This is hockey, not football, but interesting for the B1G

[TheBoris]

Gophers Illustrated is a pay site so I cannot post a link, the following is a copy 'n paste from a North Dakota fan....

Gopher Illustrated reports that North Dakota will be invited to the Big Ten Hockey
This is burning up Gopher Puck Live, but a report on Gopher Illustrated says UND will be offered Big Ten Hockey this summer. If UND doesn't accept, the Big Ten will offer Minn-Duluth or Omaha. Apparently, the AAU requirement will be waived and no other Big Ten schools will offer hockey in the near future. The same source was the first to report that Fleck will accept the Gophers job.

UND has been the leader in hockey attendance for some years, as Wisconsin no longer draws as well. UMINN and Wisconsin badly need the former rival who brings fans, as their games now are such low crowd energy. In the past week, a UND-Minnesota game in Las Vegas sold out in minutes, and UND brought impressive numbers to MSG in a face off with BC, and held up to 70% of the tickets in the last Frozen Four in Tampa. Our fans travel for hockey more than any school.

If this is offered, don't see any way that UND would turn it down, even if we get a lousy TV deal from the Big Ten Network. Thought our future in hockey was tied to Omaha and Denver and maybe Ariz St. Guess the Gophers and Badgers miss our fans. Have been conference mates with all the Big Ten hockey schools except Penn St (Ohio St is in our women's league).

Maybe even a conference tournament will return to the X in St Paul with fans.

 

[TC4THREE]

Notre Dame is already coming on board for hockey right.

I wonder if hockey is becoming a profitable, money-making sport for the Big Ten? I wouldn't think a ton of people tune in to watch these games but that could be just because I'm not a big hockey fan and an alumni of a school that doesn't have a varsity hockey program. I know from living in South Bend that they have a very nice hockey arena and I believe they sell it out most of the time.

 

[Wolegib]

I'm a little surprised at uw's lowered attendance! In the old days their hockey attendance matched their basketball attendance! I guess as their basketball team got better, it started stealing UW hockey fans!

 

[TheBoris]

Notre Dame is already coming on board for hockey right.

I wonder if hockey is becoming a profitable, money-making sport for the Big Ten?

I think that's the objective of inviting both NDs. Also, UND-Minny is one of the most storied hockey rivalties in the nation.
BTW, I looked up U of No. Dakota on the map. It's about 50 miles north of Fargo.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Gophers Illustrated is a pay site so I cannot post a link, the following is a copy 'n paste from a North Dakota fan....

Gopher Illustrated reports that North Dakota will be invited to the Big Ten Hockey
This is burning up Gopher Puck Live, but a report on Gopher Illustrated says UND will be offered Big Ten Hockey this summer. If UND doesn't accept, the Big Ten will offer Minn-Duluth or Omaha. Apparently, the AAU requirement will be waived and no other Big Ten schools will offer hockey in the near future. The same source was the first to report that Fleck will accept the Gophers job.

UND has been the leader in hockey attendance for some years, as Wisconsin no longer draws as well. UMINN and Wisconsin badly need the former rival who brings fans, as their games now are such low crowd energy. In the past week, a UND-Minnesota game in Las Vegas sold out in minutes, and UND brought impressive numbers to MSG in a face off with BC, and held up to 70% of the tickets in the last Frozen Four in Tampa. Our fans travel for hockey more than any school.

If this is offered, don't see any way that UND would turn it down, even if we get a lousy TV deal from the Big Ten Network. Thought our future in hockey was tied to Omaha and Denver and maybe Ariz St. Guess the Gophers and Badgers miss our fans. Have been conference mates with all the Big Ten hockey schools except Penn St (Ohio St is in our women's league).

Maybe even a conference tournament will return to the X in St Paul with fans.

The AAU requirement was already waived when they let Notre Dame in.

 

[arcb102000]

Forget about the UNDs. I looked it up and was very surprised to sèe thatNebraska is not an AAU member.

 

[TC4THREE]

Forget about the UNDs. I looked it up and was very surprised to sèe thatNebraska is not an AAU member.

They were when they came in.

 

[arcb102000]

Well, check out aau.edu. Nebraska is not listed as a member. Were they ever? I find it odd that they would have been then but are not now. But odd things have been known to happen.

 

[TheBoris]

Well, check out aau.edu. Nebraska is not listed as a member. Were they ever? I find it odd that they would have been then but are not now. But odd things have been known to happen.

TC43 is correct, Nebraska was an AAU member when they joined the B1G. Check out "former members" in this link.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_American_Universities

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Well, check out aau.edu. Nebraska is not listed as a member. Were they ever? I find it odd that they would have been then but are not now. But odd things have been known to happen.

Yes they were. Michigan and Wisconsin led the charge to boot them, based on low research dollars primarily. I can't belief you didn't know this story; it was a major discussion point when Nebraska joined the conference.

 

[Indy_Rider]

With the Big Ten Network, Hockey is a good revenue sport as it's TV viewing popularity seems to be growing. So these moves are as much about network content and revenue as anything. In some ways, I wouldn't have been surprised to see the Big push for other members to add men's and women's hockey with primary funding being from BTN.

I love hockey, so wouldn't mind seeing Purdue add it myself. GO PENS!!!

 

[Wolegib]

If Nebraska is not an AAU member, could they be booted out of the BIG10 ? Or is their name recognition and market and $$$. Too big?

 

[TheBoris]

If Nebraska is not an AAU member, could they be booted out of the BIG10 ? Or is their name recognition and market and $$$. Too big?

