The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

[ND Hockey]

Last year it was 12 teams. This year it is 11. In 2013 it may be only 8.

A lot of folks want to blow things up and start from scratch, but college hockey doesn't work that way. Therefore, please keep all the fantasy realignment posts to other existing threads. Everyone wants to do what's best for the sport, but not at the expense of their own survival. Losing the Big Ten schools will certainly makes things harder for the remaining eight and self-preservation will be the main goal. Creating a superconference of the remaining western schools doesn't make much sense either, since the same effect could be accomplished by a simple scheduling arrangement.

If you're Tom Anastos, what is your next move: stay at 8 schools or go after one, two, three, or four others? If so, who do you invite? The popular opinion on this board (at least among outsiders) once again will be that the CCHA has a moral obligation to invite Huntsville. UAH didn't make much sense a year ago and makes little sense today even with Penn State out of the picture. Niagra and Mercyhurst would both be better options.

Even if we answer all these membership questions, many more will remain unanswered. Will the Mason Cup still be awarded at the Joe in Detroit? Will it even be called the Mason Cup any longer?

[uaafanblog]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

Go after Michigan Tech. They have a pretty nice trophy ... The MacNaughton Cup.

*****http://www.gopherhockeyhistory.com/history/macNaughton/images/cupFrt02.jpg******

I know Tech fans (and probably the program) love the WCHA but there's lots for them to like in playing teams in their home state more regularly. I would mourn the loss of Tech more than Minnesota and Wisconsin but I think it makes some sense for them.

I don't know what incentives there might be available to the CCHA with which to entice them other than the in-state rivalry factor. A better chance at winning the their trophy?

[bronconick]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

1. Ditch the Mason Cup name. It's in honor of a Sparty.
2. Move the conference final to a rotation between Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne
3. Find out what each school's medium term expectation on how to support hockey (next 10-15 years). If schools are wavering on that, bump the league up to 9 or 10 teams to absorb the loss or one or two.
4. Drop conference play back to 22 or 24 games to allow Miami/ND to get more national games if they want, allow the smaller schools more open dates for getting Michigan or MSU on the schedule.

[BII]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

Last year it was 12 teams. This year it is 11. In 2013 it may be only 8.

If you're Tom Anastos, what is your next move: stay at 8 schools or go after one, two, three, or four others? If so, who do you invite? The popular opinion on this board (at least among outsiders) once again will be that the CCHA has a moral obligation to invite Huntsville. UAH didn't make much sense a year ago and makes little sense today even with Penn State out of the picture. Niagra and Mercyhurst would both be better options.

Even if we answer all these membership questions, many more will remain unanswered. Will the Mason Cup still be awarded at the Joe in Detroit? Will it even be called the Mason Cup any longer?

Will Tom Anastos be commissioner of the CCHA or will he be the Big Ten commissioner? I think the Blashill Cup should be awarded in Grand Rapids.

[bluevox]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

If you're Tom Anastos, what is your next move:

Since he is a Spartan, I would think his first move is to call the B1G offices and find out if they want him to run the hockey league.

[aparch]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

I think an eight team league is good in that you get a balanced schedule of seven home and seven away series for 28 games. Giving you six non-conference series, plus the two extra if you go to Alaska.

Any less conference games and you start to get an unbalanced schedule (which, the CCHA has had for almost 20 years); You'd need to have guaranteed "travel-partners" and then rotate the other six opponents every other year. Here's a 22 game conference schedule.
NMU: LSSU x4
FSU x 4, WMU x 4, Notre Dame x 4
Miami x 2, UAf x2, BGSU x 2

That opens you up to 14 non-conference games. 12 in years you don't go to Alaska.

I think that's just too few conference games and you'd run into the UAH problem of finding available opponents to play. CCHA teams may wind up scheduling themselves as non-conference opponents. It's confusing enough during tournament play, but to introduce that during the regular season?

