NCHC News

[solbes]

Looks like Jim Scherr has been selected to be the first commissioner of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. He's a former US Olmypic guy.

Link to NCHC commissioner article

And the league has rumors of securing a 16 game annual TV package from CBS College Sports. They currenly broadcast a number of hockey games, although this year is the first I can remember them showing more than 1 or 2 WCHA games. Probably not the bigger deal with NBC Sports (formerly Versus) that they were initially thinking. That likely went to Hockey East once they secured the addition of Notre Dame's program.

It'll be real interesting to see how the NCHC positions itself vs Big Ten and Hockey East. For a start, can we change the stupid name? I really dislike it.

[scsavre]

position your self against the D1 leagues. That is going to be tough.

hahhahaha, just kidding.

I honestly dont think they will even compare to the 2 big conferences. Compete....yes. Compare..No.

At least the WCHA has the history that goes with. This NCHC..who cares. Worst idea ever.

Honestly I dont think this new league is ever going to get the recognition they want. They are just going to end up being the teams from the other league with all the canadian players. Im sure the league will be competetive and known for its toughness. I just think the B10 and HE are now going to be too big for them.

[solbes]

More news on NCHC. Scherr officially announced as commish. Article below suggest the tourney will still be held at the X (Schlossman). I'm all in favor for that. There was some talk previously about Target Center.

NCHC Update

[mulefarm]

Are they nuts! Can't wait to get my tickets for the Denver-Miami and CC-Western Mich games. Only team in the league that has a following is ND and they will not fill the X.

[scsavre]

Who is going to go? No more Gopher fans to fill the seats. They better hope the Sioux make the championship every year. UMD and Cloud have never really filled that many seats. There is usually about 15 fans between the Colorado schools. They better hope the casual goph fans continue to go. I suppose it could depend on when the WCHA and the B10 tournys are. I have a feeling the B10 tourny is going to be at a lame location....

I foresee a traveling tourny, 1 yr is home for Sioux,cloud and Duluth, then Colorado and then maybe whoever else is in the league.

[solbes]

True, no more Gopher/Badger fans to fill the seats. But that fate was sealed when they made this decision last summer. No location can change that. Also this new leauge is going to have fewer tickets bought, no matter where. It potentially could fill an arena of Mariucci size given the right participants, but I agree the X will never sell out.

Traveling tourney won't work for smaller facilities. I'd love to see it in Duluth, but how many people would go to that? North Dakota travels really well, but I would foresee less of them traveling to Duluth than the TC. Part of the draw is for people in ND to spend a few days in the big city where there are a lot of other things to do as well.

Tourney at National Hockey Center in St Cloud? Good for regular season games, but not a tourney. Having it in Colorado? Disaster. You'd lose the majority of the ND fans and almost all Cloud/Duluth fans. The net difference would be a big loss.

I think it needs to be centrally located and at a decent hockey facility. The Ralph has the right size to do it and its a great facility. I would travel there again. Would be a Sioux fest obviously. Omaha is the only other option, and would be closer for Colorado fans. I think it needs to be at the X permanently, or on a rotating basis between X, Ralph, and Omaha.

[solbes]

And as to the B10 tourney, that could end up in shambles too. Minnesota is now the team furthest to the West, so the X no longer makes as much sense. True it's a great hockey town, but I have doubts they would locate it here permananently. Madison? Ann Arbor? Somewhere like Milwaukee or Chicago?

The whole situation sucks, especially considering how good we had it at the X for the F5.

[scsavre]

I just have to believe at some point the Colorado schools get mad and say they want a tourny near them. I am also wondering what Miami's stance would be. I just cant believe they made the jump and dont want to host the tourny at times too. The tourny was at the X because the Gophs were running the show and they had the best venue available. It was a given that the gophs could get the other MN teams to follow suit in their vote.

Which is kind of another reason that I am surprised the NCHC let in Cloud. ND got tired of MN running the show, I wouldnt be surprised if they wanted it up in GF.

Lastly, I assume they could sell out at least half the X, if they dont X, the X can always so no to them.

The B10 tourny, what a joke that is going to be. I just dont see the MN fans traveling well. Actually, do Gophs fans travel at all? I guess I have only been to instate games.

It seems Marriucci will have about 1/8 fans from the opposing instate and ND teams.

Solbes, what do you think the percent is at amsoil for the visitors.

[solbes]

Very few visitor fans at Amsoil except for series against Gophers, Badgers, and Sioux (in that order). Gophers fans travel well to Duluth, but it could be that some of them are living in the central or northern parts of the state already (Bear??). Also it's a fun place to visit with the Canal Park location.

