2016 WCHA Offseason; It's All Over, Save Ferris

[davyd83]

I suspect the teams that demand 2 for 1 are the teams that can. They are teams with no difficulty filling a schedule.
If $3 are available, everyone would prefer $2, but only foolish pride causes you to not take the $1.

Why would you settle for $1??? What is the benefit of scheduling a road series and getting nothing in return? I look at it as 1-for-1 + 0-for-1. There is no benefit on the back end. A Michigan staffer told me, "Everyone wants to play at Yost," like it was some kind of "honor." The truth is that no one has a burning desire to play there.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2016 WCHA Offseason; It's All Over, Save Ferris

Why would you settle for $1??? What is the benefit of scheduling a road series and getting nothing in return? I look at it as 1-for-1 + 0-for-1. There is no benefit on the back end. A Michigan staffer told me, "Everyone wants to play at Yost," like it was some kind of "honor." The truth is that no one has a burning desire to play there.

And with how bad that league has been, it has very little benefit, trying to beat the B1G teams...if you lose, its horrible for RPI now...

[SJHovey]

Why would you settle for $1??? What is the benefit of scheduling a road series and getting nothing in return? I look at it as 1-for-1 + 0-for-1. There is no benefit on the back end. A Michigan staffer told me, "Everyone wants to play at Yost," like it was some kind of "honor." The truth is that no one has a burning desire to play there.

Variety of reasons. Exposure for program. Opportunity to play strong teams to increase chances to get in tourney (and I believe chances in the tourney). Build relationship with bigger program (see BSU and UND).

At UND we see both sides. Our hockey team can dictate its schedule for the most part. Our basketball and football teams have to take what they can get.

[aparch]

Why would you settle for $1??? What is the benefit of scheduling a road series and getting nothing in return? I look at it as 1-for-1 + 0-for-1. There is no benefit on the back end. A Michigan staffer told me, "Everyone wants to play at Yost," like it was some kind of "honor." The truth is that no one has a burning desire to play there.

It also doesn't help when the B1G schools asking for 2-for-1's and their television broadcast partner don't want certain teams visiting because that little school routinely beat the B1G school in televised games.


I do have to say though I don't miss playing the Spartans. Nor Michigan. The B1G school I do miss playing is OhHowIHateOhioState. Really surprised they're not in our rotation of NC opponents.

Ideally, I'd love to see UNO, tUMD, Wisco, tOSU, WMU, and ND in a rotation.

[davyd83]

It also doesn't help when the B1G schools asking for 2-for-1's and their television broadcast partner don't want certain teams visiting because that little school routinely beat the B1G school in televised games.


I do have to say though I don't miss playing the Spartans. Nor Michigan. The B1G school I do miss playing is OhHowIHateOhioState. Really surprised they're not in our rotation of NC opponents.

Ideally, I'd love to see UNO, tUMD, Wisco, tOSU, WMU, and ND in a rotation.

OSU doesn't want to travel to Marquette. Neither of the NDs will either and WMU shortchanged us on a previous deal. The Wisconsin contract end after the 2017-18 season. The is a deal with UNO in place for this year and next. UMD has most of its NC schedule taken by the other Minnesota schools plus North Dakota. But it's likely that we will see them every several years.

[davyd83]

Variety of reasons. Exposure for program. Opportunity to play strong teams to increase chances to get in tourney (and I believe chances in the tourney). Build relationship with bigger program (see BSU and UND).

At UND we see both sides. Our hockey team can dictate its schedule for the most part. Our basketball and football teams have to take what they can get.

Build relationships? These coaches all know each other pretty well. And no matter how good the relationship, they're still not giving a better deal. Increase Tourney chances? I don't think having Michigan State, Ohio State or Wisconsin helped anyone's RPI. Exposure? To whom? As for UND, we did play a one off series in Grand Forks and at Penn State a couple years ago and cashed a nice check for each. However, the Michigans and Michigan States of the world haven't offered money on the back end. Simply two trips to their barn and one to ours.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: 2016 WCHA Offseason; It's All Over, Save Ferris

Variety of reasons. Exposure for program. Build relationship with bigger program (see BSU and UND).

