As a response today to learning that Penn State will joins the ranks of Division 1 hockey at some point in the very near future; Denver University and the University of North Dakato are being pressured by alumni to form a new conference to compete with the inevitable BTHC (Big Ten Hockey Conference) the new conference's name will be the BHHC (Butt Hurt Hockey Conference).
Proposed members besides DU and UND are UMD, Miami, Notre Dame, BC, BU, UNH and other of the so-imagined "powerhouses". Someone laughingly suggested both CC and SCSU. In any case, the Butt Hurt Hockey Conference would be some sort of anti-Big Ten alliance or something to better fight what they perceive as a total takeover of college hockey by the now 6 Big Ten schools.
Know what they're really so butt hurt about? Let's assume they're right and 6 Big Ten schools can screw the pooch for the remaining WCHA and CCHA teams. What that means is that Minnesota and Wisconsin aren't going to show up at the Magness as often and/or perhaps even hardly ever. So DU is butt hurt because they're going to see maybe 2,500 less fans per year? And yes, Damien Goddard might recall the results of the comparisons I ran which showed the actual decreases in attendance related to the specific opponent. Ask him, don't ask me. If the BTHC is somehow going to be so disastrous for DU, tell him to quantify it.
As far as this BHHC actually coming to fruition. Um ... Never.Gonna.Happen.For.Many.Reasons.
Let's be brutally honest here about the state of college hockey shall we? The sheet is tilted YO!?!! The Big Ten schools have their built-in recruiting advantages. The programs outside of them that have been lucky enough to have regular high levels of success (i.e... the ones that DU wants to join it in it's little rebellion) are the next schools that kids want to go to if getting into Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan didn't happen for them.
There are probably a solid 20 NCAA schools that have one some built-in advantage whether geographically or traditionally or whatever. The other 39 schools can only hope that every once in a great while they'll find some elite recruit that one of the more preferable schools missed. So see ... the ice is tilted. Now it'll just be tilted a little less in favor of schools like DU and UND. They'll have to get along without the little gravy train that Minnesota and Wisconsin provided.
Awww ... poor DU and UND, the ice won't be tilted quite as much in your favor? I'm really feeling sorry for you.
7 comments:
Dear overly concerned with my physical appearance @ 716,
U MAD?
I suppose I would if had no other intent than those things. But clearly the primary intent is to deride the suggestion of a "super-conference". So yah ... no "only intent" kinda stuff.
chill out comment #1
What Donald's "attendance stats' fail to take into account are no shows. DU and CC have season ticket holders who are less inclined to show up when the opponent is not a marquee name. "No shows" don't pay for parking, purchase merchandise and buy food/beer.
Would love to see a true Western Conference:
DU
UND
CC
UAA
UAF(ails)
UNO
AFA
UMD
And for good measure throw in
Notre Dame
Miami
2.5 million people in the Denver Metro area and DU can't get 5,000 of them to show up for a WCHA hockey game ... even the ones with tickets already? Um ... no point in going to DU and taking Marketing; since they obviously have no idea how to.
The idea of a Big Ten conference is a great idea, UAA really dosen't have the funding or fan attendence to perform well at the Division I level. Will the induction of two new teams into the WCHA its only a matter of time before UAA is pushed out. Just being realistic
anon@2:22:
Quit smoking so much weed.
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