Re: So you want to start up a D1 team
You're pretty seriously underestimating the size of the endowment that would be needed to fund a hockey program. Most endowments only disburse ~5% of the endowment each year, so a $200k hockey program (definitely on the light end when you include the coachs' salaries) would require a $4M endowment, not $25k. With the 5% rule, a $25k endowment would yield $1250 per year, which will buy you about 6 hockey sticks.
I know that it would take more money to build up an endowment that would be big enough to totally fund a whole hockey program by itself. But if we have those endowments, they would be great collection points for those that believe College Hockey should be at those schools. It would give those crazy souls out there that want Hockey at places like Colorado State, North Dakota State, Syracuse and elsewhere a place to put their money where their mouth is, where the club team can hold fundraisers so that they can contribute a little, and have the Donors that want to see Hockey there add to it without having to go thru all of the hassle of personally starting up an endowment themselves to do it, as I believe you gotta have at least $5000 up front to put into it to even get one going, minimum. Its not going to be an immediate thing to say hey, here's some money, have a Rink and a team by 2020, its more or less pushing a snowball down a hill, and seeing where it goes.
I don't see any of the current GLIAC schools with hockey (MTU, NMU, LSSU and Ferris) dropping to D-2 level. Hockey is their prestige sport - between the four, they have seven National Championships, and at Tech and Northern at least, the sport is a moneymaker. For the other GLIAC schools, even if all 6 without hockey agreed to start programs simultaneously, they'd be interested in competing on the same level as their GLIAC counterparts, and would see about forming a D-1 conference (perhaps with Western Michigan leading the effort) to serve as a home.
Yeah, Personally if Grand Valley started up hockey, they're going to want to be in the thick of it with Ferris and Western. Ferris would go kicking and screaming if their hockey team was going to be sent down to a D2 League, the same for any of the Yooper Schools. Saginaw Valley is GV's Little Brother and would want to be where ever GV is. Wayne State could probably bring back men's hockey if they ever get that On campus arena that they want. But for the rest of the GLIAC, eh, I'm not really seeing them wanting to hop onto the Hockey bus right now unless they fall into an Ore Boat full of money. Northwood and Hillsdale, both small Michigan private schools. Northwood might be able to work out a deal with Midland High for a joint use arena, but eh, not an optimal arrangement right there from the start of thing. Hillsdale might have the money, but would probably struggle to attract good players there right away.
FYI, LSSU's Football team, University of Indianapolis, is moving their football team out of the GLIAC in 2 years I believe because their main conference has finally got off the pot about adding football as well. While they did just luck into some more money by being named the NFC practice site for the Superbowl in 2012, where the NFL is going to pay out extra for a few more modifications to be made to make their new indoor practice facilities more nicer and user friendly, I'm not sure I would really see them as being that gung ho about adding Hockey there right now.
As for the Ohio GLIAC schools, Findlay's tried it already, and is turning their Ice Arena into a swimming pool or something that would mean no more Ice there I believe. Ashland might just be crazy enough to sign off on this idea, but I wouldn't hold my breath about it as they're crazy about their football team.
And for the Newbies to the League, Tiffin, Lake Erie and Ohio Dominican???? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! and lets leave it at that.
