UND's New Hockey Conference

[Cratter]

It sounds like UND might have a secondary plan for televising more games when the FCS contract ends:

They've got a couple years to figure out how to get more games televised to a broader audience. I have faith that they can do it.

I just don't see how. UND can no longer broadcast UND hockey games "outside the region" unless its on CBS Sports.

[GeauxSioux]

Back to the webcasts, until UND is able to get more of the home games on TV. I'm sure UND Athletics is working on something for getting UND on TV long term.

[gfhockey]

yup back to the early 2000's

[mksioux]

Let me make sure I'm understanding this correctly, UND has an existing contract with a sports-tier national channel to televise 22 games and it is giving it up so the entire 8-team conference can land an 18-game contract with a different sports-tier national channel? This makes absolutely no sense. UND, by itself, currently has a better deal than the entire conference is getting. There HAS to be more to this story. As it's being reported, it just doesn't make any sense. It does not seem rational to voluntarily cut national TV coverage from 22 games to 4 or 5 games.

The NCHC is a great concept and I was excited when it was first announced. But between losing Notre Dame, adding St. Cloud State, and now this, I'm just left scratching my head. Given the crappy TV deal with the NCHC, I can fully understand why Notre Dame wanted no part of the NCHC.

UND is squarely back to where it was in 2001. With all the talk about expanding television coverage over the last ten years, to end up with a regression of this magnitude is stunning.

[Blackheart]

How much $ do the Sioux get from their current tv deal? Remember, it's all about the benjamins...

[dmksioux]

Let me make sure I'm understanding this correctly, UND has an existing contract with a sports-tier national channel to televise 22 games and it is giving it up so the entire 8-team conference can land an 18-game contract with a different sports-tier national channel? This makes absolutely no sense. UND, by itself, currently has a better deal than the entire conference is getting. There HAS to be more to this story. As it's being reported, it just doesn't make any sense. It does not seem rational to voluntarily cut national TV coverage from 22 games to 4 or 5 games.

The NCHC is a great concept and I was excited when it was first announced. But between losing Notre Dame, adding St. Cloud State, and now this, I'm just left scratching my head. Given the crappy TV deal with the NCHC, I can fully understand why Notre Dame wanted no part of the NCHC.

UND is squarely back to where it was in 2001. With all the talk about expanding television coverage over the last ten years, to end up with a regression of this magnitude is stunning.

If the FCS contract is not renewed, I'm sure the decision would not be made by UND. The FCS contract expires after next season, I would hope that the UND administration is doing what they can to renew the contract. The FCS contract doesn't only affect hockey as they televise several other sports.

Welcome back to the board...it's been awhile

[mksioux]

How much $ do the Sioux get from their current tv deal? Remember, it's all about the benjamins...

UND gets bascially nothing, or very close to nothing, from Fox College Sports. According to the Duluth reporter, the NCHC will actually have to pay CBS College Sports production costs as part of the deal. Thus, the Fox College Sports is a better deal from a financial standpoint, as well as exposure.

[sioux rube]

These new leagues were just a brilliant idea. I hate everything about it.

[siouxknocka]

Just playing devils advocate here but does anyone know if FCS was going to be renewing the contract after the 2012-2013 season? Per Schlossman's post the contract was ending after the 2013 season. (I personally think they would have renewed the contract but don't know that for certain)

Also does anyone know what the main reason for leaving the WCHA was? I've always had the understanding that with Wisconsin and Minnesota leaving that the smaller schools were going to be in the voting majority and would have more control in how the conference was going to be run. I don't know if there's any truth behind it but on the surface it makes sense.

I'm also disappointed seeing what's transpired but it's only been one day. They've got a year and a half to figure something out so I'm going to stay optomistic for a while.

[mksioux]

If the FCS contract is not renewed, I'm sure the decision would not be made by UND. The FCS contract expires after next season, I would hope that the UND administration is doing what they can to renew the contract. The FCS contract doesn't only affect hockey as they televise several other sports.

