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Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
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MidWestMidMajor Offline
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Post: #61
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
This is an interesting take from the Duluth newspaper:

Friday’s announcement was at least three years in the making, if not more, as some schools had already begun discussing the idea of breaking away from the WCHA when Minnesota State made a run at joining the NCHC in the summer of 2016. A coach, who is no longer in the WCHA, floated the idea of a rebirth of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association back then, though when pressed about the seriousness of the discussions, he admitted it was nothing more than schools spitballing. Asked about our three-year-old conversation over the weekend and how that all finally came to fruition, he said, “I’m surprised it took this long.”
07-01-2019 09:08 PM
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Schadenfreude Offline
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Post: #62
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-01-2019 09:08 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  This is an interesting take from the Duluth newspaper:

Friday’s announcement was at least three years in the making, if not more, as some schools had already begun discussing the idea of breaking away from the WCHA when Minnesota State made a run at joining the NCHC in the summer of 2016. A coach, who is no longer in the WCHA, floated the idea of a rebirth of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association back then, though when pressed about the seriousness of the discussions, he admitted it was nothing more than schools spitballing. Asked about our three-year-old conversation over the weekend and how that all finally came to fruition, he said, “I’m surprised it took this long.”

I'd be surprised if that isn't former Bowling Green head coach Chris Bergeron. In 1971, Bowling Green was a founding member of the CCHA, where Bergeron would later play hockey at Miami.

Later, Bowling Green was the very last school to leave the CCHA during the great realignment scramble. Ever since, talk has circulated among Bowling Green fans of launching a new CCHA.

Bergeron is now coaching Miami. If Bowling Green is hoping Western Michigan and Miami will leave the NCHC for a new CCHA -- and I suspect they are -- that can't hurt.
07-02-2019 08:41 AM
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MidWestMidMajor Offline
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Post: #63
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
Furlough notices go out to University of Alaska employees in the wake of governor’s veto

About 2,500 University of Alaska staff must take 10 days of unpaid leave during the current fiscal year that started Monday, unless the state Legislature reverses Dunleavy’s veto. That total represented roughly 65 percent of all of UA’s non-temporary employees. UA could implement the furlough days during winter and spring break, said the notice from Johnsen.

Dunleavy said Friday that UA cannot “be all things to all people.” University leadership, he said, can turn UA into a smaller and leaner, but still productive, university. If the governor’s veto is not reversed, the UA Board of Regents is prepared to declare “financial exigency” the week of July 15. That basically means UA’s expenses exceed its revenues, and it would allow for expedited cuts, including laying off tenured faculty with less notice. To override the veto, the Legislature needs 45 of its 60 members to agree, which some lawmakers have said is unlikely.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/educatio...employees/
07-02-2019 09:07 AM
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Post: #64
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
Time to go truly regional:

NCHA trades Miami and WMU to the new league for Minn St and Bemejdi St:

NCHA renames itself WCHA: Minn St, Bemejdi St, Duluth, St Cloud St, UND, UNO, Denver, Colo Coll.

New league names itself CCHA: N Mich, Mich Tech, Superior St, Ferris St, WMU, BGSU, Miami
(This post was last modified: 07-02-2019 04:35 PM by Fighting Muskie.)
07-02-2019 04:34 PM
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MidWestMidMajor Offline
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Post: #65
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-02-2019 04:34 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  NCHA trades Miami and WMU to the new league for Minn St and Bemejdi St:

FWIW: looking at last year's RPI, that would be an upgrade for the NCHC
Minn St: #4; Bemidji: #36 = avg #20
WMU: #17; Miami: #37 = avg #27
07-02-2019 05:49 PM
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Post: #66
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-02-2019 04:34 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  New league names itself CCHA:

I will be surprised if that isn't the name.
07-02-2019 07:41 PM
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Post: #67
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-02-2019 08:41 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  Bergeron is now coaching Miami. If Bowling Green is hoping Western Michigan and Miami will leave the NCHC for a new CCHA -- and I suspect they are -- that can't hurt.
I think the only reason WMU and Miami would leave the NCHC is cost savings.

