New WCHA is dead

[Bill]

Re: New WCHA is dead

because UAH is further then RIT for five of the magnificent seven...

only BSU and MNSU would have to travel more; BSU 14 miles further and MNSU 86 miles further (if talking best bus-route miles)

not to mention having the option of much, much better flights in buffalo, rochester, and syracuse.

I realize RIT is somewhat closer than UAH for most of the schools, but it's still a long road trip and most schools don't fly if they don't have to. I'd prefer to see UAH as the 8th team.

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Air travel isn't any easier in this deal. Teams still need to get to Minneapolis/Chicago/Detroit to get a direct flight into Buffalo. That makes it an all day journey at best. Still looking at an additional night in there in most cases....

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

Re: New WCHA is dead

I realize RIT is somewhat closer than UAH for most of the schools, but it's still a long road trip and most schools don't fly if they don't have to. I'd prefer to see UAH as the 8th team.

i like UAH... ...and would not have a problem with them being the eight team.

if the AKs are to really be out, the improvement on the travel side is substantial to say the least.

GO TECH GOLD!

 

[manurespreader]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Air travel isn't any easier in this deal. Teams still need to get to Minneapolis/Chicago/Detroit to get a direct flight into Buffalo. That makes it an all day journey at best. Still looking at an additional night in there in most cases....

Most of the big schools charter rather than take a flight. it leaves right from your town and lands right at their town, but it is a lot more costly. Wisconsin charters from Madison to Houghton believe it or not, a 20 minute flight.

 

[TheDee]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Most of the big schools charter rather than take a flight. it leaves right from your town and lands right at their town, but it is a lot more costly. Wisconsin charters from Madison to Houghton believe it or not, a 20 minute flight.

Wow. So, out of curiosity, I went to Expedia and requested a flight from Madison to Houghton this Friday, returning the following Monday. The route was MSN-ORD-CMX; the best flight time of four was 3.5 hours at a cost of $1,200. Ground travel from Madison to Houghton would be about 5.5-6 hours

 

[dparter]

Re: New WCHA is dead

in regard to the possible formation of a newnewWCHA;

and conceivably, as far as names go, you have all member schools in states that have a shore on one (or two or three or four) of the great lakes;

GLHA - Great Lakes Hockey Association

Not to be confused with the Great Lakes Hockey League (the only adult "travel" checking league in USA Hockey) or the Ohio high school league of the same name.

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Not to be confused with the Great Lakes Hockey League (the only adult "travel" checking league in USA Hockey) or the Ohio high school league of the same name.

my other suggestion was TAHA - Tornado Alley Hockey Association

but then UAH needs to be part of it.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: New WCHA is dead

my other suggestion was TAHA - Tornado Alley Hockey Association

but then UAH needs to be part of it.

We know tornadoes and have the atmospheric science people to track and analyze them! I imagine that Bemidji has two guys in snow plows doing storm chasing.

GFM

 

[jjmc85]

in regard to the possible formation of a newnewWCHA;

could RIT be considered as an eight member joining the magnificent seven?

RIT is much closer to BGSU then UAH. and its about the same for BSU (the furthest team from UAH) to travel to either.

and that way too AHA also goes to an even number of 10 members - or maybe RIT and UAH just trade places.

RIT's coach is a BGSU alum...

and conceivably, as far as names go, you have all member schools in states that have a shore on one (or two or three or four) of the great lakes;

GLHA - Great Lakes Hockey Association

GO TECH GOLD!

What would RIT get out of it besides increased travel costs?

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

Re: New WCHA is dead

What would RIT get out of it besides increased travel costs?

i would like to think, and possibly lie to myself, that RIT would be among more 'like-minded' schools in a 'better' conference then AHA.

RIT undergrad enrollment is at around 16,000 - the next biggest school in the AHA is RM at not even 5,000.

or just because there is a 'T' that spells out about the same thing in both RIT and MTU - and maybe too that the wildcats could use another feline friend.

truth be told, niagara, canisius, robert morris, and mercyhurst are all closer to the magnificent seven then RIT is...

hell, combine the two conferences, create two (or more) regions and pay for only one **** commissioner, staff corps, and office.

GO TECH GOLD!

 

[MTUHuskies]

Re: New WCHA is dead

hell, combine the two conferences, create two (or more) regions and pay only one **** commissioner, staff, and office.

GO TECH GOLD!

Good point DTP. I like the idea of a large conference with divisions. If you could get 12 teams in two 6-team divisions you could have a nice 26-game league schedule. Two series against the other 5 in your division, three from the other division one series at home and the other three one series on the road. You could have BGSU, RIT, Niagara, Canisius, Robert Morris and Mercyhurst in the east and MTU, NMU, LSSU, FSU, BSU and MSU in the west. That would leave AHA with 6 and they keep their NCAA bid.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Good point DTP. I like the idea of a large conference with divisions. If you could get 12 teams in two 6-team divisions you could have a nice 26-game league schedule. Two series against the other 5 in your division, three from the other division one series at home and the other three one series on the road. You could have BGSU, RIT, Niagara, Canisius, Robert Morris and Mercyhurst in the east and MTU, NMU, LSSU, FSU, BSU and MSU in the west. That would leave AHA with 6 and they keep their NCAA bid.

