As always, take it for what it is worth | Page 3 | The Boneyard

As always, take it for what it is worth

Status
Not open for further replies.
The Big Ten Hockey league currently has 6 teams and will be played on BTN starting this October. The Big Ten, besides adding the University of Connecticut in all sports, is interested in adding another partial member for “Hockey Only” from Hockey East to create an 8 team Big Ten Hockey League. These 2 new additions, University of Connecticut, plus a "Hockey Only" university, will add much needed content and value to the BTN network.


I agree that UConn’s hockey arena plans have to go forward regardless of what happens with the B1G because the program is dead if it has to play at the XL Center for the long-term. They need to be on-campus.

That said, there may be a threat of truth here about B1G Hockey. Right now they have 6 schools (Minn, Wisc, Mich, Mich St, Ohio St, Penn St). They need 8 for playoffs. UConn can be #7; but doesn’t add an instant bag. When the B1G added Lacrosse, they got that bang by offering a lacrosse only affiliation to Johns Hopkins, which happens to AAU, a lacrosse power, and not interested in football or other B1G sports. That immediately may B1G lacrosse a power. Imagine if B1G went after another AAU school as a hockey only affiliate, say Boston U? That immediately gives the B1G 5 of the 10 programs with the most championships, would allow a ’new’ program like UConn time to develop, and really ticks off Hockey East (the ACC’s frozen cousin) and ND. I can see that working.

Nebraska, Rutgers, Northwestern, and Maryland could be other B1G to add hockey down the road.

http://unitedstatesofhockey.com/201...pansion-nebraska-has-home-if-it-wants-hockey/
 
And he added this:

TennesseeTuxedo
buddy_offline.gif
Water Engineer
waterengineer.gif


Posts: 5
Joined: Aug 2013
Reputation: 4
I Root For: Tennessee
Location:

For the Big Ten officials the renovation of the old Ice Arena will not be satisfactory. The new Ice Arena needs to be accommodating to the BTN, needs a VIP section, and it needs to house more than 6,000 in the stands for fans because of the high travel rate of fans from visiting schools such as Wisconsin, Michigan and especially Minnesota.

There will be no more talk of renovation, only talk of a new on-campus arena.

The numbers have been crunched with regard to the University of Connecticut in all aspects, now it's down to what added value can the University of Connecticut bring to the Big Ten which is unique only to the University of Connecticut vs. other Big Ten options in expansion. The President of the University of Connecticut is working on this project and has seen some good daylight. Investment in this new arena will only happen when the investment is secured, and the security in this matter is the Big Ten Hockey League and the future money it will bring to the University of Connecticut. An announcement of a advance financial plan does not make the invite a 100% sure thing, but this announcement is only going to happen because of the advance talks that is happening between the 2 parties, the Big Ten and the University of Connecticut.
 
What do you mean by playoffs? The minimum for an autobid to the NCAA tourney is 6 and the Big Ten will be holding a conference tournament with the current membership setup as well.

Big Ten already has 4 of the Top 10 in its 6 member league, including #1, #4, #7, #8...not sure how adding another Top 10 team will change perceptions one way or another.
 
Was just napping and had one of the weirdest dreams where I won a woman, something like that (it's a dream, right?), from someone associated with the B1G (commissioner or whatever, can't remember) and I ask for a B1G invite for UConn instead. This is getting out of hand.
 
And he added this:

TennesseeTuxedo
buddy_offline.gif
Water Engineer
waterengineer.gif


Posts: 5
Joined: Aug 2013
Reputation: 4
I Root For: Tennessee
Location:

For the Big Ten officials the renovation of the old Ice Arena will not be satisfactory. The new Ice Arena needs to be accommodating to the BTN, needs a VIP section, and it needs to house more than 6,000 in the stands for fans because of the high travel rate of fans from visiting schools such as Wisconsin, Michigan and especially Minnesota.

There will be no more talk of renovation, only talk of a new on-campus arena.

