Madison.com: Big Ten Hockey in discussions past summer - MAC schools may be invite
Quote:Alvarez believes the sport needs to be more regionalized, especially as it relates to programs in the CCHA and WCHA. Both leagues have schools that stretch from the Eastern time zone to Alaska. They also have diverse memberships, with schools whose other athletic programs are classified from NCAA Division I to I-AA to Division III, as well as carrying varied academic requirements.
Ohio State officials are openly supportive of the idea of a Big Ten affiliation. Calls to administrators at Michigan and Michigan State were not returned, but multiple sources around college hockey say they brought open minds to the summer talks.
Whatever momentum the initiative seemed to have gained, though, apparently slowed because Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi spoke out strongly against it.
Quote:According to sources familiar with the Big Ten discussions, multiple scenarios were broached. One would bring Notre Dame, a CCHA member, into the mix to create the six-school lineup required by the NCAA for one of its automatic national tournament berths.
Another plan would incorporate some combination of Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan into the arrangement. All three are CCHA members that compete at the Division I level in all sports.
The summer talks came against the backdrop of significant upheaval in the NCAA Division I ranks.
If FBS is what's needed to get admission to a Big Ten Hockey Conference, UND leadership might press for FBS. There has been talk of it, including a new retractable roof stadium.
Sounds like something that'll screw over a lot of the regional schools in the CCHA and WCHA, and will do the worst thing possible for college hockey: making it more college football-like.
I love college hockey because teams that are not D-I in other sports, and/or not 'major' schools, especially my own team, BU, can compete against Michigan, BC, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, etc., etc. I especially love that tOSU is a completely average program.
Hopefully college hockey continues to grow, and maybe in the next 10-15 years we'll see some new programs starting up, but I dont want to see probably the most 'fair' college sport cheapened.
A realignment probably wouldn't be all that bad. What's wrong w/ both Alaska teams being in the same conference? Or UNO playing Colorado College?
Sports are local, a realignment may actually help college hockey. And in the end, Minnesota is still gonna play N. Dakota.
Certainly the Big 10 is poised to take advantage of strong programs and good positioning. I'd like to see the MAC teams get a part of that.
(10-12-2009 12:14 AM)JHG722 Wrote: [ -> ]Sounds like something that'll screw over a lot of the regional schools in the CCHA and WCHA, and will do the worst thing possible for college hockey: making it more college football-like.
I love college hockey because teams that are not D-I in other sports, and/or not 'major' schools, especially my own team, BU, can compete against Michigan, BC, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, etc., etc. I especially love that tOSU is a completely average program.
Hopefully college hockey continues to grow, and maybe in the next 10-15 years we'll see some new programs starting up, but I dont want to see probably the most 'fair' college sport cheapened.
Agree 100%.
(10-12-2009 08:37 AM)IULurker Wrote: [ -> ] (10-12-2009 12:14 AM)JHG722 Wrote: [ -> ]Sounds like something that'll screw over a lot of the regional schools in the CCHA and WCHA, and will do the worst thing possible for college hockey: making it more college football-like.
I love college hockey because teams that are not D-I in other sports, and/or not 'major' schools, especially my own team, BU, can compete against Michigan, BC, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, etc., etc. I especially love that tOSU is a completely average program.
Hopefully college hockey continues to grow, and maybe in the next 10-15 years we'll see some new programs starting up, but I dont want to see probably the most 'fair' college sport cheapened.
Agree 100%.
The Big Ten sees revenue potential in hockey. To them it could generate money on a small scale, which is better than being a money drain on football like most sports.
If the Big Ten can bring in top schools while killing their major regional conference competition, they will do it without hesitation.
Well, if the Big Ten wants their own hockey league, let 'em. Either MAC teams are invited or they aren't. If not, we may as well have a Mid-American Hockey Conference. Joining the core of WMU, MU, & BGSU could be schools such as Ferris, NMU, LSSU, and UNO. Maybe even a couple of new MAC programs, such as Buffalo, NIU, and/or others.
(10-12-2009 08:58 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Well, if the Big Ten wants their own hockey league, let 'em. Either MAC teams are invited or they aren't. If not, we may as well have a Mid-American Hockey Conference. Joining the core of WMU, MU, & BGSU could be schools such as Ferris, NMU, LSSU, and UNO. Maybe even a couple of new MAC programs, such as Buffalo, NIU, and/or others.
Funny, I thought exactly the same thing.
I don't understand the angst about realignment. Frankly, any look at the current conferences proves it makes sense. It could benefit every team and the sport by reducing travel costs, improving regional rivalries, and making it a higher-profile sport by casting it as a Big 10 sport.
If the concern is that Ferris State may lose hockey as UM and MSU move on, then I appreciate that. It's not the job of Big 10 schools to screw residents out of scholarships.
(10-12-2009 08:58 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Well, if the Big Ten wants their own hockey league, let 'em. Either MAC teams are invited or they aren't. If not, we may as well have a Mid-American Hockey Conference. Joining the core of WMU, MU, & BGSU could be schools such as Ferris, NMU, LSSU, and UNO. Maybe even a couple of new MAC programs, such as Buffalo, NIU, and/or others.
Temple hockey baby
(10-12-2009 11:10 PM)JHG722 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-12-2009 08:58 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Well, if the Big Ten wants their own hockey league, let 'em. Either MAC teams are invited or they aren't. If not, we may as well have a Mid-American Hockey Conference. Joining the core of WMU, MU, & BGSU could be schools such as Ferris, NMU, LSSU, and UNO. Maybe even a couple of new MAC programs, such as Buffalo, NIU, and/or others.