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and, or but, if getting into the tourney is really the goal, create three six/six+ team conferences for three bids;

1. MSU/BSU/MTU/NMU/LSSU/FSU

2. BGSU/RMU/MU/CC/NU/RIT

3. THE REST OF THE AHA SCHOOLS

and maybe there is a way to place air force in a better spot... and maybe even include UAH into all of this.

 

[MTUHuskies]

Re: New WCHA is dead

and, or but, if getting into the tourney is really the goal, create three six/six+ team conferences for three bids;

1. MSU/BSU/MTU/NMU/LSSU/FSU

2. BGSU/RMU/MU/CC/NU/RIT

3. THE REST OF THE AHA SCHOOLS

and maybe there is a way to place air force in a better spot... and maybe even include UAH into all of this.

I think the "better spot" for Air Force, in their opinion, is in the same conference as Army.

With your alignment, you may get a third auto-bid, but there is no DI schools in your western conference. I doubt any of those schools want to give up their "seat at the NCAA table"

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[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Good point DTP. I like the idea of a large conference with divisions. If you could get 12 teams in two 6-team divisions you could have a nice 26-game league schedule. Two series against the other 5 in your division, three from the other division one series at home and the other three one series on the road. You could have BGSU, RIT, Niagara, Canisius, Robert Morris and Mercyhurst in the east and MTU, NMU, LSSU, FSU, BSU and MSU in the west. That would leave AHA with 6 and they keep their NCAA bid.

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In that case: the rest of the AHA would actually be in okay shape.

They’d have the service academies and four schools (none of whom can draw many fans and I’m assuming would welcome cost savings wherever they can get them) that are fairly well concentrated around CT/MA. Even then, only Air Force is not conveniently located.

If people are worried about the stability of the AHA in that case: 6/7 of the remaining DII schools share a conference with AIC and Bentley. The other one is in CT. If they got a waiver from the NCAA to play for the DI title, they’d all be a great fit for the remains of the AHA.

 

[larfretz44]

Re: New WCHA is dead

i would like to think, and possibly lie to myself, that RIT would be among more 'like-minded' schools in a 'better' conference then AHA.

RIT undergrad enrollment is at around 16,000 - the next biggest school in the AHA is RM at not even 5,000.

or just because there is a 'T' that spells out about the same thing in both RIT and MTU - and maybe too that the wildcats could use another feline friend.

truth be told, niagara, canisius, robert morris, and mercyhurst are all closer to the magnificent seven then RIT is...

hell, combine the two conferences, create two (or more) regions and pay for only one **** commissioner, staff corps, and office.

GO TECH GOLD!

RIT is pretty happy in the AHA right now, and I don't see them going anywhere except maybe a post-ivy ECAC, with Clarkson, RPI, SLU, etc. That fits in more with their Liberty League counterparts anyway. Unless RIT decides to someday go D-I everywhere (I pray for it every day, but I don't think its very likely any time soon), I don't see them anywhere other than AHA or ECAC.

 

[Hockey John]

Re: New WCHA is dead

and, or but, if getting into the tourney is really the goal, create three six/six+ team conferences for three bids;

1. MSU/BSU/MTU/NMU/LSSU/FSU

2. BGSU/RMU/MU/CC/NU/RIT

3. THE REST OF THE AHA SCHOOLS

and maybe there is a way to place air force in a better spot... and maybe even include UAH into all of this.

Where would Alabama Huntsville be? If we are restructuring the leagues to help with geography and travel, they belong in one of the leagues in my opinion. The college hockey world can not let a viable program die. It would help if they can get their new building, but their current arena situation is livable.

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

Re: New WCHA is dead

I think the "better spot" for Air Force, in their opinion, is in the same conference as Army.

With your alignment, you may get a third auto-bid, but there is no DI schools in your western conference. I doubt any of those schools want to give up their "seat at the NCAA table"

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i suppose its a decision you have to make;

what weighs more? (1) having BGSU as your D-I representative, or (2) getting one more auto-bid.

i am not an army or air force alum/fan. so its hard to pass judgement on if they need to be in the same conference or not.

they could however do what the AK schools did with the governor's cup - call it the military cup; you don't have to be in the same conference to make that happen.

air force could too be with the two other colorado schools... but let's not open that can of worms.

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Where would Alabama Huntsville be? If we are restructuring the leagues to help with geography and travel, they belong in one of the leagues in my opinion. The college hockey world can not let a viable program die. It would help if they can get their new building, but their current arena situation is livable.

a few options (with some that can overlap);

1. with AHA making it 12 (like minded/sized).
2. with AHA in the place of RIT (RIT is too big).
3. with BGSU (the closest team).
4. with USAFA (air force -vs- space force).

 

[gfmorris]

Re: New WCHA is dead

The Serratore-Corbett relationship aside, there wasn't a lot of joy in playing each other in the old CHA.

GFM

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: New WCHA is dead

i suppose its a decision you have to make;

what weighs more? (1) having BGSU as your D-I representative, or (2) getting one more auto-bid.

i am not an army or air force alum/fan. so its hard to pass judgement on if they need to be in the same conference or not.

they could however do what the AK schools did with the governor's cup - call it the military cup; you don't have to be in the same conference to make that happen.

air force could too be with the two other colorado schools... but let's not open that can of worms.

You also have to accept the fact that if one of the 6 institutions struggles and suddenly needs to drop hockey or decides to try to get into NCHC (and succeeds) you lose your autobid. This is why most leagues throughout history have been at least 8 teams.