MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

[JW Tigers]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

For those of you cc fans who think Tech is the cause of your attendance problems, that's what DU said last year. They were mad that when Tech was there, there were a few unsold seats. Now that Tech has not played in denver all year and they still have attendance problems, suddenly they are looking at other possible reasons. Letters to the editor in the student paper, etc. In fact, this perceived attendance issue is one of the reasons for the bhhc. Protecting the brand was the watchword if I remember correctly, and CC was right there agreeing every step of the way.

The reasons you are not drawing are a lot more complex than which team is in town. So after we are gone, don't expect attendance will get better. The only thing that is for sure to happen is that your expenses will go up.

That's pretty **** funny. Attendance has little, if anything to do with CC and DU moving to the NCHC. There is no attendance problem, perceived or otherwise, so you are just making this up, as the name "manurespreader" might imply anyway. CC and DU are both amongst the top attendance in college hockey every season, so there are no attendance problems. They are both simply trying to maintain their strong programs in response to the creation of the BTHC by playing in a conference with other strong programs. Other schools can whine all they want, but these programs are doing what hey believe is in their best interest. You can't tell me that Mich. Tech wouldn't have gone, too, if given the opportunity. Look at St. Cloud. They whined more than anyone, but now that they are a part of the NCHC, they seem to be ok with the realignment.

As for expenses, I'm not seeing how losing trips to Houghton, Anchorage, Bemidji, etc are going to cause travel expenses to increase.

I find the whole attendance discussion very strange. Despite being a small school, CC typically is in the top 6 nationally in attendance. That's pretty good, particularly since people in the city associate themselves with the school very little - it is generally considered more of a puzzling aberration than a source of local pride or affiliation. I certainly will admit that the atmosphere leaves quite a bit to be desired. However, I don't think it's any worse than (just to pick two) UNO or DU. The arena was particularly quiet this past weekend, but even on a good night it's not a boisterous crowd. I suspect it's largely a demographics issue. With about 1,900 students, CC is always going to have around 95% families and townies in the crowd, with 5% students. That just doesn't make for a loud, boisterous environment. But lots of people do pay to come in and watch the games.

Not sure how this is lost on so many people. No, it's not a boisterous environment most of the time, but, although better than CC, neither is UND. And I don't think anyone would deny that they have great hockey fans in Grand Forks. I won't argue with the lack of "environment" a lot of times in World Arena, but the fans DO show up.

DU has a very good relationship with CC, not to mention the whole "NCHC brotherhood" angle. Why help out Tech?

No way DU throws Tech a lifeline.

This is actually very true. CC and DU are huge rivals on the ice, but within the respective athletic departments, they actually have a great relationship.

So much for the Michigan Tech won't be able to practice in Colorado Springs BS, just confirmed they are practicing in Colorado Springs at one of the practice rinks at World Arena, have to walk past an empty world arena to get to the practice sheet...wonderful...

CC rarely practices at World Arena from what I understand, too. So it probably wouldn't be any different for an opponent.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Who wants to tell the kiddies that they can't skate today because Michigan Tech didn't do their homework before departing for Colorado. What kind of life lesson would that teach?

Good question - I would say it teaches...
Go to a top university, get a great education, get a good job and you'll have the disposable income to buy whatever your heart desires... like ice time in any town in America. Or better yet, just buy the rink if you feel the need.

As the saying goes...
"That's alright, that's ok, you'll be working for us some day..."

Ryan J

 

[JohnDobler]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

As for expenses, I'm not seeing how losing trips to Houghton, Anchorage, Bemidji, etc are going to cause travel expenses to increase.

I would just like to point out that Bemidji is actually closer than Oxford and Kalamazoo. Houghton is marginally farther. I wouldn't say you are losing these trips, so much as replacing them with equally far away destinations. You will be losing the trip to Mankato though, which is closer than all of those trips. IIRC Alaska helps pay for the trip there.

While replacing trips to Houghton, Bemidji, and Alaska with others might not increase the travel expenses, it won't likely decrease them either.

 

[JW Tigers]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

I would just like to point out that Bemidji is actually closer than Oxford and Kalamazoo. Houghton is marginally farther. I wouldn't say you are losing these trips, so much as replacing them with equally far away destinations. You will be losing the trip to Mankato though, which is closer than all of those trips. IIRC Alaska helps pay for the trip there.

While replacing trips to Houghton, Bemidji, and Alaska with others might not increase the travel expenses, it won't likely decrease them either.

My point was that I don't think there was much, if any, concern over travel expenses to begin with. At least not from CC or DU's standpoint. They have to fly everywhere anyway. It was someone else who brought that up as a concern. Frankly, I would love to see CC and Mich Tech continue to play each other. I like Tech and I like their fans.

 

[ronmexico]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Suck it Tech... Soon enough your players and fans will be...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vLBKOcUbHR0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Suck it Tech... Soon enough your players and fans will be...

