UND's New Hockey Conference

[Pump It Up]

I just got done reading the emails and the president of SCSU sounds like a bumbling buffoon. I don't think those emails shed a very positive light on SCSU as an institution and it makes them look like a desperate second rate university.

The end result makes SCSU look like a "like-minded institution".

[Goon]

The end result makes SCSU look like a "like-minded institution".

I think the Emails made their president look like a buffoon and the emails that I read from the article also made SCSU look desperate and like a second rate school that is referred to as Jan Brady State by the Gopher fans. I think that SCSU is lucky they had Gino there to show leadership to others in SCSU administration.

[LeftyZL]

Some new information regarding the conference schedule and commissioner:

http://www.uscho.com/2011/12/07/nchc-expecting-to-hire-commissioner-before-end-of-year-24-game-schedule-eyed/

[GFG]

I can't believe some people wanted to stay in a watered down WCHA.

Let's not forget there was talk of Minot St and Moorhead joining the WCHA. These would have been UND's new peers! Had to get out!

Theres talk of Minot State possibly making the jump? I haven't heard that one yet. As of right now the top 2 candidates seem to be Moorhead followed by Illinois. There are also rumors that if Illinois makes the jump that Indiana might have a donor step forward as well.

[iluvdebbies]

Theres talk of Minot State possibly making the jump? I haven't heard that one yet. As of right now the top 2 candidates seem to be Moorhead followed by Illinois. There are also rumors that if Illinois makes the jump that Indiana might have a donor step forward as well.

Theres never been talk about minot making the jump except on here. Minot can barely make a go of it ,financially, at the club hockey level.

[GFG]

Theres never been talk about minot making the jump except on here. Minot can barely make a go of it ,financially, at the club hockey level.

Ok, thank you. I hadn't heard it at all before so I was just wondering

[Hawkster]

Theres talk of Minot State possibly making the jump? I haven't heard that one yet. As of right now the top 2 candidates seem to be Moorhead followed by Illinois. There are also rumors that if Illinois makes the jump that Indiana might have a donor step forward as well.

Moorhead is been talking forever too. And that's all it's ever been is talk. Considering that a few years ago MSUM couldn't even get 100 students to a football game, I doubt that they have the financial stomach for hockey. I know, hockey isn't football, but it just seems that athletics is just way down on the list of priorities at Moorhead.

[GFG]

Moorhead is been talking forever too. And that's all it's ever been is talk. Considering that a few years ago MSUM couldn't even get 100 students to a football game, I doubt that they have the financial stomach for hockey. I know, hockey isn't football, but it just seems that athletics is just way down on the list of priorities at Moorhead.

I've never considered them serious about it either but it seems they're making a push for it

[Cratter]

I've never considered them serious about it either but it seems they're making a push for it

The game changers could be they never had a conference to go to, the WCHA already being at 12 teams.

They have a college arena now waiting for them in Scheels Arena.

[GFG]

The game changers could be they never had a conference to go to, the WCHA already being at 12 teams.

They have a college arena now waiting for them in Scheels Arena.

Exactly. I wouldn't be surprised to see them go DI, but at the same time I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't go either

[star2city]

Theres talk of Minot State possibly making the jump? I haven't heard that one yet. As of right now the top 2 candidates seem to be Moorhead followed by Illinois. There are also rumors that if Illinois makes the jump that Indiana might have a donor step forward as well.

A number of years ago, Rick Hedberg, Minot State's AD, made a comment that he would like to see DI hockey as part of Minot State's athletics. Shortly thereafter, he said it wasn't on their radar. But at the time, it couldn't be on Minot's radar, because Minot was NAIA. Soon, Minot State will be a full NCAA DII member, giving Minot State the option of starting a DI hockey program.

Is it going to happen? Probably not for a while, especially with the flood recovery effort Minot will be seeing the next few years. But is it possible? If the Bakken economy continues at this rate, Minot will have 50,000 more people, a number of millionaire residents well in excess of what Bismarck/Fargo/Grand Forks will have, and a corporate client base (like Hess) that will desire it and even bankroll it. The WCHA actually needs more teams now (Minot St in the old WCHA would have been unthinkable) and Minot St is DII now. All the elements are converging for DI hockey to happen in Minot, IMHO.

[GFG]

A number of years ago, Rick Hedberg, Minot State's AD, made a comment that he would like to see DI hockey as part of Minot State's athletics. Shortly thereafter, he said it wasn't on their radar. But at the time, it couldn't be on Minot's radar, because Minot was NAIA. Soon, Minot State will be a full NCAA DII member, giving Minot State the option of starting a DI hockey program.

Is it going to happen? Probably not for a while, especially with the flood recovery effort Minot will be seeing the next few years. But is it possible? If the Bakken economy continues at this rate, Minot will have 50,000 more people, a number of millionaire residents well in excess of what Bismarck/Fargo/Grand Forks will have, and a corporate client base (like Hess) that will desire it and even bankroll it. The WCHA actually needs more teams now (Minot St in the old WCHA would have been unthinkable) and Minot St is DII now. All the elements are converging for DI hockey to happen in Minot, IMHO.

all good points, although I hate Hess. Did some work with them once and it was an absolute nightmare. I can't imagine they'd ever be to good because it would be hard to recruit to Minot. I'm sure they could pick up some Canadians though. Either way, any new team in college hockey is a plus, whether they'll be bad forever or not

[Sioux68]

all good points, although I hate Hess. Did some work with them once and it was an absolute nightmare. I can't imagine they'd ever be to good because it would be hard to recruit to Minot. I'm sure they could pick up some Canadians though. Either way, any new team in college hockey is a plus, whether they'll be bad forever or not

Minot State. They would be a perfect candidate. Who needs Notre Dame when you can add Minot?

