Hockey and the Big Ten

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First sorry Mr. Gopher for not getting back to you sooner. But no there are no rumors that Purdue will add hockey as a varsity sport. They do have a club team but there isn't an indoor ice rink in Lafayette or West Lafayette. For Purdue to add a varsity hockey team it would take a Penn State sized donation. So no, not going to happen, which is incredibly sad, I think. Personally I think Purdue could draw 4000 people a night to a hockey game, maybe upwards of 5000, my idea would be to convert Lambert Fieldhouse, its right next to Mackey Arena into a hockey rink but that won't happen.

Second, a 6 team hockey conference seems really small. Is it crazy to think they might need 8 teams to make it go? If that is the case who do you get to join? North Dakota and Notre Dames? Miami of Ohio? UMD? Any other ideas?

Third, if the BTN2 does happen they are more than likely need more football to televise. I'm just thinking out loud here but would it be possible to get the TV to a conference like the MAC to fill hours.
 


mnboiler said:
First sorry Mr. Gopher for not getting back to you sooner. But no there are no rumors that Purdue will add hockey as a varsity sport. They do have a club team but there isn't an indoor ice rink in Lafayette or West Lafayette. For Purdue to add a varsity hockey team it would take a Penn State sized donation. So no, not going to happen, which is incredibly sad, I think. Personally I think Purdue could draw 4000 people a night to a hockey game, maybe upwards of 5000, my idea would be to convert Lambert Fieldhouse, its right next to Mackey Arena into a hockey rink but that won't happen.

Second, a 6 team hockey conference seems really small. Is it crazy to think they might need 8 teams to make it go? If that is the case who do you get to join? North Dakota and Notre Dames? Miami of Ohio? UMD? Any other ideas?

Third, if the BTN2 does happen they are more than likely need more football to televise. I'm just thinking out loud here but would it be possible to get the TV to a conference like the MAC to fill hours.
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Hey, not a problem, Boiler. Sad to hear Purdue is far from hockey.

If there is going to be a BTHC, I am very strongly against associate members for hockey only. On the surface, yeah, 6 seems small, but I actually like small number of teams because of the non-conf opportunities it provides. Also, with 6 teams, that basically removes a round of conference playoff action (which could be used for even more non-conf games).

I like your MAC idea. I think more exposure for the MAC would greatly help them, and if their football programs get more coverage and people think more highly of them, it would benefit the Big10 schools more (since we play them so much and get knocked for 'easy' games). I also think that big-time high school matchups in the region could be covered, especially around state tournament times.
 

Who should they play?

News releases say that there are 20 B10 games a season leaving 14 non-conference games.

My preference:

Play one series every year rotating home/away: UND, UMD, SCSU (home & home) - 6 games
Play a Denver invitational every year - Minnesota, Wisconsin, CC, Denver play in Denver (Friday MN/CC, WI/DU & Saturday MN/DU, WI/CC) - 2 games
Play one series every other year: MSU, Bemidji - 2 games

That leaves Tech, Anchorage, and Omaha. I wouldn't bother. The other four games should be scheduled against teams from the east.
 



badgergopher said:
Who should they play?

News releases say that there are 20 B10 games a season leaving 14 non-conference games.

My preference:

Play one series every year rotating home/away: UND, UMD, SCSU (home & home) - 6 games
Play a Denver invitational every other year - Minnesota, Wisconsin, CC, Denver play in Denver (Friday MN/CC, WI/DU & Saturday MN/DU, WI/CC) - 2 games
Play one series every other year: MSU, Bemidji - 2 games

That leaves Tech, Anchorage, and Omaha. I wouldn't bother. The other four games should be scheduled against teams from the east.
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i don't think we'll play UND. i thought maturi had a policy where he won't play the sioux out of conference until the change their nickname.
 

lakesbison said:
this is Perfect, Gophers stick with the only REAL D1 teams in the big ten conference. The arrogant, racist nicknamed team known as general custer will have nothing. they are nothing without their "fake rivalry's" with Minn/Wisc.

Minn/Wisc can go back to NOT playing them in all sports because of their obvious mistreatment of native americans. Not to mention their 14 canadians, having kids get frostbite underage and letting them play, etc etc etc.

Poor englestad arena, wont be able to host postseason games, such a shame, ha ha ha ha.
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Lakes, you should spearhead the promotion of varsity hockey at NDSU.

UND will need a new conference rival now that The U exists on a higher plane than the rest of the WCHA.
 

MrGopher said:
Skunk fans not nearly as upset as we are. Likely because we are their only rivals (UND does not count, they are pricks and goons to every team). Also the promise of a conference tourney in Chicago, or anywhere other than the X.

http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/40790/Big-Ten-Hockey-is-now-official?page=1
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That's exactly right. The U stands to lose much, much more than they do. And their AD was one of the major people pushing for the change. My understanding from what I heard today is that Maturi and the U were against moving out of the WCHA but were unable to keep it from happening.
 

Ron Johnson Super Fan said:
That's exactly right. The U stands to lose much, much more than they do. And their AD was one of the major people pushing for the change. My understanding from what I heard today is that Maturi and the U were against moving out of the WCHA but were unable to keep it from happening.
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Most of my friends are Sioux fans, and I have to listen to so much garbage about how the Gophers are leaving because they can't hack it in the WCHA. The fact is, if the Big Ten sponsors the sport, the Gophers have no choice but to go along, as charter members of the Big Ten.

Personally, I think it will be good for the Big Ten teams in terms of publicity, which means better players, but probably bad for college hockey as a whole. College hockey isn't the most stable sport as it is, and pulling the major markets out of the WCHA and CCHA can't be good for the remaining schools. That said, if it hurts UND, I'm all for it. I'm for anything that hurts UND hockey - there is no team in any sport I hate more.
 



