On, Wisconsin. Game on, UNO.
It’s big game time tonight at Qwest Center Omaha, big event time in downtown O. There’s a chance for the first-ever hockey sellout at the Qwest. There’s WCHA standing and postseason hopes at stake.
And, mostly, it’s Wisconsin. What is it about Bucky? He brings out the passion in UNO fans. Maybe it’s a beef and cheese thing.
Whatever it is, enjoy it while it lasts.
UNO just joined the WCHA. But the Big Ten Conference might pull the rug out from under this budding winter rivalry.
There’s talk in college hockey circles of the Big Ten forming its own league. Serious talk. It started last fall, with Penn State announcing a new hockey program and arena. In a recent Detroit News story, WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod said Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany told him a specific plan for Big Ten hockey could happen this spring.
How would it work? Wisconsin and Minnesota would leave the WCHA, while Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State would leave the CCHA and hook up with Penn State. The thinking? Packed rinks at all six places and substantive programming for the Big Ten Network to go with Big Ten hoops and those Rich Rodriguez highlight films.
The damage? Unknown, but likely huge for those left behind. The debate is all the rage in college hockey.
UNO coach Dean Blais — a Minnesota alum — is staunchly on the side that says this would be a bad deal and could “ruin’’ college hockey.
“It’s a TV issue,’’ Blais said. “There’s money. The big schools have money and they want a lot more. Is it good for college hockey? We’ll see.’’
Blais’ point: The cost of starting this mega made-for-TV league would come at the expense of the “little guys,’’ especially in the WCHA and CCHA.
There are 58 schools that play Division I men’s hockey. College hockey is not cheap. Many Mid-American Conference-level schools depend on the revenue from home games with Michigan or Wisconsin or Michigan State. If those teams don’t come around anymore, and hockey became too expensive, how many of those schools would drop the sport?
“It wouldn’t hurt Omaha, we’re going to be fine,’’ Blais said. “But this division could hurt certain teams. It would give an administration an excuse to drop hockey.’’
To ease that pain, the Big Ten apparently is working on a plan in which the Big Ten schools from the WCHA and CCHA would continue to schedule some teams in those leagues as nonconference games. But they couldn’t play everyone in their former leagues.
And, let’s face it, if Wisconsin has to play Murderer’s Row in the Big Ten, it’s not going to play North Dakota, Denver and UNO on the side.
“What pod are we in? Who are we going to play?’’ Blais said. “You have to think about the good of college hockey. Do the fans of Minnesota want to see North Dakota come in there and Omaha and Duluth? Absolutely. Do they care about Michigan and Ohio State? No.
“For Wisconsin to lose North Dakota, that’s their No. 1 rival. That would be terrible. And now that Miami is up there, people in Ann Arbor would rather see Miami now than Wisconsin or Minnesota.’’
Blais also makes this point: Most of the schools in a Big Ten hockey league are used to making the NCAA tournament, but that league would get only one or two bids as the teams beat up on each other.
“College hockey right now is pretty solid,’’ Blais said. “We’re third, I think, in the NCAA in revenue-producing. Are we going to jeopardize that, as a body? Minnesota and Wisconsin probably make $4 million to $5 million a year in hockey because of their buildings. If you give them $7 million, does that matter? They already have so much money. Is it worth the extra money to ruin college hockey?’’
Two of the names you’ll start hearing for an expanded Big Ten hockey are Nebraska and Iowa, Blais said. One problem. Starting a men’s hockey program is a financial undertaking, from ice maintenance to equipment to the travel, including recruiting travel to Canada. It also counts against gender equity numbers, which means you’d have to cut a few men’s sports or add some women’s sports.
Another reason it would be a long shot at NU is that the new Lincoln arena is expected to give a boost to Nebraska men’s basketball, which has been struggling at the gate. Put a men’s hockey program in the same building at the same time and you’re likely splitting a lot of that disposable income. And would the Nebraska Board of Regents allow NU to cut into UNO’s market, especially with the Husker alums in Omaha?
Questions for another day. Tonight, UNO’s season gets fun. The Mavs are in fourth place, two points ahead of Wisconsin. The Badgers were national runners-up last year and are making a strong playoff push. Blais’ young guns, meanwhile, are trying to finish in the top six and go from there.
“Our big thing is to get home ice (for the WCHA playoffs),’’ Blais said. “That would be a great thing for this program in the first year in this league. It wouldn’t be fantasy island, but let’s get real, we have a team that has overachieved at times. Our young freshmen aren’t playing like freshmen. They’re putting up incredible numbers. If Matt White (12 goals) and Ryan Walters (nine) are doing this now, what are they going to be like in two or three years?
“That’s our time. That’s our time to do something special. Does that mean we can’t do something special this year? Absolutely not. This team is really confident. They know we have a tough schedule and they are going to battle right to the finish. These guys want to put on a show against one of the best teams in college hockey.’’
Let’s hope it’s the beginning of a long, beautiful relationship.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1025, tom.shatel@owh.com, twitter.com/tomshatelOWH
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