Welcome back to the board...it's been awhile

Unless Schlossman is reporting the story wrong, renewing the FCS contract is not possible because it would violate the exclusivity clause of the CBS deal. So that means it's not just FCS, UND has no options to nationally televise their games after next season. I can't think of any other possible options other than internet streaming, and maybe FTA satellite.

[mksioux]

Just playing devils advocate here but does anyone know if FCS was going to be renewing the contract after the 2012-2013 season? Per Schlossman's post the contract was ending after the 2013 season. (I personally think they would have renewed the contract but don't know that for certain)

It seems very likely that the FCS deal would have been renewed, but even if it wasn't, UND still would have had options to look for another deal somewhere else.

UND gave up its options by agreeing to go to a conference that required a conference-wide exclusive television deal. That type of arrangement would be okay if the conference could get a decent deal, like with NBC Sports Channel (which is not on a sports tier in most markets). But when the best the conference can do is a deal worse than the one UND already has, then it's a major backfire.

[ScottM]

But between losing Notre Dame, adding St. Cloud State, and now this, I'm just left scratching my head. Given the crappy TV deal with the NCHC, I can fully understand why Notre Dame wanted no part of the NCHC. UND is squarely back to where it was in 2001. With all the talk about expanding television coverage over the last ten years, to end up with a regression of this magnitude is stunning.

Notre Dame has been in bed with NBC for decades through its football deal. Adding hockey and the slavering devotion to ND's hockey greatness on NBC Sports (fka Versus) was a no-brainer for them. It also made sense since the HE teams are concentrated in or near larger media markets. As far the Golden Domers ... HE and ND bascially deserve each other. I would be curious why CBS could preclude UND, or any other team, from beaming its own home games if CBS was showing another game. It's not as if most UND fans would tune in to watch UMD play UNO anyway. Given the different broadcast mediums available, and those on the horizon, I'd like to think "the National" would have created an "out" for certain games rather than effectively imposing a "blackout". Then again, given its nascent start, I'm not overly impressed by our new "super conference".

[Blackheart]

Shouldn't Minnesota put the priority on scheduling other Minnesota schools? As much as I enjoy the rivalry I'd rather play other Minnesota schools (mostly UMD) every year and get a road game out east (BC/BU) every year.

I think any games between UMN and UND for the next couple years will be happening either in national tourny's or in Minneapolis.

Sounds like great idea, except for the fact that Minny more or less refuses to play NC games on the road...especially against teams like Boston U or BC...in the last five years they have played one non conference series on the road, at Ohio State. Otherwise it's a steady diet of Wayne State, Sacred Heart, etc. @ home to fill their non conference schedule.

As far as scheduling other Mn schools, that's fine...I'm sure your diehard fans would much rather see Mankato and Bemidji every few years instead of UND, DU, and CC...

[jimdahl]

Unless Schlossman is reporting the story wrong, renewing the FCS contract is not possible because it would violate the exclusivity clause of the CBS deal. So that means it's not just FCS, UND has no options to nationally televise their games after next season. I can't think of any other possible options other than internet streaming, and maybe FTA satellite.

I agree, given the terms of the contract as reported, I don't see what UND could do other than provide some improvement to the internet streaming (better quality, cheaper/free, leveraging some service that's frequently built into STBs/game consoles so you don't need to jury-rig a computer anymore?).

[tnt]

Sounds like great idea, except for the fact that Minny more or less refuses to play NC games on the road...especially against teams like Boston U or BC...in the last five years they have played one non conference series on the road, at Ohio State. Otherwise it's a steady diet of Wayne State, Sacred Heart, etc. @ home to fill their non conference schedule.

As far as scheduling other Mn schools, that's fine...I'm sure your diehard fans would much rather see Mankato and Bemidji every few years instead of UND, DU, and CC...

They did play Michigan State on the road this year.

[Blackheart]

They did play Michigan State on the road this year.

You are correct, I missed that one.

[zonadub]

This is probably a big part of the reason that Notre Dame turned down the National Conference. They have a tv deal that's better than CBS Sports and brought that with them to Hockey East. Maybe Mr Faison should have brought Fox College Sports with UND to the NCHC, escpecially since he seemed to be the ringleader in the press until the new commissioner was named.

