New WCHA is dead

[MTUHuskies]

Re: New WCHA is dead

St Thomas doesn’t have a viable rink. Their arena only seats 1,000. They also have yet to be approved for a waiver that will expedite the lengthy process to move to D-1 status.

My guess is the CCHA waits it out with 7 for UST. When they get the NCAA approval, they will have a new rink shortly thereafter.

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[cetihcra]

Re: New WCHA is dead

BG wants absolutely nothing to do with any of those three schools (or airplanes in general from what I can tell).

Please tell me BG flies to Bemidji? That's like a 14hr bus ride...

If the WCCCHA dangles a carrot in front of ASU again, at least you'll all know that it's personal!

r

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Please tell me BG flies to Bemidji? That's like a 14hr bus ride...

If the WCCCHA dangles a carrot in front of ASU again, at least you'll all know that it's personal!

r

By the time they bus to the airport, load the plane, possibly any layovers depending on where they are flying out of, get to MSP, load up and bus the 4 - 5 hours to Bemidji, it could very well be approaching a 14 hour trip.

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Re: New WCHA is dead

We have bused to Bemidji. Bergeron told me the story of the 21 hour bus trip.

We have chartered flights to Houghton and Mankato a couple of times thanks to a very generous benefactor. I don't know about Bemidji. Geographically we are 70 miles from DTW which gets us pretty much anywhere in the lower 48 without connecting. We're as close to DTW as Miami State is to CVG.

 

[cetihcra]

Re: New WCHA is dead

By the time they bus to the airport, load the plane, possibly any layovers depending on where they are flying out of, get to MSP, load up and bus the 4 - 5 hours to Bemidji, it could very well be approaching a 14 hour trip.

So let's say the 4 hours of loading/unloading, and 4 hours MSP-BJI bus portions are redundant, you're still talking a 10hr bus ride vs a 2hr flight. Gives me the shivers.

r

 

[BGDrew]

We have bused to Bemidji. Bergeron told me the story of the 21 hour bus trip.

We have chartered flights to Houghton and Mankato a couple of times thanks to a very generous benefactor. I don't know about Bemidji. Geographically we are 70 miles from DTW which gets us pretty much anywhere in the lower 48 without connecting. We're as close to DTW as Miami State is to CVG.

They’ve chartered to both Bemidji and Houghton this season.

 

[UAFIceAngel]

They’ve chartered to both Bemidji and Houghton this season.

Let’s charter a plane but complain about the cost to fly to Alaska LOL

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Let’s charter a plane but complain about the cost to fly to Alaska LOL

In your haste to stick it to us, you seem to have glossed over the part about the generous benefactor. He has payed for these charters out of his own pocket. And had he not, the boys would have bused. So buzz off (pun intended).

EDIT: The buzz off comment was meant in jest as I can't pass up a pun. Didn't want this to escalate things further. No offense meant.

 

[MavHockey14]

How dare schools don't want to travel 3,500+ miles one way to play conference games!?

(Against teams that don’t invest at the same level as they do)

It’s the same reason MSU got left out of the NCHC. Got caught trying to squeak by with a minimal investment in the program rather than investing in it as the front porch to the university.

Add in the trouble the Alaska schools and UAH have consistently recruiting talent...

 

[MavHockey14]

TRAVEL COSTS/TIME IS A COP OUT! I really don't believe that the travel is the main issue here for leaving UAH, Alaska and Alaska-Fairbanks out. Those three schools subsidize travel costs and they have to make the long trips for EVERY road series.

The issue is the uncertainty with the life of these three programs. When the seven teams announced their intent back last summer, the Alaska Legislature was in the process of cutting the UA System budget in half. Athletics was going to see a majority of those cuts. Top that off with Anchorage moving from the city run Sullivan Center to the on campus Wells Fargo Student Center. Fairbanks has put in notice that they may have to leave the Carlson Center for their on-campus arena, the Patty Center, due to the ice plant failing at the Carlson Center and the City of Fairbanks not having the funds to replace it. Currently, the WCHA bylaws state that your arena must have 2500 seats and has stipulations as to what must be included in the visiting locker room areas. If I recall correctly, when Fairbanks traveled to Anchorage earlier this year, they could not get into the visiting locker room the required time before the game (I want to say they got in 60-90 minutes before game time) due to a swim meet going on in the Student Center.

