UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Not a surprise at all, really. I was highly skeptical that they'd be able to afford a new arena.

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Not that there was a strong chance of UWM adding it, but some news yesterday might be another weight on the "not going to happen" side...

UWM obtained the naming rights for what was most recently the US Cellular Arena, the former MECCA, in downtown. After an ill-fated trip back on campus, UWM moved back to the arena for the D1 men's basketball team last year. As part of the new deal, the Journal-Sentinel story today has this line:

"With the new agreement, talk of a new arena on the UWM campus is dead. UWM Athletic Director Amanda Braun said building on campus did not make sense for the institution."

The little chitter-chatter I had heard about hockey was that if they built a new on-campus facility, they might put in ice and add a team to help maximize its use. I don't get any sense that they'd do hockey downtown. They have a hard enough time attracting fans for Panther hoops.

So, I'd move the UWM hockey chances from an optimistic 5% to almost zero. (Just my two cents...)

FYI - UWM release:
http://www5.uwm.edu/news/2014/06/26/arena/#.U61ttp0o6M8

[Iwearpurple]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Like the Big Ten and Penn St. The golden but naive era of college hockey has passed away. Understand the mourning, but markets and money to operate a program at a high level matter.

Like you state, maybe UWM and Iowa State can get in the nWCHA, but their aim would be the NCHC, much like BGSU and MSU-Mankato's desire.

Nobody that I am aware of, either from the University or fan base, either publically or privately has ever stated that Minnesota State's aim is to get into the NCHC.

From my personal standpoint, why would we want in the NCHC? We should be playing in the NCAA on a regular basis in the future.

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

UWM has a new athletic director, so things could change, but I would think rght now the impending explosion of the Horizon League is the problem du jour.

Butler left last year. Now, depending on which reports you believe, every team in the league but UWM and UWGB have had talks with other conferences (Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, A10, CAA, others) about leaving. Teams maybe coming in are Denver (since the Pios can't seem to find a non-hockey home), Oakland, Mich. and UM-Kansas City.

UWM played hoops last year in an on-campus 3,500-seat glorified HS gym. And it didn't help attendance any. There's a big push by many to get them to return to the U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown (what you may remember as the MECCA when the Bucks and Marquette played there). It used to have ice (the Admirals played there, too) but I don't know if that still works.

Upshot is, UWM will look at arena options at some point, including something in the 8-10k range on campus. At that point, it will talk if hockey fits into the mix. But an arena is years away, unless someone shows up with a check. And in the meantime, UWM is likely going to have to deal with simply having a conference to play in as a priority. Don't look for anything soon.

[Lady wore Black]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Leipold can go * himself.

[blackswampboy]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Like you state, maybe UWM and Iowa State can get in the nWCHA, but their aim would be the NCHC, much like BGSU and MSU-Mankato's desire.

BGSU has no such desire to join the nchc.
If we're indulging fantasies about adding new DI programs...the best of all would be upgrading programs @Buffalo, Kent, and OU, thus creating a MAC hockey conference. let's think big.

[manurespreader]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Like you state, maybe UWM and Iowa State can get in the nWCHA, but their aim would be the NCHC, much like BGSU and MSU-Mankato's desire.

I seriously doubt anyone wants to be in the nchc. And as time goes by even less so. Maybe the reverse though.

[Star2City]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

let's see...the NCHC bails on schools with rich DI legacies and firm dedication to their programs...for a shot at adding a couple of new bottom-feeder programs. lol. remind me, what was the point of the NCHC again?
nah. they'll just try to sabotage the nWCHA in a few years.

Like the Big Ten and Penn St. The golden but naive era of college hockey has passed away. Understand the mourning, but markets and money to operate a program at a high level matter.

Like you state, maybe UWM and Iowa State can get in the nWCHA, but their aim would be the NCHC, much like BGSU and MSU-Mankato's desire.

[blackswampboy]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

An NCHC with UWM and Iowa State would really help tie together WMU / Miami with the western schools.

let's see...the NCHC bails on schools with rich DI legacies and firm dedication to their programs...for a shot at adding a couple of new bottom-feeder programs. lol. remind me, what was the point of the NCHC again?
nah. they'll just try to sabotage the nWCHA in a few years.

[UpNorthHockey]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Interesting that the Minnesota Wild's owner is hosting a UWM alumni event prior to a Wild game.
https://www4.uwm.edu/alumni/Regional...ota_alumni.cfm
An NCHC with UWM and Iowa State would really help tie together WMU / Miami with the western schools.

That's really interesting. I didn't know the Wild's owner was a UWM alum (one of my alma maters as well). I still think there's slim chance of another D1 hockey program coming out of the UW system. Notice that the UW system brought all their D3 teams into essentially an "in house" conference for the future. Unlike most other states, Wisconsin's state universities are centrally governed and I expect the chancellor et al would see little strategic value in giving Bucky any competition for hockey dollars, particularly with the recent attendance figures at the Kohl Center.

[San Tommie]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

I would love if ISU added hockey, but it'll never happen. Maybe if U of Iowa did, there would be some push, but it still wouldn't happen. The AD has had enough stress trying to keep the Big12 together, that adding another sport would be too risky. Besides if they added another sport, I'm pretty sure they'd bring baseball back, as they already have a history with that, a conference, a usable facility and much more statewide culture associated with baseball, rather than hockey. Too bad, I'd love to see them in the NCHC, heck I'd love to see them in the remaining WCHA.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Interesting that the Minnesota Wild's owner is hosting a UWM alumni event prior to a Wild game.

https://www4.uwm.edu/alumni/Regional...ota_alumni.cfm


An NCHC with UWM and Iowa State would really help tie together WMU / Miami with the western schools.

Nice find.

[Star2City]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Interesting that the Minnesota Wild's owner is hosting a UWM alumni event prior to a Wild game.

https://www4.uwm.edu/alumni/Regional...ota_alumni.cfm


An NCHC with UWM and Iowa State would really help tie together WMU / Miami with the western schools.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Re: UW-Milwaukee exploring adding D-1 hockey

Milwaukee may not be a hockey hotbed, but neither are certain areas in Southern Minnesota. Look at areas in Wisconsin like Eau Claire, Wausau, Superior, Madison, and Green Bay. All are good hockey towns IMO. Like someone else mentioned, if Milwaukee got a D1 program, I think that would only strengthen interest in the sport in this area. And that would be a good thing.

[SCSU Euro]

That's absolutely criminal.

I can't imagine growing up without a boarded outdoor hockey rink in town. Kind of makes me wonder why I was so bad at hockey considering I had one literally a solidly hit 3 wood away from my house.

Cue Dubber with a lesson on Wisconsin vs. Minnesota youth hockey in 3... 2...