A 12-Team WCHA

[AZSIOUX]

The only outcome of this would be less games against Minnesota, Wisconsin, Denver, and so on. I don't want to see that.

hell its unbalanced already, not that big of a deal to me. drop a non conference weekend vs wayne state and add 1 more wcha weekend.

[Upper Deck]

hell its unbalanced already, not that big of a deal to me. drop a non conference weekend vs wayne state and add 1 more wcha weekend.

Exactly. Or give them some type of alternate status.

[Siouxfan_inDenver]

I have no problem with BSU coming into the WCHA, except that I do not want to see it water the league down. I don't want the Sioux to play in CCHA #2.

[Goon]

I have no problem with BSU coming into the WCHA, except that I do not want to see it water the league down. I don't want the Sioux to play in CCHA #2.

Rube cred.

[farce poobah]

Let's make an 6-team "WCHA" and a 6-team "CHA".

* 20 conference games (4 vs each opponent),

* plus 8 "joint scheduled games (4 series vs the other league).

* Each year, the bottom team in the WCHA gets demoted, and the CHA champion gets promoted.

Advantages:

1) Two auto bids.

2) Preserves Bemidji, Huntsville and other good hockey schools' D1 teams.

3) Preserves traditional rivalries.

4) Leaves room for 4-6 other games, such as GLI, Showcase, etc etc.

5) Familiar to fans of European football.

Disadvantages:

1) Fewer games for UND vs Mankato.

2) Juggling schedules.

3) Don't know if special approval needed from NCAA re conference membership.

[dakotadan]

I would have to say "no thanks" to BSU coming into the WCHA. Just my opinion though.

Can I pick neither? Just kidding. Nothing against Bemidji but they are just not the type of school/program that I would want to see added to the WCHA. I don't want to give up games against the traditional rivals for conference games against BSU. As far as exposure, UAA does bring more than BSU would. There are already 4 Minnesota schools in the conference. The state of Minnesota is pretty well convered. However, UAA is the only Alaska school in the conference.

As far as the proposed Bemidji Regional Events Center, I don't expect a school to have a palace as an arena. But the BREC will only seat 3,500. I would like to see any new schools to be able to pull in at least 5-6,000 fans or more.

I also don't want to see any college hockey programs disappear. I would really like to see college hockey as a whole work to stabilize the CHA and work on finding new college hockey programs. I also would like to see UND continue the home/home series with BSU. I understand that they have to pay their bills and their fans want to see home games. Also, come time for playoffs, BSU is a good non-conference series to have on your schedule.

[repeat]

I don't want to give up games against Minnesota, Wisconsin, Denver and CC for games against Bemigji and UA-Huntsville.

Start talking about the University of Colorado, Colorado State, Etc. and I will be interested in expanding the WCHA.

[MafiaMan]

The moment you open the door for small schools like Bemidji State and others to join the WCHA is the day Wisconsin and Minnesota start revisiting the idea of a Big 10 hockey conference. Don't laugh. With the emergence of Notre Dame as a more-than-respectable team and Michigan State's resurgence as a national power, think of the snowball effect this could have if the idea caught steam:

Michigan State

Michigan

Ohio State

Notre Dame

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Obbiously throw out Ohio State and Notre Dame from this next thought, but count the national championships from the rest of the schools and you have one heckofa powerhouse conference with the Northern Michigans, St Clouds, Lake Superior States, North Dakotas, and Western Michigans of the world pulling out all the stops to get into what would be the rest of the Big 10 Conference. If North Dakota were to be denied admission (based on the logical distance factor), you're WCHA could suddenly look like this:

Alaska (they're no longer Alaska-Fairbanks)

Alaska-Anchorage

Denver

Colorado College

St Cloud State

North Dakota

Minnesota-Duluth

Minnesota State

Bemidji State

Michigan Tech

With all due respect, I prefer the idea of playing Minnesota and Wisconsin 6-8 times a year as opposed to the "new" WCHA. You folks screaming that the WCHA admit Bemidji State ASAP should be careful what you wish for. Don't kid yourself into thinking Minnesota would prefer playing another small-time Minnesota school as opposed to the Spartans and Wolverines a few more times a year.