[nmupiccdiva]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

IMHO:
~Anastos bolts. I'll keep my opinions about him to myself, but I don't see him sticking around without Michigan or State.
~Tech. Is. Not. Going. Anywhere. They're content, despite the perennial basement dwelling, in the WCHA. We will not see them anywhere else in the conceivable future.
~Keep it 8 teams. That's just about the perfect size. If 2 more new kids come to town, pick them up, but in the meantime stick with 8.
~I wouldn't be so worried about trying to play the former CCHA B10 teams. If you're opening up more NC weekends, try and schedule people you don't play as often. You can't tell me Miami wouldn't draw big crowds if they could get some of the teams they've seen at the recent F4's in their barn.

[ND Hockey]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

Will Tom Anastos be commissioner of the CCHA or will he be the Big Ten commissioner? I think the Blashill Cup should be awarded in Grand Rapids.

The Big Ten already has a commissioner. His name is Jim Delany.

[pinch]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

IMHO:
~Anastos bolts. I'll keep my opinions about him to myself, but I don't see him sticking around without Michigan or State.

I agree... there are better opportunities out there with the B1G schools gone... i think an 8 team league is fine....i don't think UAH gets added. Miami doesnt have the ability to leave in my opinion, and ND is just kinda stuck because..a new WCHA would not want to add the expense of travel (for either ND or Miami)...ditto for HE taking ND.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

I'm an outsider as far as the CCHA is concerned, but I would guess that the conference would like to get to 10 teams, for stability sake. At 8, you're not that far away from being in serious trouble if 1-2 programs decide they can't make it in a post UMi/MSU world. I don't expect them to be out there actively recruiting teams, but if they have a chance at adding a team that makes sense, especially if it is a big name school like Pittsburgh, Syracuse or Kentucky, they will jump at it.

[bigmrg74]

Just for argument sake, what would work for scheduling in a nine team league, assuming Alaska stays and the ninth would be somebody like Huntsville?

[bigblue_dl]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

Just for argument sake, what would work for scheduling in a nine team league, assuming Alaska stays and the ninth would be somebody like Huntsville?

Go back and look at Hockey East schedules from before they added Vermont. I imagine it would be the same setup.

[aparch]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

Just for argument sake, what would work for scheduling in a nine team league, assuming Alaska stays and the ninth would be somebody like Huntsville?

Go back and look at Hockey East schedules from before they added Vermont. I imagine it would be the same setup.

CCHA did nine team scheduling after UAf joined and before UNO was a member. Everyone played everyone else three times (I can't remember if there were four game series or not, I'd have to look it up again).

But, it created some weird travel, ie: NMU would have to play Michigan and Michigan State on the same weekend. Or BGSU would have to bus across the UP to play LSSU and NMU in the same weekend.

[redhawk95]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

I'd like to see us be aggressive and recruit schools to join the league. You guys tell me if I'm wrong, but I have serious concerns about the future viability of BG, Ferris and Lake. That said, IFFF any of those schools fold up shop, then we're looking at 7, 6, 5 teams? We need to go out and get Mercyhurst and RMU (as examples) to get up to 10 as a safe number. If we leave it at 8 and there's any more contraction, that could be the end of the league.

I have no idea what Miami and ND are thinking, and not to be elitist, but these are now the two top programs left in the league. The CCHA has to retain them or it's Atlantic Hockey West. It's awesome that WMU is turning around and we'll see about BG and Ferris if they continue to sponsor D-I hockey.

Someone please tell me that I'm wrong about Lake, Ferris and BG and that they're on solid, solid ground.

[NMU8405]

Re: The CCHA: Where do we go from here?

Someone please tell me that I'm wrong about Lake, Ferris and BG and that they're on solid, solid ground.

I think Ferris is in better shape than Lake State. Ferris is in closer proximity to State/Ohio State and will most likely have a few games against those teams, and possibly Michigan. LSSU is at a disadvantage for being so far away from those schools, that if they want to play Michigan, itd be at Yost. Michigan will never make an appearance in the UP when they join the Big Ten.

The idea of the championship in Fort Wayne will not happen. Will it survive at the Joe? Probably not. Look how the weekends are wtihout Michigan or Michigan State there. Its very empty. But Fort Wayne is just too far for a majority of the teams. Maybe Grand Rapids to hopefully build support for Grand Valley adding hockey? In order to maximize revenue, do you play the semi-finals at school sites and play a best 2 out of 3 championship weekend? Or do you just let the Joe sit half full for a weekend or semis and title games?