Future of the WCHA

[solbes]

It's a downer thats for sure. I do agree with Brooks that some new teams will get chances to make the tourney now and that will be good. But it's a double edged sword. If you don't win the WCHA or CCHA tournament, it's even harder to make it with your pairwise ranking. There just won't be enough strength of schedule to make that very probable. You'd have to have a REALLY good season to get an at large bid.

I think someone mentioned Alabama Huntsville too and this could finally be their ticket to ride. If the super league goes with current 6 or odd 7 (+ Notre Dame), then you could shuffle a school to the WCHA from CCHA and add UAH to CCHA to keep each at 6 as Shorelunch said. If the super league goes 8 and adds say Saint Cloud to the lineup, then those conferences will have to combine. None of this makes sense to me without Notre Dame, so I'm still guessing at least 7. Why go odd, I bet they add Cloud to make it 8. At that point I would have to think UAH closes its doors and the wheels of retraction are in motion. Back to 2 crappy new conferences at that point.

[scsavre]

Why mot just give CCHA Mich tech and Alaska, and take Miami

[solbes]

Certainly would have been easier. Couple of AD's/Coaches thought otherwise though.

[scsavre]

I really just think that Und and Denver are jealous and in a worried panic that they are going to look second fiddle to this big 10 conference. If that is the case they are wrong, they still have the best conference and bringing Miami in isnt going to help when you loose Cloud, Mank, Beaves etc. I think i am dont talking about this for awhile until we find out what the motives are. Stupid.

[cbrooks]

looks like a TV deal may be in the works.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/209308/

Ever since this new league has surfaced I've been hearing alot of negative things about Bruce McCloud(WCHA commissioner). I had no idea he was this disliked by alot of the schools Athelitic departments. Atleast thats the vibes I've been getting reading all the online articles, blogs. He's taking the brunt of the blame for the WCHA departures. I guess UND is taking alot of the blame also from all the haters(talking to you Scott) . I can understand why UND would lead this drive for a new league. Knowing how they have been burn in there other sports by simaliar circumstances. There's gonna be bad blood between some of these schools. I'm Just speculating now.

[solbes]

A TV contract with Versus could swing it to the positive financially. I didn't realize there was such a power struggle going on inside the conference. Guess time will tell if this was a good decision or not. WCHA has been the rock of college hockey for quite some time now.

My hope is that there is some balance on future leadership within this conference. To be really blunt, some of these teams are joining the new conference mainly because they were upset about losing MN and Wis, and were fearful of also losing UND and Denver. It would be pretty easy for UND and/or Denver to really take over here.

[cbrooks]

It would be pretty easy for UND and/or Denver to really take over here.

I could see where people might see that. I read on Schlosssman blog that Gino Gasprino(former Sioux coach) could be the new commissioner of the league. If that happens UND will be suspect in this big time. Right now Gino Gasprino is the Athletic drector of SCSU. That just insult to injury there IF that happens. I also read that that SCSU isn't in anyway possible to join the new conference if Western Michigan turn down the invitation. Thats another side story here. I didn't want to believe it but I think UND may be calling the shots here. All this info is off of Brad Schlossman area voices if anybody is interested.

[solbes]

It's going to be a someone from UND or DU, that seems likely. I have no real problem with that as long as they try to keep interests balanced.

Tough dilema if you're in leadership at Saint Cloud. On one hand you're upset about not being in the conference, where they probably should be included. On the other hand you start to drool a little bit when looking at their new stance in the WCHA; they could be a perennial NCAA team. I can completely understand their rumored position, but when the chips are on the table...? This thing could easily be launched as a 6 team league. Notre Dame may join in August, at which point another team might also be added to keep it even. So I don't think we'll really know until much closer to the season start.

Duluth is probably included because 1) recent success, and 2) their coaching affliation with the Sioux. UNO is very similar in that regard, also they have that huge arena to play in. Both, along with CC, will be have to be careful to not become the conference bottom feeder. Not fun to be in that role

[cbrooks]

Bottom feeder? Didn't your team just won the NCAA. That wasn't a fluke or some cindrella run. I believe its a pretty even league with no weak teams. Its gonna be a tough league thats for sure. Conference play is going to be a grind.

Question now is what will Notre Dame do? Would they join a conference that appears to be form by mostly former WCHA teams. Will they go East and play the Boston schools which they have a history in playing in other sports. I always thought of Notre Dame as being one of those schools that didn't want to be tied to a conference(ex big ten football). Right now I'm thinking they go East but I think this super conference is making a run at them. I believe thats why Western Michigan has a open invitation so to help land Notre Dame. Trying to sweeten the pot for them. Again I'm just speculating. Is there a better way to give the Big Ten the middle finger than to get Notre Dame in there conference . Oh they would be so jealous

[solbes]

I don't understand why Notre Dame has so much clout in the college world, but they do. Especially when it comes to TV.

