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If you could only see one happen this year would you rather see the basketball team make the tournament or the hockey team make the tournament? Basketball streak is ridiculous but hockey is pretty darn long too considering the once proud history.

I figured this forum would provide less bias than the basketball or hockey forums.

I'm a closer follower of hockey but I would still rather see basketball in the dance.

Man, this is tough.

As a student, I have more of a relationship with the senior hockey guys than someone on the outside might have, so I have to go with hockey. But man would it be nice to see that basketball streak end, too.

I guess hockey is my answer because I am closer with those guys, as well as our odds to actually win it all once we're in. I feel like our hockey team stands a chance in a 16-team national tournament, while our basketball team has far worse odds in a 68-team dance.

mbenecke wrote:I feel like our hockey team stands a chance in a 16-team national tournament, while our basketball team has far worse odds in a 68-team dance.

This tips it to hockey for me. We can be a national champion again in hockey. A national championship is difficult to imagine in men's basketball.

But, hey, I'll take what we can get. This 51-year schneid is ridiculous. It would be wonderful to have a team to root for in the Big Dance.

I'm going basketball. I think the hockey drought is ridiculous but I also think we have a program with solid support and a great staff, so I think if it doesn't happen now, it will eventually happen again soon. It's harder for a basketball program to have a long stretch of consistent success, and BG is in a position to get it done this year or next. Plus the money the school receives for making the basketball tournament is significant. Something like $1.5 million if I remember correctly (although it might be shared with the conference).

Hockey. I want to see all of our teams have success but, obviously, I'm a major hockey fan so I have no other answer.

Hockey will not win a national title again....they haven’t even been to the tournament in 30 years (in a sport that 1/4 of the teams make it). Most overrated program ever.

TommyG wrote:Hockey will not win a national title again....they haven’t even been to the tournament in 30 years (in a sport that 1/4 of the teams make it). Most overrated program ever.

Nice job not answering the question while also being a d*ck. Definitely not an overrated program, and I think there is a very realistic chance at the Frozen Four within the next five years. Peer schools have seen that level of success in recent years, and it will happen again here.

drumstix2388 wrote:

TommyG wrote:Hockey will not win a national title again....they haven’t even been to the tournament in 30 years (in a sport that 1/4 of the teams make it). Most overrated program ever.

Nice job not answering the question while also being a d*ck. Definitely not an overrated program, and I think there is a very realistic chance at the Frozen Four within the next five years. Peer schools have seen that level of success in recent years, and it will happen again here.

Frozen Four? Peer institutions? I don’t think so. Can’t even win a WCHA title.

Basketball to get the monkey off their back. Hockey has turned the corner. An NCAA tournament appearance may be the boost basketball needs.

I thought about this very topic this morning. I'd love both of course.

If I had to pick one it would be basketball. Hockey is on the cusp every year and any given year could go their way. Basketball, this is the best team in many years and if not this year, I can't say they'll be in the same position next year. I feel like everything is lining up right for basketball where hockey is always in this position these days. Unfortunately it is also the year with the best basketball team in the MAC in decades.

If we can get there including beating Buffalo again, basketball has earned it.

I'm a hockey guy...

I would trade both teams getting snubbed by the NCAA and in return having our mighty Falcons totally dismantle the Fighting Irish in front of their faithful on October 5th.....however, that is not one of the choices so - BASKETBALL.

Basketball....hockey has become semi relevant again, but it's a niche sport nationally. The basketball tournament is like a religious event for millions of people.

Given the fact that the hoops team ended up falling short last night the hypothetical is really irrelevant. Heck, I suppose it always was because there was nothing preventing BOTH (or neither) from happening.

And I'm so biased that my opinion is generally irrelevant. I've been regularly attending Falcons basketball games since before I went to kindergarten, have had season tickets of my own pretty much since graduation, and haven't been to a hockey game in a couple years.

Looking at it pragmatically basketball is the obvious overwhelming choice. If you're one that feels one of the biggest roles of intercollegiate athletics is increasing the exposure for the university a trip to the NCAA basketball tournament is by far and away the #1 thing that BGSU athletics has any hope to accomplish. A miracle football season ending in a new year's day bowl game would trump a tourney appearance, but that's about it. If your first round game of the NCAA tournament ends up in primetime you can count on that basketball game being watched by more eyeballs than would watch every single hockey game on a national title run combined. If, by some chance, you manage to WIN that game, the exposure to eyeballs would continue to grow exponentially. And that's merely discussing eyeballs actually WATCHING the games. The NCAA tournament will have billions of dollars gambled on it. There will likely be more brackets filled out in any given year than there are votes cast in a presidential election.

Looking at it from a financial point of view a single "tournament share" is worth approximately $1.5million (paid out over 6 years) to the MAC. If we assume that money is doled out evenly to each institution (I'm not sure how the MAC disperses it, each conference has its own rules) that's $125k to BG, and each other school. In most years you could argue that these dollars are a wash. Somebody is getting in from the MAC no matter what, so we're guaranteed a single tourney share no matter what. But this year UB was a lock for an at large bid, so winning last night would have given the MAC 2 shares off the bat. Obviously, winning games increases the conference tournament shares. A simple apparance guarantees your conference $1.5 million, but it could grow to $8million if you made a tournament run.

Like I said, I'm obviously biased. But realistically the university (and its conference) stand to gain far more in both exposure and dollars by making the NCAA tournament than anything the hockey team could ever hope for. I want the hockey team to do well, just like I want our golf and tennis teams to do well. But the sport just doesn't have nearly the potential for exposure as the hoops tournament does. The NCAA hoops tournament is pretty much the biggest sporting event of the year; to be a part of it would be wonderful.

The MAC shares are split into 13 with the tourney team getting 2 shares and every other team receiving one