Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

If the X can't sell more than 11k seats, then it should go to the Ralph.

Says who? Give me a break. I doubt any WCHA will vote to have the final five in Grand Forks. We are more likely to see the games held Pepsi Center before the Ralp.

 

[SOTA]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Honestly, how much interlocking can get done by the Big10 teams? We know 20 games are B10 games, so I don't need to break 'em down, but for the Gophers they still have 2 games locked up in the Marriucci Classic. That leaves 34-20-2= 10 non conference games left to schedule. 2 vs tUMD, 2 vs SCSU, 2 vs Mankato. Four games left. They're going to want some cupcakes from the East to beat up on to improve the PWR, so those four games are likely gone.

No NoDak, no DU, no CC, big no to Bemidji, really big NO to MTU, and definitely no Anchorage (unless UAA is flying down to Minneapolis and the Gophers are paying them to do so).

*edit* I don't see Minnesota and Wisco teaming up to be travel partners, but that's one option. I guess. SCSU can host Minn one night, Wisco the next. While Mankato (for example) get's them on the opposite nights.

I think interlocking can be done, but the majority of the games are going to have to be home games for Minnesota & Wisconsin. With a 34 game schedule, the BT conference games take up 20 games. Pretty much, Minnesota needs 20 home games/season, so with there being 14 games remaining, a minimum of 10 of those are going to be at Mariucci. 2 of those included are the Holiday tournament. I think the bottom line is that especially SCSU, UMD, Mankato & Bemidji are going to have to accept less than a 1 for 1 deal in terms of playing Minnesota. I do think North Dakota does have the ability to say "1 for 1" with Minnesota. I am intrigued by the idea of a MN series with Friday up in St. Cloud & Saturday in Mankato or a Friday night in Duluth & a Saturday night in Bemidji. I think those schools would also see the Gophers once every other year or so compared to a two game series every 4-5 years.

One thing Alaska does have going for them is that a Minnesota or Wisconsin would gain 2 extra games if they did go up there. Obviously not every year, but I wouldn't be shocked to see them play there once every 4 years or so.

 

[moose97]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Honestly, how much interlocking can get done by the Big10 teams? We know 20 games are B10 games, so I don't need to break 'em down, but for the Gophers they still have 2 games locked up in the Marriucci Classic. That leaves 34-20-2= 10 non conference games left to schedule. 2 vs tUMD, 2 vs SCSU, 2 vs Mankato. Four games left. They're going to want some cupcakes from the East to beat up on to improve the PWR, so those four games are likely gone.

No NoDak, no DU, no CC, big no to Bemidji, really big NO to MTU, and definitely no Anchorage (unless UAA is flying down to Minneapolis and the Gophers are paying them to do so).

*edit* I don't see Minnesota and Wisco teaming up to be travel partners, but that's one option. I guess. SCSU can host Minn one night, Wisco the next. While Mankato (for example) get's them on the opposite nights.

Locked in to the Mariucci Classic? How? They could stop tomorrow if they wanted. What, they gonna miss those huge crowds they're drawing? Hardly.

Lou Nanne has a decent idea for the Classic though if they want to continue it - essentially the Minnesota Beanpot. Heck, you could even rotate UMD and NoDak into the tourney and rotate the two OOC weekends between the two schools not in the tourney.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Locked in to the Mariucci Classic? How? They could stop tomorrow if they wanted. What, they gonna miss those huge crowds they're drawing? Hardly.

Lou Nanne has a decent idea for the Classic though if they want to continue it - essentially the Minnesota Beanpot. Heck, you could even rotate UMD and NoDak into the tourney and rotate the two OOC weekends between the two schools not in the tourney.

A Minnesota Beanpot might actually work. At least the games would be fun to watch.

 

[moose97]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Pretty much, Minnesota needs 20 home games/season, so with there being 14 games remaining, a minimum of 10 of those are going to be at Mariucci.

Asked elsewhere, never answered - Why? Greed? Truthfully, UMinn and UWisc don't need 20 home games (especially with added B1G Network revenue), they really, really want 20 home games, and are in a position to demand them.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Donald do you have a link on that? It would be interesting to see what they have to say.

Penn State's AD mentioned coming to AK in questions about scheduling .. skip to the 9 minute mark.


People here that think schools with big rinks will only come to Alaska to play every 4 years are fooling themselves. The exempt games the program receives means playing two additional home games. $$$$$ ...

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Penn State's AD mentioned coming to AK in questions about scheduling .. skip to the 9 minute mark.


People here that think schools with big rinks will only come to Alaska to play every 4 years are fooling themselves. The exempt games the program receives means playing two additional home games. $$$$$ ...

Thanks! UAA can demolish them.

 

[mksioux]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Evidently the WCHA commissioner is not overly concerned with Minnesota and Wisconsin leaving the WCHA. The WCHA tournament was a big success without Minnesota and Wisconsin (revenue was up).

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/118307199.html

McLeod is saying what he has to say. He can't say "we're doomed." He has to stay optimistic and look for positives. Therefore, I'm very skeptical of anything that comes out of his mouth right now.

The only person that I've seen quoted that I believe is genuinely saying what they really think is Dean Blais. The rest of the quotes probably came straight from a public relations firm.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/118407989.html

Blais questioned if the move would help Minnesota and Wisconsin and said he "doesn't see any positive" for the WCHA with the departures.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

McLeod is saying what he has to say. He can't say "we're doomed." He has to stay optimistic and look for positives. Therefore, I'm very skeptical of anything that comes out of his mouth right now.