As for UAH, there always seems to be an air of uncertainty with their program, and this year is no different. Even though the Alabama Board of Regents have given the green light to work on getting an on campus arena owned by the school, they have allocated $0 for the project or study. But yet they can do $100 million upgrades to the Crimson Tide football stadium, locker rooms and practice facility.

Even though I am a fan of a school that has a home in this new league, I just don't feel right about how all of this went down and do feel for the fans of the schools left out in the cold, as of right now.

The $100 million for the Alabama football program locker rooms and amenities, Bryant Denny Stadium, etc. is 100% privately funded.

 

[MavHockey14]

With 100,000 people at those games in Tuscaloosa with nosebleed seats costing $120 for SEC games and football donors pouring millions into the program and the school, the upgrades are in investment.

Bingo. Look at UA’s enrollment since Saban took over and made it the powerhouse it is today.(again)

 

[Squarebanks]

(Against teams that don’t invest at the same level as they do)

It’s the same reason MSU got left out of the NCHC. Got caught trying to squeak by with a minimal investment in the program rather than investing in it as the front porch to the university.

Add in the trouble the Alaska schools and UAH have consistently recruiting talent...

Go take a look at NCAA data regarding athletic expenditures per institution. In the current WCHA, Bowling Green far away spends the most on athletics. Not surprising since they are D1.

Second place? None other than the University of Alaska Anchorage. UAF is middle of the pack in current WCHA institutions.

The biggest cheapskate in the conference is Lake Superior State.

 

[Squarebanks]

Please tell me BG flies to Bemidji? That's like a 14hr bus ride...

If the WCCCHA dangles a carrot in front of ASU again, at least you'll all know that it's personal!

r

That carrot was already dangled in front of ASU.

 

[pdt1081]

This is Bowling Green’s spawn and I promise you BG wants absolutely nothing to do with any of those three schools (or airplanes in general from what I can tell). BG *****ed about going to Fairbanks back in the old CCHA days...it isn’t anything new.

Bowling Green also didn’t have its conference members (including UAF) turn their backs on them when they nearly folded their program before the last round of realignment. Oh what tangled webs we weave.

Also, your 8th is going to be St. Thomas.

Difference being Bowling Green's uncertainty lasted less than a full season. They raised funds to invest in the program and Ice Arena, and did so quickly. They didn't let the uncertainty of the next season drag on year after year.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: New WCHA is dead

I was actually heard a new nugget recently. Some of this was precipitated for the same reason the last WCHA shake up happened. Over giving the commissioner an extension and a raise without asking the full conference membership

 

[BGDrew]

I was actually heard a new nugget recently. Some of this was precipitated for the same reason the last WCHA shake up happened. Over giving the commissioner an extension and a raise without asking the full conference membership

Robertson actually appears to have taken a substantial pay cut according to the league’s tax filings from May. I know there was a growing amount of frustration with him amongst the Spited Seven though.

 

[moose97]

Re: New WCHA is dead

St Thomas doesn’t have a viable rink. Their arena only seats 1,000. They also have yet to be approved for a waiver that will expedite the lengthy process to move to D-1 status.

As I said on Facebook, it's Minneapolis. There are multiple viable options available for a temporary arena. And St Thomas has an endowment of over a half billion dollars. Building a DI rink whenever they have to will not be a problem. As to the waiver, that's not even what's being discussed anymore http://m.startribune.com/commission...-optimistic-after-key-ncaa-meeting/567271842/

 

[huskyfan]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Did this week promised news on the new league come out yet?

I would welcome St. Thomas. But I'd still like to keep Huntsville. Love going to games there - nice arena - nice fans - great town - good food - historic - scenic.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Did this week promised news on the new league come out yet?

I would welcome St. Thomas. But I'd still like to keep Huntsville. Love going to games there - nice arena - nice fans - great town - good food - historic - scenic.

I'm sorry but it's likely that next year will be the last year for them and possibly for UAA also. I think UA will find a home somewhere.
I think this whole thing stinks. And I'm totally disgusted by the antics of our joint AD's.
If you go back about 1.5 years you get to watch a video of the ASU AD who was/ is this arrogant jerk who thinks the world revolves around him. Maybe it rubs off.

 

[huskyfan]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Here's the answer to my question:

https://www.uppermichiganssource.co...iQV3NUI0my7bL9aOy1GJLUKaBp9b3QBXmjnB9AkQgMpjQ

Can't say I'm happy about the resurrected CCHA name.