The New WCHA (2013-14)

[dggoddard]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Well I'm not buying to tell the truth. the premise is that somehow those of us left are never going to be capable to compete with the und's of the world.

No one is saying that.

Look at UAA & Bemidji as two examples. When UAA was an independent, they beat Boston College in the NCAA playoffs in a two games series. The also made the NCAA playoffs three straight years.

Bemidji had two great runs in the NCAA playoffs, plus took DU down to the wire in 2005 as a member of the CHA. Bemidji made the NCAA's four out of six years.

 

[giwan]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

No one is saying that.Look at UAA & Bemidji as two examples. When UAA was an independent, they beat Boston College in the NCAA playoffs in a two games series. The also made the NCAA playoffs three straight years.Bemidji had two great runs in the NCAA playoffs, plus took DU down to the wire in 2005 as a member of the CHA. Bemidji made the NCAA's four out of six years.

They can be successful and do so long term but again the real point is will they work together as a group to lift all boats and not just one.

 

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Just did some number crunching for fun... if the 2013-14 changes were to have taken place this year: (Ignoring the fact that the schedule is completely imbalanced for this exercise)

New WCHA		Wins	Losses	Ties	Points
Bemidji State		6	2	0	12
Ferris State		5	1	2	12
Alaska			4	4	2	10
Northern Michigan	4	1	1	9
Michigan Tech		4	6	0	8
Lake Superior		3	4	1	7
Alaska Anchorage	2	3	1	5
Minnesota State		2	3	1	5
Bowling Green		2	8	0	4

And record vs all Non-Conference Opponents:

			B1G	HkyEAST	NCHC	Total
Alaska			1-2-1	1-3-0	1-4-1	3-9-2
Alaska Anchorage	0-4-0	0-0-0	3-9-0	3-13-0
Bemidji State		0-0-0	0-0-0	4-10-2	4-10-2
Bowling Green		0-2-2	0-2-0	1-3-2	1-7-4
Ferris State		3-2-1	1-2-0	2-2-0	6-6-1
Lake Superior		3-4-3	2-1-0	3-1-0	8-6-3
Michigan Tech		3-2-0	0-1-0	2-2-2	5-5-2
Minnesota State		1-3-0	0-2-0	2-7-0	3-12-0
Northern Michigan	3-5-2	0-0-2	5-3-0	8-8-4

There is no shootout, and points are the old 2pt system.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Omaha is the headquarters of five Fortune 500 companies! ...the largest railroad in the world...

Union Pacific - The "Other" U.P.
...So says the area North of Wisconsin.

The Colorado Avalanche have the NHL record for the longest consecutive attendance sell outs with 487.

That's called new franchise-itis. It happens in every city. Even the Wild racked up over 400 in a row when they started.
Ryan J

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

That's called new franchise-itis. It happens in every city. Even the Wild racked up over 400 in a row when they started.
Ryan J

Bbbut ... DG's statistic has to mean that Denver is America's best hockey city!!1!!1 I mean look at the attendance figures for DU .. that should confirm Denver's preeminence!11!!

 

[Dirty]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Bbbut ... DG's statistic has to mean that Denver is America's best hockey city!!1!!1 I mean look at the attendance figures for DU .. that should confirm Denver's preeminence!11!!

This appears to be trolling with it's only purpose to get a response out of DG. And here I thought you had reformed. Sadness.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

This appears to be trolling with it's only purpose to get a response out of DG.

You're incorrect.

And here I thought you had reformed. Sadness.

It is only the incorrectitude of your first sentence that leads you to this depressed state of mind. Or the wind on the great northern plains.

 

[SanTropez]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

You're incorrect.

After all you are the "expert" when it comes to what others can or can't post on the board, must be proud.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

After all you are the "expert" when it comes to what others can or can't post on the board, must be proud.

Don't troll me bro.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

BSU AD Rick Goeb talks with Eric Stromgren of the Bemidji Pioneer about the future WCHA:

http://northsports.areavoices.com/2012/02/04/wcha-looks-to-expand-as-league-plans-for-the-future/

 

[moose97]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

BSU AD Rick Goeb talks with Eric Stromgren of the Bemidji Pioneer about the future WCHA:

http://northsports.areavoices.com/2012/02/04/wcha-looks-to-expand-as-league-plans-for-the-future/

I think the big news out of this article is on the Minnesota Cup. I think everyone assumed that the team "left out" each year would play the Gophers, but I (and I'd guess others too) had assumed that the series would be at Mariucci. Now, I've got no idea if the indication from Dr. Goeb (we haven't chatted lately) that the Gophers will travel to Bemidji in '13-'14 means that all teams "left out" of the Minn Cup each year can expect to host UMinn, but if that is true, it's a big step in the right direction.