But right now, the schedules for WMU and Miami are essentially all Old CCHA teams out of conference. Once in-conference, they play each other. Swap Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan for Duluth and Saint Cloud St. The only outliers are North Dakota and the 2 Colorado schools, which would be the equivalent of a trip or 2 out east. I highly, highly doubt the cost savings in a New CCHA are that much cheaper than in the NCHC.

Plus, apparently, the exit fees are insane.

The decision was made back in the day Miami and WMU want to be in a Conference with these NCHC teams who have made a commitment to hockey. Not saying these Secret 7 haven't, just want to be on a national level comparable to the Big 10.

---- Oh I might've read your post wrong. I read it as 'I suspect WMU and Miami are looking to leave the NCHC', not as 'I suspect Bowling Green is hoping WMU and Miami are looking to leave the NCHC.'

(07-02-2019 05:49 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  
(07-02-2019 04:34 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  NCHA trades Miami and WMU to the new league for Minn St and Bemejdi St:

FWIW: looking at last year's RPI, that would be an upgrade for the NCHC
Minn St: #4; Bemidji: #36 = avg #20
WMU: #17; Miami: #37 = avg #27
Worth little. Minnesota St and Bemidji would've had worse RPI's competing in the NCHC.
(This post was last modified: 07-02-2019 08:00 PM by Bronco'14.)
07-02-2019 07:54 PM
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Post: #68
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
John Biasi drops a truth bomb on the USCHO fanboard:
https://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?1...ost6819390

Another poster points out that of the WCHA "Secret Seven", 6 of the 7 are D2 schools with D2 budgets; 4 of those 6 have enrollments of less than 8,000.

Another poster ("purpleinnebraska" post #228) writes:
Ultimately, the question some seem to be asking is, "Whose duty is it to look after the best interests of all the D1 hockey schools?" And if there is any answer to that (and I'm not sure there is), that would seem to fall on the NCAA. But they let that ship sail a long time ago, in a lot of other sports besides hockey. But I don't expect any schools to let their own programs get dragged down financially while trying to save some other schools' programs.
07-02-2019 10:10 PM
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Mister Consistency Offline
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Post: #69
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-01-2019 01:33 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  One thing about the approach that the 7 WCHA schools are taking is that if they are willing to make one long conference trip every year, but not three, this process puts them in a position to audition one of the three "long trip" schools for that spot.

That would be a pretty short audition; based on travel costs alone, I think they'd take the school in the lower 48 over either school in Alaska.

IMO, the Alaska schools are done playing Division I hockey by 2021, if not college athletics period. If they declare financial exigency, athletics will be slashed immediately and dramatically to preserve the academic programs as much as possible. I seriously wonder if they won't shutter athletics all together just to keep the schools afloat.
07-02-2019 10:42 PM
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Post: #70
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
Comparing UAF athletic budget 2014 to 2019:
I can't be sure this is an apples to apples comparison. Because UA is a D2 school, information is harder to find. (links below).
2014 UAF budget: $8.5 M
2019 UAF budget: $6.1 M
General fund allocations dropped from $4.25 M to $2.7 M.
In other words, how much tighter can they tighten their belts? UAF already has D2 mininum of sports (10).
(UAA's budget in 2014 was $12.3 M. UAA offers 11 sports.)

https://www.alaska.edu/files/pathways/At...-FINAL.pdf (p.11)
https://news.uaf.edu/intercollegiate-ath...enditures/
(This post was last modified: 07-02-2019 11:51 PM by MidWestMidMajor.)
07-02-2019 11:50 PM
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Post: #71
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-02-2019 11:50 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  Comparing UAF athletic budget 2014 to 2019:
I can't be sure this is an apples to apples comparison. Because UA is a D2 school, information is harder to find. (links below).
2014 UAF budget: $8.5 M
2019 UAF budget: $6.1 M
General fund allocations dropped from $4.25 M to $2.7 M.
In other words, how much tighter can they tighten their belts? UAF already has D2 mininum of sports (10).

