The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/...106716122/

Oakland doesn't have a football program and it's contributing to the school lacking an identity for the Alumni. A hockey program might tend to alleviate that, hockey being as popular as it is in the Detroit area.

Sounds great and hope it works out for them. Maybe start play in the Big Ten and if they prove themselves there, offer them a chance to move up to the NCHC level.

Would be great for Oakland. Lots of hockey fans in metro Detroit. My daughter is at Oakland, and would love this.

(10-16-2017 10:25 PM)tayles mullet Wrote:  Maybe start play in the Big Ten and if they prove themselves there, offer them a chance to move up to the NCHC level.

Haha, love it

(10-17-2017 05:20 AM)brovol Wrote:  Would be great for Oakland. Lots of hockey fans in metro Detroit. My daughter is at Oakland, and would love this.

Oakland would be a perfect fit for the new WCHA.

(10-17-2017 04:00 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(10-17-2017 05:20 AM)brovol Wrote:  Would be great for Oakland. Lots of hockey fans in metro Detroit. My daughter is at Oakland, and would love this.

Oakland would be a perfect fit for the new WCHA.

We actually agree on something.

It would be nice for WMU to play Oakland in hockey. I don't understand why we don't play them at least one in basketball every year. We play Oakland somewhat regularly, but not every year.

Looks like they would play at LC arena with Red Wing backing. Can't see them building $50M + ice arena without having established program. WCHA would be natural fit.

(10-19-2017 02:01 PM)BuickBronco Wrote:  Looks like they would play at LC arena with Red Wing backing.

Would never happen.

(10-19-2017 10:52 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(10-19-2017 02:01 PM)BuickBronco Wrote:  Looks like they would play at LC arena with Red Wing backing.

Would never happen.

How the hell do you know

(10-20-2017 05:47 AM)goldsworth Wrote:  

(10-19-2017 10:52 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(10-19-2017 02:01 PM)BuickBronco Wrote:  Looks like they would play at LC arena with Red Wing backing.

Would never happen.

How the hell do you know

In his special little world he knows everything.

It would happen and the GLI would take on new meaning plus some additional college games could be scheduled. Doubt they play out in Plymouth. There is a arena north of town, can't recall the name but it only seats about 3k. Where did Wayne St play in their short lived D1 program? Ran into Wilky last summer at Bronson Art fair come to think of it.

(10-20-2017 08:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  It would happen and the GLI would take on new meaning plus some additional college games could be scheduled. Doubt they play out in Plymouth. There is a arena north of town, can't recall the name but it only seats about 3k. Where did Wayne St play in their short lived D1 program? Ran into Wilky last summer at Bronson Art fair come to think of it.

Why would it affect the GLI? The GLI always has MSU, UM, and MTU. There's no way Oakland would become a permanent 4th team. They would just be another michigan school that could be worked in from time to time.

(10-20-2017 01:04 PM)Bronc33 Wrote:  

(10-20-2017 08:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  It would happen and the GLI would take on new meaning plus some additional college games could be scheduled. Doubt they play out in Plymouth. There is a arena north of town, can't recall the name but it only seats about 3k. Where did Wayne St play in their short lived D1 program? Ran into Wilky last summer at Bronson Art fair come to think of it.

Why would it affect the GLI? The GLI always has MSU, UM, and MTU. There's no way Oakland would become a permanent 4th team. They would just be another michigan school that could be worked in from time to time.

Unfortunately for WMU, Oakland has a lot of political presence in Oakland County. That will push them to have more GLI presence than Western. I hate to say that, but I've lived over in Metro Detroit since I graduated from WMU 40 years ago and I know the drill. In Metro Detroit Western has the presence of just another directional school-like Eastern or Central. The Cotton Bowl appearance and football exposure last year surprised a lot of folks, but it was a flash in the pan. We're back to having page 5 coverage in the sports pages for our athletic events. That will probably never change. We don't have the college sports prestige of a Big 10 school, that's reality.

