Augustana University pursuing D1 hockey

[J.D.]

BuT I ThOuGHt YoU nEEdeD loADS oF cAsh

 

[AMC]

BuT I ThOuGHt YoU nEEdeD loADS oF cAsh

Seeing as the main guy bankrolling this is the medical executive that wanted to fund Augustana moving to D-I singlehandedly, I think there is loads of cash.

 

[Lost_Husky]

Think they get admitted to the CCHA?

In the short term, I don't think so. The CCHA appears to like having an 8 team league.

With so many independent schools, will there be a driver to have a "league"? It could be temporary, get them an auto-bid, and ease scheduling. There are a lot of assumptions that would have to be made, but in theory it could exist with the 6 independent teams. (As of this post, only RMU is officially dead. UAA is looking for money and UAH suspended operations this year.)

 

[moose97]

In the short term, I don't think so. The CCHA appears to like having an 8 team league.

With so many independent schools, will there be a driver to have a "league"? It could be temporary, get them an auto-bid, and ease scheduling. There are a lot of assumptions that would have to be made, but in theory it could exist with the 6 independent teams. (As of this post, only RMU is officially dead. UAA is looking for money and UAH suspended operations this year.)

UAA & UAH are a lot closer to dead than alive. Also, said independent scheduling agreement/conference (ASU, UAF, UAA, UAH, LIU, Lindenwood & Auggie) makes the old men's CHA look like a bus league. Yikes on the travel...

 

[The Sicatoka]

Seeing as the main guy bankrolling this is the medical executive that wanted to fund Augustana moving to D-I singlehandedly, I think there is loads of cash.

T Denny Sanford is not a medical executive.
He made tons of money doing credit card transaction processing.
He uses the money to buy and slap his name on medical facilities.

And he's had some recent allegations (unsubstantiated) brought against him.
https://listen.sdpb.org/post/sanfor...gation-t-denny-sanford-were-not-substantiated

 

[Lost_Husky]

UAA & UAH are a lot closer to dead than alive. Also, said independent scheduling agreement/conference (ASU, UAF, UAA, UAH, LIU, Lindenwood & Auggie) makes the old men's CHA look like a bus league. Yikes on the travel...

That was where there were a lot of qualifiers used. Yes travel would be awful. It would be one of those, this league exists to have the teams live to play another year. (ASU has shown they don't need to be in a league to survive, but suspect that autobid would be enticing for them.)

 

[moose97]

That was where there were a lot of qualifiers used. Yes travel would be awful. It would be one of those, this league exists to have the teams live to play another year. (ASU has shown they don't need to be in a league to survive, but suspect that autobid would be enticing for them.)

Awful is an understatement. I covered the men's CHA for its entire existence. Travel was brutal. I can't fathom a school attempting to travel, just as an example, from St Louis to Fairbanks, Tempe, Long Island, Sioux Falls, maybe Huntsville/Anchorage. That's not "let's try to keep the program together at least one more season," that's "let's see how much money we can burn on airfare in 6 months. Enough to bankrupt the athletic department? Perhaps..."

 

[pdt1081]

UAA & UAH are a lot closer to dead than alive. Also, said independent scheduling agreement/conference (ASU, UAF, UAA, UAH, LIU, Lindenwood & Auggie) makes the old men's CHA look like a bus league. Yikes on the travel...

How does the NCAA define a conference for an auto-bid? Play each team twice gives 12 league games. Allows 22 non-conference games. It could mainly be a scheduling agreement that gives a path to an auto-bid.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

If the NCHC is willing to get off their high horse and travel more than a couple hours to rinks outside their conference, Augustana has plenty of nearby opponents. If the NCHC thinks they're too good to go on the road, then Augustana's games will only come from the East. But still 9 (10) opponents that can easily be reached by bus. They shouldn't have any issues putting a schedule together out of the gate, even without a conference.

CC, DU, UNO, UND, SCSU, UMD plus MN, WI, ND, MSU, BSU, StT, MTU, NMU, AF (LU) all within 12 hours.

 

[sbkbghockey]

If the NCHC is willing to get off their high horse and travel more than a couple hours to rinks outside their conference, Augustana has plenty of nearby opponents. If the NCHC thinks they're too good to go on the road, then Augustana's games will only come from the East. But still 9 (10) opponents that can easily be reached by bus. They shouldn't have any issues putting a schedule together out of the gate, even without a conference.

CC, DU, UNO, UND, SCSU, UMD plus MN, WI, ND, MSU, BSU, StT, MTU, NMU, AF (LU) all within 12 hours.

Augustana actually offers some benefit to both the CCHA and the NCHC. Although they're a small university, and initially I had similar concerns about their size and endowment as apparently the Summit League had in their DI bid, if Sanford is involved, he has the money to support a very good AU program and that may also help dictate the direction they go for the conference. I lean toward the CCHA as a better overall fit and they're not that far from existing CCHA teams in Mankato and BSU. Augustana + Lindenwood adds some nice footprint to the conference while keeping travel still manageable and LU would actually balance the league out between north-south and east-west. Downside is even if they do bring LU into the CCHA, Augustana stretches the conference further for BG and Michigan-based schools. Although the original CCHA did have UNO and the travel from Augustana to BG and MI schools is similar as it was for them and UNO.