Put this thing on Versus or ESPNU. Actually rotate teams so you see a weekend series at each home ice at least twice per season (probably three+ @ UND, DU, Miami, and Notre Dame). Get Notre Dame in there and secure either WMU (Blashill is out by the way) or SCSU for an even 8 teams. Get a non-con agreement with BTHC. Keep some interesting scheduling with existing regional rivalries. Then maybe I'm less pessimistic about this whole arrangement. It is hard not to be interested, like it or not.

As far as bottom feeder, there will be some years where UMD will fill that role. They still go into rebuilding every so often, and it will be tough to stay in the top during those years.

[cbrooks]

I don't understand why Notre Dame has so much clout in the college world, but they do. Especially when it comes to TV.

Put this thing on Versus or ESPNU. Actually rotate teams so you see a weekend series at each home ice at least twice per season (probably three+ @ UND, DU, Miami, and Notre Dame). Get Notre Dame in there and secure either WMU (Blashill is out by the way) or SCSU for an even 8 teams. Get a non-con agreement with BTHC. Keep some interesting scheduling with existing regional rivalries. Then maybe I'm less pessimistic about this whole arrangement. It is hard not to be interested, like it or not.

I like how that sounds. My intial reaction was this was gonna hurt college hockey but looking on this side of the coin with TV deals, old rivalivaries, new rilvaries, National exposure. I think every school could benefit from this. If all the chips fall into place. Hopefully all the programs involved in CCHA and WCHA all find a home conference and there isn't any collateral damage. Maybe college hockey can grow off this.

[Steve Foss]

I'll miss some of the rivalries as well, which I've been following since roughly 1972-73. But everything changes. Hard to say if it'll be good or bad in the long run. Maybe it'll inject new energy into college hockey.

[scsavre]

I just dont see any type of tv deal coming. Versus would be crazy to air these games. They already have dismal ratings on pro hockey teams. Who is the world is going to watch UND, Duluth etc play. The only large market team is Denver and apparently there are not a whole lot of people watching there. I also think it is a mistake for UMD to be following suit and switching leagues. They are better of partnering with Cloud. I would look for them to return after a few years.

I just dont see Notre Dame joining, and your right Solbes who the heck cares. They carry no weight in college hockey. The Big10 makes a big deal of them only because they want the footbal team. Having Notre Dame would likely shrink each teams money share. Didnt Notre Dame recently start their own TV network too, could interfere with with the TV deals you guys speak of.

If you do get any type of TV deal, you better hope that there is still local coverage. Because you will see a what, maybe a 4th of the games on the future channel. Also, dont count on much money, I know even the Gopphs make very little on FXN.

I would not want to be part of a league where Denver and UND are calling the shots.

[cbrooks]

Gopher fans ripping on the new superleague...Big shocker

[scsavre]

HAHAH, stinking Gopher fans. I just dont like the whole thing. I also think this is going to stop the Gophers and Sioux from playing. Which is terrible.

The big 10 is 5 years in the making. This new league, spun up over a 1 month period. Just sounds like knee jerk reacting.

[cbrooks]

Thought I read somewhere that UND/Minnesota games will be played every year still or thats the plan anyway.

Western Michigan not making there decision yet.

http://undhockey.areavoices.com/?p=88207

[Bear55]

Gopher fans ripping on the new superleague...Big shocker

Do you really need any more evidence that the Sioux and Denver are evil? Us gopher fans have known this forever.

I still feel there will be some collateral damage after this whole thing shakes out. Some small schools could benefit from this by making the NCAA's more often but there is a risk that a few of the smaller leftover schools will fold their programs.

[cbrooks]

I'm digging my schools evil empire image from this new league.

I see this conference shakeup as a way to save the remaining schools in the CCHA such as Northern Mich, Lake Superior State, Ferris State and maybe Alabama-Huntsville by joining up with the WCHA now. What happens to those teams without this new conference. Those programs can thank UND and Denver. We're always looking out for the small guys

[cbrooks]

Piecing Together a New World for College Hockey

by WCHBlog on Jul 10, 2011 11:23 PM PDT

Western Michigan made a pretty aggressive pitch to join the Secondary Six with the creation of a site called WhyWestern.com which chronicles what Western would bring to the table of newly-formed conference of strong college hockey programs. It focuses on Western giving the conference a foothold in the talent-rich state of Michigan, as well as their location in the 41st biggest TV market in the country. I've long held that Western Michigan brings a lot more to the table than Miami. If nothing else, this at least shows some initiative on Western Michigan's part and that they want to be a major program and not risk a future in the CCHA.

