College Hockey Expansion

[Goon]

On 4/10/2022 at 1:30 PM, nodakvindy said:

I'd like to see just an independent tourney for an autobid. Don't try to shoehorn all these teams into existing conferences. The autobid is key to survival, but if independents can schedule geographically appropriate games they will he fine. For the Alaska schools the exempt games are a big bonus.  Alabama in the winter also a nice spot especially if it isn't every year

If all leagues went to 22 or 24 game conference schedules that would enhance things more. If the leagues all expand with the new teams interconference games decline and that isn't good for anyone. 

I'd only be for it if they upped the number of bids to the NCAA Hockey tourney. Hockey in its current form would mean you're taking another bid away from a legitimate NCAA tourney team. The AHA team currently bid is already doing that. JMHO. 

[nodak651]

4 hours ago, Goon said:

I'd only be for it if they upped the number of bids to the NCAA Hockey tourney. Hockey in its current form would mean you're taking another bid away from a legitimate NCAA tourney team. The AHA team currently bid is already doing that. JMHO. 

That's literally what every auto bid does though.  Don't you want to grow the game?  Schools in the South and West aren't going to add hockey if the don't have a viable path to the NCAA tourney, and with the NCHC and CCHA being unwilling to invite new schools, there is no viable path for new programs to join a conference.  This would encourage the growth of the game which could eventually lead to new conferences in the South/West.  It would also help schools like UAA and Fairbanks, who are SOL due to no fault of their own.  When enough schools add hockey, the tournament will eventually expand anyway.  

[cberkas]

 

[cberkas]

 

[UNDColorado]

On 4/27/2022 at 2:11 PM, Rebel_Sioux said:

Hmm. Perhaps they could form a conference of sorts that played bubble like tournaments with rotating hosts. Would cut down on the travel costs for the geographically separated schools. 

Hopefully they can figure something out because I am looking forward to days where I watch UND at 4 PM AK time and then go to the Anchorage game. Gonna need an uber though 

[fightingsioux4life]

56 minutes ago, cberkas said:

 

Have a hard time believing they will put a club team in an area like that if they don't have aspirations to go Division I.

[Yote 53]

17 hours ago, cberkas said:

 

Is the city building this for an ECHL team or is it really for UGA?  Smells a lot like Coralville Events Center/Xtream Arena in Iowa City.  You don't just drop that kind of money on a facility designed for hockey for an ECHL team.  Yet, Coralville it seems did just that.  Even though I think the long game was for eventual Univ of Iowa D1 hockey.  Maybe it still is, I think COVID killed that or set it back several years.  I'm wondering if the long play is UGA D1 hockey.

[fightingsioux4life]

5 minutes ago, Yote 53 said:

Is the city building this for an ECHL team or is it really for UGA?  Smells a lot like Coralville Events Center/Xtream Arena in Iowa City.  You don't just drop that kind of money on a facility designed for hockey for an ECHL team.  Yet, Coralville it seems did just that.  Even though I think the long game was for eventual Univ of Iowa D1 hockey.  Maybe it still is, I think COVID killed that or set it back several years.  I'm wondering if the long play is UGA D1 hockey.

I don't think you put a club team into an arena like that unless there is a larger plan to go D-I.

[cberkas]

5 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

I don't think you put a club team into an arena like that unless there is a larger plan to go D-I.

They did say it was the permanent home for Georgia’s hockey team and to have a ECHL team play there. They just built a nice arena in Savannah for a ECHL team and Auburn plays in an arena the has a ECHL or SPHL team in it.

[nodak651]

5 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

I don't think you put a club team into an arena like that unless there is a larger plan to go D-I.

It will help to determine the motive if we can find plans for what the facilities will actually look like for the Georgia club team, in comparison to the ECHL team.  If Georgia has legit D1 locker rooms, medical areas, player lounges, coaching offices, etc, the Georgia will eventually look to go D1, right?  If Georgia doesn't have much more than a dedicated locker room, that might mean there aren't any plans for a D1 program.  Follow the money they say.

