Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

[SoCalSiouxFan]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

They will have 10 conference road games each year. Any other "road" games will be neutral site games. Any of those four are going to come to the east coast? They're going to Colorado? Hell, the upper peninsula? Maybe Minnesota might be forced to play the SCSU's/Mankatos/UMDs of the world, but they can work out an agreement to play at the X. I don't see why any of them would play a true "road" series again.

http://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/2010-2011

Just look at the attendance stats and you will see some non-BTHC teams would be good hosts for a road series. North Dakota and Nebraska Omaha are near the top of the list. Teams also need to travel to remain competative. Players need to experience the challenges of playing in someone else's house and of playing with out of conference officiating crews.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Former Michigan Wolverine John Madden's take on the B10 conference.
"That would be the league I'm sure every young kid would want to play in."
Please quote me if I am wrong but looks like Puck Swami is correct.

I don't know if players at Michigan would feel quite the same as players at Minnesota. Maybe its just me, but I don't see MI's non Big Ten CCHA rivalries being quite to the level of MN's comparable WCHA rivalries.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

They will have 10 conference road games each year. Any other "road" games will be neutral site games. Any of those four are going to come to the east coast? They're going to Colorado? Hell, the upper peninsula? Maybe Minnesota might be forced to play the SCSU's/Mankatos/UMDs of the world, but they can work out an agreement to play at the X. I don't see why any of them would play a true "road" series again.

I could see WI and specifically MN playing on the road against the WCHA...for instate support and to 'help college hockey'. But if that's the case, you're right...they will pretty much never play an out of conference game on the road against a foe outside the big ten or wcha.

 

[blockski]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

http://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/2010-2011

Just look at the attendance stats and you will see some non-BTHC teams would be good hosts for a road series. North Dakota and Nebraska Omaha are near the top of the list. Teams also need to travel to remain competative. Players need to experience the challenges of playing in someone else's house and of playing with out of conference officiating crews.

Exactly. They will definitely be traveling.

The advantage that a school like UND offers is a rivalry, a tough team and a tough venue. UAA offers you get 2 free games for making the trip.

This isn't like college football where there are a few haves and lots of have nots. There are plenty of schools who can and will offer a compelling reason for the Big Ten schools to travel, whether it be a rivalry, an on-ice test, or purely financial reasons.

 

[geezer]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I think Michigan would have a near equal draw in Houghton as UMTC or UW, maybe not.

There's no question that Michigan and Michigan State would draw more fans in Houghton than any other teams (might boost our attendance up to 3000!). People up here have been lamenting their absence for years.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Is "everyone," to quote you, going to commit the same about of money to follow their Big Ten teams in two years? I'm seeing some cracks in the wall.

Exactly. There's a sizeable chunk of the Minnesota fanbase that has voiced the opinion that they will spend their Final Five money elsewhere rather than go to the B1G tournament. It's just going to be too expensive.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

There's no question that Michigan and Michigan State would draw more fans in Houghton than any other teams (might boost our attendance up to 3000!). People up here have been lamenting their absence for years.

Kind of hard to invite Michigan and Sparty up to the
Keweenaw when you have them over to the Joe for the GLI.

 

[Wol4ine]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Kind of hard to invite Michigan and Sparty up to the
Keweenaw when you have them over to the Joe for the GLI.

I don't know. UM and MSU could go together and split a weekend in Houghton and Marquette so neither team plays Tech more than twice that year.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I don't know. UM and MSU could go together and split a weekend in Houghton and Marquette so neither team plays Tech more than twice that year.

A second game could still happen with the GLI. Heck, given the right outcome at the GLI, the Huskies could end up getting 2 games each with Sparty and Michigan.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Shouldn't Michigan be forced to renovate Yost yet again or get a larger arena before joining the B1G? 6,600 is puny.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Shouldn't Michigan be forced to renovate Yost yet again or get a larger arena before joining the B1G? 6,600 is puny.

That, and if it wasn't for all of the banners and rabid Maize and Blue fans in there, its not much to look at. Take the fans out of the place and its not very special. Poor sight lines in the corners. On a physical arena alone, the Berry up at NMU is a nicer building. Only thing that Yost has is that rabid fan base of 6666 not very nice fans screaming death at the other team.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Exactly. There's a sizeable chunk of the Minnesota fanbase that has voiced the opinion that they will spend their Final Five money elsewhere rather than go to the B1G tournament. It's just going to be too expensive.

I'm considered a "newer" fan, have been to every F5 for the last 7-8 years. I take vacation days for it. I plan around it. I plan for it. It's like a mini-vacation, and I live 30 minutes away from the X. And I won't bother with the B1G conference tourney unless it's here.

There's a reason the WCHA F5 had an AVERAGE attendance of about 71K for the weekend since it's been at the X. Like GLM said when he ventured out here, it's an amazing experience, and that year our PLAY-IN game drew about the same or more than the ECAC tourney as a WHOLE.

Yes, those conferences are vastly different in traditional skill/competitiveness on a national scale, but a single play-in game getting the same attendance as a whole tourney? That speaks volumes.

 

[Snively65]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I have not been following this thread very closely, but if three CCHA teams leave for the Big Six, would UAH be welcomed into the CCHA to keep an even number of teams?

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I have not been following this thread very closely, but if three CCHA teams leave for the Big Six, would UAH be welcomed into the CCHA to keep an even number of teams?

No. No one likes UAH, and they don't fit the footprint for the CCHA. Plus they bring no value to the table of a league that will need big names, not more hangers on.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I have not been following this thread very closely, but if three CCHA teams leave for the Big Six, would UAH be welcomed into the CCHA to keep an even number of teams?

The CCHA is already at an odd number. As things stand now, about the only way they would get in is if somebody like Kentucky started up a D1 program.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Shouldn't Michigan be forced to renovate Yost yet again or get a larger arena before joining the B1G? 6,600 is puny.

I can say with certainty they will not replace Yost. Their fan base loves the old joint and what would you have them do with renovation, you're limited by the building's age and size. All available area for seating is already used for that purpose unless you would do what Ohio State does to increase seating for football by narrowing your seating on the bleachers to 12 inches. Hello sardine can. I'd like to watch a game without feeling every contour of the guys body next to mine.

 

[Snively65]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

The CCHA is already at an odd number.

Whoops, I forgot that Omaha was not replaced. Thanks.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I can say with certainty they will not replace Yost. Their fan base loves the old joint and what would you have them do with renovation, you're limited by the building's age and size. All available area for seating is already used for that purpose unless you would do what Ohio State does to increase seating for football by narrowing your seating on the bleachers to 12 inches. Hello sardine can. I'd like to watch a game without feeling every contour of the guys body next to mine.

Then they should play all of their home games against B1G opponents at the Joe. No excuse for them to play in that dump!

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Whoops, I forgot that Omaha was not replaced. Thanks.

UAH was suppost to be the program to replace UNO. Til the CCHA hung UAH out to dry.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Then they should play all of their home games against B1G opponents at the Joe. No excuse for them to play in that dump!

Back before OSU's new arena opened in '99 we were playing in our original rink built in '62 which had a seating capacity of about 1000 and was short of regulation length with a low ceiling. Berenson was vocal that OSU shouldn't be in the CCHA with such a substandard facility. After the men's team moved to the new arena the women's team was established and it's their home ice and it was extended to regulation length by diminishing the south bleachers to two rows and capacity to 900. The men's team still practices there a lot as the main arena is shared with basketball so half the time the court is on the ice. And that's where they bump us to host playoff games as OSU has the state high school wrestling tournament in the new arena because it's a MUCH bigger money draw than hockey here.