Big Ten Hockey Conference

[Priceless]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

The insane growth in college basketball can be traced to that game. We need something similar in college hockey. Face it, Bemidji vs St. Cloud State will not cut it nationally, but an undefeated Michigan State vs. an undefeated Alabama would.

I am pulling for them, really, but even the most die hard supporter doesn't think UAH is going to go unbeaten

 

[Hammer]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

When the Red Wings-Avalanche on NHL Wednesday Night Hockey on ESPN can't outdraw Spongebob Squarepants reruns, Minnesota-Penn State on BTN doesn't have a chance against Gerald McBoing Boing.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Do your own research. I don't have the time.

Basically the Gophers are tacking huge surcharges onto their best seats and expanding the areas that will have to pay the fees. There was speculation from Gopher fans that many wouldn't renew their tickets with the team not playing well in recent seasons.

With the BTHC on the horizon, I'm guessing many won't give up seats that have been held for years.

From what I can tell, gopher fans would be MORE LIKELY to give up their seats if they weren't playing UND, UMD, DU and SCSU regularly! Why don't you understand this! They don't care about playing the other Big 10 teams not named Michigan or Wisconsin!

 

[blockski]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I don't get the comparison of the BTHC to the NHL's southern expansion.

The Big Ten Network is carried in Big Ten states. States that just happen to be fairly cold in climate and have lots of people playing hockey, liking hockey, and knowing hockey.

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I don't get the comparison of the BTHC to the NHL's southern expansion.

The Big Ten Network is carried in Big Ten states. States that just happen to be fairly cold in climate and have lots of people playing hockey, liking hockey, and knowing hockey.

WRONG.....BTN is carried throughout the country, I have been watching it in Texas since it became a network

 

[blockski]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

WRONG.....BTN is carried throughout the country, I have been watching it in Texas since it became a network

Yes, but it's on basic cable in the Big Ten states. Big difference there.

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

It's on basic cable here as well.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Can we all at least agree that Barry Alvarez is a tooldoosh?

I loved him as a football coach, but as an AD...I think a turd sandwich and giant doosh are fighting over who can be his personal mascot.

I'm in ...

Yeah, I agree with this as well.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

ESPN's coverage of the frozen four gets terrible ratings and they hve FAR more reach than the BTN could ever hope for.

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

ESPN's coverage of the frozen four gets terrible ratings and they hve FAR more reach than the BTN could ever hope for.

Very true, no argument from me. But I watch more college hockey on the BTN than ESPN, again no argument from me.

 

[aparch]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

So will the BigTen be selectable as a conference in NHL 12? And is this enough time to get Penn State into the game?

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

So will the BigTen be selectable as a conference in NHL 12? And is this enough time to get Penn State into the game?

You Win!

 

[Slap Shot]

I'm not convinced a BTHC is immediately on the horizon. Call me stubborn I suppose.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

lot here...

I think Miami will ride out the CCHA at least for awhile. While their success is recent, Rico is young and clearly not going anywhere. Only way I see them slipping is if the CCHA is viewed as such a secondary conference that recruiting goes off the tracks. Then, there might be some internal pressure to make a change to keep the coach.

...
Not sure that Miami and Rico alone can hold the CCHA together.

what if rico shows up in happy valley in a couple weeks as the new head coach of psu??

Cowboys Stadium.

i would go.

"I repeat, there is NOT a Big Ten Hockey Conference on the horizon..."
<img src=http://www.nmubaseball.net/uscho/UMSID.jpg>

awesome man. (if you want a fenway BU jersey let me know.. i'll pick one up for you)

My New CCHA:

Alaska
Michigan Tech
Northern Michigan
Lake Superior
Bowling Green
Ferris State
Miami
Notre Dame
Western Michigan.

My question for you out there is can the CCHA survive/thrive without Michigan and Michigan State? Can the WCHA survive without Minnesota/Wisconsin?

this conf is d.o.a.

You could have just called it the Gopher's D-line.