Meanwhile, the future is looking grimmer and grimmer for the CCHA, with Notre Dame clearly moving somewhere else, Western Michigan openly campaigning to join the Secondary Six, and Northern Michigan saying they were exploring joining the WCHA. There doesn't seem to be a lot of confidence in the conference's future. If they did lose Western Michigan and Northern Michigan, that would leave Alaska, Bowling Green, Ferris State, and Lake Superior left without a home.

There's been a lot of talk that the CCHA's future lies in joining up with the remaining WCHA schools to form a new conference, but a much more natural fit from a geographic and perhaps competitive standpoint would be joining up with a few of Atlantic Hockey's stronger programs that may be interested in offering a full amount of scholarships. A conference of Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, and Niagara maybe isn't ideal, but also isn't a terrible fit. Atlantic Hockey is currently at 12 teams, and losing a few doesn't change their place in the college hockey pecking order. If I was Fred Pletsch, I'd be going after those Atlantic Hockey schools hard right now. Ideally, this is the spot Alabama-Huntsville makes the most sense as well, though I have the feeling that this new shake-up is going to make it even tougher for the Chargers to find a conference.

The only sticking point there is what to do with Alaska. The Nanooks aren't a great geographical fit, but then again, they aren't going to be a good geographic fit anywhere. Potentially joining the WCHA would seem to be the best fit, but has the problem of both Alaska schools in the same conference. Adding an eighth team, perhaps a Ferris State or Lake Superior(or Western Michigan if they can't join Secondary Six), would give the option of forming two four-team divisions--Anchorage, Bemidji, Mankato, St. Cloud in one, and Alaska, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, eighth team in other--which could reduce the number of times teams have to travel to Alaska twice in a season. Everyone would likely have to travel to Alaska every year, and I doubt the Alaska schools would still pay for teams to travel there since the balance of power has shifted and conferences need them just as bad as they need conferences. But it would give every team an extra two non-conference games to schedule, presumably against the big name schools that left them behind.

Incidentally, Alaska did get some good news this week, when the Alaska state government approved some big money for renovations to their arena. Their facility would seem to make them more of a fit for the WCHA.

If that's confusing, here's what I think would be the most logical set-up given last week's rather illogical shake-up:

Big Ten- Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin

The Page 8s: North Dakota, Colorado College, Denver, Miami, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, Notre Dame, Western Michigan

New WCHA: West Division: Alaska-Anchorage, Bemidji State, Minnesota State, St. Cloud State, East Division: Alaska, Lake Superior, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan

New CCHA: Bowling Green, Ferris State, Mercyhurst, Niagara, Robert Morris, Canisius

If Notre Dame decided Hockey East would be a better fit, Western Michigan would either take Lake Superior's spot in the new WCHA, or Canisius' spot in the new CCHA.

There's definitely issues to be worked out, but that's about as best as I can piece the jigsaw pieces together. There would be a ton of scheduling headaches to work through, We'd also be up to seven automatic NCAA bids. That doesn't leave very many at-large bids, especially if, as I've argued they should, the NCAA brings the tournament field back to 12 teams if a school or two drops the sport. I suppose that's one way to inject excitement into the Secondary Six's conference tournament.

[Bear55]

I'm digging my schools evil empire image from this new league.

We may have just found the new UND logo!

[solbes]

Nice parallel there And to think my team has hitched it's wagons to Darth Vader (Double Hakstols) and the twisted evil Emperor (Gwoz). I guess that makes our head coach one of those expendable "Admiral dudes" that always get force choked to death. Not good, not good at all...

[Bear55]

Big Ten- Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin

The Page 8s: North Dakota, Colorado College, Denver, Miami, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, Notre Dame, Western Michigan

New WCHA: West Division: Alaska-Anchorage, Bemidji State, Minnesota State, St. Cloud State, East Division: Alaska, Lake Superior, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan

New CCHA: Bowling Green, Ferris State, Mercyhurst, Niagara, Robert Morris, Canisius

That might work but lots of if's in there. The WCHA just went from the best conference in all of college hockey to a glorified version of the old College Hockey America.

[Bear55]

I had to.

[archerystud]

Wow. I'm gone on vacation for a week and my college hockey world gets rocked.

I'm curious if SCSU may now "hold off" on some of the renovations.

[scsavre]

Hahha too funny.

I wonder if north dakota and denver will go back to signing 26 yr old canadien freshman again. I think james shepard and cam barker are available.

So, is this the opportunity that st thomas has been waiting for. Will they jump to d1. Seems like a good time to. They've got cash. A good name. And no body cares about them being d 3 anymore. Also their recent radio contract with wcco seems a little odd of a d3 team, maybe something in the planning.

I could see a rivalry starting between them and cloud, mankato.