College Hockey Expansion

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

More TV deals is a negative.  I love having almost every game on NCHC.tv, and I can easily pirate the few on CBS Sports.  Might have to work extra hard to get the one game on Root sports, but that's it.  I've watched games riding the train home from work, riding (deliberately not driving) through mountain passes and sitting in rush hour traffic (again not myself driving), all because of a yearly pass that costs less than a monthly cable package.  Don't want to have another TV network making it more difficult.

[Blackheart]

1 hour ago, GFG said:

 Nobody but Minnesota has fans in the B1G so the tournament is completely worthless anywhere else and will probably be (should be) put permanently in St Paul after next season. I think it's safe to say at this point that Minnesota + North Dakota = success. 

Too bad the rivalry is so "unhealthy".  Gopher hockey has taken a big hit since joining the Barry Alvarez/BTN conference; I certainly don't want UND to fall into that same trap.

[tnt]

7 hours ago, GFG said:

Imagine UND hockey being forced into a conference they didn't want to be in, with NO teams near them (Wisconsin doesn't even count as a team at this point). How fun is that? Imagine the NCHC tournament without UND...how thrilling is that? They are the NCHC tournament. No other fans go lol. In fact I've been told by A LOT of casual UND fans that they can't stand going anymore because the Target Center is so bad. Put them into the B1G permanently at the X with Minnesota and it would turn into an absolute blast again. Nobody but Minnesota has fans in the B1G so the tournament is completely worthless anywhere else and will probably be (should be) put permanently in St Paul after next season. I think it's safe to say at this point that Minnesota + North Dakota = success. The 2 schools could join the ECAC together and be a success because of what they bring against one another. The B1G certainly knows it, if you want proof ask @BTNRickPizzo on twitter. He reads GPL all the time, too. He knows what college hockey needs to succeed and he's basically been doing everything he can to improve BTN hockey by asking people on GPL what needs improvement. He's a great guy and he's doing everything he can to help improve their product and college hockey. You know he actually loves college hockey, and not just the B1G, when he said this weekend that St Cloud is his National Title pick because he's been so impressed by them. He's an honest, unbiased guy that will give you a legitimate answer for any question you ask him. (I talk to him about craft beer all the time )

Thank You for making my argument for me by saying "Imagine UND hockey being forced into a conference they didn't want to be in with No teams near them."   UND fans, like Minnesota fans are fine playing the teams they play now, as evidenced by our full attendance compared to a half full arena at Mariucci.  Your argument isn't about how great the Big Ten is, but how great it would be to have our rivalry again.  Agree with that, but that is the extent of the argument for the Big Ten.  No thank you!

[IrishSiouxFan]

Obviously the B1G needs to add at least two teams. It's looking like Arizona State is going to get the invite and rumor has it that Rutgers might be interested in adding the sport.  I don't see either of these teams injecting excitement into the BTH fanbase and they definitely will not add any value to the level of competition.  I can't imagine seeing sold out games featuring the Gophers vs. the SunDevils or the Buckeyes vs. the Scarlet Knights.  Although UND is a state flagship institution and does have both a law school and medical school, it is not a like institution in the eyes of the B1G and will most likely never be invited.  Which is a shame for BTH because UND would immediately add legitimate heated rivalries for it's programs, increased ticket sales, increased tv ratings, increased league stats, recruiting, and enthusiasm into a lack luster league.  UND is just fine where it's at, and the state of college hockey in the NCHC appears to be very healthy.  Wouldn't mind seeing Notre Dame on the schedule though.  

[dakotadan]

Again, do you people really see the hockey programs at Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State all forever staying in this perfect storm of down years for them? Nobody thinks that these four storied programs will ever recover and be fighting at the top of college hockey for national championships?!? And think that Penn State isn't ever going to throw itself into the national polls some too? 

[tnt]

1 minute ago, dakotadan said:

Again, do you people really see the hockey programs at Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State all forever staying in this perfect storm of down years for them? Nobody thinks that these four storied programs will recover and be fighting at the top of college hockey for national championships?!? And think that Penn State isn't going to throw itself into the national polls some too? 