What I had read (and not heard first hand) is that the larger programs like North Dakota and Denver wanted to expand and do bigger things while the smaller schools did not. So they broke away to do their own thing.

[archerystud]

] Who is going to go?

I will. Heck I never considered giving up my Final Five seats even while SC has stunk up the joint. Best hockey to watch IMO for the money.

My guess is that they will want to grab the X before the B10 did. To be honest it hasn't been too full lately when the Gophs are NOT there. It can't be any worse than a lot of the attendance for the NCAA regionals. Attendance wasn't great at the X in 2010 when SCSU and WI were both there.

[Bear55]

I'm a couple hours west of Duluth, haven't seen the new rink yet but I will be there at some point. I don't travel as well as I use to with little ones at home. I sure do miss the road trips.

[solbes]

Article linked below with some future WCHA info. Mainly I wanted to know how they would schedule the Alaska trips, and whether they would stay with 9 members. They talk about both in the article. Of particulatr interest:

"Among schools under consideration to become the 10th member of the new WCHA are Wisconsin-Green Bay, Iowa State, Minnesota State Moorhead and Alabama-Huntsville."

Huntsville keeps hangin around. Any news on Moorhead's fundraising efforts?

Fairbanks Miner Story on new WCHA

[Bear55]

Interesting travel situration with two Alaska teams in the league. If I was running the show any trip up there would be a manditory 4 games, stay for a week, play both teams and spread the games out a little bit. The Hockey East schools play mid-week games all the time.

[cbrooks]

NCHC Signs TV Deal with CBS Sports Network

Tue, 01/31/2012 - 5:26pm HockeyNational

NCHC Press Release

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – CBS Sports Network has agreed to a multi-year agreement with the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference, beginning in the 2013-14 season.

CBS Sports Network will be the exclusive national television partner for the conference, which will feature eight of the nation’s top college hockey programs.

The announcement was made today by Dan Weinberg, Senior Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports Network, and Jim Scherr, Commissioner of the National.

The agreement calls for a minimum of 18 conference games, including the National’s semifinal and championship contests.

Currently six teams that will be in the new conference are ranked in the USCHO.com Top 20 poll.

“With top teams and passionate fan bases, the National is poised to be an elite college hockey conference, and we’re thrilled to be the national television partner,” said Weinberg.

“College hockey has been a staple of our programming and we’re pleased to expand our coverage and further serve fans with compelling and competitive conference action.”

“We are delighted to be associated with the preeminent national broadcaster of college hockey,” said Scherr. “It is our goal to be the premier single-sport conference in intercollegiate athletics and the unmatched exposure and production quality that will be provided by CBS Sports Network will contribute significantly to realizing that vision.”

Currently, CBS Sports Network’s comprehensive college hockey coverage includes action from Hockey East, ECAC, CCHA, WCHA and Atlantic Hockey.

[cbrooks]

I just hope I can continue to get all UND's home games still.

[scsavre]

Maybe not the deal the league was hoping for. 18 games....I'm hoping since they say national provider, that fox and local channels will still carry games.

[Shorelunch]

No more FCS for UND after next season. When UND plays non-national CBSSN games, they will be seen on the UNDSN (FSSN) and regional coverage TBD. They had to drop their FCS coverage in order for league games to be on CBSSN.

The UND SID says to be patient, as they will make sure non-regional fans will get coverage.

[solbes]

I agree it will be interesting to see how the regional/local TV stations are affected by this deal.

On the plus side, I must say I have enjoyed the broadcasting of CBS college sports over FSN, BTN, and NBCSports/Vs. Guys seem to actually know what they are talking about. And they have a great score update feed on the bottom of the screen.

Speaking of BTN coverage, I read that the broadcasters for the Duluth/Sconnie series on State Street weren't even in the building. They called the game from Chicago and sent an on ice guy to do some of the intermission reporting. Fail.

[scsavre]

The only good thing about big10 announcers is that they are very critical. They are not affraid to blast, refs, coaches or players. I'm assuming they will hire some real announcers and color guys once the league starts. I assure you these part timers are not what we"ll have.

And for you in sioux land, color guys provide commentary along with the play by play guy. They don't have to be colored.

[yakfisher]

They better be! Colored green anyway.

[Shorelunch]

Speaking of BTN coverage, I read that the broadcasters for the Duluth/Sconnie series on State Street weren't even in the building. They called the game from Chicago and sent an on ice guy to do some of the intermission reporting. Fail.

FSN did the same thing during a Gopher game a couple of years ago. I think it was a CC series they pretended to be in the Springs, but were actually calling the game from Mpls. They were busted and apologized.