Big Ten Hockey Conference

[Patman]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Not being sarcastic....They should form a conference, nothing better than tough conferences battling it out for titles and national championships.

You don't give a **** about that... you KNOW these things aren't good for the sport. I've nailed you down on this before.

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Good competition is great for the sport......go back and read his post again then read mine. A BTHC is NOT going to dominate like you fear Patman.

Last national Champion was who?.........Not a Big Ten team. argument over and won by me.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Yes!

Not being sarcastic....They should form a conference, nothing better than tough conferences battling it out for titles and national championships.

Good competition is great for the sport......go back and read his post again then read mine. A BTHC is NOT going to dominate like you fear Patman.

Last national Champion was who?.........Not a Big Ten team. argument over and won by me.

I hope you die a slow painful death after having had to watch your entire family suffer the same fate.

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I hope you die a slow painful death after having had to watch your entire family suffer the same fate.

Now that I think of it I do have an upper respiratory problem but I will turn the tables and live a long slow life....by the way thankyou very much.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Good competition is great for the sport......go back and read his post again then read mine. A BTHC is NOT going to dominate like you fear Patman.

Last national Champion was who?.........Not a Big Ten team. argument over and won by me.

absolutely right!!

let us match the team's future!!

BTHC -------------------------- SEC BCS
Wisconsin ..............................Alabama
...........................................Tennessee
Michigan ................................Auburn
............................................LSU
Minnesota .............................Florida
...........................................Mississippi St
Penn St .................................Georgia
...........................................Kentucky
tOhio State Univerisity.............Mississippi
...........................................South Carolina
Michigan St ............................Vanderbuilt
...........................................Arkansas

"who gonna be my bee-atch?!?!?!"

 

[Slap Shot]

I could be very wrong, but I can't see the formation of a BTHC with no non-BT teams in the mix. 6 teams even with the name brand just doesn't seem to carry much imho and would make for a crappy pre-NCAA post-season.

 

[cycledown]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I could be very wrong, but I can't see the formation of a BTHC with no non-BT teams in the mix. 6 teams even with the name brand just doesn't seem to carry much imho and would make for a crappy pre-NCAA post-season.

I dont either to a point, I think more teams in the BT HAVE TO get on board but the current Penn State decision will expedite the rest of the conference to whatever degree.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I could be very wrong, but I can't see the formation of a BTHC with no non-BT teams in the mix. 6 teams even with the name brand just doesn't seem to carry much imho and would make for a crappy pre-NCAA post-season.

absolutely! they need someone to play the role of kentucky/vandy/miss st/rebels cause they can't all be bama/lsu/gators.

 

[Federal League]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

absolutely! they need someone to play the role of kentucky/vandy/miss st/rebels cause they can't all be bama/lsu/gators.

OSU and PSU (at least for a few years) will be those teams...

 

[Stauber1]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I could be very wrong, but I can't see the formation of a BTHC with no non-BT teams in the mix. 6 teams even with the name brand just doesn't seem to carry much imho and would make for a crappy pre-NCAA post-season.

I agree, which is why I tend to think there will be concurrent conferences, at least to begin. The issue I see is that with 6 BT schools having teams, it makes it much more likely that other BT schools will decide to seriously explore adding hockey. If they get up to 8, I don't see how a full-fledged Big Ten Conference doesn't emerge.
As it stands right now, my feeling is that most of the 5 current programs wouldn't be in favor of leaving their present leagues. From what I have gathered, the Big Ten could mandate such a change, but...if 4-5 of these schools really don't want it to happen, it's hard to believe that it would.

As for those who think the MN legislature may step in to keep MN in the WCHA, you are fooling yourselves. Yes, the state got involved with alcohol at TCF Stadium, but that is/was a much different situation. Alcohol consumption by minors and young college students carries consequences well outside of athletic prowess and financial gains (perhaps many of you aren't aware of the rather capricious riot that broke out in the Spring of '09 at UMTC - or the numerous problems at some of the other, smaller state schools due to excessive drinking - but I'm sure you all remember hearing about Dinkytown after the 2002 and 2003 Gopher National Championships).
While many of the economic ramifications brought up are valid, I highly doubt those in the MN congress have considered or will consider this issue as thoughtfully as some of us on these boards. That's not a knock on the aptitude of MN's elected officials. It is just to say I don't think they have the interest level in or knowledge of collegiate hockey to reach the same conclusions.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

They should take Huntsville into the BTHC.