Lucky for us we booked our return flight through MSP so we can stop off and play in the Final Five (Six) while CC and DU sit home and come up with ways to keep outsiders from using their rink and dream of days when they won't have to play free thinking, non-like-minded teams like Tech.

Ryan J

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kX8Qqu_WBIc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[lawdoggies]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Suck it Tech... Soon enough your players and fans will be...

Hilarious! Quoting John Denver about flying. Ummm . . . why isn't John crooning his pap anymore?

 

[Huskiefan906]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Living in CCHA country, I have always rooted for the WCHA over anyone local due to my preference for the WCHA and the program I grew up with /alma mater.

In order, these were my favorite teams and the order of how I rooted for the WCHA.

MTU
CC
UAA
Wisconsin
UMD
UND
Minnesota
Bemidji State
Minnesota State
UNO
St Cloud
DU

Now stop all the rambling and get ready for a 3 game series this weekend.
Anyone heard how Robinson is doing. Typically, you go with the starter twice in a 3 game series and the backup once.
How will Mel handle the goalie situation?

 

[manurespreader]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

My point was that I don't think there was much, if any, concern over travel expenses to begin with. At least not from CC or DU's standpoint. They have to fly everywhere anyway. It was someone else who brought that up as a concern. Frankly, I would love to see CC and Mich Tech continue to play each other. I like Tech and I like their fans.

Oh I didn't say Travel expenses will go up... you assumed that. I just said expenses in general. You really should read quotes before you comment on them. I understand attendance is not a problem for you, even though there was some discussion early about the lack of attendance, and as far as DU, there is a lot of discussion about why their rink is not full.
Personally, if Tech never plays CC again, it's fine with me. I will miss the fans, I met several last year in Houghton, and they were quite nice.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

I understand attendance is not a problem for you, even though there was some discussion early about the lack of attendance, and as far as DU, there is a lot of discussion about why their rink is not full.

DU is Top 10 Nationally in Attendance & Attendance % of Capacity.

Attendance at DU has been strong this season and the NCHC will help boost attendance.

College hockey attendance
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/almanac/attendance.php

Denver 18 Games - Average 5537 - Capacity 6,026 - 91.9% of capacity

 

[bunt_q]

Oh I didn't say Travel expenses will go up... you assumed that. I just said expenses in general. You really should read quotes before you comment on them..

I don't think it's a question of reading comprehension. If you weren't talking about travel expenses... what "expenses in general" would go up with a conference switch? I admit, I don't know how much member schools pay to the WCHA and what that includes (officials, some staff, a little marketing?). I, for one, would be okay with the NCHC canning (or declining to pick up) every official on the WCHA payroll and hiring new. Hell, hire some soccer guys, put them in learn-to-skate, and teach them hockey, it couldn't be much worse. I see cost savings there. If travel is a wash... what's left?

 

[cross cheque]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Yeah, it puckered up your dad's ******* pretty quickly. Apparently he thinks I'll be getting frisky tonight.

I'll tell him to take an extra cialis and to fill your water dish to the brim.

 

[Rich]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

So much for the Michigan Tech won't be able to practice in Colorado Springs BS, just confirmed they are practicing in Colorado Springs at one of the practice rinks at World Arena, have to walk past an empty world arena to get to the practice sheet...wonderful...

You seem to be having trouble with the facts. First, as JSTigers correctly posted CC practices at the Ice Hall as well. Second, as has already been posted here as well CC doesn't control ice time there. My understanding is that CC has reserved ice times for visiting teams for the required days prior to a series. They don't reserve ice time on the practice rinks at the Ice Hall just in case a team wants to come into town early or stay like MTU did. If a team decides to come in early or stay, CC doesn't have any say over the CSWA Ice Hall's ice time, nor do they have control over the CSWA's main sheet. This is not CC's problem or fault - it's clearly and obviously an issue that MTU needed to and did take care of. To imply otherwise is either lying or being unaware of the truth.

 

[Rich]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

I don't think it's a question of reading comprehension. If you weren't talking about travel expenses... what "expenses in general" would go up with a conference switch? I admit, I don't know how much member schools pay to the WCHA and what that includes (officials, some staff, a little marketing?). I, for one, would be okay with the NCHC canning (or declining to pick up) every official on the WCHA payroll and hiring new. Hell, hire some soccer guys, put them in learn-to-skate, and teach them hockey, it couldn't be much worse. I see cost savings there. If travel is a wash... what's left?

