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If Big Ten Offers UND Should They Join?


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If Big Ten Offers UND Should They Join?  

256 members have voted

  1. 1. If Big Ten hockey decides to expand and potentially offer UND, would you like UND to abandon the NCHC and join the Big Ten?

    • No
      192
    • Yes
      64


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I am an admitted gopher fan on this forum.  Almost never sign in but I want to for this topic.  Is there any realistic possibility that the big ten would offer UND a spot in their hockey conference?

i think the gophers need the Sioux on the short term (certainly much more than the Sioux need the gophers), but I do think the Sioux needs the big ten on the long term.. 

Adding the Sioux makes so much sense to me. I miss the rivalry, it would bring more competitiveness to the big ten (along with adding notre dame), it would bring attendance to the U of M and Wisconsin, it would bring revenue to the big ten conference and to UND.. It makes way more sense to me than adding UNO.. 

 

 

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Find it interesting that of the 200+ that voted on the poll 78% are NOT in favor of UND joining the Big Ten for hockey.  Personally I don't see any downside at all but would be fine if UND remains in the NCHC.

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9 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

There's been no deals cut and no emails / calls to faison or from faison. He's in the wait and see mode

Because he's not the athletic director at ASU. I can assure you he has a good understanding of the situation.

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UND in the NCHC:

  1. Established rivalries with 5 former WCHA foes.
  2. UMD, UNO, and St. Cloud are short, drive-able road trips.  Also, many alumni in CO.
  3. Conference is regarded as one of the best in the country
  4. Like minded schools who put a priority on hockey

UND in the B1G

  1. Reestablishing old rivalry with Wisconsin and Minnesota
  2. Having games withB1G schools guaranteed 4 times (2 at home every) year very intriguing
  3. B1G Network = $$$$$$$
  4. B1G Networkand NBC Sports (when playing Notre Dame) = more national televised games
  5. Conference Tournament (at least every other year) is at the Xcel

So there are clearly pro's to being in either conference.  I think UND is very happy with the NCHC.  Heck, they were the ones who were the driving force in forming it.  I don't think the B1G will invite UND.  But there is always that chance that they might and you have to be looking at the pros and the cons of joining just in case they do. Which is better for UND, the B1G or the NCHC?  I guess that is the debate!! 

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I've said this before in this thread, I would be absolutely shocked if UNO gets offered.  One needs to understand the politics and the hierarchy in the State of Nebraska, it is Big Red and then everybody else.  Creighton gets pub in basketball but there is nothing UN-L can do about Creighton as they are private.  UNO though, they have total control over.  I just don't see UN-L sharing the Big Ten label with UNO, even if it's only hockey, and at the same time putting a barrier in their place to ever adding a hockey program themselves.

I know quite a few people in the Nebraska hockey scene, from youth hockey on up to even UNO, and there have been quite a few of them telling me it is just a matter of time before UN-L starts up a team.  UNO is being used to sell the sport to the public, UN-L will come in and make it their own.  Any sport that dons the Red N and has any sort of success Nebraskans flock to in droves.  I've seen it, obviously with football, but also when they have decent runs in basketball, baseball, and volleyball.  Hell, I've had Husker fans brag up their freaking bowling program to me.  FWIW, when I wake up in the morning and walk outside my view is the bluffs of the Nebraska border across the Missouri River.  I am well accustomed to being around Husker fan, Huskerland, and how these folks think.  I just don't see this UNO thing ever happening from a politics standpoint, nothing to do with the quality of UNO's program. 

If I had a vote, UND to the BTHC would be a no-brainer for both sides, but I'm not a school president, and that is who makes these decisions.

Finally, with enough money and resources anything can be built.  I think the Big Ten is going to build some programs from scratch before long here.

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20 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Find it interesting that of the 200+ that voted on the poll 78% are NOT in favor of UND joining the Big Ten for hockey.  Personally I don't see any downside at all but would be fine if UND remains in the NCHC.

I was in the "absolutely not" crowd until ND joined.  From a pure hockey standpoint we are a big school.  Other teams in the NCHC build good team by selecting over-agers, kids who peaked later and didn't receive an offer from a bigger school (MN, Mich, ND, UND, etc.).  I am afraid that we get left out of this conference (filled with the bigger schools and in our recruiting territory) that we would be forced to eventually change our recruiting strategy to older players.  What happens when they do lower the age?  This is all pure speculation I simply don't like where all this is going. 

