WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

Too bad you will have to get rid of all yours, since they have that racist mascot on them, and it is going to be banned.

We don't have participation banners...

 

[Happy]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

We don't have participation banners...

no, but they all have a really ugly sue head on them. Just think of the fits of anger the sugar beet farmers will have when you replace them with a flickertail.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

no, but they all have a really ugly sue head on them. Just think of the fits of anger the sugar beet farmers will have when you replace them with a flickertail.

I have been told by many attractive women (Gopher fans, even) that the Sioux logo is quite striking and they would love to bear his children...

 

[dggoddard]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

Looks like the "cluster pair" format won't be around for long.

The WCHA is discussing going to a 22 game schedule, so each program will play a two game series against each team in the conference.

Sounds like the changes are being brought about by the Big Ten Network. Needless to say this is going to far reaching ramifications for many programs.

From: UAA Fan Blog

I spoke with Steve Cobb last night and he told me that the issue of a future 22 game conference schedule was/is "on the table". A brief discsussion revealed one very surprising WCHA member that isn't currently in favor of such a change. In any case, I'll just say that the issue isn't likely to go away and certain television pressures may increase the chances for it to happen. Going to a 22 game conference schedule after UNO and Bemidji join would be a very positive change for the UAA program.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

Looks like the "cluster pair" format won't be around for long.

The WCHA is discussing going to a 22 game schedule, so each program will play a two game series against each team in the conference.

Sounds like the changes are being brought about by the Big Ten Network. Needless to say this is going to far reaching ramifications for many programs.

So, would the point of that be to open up more non-conference scheduling? Is the rest of the NCAA going to do that? And why the hell is the Big 10 dictating NCAA hockey policy?

 

[dggoddard]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

So, would the point of that be to open up more non-conference scheduling? Is the rest of the NCAA going to do that? And why the hell is the Big 10 dictating NCAA hockey policy?

Lots of good questions and not too many answers.

I guess the first order of business is to find out who's against it and why.

More nonconference games should mean more home dates and more revenue for the big boys that can afford to buy home games from smaller programs or schedule marquee match-ups with elite programs around the country.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

Lots of good questions and not too many answers.

I guess the first order of business is to find out who's against it and why.

More nonconference games should mean more home dates and more revenue for the big boys that can afford to buy home games from smaller programs.

I know I read on here before how the Big 10 Network (who shouldn't be involved in hockey in the first place, and I've told them that more than once) wants all the Big 10 teams playing against each other home and away through the course of the season. Seems to me they have plenty of games available already. Heck they're not even going to bother televising the Michigan State - Minnesota game. There's probably a great basketball game that day, Indiana vs. The Little Sisters of the Poor.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

So, would the point of that be to open up more non-conference scheduling? Is the rest of the NCAA going to do that? And why the hell is the Big 10 dictating NCAA hockey policy?

The original blog entry doesn't mention the Big 10, that is just speculation, but it does seem like that is what was implied.

I actually think this is a good idea, and hopefully it catches on with other conferences. The pairwise system will work much better if every team had the opportunity to schedule 6 extra non-conference games. Hopefully it will encourage more travel between east and west.

 

[scsutommyboy]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

So, would the point of that be to open up more non-conference scheduling? Is the rest of the NCAA going to do that? And why the hell is the Big 10 dictating NCAA hockey policy?

Is this because the big ten network wants more games between big ten teams? How are non- big ten teams going to fill their schedule?

 

[scsutommyboy]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

The original blog entry doesn't mention the Big 10, that is just speculation, but it does seem like that is what was implied.

I actually think this is a good idea, and hopefully it catches on with other conferences. The pairwise system will work much better if every team had the opportunity to schedule 6 extra non-conference games. Hopefully it will encourage more travel between east and west.

If all conferences did it I could see it being a good thing. However, as it stands now how are non big ten teams going to fill their schedule? I would guess they will end up playing each other in a non conference games. I think that is lame.......

 

[HoosierBBall_GopherHockey]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

I know I read on here before how the Big 10 Network (who shouldn't be involved in hockey in the first place, and I've told them that more than once) wants all the Big 10 teams playing against each other home and away through the course of the season. Seems to me they have plenty of games available already. Heck they're not even going to bother televising the Michigan State - Minnesota game. There's probably a great basketball game that day, Indiana vs. The Little Sisters of the Poor.

Hey now, some years the Little Sisters of the Poor can be a good team! Like last year for instance...

 

[dggoddard]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

I can see this being a good thing for Michigan Tech. They should be able to fill their schedule against other Michigan based teams.

UAA should also benefit by playing easier teams which should help the old win/loss record. Since they already subsidize travel for WCHA teams they should be able to afford to bring in some cupcakes.

DU doesn't have trouble filling games and should be able to travel back east a little more against schools like Harvard, Cornell, BU & BC.

CC should also be able to afford to bring in opponents.

Maybe the smaller Minnesota schools will play a round robin non-conference format. Certainly they can't be pleased with the prospect of only playing the Gophers one series at home every two years.


UND is tough to figure out. They have tons of cash to pay visiting schools, but it isn't a easy trip for marquee schools to get to Grand Forks.

Minnesota & Sconnie have the Big Ten angle and huge revenue potential.

