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The end of leagues as we know?

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Re: The end of leagues as we know?

4four4 said:
Like we should not schedule the new BHHC or the BTHC. Wouldn't that be a kicker?
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I think at this point the "Leftovers" care not about the BTHC but safe to say they won't travelling to the BHHC.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

Jimjamesak said:
I think at this point the "Leftovers" care not about the BTHC but safe to say they won't travelling to the BHHC.
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From a Big Ten point of view. The Gophers will have 20 conference games, 10 games against the "old" WCHA, 2 games against UMD and the final 4 will probably be the Mariucci classic and a home cupcake series. I just don't see Minnesota traveling to play the new BHHC. What is in it for the Big Ten? Nothing really unless the BHHC wants to come to MPLS, Madison, Ann Arbor, Lansing etc.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

Last time I checked, a conference doesn't get an autobid with just two teams. A minimum of four other teams had to have agreed to this. UNO, UMD, Miami, and CC all could have said no and then this Super League doesn't exist. UND and DU don't have anywhere to go if those four teams don't say yes. It's not like those two schools could say "come with us or we're leaving."
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

Once again, a major conference realignment will happen in college hockey.

Once again, most likely, UAH will be left on the outside of the equation.

Once again, not a single **** will be given.

I loved this sport for a while, but it's hard to hang out with a group of people who really don't want you around anymore...
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

4four4 said:
From a Big Ten point of view. The Gophers will have 20 conference games, 10 games against the "old" WCHA, 2 games against UMD and the final 4 will probably be the Mariucci classic and a home cupcake series. I just don't see Minnesota traveling to play the new BHHC. What is in it for the Big Ten? Nothing really unless the BHHC wants to come to MPLS, Madison, Ann Arbor, Lansing etc.
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Are you also inferring you don't see Minnesota traveling to play UND? If so, that is too bad I was getting use to the Sioux's dominance over the Gophers. Probably a good idea for your Gophers though. Can't let the Sioux be on the winning side of the overall series record between the two teams ;).

As for the other BTHC teams, I never really saw any of them playing against UND unless it was part of some tournament. The Wisconsin-UND rivalry was probably already going to die when the BTHC started up anyways. Though lately it really isn't that big of a rivalry either.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

I get the unwanted step sister bit but there is a big possible plus to this story. No doubt money drives this train just like all the other trains hauling crap all over this country. Once the Badgers and Gophs left for money the door was open. Can't blame the other programs at all. In the last four years we've had long shots make it to the FF. The new Misfit Toys Conference will have an auto bid. An auto bid can lead to an FF appearance which leads to better recruitment, notoriety and cash.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

SiouxFanatic said:
Are you also inferring you don't see Minnesota traveling to play UND? If so, that is too bad I was getting use to the Sioux's dominance over the Gophers. Probably a good idea for your Gophers though. Can't let the Sioux be on the winning side of the overall series record between the two teams ;).

As for the other BTHC teams, I never really saw any of them playing against UND unless it was part of some tournament. The Wisconsin-UND rivalry was probably already going to die when the BTHC started up anyways. Though lately it really isn't that big of a rivalry either.
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Whatever makes you feel better. In any case, don't expect UMI, UW or MN in GF.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

5mn_Major said:
Whatever makes you feel better. In any case, don't expect UMI, UW or MN in GF.
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Michigan? Like they'd visit in the first place. Last time they visited GF was because they had to(NCAA regionals).

And if Minnesota brass doesn't want to play UND because of this(lets be honest all this no playing talk is what you Gopher fans want as a form of retaliation), then so be it.

You guys will be just as hurt by UND not visiting the Mooch. I'm sure Penn State, Ohio State, and MSU will fill UND's absence, yeah?
 
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Re: The end of leagues as we know?

Based upon the proximity of schools, it seems inevitable that program expenses for members of the new conference will increase. One has to wonder where all the additional revenue will come from to offset budget increases? Ticket sales will most likely remain as stable by comparison as they would have been in a renewed WCHA.