The Big Ten has no requirement for new members to be in the AAU. The B1G offered Notre Dame in 1999 and they're nowhere close to being an AAU member. Also, Michigan State was not an AAU member when they joined the B1G in 1949. MSU joined the AAU in 1964.

The B1G does have the highest percentage of AAU members of any conference, 13/14 or 92%. Ivy League is second, 7/8 or 87.5% (Dartmouth ain't AAU). No other conference is close to those two.

 

[TheBoris]

In some ways, I wouldn't have been surprised to see the Big push for other members to add men's and women's hockey with primary funding being from BTN.

The article that I copied in the OP stated that the B1G would invite Minn-Duluth or Neb-Omaha if UND declines. Those don't sound like sexy schools but both are heavyweights in college hockey.

Maybe take all three?

 

[nat100]

With the Big Ten Network, Hockey is a good revenue sport as it's TV viewing popularity seems to be growing. So these moves are as much about network content and revenue as anything. In some ways, I wouldn't have been surprised to see the Big push for other members to add men's and women's hockey with primary funding being from BTN.

I love hockey, so wouldn't mind seeing Purdue add it myself. GO PENS!!!

Btn and big ten will be driven by football

Also, until Purdue football is back on solid footing, don't drain resources away. Hard pass on new sports

 

[TheBoris]

Btn and big ten will be driven by football

Understood, but B1G football is 15 Saturdays per year plus maybe a few Sunday, Thurs or Friday games, let's say 25 days maximum of live football. The BTN needs programming for the other 340 days of the year and hockey, in addition to hoops, fills the TV schedule very well in the winter months.

It's not a matter of football OR hockey, the BTN needs football AND hockey. BTN Neilsen ratings for hockey have been solid and I flat guarantee they'll get better with the addition of Notre Dame and North Dakota. The BTN is in Canada and Canadians watch B1G hockey. There is a "hockey belt" and it looks pretty much like this:

 

[njm8845]

Not a hockey fan but really interested in expansion talk...

i understood how getting to six teams allowed the b10 to actually form a conference. But what does adding a powerhouse program do? Does adding und really grow the pie? Psu doesn't get more btn money than Purdue because they have more sports. So How do you determine what dollars und would receive?

Does this make n. Dakota have tier one tv rights? No matter how amazing their fans are, just not a lot of households in n Dakota.

Is goal to get more Canadian eyes? Canadians need something to care about when not in NHL season?

 

[TheBoris]

Not a hockey fan but really interested in expansion talk...

i understood how getting to six teams allowed the b10 to actually form a conference. But what does adding a powerhouse program do? Does adding und really grow the pie? Psu doesn't get more btn money than Purdue because they have more sports. So How do you determine what dollars und would receive?

Does this make n. Dakota have tier one tv rights? No matter how amazing their fans are, just not a lot of households in n Dakota.

Is goal to get more Canadian eyes? Canadians need something to care about when not in NHL season?

Actually, the BTN does pay the hockey members an additional $2M/yr. Whether that payout also applies to Notre Dame and possibly N. Dakota, I don't know.

It seems the objective of expanding the hockey league is to increase TV ratings and advertising revenue. As I mentioned above, the BTN needs quality live programming all year around.

 

[Cleanface]

LOVE THIS.

Huge B1G Hockey fan here.

ND + ND = Great for the league.

 

[rezzerfly]

It's not even worth posting anymore.

http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2017/05/penn_state_football_b1g_revenu.html

Can Purdue at least add Lacrosse or something before the semi members pass the Boilers in sport numbers

 

[njm8845]

It's not even worth posting anymore.

http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2017/05/penn_state_football_b1g_revenu.html

Can Purdue at least add Lacrosse or something before the semi members pass the Boilers in sport numbers

Do you care about the number of sports Purdue has or the success of the football team?

Every dollar used to support an Olympic sport is a dollar Purdue football can't use.

I'd even advocate shrinking the number of varsity sports. Who cares about cross country?

 

[nat100]

Do you care about the number of sports Purdue has or the success of the football team?

Every dollar used to support an Olympic sport is a dollar Purdue football can't use.

I'd even advocate shrinking the number of varsity sports. Who cares about cross country?

We are at the minimum for bt membership

 

[TheBoris]

It's not even worth posting anymore.

http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2017/05/penn_state_football_b1g_revenu.html

Can Purdue at least add Lacrosse or something before the semi members pass the Boilers in sport numbers

If you read that link and understand it, the best thing we can do is further increase BTN revenue. The best way to do that is expanding the hockey league with top teams that have large fan followings: Notre Dame, No. Dakota, Minn-Duluth, Neb-Omaha.

I'd also go after Toronto and McGill in Canada. Adding Ontario and Quebec to the BTN footprint is ~ 30 million population base, all hockey lovers. FYI, Canadian schools can give scholies if the funds come from the revenue generated by that sport.

 

[Cleanface]

I'd also go after Toronto and McGill in Canada. Adding Ontario and Quebec to the BTN footprint is ~ 30 million population base, all hockey lovers. FYI, Canadian schools can give scholies if the funds come from the revenue generated by that sport.

And they're both AAU members.

 

[TheBoris]

And they're both AAU members.

The athletic legacy of McGill is actually quite remarkable.....

https://www.mcgill.ca/about/history/features/birth-3-sports

 

[el_norte]

Adding Notre Dame and North Dakota for hockey would be a deathstar of a conference. 8 is a sustainable number for a hockey conference and would allow room for a couple of existing members to add the sport over time. Illinois and Rutgers would help fill out the conference, and college hockey as a whole, nicely.

 

[TheBoris]

Div. 1 hockey map is interesting. The "hockey belt" coincides well with the B1G footprint. Note this map was made before Penn State got a hockey team.