It's official: Big 10 to form a league

[Freddie]

Those of us who have followed college hockey for any time have been hearing rumors of B10 Hockey forever...over 30 years. Once Penn State decided to join, everyone knew it would happen, the only question was when. Now we know when.

I refuse to accecpt a bunch of gloom and doom scenarios...CCHA will die, or sink to a mid-major status. The conference was strong and vibrant BEFORE Mich & MSU joined in '82, and will survive this change.

I've ALWAYS thought 8 teams is the ideal size for a league anyway...but if we feel we MUST grow, I'd think we would target Niagara and RMU and RIT.

PS...B10 has ZERO interest in adding "hockey only" members...If Notre Dame goes anywhere, they'll move back to the WCHA, and I don't see what they'd gain from that move.

[jg4242]

Yeah, I think people tolling the bells for the CCHA are a bit premature. 3 of the 4 CCHA teams in the tourney are non-B10. This move limits the B10's auto bids from 2 to 1, and is going to create some serious problems for them should the CCHA and WCHA schools choose not to schedule them OOC. This is great news for UAH, who should be offered a spot in the CCHA shortly. RMU is a great candidate to bring over to get us to 10, and if Pitt were to add D1 hockey RMU would be a strong geographical incentive for them to come to the CCHA rather than go east with BC. The only place I could see this hurting us is in recruiting, but I think Coach Bergeron is more than capable of bringing in the kind of talent we need to be competitive.

[sbkbghockey]

Thinking aloud we should see UAH join along with possibly a few other schools that we either take from other conferences or that start up programs (Pitt is rumored to be starting a hockey program).

What other programs do you think the CCHA should target from other conferences?

There’s really two major options for the CCHA. We’re at 11 teams now and losing 3 teams in Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State. I’d say it’s 50-50 for losing a fourth, Notre Dame. The Big 10 has wanted Notre Dame to be a member for awhile and sponsoring hockey is leverage for the Big 10 to use. By the end of all the shakeup, that would leave the CCHA with seven members in Michigan and Ohio.

CCHA will add UAH as the eighth member. The first option for the CCHA is to stay conservative and remain at that number and focus on building up the remaining programs, singing a tv contract with FSN Detroit and Ohio to ensure the remaining programs get exposure without the Big 10 teams.

The CCHA could also look to expand and fill the voids, I think there’s two expansion ideas: Become more Michigan and Ohio centered conference with a focus on regional rivalries, possibly adding Grand Valley State in MI and bring back Kent State and Ohio Univ. programs from club/ACHA DI status. The second expansion would be south and west to provide closer rivals to UAH. Add Kentucky, Univ. of Evansville, Lindenwood.

[jg4242]

I don't really think that the B10 is going to want to pick up any hockey-only schools, as they have no other single sport associations. ND has shown no interest in being affiliated with the B10 in either football or basketball, and I don't think that they would make an exception to that policy for hockey. Far more likely would be ND going to the WCHA, which WOULD be bad news for the CCHA.

[rood]

The CCHA could also look to expand and fill the voids, I think there’s two expansion ideas: Become more Michigan and Ohio centered conference with a focus on regional rivalries, possibly adding Grand Valley State in MI and bring back Kent State and Ohio Univ. programs from club/ACHA DI status. The second expansion would be south and west to provide closer rivals to UAH. Add Kentucky, Univ. of Evansville, Lindenwood.

Don't hold your breath waiting for an expansion of college hockey. The cost of the sport plus Title IX makes it almost impossible for schools to add a men's hockey team with 18 scholarships since they would also have to add 18 women's scholarships somewhere and arenas don't come cheap. The only reason Penn State is doing it now is a billionaire benefactor gave them $80 million+ to do it. Those kind of donors don't grow on trees.

[jg4242]

The CCHA could also look to expand and fill the voids, I think there’s two expansion ideas: Become more Michigan and Ohio centered conference with a focus on regional rivalries, possibly adding Grand Valley State in MI and bring back Kent State and Ohio Univ. programs from club/ACHA DI status. The second expansion would be south and west to provide closer rivals to UAH. Add Kentucky, Univ. of Evansville, Lindenwood.

Don't hold your breath waiting for an expansion of college hockey. The cost of the sport plus Title IX makes it almost impossible for schools to add a men's hockey team with 18 scholarships since they would also have to add 18 women's scholarships somewhere and arenas don't come cheap. The only reason Penn State is doing it now is a billionaire benefactor gave them $80 million+ to do it. Those kind of donors don't grow on trees.

If expansion were to happen, I think it would come from places that already have club/ACHA/D3 programs. If the infrastructure is already there (as it is in Kent and Athens) it's a lot easier to make the jump than when you're starting from scratch (as in PSU). Pittsburgh has the facilities available, as do KSU and OU. The scholarships would be an issue, but a far smaller one than building a rink.

