WCHA armchair expansion

[Tipsy McStagger]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

Such assumed histories while perhaps seemingly rational are nonetheless pure supposition. And it wasn't so much a matter of the WCHA and CCHA's desire to save a couple of programs as it was the larger College Hockey community and the NCAA making them do it. In any case, denial of the excellent revenue stream these two teams have provided to their respective conferences cannot be denied.

How much do you like sniffing your own farts? Because that is seriously all this post was. You don't realize you are at the mercy of Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. You won't be laughing if the BTCH actually gets formed and the Minnesota schools start wondering if it's even worth keeping you around. Keep talking crap though. Show us the numbers, please.

 

[Tipsy McStagger]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

While the NCAA is clearly a monopolist trust it wasn't the one I was referring to. The WCHA is likewise an illegal trust. It is the WCHA and CCHA that have conspired to keep the ice tilted against UAA and UAF. The NCAA used it's power as a trust (via the creation of the Alaska/Hawaii exemption) as you've noted. Yes. That doesn't exonerate the WCHA's use of it's monopoly against UAA.

I thought your previous post was a load of bull. Then I read this. You act like the Alaska teams are doing their conferences a favor. They aren't. When both of the crappy teams in your state fold, I can't wait to see you utilize your time writing about the other sports you don't have. Then you can whine about how your state is discriminated against in 4 sports, you ungrateful twerp.

 

[4four4]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

so if you are OSU and you can double your revenue with your own network, you are looking at it... and you might be hogtied by the btn deal you signed.

PSU, Michigan and OSU all tried to start up their own network and Delany put a stop to it. Why? Because he wanted to start up the Big Ten Network and see how that goes before going it alone.

 

[4four4]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

If this is true, Someone please tell Barry at UW. Maybe the "WCHA Network" will pay better than the Big Ten Network. The only thing driving the BTHC talk is all the so-called tv revenue!!

I believe there is more to this than tv revenue, it is probably more programming for the Big Ten network.

 

[achybreaky]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

Air Force may have a loyal following, but it's scattered all over the world. I don't think it's anywhere near the class of UND. (Although Ralph Engelstadt and Curtis LeMay would have seen eye-to-eye on a lot of things!)

I think Air Force is perfectly happy being a contender in the AHA rather than fighting MTU and Bemidji for last place in the WCHA. Air Force's rink has some room for expansion (both ends currently have walkways that could be knocked down, and the side sections could be extended vertically to add another 1,500 seats or so) but I'm not sure the demand is there yet.

I think he said that because of the Grand Forks Air Force Base

 

[MavRick]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

I think it's long past time that the North Central Conference had its own network:

Duluth
North Dakota
Mankato
St. Cloud
Omaha

Gold, Jerry.

 

[Rhett]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

Outside of being a "good conference citizen" and offering a homeless team a home/providing a punching bag for the conference, what's the advantage in adding the Chargers?

If the Big Ten is formed (almost a certainty), it's rumored that some CCHA programs would be in danger. If the CCHA is raided by the WCHA (less likely), there's a real numbers problem for the CCHA. The CCHA could NEED UAH by the time this is over.

I don't think UAH would be a "punching bag" in a BT-less CCHA. In terms of pure potential and past success despite serious obstacles, I think most observers think UAH would do just fine in the CCHA.

Whatever you think the Alabama market is worth for hockey, in the unlikely event that TV revenue becomes a major factor in college hockey, it's better to have Huntsville than Big Rapids.

It's also interesting that a driving belief in these conversations is that several Michigan/Ohio area CCHA teams will be in trouble and could fold without the BT teams in their conference. UAH fans often claim that their team could fold without a conference, no caveats. The stronger CCHA programs could alleviate one of these problems with a vote and save one potential conference opponent. It will be interesting to see how proactive the conference is.

 

[College Hockey Weekend]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

If the WCHA Network is executed well (i.e. Syndicating a game of the week/doubleheader package) then I see it as a great success, especially for programs that don't see the spotlight as often because they lack a TV deal (UNO, CC, and Tech are the programs that come to mind). I just don't see it as a 24/7 network though.

 

[bigmrg74]

I thought your previous post was a load of bull. Then I read this. You act like the Alaska teams are doing their conferences a favor. They aren't. When both of the crappy teams in your state fold, I can't wait to see you utilize your time writing about the other sports you don't have. Then you can whine about how your state is discriminated against in 4 sports, you ungrateful twerp.

The GNAC would love it if Fairbanks and anchorage would put up domes and start up football up there. Something between the Yooper dome at NMU and the Alerus Center at UND would be fine for them.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

The GNAC would love it if Fairbanks and anchorage would put up domes and start up football up there. Something between the Yooper dome at NMU and the Alerus Center at UND would be fine for them.

I think the whole of Division II football would love it if we did. Not that many DII teams out west as is.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

I've seen you post this before and I am assuming someone asked you about having an auto bid? Would they rather have this huge confrence rather than lose an auto bid?

When was the last time the WCHA or CCHA utilized their autobid to get an extra team into the Tourney? It must be pretty rare. I'm pretty sure the WCHA never utilized it.