[GFG]

Minot State. They would be a perfect candidate. Who needs Notre Dame when you can add Minot?

They'd be a good fit for the new WCHA. There's no way in hell that the NCHC would ever consider adding them

[Goon]

They'd be a good fit for the new WCHA. There's no way in hell that the NCHC would ever consider adding them

I honestly don't know how MSU-Moorhead could afford to put a hockey program on the ice, they barely can stay competative in Division II sports.

[mikejm]

I honestly don't know how MSU-Moorhead could afford to put a hockey program on the ice, they barely can stay competative in Division II sports.

I've heard from some pretty reliable people that Moorhead has a pledge for multi-millions from a local family.

[tnt]

I've heard from some pretty reliable people that Moorhead has a pledge for multi-millions from a local family.

Was that included in the figure they gave earlier on the way to the goal, or does it cut further into the pledges they need to meet the endowment?

[mikejm]

^The pledge is in the amount they've published.

[Goon]

I've heard from some pretty reliable people that Moorhead has a pledge for multi-millions from a local family.

How much do they have to come up with, I know they have to come up with 37 million to have hockey.

[star2city]

How much do they have to come up with, I know they have to come up with 37 million to have hockey.

In June, this brochure is stating they had $15 million committed. Thought a later report said their commitment was up substantially from that, but still short.

http://www.msumdragons.com/documents/2011/9/28/Dragon_Hockey_4pg.pdf?id=597

Their timeline lists fall of 2011 as the timing to gain MnSt Trustees approval, so they appear to be behind.

From MSU-Moorhead's consulting report, the endowment needs to fund about $1.3 annually of M/W hockey budgets. (The endowment needs to return 4% or so.)

Once the program is fully operational, the projected cost for men’s hockey is $2.1

million, which includes salaries (admin/coaching), financial aid, sports operations and

administrative operations. The pro forma was developed in alignment with WCHA and

Division II data as well as input from our consulting team of Division II AD’s. The

projected annual expenses for the women’s program are $1.1 million. The women’s

costs are lower because shared hockey personnel, administrative hires and

administrative operations increases were primarily attached to the men’s program.

Annual revenue for the men’s program is projected at $2.5 million, with 25% coming

from endowment and contribution revenue as part of the hockey capital campaign.

Ticket revenue, including premium seating, accounts for 56% of the revenue, with the

remaining 19% from game day and program revenue (TV, radio, corporate sponsorship,

annual fund). The projected revenue for the women’s program is $786,701 with 82%

coming from endowment and contribution revenue from the capital campaign. Eight

percent is projected from ticket sales and 10% from program and game day revenue.

http://www.msumdragons.com/documents/2011/9/28/Hockey_Executive_Summary.pdf?id=599

[Hawkster]

I honestly don't know how MSU-Moorhead could afford to put a hockey program on the ice, they barely can stay competative in Division II sports.

That's the very point I made earlier. I recall that President Edna was making all kinds of cuts anywhere she could, how the hell do they ever afford hockey? I think the latest deadline was Oct 2011. Well that's come and gone and MSUM has moved the drop dead deadline back quite often.

The rest of Moorhead's sports are essentially D3 caliber, so I don't see them coming up with D1 hockey. BTW, didn't the NCAA make changes regarding teams playing up a division in some sports, such as hockey?

[Cratter]

The rest of Moorhead's sports are essentially D3 caliber, so I don't see them coming up with D1 hockey. BTW, didn't the NCAA make changes regarding teams playing up a division in some sports, such as hockey?

I don't think so because there is no Division II for hockey.

If Bemidji State can have a DI hockey team I would think it might be possible for MSUM and Minot St.

[star2city]

I don't think so because there is no Division II for hockey.

If Bemidji State can have a DI hockey team I would think it might be possible for MSUM and Minot St.

DI did ban move-ups from DII or DIII in sports that are offered at those division levels. That means, for example, that baseball, lacrosse, tennis, golf, soccer schools can no longer move up from DII or DIII for those sports. The teams that are already playing up can stay. (As examples New York Tech and Dallas Baptist play baseball at the DI level, Johns Hopkins and Bellarmine play DI lacrosse, while Colorado College plays women's soccer at the DI level.)

It also means that DIII schools can no longer move up to DI in either women's or men's hockey, as DIII sponsors hockey championships. For example, Concordia of Moorhead or St Thomas don't have the option any longer to move up hockey alone to the DI level. However, since DII doesn't offer any type of hockey championship, those DII schools that start hockey can still compete at the DI level in that sport. (So Moorhead, Minot, Winona, or even Grand Valley St could all still be DI hockey schools.)

DIII RIT wanted to move up women's hockey to the DI level, to match their men's team. They would now need some type of NCAA exemption to do that now.

[star2city]

Looks like MSU-Moorhead is approaching the $30 million mark. Still needs $7 million more to meet goal and announce a team. If that goal isn't reached within a couple of months, sounds like the idea will be dropped. Still, that is impressive. NDSU has been trying to raise $30 million for seemingly forever for their BSA remodeling. Guess hockey can pull in money in the FM area ahead of all other sports in spite of all the Bizon talk about how worthless hockey is and no one cares about it.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/343904/group/Sports/

MSUM hopes to have around $30 million in commitments by the new year, athletic director Doug Peters reiterated Tuesday. That would mean 80 percent of the overall $37 million goal needed to fund an endowment model business plan. ...

“If it doesn’t happen in the next few months, it very well could be the end of it,” Peters said.

[darell1976]

I hope MSUM has DI hockey that way I can see a UND road game and be home in 15 minutes!