 

[Almington]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I think the big news out of this article is on the Minnesota Cup. I think everyone assumed that the team "left out" each year would play the Gophers, but I (and I'd guess others too) had assumed that the series would be at Mariucci. Now, I've got no idea if the indication from Dr. Goeb (we haven't chatted lately) that the Gophers will travel to Bemidji in '13-'14 means that all teams "left out" of the Minn Cup each year can expect to host UMinn, but if that is true, it's a big step in the right direction.

That still give UMN one set of away games to either play at UND or make a trip to CO, or go out east or a pair of home-and-home games with SCSU/MSU/UMD (I don't see h&h being possible with BSU because of the distance, UMD may not work either but a Thursday/Saturday, Friday/Sunday, or Friday/Monday might work.

My feelings have always been that the best teams could hope for would be one home series with MN every 3 or 4 years and that would only be the case as long as no other teams join the BTHC. If the BTCH schedule increases to 28 games, scheduling becomes much tighter.

 

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

That still give UMN one set of away games to either play at UND or make a trip to CO, or go out east or a pair of home-and-home games with SCSU/MSU/UMD (I don't see h&h being possible with BSU because of the distance, UMD may not work either but a Thursday/Saturday, Friday/Sunday, or Friday/Monday might work.

I was under the impression that the Minnesota Cup was just going to be the Beanpot of the West. So with the current 14 non-conference games available to them, this still leaves 10 non-conference games to schedule.

 

[Almington]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I was under the impression that the Minnesota Cup was just going to be the Beanpot of the West. So with the current 14 non-conference games available to them, this still leaves 10 non-conference games to schedule.

Correct, but MN has gone of the record as 1.) Wanting a total of 20 home games, and 2.) wanting to be able to play more games out east.

Currently, they have 10 home and road games from the B10 schedule, thus they want 10 home games and 4 road games as a NC schedule (not including any trip to AK). Rotating through the MN schools will use 2 of those road games I don't think that MN will want to commit ALL of their NC road games to playing MN schools EVERY season. The MN cup will be 2 of the home games. MN can continue to bring in 3 school on home only deals for 6 home games like they do now, play home-and-home series with SCSU and MSUM every season

An EXAMPLE MN schedule could look like this:

Year 1 NC:
2 @ BSU
1 @ SCSU
1 @ MSUM
1 MSUM
1 SCSU
2 MN Cup
2 HE team visits
4 NC home only

Year 2 NC:
1 @ SCSU
1 @ MSUM
1 MSUM
1 SCSU
2 MN Cup
2 @ HE schools
6 NC home only

Year 3 NC:
2 @ UMD
1 @ SCSU
1 @ MSUM
1 MSUM
1 SCSU
2 MN Cup
2 HE team visit
4 NC home only

Year 4 NC:
1 @ UMD
1 @ BSU
1 UMD
1 BSU
2 MN Cup
2 @ HE schools
6 NC home only

 

[UpNorthHockey]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I agree in the premise. The question for all the new WCHA is whether there will be leadership and a willingness to actually work together. Or will it be when the Nacho comes calling for a new team will a rat run like one or two already have.

Re: the CHN article, it seems to me that the NCHC teams stand to benefit the least from the league reorg. The new WCHA teams all share smaller markets, mostly in traditional hockey hotbeds, they don't need huge arenas because they are mostly rural, they don't recruit based upon program visibility and they don't want to spend big $$ to lure TV contracts. I'd wager that Tech, NMU and LSSU wouldn't have accepted an offer to join the NCHC because they have different program development philosophies. As money has entered the college hockey world, it has changed the way big market schools do business. In hockey however, big money, big arenas and big publicity doesn't necessarily equal performance on the ice.


After 2013, the NCHC will develop its own haves and have-nots, some of which will hit long dry spells. Programs not in traditional hockey markets will be hurt financially by consistently finishing in the bottom. I also think the NCHC will soon learn that hockey is a niche sport and the networks favor the east coast schools. Viewership won't be very high compared to the east coast and big ten schools. In terms of network desirability, NCHC will be tied for third place behind B1G, HockeyEast with the ECAC. The new WCHA teams, which never relied on TV will remain largely unchanged.