[bincitysioux]

The moment you open the door for small schools like Bemidji State and others to join the WCHA is the day Wisconsin and Minnesota start revisiting the idea of a Big 10 hockey conference. Don't laugh. With the emergence of Notre Dame as a more-than-respectable team and Michigan State's resurgence as a national power, think of the snowball effect this could have if the idea caught steam:

Michigan State

Michigan

Ohio State

Notre Dame

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Obbiously throw out Ohio State and Notre Dame from this next thought, but count the national championships from the rest of the schools and you have one heckofa powerhouse conference with the Northern Michigans, St Clouds, Lake Superior States, North Dakotas, and Western Michigans of the world pulling out all the stops to get into what would be the rest of the Big 10 Conference. If North Dakota were to be denied admission (based on the logical distance factor), you're WCHA could suddenly look like this:

Alaska (they're no longer Alaska-Fairbanks)

Alaska-Anchorage

Denver

Colorado College

St Cloud State

North Dakota

Minnesota-Duluth

Minnesota State

Bemidji State

Michigan Tech

With all due respect, I prefer the idea of playing Minnesota and Wisconsin 6-8 times a year as opposed to the "new" WCHA. You folks screaming that the WCHA admit Bemidji State ASAP should be careful what you wish for. Don't kid yourself into thinking Minnesota would prefer playing another small-time Minnesota school as opposed to the Spartans and Wolverines a few more times a year.

I agree with all that. Since the Big 10 Network started up, there's been all sort of rumors that the Big 10 may look to expand by adding a large market team from the east such as Pitt, Rutgers, or Syracuse basically just to create more programming for their network and to get the network into another larger viewership market. If they're willing to consider that, I'm confident they are also contemplating the viability of their own hockey conference with the current hockey-playing Big 10 schools and a couple of others that you mentioned. They are already have shown and will show more WCHA and CCHA games on their network. Admitting schools like Bemidji St. and Alaska will only help schools like Wisconsin and Minnesota to more quickly see the benefits of a Big 10 hockey conference. I fear it could end up being like when the WAC expanded so much and then half the conference (the most prominent schools) left in the middle of the night and formed the Mountain West.

I admit, if UND were to be included in such a conference, I wouldn't have any problem with that. But if there is any question about it, I think things should stay status quo.

[UNDPUCKS]

The moment you open the door for small schools like Bemidji State and others to join the WCHA is the day Wisconsin and Minnesota start revisiting the idea of a Big 10 hockey conference. Don't laugh. With the emergence of Notre Dame as a more-than-respectable team and Michigan State's resurgence as a national power, think of the snowball effect this could have if the idea caught steam:

Michigan State

Michigan

Ohio State

Notre Dame

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Obbiously throw out Ohio State and Notre Dame from this next thought, but count the national championships from the rest of the schools and you have one heckofa powerhouse conference with the Northern Michigans, St Clouds, Lake Superior States, North Dakotas, and Western Michigans of the world pulling out all the stops to get into what would be the rest of the Big 10 Conference. If North Dakota were to be denied admission (based on the logical distance factor), you're WCHA could suddenly look like this:

Alaska (they're no longer Alaska-Fairbanks)

Alaska-Anchorage

Denver

Colorado College

St Cloud State

North Dakota

Minnesota-Duluth

Minnesota State

Bemidji State

Michigan Tech

With all due respect, I prefer the idea of playing Minnesota and Wisconsin 6-8 times a year as opposed to the "new" WCHA. You folks screaming that the WCHA admit Bemidji State ASAP should be careful what you wish for. Don't kid yourself into thinking Minnesota would prefer playing another small-time Minnesota school as opposed to the Spartans and Wolverines a few more times a year.

The false ND (Notre Dame) is not in the Big Ten.

[bincitysioux]

The false ND (Notre Dame) is not in the Big Ten.

But if Big 10 hockey happened, they would be included/invited immediately.

[star2city]

NCAA's Division II will vote Monday if it will accept Canadian schools as members. UBC, Alberta, and Simon Fraser are all expected to move to DII if the Canadian resolution passes. When DI lifts their moratorium on DI move-ups and DI one-sport exemptions in 2011, as DII members, UBC and Alberta would then be theoretically eligible to move hockey (and likely volleyball) to DI. Vancouver and Edmonton are the kind of markets that the WCHA would be most interested in.

[Cratter]

I too hope Bemidji St isn't added. They would water down the league. All this would mean less games against more traditional rivals and give reason for the proponents of a Big Ten Hockey League.

The WCHA just can't go around adding schools. 10 is a good number.

[jimdahl]

Interesting topic -- I made "should the WCHA add Bemidji St." the front page poll.

I'm a little surprised to see it 50-50 in early voting.