Let's be realistic, none of these "big" programs have a drop of loyalty in their veins. If it isn't going to line their pockets with cash, they could care less. After decades of "relationship building with 'big' programs" what did MTU, LSSU, NMU, BSU, MSU, FSU, UAH, UAF, UAA, etc get in return? Nothing. It is a complete joke that the self-perceived "big" teams are doing what they consider to be "small" teams a favor by playing them.
Ryan J

[SJHovey]

Let's be realistic, none of these "big" programs have a drop of loyalty in their veins. If it isn't going to line their pockets with cash, they could care less. After decades of "relationship building with 'big' programs" what did MTU, LSSU, NMU, BSU, MSU, FSU, UAH, UAF, UAA, etc get in return? Nothing. It is a complete joke that the self-perceived "big" teams are doing what they consider to be "small" teams a favor by playing them.
Ryan J

The big teams (candidly, all teams) do what is in their own best interest. They should. That's their first duty. My point is that when you don't have bargaining power, sometimes you have to take what you can get. UND wasn't happy NDSU insisted on a one-sided football schedule these next few years. But sometimes you have to settle for less to play the team your fans want to see. I find it hard to believe that most Tech fans wouldn't like to see Michigan in for one series every three years even if it meant the other two in Yost. Personally I love to see my team carry the flag into visitor's arenas.

[davyd83]

The big teams (candidly, all teams) do what is in their own best interest. They should. That's their first duty. My point is that when you don't have bargaining power, sometimes you have to take what you can get. UND wasn't happy NDSU insisted on a one-sided football schedule these next few years. But sometimes you have to settle for less to play the team your fans want to see. I find it hard to believe that most Tech fans wouldn't like to see Michigan in for one series every three years even if it meant the other two in Yost. Personally I love to see my team carry the flag into visitor's arenas.

I'm sure the Tech fans are loving zero non conference home games this year due to the 2/1s with Michigan & State. And let's face it, if we put Michigan State sweaters on Alabama- Huntsville or Gopher sweaters on Mankato, few would actually know the difference.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2016 WCHA Offseason; It's All Over, Save Ferris

I'm sure the Tech fans are loving zero non conference home games this year due to the 2/1s with Michigan & State. And let's face it, if we put Michigan State sweaters on Alabama- Huntsville or Gopher sweaters on Mankato, few would actually know the difference.

This coming season will suck. Since the resuffling, MTU has hosted 16,18,14, & 14 home games. If my info is correct, they will have at least 18 the next 2 seasons. While the Mich/MSU deals do suck, the problem is both of them wanting the extra 1 away from Houghton this season and not getting either Notre Dame or UMD to come to Houghton this season. With the GLI, I think MTU is quite ok with averaging just over 16 home games per season.

[Hockey John]

Re: 2016 WCHA Offseason; It's All Over, Save Ferris

gfmorris,

Why should BG now have to accept 2-1 agreements with Michigan and Michigan State when for over 30 years we were in the same league as equals. I have told Coach Bergeron that this BG fan hopes that we never schedule them under those conditions. Thankfully, he agrees with me. We have our yearly home and home series with Ohio State, Western Michigan and usually Miami. We go to Miami for two this year and they return two games next season to BG. We have our chance to play them in 2017 when we are part of the GLI.

As for the future, there has to be some common sense with the alignment of the western leagues in College Hockey. When there are 3 Division 1 College Hockey teams in the state of Ohio and they are in three different leagues, something is very broken.

Go BG!

[davyd83]

This coming season will suck. Since the resuffling, MTU has hosted 16,18,14, & 14 home games. If my info is correct, they will have at least 18 the next 2 seasons. While the Mich/MSU deals do suck, the problem is both of them wanting the extra 1 away from Houghton this season and not getting either Notre Dame or UMD to come to Houghton this season. With the GLI, I think MTU is quite ok with averaging just over 16 home games per season.

I think we'd all be happy to get 16 at home, 17 or 18 if there's no holiday tourney.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2016 WCHA Offseason; It's All Over, Save Ferris

I think we'd all be happy to get 16 at home, 17 or 18 if there's no holiday tourney.

If you believe that, then you should have no problem with 2 for 1s...if you have three 2 for 1s in force, then every WCHA team would get 16 homes games and play 18 road games...plus maybe 2 in some tournament (28+6+2=36).

Every WCHA team (except the Alaska schools) is allowed to play at least 36 games every year (14 H/A WCHA games, 6 NC games, plus 2-4 exempt NC games).

[davyd83]

If you believe that, then you should have no problem with 2 for 1s...if you have three 2 for 1s in force, then every WCHA team would get 16 homes games and play 18 road games...plus maybe 2 in some tournament (28+6+2=36).

Every WCHA team (except the Alaska schools) is allowed to play at least 36 games every year (14 H/A WCHA games, 6 NC games, plus 2-4 exempt NC games).

I'm well aware of the Alaska exemptions. I would much prefer 1 for 1's and a holiday tourney. 16 home one year, 18 home the next.

[Biddco]

UMD has most of its NC schedule taken by the other Minnesota schools plus North Dakota. But it's likely that we will see them every several years.

Plus North Dakota?

You think UMD will play NMU again? Wouldn't surprise me because they're probably going to schedule non-conference games with WCHA teams since many are so close