If Sanford gives them the money to compete with the top NCHC programs, then it's worth trying. The NCHC is probably a better overall geographic fit but requires a lot more initial investment to put a competitive product on the ice. They're close to several NCHC teams and a natural I-29 rivalry with UNO. Plus, I could see them wanting the NCHC because the other Summit League schools with hockey all play in the NCHC (Denver, UNO, NoDak). The NCHC could add the pair of Augustana and Arizona State to make an even 10.

I also think this could spark some conference realignment. Augustana and ASU to the NCHC and Mankato joins NCHC while Western Michigan and Miami return to the CCHA and Lindenwood joins the CCHA. In post-pandemic college athletics, it might make more sense for programs to fit more into geographic regions and Western and Miami have already had some gripe about NCHC travel, if they add Augustana and ASU to expand west, that might push WMU and Miami to make the more regional move. This would all be ideal because it helps stability for all involved and creates deeper natural/regional rivalries and creates stable conference homes for the new programs. Especially with RMU dropping hockey, I suspect LIU won't be indy much longer and will be added to Atlantic Hockey sooner rather than later so that helps give another current indy and new program a stable home.

 

[njmav1]

I also think this could spark some conference realignment. Augustana and ASU to the NCHC and Mankato joins NCHC while Western Michigan and Miami return to the CCHA and Lindenwood joins the CCHA. In post-pandemic college athletics, it might make more sense for programs to fit more into geographic regions and Western and Miami have already had some gripe about NCHC travel, if they add Augustana and ASU to expand west, that might push WMU and Miami to make the more regional move. This would all be ideal because it helps stability for all involved and creates deeper natural/regional rivalries and creates stable conference homes for the new programs. Especially with RMU dropping hockey, I suspect LIU won't be indy much longer and will be added to Atlantic Hockey sooner rather than later so that helps give another current indy and new program a stable home.

With all due respect, this is just pure fantasy.

Miami and Western Mich may gripe about the travel, but do you really think it's enough of a problem that they'd give up the prestige of the best hockey conference in the country?

 

[Lost_Husky]

Augustana actually offers some benefit to both the CCHA and the NCHC. Although they're a small university, and initially I had similar concerns about their size and endowment as apparently the Summit League had in their DI bid, if Sanford is involved, he has the money to support a very good AU program and that may also help dictate the direction they go for the conference. I lean toward the CCHA as a better overall fit and they're not that far from existing CCHA teams in Mankato and BSU. Augustana + Lindenwood adds some nice footprint to the conference while keeping travel still manageable and LU would actually balance the league out between north-south and east-west. Downside is even if they do bring LU into the CCHA, Augustana stretches the conference further for BG and Michigan-based schools. Although the original CCHA did have UNO and the travel from Augustana to BG and MI schools is similar as it was for them and UNO.

If Sanford gives them the money to compete with the top NCHC programs, then it's worth trying. The NCHC is probably a better overall geographic fit but requires a lot more initial investment to put a competitive product on the ice. They're close to several NCHC teams and a natural I-29 rivalry with UNO. Plus, I could see them wanting the NCHC because the other Summit League schools with hockey all play in the NCHC (Denver, UNO, NoDak). The NCHC could add the pair of Augustana and Arizona State to make an even 10.

I also think this could spark some conference realignment. Augustana and ASU to the NCHC and Mankato joins NCHC while Western Michigan and Miami return to the CCHA and Lindenwood joins the CCHA. In post-pandemic college athletics, it might make more sense for programs to fit more into geographic regions and Western and Miami have already had some gripe about NCHC travel, if they add Augustana and ASU to expand west, that might push WMU and Miami to make the more regional move. This would all be ideal because it helps stability for all involved and creates deeper natural/regional rivalries and creates stable conference homes for the new programs. Especially with RMU dropping hockey, I suspect LIU won't be indy much longer and will be added to Atlantic Hockey sooner rather than later so that helps give another current indy and new program a stable home.

I don't see what Augustana offers the NCHC other than geographic fit. If they want a competitive team, they could easily have MnSU. If they want market/footprint, they would have tried to get St Thomas.

If I was a smaller new to D1 hockey school, I would want to stay out of the NCHC until I built a strong competitive hockey team. In the CCHA the budgets are lower and there are some teams that one can realistically be competitive with in the first few years.

As for conference re-alignment, fans would love them to align for geography and overall it would help fan interest. Unfortunately that is a lower consideration than pride/prestige and financial aspects. That is why we are where we are right now. Yes, geography has some consideration, but if the money isn't there, the travel isn't worth it.

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

I don't see what Augustana offers the NCHC other than geographic fit. If they want a competitive team, they could easily have MnSU. If they want market/footprint, they would have tried to get St Thomas.