The numbers have been crunched with regard to the University of Connecticut in all aspects, now it's down to what added value can the University of Connecticut bring to the Big Ten which is unique only to the University of Connecticut vs. other Big Ten options in expansion. The President of the University of Connecticut is working on this project and has seen some good daylight. Investment in this new arena will only happen when the investment is secured, and the security in this matter is the Big Ten Hockey League and the future money it will bring to the University of Connecticut. An announcement of a advance financial plan does not make the invite a 100% sure thing, but this announcement is only going to happen because of the advance talks that is happening between the 2 parties, the Big Ten and the University of Connecticut.

That's nice... He's recycling known facts packaged for his argument. Minimum seating requirement for HE is 5k so he picked 6k w/ VIP section.
 
.-.
I agree that UConn’s hockey arena plans have to go forward regardless of what happens with the B1G because the program is dead if it has to play at the XL Center for the long-term. They need to be on-campus.

That said, there may be a threat of truth here about B1G Hockey. Right now they have 6 schools (Minn, Wisc, Mich, Mich St, Ohio St, Penn St). They need 8 for playoffs. UConn can be #7; but doesn’t add an instant bag. When the B1G added Lacrosse, they got that bang by offering a lacrosse only affiliation to Johns Hopkins, which happens to AAU, a lacrosse power, and not interested in football or other B1G sports. That immediately may B1G lacrosse a power. Imagine if B1G went after another AAU school as a hockey only affiliate, say Boston U? That immediately gives the B1G 5 of the 10 programs with the most championships, would allow a ’new’ program like UConn time to develop, and really ticks off Hockey East (the ACC’s frozen cousin) and ND. I can see that working.

Nebraska, Rutgers, Northwestern, and Maryland could be other B1G to add hockey down the road.

http://unitedstatesofhockey.com/201...pansion-nebraska-has-home-if-it-wants-hockey/
With all due respect........B.U. or any other H.E. school will not be leaving for BIG. I had to laugh when I read a thread from another board declaring it was Merrimack. H.E. has a new T.V. deal and with the addition of N.D. along with broader T.V. exposure things are pretty much set. The four Boston schools loath each other, but do respect each others programs. It is unique to college athletics to have four schools so close to each other playing a division one sport ala Beanpot and regular season. Will never happen, this is New England's hockey conference and the history and rivalries, and contained cost for travel make H.E. untouchable. Welcome to the league in 2014-2015 U Conn!, has been a long time coming... and long overdue as the last N.E. state to join and the final piece of the puzzle so to speak.
 
Yes, Hockey East will be great for UConn. The B1G would be great too but if we're not moving there in all sports, I'd like to have the local rivalries of Hockey East.
 
With all due respect........B.U. or any other H.E. school will not be leaving for BIG. I had to laugh when I read a thread from another board declaring it was Merrimack. H.E. has a new T.V. deal and with the addition of N.D. along with broader T.V. exposure things are pretty much set. The four Boston schools loath each other, but do respect each others programs. It is unique to college athletics to have four schools so close to each other playing a division one sport ala Beanpot and regular season. Will never happen, this is New England's hockey conference and the history and rivalries, and contained cost for travel make H.E. untouchable. Welcome to the league in 2014-2015 U Conn!, has been a long time coming... and long overdue as the last N.E. state to join and the final piece of the puzzle so to speak.

I agree that it is unlikely; but, the B1G has a lot of money. When the B1G hockey league starts-up, each school will get an EXTRA $2 million from the B1G TV Network in the first year to help with the ‘loss’ of prior conference rivals.

http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2013/4/29/4283628/big-ten-hockey-payout-tv-contract

In 2012 (before B1G Hockey), BU ranked 7th in the nation in hockey revenue at $2.9 million. The only schools above the $4 million mark are all in the B1G (Minn, Wisc, Mich). BC, Colorado College, and North Dakota are above $3 million. BU should be concerned how they are going to make-up the difference going forward. The B1G could potentially help.

http://www.bcinterruption.com/2012/4/12/2942848/comparing-ncaa-college-hockey-revenues-for-2010

Of course, revenue does not always yield success, just as Yale hockey.
 