[ringneck28]

I agree, given the terms of the contract as reported, I don't see what UND could do other than provide some improvement to the internet streaming (better quality, cheaper/free, leveraging some service that's frequently built into STBs/game consoles so you don't need to jury-rig a computer anymore?).

With the way technology is going. I would like to see a conference wide internet coverage so we can watch every game in hd streamed over the net. It would not be that hard to do. Take the local feed of the game like they do in the nba d league. It would work so tha tall us und fans can see more games.

[jodcon]

With the way technology is going. I would like to see a conference wide internet coverage so we can watch every game in hd streamed over the net. It would not be that hard to do. Take the local feed of the game like they do in the nba d league. It would work so tha tall us und fans can see more games.

It was nice watching all the FCS FB games on ESPN3, great quality picture and a good steady feed.

Would be nice to have something like that available as spread out as Sioux fans are across the country, not an ESPN product of course but something similar.

[mksioux]

With the way technology is going. I would like to see a conference wide internet coverage so we can watch every game in hd streamed over the net. It would not be that hard to do. Take the local feed of the game like they do in the nba d league. It would work so tha tall us und fans can see more games.

I'm sure the NCHC will do something like this. Maybe internet streaming is the wave of the future, but let's face it, right now it's not an adequate replacement. I watched the UND v. Northern Colorado football game through the Big Sky's service and it was borderline unwatchable. ESPN3, which probably has the best internet streaming available, can look decent when you hook it up to a TV, but it's still not as clean and convenient as television. And internet streaming does absolutely nothing for exposure to the program, which is another important component to a television deal. A league-wide internet streaming service would be a great supplement to the existing FCS contract, but it pales in comparison as a replacement.

[hrkac]

what a pile of crap! no reasoning or logic can explain how having all home games on a cable sports package to a webcast is furthering UND's exposure. it's going backwards!!! I'm livid.

[ringneck28]

what a pile of crap! no reasoning or logic can explain how having all home games on a cable sports package to a webcast is furthering UND's exposure. it's going backwards!!! I'm livid.

Another aspect of this is having the HQ's in Colorado Springs. They do not have a program that is highly followed and thus don't have the drive to aspire to the big time coverage in that city. UND sold itself short if it didn't put a clause in this contract to have its own coverage nationally. The new commisioner probably has no idea what kind of following UND has nationally. This is probably a case of lets hurry up to make a mistake. He definitly didn't do his homework on this one.

[fightingsioux4life]

It's quite simple: If Rodentia (Minnesota) wants to play us after next year, it had better be a home and home deal, not any of this "only in Minneapolis" garbage. We shouldn't cater hand and foot to anybody, especially a snobbish program with some followers who think we shouldn't even have a program. If they insist on Minneapolis only, then Faison should just tell them the rivalry is over indefinitely. The same should go for that school 75 miles to our south, but that's another topic for another forum.

[bincitysioux]

Pretty sure FSN-North is out of the question due to the Gophers, Wild, T-Wolves, etc. Unless they can find free weekends to get UND on FSN+.

Won't Gopher and Badger hockey games be moving to the Big 10 Network? I thought that was the whole point of the BTHC. Fox Sports North hasn't broadcast any Gopher basketball games since the Big 10 Network started up I don't think. FSN would have a huge void to fill in its programming if this happens. And it is a "regional" network.......................

[hrkac]

Won't Gopher and Badger hockey games be moving to the Big 10 Network? I thought that was the whole point of the BTHC. Fox Sports North hasn't broadcast any Gopher basketball games since the Big 10 Network started up I don't think. FSN would have a huge void to fill in its programming if this happens. And it is a "regional" network.......................

any UM games that aren't on BTHC will be on FSN. that is the deal UND should've negotiated from the beginning in this new league and used existing FCS. yes FSN North is regional but it's also national on the same sports cable tier as FCS which broadcasts ALL UND HOME GAMES RIGHT NOW. like someone said earlier, this whole thing has been a race to make a mistake.