If I was a smaller new to D1 hockey school, I would want to stay out of the NCHC until I built a strong competitive hockey team. In the CCHA the budgets are lower and there are some teams that one can realistically be competitive with in the first few years.

As for conference re-alignment, fans would love them to align for geography and overall it would help fan interest. Unfortunately that is a lower consideration than pride/prestige and financial aspects. That is why we are where we are right now. Yes, geography has some consideration, but if the money isn't there, the travel isn't worth it.

for as much as i would love to trade BGSU for UMD, as an example, that ain't happening... but the CCHA can have some clout in the future by having the upper hand in any kind of shuffle; just gotta win. would love to meddle in the 'problem' of having to turn people down...

GO TECH GOLD!

 

[purpleinnebraska]

But on a more important subject, how does this affect NoDak being the host school for a Sioux Falls regional?

 

[SiouxFanatic]

But on a more important subject, how does this affect NoDak being the host school for a Sioux Falls regional?

Nebraska-Omaha is the host for Sioux Falls regional in 2024 and 2026. So probably just means UND will most likely not bother with bidding there altogether and stick to bidding in Fargo if Augustana fields a team.

 

[davyd83]

Augustana actually offers some benefit to both the CCHA and the NCHC. Although they're a small university, and initially I had similar concerns about their size and endowment as apparently the Summit League had in their DI bid, if Sanford is involved, he has the money to support a very good AU program and that may also help dictate the direction they go for the conference. I lean toward the CCHA as a better overall fit and they're not that far from existing CCHA teams in Mankato and BSU. Augustana + Lindenwood adds some nice footprint to the conference while keeping travel still manageable and LU would actually balance the league out between north-south and east-west. Downside is even if they do bring LU into the CCHA, Augustana stretches the conference further for BG and Michigan-based schools. Although the original CCHA did have UNO and the travel from Augustana to BG and MI schools is similar as it was for them and UNO.

If Sanford gives them the money to compete with the top NCHC programs, then it's worth trying. The NCHC is probably a better overall geographic fit but requires a lot more initial investment to put a competitive product on the ice. They're close to several NCHC teams and a natural I-29 rivalry with UNO. Plus, I could see them wanting the NCHC because the other Summit League schools with hockey all play in the NCHC (Denver, UNO, NoDak). The NCHC could add the pair of Augustana and Arizona State to make an even 10.

I also think this could spark some conference realignment. Augustana and ASU to the NCHC and Mankato joins NCHC while Western Michigan and Miami return to the CCHA and Lindenwood joins the CCHA. In post-pandemic college athletics, it might make more sense for programs to fit more into geographic regions and Western and Miami have already had some gripe about NCHC travel, if they add Augustana and ASU to expand west, that might push WMU and Miami to make the more regional move. This would all be ideal because it helps stability for all involved and creates deeper natural/regional rivalries and creates stable conference homes for the new programs. Especially with RMU dropping hockey, I suspect LIU won't be indy much longer and will be added to Atlantic Hockey sooner rather than later so that helps give another current indy and new program a stable home.

why would the CCHA want to add two markets that are a second day bus trip, if not a flight for most of their members? Who pays the NCHC’s exorbitant exit fees for Western & Miami?

 

[Split-N]

Honest question, not trying to pull anyone's chain: But if a small school like Augustana, with a very modest endowment, can at least announce an intention to add D1 hockey, what's holding back NODAK State/SODAK/SODAK State? Is there some sort of understanding that cedes D1 hockey in the Dakotas to NODAK?

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Honest question, not trying to pull anyone's chain: But if a small school like Augustana, with a very modest endowment, can at least announce an intention to add D1 hockey, what's holding back NODAK State/SODAK/SODAK State? Is there some sort of understanding that cedes D1 hockey in the Dakotas to NODAK?

If I had to guess, at NDSU, football is king and I can't see them wanting to risk diverting any funds from that. At SDSU, football is huge and Men's basketball is a close second, so probably the same deal.. I have no idea about USD, I am not sure if Vermillion is a hockey market?

Also, Augustana has a deep pocketed donor ready to help foot the bill.

 

[njmav1]

If I had to guess, at NDSU, football is king and I can't see them wanting to risk diverting any funds from that. At SDSU, football is huge and Men's basketball is a close second, so probably the same deal.. I have no idea about USD, I am not sure if Vermillion is a hockey market?

Also, Augustana has a deep pocketed donor ready to help foot the bill.

Excellent points. Those schools aren't big state universities like the B1G hockey schools. They can afford it. Schools like Mankato and Bemidji can do it because they decided to elevate hockey above all other sports.

That's why Alabama Huntsville hockey is likely done. There don't have the same level of commitment to ice hockey it takes.

 

[moose97]

Augustana has a deep pocketed donor ready to help foot the bill.

Honestly, forget everything else besides this. If some huge donor stepped up at any other school demanding hockey, it'd happen