Big Ten 2015-2016

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

This is wrong.

Love to hear the elaboration on this one. Want to try?

[gopher wes]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Why would we have to backtrack? UND would actually make the league good since, you know unlike all the B10 teams, they are actually good at hockey. Plus we're awesome and make everything better. We're like bacon.

I agree. (At least this year anyway)

[Freddie]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

I think I speak for just about everyone from the old WCHA and CCHA, when I say:
******* the Big 6, 7, 10, 14 or whatever number you choose.
We hate you and everything you stand for.

[alfablue]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

I think I speak for just about everyone from the old WCHA and CCHA, when I say:
******* the Big 6, 7, 10, 14 or whatever number you choose.
We hate you and everything you stand for.

The B1G was the result of PSU adding hockey. Once added to 6, there was no choice based on B1G rules. If you fault those long standing rules, ok...

But the NCHC and Notre Dame then decided to gut what was left.

Penn State may have started the process, but the greedy remaining schools really ran with it. The remaining WCHA and CCHA were strong enough without the 5 schools.

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

I think I speak for just about everyone from the old WCHA and CCHA, when I say:
******* the Big 6, 7, 10, 14 or whatever number you choose.
We hate you and everything you stand for.

Nobody made the others run off and create the NCHC.

[Jaws]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Beaver, Pa. is a hockey hotbed? More like a captive audience that lovves anything blue and white related.

I suppose it's possible. I just don't see it. PSU has flourished because it is based in a hockey hot bed. The west is not. It's the same reason schools in the south are typically better than those in the north.

I mentioned this on GPL, but it would be incredible if the second team is North Dakota. Can you imagine the epic amount of backtracking on how ****ty the big ten is?

It would never happen, but it would be hilarious.

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

The B1G was the result of PSU adding hockey. Once added to 6, there was no choice based on B1G rules. If you fault those long standing rules, ok...

Here's the funny part.

The Big Ten "rules" stipulate that the conference will form a league for a sport when sponsoring schools reach 1/2 the league membership. When Penn State gave them 6 out of 12, that triggered the B1G hockey league scheduled to start in the fall of 2013.

But while they were waiting to announce the schedule for that season, the conference was in negotiation to bring in Maryland and Rutgers. 6/14 is no longer half the league, so they could have chosen to NOT break up college hockey as per their own rules.

So I guess it depends on timing whether or not they followed these "rules".

[alfablue]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Here's the funny part.

The Big Ten "rules" stipulate that the conference will form a league for a sport when sponsoring schools reach 1/2 the league membership. When Penn State gave them 6 out of 12, that triggered the B1G hockey league scheduled to start in the fall of 2013.

But while they were waiting to announce the schedule for that season, the conference was in negotiation to bring in Maryland and Rutgers. 6/14 is no longer half the league, so they could have chosen to NOT break up college hockey as per their own rules.

So I guess it depends on timing whether or not they followed these "rules".

Chuckle- yea, you are right. But it would have been a tough thing to say- "we are starting a conference" which was soon after PSU announced hockey, only take it back a few years later when the last two schools were added.

PSU added hockey for the 12-13 season, and the first B1G season was 13-14, while Maryland and Rutgers were announced in '14.

Kinda hard to go back once going.

[SteveO]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

I think we'll see Sun Devils hockey entering into an affiliate agreement with the Big Ten very soon. They're not AAU, but have a good grad school and an academic reputation the Big Ten requires. However, I don't think we'll see the formation of a "cooperative league", but the market potential for the Big Ten to negotiate a broader "cooperative/friendly" relationship with the Pac-12 by adding ASU is most likely being discussed. Moreover, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany has already admitted that the Phoenix market is actually home to more Big Ten alums than Pac-12 alums.

I think it's important to note that the unfortunate dark underbelly of Big Ten sports today, and in this case B1G college hockey, is primarily money driven with entertainment value running a close second. Media exposure is EVERYTHING for the Big Ten and they've been on the leading edge of it for quite sometime.

