Big Ten Hockey Conference

[Priceless]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

This idea has been mentioned could it work?

Split the WCHA into 2 divisions.
Have the 5 Minn schools and the Sioux in one division.
Then have WI, DU, UNO, CC, UAA, and Tech in the other.

They do have 6 in each division so the autobids would still be there.


Do the same kind of thing in the CCHA.

Then have the Big Ten teams play each other and have some sort of Big Ten Cup or something along those lines.

The autobid is per conference, not per division within a conference.

If the Integer wants a conference, there will be one. If they're happy with the status quo and a "Big 10 Cup" then we'll keep the current conferences.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Wonder if the "new" WCHA could get Mariucci Arena for the Final 5.

They'll have to book it before the figure skating championships get it again.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Assuming there will be a BTHC and the Big Ten Tourney goes to Chicago.

Wonder if the "new" WCHA could get Mariucci Arena for the Final 5.

Otherwise Grand Forks would probably be a logical move.

Why would you want it at Mariucci? no beer sales

 

[MavsFan]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

This idea has been mentioned could it work?

Split the WCHA into 2 divisions.
Have the 5 Minn schools and the Sioux in one division.
Then have WI, DU, UNO, CC, UAA, and Tech in the other.

They do have 6 in each division so the autobids would still be there.


Do the same kind of thing in the CCHA.

Then have the Big Ten teams play each other and have some sort of Big Ten Cup or something along those lines.

The Big Ten teams are NOT going to remain in the WCHA and CCHA and compete for some cup within that structure. I can't find it on the internet to provide a link, but the story in the Mankato paper said that part of the condition for the donation to Penn State was that they would push for a Big Ten Conference in hockey.

They are going to split off, and some of the smaller schools (like Mankato) won't survive it. A big part of the attraction around here is that the WCHA is seen as a big-time conference because Minnesota and Wisconsin are in it. Attendance will go down overall, not just because of the loss of those games.

 

[Dirty]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Assuming there will be a BTHC and the Big Ten Tourney goes to Chicago.

Wonder if the "new" WCHA could get Mariucci Arena for the Final 5.

Otherwise Grand Forks would probably be a logical move.

I can't wait for all the b^tching about the North Dakota Rule.

 

[HighToTheGloveSide]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

As a Badger fan, the BTHC is appealing to me in some regards - it would be nice to see more games live - but I fear what it will do to the rest of the college hockey landscape.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Assuming there will be a BTHC and the Big Ten Tourney goes to Chicago.

Wonder if the "new" WCHA could get Mariucci Arena for the Final 5.

Otherwise Grand Forks would probably be a logical move.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with this. We should hear something this year.

 

[MavsFan]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

It'll be interesting to see what happens with this. We should hear something this year.

I would imagine the Xcel will want to know if Minny and Wis are going to be in the conference before they quote a price, wouldn't you?

 

[dggoddard]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

They are going to split off, and some of the smaller schools (like Mankato) won't survive it. A big part of the attraction around here is that the WCHA is seen as a big-time conference because Minnesota and Wisconsin are in it. Attendance will go down overall, not just because of the loss of those games.

Someone really needs to do an economic impact study to see what this could cost the four Minnesota communities.

Loss of ticket sales is just the tip of the iceberg. Bar/restaurant revenue, tax revenue, cutbacks in the athletic department would lead to less financial aid in other sports, loss of jobs...and on and on.

 

[CHFAN222]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Someone really needs to do an economic impact study to see what this could cost the four Minnesota communities.

Loss of ticket sales is just the tip of the iceberg. Bar/restaurant revenue, tax revenue, cutbacks in the athletic department would lead to less financial aid in other sports, loss of jobs...and on and on.

They took their jobs...

 

[Sterling Cooper]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Someone really needs to do an economic impact study to see what this could cost the four Minnesota communities.

Loss of ticket sales is just the tip of the iceberg. Bar/restaurant revenue, tax revenue, cutbacks in the athletic department would lead to less financial aid in other sports, loss of jobs...and on and on.

I don't mean to be cruel about this, but why are the Big Ten universities responsible--in the least bit--for the athletic department finances of other universities? If they can't run a department that is fiscally sound on its own merits, then perhaps they do need to think about some serious belt tightening and their overall priorities as an institution of higher education.

Personally I hope and believe that the Big Ten schools will see to it that their former in-state rivals get a weekend home and away series every year. Ultimately, however, they are not responsible for their budgets.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Because the Big Ten schools with the exception of Northwestern are taxpayer funded public universities.

