2015 WCHA Offseason

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

The wcha is definitely a bigger expense in that regard. Is that enough of a change in costs? I'm not sure it is, but I'm not certain.

Note that Miami State's travel costs went up $100k-$150k when they moved from CCHA to NCHC (they fly everywhere except Western). That's a pretty healthy hole to have to fill with no increase in attendance. So I'm not sure WCHA is "definitely bigger" in all cases.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

http://www.grandforksherald.com/spo...-state-could-trigger-more-conference-shifting

It is amazing to me that "factual reporting" really has very little place in today's news media from the big TV networks right on down to hometown newspapers. Just generate the most clicks you can with outlandish statements of loose truths. Most articles, including this one, are 95% spin / personal opinion and 5% facts. If I'm just looking for wild off the cuff opinions on college hockey, I can just come here and read for a while.

I loved these two gems which are clearly fact based and are the leading points for each conference:
NCHC - The league that fits best geographically with Arizona State is the NCHC... (Based on...?)
WCHA - Geographically, the league is a mess... (Yes, the WCHA secretly relocated several states around the country during the off season without the NCHC's permission and now no one knows where they are...)

The WCHA has two teams out West in AK and has teams as far East as BGSU and Huntsville. I'm guessing if you worked out the average distance to each of the current member schools, ASU would have pretty equal travel to most road games with the AK schools being on the longer end of things. Yes, the WCHA is pretty spread out across the country, almost like a "National" footprint (ironic huh?). Maybe the only reason he thinks the geography of the WCHA is a mess is he can't read an atlas. News Flash - The whole world isn't straight roads that meet at 90 degree angles with a church, bar, gas station and empty dirt lot on the four corners like ND. Sometimes things get "messy" with curves in the road and college hockey teams may reside in states that don't look loosely like a rectangle (I'm looking at you ND, CO, NE).

Ryan J

 

[Bale]

Note that Miami State's travel costs went up $100k-$150k when they moved from CCHA to NCHC (they fly everywhere except Western). That's a pretty healthy hole to have to fill with no increase in attendance. So I'm not sure WCHA is "definitely bigger" in all cases.

I guess I was referring to msu specifically in that instance. Msu only has 1 in state conference mate and thats still 5 hrs away. Beyond that the closest is mtu at nearly 8 hrs away. In the nchc that wouldnt be even close to the case. Sorry for the confusion in my rambling.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

I think bowling green is the one that makes the most sense because it will help keep the league together by giving Miami/Western some more close conference games.

Losing BG would be a disaster for the WCHA. With no more fully Division I schools in the league, the WCHA runs the risk of being left off the table in future rules discussions, etc. It's vital to keep at least one full D-I school and no one else fits the bill right now.

 

[blackswampboy]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

One thing ive learned about schlossman, is that he focuses so much on on-ice stuff in these situations that you have to take his suggestions with a grain of salt. Take for example his insistence that the realignment was good for schools like mtu and msu since they are more competitive, all the while 8gnoring that their expenses sky rocketed. He tends to not tell the whole story in those instances.

I'm not sure the nchc would even consider msu, Bsu, mtu or bgsu. Frankly, our schools don't add much in theor historical line of thinking. We don't add substantial markets, we don't add financially to the tourney. We don't add huge fan bases. It's unfortunate, but realistically, we add a shorter trips and an additional weekend on the schedule. I love my schools, but from their line of thinking, that's the reality.

The NCHC wants to get beyond 8 teams, and BGSU/MSU (or Tech, but they apparently won't admit that) are their best and most realistic options for the tenth. Adding any of those WCHA teams would benefit the NCHC, and as usual Schlossman is looking at benefits to the NCHC through his homer glasses.

But BG is already scheduling non-conference games vs. Western and Miami State every year. That satisfies our MAC desires just fine.
and since Schlossman and the nacho homers insist to this day that realignment has been good for us since we are more competitive...what benefits would the NCHC offer BGSU now? in dollars and cents, please. hmmm, what's changed in the past three years, other than NCHC needs?
bugger off, NCHC.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Losing BG would be a disaster for the WCHA. With no more fully Division I schools in the league, the WCHA runs the risk of being left off the table in future rules discussions, etc. It's vital to keep at least one full D-I school and no one else fits the bill right now.

To be fair, the replacement from the AHA would most likely be a full D1 team from the MAAC (Niagara) or NEC (Robert Morris). Certainly would make Mercyhurst less appealing.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

It is amazing to me that "factual reporting" really has very little place in today's news media from the big TV networks right on down to hometown newspapers. Just generate the most clicks you can with outlandish statements of loose truths. Most articles, including this one, are 95% spin / personal opinion and 5% facts. If I'm just looking for wild off the cuff opinions on college hockey, I can just come here and read for a while.