No I don't think they will stay down, but that doesn't change the fact that, like Minnesota, our fans love having traditional rivals that you don't necessarily have to fly to if you want to attend a road game. Minnesota has been winning Big Ten Championships, yet their attendance has been horrible.  

[cberkas]

17 minutes ago, tnt said:

No I don't think they will stay down, but that doesn't change the fact that, like Minnesota, our fans love having traditional rivals that you don't necessarily have to fly to if you want to attend a road game. Minnesota has been winning Big Ten Championships, yet their attendance has been horrible.  

I think the attendance issue has more to do with Gopher fans that hate the B1G for destroying the WCHA and that might have something to do with Wisconsin having poor attendance too, albeit a very small part comepaired to the product on the ice.

[fightingsioux4life]

27 minutes ago, dakotadan said:

Again, do you people really see the hockey programs at Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State all forever staying in this perfect storm of down years for them? Nobody thinks that these four storied programs will ever recover and be fighting at the top of college hockey for national championships?!? And think that Penn State isn't ever going to throw itself into the national polls some too? 

No, but hockey is a mere afterthought at 5 of the 6 Big Ten schools (Minnesota being the exception). All they really care about is football and/or basketball. Everything else could fade away and nobody would notice. The NCHC, on the other hand, is made up of schools where hockey is a priority. Hockey is a much different beast and it needs to be treated that way. That is why the Big Ten Hockey Conference has been such a disappointment both on and off the ice.

[dakotadan]

I understand what you are saying. But I personally would never use the term "beast" when describing college hockey. And that for me puts it in a different light than you. 

[fightingsioux4life]

4 minutes ago, dakotadan said:

I understand what you are saying. But I personally would never use the term "beast" when describing college hockey. And that for me puts it in a different light than you. 

Well, insert your own adjective if you want, but my point still stands.

[dakotadan]

That they are world renowned schools whos hockey programs will be right back on the college hockey map after this once in a century hiccup? 

[tnt]

17 minutes ago, dakotadan said:

That they are world renowned schools whos hockey programs will be right back on the college hockey map after this once in a century hiccup? 

Enough Said!

 

[Goon]

1 minute ago, tnt said:

Enough Said!

 

No doubt, that looks like a fun conference tourney to attend.

[dakotadan]

Who is disagreeing that those programs are at all time lows right now? 

[ClassB]

Any recruit that picks the B1G over any NCHC school is bonkers (in light of recent events -- the past 2-3 years). The Ralph is full no matter who is here (UAH) while it looks like traditional powers Michigan and Wisconsin can't even fill their conference tournament seats. If attendance is indicative of support, they are in long-term trouble.

[fightingsioux4life]

10 minutes ago, dakotadan said:

Who is disagreeing that those programs are at all time lows right now? 

Again, you keep focusing myopically on won-loss records, just as Bison fans focus myopically on MBB RPI when telling us how great the Slummit League is. Yes, programs like Minnesota and Wisconsin will be back at some point in the future (will probably require coaching changes, but it will happen). But that doesn't change the fact that 5 out of 6 schools in the conference treat hockey like a red-headed bastard stepchild. And that is not something I want UND to get stuck in. The Big Ten Tournament will likely never reach the heights of the old WCHA Final Five. The NCHC tournament has much more upside in the future and I look forward to seeing the Target Center full for the NCHC tournament championship game in the future. That is why we should stay put.

[dakotadan]

8 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

But that doesn't change the fact that 5 out of 6 schools in the conference treat hockey like a red-headed bastard stepchild. 

Michigan - 9 

Wisconsin - 6 

Minnesota - 5

Michigan State - 3 

Those are some successful red-headed bastard stepchildren. Four of those won since our last one. 

[dakotadan]

But like you said, I should quit myopically focussing on won-loss records. Sports aren't about winning or losing.