(10-20-2017 11:59 PM)BroncoPhilly Wrote:  

(10-20-2017 01:04 PM)Bronc33 Wrote:  

(10-20-2017 08:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  It would happen and the GLI would take on new meaning plus some additional college games could be scheduled. Doubt they play out in Plymouth. There is a arena north of town, can't recall the name but it only seats about 3k. Where did Wayne St play in their short lived D1 program? Ran into Wilky last summer at Bronson Art fair come to think of it.

Why would it affect the GLI? The GLI always has MSU, UM, and MTU. There's no way Oakland would become a permanent 4th team. They would just be another michigan school that could be worked in from time to time.

Unfortunately for WMU, Oakland has a lot of political presence in Oakland County. That will push them to have more GLI presence than Western. I hate to say that, but I've lived over in Metro Detroit since I graduated from WMU 40 years ago and I know the drill. In Metro Detroit Western has the presence of just another directional school-like Eastern or Central. The Cotton Bowl appearance and football exposure last year surprised a lot of folks, but it was a flash in the pan. We're back to having page 5 coverage in the sports pages for our athletic events. That will probably never change. We don't have the college sports prestige of a Big 10 school, that's reality.

Edit. Football post got inserted in wrong thread.

(10-20-2017 07:05 AM)brovol Wrote:  

(10-20-2017 05:47 AM)goldsworth Wrote:  

(10-19-2017 10:52 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(10-19-2017 02:01 PM)BuickBronco Wrote:  Looks like they would play at LC arena with Red Wing backing.

Would never happen.

How the hell do you know

In his special little world he knows everything.

Just because you two numbskulls are pitifully ignorant of the realities of major sporting venues and big boy college hockey, that isn't my problem. They couldn't afford the rent and they'll draw 3,000 fans. The Oven also doesn't have the calendar space for another prime tenant. College hockey is played on Fridays and while exceptions can be made, unless they start making Tuesdays or another M-Tu-W-Th regularly available for game, The Oven won't have space for another tenant.

Plus look how terrible OSU hockey at Value City Arena has been. That's one big reason why Miami has been scooping their best players all these years. Viability in college hockey runs through cheap, reasonably sized arenas.

The NHL has been basically handing out $$$ to schools to do a feasability study to look into adding a NCAA team. NDSU, Illinois, and Rutgers have done the same.The stickler being is that they don't include the $30-50 million needed to actually start one up. You need a Pegula clone for that.

(10-22-2017 12:30 AM)bronconick Wrote:  The NHL has been basically handing out $$$ to schools to do a feasability study to look into adding a NCAA team. NDSU, Illinois, and Rutgers have done the same.The stickler being is that they don't include the $30-50 million needed to actually start one up. You need a Pegula clone for that.

What goes into the 30 to 50 million figure you quoted? Im assuming most of it is an arena? Deep pockets in Oakland County if there is feasibility and sustainability it could happen.

Oakland has a very nice basketball facility, the Orena. They have had a club team for awhile, and I'm not sure where they could play D-1 hockey, nor do I know if this will happen or not, but should the OU administration want to do it, I suspect it is possible. They don't have the expense of a football program, and I know they are moving in to advance the profile of the university.

Although Charm probably believes he is the smartest guy in his cell block, he has absolutely no insight here whatsoever.

(10-22-2017 01:41 PM)goldsworth Wrote:  

(10-22-2017 12:30 AM)bronconick Wrote:  The NHL has been basically handing out $$$ to schools to do a feasability study to look into adding a NCAA team. NDSU, Illinois, and Rutgers have done the same.The stickler being is that they don't include the $30-50 million needed to actually start one up. You need a Pegula clone for that.

What goes into the 30 to 50 million figure you quoted? Im assuming most of it is an arena? Deep pockets in Oakland County if there is feasibility and sustainability it could happen.

Arena and scholarships (both hockey and whatever women's program to equal Title IX), mostly. If the Red Wings wanted to get involved, the Ilitches have closer ties to Wayne State