If you want to see upsets in the playoffs, make them single elimination and eliminate byes for the top teams. Obviously its more important to make money for the conferences, so thats why they use them now.

Here's how the playoffs would shape up using this years standings and assuming Penn State was #24. Single elimination Tourney.

Wed. Mar. 9th

#24 Penn State @ #1 UND

#23 Tech @ #2 MI

#22 BG @ #3 ND

#21 MSU-M @ #4 DU

#20 BSU @ #5 MIA

#19 MSU @ #6 UNO

#18 OSU @ #7 UMD

#17 LSSU @ #8 MN

#16 AK @ #9 WMU

#15 SCSU @ #10 CC

#14 UAA @ #11 FSU

#13 NMU @ #12 WI

Assuming the higher seeds won...

Sat. Mar, 12th

#12 Wi @ #1 UND

#11 FSU @ #2 MI

#10 CC @ #3 ND

#9 WMU @ #4 DU

#8 MN @ #5 MIA

#7 UMD @ #6 UNO

Sat. Mar. 19th
Super Conference Final 6 in St. Paul

The six winners

 

[moose97]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

When was the last time the WCHA or CCHA utilized their autobid to get an extra team into the Tourney? It must be pretty rare. I'm pretty sure the WCHA never utilized it.

Didn't UMD use it in 2009 when they became the first team to win the Final 5 by winning 3 games, or did they become top 14 by going on that streak? Duluth finished 7th in the league that year and can't find anything online about if they were in before winning the F5...

 

[komey1]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

I rememeber a discussion last year that Michigan would not have made the tournament without winning the CCHA last year. I know they were in danger of it.

 

[PenaltyBoxBeast]

If the WCHA Network is executed well (i.e. Syndicating a game of the week/doubleheader package) then I see it as a great success, especially for programs that don't see the spotlight as often because they lack a TV deal (UNO, CC, and Tech are the programs that come to mind). I just don't see it as a 24/7 network though.

I would like to see Altitude network (681 on direct tv) pick up a WCHA double header. Altitude covers Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. With success coming from showing Big Sky Conference sports, I can see the network having success with showing WCHA games as well.

 

[Biddco]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

I would love a WCHA Network or something to that affect. I look foward to hearing more information about it.

When was the last time the WCHA or CCHA utilized their autobid to get an extra team into the Tourney? It must be pretty rare. I'm pretty sure the WCHA never utilized it.

Good point. Although we will be a mid major conference by then so we would need it

I believe that the people behind the WCHA and CCHA will figure something out that will allow the leagues and or teams to be okay. They know this is coming so they can adequately prepare for it. Things will work out.

Didn't UMD use it in 2009 when they became the first team to win the Final 5 by winning 3 games, or did they become top 14 by going on that streak? Duluth finished 7th in the league that year and can't find anything online about if they were in before winning the F5...

We did not actually. We were outside looking in before playoffs, then once we won the Final Five we jumped to 7th in the PWR. I remember it well because after the game I knew we had the autobid, but someone told me we were 7th and I was stunned. I couldn't believe we jumped that quickly.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

sniffing your own farts .... talking crap... a load of bull. ... of the crappy teams ... you ungrateful twerp.

Nachos are a delicious snack treat first invented in southern Texas. Warm creamy processed cheese food sauce poured over crunchy salted tortilla chips satisfy more cravings across the United States these days than many other once more popular choices. In fact, by adding ingredients like refried beans, ground beef and an assortment of healthy vegetable choices you can turn this snack food into a complete meal.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

Nachos are a delicious snack treat first invented in southern Texas. Warm creamy processed cheese food sauce poured over crunchy salted tortilla chips satisfy more cravings across the United States these days than many other once more popular choices. In fact, by adding ingredients like refried beans, ground beef and an assortment of healthy vegetable choices you can turn this snack food into a complete meal.

You know what's almost as good as nachos? Frito pie, mmmmmmmmmmmmm...

 

[ronmexico]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

Nachos are a delicious snack treat first invented in southern Texas. Warm creamy processed cheese food sauce poured over crunchy salted tortilla chips satisfy more cravings across the United States these days than many other once more popular choices. In fact, by adding ingredients like refried beans, ground beef and an assortment of healthy vegetable choices you can turn this snack food into a complete meal.

You know what's almost as good as nachos? Frito pie, mmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Wow. What does that mean?

 

[ronmexico]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

CC AD Ken Ralph was asked about the BTHC during the CC/UW broadcast and he said that the BTHC is voting next week and that it's a done deal. I'm only paraphrasing what I was told in my chatroom.

IMHO Ken Ralph was very direct about the matter.

He also had the opinion (this was just an opinion) that the WCHA would move forward as a 10 team league. They obviously have time to work that out. He made the point that they already know how to operate as a 10 team league. That may seem simply but makes sense to me.

 

[redhawk95]

Re: WCHA armchair expansion

Knowing how closely BC and Notre Dame are tied in football, I'd be interested to see if Hockey East takes a look at perhaps adding Notre Dame if they could make the travel work. In that same light, I've also wondered if Miami might be a candidate, but I haven't heard Hockey East mentioned at all in terms of expansion. Just a thought I've had.