The basic way they can substantially tighten their belts further without cancelling NCAA sports is to consolidate as one school and operate its (D1) hockey and skiing at Fairbanks, while operating its (D1) gymnastics, M/W Basketball, W Volleyball, M/W track & cross country at Anchorage (that is 6/6, so they could drop cross country, which doesn't save you much but travel if you have track, but saving travel would be a thing for an Alaska school).
07-03-2019 12:58 AM
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Post: #72
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-02-2019 10:10 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  John Biasi drops a truth bomb on the USCHO fanboard:
https://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?1...ost6819390

Another poster points out that of the WCHA "Secret Seven", 6 of the 7 are D2 schools with D2 budgets; 4 of those 6 have enrollments of less than 8,000.

Another poster ("purpleinnebraska" post #228) writes:
Ultimately, the question some seem to be asking is, "Whose duty is it to look after the best interests of all the D1 hockey schools?" And if there is any answer to that (and I'm not sure there is), that would seem to fall on the NCAA. But they let that ship sail a long time ago, in a lot of other sports besides hockey. But I don't expect any schools to let their own programs get dragged down financially while trying to save some other schools' programs.

I like the way he misquotes Proverbs 20:19

His: "Where there is no vision, the leagues and programs perish"

Actual: "It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and fretful woman."

The actual proverb is better. (I wanted to translate it in hoodie speak ... then thought better)
07-03-2019 02:13 AM
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Post: #73
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-02-2019 10:42 PM)Mister Consistency Wrote:  
(07-01-2019 01:33 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  One thing about the approach that the 7 WCHA schools are taking is that if they are willing to make one long conference trip every year, but not three, this process puts them in a position to audition one of the three "long trip" schools for that spot.

That would be a pretty short audition; based on travel costs alone, I think they'd take the school in the lower 48 over either school in Alaska.

If UAH has the inside track on those grounds, then they do ... auditions to join a conference are not intended to be fair to each auditioning school, but to identify the best overall benefit to the conference holding the auditions.

Though come to think of it, it could easily turn out that Arizona State is the best benefit among the various "single long trip" schools they might pick. This is for a conference starting the 2021/2022 season ... will Arizona State's new arena be finished by that time?
07-03-2019 04:10 AM
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Post: #74
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-02-2019 11:50 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  Comparing UAF athletic budget 2014 to 2019:
I can't be sure this is an apples to apples comparison. Because UA is a D2 school, information is harder to find. (links below).
2014 UAF budget: $8.5 M
2019 UAF budget: $6.1 M
General fund allocations dropped from $4.25 M to $2.7 M.
In other words, how much tighter can they tighten their belts? UAF already has D2 mininum of sports (10).
(UAA's budget in 2014 was $12.3 M. UAA offers 11 sports.)

https://www.alaska.edu/files/pathways/At...-FINAL.pdf (p.11)
https://news.uaf.edu/intercollegiate-ath...enditures/

There's nothing left to tighten, which is part of my point. I wouldn't be surprised to see at least one campus discontinue varsity athletics all together, and I suspect that would be Fairbanks. Anchorage could probably find a way to continue fielding Division II athletics, but D1 hockey is probably out of the question at anything resembling a competitive level.
07-03-2019 10:27 AM
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Post: #75
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
A good article from the Bowling Green perspective:
http://www.bgsuhockey.com/2019/07/the-wc...sand-cuts/

excerpts:
The worst kept secret in college hockey has been the frustrations of most of the “new” WCHA members. Travel budgets ballooned, the playing style from less skilled teams was criticized, and the bottom of the league anchored its institutions in the Pairwise.

This push for secession has been years in the making: financially-committed and competitive programs are expected to drag those unwilling or unable to commit resources across the finish line.

Alabama-Huntsville has failed to field a competitive program in over a decade. They last finished with a .500 record in 2005-2006 and have only had a double-digit win season once in the WCHA.