Post: #529
(Today 11:14 AM)SeaBlue Wrote: OK, I'm coming out of self-imposed exile for this one. TerryD -- I promise to let you say whatever you like about your alma mater. :)
"The University of Connecticut is working off of Big Ten instructions on how to maximize their value to gain entrance into the Big Ten conference. "​
Tuxedo -- This is not how the Big Ten generally works. It was suggested often that Rutgers could have helped their cause by ramping up hockey, but they chose not to do so and obviously it worked out anyway. Now, what do we really know about how things work? Nothing. But, this would be very unusual for Delany to offer even the slightest hint in the form of "instructions" and thus implying a commitment from the Big Ten. No quid pro quo here.​
As for who might be talking to whom, you failed to mention the connection between UConn and the Big Ten. Perhaps that is to your credit as there is some low hanging fruit out there available for this discussion. As for the Hockey East thing, that's probably very speculative as they just got a TV deal done themselves. Got anything more to chew on?​

TennesseeTuxedo:
I don't know anything in regards to low hanging fruit, or how the Big Ten does things, or have done them in the past. What I do know is that the University of Connecticut and the Big Ten are in advance talks, those were the exact words used to describe the talks, and that an announcement of a plan to build a new Ice Arena On-Campus is part of the process being used by the President of the University of Connecticut to help forward an invite to the Big Ten, per Big Ten instructions.

Maybe the word "instructions" is the wrong word to use, but it was the word used told me to describe what is currently happening in this process.
 
Let's just say HFD is all of these clowns and be done with it. I'm only half kidding.
 
.-.
Yes, Hockey East will be great for UConn. The B1G would be great too but if we're not moving there in all sports, I'd like to have the local rivalries of Hockey East.
Trust me, if Delany won't budge with Notre Dame coming to the B1G without football, why would he budge on UConn's hockey program? The BTN needs content to fill the 24 hour network. B1G is taking a gamble on starting a new hockey league in the first place. If the B1G has a sport they support, all of the B1G schools have to join in if they field a D1 team. If UConn enters the B1G, there is no way Delany, the university presidents, athletic directors or BTN would allow UConn to head to a major competitor in Hockey East. It's either all in or no invite. Just sayin.
 
A few thoughts on the hockey angle :

1)Even if the Hockey team does get off that ground that does not mean an offer has been extended
2)Big Ten has already passed on numerous overtures for Hockey-only membership. Just about every single member of the newly formed NCHC + ND has wanted in and was rebuffed, all of which have better hockey pedigree than a newly formed D-1 program.
3)Big Ten doesn't need to beef up Women's hockey - not a revenue sport and they have won 8 of the past(only) 13 NCAA championships.


But, how many D1 Hockey programs that asked for an affiliation with B1G hockey were 1) AAU, 2) contiguous (possible bigger concerns with hockey due to travel schedules), and 3) would have an instant impact? The only non-AAU program I can see is ND and a) there is a lot of bad history between the two and b) there appears to be conflicting stories as to who asked who first, resulting in c) my belief that the B1G wants ND ‘all or nothing.’ Looking at the AAU list in light of B1G allowing an affiliation with Johns Hopkins in lacrosse, makes Boston U stand out.
 
But, how many D1 Hockey programs that asked for an affiliation with B1G hockey were 1) AAU, 2) contiguous (possible bigger concerns with hockey due to travel schedules), and 3) would have an instant impact? The only non-AAU program I can see is ND and a) there is a lot of bad history between the two and b) there appears to be conflicting stories as to who asked who first, resulting in c) my belief that the B1G wants ND ‘all or nothing.’ Looking at the AAU list in light of B1G allowing an affiliation with Johns Hopkins in lacrosse, makes Boston U stand out.


While non-AAU, both Denver and North Dakota are major programs that expressed some interest - and North Dakota is technically contiguous (although admittedly in the wrong direction). ND expressed interest as well but as you mentioned there's very little motivation for the Big Ten to let them pick and choose their alliances.

