BGDrew wrote:Really surprised how many people are pushing aside the NCHC. Top half of the conference makes the NCAAs every season, we'd be back in a conference with our MAC breathern, and you'd get to see teams like North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth every season.
North Dakota didn't even play in Oxford this season, and we're already playing our MAC brethren every year.
maybe you could ask Miami fans why they drew less at home than BGSU did.
our attendance is not great (but at least on the rise), but Miami and Western's attendance has dropped every season since bailing on the CCHA.
***representing three generations of falcons--and counting***
BGDrew wrote:Really surprised how many people are pushing aside the NCHC. Top half of the conference makes the NCAAs every season, we'd be back in a conference with our MAC breathern, and you'd get to see teams like North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth every season.
I would be surprised if the NCHC lineup goosed attendance much. Sure, hosting Miami every year would help. But would the chance to see North Dakota or Minnesota-Duluth really impress fans more than the chance to see (for example) Alaska or Minnesota State?
I'm having trouble seeing how joining the NCHC would improve the financial position of our athletic department.
Agreed.
Also, being in the NCHC where the top half of the conference makes the NCAAs doesn't mean BGSU will make the NCAAs. In the NFL, Cleveland does next to nothing even though they belong to a Conference with recent highly successful teams (one year the other three made the playoffs). In NCAAF, Colorado plays in the Big 12 but hasn't been to a bowl game since 2007...a bowl game where you only have to manage a .500 record to qualify. Kansas hasn't been since 2008, and Kentucky, Virginia, and Wake Forest since 2011.
There isn't a huge financial win to jump to that conference, and the prospects of being successful in that league are significantly diminished compared to our current conference. As for North Dakota or Duluth, the casual fan doesn't know those schools and thus they won't draw attendance anymore than Ferris State and Bemidji State does.
footballguy51 wrote:There isn't a huge financial win to jump to that conference,
Is there any win at all?
Look, if the athletic department's bottom line improves by joining that league, I have no objection to changing conferences. Let's do it if we are presented with that opportunity.
But if the choice is to spend more money we don't have in order to associate with the schools in that league rather than the schools in the league we are in? I'm not sure it's worth it.
I know the programs in that league are better at hockey, overall. But Arizona State and the MAC schools aside, I don't know that the NCHC lineup is any more recognizable to our typical fans.
In addition to the entry fee demanded by the Nachos, Schlossman confirms the massive buyout to leave the NCHC.
According to multiple sources, the buyout equates to a year of the league’s operating expenses. Right now, that’s roughly $1.5 million. It also requires a 24-month notice. If it’s less, the buyout goes up.
Schlossman is a homer, but he's right that Miami and Western aren't going anywhere.
They've got dwindling attendance and only one driving road trip in the league, but hey--at least they've got a Roku app.
***representing three generations of falcons--and counting***
poltergeist wrote:In addition to the entry fee demanded by the Nachos, Schlossman confirms the massive buyout to leave the NCHC.
According to multiple sources, the buyout equates to a year of the league’s operating expenses. Right now, that’s roughly $1.5 million. It also requires a 24-month notice. If it’s less, the buyout goes up.
Schlossman is a homer, but he's right that Miami and Western aren't going anywhere.
They've got dwindling attendance and only one driving road trip in the league, but hey--at least they've got a Roku app.
That should end the "Miami to the B1G" rumors as well.
Surely you guys understand that the lower attendance has to do with the fact Miami no longer has Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan St. visiting Oxford. Miami still sells out when Ohio State visits the goggin.
Can you image how bad it would be if we were in a low-level league like the WCHA with meaningless schools like Lake State and Ferris instead on North Dakota and Denver?
umm...surely you understand that BGSU no longer has Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan St. on the schedule either.
yet BG's attendance has been rising in the WCHA, playing against schools like Lake State and Ferris, and BG's avg. attendance was higher than Miami's this year. ouch.
What's wrong down in Oxford? maybe Miami St. fans would rather stay home and Roku instead of supporting the team at the arena?
***representing three generations of falcons--and counting***
Bear in mind that Miami's arena seats 3,200, while BG has 5,000 seats. Miami has also been out of the national spotlight recently, and that affects attendance everywhere.
All is for the best in this best of all possible worlds.
bgbill wrote:Bear in mind that Miami's arena seats 3,200, while BG has 5,000 seats. Miami has also been out of the national spotlight recently, and that affects attendance everywhere.
The numbers are avg. attendance, not total.
Their avg. attendance also dropped last year, when they were in the spotlight with a winning season and a trip to the NCAAs.
it isn't just Miami, it's Western too. The NCHC just isn't attracting butts in the seats in Oxford and Kalamazoo.
***representing three generations of falcons--and counting***
bgbill wrote:Bear in mind that Miami's arena seats 3,200, while BG has 5,000 seats. Miami has also been out of the national spotlight recently, and that affects attendance everywhere.
The numbers are avg. attendance, not total.
Their avg. attendance also dropped last year, when they were in the spotlight with a winning season and a trip to the NCAAs.
it isn't just Miami, it's Western too. The NCHC just isn't attracting butts in the seats in Oxford and Kalamazoo.
Not really a surprise attendance would drop when Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan State aren't coming to your rink anymore. BG's increased attendance is because we've won 20 games for the first time in a long time.
Miami was very young this year... They will be much better in 16-17. Good enough to compete for a league title and regional seed. Their attendance will go up.
Next year BG will finish in 3rd or 4th place, be in the high 20s of the pairwise and not make the regionals again.
Miami (Oh) Yeah ! wrote:Surely you guys understand that the lower attendance has to do with the fact Miami no longer has Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan St. visiting Oxford. Miami still sells out when Ohio State visits the goggin.
Can you image how bad it would be if we were in a low-level league like the WCHA with meaningless schools like Lake State and Ferris instead on North Dakota and Denver?
Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Ferris in the Frozen 4 just a few short years ago? And didn't they knock off St. Cloud in the first round this past season? And, yes, these questions are rhetorical. Your allegations only prove your own self-righteousness.
Miami (Oh) Yeah ! wrote:Surely you guys understand that the lower attendance has to do with the fact Miami no longer has Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan St. visiting Oxford. Miami still sells out when Ohio State visits the goggin.
Can you image how bad it would be if we were in a low-level league like the WCHA with meaningless schools like Lake State and Ferris instead on North Dakota and Denver?
Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Ferris in the Frozen 4 just a few short years ago? And didn't they knock off St. Cloud in the first round this past season? And, yes, these questions are rhetorical. Your allegations only prove your own self-righteousness.
One game sample sizes aren't a great way to figure out how strong a conference is...Where WCHA teams would really struggle in the NCHC is the quality opponents multiple weekends in a row. BG could beat North Dakota once...but having to play North Dakota, Duluth, Denver and Miami 4 out of 5 weekends would be nearly impossible to win more than 3 or 4 games. BG isn't deep enough and doesn't have the scorers to consistently beat those teams.
