CCHA teams will join WCHA

[MUhawks628]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Thats a good question. In Minnesota?

I hear it's by a lake

[Priceless]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

No, it's by driving distance.

Oh, so they're going to drive across the lake.

Where's St. Cloud?

That one's just sitting a tee...

[Rhett]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

I don't see the B10 inviting BC, but that would shake up college hockey further. Then what: Maine, UNH, and BU to the NCHC?

Man... I've been lurking here hoping HEA would never get brought up. Now that the ice is broken, here's a few quick hits, each increasingly unlikely:

1) BC won't get a B1G invite. Geographically, the B1G would invite several other eastern schools first in order to create a suitable bridge (Rutgers, Syracuse, even a very unlikely UConn). Their next focus is on NY, not Boston. B1G can look at the ACC's example, and I don't think the ACC is getting the number of eyes in the northeast they thought they would. There is definite disappointment with BC's fans ability to travel south for big games (bad title game turnouts, bowl turnouts have resulted in BC always being taken with the lowest pick they can be taken at based on their record). Small school for this level.

2) If BC does get poached due to all conference considerations, I don't think HEA collapses.

3) If BC does get poached and HEA collapses, it would be hard for BU, UNH, and UMO to go anywhere without UVM. Plus, in the market presence and public perception led world that led to the NCHC, UMass, Providence, and Northeastern are not unattractive entities. Of course, in this world, Providence & and stronger hold on the Boston market is probably more attractive that Colorado Springs, Omaha, Duluth, Oxford, and Grand Forks, even with Denver thrown in.

4) If BC does get poached and HEA collapses and the schools don't find joining the NCHC ridiculous, then the truly best option for the NCHC grabbing the Boston market is to take BU and UNH then walk away. Any other school would provide only incrementally more Boston attention while increasing travel costs, reducing the gate, or resulting in the pie being sliced in smaller chunks than necessary.

This is a CCHA/WCHA thread, so let's not totally sidetrack the thread. I just thought chiming in with an eastern perspective on the west's nonsense would be helpful.

[Biddco]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Man... I've been lurking here hoping HEA would never get brought up. Now that the ice is broken, here's a few quick hits, each increasingly unlikely:

1) BC won't get a B1G invite. Geographically, the B1G would invite several other eastern schools first in order to create a suitable bridge (Rutgers, Syracuse, even a very unlikely UConn). Their next focus is on NY, not Boston. B1G can look at the ACC's example, and I don't think the ACC is getting the number of eyes in the northeast they thought they would. There is definite disappointment with BC's fans ability to travel south for big games (bad title game turnouts, bowl turnouts have resulted in BC always being taken with the lowest pick they can be taken at based on their record). Small school for this level.

2) If BC does get poached due to all conference considerations, I don't think HEA collapses.

3) If BC does get poached and HEA collapses, it would be hard for BU, UNH, and UMO to go anywhere without UVM. Plus, in the market presence and public perception led world that led to the NCHC, UMass, Providence, and Northeastern are not unattractive entities. Of course, in this world, Providence & and stronger hold on the Boston market is probably more attractive that Colorado Springs, Omaha, Duluth, Oxford, and Grand Forks, even with Denver thrown in.

4) If BC does get poached and HEA collapses and the schools don't find joining the NCHC ridiculous, then the truly best option for the NCHC grabbing the Boston market is to take BU and UNH then walk away. Any other school would provide only incrementally more Boston attention while increasing travel costs, reducing the gate, or resulting in the pie being sliced in smaller chunks than necessary.

This is a CCHA/WCHA thread, so let's not totally sidetrack the thread. I just thought chiming in with an eastern perspective on the west's nonsense would be helpful.

BC and BU already said no. Stay out of our mess Easterner!

It must be nice to not have to worry about conferences being completely blown apart.

[Patman]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

One program pulling the plug on their HEA membership is unlikely to lead to a domino effect. I also think that the NCHC is a puffed up hype-machine. None of the programs are really that large at a national level beyond hockey (unless I'm forgetting somebody). The interest of the HEA membership is likely to remain regional and the profile of Hockey East is likely to rise after the shenanegans out west... what will happen is the Big10 will swap with the WCHA... but HEA will certainly be higher profile than NCHC... I would suspect we'll see the impact a few years down the road. The demolition of the west is very favorable to Hockey East.... don't see it as Maine, UNH, BU now... but in a few years... what will the NCHC have? They're not "national"... they're "west" and they're barely that. A band of 6 schools that MIGHT be hanging on to Notre Dame's multi-sport prominence?

