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Atlantic Hockey Says No; So Long Chargers?
- Thread starter wsp67326
- Start date
moose97
New member
Honestly, it's more surprising that the B1G allowed the status quo to last as long as they did rather than force the 5 schools to find an affiliate member like men's lacrosse did with Johns Hopkins
moose97
New member
Also, yes, likely impossible when Barry Alvarez was willing to pull out of the WCHA in protest of the BSU/UNO decision
Atlantic Hockey is not expanding to Alaska. ASU is not going to Atlantic Hockey. Augustana has already been turned down by the Summit League and their D1 ambitions are in a holding pattern. Lindenwood hasn't made an official announcement. That leaves LIU as the most obvious expansion team- and my guess is not without another school to make an even dozen.
We can all piss on the NCHC, but there's no doubt they're the best hockey conference in the country.
SiouxFanatic
Registered User
Let’s forget that it was the small WCHA schools voting to extend that absolute dipshit McLeod as commissioner that solidified and accelerated the idea of leaving.
The “let’s shit on the NCHC” circle jerk from fans of CCHA schools that ALWAYS pops up in threads like these are comical. It’s inevitable. Just like I think realignment was.
What makes this even funnier though is, don’t see the CCHA folks pointing out their own schools’ culpability.
The “let’s shit on the NCHC” circle jerk from fans of CCHA schools that ALWAYS pops up in threads like these are comical. It’s inevitable. Just like I think realignment was.
What makes this even funnier though is, don’t see the CCHA folks pointing out their own schools’ culpability.
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ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
All three conferences committed sins to lead to this, but not one of them did something that wasn’t in their best interest.
It’s absurd to think that the B1G should not have its own conference when it is CLEARLY and SIGNIFICANTLY more operationally efficient to do so.
I can understand the argument that the NCHC is the least necessary of the three conferences in the choices they made, but it’s a decision that certainly seems 20/20 in hindsight for how well they’ve done since realignment.
And the CCHA… how quickly do we forget how much of a struggle some of these programs were having (up to and including risk of folding) even in the pre-alignment “glory days”… I recall BGSU explicitly, but also am fairly sure that FSU and LSSU weren’t necessarily on the strongest footing.
As much as I hate where this has put UAA, UAF, and UAH, they’re just in a terrible position and it’s not the fault of the other schools that they are so isolated (and in the case of the Alaska schools, screwed over by terrible state government and unsustainable economic conditions).
I’m far more bothered that the western schools at large have not stepped up in terms of offering more/better non-conference arrangements than I am for them aligning themselves the way that they did.
It’s absurd to think that the B1G should not have its own conference when it is CLEARLY and SIGNIFICANTLY more operationally efficient to do so.
I can understand the argument that the NCHC is the least necessary of the three conferences in the choices they made, but it’s a decision that certainly seems 20/20 in hindsight for how well they’ve done since realignment.
And the CCHA… how quickly do we forget how much of a struggle some of these programs were having (up to and including risk of folding) even in the pre-alignment “glory days”… I recall BGSU explicitly, but also am fairly sure that FSU and LSSU weren’t necessarily on the strongest footing.
As much as I hate where this has put UAA, UAF, and UAH, they’re just in a terrible position and it’s not the fault of the other schools that they are so isolated (and in the case of the Alaska schools, screwed over by terrible state government and unsustainable economic conditions).
I’m far more bothered that the western schools at large have not stepped up in terms of offering more/better non-conference arrangements than I am for them aligning themselves the way that they did.
DrunkTrainPolka
GO TECH GOLD!
look...
for as much as i don't like the NACHO [and let's ignore the B1G], the biggest hang up i have is the fact that WMU and miami are part of it... what kind of regional rivalry is that?
and for as much taking a trip to OH or k'zoo is not desired for MTU, trading BSU and MNSU for WMU and miami would help the make-sense geographical rivalries.
but in the end... really, personal pipe dream... take BGSU, give me UMD. want to go further? take FSU, give me SCSU.
the re-arranging is not done... money is only going to get tighter.
gossip is that RMU teams are being re-instated.
for as much as i don't like the NACHO [and let's ignore the B1G], the biggest hang up i have is the fact that WMU and miami are part of it... what kind of regional rivalry is that?
and for as much taking a trip to OH or k'zoo is not desired for MTU, trading BSU and MNSU for WMU and miami would help the make-sense geographical rivalries.
but in the end... really, personal pipe dream... take BGSU, give me UMD. want to go further? take FSU, give me SCSU.
the re-arranging is not done... money is only going to get tighter.
gossip is that RMU teams are being re-instated.