I don't see media revenue as the proverbial pot of gold here either. Overall, college hockey is a niche media market anyway. With the exception of DU, every school in the new conference resides in a relatively small media market (UND, UMD, UNO, Miami, CC). The result will be essentially similar to what could have brokered had they remained in the WCHA...regional programming at best.

The only potential media network cash cow on the horizon of college hockey is the BTN, which is primarily due to national branding of the Big Ten name in general and their variance in 24 hour all sports programming, not some short term projected increase in national fan interest in college hockey. As it is the BTN will need to implement some very creative scheduling magic to strategically maintain ratings enough to justify their projected expansion of their revenue footprint.

Given that financial gains of the new conference in comparison to potential WCHA revenues appear to be negligible, it seems evident that this was more of a political power play, initiated primarily through the self interests of UND and DU, to install new conference leadership that best represents their philosophical, financial and recruiting goals and objectives. The others invited tagged along because without UND and DU, remaining in the WCHA essentially becomes more financially insolvent and irrelevant to their program goals.

However, like any new business endeavor, the long term hidden costs in the new conference may hold some surprises for it's member schools. One thing for sure, even without Notre Dame, the conference playoffs and championship games will produce some extremely competitive college hockey. It's unfortunate that it comes at the expense of programs like SCSU, MSUM and others. That sucks.
 
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Re: The end of leagues as we know?

Wouldn't it make sense for MTU, LSSU, NMU, BGSU, FSU, and WMU (if not added to BHHC) to simply make a 6 team conference? While not the most glamourous it would be inexpensive travel for the most part and it has built in rivalries due to proximity. While it may not be the best, it would keep these teams from having to fold and would get them the all important autobid.

That would leave MSUM, SCSU, BSU, UAA, UAF, Notre Dame, and UAH to figure something out.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

SiouxFanatic said:
Are you also inferring you don't see Minnesota traveling to play UND? If so, that is too bad I was getting use to the Sioux's dominance over the Gophers. Probably a good idea for your Gophers though. Can't let the Sioux be on the winning side of the overall series record between the two teams ;).

As for the other BTHC teams, I never really saw any of them playing against UND unless it was part of some tournament. The Wisconsin-UND rivalry was probably already going to die when the BTHC started up anyways. Though lately it really isn't that big of a rivalry either.
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We, along with others in the Big Ten, will not play a non-conference game against a team with an abusive and hostile nickname. Good thing we have a winning record against you guys, it will now stay that way.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

JF_Gophers said:
Wouldn't it make sense for MTU, LSSU, NMU, BGSU, FSU, and WMU (if not added to BHHC) to simply make a 6 team conference? While not the most glamourous it would be inexpensive travel for the most part and it has built in rivalries due to proximity. While it may not be the best, it would keep these teams from having to fold and would get them the all important autobid.

That would leave MSUM, SCSU, BSU, UAA, UAF, Notre Dame, and UAH to figure something out.
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I really hope that doesn't happen. I want Tech to stick with SCSU, BSU, UAA and MSU-M. Add NMU and UA, possibly LSSU, and you'd have a conference with some cushion for when the hammer starts to fall on some programs and they begin to fold. FSU, BGSU and UAH should be talking with the teams from western AHA that don't want to be in the scholarship limited league, like Niagara and Robert Morris.
 
Re: The end of leagues as we know?

JF_Gophers said:
Wouldn't it make sense for MTU, LSSU, NMU, BGSU, FSU, and WMU (if not added to BHHC) to simply make a 6 team conference? While not the most glamourous it would be inexpensive travel for the most part and it has built in rivalries due to proximity. While it may not be the best, it would keep these teams from having to fold and would get them the all important autobid.

That would leave MSUM, SCSU, BSU, UAA, UAF, Notre Dame, and UAH to figure something out.
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It would make even more sense (geographically and for travel) if the three Minnesota schools joined with the three UP schools for a league. They could add the Alaska schools to get to eight. FSU and BGSU would then add UAH and poach Niagara and Robert Morris from the AHA. They need a sixth team though (assuming ND and WMU are gone). If ND goes to HEA (which seems unlikely) WMU could be that sixth team.
 
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