Realignment Rumors

[yooper(UP) hockey]

Re: Realignment Rumors

There is a mathematical problem with this. It can't be done the way you described with the two leagues having different numbers of teams. You are talking about a 6-team western conference and a 10-team HEA. (Correct?) The western teams would in total play 6*8=48 games vs. the HEA, while the HEA teams would play 10*8=80 games agaisnt the west. That does not compute. Each of the western teams would have to play more eastern teams than vice versa. One way would be if each HEA team played 6 western games while each western team played 10 eastern games.

Interlocking schedules is going to be the way to go come the 2012-2013 season. It worked great when the WCHA and HE did it.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: Realignment Rumors

The HE teams are already making pilgrimages out west so why not wind them into an interlocking schedule. For example in the past 7 seasons, BC, BU, VT, ME, UMass, Umass-Lowell and Northeastern have all traveled to DU for one to two games with BU and BC coming multiple times. Next year Providence is coming out to DU for the Denver Cup to play 2 games with one most likely against DU. DU has traveled to BC, Northeastern, BU, UMass, ME and VT in the past 7 seasons. Next season they are going to play BC and BU on back to back nights. HE schools have also traveled to play CC and UND. Seems perfectly plausible to me to put together the 6-team conference with 20 league games and an interlocking schedule with HE. You could play 8 interlocking games with 4 home and 4 away. The HE teams would only need to make 2 road trips per year in that scenario as the games out west would all be 2-game series. The western teams can come east twice a year and play some back-to-back games against single opponents. For the western teams that would leave 6 OOC games they could still schedule.

There is a mathematical problem with this. It can't be done the way you described with the two leagues having different numbers of teams. You are talking about a 6-team western conference and a 10-team HEA. (Correct?) The western teams would in total play 6*8=48 games vs. the HEA, while the HEA teams would play 10*8=80 games agaisnt the west. That does not compute. Each of the western teams would have to play more eastern teams than vice versa. One way would be if each HEA team played 6 western games while each western team played 10 eastern games.

[Rover]

Re: Realignment Rumors

To me conference realignments should make sense for the participants before I start believing in the possibility. I don't understand how an anti-Big 10 conference benefits those schools over their present situation. While the Big 10 had money as the overriding reason to form that conference, I don't see an enhanced TV deal out of this, nor a strengthening of rivalries to boost attendance. All I do see are increased travel costs as have been mentioned already as well as a lot tougher road to reach the NCAA's.

[du78]

Re: Realignment Rumors

The HE teams are already making pilgrimages out west so why not wind them into an interlocking schedule. For example in the past 7 seasons, BC, BU, VT, ME, UMass, Umass-Lowell and Northeastern have all traveled to DU for one to two games with BU and BC coming multiple times. Next year Providence is coming out to DU for the Denver Cup to play 2 games with one most likely against DU. DU has traveled to BC, Northeastern, BU, UMass, ME and VT in the past 7 seasons. Next season they are going to play BC and BU on back to back nights. HE schools have also traveled to play CC and UND. Seems perfectly plausible to me to put together the 6-team conference with 20 league games and an interlocking schedule with HE. You could play 8 interlocking games with 4 home and 4 away. The HE teams would only need to make 2 road trips per year in that scenario as the games out west would all be 2-game series. The western teams can come east twice a year and play some back-to-back games against single opponents. For the western teams that would leave 6 OOC games they could still schedule.

[yooper(UP) hockey]

Re: Realignment Rumors

I think that a conference of SCSU, UMD, BSU, MTU, NMU and MSUM would have some stability should an Anti-6 conference form and the political pressure inside MN might be enough to keep MN playing those teams (at least the 4 MN based teams) on a semi-regular basis.

The real losers would be the other 6 teams: UAA, UA(F), Ferris, WMU, LSSU, and BGSU. Those neams needing a home may cause a cascade through AH and ECAC breaking the teams up into 3 or 4 smaller conferences.

I think that at the end of the day if all that happens, 2 major changes happen:
1.) college hockey loses between 2-4 teams
2.) The tournament returns to a 12 team format.

I believe this is how the dominos will fall and you are right.

[SJHovey]

Re: Realignment Rumors

The most preposterous thing about the proposed MIA, NDAME, NDAK, UNO, CC, DU conference is the fact that, other than Denver-CC and Miami-Notre Dame, every road trip is 499 miles or more, with 60% of trips over 800 miles. That doesn't seem too cost effective.