[fightingsioux4life]

22 minutes ago, dakotadan said:

Michigan - 9 

Wisconsin - 6 

Minnesota - 5

Michigan State - 3 

Those are some successful red-headed bastard stepchildren. Four of those won since our last one. 

Most of Michigan's titles were won when chicken wire was used instead of plexiglass. And hockey isn't followed in Ann Arbor unless they are winning and winning big. Wisconsin and Minnesota haven't won one in awhile and aren't as dominant as they used to be. Michigan State is even more hit or miss. And my main point is how the administration at each school looks at Division I hockey and its place in their athletic departments. Aside from Minnesota, it easily ranks below FB or MBB in importance. The proof is how anxious Barry Alvarez and company were to bolt for the Big Ten Hockey Conference. They knew it would destroy decades-old rivalries and screw up the best postseason tournament in the country (WCHA Final Five), but they couldn't wait to do it. Only Minnesota complained about it, but they were outvoted and outnumbered. This is not something I want UND to get stuck in.

[tnt]

37 minutes ago, dakotadan said:

Michigan - 9 

Wisconsin - 6 

Minnesota - 5

Michigan State - 3 

Those are some successful red-headed bastard stepchildren. Four of those won since our last one. 

Let's see, Michigan has a 110,000 plus football stadium that they just upgraded, but have an old arena that seats 6000 for hockey.  Duluth and St. Cloud have upgraded much better than Michigan.  

[cberkas]

3 minutes ago, tnt said:

Let's see, Michigan has an 110,000 plus football stadium that they just upgraded, but have an old arena that seats 6000 for hockey.  Duluth and St. Cloud have upgraded much better than Michigan.  

I've been told that Yost won't expand or be replaced because it's the right size for the amount of people attend games there. Yost still has a good atmosphere for its size and looks like attendance has been stable there compaired to Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

[Cratter]

3 minutes ago, cberkas said:

I've been told that Yost won't expand or be replaced because it's the right size for the amount of people attend games there. 

There's always an excuse/reason for not doing something. 

I'm sure the same could be said for the old ralph. 

It's been over 40 years and haven't increased the size (actually its shrunk from the original). Never good to have a stale program. 

It will get replaced with a larger stadium eventually. When they see how much their facility is falling more behind over the years. 

[ClassB]

9 minutes ago, cberkas said:

I've been told that Yost won't expand or be replaced because it's the right size for the amount of people attend games there. Yost still has a good atmosphere for its size and looks like attendance has been stable there compaired to Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

I think it was jody hodgson on the Sit down and Cheer podcast who said it (about the Betty) but:

An arena is like building a church, you don't build it for Christmas and Easter, you build it for weekly attendance (or something like that), which implies that if they could find more than 5000+ fans who were even interested in going, they might build a bigger arena (indicator of importance).

And its fine if Michigan has decent attendance. I'd rather UND focus its efforts on sustaining the rivalries who have stuck by our side (Denver, UMD, SCSU, CC...Mankato?) and develop newer ones (Miami), with schools that prioritize hockey (NCHC).

[Nodaker]

On 2/2/2016 at 11:36 PM, GFG said:

Supposedly Iowa wants nothing to do with hockey. If you talk to people from Iowa they'll tell you that hockey is nonexistent in the state outside of the few larger towns. Even then hockey is still less popular than wrestling. At the same time I always argue this with the idea that if you have anything Hawkeyes, Iowa fans will probably show up.

Iowa will never have hockey because of this guy...

 

http://www.hawkeyesports.com/genrel/gene_taylor_918017.html 

[SiouxVolley]

2 hours ago, tnt said:

Let's see, Michigan has a 110,000 plus football stadium that they just upgraded, but have an old arena that seats 6000 for hockey.  Duluth and St. Cloud have upgraded much better than Michigan.  

And the Big House was filled for a Mich St hockey game.  Michigan doesn't need a big new arena, when they can afford to pay Harbaugh.  They prefer the Yost's quaintness.