Those teams who are being left out in the cold have my sympathy. But the fans of these programs being left out in the cold need their programs’ administrators (and governments) to look in the mirror to figure out who is responsible for the death of the WCHA.
07-03-2019 11:10 PM
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RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
(07-03-2019 10:27 AM)Mister Consistency Wrote:  There's nothing left to tighten, which is part of my point. I wouldn't be surprised to see at least one campus discontinue varsity athletics all together, and I suspect that would be Fairbanks.

Consolidation is the only thing that would allow total spending on sports to be even lower. But if they still can't afford one competitive hockey program, that would be M/W skiing at Fairbanks to allow Anchorage to be 4/4 without violating the Div2 5/5 limits. If team sports have more expensive travel than the individual sports, that would be Div1 M/W gymnastics, Div2 BBall, Div2 track, Div2 cross country at Anchorage, M/W Skiing at Fairbanks.
(This post was last modified: 07-04-2019 10:33 PM by BruceMcF.)
07-04-2019 10:28 PM
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Post: #77
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
The Minneapolis newspaper ran a story on the WCHA yesterday. They quote extensively Don Lucia, legendary coach of Univ Minn who began as an assistant in UA-Anchorage; his first job as HC was at UA-Fairbanks. He lives part of the year in Alaska- so is very knowledgeable.

http://www.startribune.com/wcha-s-demise...512220692/

Some interesting comments:

-The geographical footprint, from Fairbanks to Huntsville, covers more than 4,000 miles.
-Lucia said “The biggest issue is the budget and what’s going to happen with the whole university system...The budgets aren’t the same [in Alaska] as when the oil was really cooking in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.”
-Of the three teams getting left behind, Fairbanks was the most successful, finishing third in the WCHA standings in 2014 and fourth in 2015.
-Otherwise, there have been repeated struggles. The trio of teams combined to go 7-57-3 in nonconference play over the past three seasons.
-“That was a concern with affecting the league as far as getting multiple teams in the NCAA tournament,” Lucia said.
07-05-2019 12:20 PM
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RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
41% cut to Alaska Universities

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/03/738569508...er-recover

"A cut of this measure is unprecedented and devastating, and now is the time for advocacy," University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Cathy Sandeen said in a statement to NPR. "If it stands, we anticipate 700 layoffs, the elimination of 40 programs and a drop in enrollment of approximately 3,000."

The WCHA may not have to be disbanded to remove the Alaska schools. They both could be dropping Athletics and almost certainly Hockey in the coming weeks, at most the coming year.

Note: the NPR article and various cut opponents like to say the Alaska dividend is $3000 per person, but it's actually about half that, $1600 last year, and historically fluctuating between $900 and $2000 (only twice hit that). I mention that for accuracy. I take no side here (I'm not Alaskan, their business), rather just want correct numbers to be expressed. I understand it's hugely important to indigenous peoples and also many folks who live in Alaska year round, even when the tourists go home.

[Image: 1982_2018_graph_with_data_2.jpg]
https://www.aoga.org/facts-and-figures/p...d-dividend
07-11-2019 06:41 PM
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Post: #79
RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
For what it's worth, it appears that UA and UAA are the only schools in the state to offer intercollegiate athletics. So if they drop them, the state will have no college sports.
07-11-2019 07:15 PM
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RE: Seven schools have announced a new college hockey league
We need to keep Fairbanks campus as it is the flagship school. There were 3 D2 Alaska schools at one point. The Alaska Southeast in Juneau dropped sports long ago. Combined all the schools into one, and let both Fairbanks and Anchorage hosts sports and move to D1. Anchorage does have an Air Force base which could host games against Air Force in all sports. I do think NCAA would give a waiver since there is no D1 school in Alaska. Alaska do need the money to go into the schools, but they can't when they are in D2. They could play bodybag games for larger amount. It would be more than earning less for exhibition. Alaska-Fairbanks is building a med school that was already started building. The cuts would not just hurt sports, but would hurt their academics standing. Fairbanks is a R1 institute. The governor there is a boneheaded prick for doing what he is doing. At least the Republicans here in this state are looking at getting more money into our colleges and universities.
07-11-2019 08:54 PM
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