

Both nights the upper bowl was not "closed off."

[jdub27]

Had a friend who went last year and said it was pretty full. Are there two levels to the arena? Maybe she meant the lower bowl was full.

If there are plenty of tickets, it would be nice to see the "Sioux" have a bigger crowd than Omaha for both games.

I there last year and the Friday game the upper bowl was open attendance was 11181. The UNO fans kept telling us saturday there would be a big dip in attendance as Nebraska had a home game. They were right as attendance was 7027.

Both nights the upper bowl was not "closed off."

The Centurylink Center (formerly Qwest Center) has and upper deck and lower deck. Its the primary home for Creighton basketball, which was the driver for the high capacity.

The attendance for the first game was their second largest crowd in the history of their program. The second night, every TV in the place was on the Nebraska/Texas A&M game that was going on in College Station. As you stated, it was no surprise that attendance was done significantly. They used large black curtains to "close-off" sections of the upper deck both nights. They didn't have 5,000+ empty seats that anyone could have just went and sat in Friday night. Saturday night there were more closed off sections Saturday than Friday though and it was more noticeable.

[MissSioux85]

I believe UNO has only sold out a handful of games in the Century Link Center so at this point I wouldn't worry too much about not being able to get tickets to a series against UND. The games against the Sioux last year didn't sell out. Granted, things could change over the next couple of years as the UND-UNO rivalry grows.

Also of note, for the last month or two, UNO has been trying to sell out its game against Duluth next weekend. Yesterday, I read on a UNO message board that they are handing out large quantities of FREE tickets in the hope of filling the place for TV (game is on NBC Sports Network).

[tnt]

I was just wondering if an event that would probably be just as big, if not bigger than the Final Five because of its novelty might draw 5000 or 6000 Sioux fans coming from Minneapolis, Colorado, ND and such. Maybe that many fans wouldn't actually travel. But if they had 6000 seats to spare one night last year and 10,000 the next, I guess my fears were unwarranted.

[MissSioux85]

Hakstol wants a yearly home-and-home series with the Gophers

North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol wants the rivalry to continue every season with a home-and-home series spread over three days. He said the games could be either Thursday and Saturday with a day for travel in between or Friday and Sunday.

The Gophers are one of those teams that have to play a certain number of home games. I am pretty sure they have to play 20 home games, too, to satisfy their season-ticket holders.

"But I have a left an opening to play a one game, home-and-home series every year with Minnesota," Hakstol said. "One game here, one game there. Each year.... When you have a year in between [visits] you lose some of that special feeling."

Hakstol said North Dakota has not reached a schedule agreement yet with the Gophers, but has with Wisconsin. UND will play the Badgers twice each season.

"We're talking and, obviously, are going to work hard to do the same with Minnesota," Hakstol said.

The only team the Gophers have locked in is Notre Dame, for the next four seasons, Lucia recently said.

"I am going to save room for it,"Hakstol said, referring to Minnesota on UND's schedule. "I guess it is going to be up to [the Gophers]."

http://www.startribu.../137303883.html

[the green team]

Ok, I will buy that, but please, do not subject me to ads that could be produced by the local high school. I am so tired of seeing the same car from Dahlberg drive across a snowy road in the middle of nowhere. What about local fanchisers of national chains, i.e. Subway, Red Lobster, Applebee's etc. I do not know how many of these are in the GF area, but between no HD and ads that are strictly amateurish it is hard to watch in real time. I now just watch the UND highlites on my DVR in between watching HD sports on other channels.

I guess I hadn't followed this thread in awhile. Very disappoining to hear poison instead of being grateful. I don't know if there are employees or owners, or families of employees who view conversations here from Dahlstrom Motors or PS Doors. But let me be the first to say, and I don't think I'm alone in this. I appreciate your support of UND Sports especially UND TV and Radio broadcasts, because I realize that without you both making a commitment to do so, we may not be so fortunate to have the ability to watch and hear our favorite teams play. Both, companies are local and successful and have been important anchors of our region for a long time. Actually, believe it or not Ole- PS Doors is a national company from the standpoint they do business all over the country, they just happen to be based here. Again, I have been a customer of both and have been completely satisfied with the service they have provided, and I am thankful when they choose to re-invest those dollars in marketing their businesses, that they choose to do so here and with the sports programs I love to follow. Thanks again Dahlstrom Motors & PS Doors- specifically the both of you since you unfortuanately specifically targeted here, but to all the businesses that choose to utilize FSSN as an avenue of your marketing. I appreciate it.

