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

[davyd83]

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

I can see UMD having Tech & NMU in their regular non conference rotation. They are short trip which are fan & budget friendly. My oops on the NoDak. You get them anyway!

[Wi.Huskies Fan]

I think like anything in the world, people would rather than more than less. If there was three dollars to be split, would you want one dollar or two dollars. Most people would want the $2, but I suppose if you're flat broke either option looks good because it's more money than you have now.

For me personally, anything other than one for one deals comes across as one team is going out of their way to do another team a favor by playing them. Unless you're getting handed a seven figure check to play a certain team, no one is college hockey is that heads and tails above anyone else that they should be doing 2-1 deals. Booking a 2-1 deal is just stroking someone's ego.

Ryan J

Totally agree. Play every team 1 for 1 series. Have it in ink in NCAA bylaws.

[BGDrew]

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

BG has 17 home games this year (plus one exhibition and a game at nearby Toledo). Our location and agreeable past CCHA teams makes for a pretty predictable schedule every year.

Athletic departments are hemorrhaging money, so it's hard for an AD to sign off on some of these schools making trips to UAH or MTU. Teams have the right to refuse 2-for-1 deals, but I also think the practice of playing conference-mates in out of conference games should be banned.

[davyd83]

BG has 17 home games this year (plus one exhibition and a game at nearby Toledo). Our location and agreeable past CCHA teams makes for a pretty predictable schedule every year.

Athletic departments are hemorrhaging money, so it's hard for an AD to sign off on some of these schools making trips to UAH or MTU. Teams have the right to refuse 2-for-1 deals, but I also think the practice of playing conference-mates in out of conference games should be banned.

Easy to say in your central location with 2 NCHC and one Big Ten team in the bag every year. What's the problem with playing a sixth conference rival four times and thereby giving your home fans another game or two instead of tramping yourself out to the Big Ten or having to spend $40,000 to fly out and play Bentley or American International when you know their return trip won't be a draw?

[Biddco]

I can see UMD having Tech & NMU in their regular non conference rotation. They are short trip which are fan & budget friendly. My oops on the NoDak. You get them anyway!

I can as well. Especially with Tech being the series they've played the second most games against.

[gfmorris]

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

I've been thinking about this more and am going to write something that's longer than a forum post should be. Soon.

GFM

[JohnsonsJerseys]

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

Since the central focus of WCHA corporate seems to be $$$$, then member teams should be using their Alaska exemptions in a way that generates revenue for their programs. Going on the road is not how to get that done. I would much rather see WCHA teams do one for one deals and load up on the home games to drive additional gate revenue. If you have to schedule ECAC, HE or AH teams to make that happen, so be it.

On the other hand, the fact that teams like Tech are clearly content with 14 home games tells me the money situation is not anywhere near as bad as those outside the WCHA claim it to be. Couple this with the fact that WCHA playoffs will not get a huge bump in attendance starting this season. (I am assuming that semi-final and finals money will in some way go to all the teams and ticket prices will be set by the league).

Ryan J

[purpleinnebraska]

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

Since the central focus of WCHA corporate seems to be $$$$, then member teams should be using their Alaska exemptions in a way that generates revenue for their programs. Going on the road is not how to get that done. I would much rather see WCHA teams do one for one deals and load up on the home games to drive additional gate revenue. If you have to schedule ECAC, HE or AH teams to make that happen, so be it.

On the other hand, the fact that teams like Tech are clearly content with 14 home games tells me the money situation is not anywhere near as bad as those outside the WCHA claim it to be. Couple this with the fact that WCHA playoffs will not get a huge bump in attendance starting this season. (I am assuming that semi-final and finals money will in some way go to all the teams and ticket prices will be set by the league).

Ryan J

I don't know that teams are "content" with 14 home games, but I'm not entirely sure what the options are. We have an Alaska exemption, but our potential non-conference opponents don't. With our season ending a week early, but still including 28 conference games, it's hard to find time for games while getting any bye weeks in. Add in the geographic hardship for any ECAC, HE, or AH team to get to our arenas, and you have a recipe for very few home non-conference games.