The only person that I've seen quoted that I believe is genuinely saying what they really think is Dean Blais. The rest of the quotes probably came straight from a public relations firm.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/118407989.html

The days of telling recruits we play MN and WI are over.

 

[DenverGoldJersey]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

If the Final Five occasionally was at the Pepsi Center in Denver there would be a benefit of going to a ski city during a spring break period. So the aspect that hurts DU and CC attendance could actually help the tournament. The pitch would be basically, come to Denver for the Final Five, go skiing and watch hockey. It could have more of a vacation feel instead of just going to Minnesota during the winter/early spring to watch hockey.

 

[Almington]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Asked elsewhere, never answered - Why? Greed? Truthfully, UMinn and UWisc don't need 20 home games (especially with added B1G Network revenue), they really, really want 20 home games, and are in a position to demand them.

To hit the expected revenue targets with regards to ticket sales. In a one word response: Greed, pure and simple.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

If the Final Five occasionally was at the Pepsi Center in Denver there would be a benefit of going to a ski city during a spring break period. So the aspect that hurts DU and CC attendance could actually help the tournament. The pitch would be basically, come to Denver for the Final Five, go skiing and watch hockey. It could have more of a vacation feel instead of just going to Minnesota during the winter/early spring to watch hockey.

Hockey is more important than anything in life. Get? llol

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

There's plenty of flexibility for the interlock to work.
Here's an example of how it could work in MN's case:
2 Mariucci Classic
1 @ CC / 1 @ DU (pair with and travel out with UW to alternate nights)
2 v SCSU (could do home/home)
1 @ UMD / 1 @ BSU (again, pair UW and alternate nights)
2 v UNO
4 v whoever

You could also tack on a trip to UAA every so often, and that would not count against the 14 game total. Note that this example features games against six of the ten WCHA teams, and seven if you tack on an Alaska trip. They could also get creative with UND and schedule an annual tournament of sorts in St. Paul featuring MN, UW, UND, and some other team. MN and UW would alternate opponents in this case to avoid having a fifth game against each other in the regular season (or not, if we wanted to make it a true tournament - in any case, they wouldn't be paired together in the first game).

 

[Almington]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

People here that think schools with big rinks will only come to Alaska to play every 4 years are fooling themselves. The exempt games the program receives means playing two additional home games. $$$$$ ...

It only meens two more home games if they are in your conference, it just means two more games if you are not. The big schools with the large travel budgets will come up for the extra games. The short season is often cited as a disadvantage compared to MJ.

Someone just told me that I have no idea what I am talking about with regards to the F5 and number of MN and UW ticket holders. How cute.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

It only meens two more home games if they are in your conference, it just means two more games if you are not.

Incorrect. A program receives exemptions for the games they play in Alaska (against Alaska teams) regardless of conference affiliation.

Someone just told me that I have no idea what I am talking about with regards to the F5 and number of MN and UW ticket holders. How cute.

Oh noes ... look. Someone else just said you were wrong about something else. Not a good day for you today?

 

[MUnRPI]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Still waiting for a reaction from the Nanook and his F18

 

[mksioux]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

There's plenty of flexibility for the interlock to work.
Here's an example of how it could work in MN's case:
2 Mariucci Classic
1 @ CC / 1 @ DU (pair with and travel out with UW to alternate nights)
2 v SCSU (could do home/home)
1 @ UMD / 1 @ BSU (again, pair UW and alternate nights)
2 v UNO
4 v whoever

You could also tack on a trip to UAA every so often, and that would not count against the 14 game total. Note that this example features games against six of the ten WCHA teams, and seven if you tack on an Alaska trip. They could also get creative with UND and schedule an annual tournament of sorts in St. Paul featuring MN, UW, UND, and some other team. MN and UW would alternate opponents in this case to avoid having a fifth game against each other in the regular season (or not, if we wanted to make it a true tournament - in any case, they wouldn't be paired together in the first game).

I think you're making it more complicated than it will be.

WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod said the conference has a tentative verbal agreement on an interlocking schedule with the Gophers and Wisconsin when they switch conferences. It calls for them to play all 10 remaining WCHA teams on a rotating schedule.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/118407989.html
It doesn't specifically say an equal rotating schedule, but it's implied. I doubt McLeod would negotiate a rotating schedule that favored some members over others. What's not certain is the number of games it will be. But I think you will see Minnesota and Wisconsin refuse to bind themselves to more than the 28 conference games they currently play. With 20 BTHC games, that leaves 8 games per year with what's left of the WCHA. At most, you will see Minnesota and Wisconsin travel to WCHA schools for four games per year (two series). So a WCHA school can reasonably expect Minnesota to come to its barn, at most, once every 5 years. In other words, not enough to keep true rivalries going.

 

[NMU8405]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Still waiting for a reaction from the Nanook and his F18

I believe his statement was made when he blew up East Lansing.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I think you're making it more complicated than it will be.

Perhaps, but the point of that exercise was to illustrate how much WCHA exposure could be had in a single season if the schedule was done creatively.

 

[mksioux]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Perhaps, but the point of that exercise was to illustrate how much WCHA exposure could be had in a single season if the schedule was done creatively.

You are giving too much credit to McLeod in the creativity department. My prediction - the rotating schedule will be equal amongst the WCHA schools. It's not going to favor any particular WCHA school over another. I predict 8 games per year, maybe 10 at most. But we'll see...