The New WCHA (2013-14)

[aygwm2]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Speaking of tournaments, once the new WCHA gets underway, shouldn't Ferris try hosting a tournament at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids? Ferris could do so along with another WCHA school in order to promote the conference and get some national exposure. Invite ECAC or Hockey East schools? Would this work? I often think that Ferris should be playing one or two of their home games at the Van Andel anyway, as they have a satellite campus in Grand Rapids. And, I would think the fan base is considerable. Any thoughts?

[manurespreader]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Speaking of tournaments, once the new WCHA gets underway, shouldn't Ferris try hosting a tournament at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids? Ferris could do so along with another WCHA school in order to promote the conference and get some national exposure. Invite ECAC or Hockey East schools? Would this work? I often think that Ferris should be playing one or two of their home games at the Van Andel anyway, as they have a satellite campus in Grand Rapids. And, I would think the fan base is considerable. Any thoughts?

If you did it in conjunction with hockey day, and with the Griffons/Red Wings participation in some way, might be pretty good, depending on the timing.

[aparch]

Michigan will be at tech for a return trip.
I will be at yost when tech visits. Can't wait

Ha. Ma Bell was still a monopoly the last time Michigan crossed the Mackinac Bridge headed to Houghton.

tMel or not, good luck with that.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Ahahahahahahaha. Make sure you rinse the paint thinner out first when you borrow a drinking glass from a Wisconsinite.

Minnesota (and the other B1G schools) have already said they want 20 home games a year. Meaning they want more home NC games than road NC games. Ferris may get the courtesy NC game from East Lansing, but they're only going to get UM at home once a decade. Forget EVER seeing a B1G school in the UP again.

Tech might get lucky and get the opportunity to "host" Wisconsin at the Resch Center in Green Bay just like NMU does.

Wisconsin is going to need some "friends" with 14 games. Can't fill all of them with bought games.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Wisconsin is going to need some "friends" with 14 games. Can't fill all of them with bought games.

Alvarez will take that as a challenge, you know.

I greatly look forward to our non-conference matches against AIC, Bentley, and Madison Memorial.

[hattrick16]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Speaking of tournaments, once the new WCHA gets underway, shouldn't Ferris try hosting a tournament at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids? Ferris could do so along with another WCHA school in order to promote the conference and get some national exposure. Invite ECAC or Hockey East schools? Would this work? I often think that Ferris should be playing one or two of their home games at the Van Andel anyway, as they have a satellite campus in Grand Rapids. And, I would think the fan base is considerable. Any thoughts?

I actually mentioned this once before in this very thread. I was thinking Ferris, Western Michigan (although Northern would fit in quite well too), Michigan State and Michigan since all four schools have fan bases and alumni in Grand Rapids and it is not a far drive for their students and fans. It would be especially exciting since these would now be non-conference match ups. I thought they could do Ferris vs. Michigan State and Western vs. Michigan on Saturday and then Ferris vs. Michigan and Western vs. Michigan State on Sunday. Split the a TV deal and revenue for a much larger arena and city and make it an annual thing. Model it after the Hoosier Classic in Indianapolis with Notre Dame, Butler, Purdue and Indiana.

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Bringing this back to the front page, here's the latest we know of the conference schedules for 2013-14:
NCAA Maximum 34 games. (Ignoring the Alaska Exemption)
WCHA: 28 conference games. 6 non-conference.
*(Will be 8 non-conference games including Alaska Exemption. Could go as high as 10)

B1G: 20 conference games. 14 non-conference.
*Noted that B1G Schools would like 20 home dates per year. (Ten conference, ten of fourteen non-conference games)

NCHC: 24 conference games. 10 non-conference.

[bronconick]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I actually mentioned this once before in this very thread. I was thinking Ferris, Western Michigan (although Northern would fit in quite well too), Michigan State and Michigan since all four schools have fan bases and alumni in Grand Rapids and it is not a far drive for their students and fans. It would be especially exciting since these -would now be non-conference match ups. I thought they could do Ferris vs. Michigan State and Western vs. Michigan on Saturday and then Ferris vs. Michigan and Western vs. Michigan State on Sunday. Split the a TV deal and revenue for a much larger arena and city and make it an annual thing. Model it after the Hoosier Classic in Indianapolis with Notre Dame, Butler, Purdue and Indiana.

Problem is figuring out when to do it. Early season you end up with college football and the holiday break is used up by the GLI. Everyone takes a break from conference action like the Beanpot in February, maybe?

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Problem is figuring out when to do it. Early season you end up with college football and the holiday break is used up by the GLI. Everyone takes a break from conference action like the Beanpot in February, maybe?

According to the Minnesota Cup thread, that tournament is going to be conducted on the weekend before the Super Bowl. There would be no NFL games to contend with (other than the Pro Bowl), and that is typically the All Star Break for the NHL. Bouncyball would still be going on at the NBA and College Level, but you still have eliminated two of the other sports.

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Problem is figuring out when to do it. Early season you end up with college football and the holiday break is used up by the GLI. Everyone takes a break from conference action like the Beanpot in February, maybe?

Sounds like it may be headed that way. The NCHC article discussing the conference schedule said it would be "split into two halves, playing 12 conference games each half."

[hattrick16]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

After checking out the USHL channel on Roku. The New WCHA really needs to get that done. Watching that many conference games would be awesome.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Nothing too new in this, but some more information none the less:

http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/59221/

[NMUFAN]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

With the WIAA possibly moving the state basketball finals to the Resch Center from Madison, won't that put a major monkey wrench in the Green Bay option for the WCHA finals? Actually I don't even know if they would land on the same weekend or not. Does anybody have more details?

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

With the WIAA possibly moving the state basketball finals to the Resch Center from Madison, won't that put a major monkey wrench in the Green Bay option for the WCHA finals? Actually I don't even know if they would land on the same weekend or not. Does anybody have more details?

Maybe, but that conflict was with the WCHA first round, not the weekend of the finals.

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Matt Wellens, taking cues from this thread, preaches for a WCHA streaming internet TV package:
http://www.miningjournal.net/page/co....html?nav=5011