I expect that the arenas at MTU, NMU, LSSU and Ferris will be packed once they start facing area rivals in league competition and these already strong programs will start to pick up steam along with Bemidji, which is a strong hockey area. I think the new WCHA will have a bigger representation in the NCAA tourney that the media has suggested (i.e. calling them the leftovers and have-nots). In short, I think the separation between the NCHC and the new WCHA is more one of philosophy than skill and we'll see which philosophy is more effective in the world of college hockey.

 

[hattrick16]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I expect that the arenas at MTU, NMU, LSSU and Ferris will be packed once they start facing area rivals in league competition and these already strong programs will start to pick up steam along with Bemidji, which is a strong hockey area. I think the new WCHA will have a bigger representation in the NCAA tourney that the media has suggested (i.e. calling them the leftovers and have-nots). In short, I think the separation between the NCHC and the new WCHA is more one of philosophy than skill and we'll see which philosophy is more effective in the world of college hockey.

I'm optimistic and I hope you're right. However, I keep thinking a school like Ferris will have a much more difficult time climbing the national rankings if they are unable to schedule home games against teams like Michigan State, Miami, Ohio State and Notre Dame. The incentive to come to Big Rapids for a non-conference game isn't too great. I have a feeling the new alignment will lead to a couple WCHA teams with great records but difficulty getting national respect because of their perceived weak schedule. Strength of schedule will be a systemic problem and all the teams are going to have to win on the road in non-conference play for the league to gain respect.

 

[Hammer]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

Respect will be earned in the form of NCAA tournament wins, regardless of the schedule.

 

[Red Cows]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I don't think the first comparison was stupid. No disrespect to Omaha, both trips I went on had nothing but nice and friendly fans, but I would put them dead last if I had to rank the average hockey IQ of fans from all the towns I've seen college hockey in. That's not to say they're complete morons, just wouldn't put them on par with fans from Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Grand Forks, Mankato, Madison, etc.

O.K., I am willing to submit to you that there are not as many hockey Mensas here as those places. I have seen some of this here myself.

However, due to the sheer size of this city there are a lot more causal fans that show up here and there at our games. In fact, on nights like the recent "Sell Out Duluth" night where UNO did sell out and had more than 16,000 in the building, I told my wife that the atmosphere would be better the following night than it was in front of that full house. I was right. The casual fans don't even know what the hell is going on. The people there the following night were the "true" fans and it made for a much better hockey environment.

A great example of this is that aforementioned UNO/UMD game, in the third period, with UNO down 4-2 and 6:49 left, UNO pulled the goalie. UNO was putting on great pressure in the UMD end, peppering their keeper, and, all of a sudden--a whistle! The zebras stopped play and called a "too many men on the ice" penalty on UNO! Oh wait, they didn't realize UNO had pulled the goalie! I started booing vociferously and the people sitting in front of me turned and asked what was eating me!

The core fans here are reasonably knowledgeable and know what is going on. There just needs to be more of them.

 

[4four4]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

The core fans here are reasonably knowledgeable and know what is going on. There just needs to be more of them.

That will come in time.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: The New WCHA (2013-14)

I'm optimistic and I hope you're right. However, I keep thinking a school like Ferris will have a much more difficult time climbing the national rankings if they are unable to schedule home games against teams like Michigan State, Miami, Ohio State and Notre Dame. The incentive to come to Big Rapids for a non-conference game isn't too great. I have a feeling the new alignment will lead to a couple WCHA teams with great records but difficulty getting national respect because of their perceived weak schedule. Strength of schedule will be a systemic problem and all the teams are going to have to win on the road in non-conference play for the league to gain respect.

I don't think the strength of schedule will be all that big a problem.I think the big ten will have plenty of non con games and teams like BGSU and Ferris will get their share of home games from them, though this might be harder for the UP teams. I agree with upnh to a point, but I also think it is going to be more expensive than in the past for the wcha teams going forward. I think that if they play their cards right, they could have a nice league with national recognition.

I do have one question, let's say a wcha team plays an away game at an HE team or a b1g team which is televised, does the visitor get any of the tv revenue? Or say a team with a tie in to one network plays a team with a tie in to another, how would the revenue be split?