Excellent example of how the portal has leveled the playing field. Eli was the eighth best quarterback in the 2023 class and originally went to Alabama.Good article how a school similar to Minnesota is handling NIL successfully. (sorry if this has already been posted here)
How'd Pat Narduzzi turn around Pitt? NIL cuts, tough conversations and an offensive overhaul. 'S*** I have to clean house'
Pitt is off to its best start in more than 40 years and has one of the nation’s highest-scoring offenses. So what's changed since last year's 3-9 team? Pretty much everything.sports.yahoo.com
Not to pile on, but didn't the B1G ruin college hockey too by removing us from the WCHA? Easy road trips to see us play local rivals with some of the best teams nationally. Was the Gopher men's hockey team in better shape financially before this change? Were games better attended then? I'm not as close to Gopher hockey so just wondering.
Not that connected with hockey so no clue on the financials or any of that but as much as it sucked to lose the WCHA, it makes sense to have a Big Ten Hockey conference now that there are enough teams playing (plus Notre Dame).
I am not a huge fan of Surly...but Fulton is definitely better than New Glarus.
Interest in Gopher hockey was way down for a few years, but it's generally bounced back. It's not the same as the WCHA days, but it's better than in the first B1G years. Attendance is good again.
I also think what used to be listed as hockey TV revenue is definitely not what it used to be, which was forced by the move to the Big Ten. So hockey "lost" money for the (supposed) greater good of the conference TV package. But the net amount of money we get from the Big Ten is better than what it used to be, so in the end it's a net plus...even though it looks like hockey is losing money.
It makes sense. The other good thing for the team is the ability for season ticket holders to return tickets for resale. Before that, lots of seats went empty even though there was demand.
I'm pretty sure each school get $X million from BTN and can classify it however they want to between sports. Arguably, I bet volleyball draws almost as any viewers as hockey or even Men's basketball these days, at least for MN.
Def did not ruin college hockey, and on a national level was a win. However, Minnesota lost out big time on its long standing rivalries, and a general disinterest in the program that had forever taken fans for granted. Don Luccia really lost favor towards the back third of his tenure.
I feel like the Stadium does a really bad job of promoting anything NIL related.
The portal is a positive in more parity. You have the opportunity every year to improve your team. Most highly recruited freshman don't contribute much the first year or two. Really good portal guys contribute from Day 1.
It's good but New Glarus has much better offerings including a great lager and Moon Man pale ale
What's it's best seller?
Spotted cow
Exactly. The beer that made the brand.
I'd take it one step further and say the only way I'd drink a Spotted Cow was if it was free AND cold.
Lucia lost favor because he got lazy in recruiting and was not adapting. He was not for the Big Ten but had no way to stop it since everyone else was. The blame goes to WI and MI (and especially Alvarez and Berenson) for why the BTHC became a thing. Well that and so many teams in the WCHA needing games against Minnesota and Wisconsin to make their budgets. (CCHA was even worse with Michigan and MSU) The WCHA/CCHA needed to each split up but no one wanted to lose games against the Big Ten teams (and Minnesota fans wanted their rivalry games) so they kept kicking the can down the road and then Penn State started hockey and Alvarez made his play. Berenson hated playing all of the Michigan Schools outside of MSU (especially the Yoopers) so he was in. MSU obviously agreed as did Penn State and that was the end of that.
Thanks for the history lesson guys! Like I said, I don't follow college hockey that closely, but was worried the B1G ruined the sport by disbanding the WCHA. Glad to hear it's more complicated than that and hockey attendance is trending back up.
New Glarus and Badger football - both popular and overrated at one time, now just "meh".
I really miss St. Louis U and US International...
Agree. I wouldn't be opposed if the Stadium only sold beer with NIL attachment. If that means the only beer available is Duck Duck, so be it. Yeah, some folks won't be happy, but I'm guessing 90% of beer drinkers at a Gopher sports event will be just fine drinking Duck Duck. This would also help spread the word on NIL. If someone asks the server, "why is there only one beer brand available?" After the server explains that the players are benefitting from Duck Duck sales, most will say, "Oh, okay, cool."
I fit this. Basketball used to be my second favorite Gopher sport. It no longer is. Here's the ranking I've had for a few years:
I don't see Deb Carey doing something so foolish.
This list is correct!!!