BU would've checked all those boxes but as someone else mentioned Hockey East is pretty stable and I don't think Big Ten felt that they needed another star when they already had 4 of the best teams in college hockey in its new league. The Big Ten was already indirectly responsible for 2 hockey leagues collapsing when the Big Ten Hockey league was formed (CCHA, WCHA) - I doubt they wanted instability in Hockey East as well.
 
While non-AAU, both Denver and North Dakota are major programs that expressed some interest - and North Dakota is technically contiguous (although admittedly in the wrong direction). ND expressed interest as well but as you mentioned there's very little motivation for the Big Ten to let them pick and choose their alliances.

BU would've checked all those boxes but as someone else mentioned Hockey East is pretty stable and I don't think Big Ten felt that they needed another star when they already had 4 of the best teams in college hockey in its new league. The Big Ten was already indirectly responsible for 2 hockey leagues collapsing when the Big Ten Hockey league was formed (CCHA, WCHA) - I doubt they wanted instability in Hockey East as well.

Boston U. has easy travel right now. There is probably less than 1% interest in such a move.
 
Nobody says 'advance talks', they say advanced talks which fits with HFD's loose and fast usage of the language.
 
.-.
Since we are all indulging in fantasy just a bit, maybe his insider said ECAC and not Hockey East - and the B1G is swooping in to take Uconn full member, and Yale as an associate member in hockey. That would be quite a splashy move.

For those about to reply, know that I think the likelihood of Yale agreeing to such a move is approaching zero.
 
I think 2014 would be aligned with the big going into negotiations for tv.
What schools will drive the needle are the extenuating circumstances...
According to Delany, they are going to start negotiations in the fall of 2015.

We’re preparing for our next set of major television agreements. We’re scheduled to begin negotiations in the fall of 2015.
 
Now Tennessee Tuxedo says:

Susan Herbst will be meeting with Jim Delany near Chicago, Illinois later this evening.

This is a follow up meeting on the discussions that took place 4 weeks ago with regards to the University of Connecticut advancing forward to an entry into the Big Ten Conference in March-February of 2014.
 
Now Tennessee Tuxedo says:

Susan Herbst will be meeting with Jim Delany near Chicago, Illinois later this evening.

This is a follow up meeting on the discussions that took place 4 weeks ago with regards to the University of Connecticut advancing forward to an entry into the Big Ten Conference in March-February of 2014.
Not really buying it, but....go Susan!
 
.-.
Now Tennessee Tuxedo says:

Susan Herbst will be meeting with Jim Delany near Chicago, Illinois later this evening.

This is a follow up meeting on the discussions that took place 4 weeks ago with regards to the University of Connecticut advancing forward to an entry into the Big Ten Conference in March-February of 2014.

If someone would drop this into one of the horde's email it should be easy enough to find out if Susan was in the Chicago area.

Prove she was not there and Tennessee Tuxedo goes back to cartoon voice overs.
 
Now Tennessee Tuxedo says:

Susan Herbst will be meeting with Jim Delany near Chicago, Illinois later this evening.

This is a follow up meeting on the discussions that took place 4 weeks ago with regards to the University of Connecticut advancing forward to an entry into the Big Ten Conference in March-February of 2014.

Yeah... I think I saw her in the crowd @ da Bears game winking @ Kendall!!
 
If someone would drop this into one of the horde's email it should be easy enough to find out if Susan was in the Chicago area.

Prove she was not there and Tennessee Tuxedo goes back to cartoon voice overs.
I saw a recent tweet from UCONN that Susan would be in Chicago for an alumni gathering - a cruise I think. It was supposed to be soon, not sure if it was today or tomorrow, etc. Too much trouble to look up right now.

But I call total BS on Tennessee Tuxedo -- this guy is just plucking with us.
 
.-.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,329
Messages
4,564,408
Members
10,464
Latest member
Rollskies27


Top Bottom