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John J. MacInnes
Coach Emeritus
The original B1G rule was that half the member schools had to sponsor a sport for it to form a conference league, not 6. Six was the number that was used once Penn State joined the conference since it then required more than 5.
The B1G is completely culpable for the hockey domino effect, because THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT.
If they waited 6 months for the announcement, Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference and pushed the effective number to 7 needed to form the league. And if you think they didn't know those additions were coming, you're in la-la land. They ramrodded it through with full knowledge that they would not be following the conference rule if they waited. This was explained to me by Ron Mason himself.
Split-N
All Hail
Could it be that the "other school" might be Navy? That would give Atlantic Hockey all three Service academies and group of smaller but generally like-minded and financially sound universities. But Navy is turning out to be the Illinois of the east: Lots of scuttlebutt but still in drydock.
OTOH, there's a rumor circulating in the twitterverse, attributed to Buccigross, that Robert Morris might be reconsidering it's decision to drop hockey. So if Navy stays high and dry and RMU really is having second thoughts, does it get to play prodigal son and beg forgiveness?
The Sicatoka
Kicizapi Cetan
Who knows about Navy?
As far as RMU hockey being reinstated- would that be for this year? Sounds like the Atlantic Hockey teams have already filled out their schedules- so even if RMU comes back, would it be this year or next? Won't they have to start over?
Let's say they do plan to restart for 2022-23. What if Atlantic Hockey finds out that a 10 team conference isn't so bad and even better than 11 or 12? Do they take back RMU?
Just wondering about the rules for leaving conferences. If you drop the sport are you still financially required to pay for leaving? If not, if you reinstate the program are you required to rejoin the same conference and if not do financial penalties reapply if they were not imposed? Could this be a possible path for RMU to join the new CCHA?
Leather Lungs
New member
I imagine the western AHA schools would want RMU back. I'd want them back at the very least for their broadcast team. But now that we have EIGHT(!!!) out-of-conference games, I'm seeing some sweet silver linings in this new AHA. AIC has home-and-homes with UMass, Providence, UConn, & Quinnipiac this year. Not too shabby.
Here's hoping we see you back on the ice, Bobby Mo. But take your time. No rush.
Russell Jaslow
Registered User
I see what you did there. {golf clap}
As to the post about what AHA would do if RMU suddenly returns to play, that may become a legal issue in how the bylaws are written, what constitutes notification for leaving a conference, and what constitutes legal return to the conference. Then, you have the issue that not only is the conference schedule set, but teams have picked up the necessary extra nonconference games to fill the gap. They can't exactly break those agreements they just "signed"...
Sean Pickett
2009 NCAA Champions
Well, Alaska did with BU after BU had announced that they were hosting the Nanooks for a 2 game series. And staying with BU, back in the summer of 2014 Army backed out of a game with BU, which Coach Quin was unable to replace with another DI team so he ended up scheduling the U.S. World Junior team. Then in 2017 BU lost 2 games when PSU backed out of a contract when the B1G added Notre Dame and the B1G teams all had 4 less non-conference games. That time Coach Quinn was able to replace the games on short notice with Minnesota State. So it does happen, the only question is are there any penalties that can and will be enforced.
Sean
Hockey John
Registered User
The CCHA members were not happy with the financial state of the Alaska schools and UAH. Why would they want that same issue with BobMO?
Excellent point. Lake State just announced spending 175k to upgrade their video production for the upcoming season. RMU is racing against time just to answer the bell.
That's assuming it was not a ploy by RMU. RMU is much closer to the league footprint. Close enough to be a travel partner for BGSU which if Augustana moves up and becomes Mankato's travel partner, the league could have a very balanced set of travel partners. Pittsburgh is a hub and would be a very easy flight from MSP too and all the other teams could get there connecting one stop through MSP, DTW or Midway. Big difference from Alaska or Alabama.
No conference has any obligation to save a school's program. Other than geography, what value does RMU or Augustana add to the CCHA (or any other conference)?
TalonsUpPuckDown
Roll along you BG Warriors!
So now the primary focus of a college hockey conference is to have balanced travel partners.
We created a new league specifically to ride busses and contain costs and you're now touting the wonderful benefits of MSP-PIT. Using your logic HE should be adding RMU and LIU because, well, hey...BOS-PIT is super easy and you don't have to connect through EWR.
Lindenwood and Augustana bring nothing to the CCHA table other than convenient conversation topics for fans of teams who aren't in the CCHA. Any logic used to justify adding these teams to the CCHA is also applicable to the NCHC and I don't hear the clarion sounding for that to happen. The landscape has changed; leagues are much more self-centered as program survival is much less guaranteed. No more Mr. Nice Guy; get your own league.
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