[AZSIOUX]

The moment you open the door for small schools like Bemidji State and others to join the WCHA is the day Wisconsin and Minnesota start revisiting the idea of a Big 10 hockey conference. Don't laugh. With the emergence of Notre Dame as a more-than-respectable team and Michigan State's resurgence as a national power, think of the snowball effect this could have if the idea caught steam:

Michigan State

Michigan

Ohio State

Notre Dame

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Obbiously throw out Ohio State and Notre Dame from this next thought, but count the national championships from the rest of the schools and you have one heckofa powerhouse conference with the Northern Michigans, St Clouds, Lake Superior States, North Dakotas, and Western Michigans of the world pulling out all the stops to get into what would be the rest of the Big 10 Conference. If North Dakota were to be denied admission (based on the logical distance factor), you're WCHA could suddenly look like this:

Alaska (they're no longer Alaska-Fairbanks)

Alaska-Anchorage

Denver

Colorado College

St Cloud State

North Dakota

Minnesota-Duluth

Minnesota State

Bemidji State

Michigan Tech

With all due respect, I prefer the idea of playing Minnesota and Wisconsin 6-8 times a year as opposed to the "new" WCHA. You folks screaming that the WCHA admit Bemidji State ASAP should be careful what you wish for. Don't kid yourself into thinking Minnesota would prefer playing another small-time Minnesota school as opposed to the Spartans and Wolverines a few more times a year.

not sure im screaming. just would like to see them added. if they are added do you know 110% that will happen that a big 10 is added? just wondering? kick alaska out and add bemidji, easy does it the question isnt if they can hang and recruit inthe wcha which they can but i do see both sides. just want them in as i think it makes more sense than having uaa in the league. whatever happens happens

[happy]

I posted this on uscho,

"clearly, the wcha could add a team or two, and then drop the number of 4 game series every year to just one, with just the official wcha rivals. that would then allow the Big Ten teams more non conference games to allow a real Big Ten championships. This only hurts the bottom teams in the wcha, all the top teams can pick and chose who they want for non conference games."

now, this doesn't make any sense to a UND fan, but it would to the AD, because it would allow UND to schedule more home non-conference games, which is money in the bank. The reason that it is unlikely that the Big Ten teams would move to their own conference is that now they get to play for two autobids, and two conference championships, and almost every year there are usually 4 teams in the NCAA, if they were all together in the Big Ten, they would just be beating themselves to a pulp, instead of the bottom teams in the wcha and ccha. However, who really knows what the BTN will want, they are the 800 lb gorilla in the room. They may be able to get Iowa, or Penn State to add hockey, or something like that. I expect that the wcha will drop the number of conference games down to 26, and the Big Ten will get it's own championship going again.

personally, I would rather get rid of AA, and Mtu, and go to a 8 team wcha. Let those two join the cha.

[MafiaMan]

personally, I would rather get rid of AA, and Mtu, and go to a 8 team wcha. Let those two join the cha.

Yea, let's tell WCHA flagship team Mitchigan Tech to take a hike...and take their silly little MacNaughton Cup with them!

For those of you who need a history lesson, here's a bit of reading regarding MTU and the MacNaughton Cup:

History of the MacNaughton Cup

[AZSIOUX]

Yea, let's tell WCHA flagship team Mitchigan Tech to take a hike...and take their silly little MacNaughton Cup with them!

For those of you who need a history lesson, here's a bit of reading regarding MTU and the MacNaughton Cup:

History of the MacNaughton Cup

i would never want tech gone. just uaa only if we could add bemidji of course but thats where i draw the line

[Cratter]

Yea, let's tell WCHA flagship team Mitchigan Tech to take a hike...and take their silly little MacNaughton Cup with them!

For those of you who need a history lesson, here's a bit of reading regarding MTU and the MacNaughton Cup:

History of the MacNaughton Cup

I don't think it would be that hard for the WCHA (or any other team) to make/pay for a trophy and start its own history instead of having to always worry about having Michigan Tech being in the league for use of their cup.

Now that I think about it. Who needs the history of the McNaughton Cup. Shouldn't the league care more about the history of the WCHA and its championships than the simple name and looks of the cup that the winner is awarded?

[happy]

Yea, let's tell WCHA flagship team Mitchigan Tech to take a hike...and take their silly little MacNaughton Cup with them!

For those of you who need a history lesson, here's a bit of reading regarding MTU and the MacNaughton Cup:

History of the MacNaughton Cup

They have shown no loyalty at all when they left before, and I have had many UND fans tell me the MacNaughton Cup isn't very important, anyways. I am sure many UND fans would gladly trade two games against MTU with games against more traditional rivals if they could. Who really wants to go to the UP anyway?

[GeauxSioux]

Time to Help a Brother in Need

If the WCHA turns down Bemidji State again, it will be sad indeed. It would place the entire program at BSU in jeopardy.