DU, UND, Miami, etc... they may be increasing their chances by separating... but that's only compared to the lowering in the first place when losing the B10 schools. Meanwhile they have to re-cast their brand, etc. The only thing they might have is the oft-hyped "TV deal" that is somehow going to be "NCHC exclusive"... it won't... are people really going to say that the NCHC is already a bigger deal than Hockey East? Hardly.

[davyd83]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

That NCHC, it's loaded with Big Time Schools with national appeal. The whole country is waiting for Denver U or the University of Denver or whatever they call it. And the broad reach of the Boys Formerly Named Sioux has the network execs drooling all over themselves. And Omaha and CC, well, it just doesn't draw a bigger viewing audience than that.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Where's St. Cloud?

Crap.... That's what I get for trying to do this at work last Friday.......

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

The spreadsheet works now; thanks for setting this up.

A couple of things jump off the page:

1. I knew that UAH was geographically closer to the "core" of the New WCHA than the Alaska teams. But the numbers show that it is much, much closer.
2. Compare the numbers for Kalamazoo/Houghton & Kalamazoo/Huntsville. It's basically a wash.

Now I wouldn't suggest that Alaska schools, or anyone else currently included in the New WCHA, should be disqualified on the basis of driving mileage. But I would argue that these numbers show why Huntsville shouldn't be disqualified either.

Question: It looks like Column M is the mean (average) mileage for each school. What do the other columns on the right side of the sheet represent?

M is the average trip with the Alaska schools' mileage involved.
N is without the Alaska schools' mileage
P is the distance to UAH (for sake of discussion about inviting them into the WCHA)
Q is the distance to MSU-Moorhead, if they start a program.
S is the average trip with those additional two schools (plus Alaskas)
T is the average trip with those additional two schools (w/o Alaskas).

[Priceless]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

That NCHC, it's loaded with Big Time Schools with national appeal. The whole country is waiting for Denver U or the University of Denver or whatever they call it. And the broad reach of the Boys Formerly Named Sioux has the network execs drooling all over themselves. And Omaha and CC, well, it just doesn't draw a bigger viewing audience than that.

Is Miami's hockey team impacted at all by the violations that shook the football and hoops programs?

The UNO-UND games will have huge ratings. I mean, TV markets just don't get bigger than Grand Forks and Omaha!

[MUhawks628]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

That NCHC, it's loaded with Big Time Schools with national appeal. The whole country is waiting for Denver U or the University of Denver or whatever they call it. And the broad reach of the Boys Formerly Named Sioux has the network execs drooling all over themselves. And Omaha and CC, well, it just doesn't draw a bigger viewing audience than that.

So Miami and Duluth are going to have to carry this ****? Let's do it

[Skeeterman]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Where's St. Cloud?

it's a town in France, and there's one in Florida.

[gopher wes]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

That NCHC, it's loaded with Big Time Schools with national appeal. The whole country is waiting for Denver U or the University of Denver or whatever they call it. And the broad reach of the Boys Formerly Named Sioux has the network execs drooling all over themselves. And Omaha and CC, well, it just doesn't draw a bigger viewing audience than that.

What about that big time D2 football school from doooloot?

[davyd83]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

What about that big time D2 football school from doooloot?

ESPN 8, the Ocho and Joe's Internet Sports Net are waging a fierce battle over them!

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

That NCHC, it's loaded with Big Time Schools with national appeal. The whole country is waiting for Denver U or the University of Denver or whatever they call it. And the broad reach of the Boys Formerly Named Sioux has the network execs drooling all over themselves. And Omaha and CC, well, it just doesn't draw a bigger viewing audience than that.

It's about time you get it......

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

I assume teams are expected to traverse the lake by boat.

I tried to make sure I picked the route that had the bus going around the lake rather than across it on a ferry somewhere. Probably screwed that up also.

I guess that is what I get for trying to do this on company time.