They will, I expect most of the BT teams to try and push ~22+ home games (of a 34 game schedule). I wonder if any of the teams will start agreeing to regular trips up to one of the Alaska schools to get the exemption.

why not a package. two BT teams travel up to play a two game 'tourney' with the two AK schools.

What's interesting is why Penn State would be starting hockey now, in this economic climate. And why is the Big 10 so interested in hockey?.

as someone said, gift horse.

...or maybe the BTHC and BTN just might be a catalyst for helping to move college hockey forward as a major American sport.

hockey, in any form, isn't a major sport. niche at best (though OUR niche, so that's ok)

Minnesota has already announced massive ticket surcharge increases in upcoming seasons for the best seats.

The ticket prices will go up for the other schools, you are crazy if you try and argue that point...

yeah.. to many people the high cost may seem silly. but to those who go and can afford it, they will gladly hand over more money if asked.

Actually, a better comparison for college basketball would be the 1979 final, which was the first time we saw Magic vs. Bird.

Penn State is here. Fine. But if it kills a few smaller programs, and we get down to somewhere around 54-55 teams, I would not be surprised in the least if the NCAA goes back to a 10-12 team tournament. We're shrinking, folks, not growing, even if another Big Ten team or two arrives on the scene.

There's a big difference between college basketball and college hockey. Basketball in general is played, and watched, in most parts of the country. You cannot say the same about hockey. We're comparing apples to grapefruit here. Ask the Atlanta Thrashers or the Florida Panthers.

We had over 77,000 come to see Michigan-Michigan State. We've had other outdoor games to various degrees of success. In roughly three months, we're going to have ~110,000 watch Michigan play Michigan State. If that doesn't turn the rest of the country on to college hockey, nothing will. And I'm guessing that the appeal of this game isn't going to resonate much outside of the current footprint of college hockey. Major expansion is not on the way.

yup. niche sport. big 'events' always attract some who will 'want to be there'.. plus the booze factor always helps.

From what I can tell, gopher fans would be MORE LIKELY to give up their seats if they weren't playing UND, UMD, DU and SCSU regularly! Why don't you understand this! They don't care about playing the other Big 10 teams not named Michigan or Wisconsin!

probably because they think the same thing that happens in football, etc will now happen in hockey?!?!

I'm not convinced a BTHC is immediately on the horizon. Call me stubborn I suppose.

stubborn.

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I'm not convinced a BTHC is immediately on the horizon. Call me stubborn I suppose.

Shot.....It's not at the moment but this recent decision will provoke the rest of the BT to investigate more thoroughly....


Exposed:

cost of a new arena and yearly maintance to operate will delay any decision.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Sure. What the NHL can't accomplish the Big 10 can.

Not that I am in disagreement but college football at one time was more popular than the NFL.

Say it ain't so Joe.

 

[Hammer]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Yeah, but back then there were a lot of knuckleheads that thought Notre Dame could beat the Chicago Bears. We're a long way from 1948 here.

 

[aparch]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Yeah, but back then there were a lot of knuckleheads that thought Notre Dame could beat the Chicago Bears. We're a long way from 1948 here.

Have you seen today's Notre Dame and Chicago Bears? Some may STILL hold that same line of thinking.

 

[bronconick]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Yeah, but back then there were a lot of knuckleheads that thought Notre Dame could beat the Chicago Bears. We're a long way from 1948 here.

To be fair, the Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears. And the Lions aren't an NFL team. If they were, well, the NFL wouldn't have screwed them.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I'm not convinced a BTHC is immediately on the horizon. Call me stubborn I suppose.

God I hope you're right. Unfortunately it sounds like Barry Alvarez really desires this and I can only hope the rest of the AD's at Minn, MSU, OSU, UM feel differently.

this would screw DU, CC, Nodak, SCSU, UMD, Northern, Miami, etc. and I'd rather see wisconsin play UMD, Nodak, CC, DU, SCSU any day of the week then to see effen MSU, OSU and Michigan in the same conference with UW and Minnesota.