The University of Minnesota's athletic department breaks even.

Clearly Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin & Ohio State have profitable athletic departments.

So the question is, Should a public university do something that might significantly harm several other public colleges and communities in their state for a couple of hundred grand? I believe this is what the Big Ten presidents are going to have to consider.

 

[fangers]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I don't mean to be cruel about this, but why are the Big Ten universities responsible--in the least bit--for the athletic department finances of other universities? If they can't run a department that is fiscally sound on its own merits, then perhaps they do need to think about some serious belt tightening and their overall priorities as an institution of higher education.

Personally I hope and believe that the Big Ten schools will see to it that their former in-state rivals get a weekend home and away series every year. Ultimately, however, they are not responsible for their budgets.

What a very naive way of thinking...and typical of a big ten fan...

You do realize that most the schools that are having issues are in that situation due to alot of issues that are beyond their control, don't you? Many are state schools in state(s) that are ecconomically strapped and where school funds are getting cut dramatically. It's not the athletic department's fault that their school isn't designated as "the" big school in the state or that their state system keeps their enrollment lower.

 

[LtPowers]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

The NCAA Division I Championships Cabinet has been very consistent over the last decade or more in insisting that all NCAA Division I championships are selected using the same basic principles: all deserving conferences get one automatic bid each, and the remainder of the participants are selected without regard to conference or region.

Really? The BCS is gone, then?


Powers &8^]

 

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I don't mean to be cruel about this, but why are the Big Ten universities responsible--in the least bit--for the athletic department finances of other universities? If they can't run a department that is fiscally sound on its own merits, then perhaps they do need to think about some serious belt tightening and their overall priorities as an institution of higher education.

Personally I hope and believe that the Big Ten schools will see to it that their former in-state rivals get a weekend home and away series every year. Ultimately, however, they are not responsible for their budgets.

Because they have to play somebody else - unless they want ALL BTHC games.

It's why the NFL shares revenue. New York can't play Dallas and Philly every week. Shared revenues helps keep Green Bay, etc., in the league.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Star Tribune: Illinois downplays likelihood it will add hockey

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

The Illini don't have anyone to donate $88 million to its hockey program.

That's all they needed to say - the start, middle, and end of the discussion.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Someone really needs to do an economic impact study to see what this could cost the four Minnesota communities.

Loss of ticket sales is just the tip of the iceberg. Bar/restaurant revenue, tax revenue, cutbacks in the athletic department would lead to less financial aid in other sports, loss of jobs...and on and on.

Because the Big Ten schools with the exception of Northwestern are taxpayer funded public universities.

The University of Minnesota's athletic department breaks even.

Clearly Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin & Ohio State have profitable athletic departments.

So the question is, Should a public university do something that might significantly harm several other public colleges and communities in their state for a couple of hundred grand? I believe this is what the Big Ten presidents are going to have to consider.

Thats the one issue where it would let politics enter the mix, and muddle things up for the Big Ten in regards to forming the BTHC. Minnesota has 4 communities that would have schools affected with schools not getting home games with Minnesota. You could probably argue that East Grand Forks could be slightly impacted as well with Minnesota not going to an arena just on the other side of the Red River. Michigan would have 4 communities that would take a big hit with not getting Michigan and Michigan State there as well. Michigan Tech doesn't get to see those two teams in Houghton, but if Michigan and Michigan State are in the BTHC, then they're not seeing Minnesota and Wisconsin, so they still would be affected by Michigan and Sparty being in the BTHC. And you would have to figure that there's at a few people in Bowling Green and Oxford that might like having OSU coming to town on a regular basis so that they can charge em more per room and such.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

That's all they needed to say - the start, middle, and end of the discussion.

+1

That includes all schools looking at Division 1.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

So the question is, Should a public university do something that might significantly harm several other public colleges and communities in their state for a couple of hundred grand? I believe this is what the Big Ten presidents are going to have to consider.

This is in the ballpark of why Minnesota and to a lesser extent the fans are really against a big ten conf.

The current layout greatly benefits the state in terms of both financially (lots of ticket sales and pretty much strict ownership by the U of Gopher hockey) and quality of life for the areas around these towns which is pretty much the whole state. It bring an equivalent of semipro hockey to communities that are pretty rough to live in during the winter...which makes it much more palatible to continue to live there as rural areas frequently see population drain. And all Minnesotans of course also much more value these rivalries.

For Minnesota, really the BTHC is a bad deal.