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I wonder if UND would see more TV options open up with the Big10. Obviously the Big Ten Network, and NBC Sports as mentioned above, but possible more on FSN North? Or re-establishing the Fox College Sports setup that we had a few years ago?

I don't hate the idea of the Big 10, as we would get Wisco, MN, and Michigan on a regular basis. Ohio St and Penn St really do nothing for me.

I do hate the idea of potential Thursday, or even Sunday games.

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6 minutes ago, UNDvince97-01 said:

Honest to gawd, if UNO gets offered over UND I will have nothing to do but laugh at the Big 10 and their leadership. 

That would be completely irrational and make zero sense in my opinion.

UNO should be the 5th option, not the first.

Nebraska is a big market for the B10 and with the Huskers already a full member, it wouldn't be that surprising.

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6 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

I wonder if UND would see more TV options open up with the Big10. Obviously the Big Ten Network, and NBC Sports as mentioned above, but possible more on FSN North? Or re-establishing the Fox College Sports setup that we had a few years ago?

I don't hate the idea of the Big 10, as we would get Wisco, MN, and Michigan on a regular basis. Ohio St and Penn St really do nothing for me.

I do hate the idea of potential Thursday, or even Sunday games.

I forgot about that stupid Thursday Sunday thing... makes being a season ticket holder from across the state pretty tough.

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1 minute ago, ericpnelson said:

I forgot about that stupid Thursday Sunday thing... makes being a season ticket holder from across the state pretty tough.

I believe a UM-TC fan already explained that is not a real concern.  Only happens like once a year or something similar.

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1 minute ago, ericpnelson said:

I forgot about that stupid Thursday Sunday thing... makes being a season ticket holder from across the state pretty tough.

Right, and I don't think they have many of them, but still ... I'm a creature of habit. Grew up in Mpls and watched the Goofs every Friday and Saturday. Transitioned seamlessly into a much better market when I moved to Grand Forks, and I love watching my Sioux play on Friday and Saturday night. Especially having kids, I'm not out running around the town on weekends. I like to get them to bed, and enjoy my hockey time.

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30 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

I think its a pretty big stretch to assume that an affiliate member in a minor sport would get any sort of significant chunk of TV revenue from the B1G Network.

I think that's just one of the concessions that a smart AD in our position would ask for.  Not equal share.  Just a respectable amount.  That would be incumbent upon any intelligent AD.

If not, no deal.

Maybe I'm giving our AD too much credit here and making outrageous assumptions?...

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4 minutes ago, UNDvince97-01 said:

I think that's just one of the concessions that a smart AD in our position would ask for.  Not equal share.  Just a respectable amount.  That would be incumbent on any intelligent AD.

If not, no deal.

Maybe I'm giving our AD too much credit here and making outrageous assumptions?...

I'd say asking them to match the Midco payment is reasonable :xmas:

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17 minutes ago, siouxkid12 said:

Nebraska is a big market for the B10 and with the Huskers already a full member, it wouldn't be that surprising.

We are talking about college hockey....and fanbases.....and tradition....and rivalries.....and attendance....

The exact problems the BIG 10 has right now. 

UNO does nothing to fix that.  Specifically relative to UND.

It would be a terrible decision for the Big 10 to take UNO over UND.  But I guess that's my opinion again.

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What's the deal with everyone thinking that the B10 is going to reach out to UND anyway? Yes, UND should listen but I don't see any reason to make the jump.

1. The membership is only in hockey.

2. It's not like UND will be getting a huge chunk of TV revenue. UND has the power in the NCHC, why give that up and move onto the B10 where you don't have power?

3. The league sucks right now and at this moment it doesn't look good for them, compared to the NCHC.

4. Thursday/Sunday games, there wont be many but there will be some. I don't like the idea of resting players two days between games against the same teams and it is troublesome for fans.

5. UND is already in a conference with schools that put hockey first, B10 puts hockey behind other sports as Football, Men's and Woman's BBall. Why go to a conference like that.

 

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27 minutes ago, JohnboyND7 said:

I believe a UM-TC fan already explained that is not a real concern.  Only happens like once a year or something similar.

Good to know.

I would hope UND would still try to schedule non-conference games against Denver, Duluth, maybe even St Cloud... those are always fun.

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