Summit League could take over NCHC to survive?

[tnt]

3 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

You know why you don't do that?

A. You make enemies.
B. Someday it might be you. 

You never know when you need games in other sports, or maybe even conference affiliation for a move to FBS, with all the conference shifting.

[fightingsioux4life]

1 hour ago, nodakvindy said:

coaches don't make these kind of decisions.

The coaches also thought that neutral site regionals and 3x3 overtime were good ideas. So maybe their ideas shouldn't be rubber stamped.

[Goon]

3 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

The coaches also thought that neutral site regionals and 3x3 overtime were good ideas. So maybe their ideas shouldn't be rubber stamped.

Here's the story from last spring. There's not a lot of interest in moving hockey to the Summit. 

Quote

 

The Summit's commissioner, notably, is Josh Fenton, who served as the NCHC's leader from its inception until the summer of 2022. Former St. Cloud State athletic director Heather Weems just completed her first year as Fenton's replacement.

Although a couple of NCHC teams backed the idea of moving under the Summit's umbrella, others balked and it does not appear there's a large enough consensus to make such a move at this time.

A major concern is that hockey will be an afterthought in Summit League, where the majority of full members don't sponsor the sport. That could especially be the case if Fenton ever leaves for another job.

Big Ten hockey members have dealt with this since its inception in 2013-14, expressing frustration in the league's lack of hockey promotion outside of the playing season.

 

 

[FSSD]

1 hour ago, Goon said:

Here's the story from last spring. There's not a lot of interest in moving hockey to the Summit. 

 

To be honest there are only 4 hockey schools in the Summit League.  Only 3 of them are in the NCHC.  So, having two of three in favor is a majority.  Not sure how much St. Thomas has expressed concerns at this point.  And if anything I would think they are in favor because at some point it would be a path to joining the other conference schools.  So you are more than likely looking at two scenarios: "UND and Omaha" or "Denver and Omaha" in favor.  Because if it was "UND and Denver", Omaha would be along for the ride.

So, UND and Denver coming into alignment on thoughts doesn't seem so far out of reach to me.  In particular on a media deal when you now have:  MSP, Omaha, Denver and Phoenix as media markets with the UND fanbase.  So, more efficient use of existing conference overhead and potentially more income.  It doesn't seem like a reach to me.

PS:  Thanks for the links, nice discussion.

[nodak651]

2 hours ago, Goon said:

Here's the story from last spring. There's not a lot of interest in moving hockey to the Summit. 

 

That's old news.  We know that already.  Whether or not it happens, these things take time.  They're apparently discussing the regional format again even though a change there had little support in the past...

[nodak651]

Matt Brown article says that the Utah schools are in play for the Summit League.  Not my first choices, but they have been doing well athletically.  Fenton has, for a while now, been mentioning that he has been excited about the future prospects for Summit Soccer.  Then Delaware was added.  So the Utah thing adds up, because Utah Valley is building a new $20 million dollar soccer stadium.  If the WAC is unstable, perhaps the Summit Would be able to grab Air Force soccer as well.  Air Force currently plays soccer in the WAC.   Travel would be bad for Utah Valley, but Utah Tech and Southern Utah wouldn't be the worst road trip as everyone can fly fairly cheaply in and out of Vegas.  I kind of hope the SL league finds an alternative to this that's more regional.

https://www.uvu.edu/news/2022/10/2022_10_25_uccu_stadium.html

https://www.extrapointsmb.com/p/conference-realignment-wac-defections-coming?utm_source=www.extrapointsmb.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=conference-realignment-are-more-wac-defections-coming

Quote

But I do think it’s fair to say that the WAC is in a danger zone moment if they lose Stephen F. Austin. There are no obvious expansion candidates, and at least half of the league has backup options for other conferences if their leadership loses confidence in the WAC’s long term vision and plan.

Quote

Over the last week, I’ve been told that if SFA leaves, multiple WAC institutions will continue to do their due diligence on other conference membership options. Specifically, I’ve been told to monitor the Summit League as a potential destination for the Utah-based institutions, the WCC as a potential landing spot for Cal Baptist, and the ASUN or Southland as potential destinations for ACU, UTA and Tarleton, with the ASUN considered more likely than the Southland.