So for example, the Sun Devils may be willing to commit to playing a couple Big Ten football teams, basketball games, and possibly some NC baseball games (ASU has a strong baseball program) which would expand the Big Ten footprint, boost ratings and bring in boo-coo TV revenue ($$$).

The Big Ten's football and basketball deals with ESPN/ABC and CBS are set to expire after the 2016-17 basketball season and from what I've read, the Big Ten will be looking at significant increases from its 10-year, $1 billion deal with ESPN/ABC for football and basketball and 6-year, $72 million pact with CBS for basketball. It already has a 25-year, $2.8 billion deal with the league-run BTN that extends through 2031-32.

ASU could be the linchpin metric that bridges a time share media package with the other media giants that will rake in big bucks for the Big Ten with a view to a more "cooperative/friendly" relationship with the Pac-12 down the road. Whether it be ESPN or ESPN2 it doesn't matter, either one is going to broaden the media footprint compared to games on BTN alone. It's all about cash flow now.

As far as Notre Dame leaving HE and joining the Big Ten, I tend to agree that it's a more remote prospect simply because of it's historically independent status, dysfunctional relationship with the Big Ten and its proprietary media coverage. I'd like to see something more organic for Big Ten hockey emerge like Nebraska or Illinois, of which both have near immediate potential from a club team, fanbase and facilities perspective. However the Title IX issue still looms large for financial donors to engage in those startup projects.

ASU coming in as an affiliate would certainly open the Big Ten affiliate door a bit wider and raise the possibility that the Big Ten would be talking with a few established college hockey programs to enter through that door as well. But one thing is for sure, the Big Ten will be very careful and somewhat conservative in the selection of their affiliate member candidates. Sorry about the length of this... Ramblings.

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Chuckle- yea, you are right. But it would have been a tough thing to say- "we are starting a conference" which was soon after PSU announced hockey, only take it back a few years later when the last two schools were added.

PSU added hockey for the 12-13 season, and the first B1G season was 13-14, while Maryland and Rutgers were announced in '14.

Kinda hard to go back once going.

Maryland and Rutgers officially joined on July 1, 2014. Maryland's board accepted the invitation in November of 2012, and Rutgers did so one day later.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...ll-sources-say

[SteveO]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Speaking of Rutgers, there's a group there who are really wanting to join Big Ten hockey. http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/in...re_on_a_m.html

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Here's the funny part.

The Big Ten "rules" stipulate that the conference will form a league for a sport when sponsoring schools reach 1/2 the league membership. When Penn State gave them 6 out of 12, that triggered the B1G hockey league scheduled to start in the fall of 2013.

But while they were waiting to announce the schedule for that season, the conference was in negotiation to bring in Maryland and Rutgers. 6/14 is no longer half the league, so they could have chosen to NOT break up college hockey as per their own rules.

So I guess it depends on timing whether or not they followed these "rules".

This is absolutely wrong and a complete myth. The conference says that you must have six teams before you can PROPOSE a Big Ten conference. Then you vote on it.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Beaver, Pa. is a hockey hotbed? More like a captive audience that lovves anything blue and white related.

No, the northeast. Pennsylvania has plenty of kids playing.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Absolutely not going to happen as an associate. The Big Ten was and still is adamant that they would only welcome Notre Dame as a full member in all sports. The TV deal conflict with NBC and BTN is enough to make associate level participation impossible anyway.

That line of thinking is kind of ten years ago.

Notre Dame's closest opponent in HEA is about as far as Minnesota, their furthest opponent, in the BTHC. It's a bad fit.

The BTN and NBCSN aren't mutually exclusive. Everything is negotiable now.

[alfablue]

Re: Big Ten 2015-2016

Maryland and Rutgers officially joined on July 1, 2014. Maryland's board accepted the invitation in November of 2012, and Rutgers did so one day later.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...ll-sources-say

At this point, it doesn't matter. Again, it would be hard to put the genie back in the bottle when the two schools signed- PSU added hockey before the two schools were added, and I'm sure the B1G hockey was voted on and added soon after the announcement. So even if the state of things changed before the first season, it would have been too much of a tear up to undo.

So at some time, we just need to deal with it.