Big Ten Hockey Expansion?

[Split-N]

The NCAA brings in over $1B from March Madness which is their primary revenue source. They generously return about $170M of this to the tournament participants. I have to believe the new P2 will get around to doing the $1B-$.17B math at some point.

This!! It's all about the Benjamins. Lots of Benjamins.

 

[paulfb]

Be careful what you wish for. You may bleed maroon and gold, but do you really want to really want to be an institution where the football tail wags the entire university dog? Because that's what will happen should BC decide to go down this swillhole, should it even get the chance.

We're all smart enough to understand that the end game in all of this is a football-driven B1G-SEC college sports duopoly that will make untold tons of money. That might be OK if football money built new classroom buildings, labs, dormitories, libraries, research centers, etc. but, in almost every case, football money goes back into ever more bloated football budgets that buy ever more lavish diamond-encrusted, platinum-plated football-only facilities.

Gotta wonder if certain boards of trustees will finally see this scam for what it is and draw a proverbial line in the sand. Not holding my breath, though.

Oh, and hockey expansion? Pure fantasy.

I would hate to see BC in Big Ten hockey. We would be an outlier the way Notre Dame was in Hockey East. I like road games that include enjoyable day trips nearby to places like Lowell and Providence. The way it is now, I can see road games without blowing my budget.

 

[J.D.]

I would hate to see BC in Big Ten hockey. We would be an outlier the way Notre Dame was in Hockey East. I like road games that include enjoyable day trips nearby to places like Lowell and Providence. The way it is now, I can see road games without blowing my budget.

Not really an outlier as Big Ten teams are pretty much all flying to face each other. But I don't want it to happen either. It would just be a necessary sacrifice.

 

[model94]

This is what I was getting at with adding BC. You would add the Boston market and at the same time conveniently tidy up Big Ten hockey by adding an 8th team. Even number of teams makes scheduling easier.

Hockey is as much part of this strategy as water polo. It's $$$ 1.Football, 2. Football, and 3. Football.

 

[J.D.]

Hockey is as much part of this strategy as water polo. It's $$$ 1.Football, 2. Football, and 3. Football.

Obviously. Just pointing out one potential side benefit if they find adding the Boston market intriguing.

 

[model94]

Obviously. Just pointing out one potential side benefit if they find adding the Boston market intriguing.

Possibly, sure. I'm not sure BC would see any benefit. B10 was the first conference that forced member schools into hockey, (until then hockey leagues were entirely different from the rest of the sport affiliations the school happened to belong to) and I don't think anyone would argue it has been a raging success. As it did for Wisconsin and Minnesota, it would deprive BC of their historic hockey rivalries. Michigan - Ohio State means nothing on the ice. But Minnesota - UMD and both of those schools vs. ND sure did.

 

[Split-N]

...As it did for Wisconsin and Minnesota, it would deprive BC of their historic hockey rivalries...

...and destroy the Beanpot (at least as we've known it) unless BC were willing to commit two of its OOC slots.

 

[J.D.]

...and destroy the Beanpot (at least as we've known it) unless BC were willing to commit two of its OOC slots.

I doubt that would be an issue. To be clear, I don't want BC in Big Ten hockey. It's just a sacrifice you would have to make for football and hoops.

 

[joecct]

The NCAA brings in over $1B from March Madness which is their primary revenue source. They generously return about $170M of this to the tournament participants. I have to believe the new P2 will get around to doing the $1B-$.17B math at some point.

Something has to fund all the championships (at D1, D2 & D3) that are loss leaders.

If the P5 (P2??) give the finger to the NCAA then what?