On this one I think maurespreader is actually correct. The "like minded" phrase that has so often been quoted refers to the amount of money teams are willing to promise to invest in their programs and the league. The "like minded" programs consistently voted in a block to increase spending to get TV contracts, improve and maintain facilities, improve pay for officials, and pay for the league to promote itself along with many other things in order to make it appear to recruits to be the unquestionable top league in college hockey. The other schools voted against those proposals due to budget concerns, and this had been going on for many years. The teams that voted in a block for the additional spending had been studying leaving the WCHA for years, and actually had a lot of the market research and investigation already completed and on the shelf. With the departure of the Big 10 schools, those team re-examined the idea of breaking away in light of the departure of some of the big name schools and felt that an idea that didn't make sense with those teams in the mix became not only viable but in their minds unavoidable. Part of the reason that the NCHC stuff happened so quickly is that a lot of the planning had been done over the previous few years.
So yes, I do expect expenses to rise for the NCHC programs. The hope is that will pay off in the long run by becoming the top league in the NCAAs. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, of course.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

I don't think it's a question of reading comprehension. If you weren't talking about travel expenses... what "expenses in general" would go up with a conference switch? I admit, I don't know how much member schools pay to the WCHA and what that includes (officials, some staff, a little marketing?). I, for one, would be okay with the NCHC canning (or declining to pick up) every official on the WCHA payroll and hiring new. Hell, hire some soccer guys, put them in learn-to-skate, and teach them hockey, it couldn't be much worse. I see cost savings there. If travel is a wash... what's left?

WCHA referee travel & salaries [$300-400 per ref per weekend] plus the league's office & administration is paid for out of the profits of the WCHA playoffs and Final 5. Then each WCHA school gets a check for the remainder of the money [around $90,000].

Good hockey referees are very scarce in the US. Especially when they only make a couple of hundred bucks per game. Anyone who thinks that the refereeing will improve in 2013 in the NCHC or the WCHA is in for a rude surprise.

 

[ronmexico]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Anyone who thinks that the refereeing will improve in 2013 in the NCHC or the WCHA is in for a rude surprise.

Like the time you "accidentally" propositioned that tranny on Colfax?

 

[darker98]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Living in CCHA country, I have always rooted for the WCHA over anyone local due to my preference for the WCHA and the program I grew up with /alma mater.

In order, these were my favorite teams and the order of how I rooted for the WCHA.

MTU
CC
UAA
Wisconsin
UMD
UND
Minnesota
Bemidji State
Minnesota State
UNO
St Cloud
DU

Minnesota is too high and UND is too low.

 

[bunt_q]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

On this one I think maurespreader is actually correct. The "like minded" phrase that has so often been quoted refers to the amount of money teams are willing to promise to invest in their programs and the league. The "like minded" programs consistently voted in a block to increase spending to get TV contracts, improve and maintain facilities, improve pay for officials, and pay for the league to promote itself along with many other things in order to make it appear to recruits to be the unquestionable top league in college hockey. The other schools voted against those proposals due to budget concerns, and this had been going on for many years. The teams that voted in a block for the additional spending had been studying leaving the WCHA for years, and actually had a lot of the market research and investigation already completed and on the shelf. With the departure of the Big 10 schools, those team re-examined the idea of breaking away in light of the departure of some of the big name schools and felt that an idea that didn't make sense with those teams in the mix became not only viable but in their minds unavoidable. Part of the reason that the NCHC stuff happened so quickly is that a lot of the planning had been done over the previous few years.
So yes, I do expect expenses to rise for the NCHC programs. The hope is that will pay off in the long run by becoming the top league in the NCAAs. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, of course.

Oh okay, that makes sense. I didn't know the history on some WCHA teams voting against additional spending ("investment" in Washington, DC terms).

Although, if one of the motivations for forming a new conference is so that you'll be allowed to spend more, it seems an odd critique of the new conference (presumably by supporters of the teams who were voting against the higher spending levels in the current conference in the first place) that it'll lead to higher expenses. It sounds like you're saying that was partially the goal. So I suppose the correct response to "your expenses will go up and you'll regret it" should be, "**** right they will, and fingers crossed that it's worth it."

 

[bunt_q]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

Like the time you "accidentally" propositioned that tranny on Colfax?

Where are the trannys (trannies?) on Colfax these days, anyways? It seems like Colfax is going all yuppy faux-hipster upscale, full of DU types (geeks) who drink and whatnot.

 

[Biddco]

Re: MTU @ CC 3/2 - 3/3 Just a two game series or maybe up to 5 games in 10 days?

On this one I think maurespreader is actually correct. The "like minded" phrase that has so often been quoted refers to the amount of money teams are willing to promise to invest in their programs and the league. The "like minded" programs consistently voted in a block to increase spending to get TV contracts, improve and maintain facilities, improve pay for officials, and pay for the league to promote itself along with many other things in order to make it appear to recruits to be the unquestionable top league in college hockey. The other schools voted against those proposals due to budget concerns, and this had been going on for many years. The teams that voted in a block for the additional spending had been studying leaving the WCHA for years, and actually had a lot of the market research and investigation already completed and on the shelf. With the departure of the Big 10 schools, those team re-examined the idea of breaking away in light of the departure of some of the big name schools and felt that an idea that didn't make sense with those teams in the mix became not only viable but in their minds unavoidable. Part of the reason that the NCHC stuff happened so quickly is that a lot of the planning had been done over the previous few years.
So yes, I do expect expenses to rise for the NCHC programs. The hope is that will pay off in the long run by becoming the top league in the NCAAs. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, of course.

When questioning why the NCHC formed. People need to read this post.