UNO might be thinking "Why the H-E-double hockey sticks did we just pay to join the WCHA?"

Thoughts, feedback, suggestions????

 

[Goon]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

So, would the point of that be to open up more non-conference scheduling? Is the rest of the NCAA going to do that? And why the hell is the Big 10 dictating NCAA hockey policy?

Yeah good question, the 22 game schedule idea sucks because it means less premiere match ups: Sioux vs gopher, sioux vs pioneers, less sioux vs badgers, less badgers vs pioneers, badgers vs gophers etc.
As a Sioux fans I want to see 4 against DU, UW and UM every season.

 

[Goon]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

UND is tough to figure out. They have tons of cash to pay visiting schools, but it isn't a easy trip for marquee schools to get to Grand Forks. I wouldn't be surprised if they are against this.

Minnesota & Sconnie have the Big Ten angle and huge revenue potential.

UNO might be thinking "Why the H-E-double hockey sticks did we just pay to join the WCHA?"

Thoughts, feedback, suggestions????

Who is pushing for this 22 game schedule? Also, UND does travel and went to Boston twice last season so I could see them doing the two year contracts, meaning you play us here and we will travel there.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

Yeah good question, the 22 game schedule idea sucks because it means less premiere match ups: Sioux vs gopher, sioux vs pioneers, less sioux vs badgers, less badgers vs pioneers, badgers vs gophers etc.

Agreed.

This is why I was opposed to bringing in BSU & UNO. This was always going to be the result.

 

[moose97]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

If all conferences did it I could see it being a good thing. However, as it stands now how are non big ten teams going to fill their schedule? I would guess they will end up playing each other in a non conference games. I think that is lame.......

I would agree 100% that if all conferences went this route (less conference games, a better N/C schedule all around, and thus, a better idea of who the "best" 16 are come NCAA time), it would be a good thing. However, if it's just the WCHA (and even just the W and CCHA), it's a terrible idea. Who's gonna get excited about quasi-interlocking schedules, where you end-up with SCSU/Bowling Green every other year? Or Western Mich/Minn-Duluth? And I certainly don't see the Big 10 Network having any pull over Hockey East/ECAC/Atlantic...

I know I read on here before how the Big 10 Network (who shouldn't be involved in hockey in the first place, and I've told them that more than once) wants all the Big 10 teams playing against each other home and away through the course of the season. Seems to me they have plenty of games available already. Heck they're not even going to bother televising the Michigan State - Minnesota game. There's probably a great basketball game that day, Indiana vs. The Little Sisters of the Poor.

Exactly this. Sure, the Big 10 Network has alternate channels (an Indiana feed if that game vs. the Little Sisters goes to OT when the Sparty/Gopher puck game that's not televised goes on), but when they aren't even televising all the games between "conference" opponents as is, they should get their nose out of where they don't belong (until the magical BTHC forms). I think it goes back to what I said above. They can't control but two of the five conferences (at best), so what good would it do anyway?

 

[moose97]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

This is why I was opposed to bringing in BSU & UNO. This was always going to be the result.

Let. it. go. The Big 10 Net would have just pushed for some sort of 18 game schedule (or some other version there-in) had they not come in... You really think the BTN was sitting there rubbing their hands at the thought of BSU and UNO entering the WCHA? What, you a big JFK conpseracy theorist? Like aliens?

 

[MaizeRage]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

I could see why you would want to do that if you were UAA and you got pounded year-in and year-out in conference games, and when your home games have zero atmosphere besides a wolf howl at every stoppage, but for the rest of the conference, I don't think it makes a lot of sense.

There's a little novelty in seeing out-of-conference teams come in, but for the most part, non-conference games blow in comparison to conference games. The games don't mean as much, the intensity isn't the same from the players, and the crowd doesn't care as much, because most non-conference opponents you're going to get aren't schools anybody has ever heard of.

Also, you'd end up with a ton of WCHA teams scheduling non-conference games against league opponents to cut down on travel costs. What's the point of that? You're basically just making games less important.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

Let. it. go. The Big 10 Net would have just pushed for some sort of 18 game schedule (or some other version there-in) had they not come in... You really think the BTN was sitting there rubbing their hands at the thought of BSU and UNO entering the WCHA?

Agreed. But I do think when the WCHA shook up the league membership they made it easier to tinker with the schedule.

This whole situation reminds me what happened in the old Southwest Conference. Texas, Texas A & M, Texas Tech and Baylor bailed to join the Big 12. Four other Texas colleges (SMU, Houston, TCU, Rice) were screwed, but the hidden story was Texas Governor Ann Richards forced UT and A & M to take her alma mater Baylor or she was going to mess with their funding.

I always said letting in UNO & BSU would lead to far less games against the marquee WCHA teams. Now it appears the chicken has come home to roost.

That being said, I think DU will sell more tickets for games against Harvard, Cornell, BC & other eastern schools than the smaller WCHA programs.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: WCHA 2010-'11 through '14-'15 "rival pairs" announced

but for the rest of the conference, I don't think it makes a lot of sense.

There's a little novelty in seeing out-of-conference teams come in, but for the most part, non-conference games blow in comparison to conference games.

Follow the money....