I loved these two gems which are clearly fact based and are the leading points for each conference:
NCHC - The league that fits best geographically with Arizona State is the NCHC... (Based on...?)
WCHA - Geographically, the league is a mess... (Yes, the WCHA secretly relocated several states around the country during the off season without the NCHC's permission and now no one knows where they are...)

The WCHA has two teams out West in AK and has teams as far East as BGSU and Huntsville. I'm guessing if you worked out the average distance to each of the current member schools, ASU would have pretty equal travel to most road games with the AK schools being on the longer end of things. Yes, the WCHA is pretty spread out across the country, almost like a "National" footprint (ironic huh?). Maybe the only reason he thinks the geography of the WCHA is a mess is he can't read an atlas. News Flash - The whole world isn't straight roads that meet at 90 degree angles with a church, bar, gas station and empty dirt lot on the four corners like ND. Sometimes things get "messy" with curves in the road and college hockey teams may reside in states that don't look loosely like a rectangle (I'm looking at you ND, CO, NE).

Ryan J

Calling the WCHA's geography "a mess" is good for a laugh, but the NCHC does at least give ASU two close-ish conference opponents in Denver and CC. In the WCHA, their "shortest" trip might be Huntsville (!) or Mankato. Logistically, with ASU right there in Phoenix a short bus ride from Sky Harbor Intl, the NCHC towns are marginally easier to get to, especially in the dead of winter. When Denver and CC were in the WCHA, they didn't fly into CMX, they chartered into GRB and bused 4 hours to Houghton, because the weather and facilities at CMX are notoriously unreliable - something like 40 percent of the commercial flights from/to O'Hare get cancelled during the winter months.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Losing BG would be a disaster for the WCHA. With no more fully Division I schools in the league, the WCHA runs the risk of being left off the table in future rules discussions, etc. It's vital to keep at least one full D-I school and no one else fits the bill right now.

Well, its not that big of a problem from that standpoint. If we lose BGSU we can just replace them with D1 Robert Morris.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

It is amazing to me that "factual reporting" really has very little place in today's news media from the big TV networks right on down to hometown newspapers. Just generate the most clicks you can with outlandish statements of loose truths. Most articles, including this one, are 95% spin / personal opinion and 5% facts. If I'm just looking for wild off the cuff opinions on college hockey, I can just come here and read for a while.

I loved these two gems which are clearly fact based and are the leading points for each conference:
NCHC - The league that fits best geographically with Arizona State is the NCHC... (Based on...?)
WCHA - Geographically, the league is a mess... (Yes, the WCHA secretly relocated several states around the country during the off season without the NCHC's permission and now no one knows where they are...)

The WCHA has two teams out West in AK and has teams as far East as BGSU and Huntsville. I'm guessing if you worked out the average distance to each of the current member schools, ASU would have pretty equal travel to most road games with the AK schools being on the longer end of things. Yes, the WCHA is pretty spread out across the country, almost like a "National" footprint (ironic huh?). Maybe the only reason he thinks the geography of the WCHA is a mess is he can't read an atlas. News Flash - The whole world isn't straight roads that meet at 90 degree angles with a church, bar, gas station and empty dirt lot on the four corners like ND. Sometimes things get "messy" with curves in the road and college hockey teams may reside in states that don't look loosely like a rectangle (I'm looking at you ND, CO, NE).

Ryan J

Well, judging all reporters using Schlossman is kind of like judging beef by eating a White Castle slider. He's a complete hack reporter that is absolutely terrible at his job.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Calling the WCHA's geography "a mess" is good for a laugh, but the NCHC does at least give ASU two close-ish conference opponents in Denver and CC. In the WCHA, their "shortest" trip might be Huntsville (!) or Mankato. Logistically, with ASU right there in Phoenix a short bus ride from Sky Harbor Intl, the NCHC towns are marginally easier to get to, especially in the dead of winter. When Denver and CC were in the WCHA, they didn't fly into CMX, they chartered into GRB and bused 4 hours to Houghton, because the weather and facilities at CMX are notoriously unreliable - something like 40 percent of the commercial flights from/to O'Hare get cancelled during the winter months.

The weather is no doubt a factor, but it's also tough to book an entire team - 22 players, coaches, support staff, and most importantly the equipment and gear - on one flight into (or out of) CMX. Most flights are 50 seaters, and they're also notoriously overbooked on all of them. Plus the time you spend waiting for the connector in O'Hare is almost criminally long.

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Well, its not that big of a problem from that standpoint. If we lose BGSU we can just replace them with D1 Robert Morris.