[Sodbuster]

I guess I hadn't followed this thread in awhile. Very disappoining to hear poison instead of being grateful. I don't know if there are employees or owners, or families of employees who view conversations here from Dahlstrom Motors or PS Doors. But let me be the first to say, and I don't think I'm alone in this. I appreciate your support of UND Sports especially UND TV and Radio broadcasts, because I realize that without you both making a commitment to do so, we may not be so fortunate to have the ability to watch and hear our favorite teams play. Both, companies are local and successful and have been important anchors of our region for a long time. Actually, believe it or not Ole- PS Doors is a national company from the standpoint they do business all over the country, they just happen to be based here. Again, I have been a customer of both and have been completely satisfied with the service they have provided, and I am thankful when they choose to re-invest those dollars in marketing their businesses, that they choose to do so here and with the sports programs I love to follow. Thanks again Dahlstrom Motors & PS Doors- specifically the both of you since you unfortuanately specifically targeted here, but to all the businesses that choose to utilize FSSN as an avenue of your marketing. I appreciate it.

Ditto!

[GFG]

They already have a date that is not technically confirmed. I have heard February 9th, 2013 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha

[jimdahl]

I don't know if there are employees or owners, or families of employees who view conversations here from Dahlstrom Motors or PS Doors. But let me be the first to say, and I don't think I'm alone in this. I appreciate your support of UND Sports especially UND TV and Radio broadcasts, because I realize that without you both making a commitment to do so, we may not be so fortunate to have the ability to watch and hear our favorite teams play. Both, companies are local and successful and have been important anchors of our region for a long time. Actually, believe it or not Ole- PS Doors is a national company from the standpoint they do business all over the country, they just happen to be based here. Again, I have been a customer of both and have been completely satisfied with the service they have provided, and I am thankful when they choose to re-invest those dollars in marketing their businesses, that they choose to do so here and with the sports programs I love to follow. Thanks again Dahlstrom Motors & PS Doors- specifically the both of you since you unfortuanately specifically targeted here, but to all the businesses that choose to utilize FSSN as an avenue of your marketing. I appreciate it.

Me too. I love seeing the Dahlstrom and other G.F. ads while watching Sioux games in D.C., much better than a national Pepsi ad or whatever. Thanks to all the sponsors for making it possible for me to see Sioux hockey on TV, which I couldn't just a decade ago!

[Ole in MSP]

Me too. I love seeing the Dahlstrom and other G.F. ads while watching Sioux games in D.C., much better than a national Pepsi ad or whatever. Thanks to all the sponsors for making it possible for me to see Sioux hockey on TV, which I couldn't just a decade ago!

Wonderful for you. There is zero chance I would ever buy from either company, but it is really great that they are willing to broadcast the games. On the other hand, tonite I can watch UND vs the Gophers on either FSN or FSSN on Directv. FSN has HD, FSSN does not. Give you one guess which one I will watch and why. All the ads on FSN are for ND too. Again, my big complaint is not getting FSSN in HD. I am sure these are fine businesses and glad the commit to the broadcast, but HD is the way it is today and UND is not keeping pace with other national college hockey telecasts.

[jimdahl]

On the other hand, tonite I can watch UND vs the Gophers on either FSN or FSSN on Directv. FSN has HD, FSSN does not. Give you one guess which one I will watch and why. All the ads on FSN are for ND too.

I thought the issue was the cameras and truck, not so much the broadcast signal? Did FSN (are those the same people who send the same feed that I get on FCS?) bring their own cameras and truck, so this game is locally available in HD while most REA-produced home games aren't? My FCS feed is the same as always... not HD, but a whole lot better than streaming audio over my laptop.

[Ole in MSP]

I thought the issue was the cameras and truck, not so much the broadcast signal? Did FSN (are those the same people who send the same feed that I get on FCS?) bring their own cameras and truck, so this game is locally available in HD while most REA-produced home games aren't? My FCS feed is the same as always... not HD, but a whole lot better than streaming audio over my laptop.

I do not know the details of the HD broadcast, but I can watch FSN on 668 in HD with the Goofy announcers or the not HD broadcast on FSSN on 617 with the UND broadcasters, both on Directv.

[BigGreyAnt41]

I'm pretty sure FSN brings their own cameras and equipment for this series. I seem to remember quite a few more cameras in the arena when the gophers were in town.