Temple hockey baby
There is hockey in Philly??? lol
(10-12-2009 11:15 PM)utpotts Wrote: [ -> ] (10-12-2009 11:10 PM)JHG722 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-12-2009 08:58 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote: [ -> ]Well, if the Big Ten wants their own hockey league, let 'em. Either MAC teams are invited or they aren't. If not, we may as well have a Mid-American Hockey Conference. Joining the core of WMU, MU, & BGSU could be schools such as Ferris, NMU, LSSU, and UNO. Maybe even a couple of new MAC programs, such as Buffalo, NIU, and/or others.
Temple hockey baby
There is hockey in Philly??? lol
Not college, unfortunately. We have a club team, but meh. Closest college hockey team is Princeton, since Penn doesnt have a team.
Hopefully, we'll see Temple hockey in D-I someday down the line.
Would love to see D-1 hockey at NIU someday. Perhaps with the resurgence of the Blackhawks, there will be enough interest generated where it may be possible. You never know.
And hey, how about them Hawks tonight? Down 5-0 and come back to win 6-5 in OT!!
Last year I suggested that the MAC drop baseball as a required sport for membership and replace it with hockey. Fans of MAC schools posted that under no circumstances would they support their team leaving the CCHA. Now, instead of the MAC being ahead of the curve in a sport that is very popular in this region, we are behind.
Did y'all miss where UNO was moving to the WCHA as of 2011?
The WCHA would fair far better having the PigXi schools pull together. They would add NMU and LSSU [and possibly MiAudi with their recent success and new arena] to their stronger core of remaining schools. Miami [if left out], BG, WMU, and Ferris would remain and - if not being invited into another conference - would likely die on the vine.
I would find it very surprising if any MAC school outside of UB would "start up" a hockey program. The amount of cost both startup and on-going would neutralize any gain from a CBA standpoint.
(10-13-2009 05:29 AM)Rightupinthere Wrote: [ -> ]Did y'all miss where UNO was moving to the WCHA as of 2011?
The WCHA would fair far better having the PigXi schools pull together. They would add NMU and LSSU [and possibly MiAudi with their recent success and new arena] to their stronger core of remaining schools. Miami [if left out], BG, WMU, and Ferris would remain and - if not being invited into another conference - would likely die on the vine.
I don't see how leaving the CCHA for the WCHA helps LSSU and NMU.
Since no college hockey is currently played in Philly, TEMPLE could fill the void. It's a great opportunity to not only succeed on the ice, but it could also be a revenue-producing sport with what I would expect to have a high attendance.
(10-13-2009 07:38 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ] (10-13-2009 05:29 AM)Rightupinthere Wrote: [ -> ]Did y'all miss where UNO was moving to the WCHA as of 2011?
The WCHA would fair far better having the PigXi schools pull together. They would add NMU and LSSU [and possibly MiAudi with their recent success and new arena] to their stronger core of remaining schools. Miami [if left out], BG, WMU, and Ferris would remain and - if not being invited into another conference - would likely die on the vine.
I don't see how leaving the CCHA for the WCHA helps LSSU and NMU.
The teams remaining in the WCHA would offer a far superior foundation for a hockey conference than what would be remaining in the CCHA.
(10-13-2009 08:30 AM)Rightupinthere Wrote: [ -> ] (10-13-2009 07:38 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ] (10-13-2009 05:29 AM)Rightupinthere Wrote: [ -> ]Did y'all miss where UNO was moving to the WCHA as of 2011?
The WCHA would fair far better having the PigXi schools pull together. They would add NMU and LSSU [and possibly MiAudi with their recent success and new arena] to their stronger core of remaining schools. Miami [if left out], BG, WMU, and Ferris would remain and - if not being invited into another conference - would likely die on the vine.
I don't see how leaving the CCHA for the WCHA helps LSSU and NMU.
The teams remaining in the WCHA would offer a far superior foundation for a hockey conference than what would be remaining in the CCHA.
What's in it for the WCHA? Added travel costs?
Here's the current layout of Div I hockey (based on USCHO) and a few alternatives.
Given the bizarre arrangement currently in hockey, realignment would benefit almost everyone. Of course the CCHA would seem to be hurt if the Big 10 left, but it's not as dramatic as people make it out to be. There would still be games between the Big 10 teams and CCHA teams.
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(10-13-2009 05:29 AM)Rightupinthere Wrote: [ -> ]Did y'all miss where UNO was moving to the WCHA as of 2011?
The WCHA would fair far better having the PigXi schools pull together. They would add NMU and LSSU [and possibly MiAudi with their recent success and new arena] to their stronger core of remaining schools. Miami [if left out], BG, WMU, and Ferris would remain and - if not being invited into another conference - would likely die on the vine.
I would find it very surprising if any MAC school outside of UB would "start up" a hockey program. The amount of cost both startup and on-going would neutralize any gain from a CBA standpoint.
Twenty years ago, the WCHA would have welcomed LSSU and NMU. Not so sure today. All the WCHA schools have modern rinks with at least 5000 capacity except MTU. CC, DU, and UAA wouldn't want more UP teams in (and probably UND and UNO): they just don't add enough and are very difficult to travel to.
The big question is if the Big Ten schools play conference hard ball with the Irish and chose the MAC schools as affiliates, or play nice with Notre Dame and choose them. If the Big Ten went the MAC route, would that be the impetus needed for Ohio or Kent State to restart programs or Buffalo to start one?
If the BTHC did occur, the WCHA would probably be:
UAA, UAF, CC, DU, UND, Bemidji, St Cloud, UMD, MSUM, UNO
Without UM and UW and more western travel, MTU might then want to join it's upper Michigan schools and the CCHA. The new CCHA (assuming Notre Dame to the BTHC) could then be: MTU, NMU, LSSU, Ferris, BGSU, WMU, Miami, UAH, Robert Morris, Niagara.