Oh and the alcohol ban at the stadium had to do with stupidity in government, not out of some caring for students.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

OSU and PSU (at least for a few years) will be those teams...

i can see penn state coming to play.

tOSU will of course be the cellar dwellers forever.

but with the lack of "bowl games" i can foresee a six team league with 2-3 teams going forward every year. two of those teams will be fixtures (for giggles say michigan and wisconsin). then rotate a visit to the ncaa for minnesota, michigan st, and penn st every so often.

maybe the BTN will sponsor a hockey NIT?!?!? minnesota and michigan st can host a best-of-three that they will telecast. then the two of them, after winning, can play another game for the title. that's seven home tickets sold and seven games to fill programming.

 

[UNH09]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

If this is solely about money that would be gained from television rights, I think the BTN is barking up the wrong tree. The administrative costs of the conference fielding hockey will really eat into profits of what really is a limited exposure sport. People aren't buying into BTN for hockey or basketball even. It really is for football purposes, if they are looking for alternative programs for winter, buy tv rights into the two conferences that house Big Ten teams and structure the buying rights that protect from showing non-Big Ten teams, if you are so principled (They aren't in football, showing the Big Ten teams beating on lesser opponents).

I'm really buying into the BTHC after two more schools that fulfill the academic society portions of the Big Ten(if that even still exists), so Illinois and Northwestern get those hockey programs ready!!! Until then the potential gains for the schools involved are outweighed by the negatives of living in a small conference.

Finally, don't all 12 associated schools have to approve a hockey conference? I really think the only schools that would approve are Michigan, tOSU and Mich State. Minnesota and Wisconsin stand to lose some natural rivalries, combined with a strong conference and good standing to enter the NCAAs with a decent season. The BTHC would force an emphasis of strong OOC play, which would drive up the costs of travel to HEA and ECAC schools.

Ok enough rambling

 

[Hammy]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

True, but they can cut the funding that UMTC gets. You start threatening any administration with that and you would be surprised at how fast they would start staying "Yes Sir" and "No Sir".

It is an academic institution first and foremost. They aren't going to make such drastic moves because one of 20+ sports teams at a school ends up playing in a different conference. Get a grip.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

If this is solely about money that would be gained from television rights, I think the BTN is barking up the wrong tree....

i would also venture a guess that any replay of any football game from the prior season would garner higher ratings nationwide.

 

[blockski]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

The Big Ten TV contract pays each school around $10 million annually. They aren't going to pay one dollar extra if the hockey conference forms.

Maybe not - but the contracts don't matter. They only guarantee a level of revenue to each school. The beauty of owning your own network is that you get a cut of all the profits on top of that.

Hockey still matters in Minnesota, doesn't it?

I'd be surprised if the legislature were to ignore this totally.

They can focus on it all they want, they still have zero leverage. What are they going to do - tell their flagship university that they must leave the most prestigious athletic conference in the country?

Yeah, I don't think so either.

I could be very wrong, but I can't see the formation of a BTHC with no non-BT teams in the mix. 6 teams even with the name brand just doesn't seem to carry much imho and would make for a crappy pre-NCAA post-season.

Well, the Big Ten certainly won't sponsor a league other teams in it and call it a Big Ten league.

I suspect Penn State will play at least one season as an independent, with the Big Ten schools offering them up non-con games and perhaps leveraging the WCHA and CCHA to reduce their conference schedules to allow for the Big Ten Cup while still keeping Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, MSU and OSU as members. If either of them balks at that idea, then hello BTHC.

And by that time, maybe they'll have Indiana on board. IU is looking to build a new basketball arena - what perfect timing there.

 

[brianvf]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

i can see penn state coming to play.

If by "coming to play" you mean getting their butts kicked for 3-4 seasons, then I agree.

 

[Stauber1]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

They should take Huntsville into the BTHC.

Oh and the alcohol ban at the stadium had to do with stupidity in government, not out of some caring for students.

I never said it had to do with caring for students.

Actually, I think a more apt portrayal would be stupidity in government in consideration of the stupidity of some students.

 

[NMU8405]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

I suspect Penn State will play at least one season as an independent, with the Big Ten schools offering them up non-con games and perhaps leveraging the WCHA and CCHA to reduce their conference schedules to allow for the Big Ten Cup while still keeping Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, MSU and OSU as members. If either of them balks at that idea, then hello BTHC.

I will bet almost everything that they will join the CCHA.

 

[texashockeycoach]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference

Does anyone know how the BTN revenues are divided up among the schools? Especially in respect to some schools fielding teams and some not fielding teams.

For instance, I'm sure IF the BTHC does come to fruition, the Big 10 would want to market them in their BTN package. If the Big 10 divides revenue equally among the 12 members, (as I thought I read back when the football expansion was in full gear) I would suspect that the 6 schools not fielding a hockey team would continue not fielding a team and just collect the equal revenue. If that's the case, then I'm not sure if there is enough benefit for the 5 teams other than Penn State to create a BTHC.

If there is a weighing in BTN revenue, that's where the speculation is and all the "follow the money" rhetoric begins. Anything could happen.