[82SiouxGuy]

FSN is Fox Sports North. They are part of the Fox Sports family of regional sports cable stations. They broadcast the Minnesota Twins, the Minnesota Wild, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Gophers along with other stuff. It is a 24 hour cable sports station that covers sports in the Twin Cities and the region. They send their own equipment and their own staff to cover the games. The station formerly known as FSSN is a group put together by UND, WDAZ and Midcontinent to broadcast some UND games. They have since expanded a little bit, but that is still the main purpose.

Of course FSN is going to have HD equipment. They are a big money operation that is in the business of professional sports, and dabbles in college sports to help fill in the schedule. FSSN is a shoe string operation. They bought new equipment when the REA opened. The equipment still works great and HD is still very expensive. HD prices will come down just like all technology gets cheaper. At some point they will need to make the switch, but the operation is not a big money maker. It is more of a service to UND fans. Also, someone else said in an earlier post that FCS (Fox College Sports) only broadcasts in SD. So even if FSSN spent the millions to upgrade their equipment, people would still only be able to watch in SD until FCS makes the change.

If you don't like watching the SD signal, don't watch. Watch FSN or something else. And most of the time you won't be watching UND. Complaining about it isn't going to do anyone any good at all. They will make the change when they can afford it. And the others are right, complaining about the local commercials is an insult to those good businesses. The broadcast is aimed at the local region and that's why regional businesses advertise on it. The additional viewers around the country are just a bonus. But there aren't enough of them to attract a national advertiser. The folks at Dahlstrom, Home of Economy and other local businesses are spending their money to support UND Athletics and to reach local customers.

[Sodbuster]

FSN is Fox Sports North. They are part of the Fox Sports family of regional sports cable stations. They broadcast the Minnesota Twins, the Minnesota Wild, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Gophers along with other stuff. It is a 24 hour cable sports station that covers sports in the Twin Cities and the region. They send their own equipment and their own staff to cover the games. The station formerly known as FSSN is a group put together by UND, WDAZ and Midcontinent to broadcast some UND games. They have since expanded a little bit, but that is still the main purpose.

Of course FSN is going to have HD equipment. They are a big money operation that is in the business of professional sports, and dabbles in college sports to help fill in the schedule. FSSN is a shoe string operation. They bought new equipment when the REA opened. The equipment still works great and HD is still very expensive. HD prices will come down just like all technology gets cheaper. At some point they will need to make the switch, but the operation is not a big money maker. It is more of a service to UND fans. Also, someone else said in an earlier post that FCS (Fox College Sports) only broadcasts in SD. So even if FSSN spent the millions to upgrade their equipment, people would still only be able to watch in SD until FCS makes the change.

If you don't like watching the SD signal, don't watch. Watch FSN or something else. And most of the time you won't be watching UND. Complaining about it isn't going to do anyone any good at all. They will make the change when they can afford it. And the others are right, complaining about the local commercials is an insult to those good businesses. The broadcast is aimed at the local region and that's why regional businesses advertise on it. The additional viewers around the country are just a bonus. But there aren't enough of them to attract a national advertiser. The folks at Dahlstrom, Home of Economy and other local businesses are spending their money to support UND Athletics and to reach local customers.

And it's a service that's greatly appreciated by, I hope, a majority of Sioux fans.

[Redneksioux]

FSN is Fox Sports North. They are part of the Fox Sports family of regional sports cable stations. They broadcast the Minnesota Twins, the Minnesota Wild, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Gophers along with other stuff. It is a 24 hour cable sports station that covers sports in the Twin Cities and the region. They send their own equipment and their own staff to cover the games. The station formerly known as FSSN is a group put together by UND, WDAZ and Midcontinent to broadcast some UND games. They have since expanded a little bit, but that is still the main purpose.

Of course FSN is going to have HD equipment. They are a big money operation that is in the business of professional sports, and dabbles in college sports to help fill in the schedule. FSSN is a shoe string operation. They bought new equipment when the REA opened. The equipment still works great and HD is still very expensive. HD prices will come down just like all technology gets cheaper. At some point they will need to make the switch, but the operation is not a big money maker. It is more of a service to UND fans. Also, someone else said in an earlier post that FCS (Fox College Sports) only broadcasts in SD. So even if FSSN spent the millions to upgrade their equipment, people would still only be able to watch in SD until FCS makes the change.

If you don't like watching the SD signal, don't watch. Watch FSN or something else. And most of the time you won't be watching UND. Complaining about it isn't going to do anyone any good at all. They will make the change when they can afford it. And the others are right, complaining about the local commercials is an insult to those good businesses. The broadcast is aimed at the local region and that's why regional businesses advertise on it. The additional viewers around the country are just a bonus. But there aren't enough of them to attract a national advertiser. The folks at Dahlstrom, Home of Economy and other local businesses are spending their money to support UND Athletics and to reach local customers.