I can't help but worry that moving to the Big Ten Network will only LESSEN our ability to watch the games a la hoops unless FSN can negotiate rights to the games not televised on the network. And not playing The Sue WILL be a bad thing...our hatred for one another is born from history and respect. That league rivalry will be sorely missed IMHO by fans of both teams. :(
 

There is zero chance that places like Iowa, Illinois, Purdue, and Indiana add men's ice hockey. First of all, with Title IX they would also have to add women's hockey. Adding men's and women's hockey, plus a facility is 100% crazy in this day and age. No chance. None. Athletic departments are CUTTING sports, not adding them. That is, unless someone writes you a $100 million check, which isn't going to happen at any of those four schools. Everyone is hurting for money right now and no one will be taking on any major added elective expenses such as this.

Northwestern might be able to add it because it is a private school and because there would likely be an arena somewhere in Chicago available. But, I think that is highly unlikely.
 

It would never happen but allowing satellite schools of Big Ten schools (UMD and Nebraska Omaha) to Big Ten hockey would be a great way to increase the number of teams in the conference.
 

Title IX does NOT require schools to have women's hockey if they have men's hockey. They could comply with Title IX by adding some other sport. My understanding is that the WCHA required members to have both men's and women's hockey, but I don't know if the Big Ten will have any such requirement.
 



RodentRampage said:
Title IX does NOT require schools to have women's hockey if they have men's hockey. They could comply with Title IX by adding some other sport. My understanding is that the WCHA required members to have both men's and women's hockey, but I don't know if the Big Ten will have any such requirement.
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That's not true. There are only eight teams that play in the women's WCHA.
 

In case anyone cares... here's some of the most frequent, all-time opponents for Gopher Pucks. The Gophers lead all of these all-time series.

1. North Dakota - 283 games
2. Michigan Tech - 264 games
3. Michigan - 260 games
4. wisconsin - 257 games
5. Colorado College - 251 games
6. Minnesota Duluth - 216 games
7. Denver - 175 games
8. Michigan State - 154 games
9. St. Cloud - 87 games
10. Alaska Anchorage - 76 games
11. Mankato - 43 games
12. Notre Dame - 37 games
.
.
Ohio State -13 games

(also Illinois - 17 games in the '30s and '40s)
 


RodentRampage said:
Title IX does NOT require schools to have women's hockey if they have men's hockey. They could comply with Title IX by adding some other sport.
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Correct, I should have worded it that way. Point being, NO school is adding sports right now (save for PSU after the $$$ fell from the sky). No chance those other Big Ten teams take on the cost of adding not only men's hockey, but some other women's sport with an equal or greater number of scholarships. The only way those sports are added is if someone could prove to the schools that men's hockey would be a profit-making sport and there are existing ice arena facilities. Unfortunately, at IA, IU, and PU, I just don't see it being a positive revenue force.
 


amen, these racists are sooo arrogant, read this article below:


http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news...8-4c1e-11e0-b2ce-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story


also, they have 14 canadians, and Briggs & Frattin / Snowbank Kristo. THey think they will have 10,000 down at the xcel for frozen four, ahhh NO, you had 3974 in attendence in green bay idiots.... and Duluth fans will buy tickets and gopher fans wont sell you their tickets!!
 

ruralgopher said:
I think it would be good for college hockey to have a flagship conference that non hockey fans would identify with.

And I hate und and think it would be a detriment to them.
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It'll hurt them. But as a North Dakotan I feel like I sort of can comment on this. I hate UND, more than anyone here. They are the most arrogant and dilusional fans I've ever dealt with. They have millions of fans, tens of millions around the world, and if you dont believe them, just ask them and they'll tell you all about it. haha

UND will not get hurt by this, they sell out their Arena when they play Manitoba for God's sake. They have a good following up there, Grand Forks has nothing else to do so they go watch "the hockies." Now will this hurt the WCHA's chances of getting bunches of teams into the tournement? Yes, even though Minnesota hasn't been great lately, they still carry a ton of prestige. They are honestly partially responsible for teams like Duluth and middle of the pack WCHA teams getting into the tournement because, "Oh! They beat Minnesota!" or "They placed above minnesota!"

Just my two cents! Good Luck in the Big Ten!
 

MrGopher said:
Lakes, you should spearhead the promotion of varsity hockey at NDSU.

UND will need a new conference rival now that The U exists on a higher plane than the rest of the WCHA.
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NDSU has discussed hockey quite a bit the past 10 years or so and it won't happen. Alumni don't want it. We don't have the luxury that the U of M has. We don't have that kind of money to guarantee that adding hockey won't hurt football and basketball. However, if some bigtime alum drops $50 Mill if and only if it got spent on hockey, I'd be all for it I suppose.

UND, :) so excited to see them continue to get left behind by the real schools in the area, The Bison and The Goofs.
 

HowBoutThemBison? said:
NDSU has discussed hockey quite a bit the past 10 years or so and it won't happen. Alumni don't want it. We don't have the luxury that the U of M has. We don't have that kind of money to guarantee that adding hockey won't hurt football and basketball. However, if some bigtime alum drops $50 Mill if and only if it got spent on hockey, I'd be all for it I suppose.

UND, :) so excited to see them continue to get left behind by the real schools in the area, The Bison and The Goofs.
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You've made your point on these boards. Now go home, you're starting to sound like a jack-hole.
 


HowBoutThemBison? said:
I apologize, i noticed you guys are not very fond of the "Goofs". My roommate is a bigtime gopher fan and usually refers to them as that. No insult intended.
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seems as though I've read this line of BS before.
 

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