Which is why the new proposed rumor will never happen.

I don't think it's going to happen, either. On the other hand, MN just traded in 4-6 road trips a year of 200 miles or less for the privilege of traveling to Columbus, Ohio and State College, Pennsylvania, so I also don't have a lot of faith in college presidents and athletic directors doing anything that makes sense to most people.

[dggoddard]

Re: Realignment Rumors

Which is why the new proposed rumor will never happen.

Its gonna happen, you can bet your 2002 NC Banner on it.

[davyd83]

Re: Realignment Rumors

Which is why the new proposed rumor will never happen.

This suggestion was first floated in the Denver newspaper. You have to wonder if these guys ever actually look at the realities of such a situation. I've seen Miami to the WCHA and Notre Dame to Hockey East rumors floated. Of course that was before you look at the fact that Miami would have to increase it travel budget by nearly $100,000 and ask that though Notre Dame, with its new arena, may be able to afford Hockey East travel, would Hockey East teams, which don't even have a lot of overnight stays, would be willing to spend $15,000+ per weekend to fly to South Bend.

[4four4]

Re: Realignment Rumors

That hypothetical conference is the Butthurt Hockey Conference. Don't be trying to rename it!

Butthurt, butthurt, butthurt....etc.

[bronconick]

Re: Realignment Rumors

Supposedly the "Super Six Conference" would have an interlocking schedule with Hockey East.

You can bet that the coaching shake-ups and rumors this offseason are tied to possible realignment.

That hypothetical conference is the Butthurt Hockey Conference. Don't be trying to rename it!

[4four4]

Re: Realignment Rumors

The most preposterous thing about the proposed MIA, NDAME, NDAK, UNO, CC, DU conference is the fact that, other than Denver-CC and Miami-Notre Dame, every road trip is 499 miles or more, with 60% of trips over 800 miles. That doesn't seem too cost effective.

Which is why the new proposed rumor will never happen.

Because clearly those teams dominated this year!!!

hmmm.. This year? What does that have to do with three years from now?

[FreshFish]

Re: Realignment Rumors

I can’t wait until 2013 when the BTHC dominates college hockey!

with their one auto-bid and perhaps one or two more at-large bids....

[Almington]

Re: Realignment Rumors

And here is the real kicker. The current situation is said to be not conducive to expansion (full conferences). How is the following scenario any better?:

BTHC - 6 - only open to more B1G schools
Anti-BTHC - UND, UND, Miami, UNO, CC, DU - only open to "power" teams
the "left-over" conference/s - whoever doesn't fold that's left from the C/WCHA - open to expansion, but like the CHA, who would want to spend money so they could join this group of out-casts?

I think that a conference of SCSU, UMD, BSU, MTU, NMU and MSUM would have some stability should an Anti-6 conference form and the political pressure inside MN might be enough to keep MN playing those teams (at least the 4 MN based teams) on a semi-regular basis.

The real losers would be the other 6 teams: UAA, UA(F), Ferris, WMU, LSSU, and BGSU. Those neams needing a home may cause a cascade through AH and ECAC breaking the teams up into 3 or 4 smaller conferences.

I think that at the end of the day if all that happens, 2 major changes happen:
1.) college hockey loses between 2-4 teams
2.) The tournament returns to a 12 team format.

[joecct]

Re: Realignment Rumors

Supposedly the "Super Six Conference" would have an interlocking schedule with Hockey East.

You can bet that the coaching shake-ups and rumors this offseason are tied to possible realignment.

Not with a 27 game schedule in HEA, they won't. If HEA cuts it down to 18, then you have a possibility.

What if we put the D-I's with the D-I's and the D-II play-ups with the D-II's? And then the NCAA puts in a National Collegiate Championship for D-I/II.

[moose97]

Re: Realignment Rumors

Expansion will only occur with stable conferences, not with conferences where teams are always on the verge of folding the program.

And here is the real kicker. The current situation is said to be not conducive to expansion (full conferences). How is the following scenario any better?:

BTHC - 6 - only open to more B1G schools
Anti-BTHC - UND, UND, Miami, UNO, CC, DU - only open to "power" teams
the "left-over" conference/s - whoever doesn't fold that's left from the C/WCHA - open to expansion, but like the CHA, who would want to spend money so they could join this group of out-casts?