[nodakvindy]

On 4/27/2022 at 4:19 PM, Goon said:

I'd only be for it if they upped the number of bids to the NCAA Hockey tourney. Hockey in its current form would mean you're taking another bid away from a legitimate NCAA tourney team. The AHA team currently bid is already doing that. JMHO. 

Autobids are a smaller portion of hockey field than any other major sport. Atlantic hockey champ has been plenty competitive. 7th autobid wouldn't be an issue at all.

[SiouxHawkGuy]

Illinois OUT

[SIOUXFAN97]

1 minute ago, SiouxHawkGuy said:

Illinois OUT

?

[SiouxHawkGuy]

Just now, SIOUXFAN97 said:

?

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2022/05/02_Illinois-Drops-Plans-to-Add.php

[farce poobah]

9 minutes ago, SiouxHawkGuy said:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2022/05/02_Illinois-Drops-Plans-to-Add.php

Given the fiscal situation in Illinois, which affects all levels of government there, I’m unsurprised.   Would have actually been surprised if they decided to go forward. 

[SiouxHawkGuy]

I’m guessing ASU is looking pretty good for the Big Ten right about now

[northernraider]

52 minutes ago, SiouxHawkGuy said:

Illinois OUT

I wonder if Northwestern has hockey on the whiteboard of ideas?

[cberkas]

When 5, well if you want to count Robert Morris and UAA coming back then 7, non-Power 5 schools added hockey since they announced they were looking at adding hockey.

Illinois State pretty much has everything a team would need to add hockey. So, maybe Lindenwood adding hockey can get a couple schools to add the sport in the area 

[cberkas]

5 hours ago, SiouxHawkGuy said:

I’m guessing ASU is looking pretty good for the Big Ten right about now

They want to be in the NCHC.

I don't think they even applied to the B1G, just needed a place to play for a season and B1G let them. 

[The Sicatoka]

9 hours ago, cberkas said:

Illinois State pretty much has everything a team would need to add hockey ... 

... except the money to do it.

The State of Illinois is broke, ... and broken. 

[nodak651]

It's annoying how so many schools are perfectly fine with operating at a large loss or going into debt for literally every other sport, but when it comes to hockey everything needs to be funded up front, including operating costs and endowment, despite it being one of the only sports that can actually generate legit revenue.  It's also annoying that schools are only willing to build Taj Mahall arenas now days instead of classic designs like Cornell's rink, for like 1/4th the cost.   Illinois Athletics is over 300 million in debt!  Where were the penny pinchers when it came to literally everything up until the hockey plan was shut down?

[Yote 53]

2 hours ago, nodak651 said:

It's annoying how so many schools are perfectly fine with operating at a large loss or going into debt for literally every other sport, but when it comes to hockey everything needs to be funded up front, including operating costs and endowment, despite it being one of the only sports that can actually generate legit revenue.  It's also annoying that schools are only willing to build Taj Mahall arenas now days instead of classic designs like Cornell's rink, for like 1/4th the cost.   Illinois Athletics is over 300 million in debt!  Where were the penny pinchers when it came to literally everything up until the hockey plan was shut down?

How does this even happen when you have the Big Ten dropping dump trucks full of cash into your AD coffers and the conference is on the verge of inking a BILLION DOLLAR TV deal?  Maybe the president of the U of Illinois needs to start asking some questions about that athletic dept.  Butt loads of cash with nothing to show for it.  No on field results, no facilities, absolutely nothing.  Where does all the money go? 

 

(oh, I know where it is going, the school is siphoning it off to fund the academic side)

[cberkas]

I could see more ACHA D1teams that are looking to move up getting exhibition games against NCAA D1 teams

[SIOUXFAN97]

who would win between unlv and u of manitoba?

[cberkas]

I'd go with University of Manitoba, since they would get the CHL players who age out