[gmartin]

Actually according to three very good sources I have at PSU, the reason ND didn't join the Big 10 in football is because it didn't want to be in multiple conferences. If the Big 10 were to form its own hockey conference then they would reconsider joining the Big 10 in all sports. Now that the Big 10 hockey conference is formed I would say it is nearly 90% that ND will join the Big 10 in all sports. Reference this post 18 months from now when the news is made.

[VDub26Falcon]

I'm sure they will figure out three other schools to get in there as well so they can become a 16-team super conference.

[Lord_Byron]

Actually according to three very good sources I have at PSU, the reason ND didn't join the Big 10 in football is because it didn't want to be in multiple conferences. If the Big 10 were to form its own hockey conference then they would reconsider joining the Big 10 in all sports. Now that the Big 10 hockey conference is formed I would say it is nearly 90% that ND will join the Big 10 in all sports. Reference this post 18 months from now when the news is made.

I don't understand this. They're ok with being in the Big East and CCHA and independent in Football, but they'd have a problem with being in the Big 10 and CCHA?

I'll refer back to this in September 2012 and see where we are, but it strains credibility to think that Notre Dame is making football decisions based on hockey being in the same conference as their other sports.

As far as direct impact of this, I can see Air Force leaving the AHA (or whatever it's called) and joining the WCHA. I don't see any movement in ECAC or Hockey East.

[unfalconbelievable]

MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY..................

Big 10 brings in more then MAC schools. Period.

CCHA will be a one team make NCAA regionals the tournament winner, money talks and if Big 10 has ratings and money NCAA is going to give them more bids. Same thing happens to the women's basketball team 25-5 on average every year and if they don't win the tournament its NIT. Same thing will happen to the CCHA.

[VDub26Falcon]

I think it has more to do with the Big 10 NOT being ok with them joining for just hockey. They will give them the "All or Nothing" ultimatum that the MAC should've given Temple (I know, I know, dead horse...it still urks me!). It has nothing to do with Notre Dame not wanting to be partial members of conferences in different sports.

[Redwingtom]

1. Did we all collectively forget that Nebraska is joining the Big Ten next year and they will have 12 teams?

2. The Big Ten does not take one sport schools as members.

3. The Big Ten is not going to go to 13 members just to get Notre Dame in as it would throw everything out of whack...and I don't think they have any desire to go to 14 or 16 teams either.

[BGFan]

1. Did we all collectively forget that Nebraska is joining the Big Ten next year and they will have 12 teams?

2. The Big Ten does not take one sport schools as members.

3. The Big Ten is not going to go to 13 members just to get Notre Dame in as it would throw everything out of whack...and I don't think they have any desire to go to 14 or 16 teams either.

Nebraska doesn't have a hockey team. The University of Nebraska at Omaha does. They're, sort of, a seperate school and compete in other sports at a lower division.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

1. Did we all collectively forget that Nebraska is joining the Big Ten next year and they will have 12 teams?

2. The Big Ten does not take one sport schools as members.

3. The Big Ten is not going to go to 13 members just to get Notre Dame in as it would throw everything out of whack...and I don't think they have any desire to go to 14 or 16 teams either.

Nebraska doesn't have a hockey team. The University of Nebraska at Omaha does. They're, sort of, a seperate school and compete in other sports at a lower division.

I think he meant to connect one and three there, since they Big 10 is adding their 12th team there isn't one open spot, if they got ND (which I still believe will never happen, because ND doesn't need the Big 10) they would then need to add another, and there may be not be another they really actually want

[gmartin]

1. Did we all collectively forget that Nebraska is joining the Big Ten next year and they will have 12 teams?

2. The Big Ten does not take one sport schools as members.

3. The Big Ten is not going to go to 13 members just to get Notre Dame in as it would throw everything out of whack...and I don't think they have any desire to go to 14 or 16 teams either.

Redwingtom. You and VDub are correct about the Big 10 not taking schools just for one sport, hence why Notre Dame did not join the Big 10 for football. With my job I have many clients/sources in many conferences of which I have many in the Big 10 office as well as numerous at PSU. This is what I know from 2 reliable sources and I trust every word they say.

Last year Notre Dame was not ready to leave the Big East in basketball. At that time they said if a Big 10 hockey conference was formed after PSU became a D1 team they would seriously then and only then consider leaving the Big East in basketball and becoming a member of the Big 10. In addition to Notre Dame jumping conferences, Boston College would leave the ACC and also join the Big 10 and be the then 14th member of the league.

Now that the Big 10 has hockey, I believe after the football season is over this year you will see the announcement of BC and ND joining the Big 10. 14 teams makes a better basketball conference, more money generated. It does make it harder in football. An 8 member hockey league will be better than 6. And one important factor is that the Big 10 will now expand intothe east coast market in Boston, generating more tv revenue.

You guys were all correct about the Big 10 not taking ND in only football. ND needed the Big 10 hockey conference so they could consider switching conferences and it is now here. Only a matter of time before they are the 13th or 14th member.