A few WCHA schools - UND and Minnesota-Duluth in particular - have been helpful in including the Beavers on their schedules. That's well and good and UND coach Dave Hakstol said Wednesday that he is committed to playing the Beavers every year.

Yet the WCHA needs to look at its own history and realize that now is the time to step up and do more to help a brother in trouble, a league in trouble. With just 59 schools playing in Division I, college hockey cannot afford to see that number decline more than the death bell tolling for Wayne State.

[star2city]

The moment you open the door for small schools like Bemidji State and others to join the WCHA is the day Wisconsin and Minnesota start revisiting the idea of a Big 10 hockey conference. Don't laugh. With the emergence of Notre Dame as a more-than-respectable team and Michigan State's resurgence as a national power, think of the snowball effect this could have if the idea caught steam:

Michigan State

Michigan

Ohio State

Notre Dame

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Obbiously throw out Ohio State and Notre Dame from this next thought, but count the national championships from the rest of the schools and you have one heckofa powerhouse conference with the Northern Michigans, St Clouds, Lake Superior States, North Dakotas, and Western Michigans of the world pulling out all the stops to get into what would be the rest of the Big 10 Conference. If North Dakota were to be denied admission (based on the logical distance factor), you're WCHA could suddenly look like this:

Alaska (they're no longer Alaska-Fairbanks)

Alaska-Anchorage

Denver

Colorado College

St Cloud State

North Dakota

Minnesota-Duluth

Minnesota State

Bemidji State

Michigan Tech

With all due respect, I prefer the idea of playing Minnesota and Wisconsin 6-8 times a year as opposed to the "new" WCHA. You folks screaming that the WCHA admit Bemidji State ASAP should be careful what you wish for. Don't kid yourself into thinking Minnesota would prefer playing another small-time Minnesota school as opposed to the Spartans and Wolverines a few more times a year.

Based on this news blogger from Bemidji, not only are the Gophs and Badgers are opposed to BSU's admittance, but there's turmoil in the WCHA as Minnie and Sconnie may leave, so the WCHA might have to take Bemidji in a few years.

The Gophers and Wisconsin do not want to use up some of their games and dates to play in a 4000 seat arena in Bemidji, MN. We do play some of these teams now as "pick up" / non-conference games. But joining the league is another matter. Another problem...if they allow 1 team...then they have 11 ...an odd number. Not good for scheduling. So you end up with off weeks on your schedule because of the odd number. Another thing...you just don't join the WCHA...you kind of have to earn your way in. That is why Dr. Quistgaard said it may take 3 to 5 years to get full status. The President did say there is some turmoil in the WCHA as apparently the BIG 10 NETWORK has offered BIG MONEY to the BIG 10 schools with Div 1 Hockey programs (including Wisconsin and Minnesota) for television rights...which may lead to them leaving the WCHA which could be why the WCHA is listening to Bemidji State.

[star2city]

Confirmation of the Bemidji news blogger story? (expect Big 10 hockey after 4 years?):

WCHA expected to sign 4 year agreement with BSU

Bemidji State is expected to get a favorable response today when school President Jon Quistgaard asks the WCHA for a scheduling partnership during a meeting at the NCAA convention in Nashville.

The request comes because College Hockey America is shrinking. If nothing changes, it will have only four teams next season

[USA Hockey]

I will state my opinion on this, take it as you want. I'm not in favor of Bemidji in the WCHA primarly because of scheduling purposes. I would rather see games against Minnesota, Wisconsin, Denver, etc. rather than for example four games against Bemidji and two against Minnesota. Although I don't think it will happen, what would be nice to see is a couple of small schools out of the CCHA and Atlantic Hockey possibly form a new conference with some of th remaining teams of the CHA.

[Cratter]

It appears the best we can hope for is to replace Bemidji St with the loss of Wisconsin and Minnesota with the hopes that UND will be able to become a member of the Big Ten Conference since it will obviously need members anyways.

Otherwise a conference UND is in without "Big Names" (MN & WI) would be very bad for UND.

[Goon]

I think evenutally the NCAA is going to say lets make it work and ask some of these conference to step up. I am sure the that the AHA could take a few more teams and it would seem logical that Niagra and RMU and possibly UAH go that direction. Last conference in maybe twist there arm a bit.

However, if some of these conference don't take the teams that are left over I could see the NCAA start pulling NCAA tourney bids and drop back to 14 or 12 teams in the NCAA tourney. I could see this happening, there would probably be less teams in college hockey. Maybe the conference could tell the NCAA they need to increase conference games as well or they won't add anyone...