Very well said:) thank you fssn!

[Snake]

I'm pretty sure FSN brings their own cameras and equipment for this series. I seem to remember quite a few more cameras in the arena when the gophers were in town.

Yes, it's obvious FSN brings their own equipment because they broadcast from a much higher angle - probably in/near the press box. FSSN has their cameras on the concourse level.

[Blackheart]

Yes, it's obvious FSN brings their own equipment because they broadcast from a much higher angle - probably in/near the press box. FSSN has their cameras on the concourse level.

FSN's picture may be in HD, but their announcers suck b*lls so I guess you have to pick your poison...

[Goon]

I have been told that for FSSN/UND Sports Channel or what ever it's called needs a 2 million dollar HD truck before we can have the game in HD. So if one of our rich alums wants to step up and make a donation by all means lets get it going. I was also told that they would need new cameras as well.

[siouxforeverbaby]

I thought the issue was the cameras and truck, not so much the broadcast signal? Did FSN (are those the same people who send the same feed that I get on FCS?) bring their own cameras and truck, so this game is locally available in HD while most REA-produced home games aren't? My FCS feed is the same as always... not HD, but a whole lot better than streaming audio over my laptop.

Since everyone is kinda ignoring your question. FSSN, now known as MidcoSportsNetwork or something like that is the one who does the FCS for UND most of the time. Last night, I am not sure as I no longer get that channel.

[Rick]

FSN is Fox Sports North. They are part of the Fox Sports family of regional sports cable stations. They broadcast the Minnesota Twins, the Minnesota Wild, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Gophers along with other stuff. It is a 24 hour cable sports station that covers sports in the Twin Cities and the region. They send their own equipment and their own staff to cover the games. The station formerly known as FSSN is a group put together by UND, WDAZ and Midcontinent to broadcast some UND games. They have since expanded a little bit, but that is still the main purpose.

Of course FSN is going to have HD equipment. They are a big money operation that is in the business of professional sports, and dabbles in college sports to help fill in the schedule. FSSN is a shoe string operation. They bought new equipment when the REA opened. The equipment still works great and HD is still very expensive. HD prices will come down just like all technology gets cheaper. At some point they will need to make the switch, but the operation is not a big money maker. It is more of a service to UND fans. Also, someone else said in an earlier post that FCS (Fox College Sports) only broadcasts in SD. So even if FSSN spent the millions to upgrade their equipment, people would still only be able to watch in SD until FCS makes the change.

If you don't like watching the SD signal, don't watch. Watch FSN or something else. And most of the time you won't be watching UND. Complaining about it isn't going to do anyone any good at all. They will make the change when they can afford it. And the others are right, complaining about the local commercials is an insult to those good businesses. The broadcast is aimed at the local region and that's why regional businesses advertise on it. The additional viewers around the country are just a bonus. But there aren't enough of them to attract a national advertiser. The folks at Dahlstrom, Home of Economy and other local businesses are spending their money to support UND Athletics and to reach local customers.

Very well said.

There's always someone who wants to P&M about everything. They must have a pretty miserable life. Last night R.T. O'Sullivan's in Mesa was packed with Sioux jerseys and not one person was complaining about the FSSN/WDAZ picture or their commercials. It's actually kind of fun seeing a local Grand Forks/EGF commercial when you're 2000 miles away.

Thanks to guys like Jim Satrom at PS Doors, Dahlstrom Motors, Home of Economy and all the rest who make it possible for all Sioux fans around the country to see UND sports. I don't care what format the picture is in as long as I can see Andrew MacWilliam snipe one of his patented goals against the Gophers.

[Sodbuster]

Very well said.

There's always someone who wants to P&M about everything. They must have a pretty miserable life. Last night R.T. O'Sullivan's in Mesa was packed with Sioux jerseys and not one person was complaining about the FSSN/WDAZ picture or their commercials. It's actually kind of fun seeing a local Grand Forks/EGF commercial when you're 2000 miles away.

Thanks to guys like Jim Satrom at PS Doors, Dahlstrom Motors, Home of Economy and all the rest who make it possible for all Sioux fans around the country to see UND sports. I don't care what format the picture is in as long as I can see Andrew MacWilliam snipe one of his patented goals against the Gophers.

Totally agree. Especially the last statement.