[SIOUXFAN97]

utah valley potentially to summit.....didn't see that coming

[The Sicatoka]

14 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

utah valley potentially to summit.....didn't see that coming

https://youtu.be/mh2J0itonwk?t=32 

[Sioux>Bison]

11 hours ago, nodak651 said:

Matt Brown article says that the Utah schools are in play for the Summit League.  Not my first choices, but they have been doing well athletically.  Fenton has, for a while now, been mentioning that he has been excited about the future prospects for Summit Soccer.  Then Delaware was added.  So the Utah thing adds up, because Utah Valley is building a new $20 million dollar soccer stadium.  If the WAC is unstable, perhaps the Summit Would be able to grab Air Force soccer as well.  Air Force currently plays soccer in the WAC.   Travel would be bad for Utah Valley, but Utah Tech and Southern Utah wouldn't be the worst road trip as everyone can fly fairly cheaply in and out of Vegas.  I kind of hope the SL league finds an alternative to this that's more regional.

https://www.uvu.edu/news/2022/10/2022_10_25_uccu_stadium.html

https://www.extrapointsmb.com/p/conference-realignment-wac-defections-coming?utm_source=www.extrapointsmb.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=conference-realignment-are-more-wac-defections-coming

Wow the Summit is so desperate that they are going to take new start up western schools when conferences like the Big Sky want nothing to do with them. Heck maybe this will even get Northern Colorado to jump back to old NCC. Utah Valley starting D1 hockey could happen with the new hype the NHL is bringing to the metro. They could play at the practice rink in Provo or at the Maverick Center

[cberkas]

21 minutes ago, Sioux>Bison said:

Wow the Summit is so desperate that they are going to take new start up western schools when conferences like the Big Sky want nothing to do with them. Heck maybe this will even get Northern Colorado to jump back to old NCC. Utah Valley starting D1 hockey could happen with the new hype the NHL is bringing to the metro. They could play at the practice rink in Provo or at the Maverick Center

They already play at Peaks in Provo, seats about half of what it did in the Olympics (took seats out for indoor soccer I believe). Maverick Center is 36 miles away. 

[Yote 53]

Both USD and UND should have just stayed in the Big Sky.  The Summit would have folded and SDSU and NDSU would have been in the Sky with us by now.

Heading west anyways.  Might as well play Montana and Montana State instead of Utah Valley or Utah Tech.

[SIOUXFAN97]

these last few posts make it sound like uvu is a done deal....I'm very very skeptical of Fenton going after a school like uvu...nothing against them bc they seem to be willing to spend some money on athletics but the footprint is off by a 1k miles or so imo....

[SiouxHawkGuy]

9 hours ago, Yote 53 said:

Both USD and UND should have just stayed in the Big Sky.  The Summit would have folded and SDSU and NDSU would have been in the Sky with us by now.

Heading west anyways.  Might as well play Montana and Montana State instead of Utah Valley or Utah Tech.

It was nice having all sports outside of hockey in one conference 

[SIOUXFAN97]

or what if the reason we're hearing utah school(s)......if the WAC still has FBS "powers" the Summit mergers with whatever is left over of the WAC and WAC is born again with FBS football AND hockey....

where's fenton!

 

[SIOUXFAN97]

interesting......uvu wants d1 hockey and they also are pretty good at.........................LACROSSE

[Esoteric]

Summit League could take over NCHC to survive?
 

NO!

[SIOUXFAN97]

if Fenton only add uvu....u got 10...add utah tech and southern and u have 12 and pretty much everyone has a decent travel partner...only ones that are wonky would be Denver/uvu and I guess is Omaha and St Thomas already travel partners?

und/ndac

USD/sdac

Omaha/St thomas

oral/kc

Denver/uvu

utah tech / southern utah

and if my maths is correct.....6 FB teams so you know what that COULD mean?

[SIOUXFAN97]

Considering that at any given day St Thomas , Omaha, Oral Roberts, KC, and Denver could move to greener pastures /conferences this might make sense to grab non d2 moveups to strengthen the Summit (or WAC?)....

3 pods of 4....4 north (the Dak schools).....4 south...omaha, st. thomas, kc, and oral....and 4 west...denver, uvu, utah tech, and southern utah

fixes the men's soccer thing by adding  uvu and tech..even if delaware bolts...still have 7 with uvu and tech

brings football and hockey under summit/wac branding.

gain 2 more baseball schools in uvu and tech bringing total to 8 with 1 affiliate (unc)....could potentially get sac state as affiliate too.

could nab unlv, air force, and wyoming as affiliates in swimming and diving instead of east illinois, lindenwood, and southern indiana.

could maybe even grab air force to replace either st cloud, cc, or miami?