Revenue-wise, as you note, "Going on the road is not how to get that done." But that applies to any potential opponents as well. If it's not a good financial move for us to go to Vermont, for instance, the same applies to Vermont coming out west. But when it comes to non-con games, those teams have other cost-effective options. A Vermont can get a deal with most of the ECAC or AH that minimizes travel costs for both schools. For us isolated out in the west, we can forego our Alaska exemption games, which many are doing, or try to find a team that's desperate for a couple games. Otherwise, we may have to take 2 for 1 deals.

[Shirtless Guy]

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

I don't know that teams are "content" with 14 home games, but I'm not entirely sure what the options are. We have an Alaska exemption, but our potential non-conference opponents don't. With our season ending a week early, but still including 28 conference games, it's hard to find time for games while getting any bye weeks in. Add in the geographic hardship for any ECAC, HE, or AH team to get to our arenas, and you have a recipe for very few home non-conference games.

Revenue-wise, as you note, "Going on the road is not how to get that done." But that applies to any potential opponents as well. If it's not a good financial move for us to go to Vermont, for instance, the same applies to Vermont coming out west. But when it comes to non-con games, those teams have other cost-effective options. A Vermont can get a deal with most of the ECAC or AH that minimizes travel costs for both schools. For us isolated out in the west, we can forego our Alaska exemption games, which many are doing, or try to find a team that's desperate for a couple games. Otherwise, we may have to take 2 for 1 deals.

I think its fair to say that most WCHA teams are not using both exemptions if they do the double...but I do think most are using 2 games most years.

[gfmorris]

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

I think its fair to say that most WCHA teams are not using both exemptions if they do the double...but I do think most are using 2 games most years.

How far back is it worth looking at the trends on this? 10 years?

GFM

[davyd83]

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

How far back is it worth looking at the trends on this? 10 years?

GFM

Three years should be sufficient. That's when both Alaskas joined together in the same league, although there would be the occasional opportunity if one of the WCHA or CCHA teams went to one of the early season tourneys in Alaska. This year, of the four that could use both exemptions, one team will play 38, one at 37, one at 36 and one at 34 games.

[gfmorris]

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

Three years should be sufficient. That's when both Alaskas joined together in the same league, although there would be the occasional opportunity if one of the WCHA or CCHA teams went to one of the early season tourneys in Alaska. This year, of the four that could use both exemptions, one team will play 38, one at 37, one at 36 and one at 34 games.

Well, but I think that you have to go back farther to see how teams that now want 2-for-1s used (or didn't) their Alaska exemptions. I'll probably go back six years, which gives us a roughly-equal data set before and after, ignoring the fact that the CCHA was at 11 and wouldn't let these rough-and-tumble kids from Alabama play in their sandbox.

GFM

[manurespreader]

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

Couldn't help but notice how corrupt the governor of Alabama and his buddies are. I guess they are going to get what's coming to them after all. maybe that's why.

[gfmorris]

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

Couldn't help but notice how corrupt the governor of Alabama and his buddies are. I guess they are going to get what's coming to them after all. maybe that's why.

The fun thing is that they're not even all friends (although Speaker Hubbard and Governor Bentley are). I'm enjoying watching those two and Chief Justice Moore (AGAIN!) implode. All the attention on Bentley is about the tabloid stuff of him sleeping with his adviser when the real deal is that he did everything to scuttle the prosecution of Bentley.

But we'll probably be like Italy and the Biblical dog returning to his vomit and re-elect Moore and/or Hubbard.

GFM

[JohnsonsJerseys]

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

Geoff - Don't read this post... just look away.

There was a bit of a reunion last night in my jersey room when these two got back together. If sweaters could talk, what a story they would tell. On the left is the guy who set the WCHA single game record for saves with 76. On the right is the guy who ended that historic WCHA playoff game after 118 minutes (3rd OT) on the 77th shot on goal that night for the Huskies. Crank up the way-back machine to Friday the 13th of March 2015 to relive the ending of the longest game in the 90+ years of Michigan Tech Hockey...
https://youtu.be/2F62pMJf9Zc?t=3m19s

Carmine Guerriero (UAH) and Tyler Heinonen (MTU)