That's a lot of long bus rides from Pittsburgh to MN/UP (13h to Houghton, 13 to Mankato, 17h to Bimidji). Assuming they do some flying, are they up for those kinds of travel costs compared to what they're dealing with now?

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

That's a lot of long bus rides from Pittsburgh to MN/UP (13h to Houghton, 13 to Mankato, 17h to Bimidji). Assuming they do some flying, are they up for those kinds of travel costs compared to what they're dealing with now?

Yeah, it sucks, but you have to play with the hand you're dealt.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

The weather is no doubt a factor, but it's also tough to book an entire team - 22 players, coaches, support staff, and most importantly the equipment and gear - on one flight into (or out of) CMX. Most flights are 50 seaters, and they're also notoriously overbooked on all of them. Plus the time you spend waiting for the connector in O'Hare is almost criminally long.

Yeah, I remember that is why Tech always bused to MSP for flights to Denver and Anchorage - too much weight for the RJ. Also probably cheaper, even with the charter bus.

 

[Bale]

Well, judging all reporters using Schlossman is kind of like judging beef by eating a White Castle slider. He's a complete hack reporter that is absolutely terrible at his job.

For me, that wasn't the point. I think schlossman is a good reporter, but is much to willing to only look at on-ice results and forgets that money plays into whether programs are viable or not....I mean a good example of that is in their own conference. Uno had a championship winning program in wrestling and a pretty good football program because it wasn't financially viable. Granted they also had other political influences going on.

Just my opinion, but I'm not sure that it would he financially advantageous for the wcha schools at this point. At least not as much as people like schlossman believe.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Well, judging all reporters using Schlossman is kind of like judging beef by eating a White Castle slider. He's a complete hack reporter that is absolutely terrible at his job.

I agree, but when it is to the point that TV network anchors start making up stories to seem more important... yeah, it's bad. (And I'm not talking about Ron Burgandy.) How many online "news" stories today contain one or more of the following words in the title: shocking, unbelievable, never before seen, etc? They just want you to click on their story, even if they don't have a real story to report.
Ryan J

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

As far as flights to CMX go, things changed alot for everyone when Delta lost control of flights to/from CMX.

 

[eye4talent]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Well, judging all reporters using Schlossman is kind of like judging beef by eating a White Castle slider. He's a complete hack reporter that is absolutely terrible at his job.

Tech fans are so sensitive. It's an opinion piece. BFD? ASU will join the Big 10 and I could care less.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

I don't think it's 40% more like 20 but even so Marquette is only a bit over an hour so I usually fly in there from Detroit.
And the planes are 70 seats so it's a bit easier
And if you are ASU a flight is a flight
This whole thing is why I asked about a month ago about the tournament making money
If it does than there is no benefit to changes for the most part
You can also fly in to IMT and drive the two hours up it has better schedules from the east though the rental car situation isn't very good

 

[Squarebanks]

Calling the WCHA's geography "a mess" is good for a laugh, but the NCHC does at least give ASU two close-ish conference opponents in Denver and CC. In the WCHA, their "shortest" trip might be Huntsville (!) or Mankato. Logistically, with ASU right there in Phoenix a short bus ride from Sky Harbor Intl, the NCHC towns are marginally easier to get to, especially in the dead of winter. When Denver and CC were in the WCHA, they didn't fly into CMX, they chartered into GRB and bused 4 hours to Houghton, because the weather and facilities at CMX are notoriously unreliable - something like 40 percent of the commercial flights from/to O'Hare get cancelled during the winter months.

Irnoically enough, Anchorage would probably be the easiest WCHA roadie for ASU. It's a nonstop flight on American or Alaska PHX-ANC, and no extended bus rides on either end. But I can't see ASU joining the WCHA for a variety of reasons.

NCHC probably makes sense geographically for ASU, but they'd be a big fish in a pond of small schools. Most people in AZ aren't going to know anything about schools like St. Cloud or Minnesota-Duluth. They'd have a harder time building the brand of their hockey program playing NCHC programs week in and week out.

B1G simply makes the most sense for them. Similar sized schools, similar athletic programs and budgets, recognizable name brands to play, plus the B1G and Pac 12 have history together. There's just the pesky affiliate issue.

 

[blackswampboy]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

B1G simply makes the most sense for them. Similar sized schools, similar athletic programs and budgets, recognizable name brands to play, plus the B1G and Pac 12 have history together. There's just the pesky affiliate issue.

that, and they'd need Notre Dame to take it to 8. Seven would be a scheduling nightmare, and they can't just wait around for another B1G or PAC-12 school to maybe sign on for hockey.