[bincitysioux]

Starting to look more and more like the Great West all the time................

And to think we were in the Big Sky at one point.......

[SIOUXFAN97]

2 hours ago, bincitysioux said:

Starting to look more and more like the Great West all the time................

And to think we were in the Big Sky at one point.......

yeah adding utah tech and southern utah doens't move the needle but if fenton only adds UVU wouldn't be the worst for a lot of reasons....yes the big sky was fun but they did and still do have a few schools that are dogs and have been for a while....isu, nau, ewu, unc

[CMSioux]

UND gets into the Big Sky and there is excitement. First it's a top level conference and they turned down Moo U. Won the conference within a few years. Then reality sets in and the travel costs, recruiting challenges (kids in Midwest want to be able to play in the Midwest) and lack of teams that are of interest to ND fans takes a toll (Portland State anyone)?. So UND moves back to The Summit and is out on an island for a few years (which hurts recruiting). Then rivalries return along with the recruiting region. The reality is UND is now playing one of the toughest schedules every year and for now is the #3/4 team in a two team conference. 

Cries to return to the Big Sky make my head scratch. 

 

[SIOUXFAN97]

3 hours ago, CMSioux said:

UND gets into the Big Sky and there is excitement. First it's a top level conference and they turned down Moo U. Won the conference within a few years. Then reality sets in and the travel costs, recruiting challenges (kids in Midwest want to be able to play in the Midwest) and lack of teams that are of interest to ND fans takes a toll (Portland State anyone)?. So UND moves back to The Summit and is out on an island for a few years (which hurts recruiting). Then rivalries return along with the recruiting region. The reality is UND is now playing one of the toughest schedules every year and for now is the #3/4 team in a two team conference. 

Cries to return to the Big Sky make my head scratch. 

 

i think and alot of people think that a merger of the top 12-14 of bsc and summit/mvfc would be ideal.....6/7 west and 6/7 east...but it seems like the bsc is very content with what they have done for 50 years or so.....

BUT for Fenton finding a school that sponsors men's soccer is obviously his top priority and adding delaware was/is probably temp and needed to appease the crooks at the ncaa.....adding uvu and or the other utah schools adds a little more stability to the conference bc at any moment oral could go south....denver west....kc or omaha east.....adn then fenton is looking at augie, mankato, and morningside (kidding) and you know what would be like.....deja vu all over again.

[Yote 53]

21 hours ago, CMSioux said:

UND gets into the Big Sky and there is excitement. First it's a top level conference and they turned down Moo U. Won the conference within a few years. Then reality sets in and the travel costs, recruiting challenges (kids in Midwest want to be able to play in the Midwest) and lack of teams that are of interest to ND fans takes a toll (Portland State anyone)?. So UND moves back to The Summit and is out on an island for a few years (which hurts recruiting). Then rivalries return along with the recruiting region. The reality is UND is now playing one of the toughest schedules every year and for now is the #3/4 team in a two team conference. 

Cries to return to the Big Sky make my head scratch. 

 

It's not crying about returning to the Big Sky.  It's that it's starting to look like the Summit is expanding west.  We've done this before and, if given the choice of western opponents, I'd rather play the Big Sky schools.

[MafiaMan]

On 4/30/2024 at 3:18 PM, SIOUXFAN97 said:

look on miami u's presidents/ad face at these meetings when the idea of kicking out underperforming members from the nchc

The idea that every NCHC team would go undefeated and make the NCAA tournament was always preposterous. There became “have’s” and “have not’s,” just like any other conference.  While the move to the NCHC seemed like a good idea at the time, clearly it’s been a disaster for Miami.  

[nodak651]

1 hour ago, MafiaMan said:

The idea that every NCHC team would go undefeated and make the NCAA tournament was always preposterous. There became “have’s” and “have not’s,” just like any other conference.  While the move to the NCHC seemed like a good idea at the time, clearly it’s been a disaster for Miami.  

Their current AD was hired shortly after the conference was announced.  I'm convinced he's the reason for Miami's downfall.