What you say is true. But other schools, with a lot fewer resources that
your typical Big Ten school, have developed D1 Hockey over the past several
years. UNO is the most prominent example of this. And while I am certainly
not up to speed on Big Ten politics, I have to think that if one of the
member schools did make noise about starting a program, that they would have
the full support of the conference since it would provide an opportunity for
the conference to dominate in another sport.

I'm not saying that it will happen but I do think that with the revenue now
being produced by the D1 tournament, that some schools will give the sport a
harder look than they have in the past.

Greg

> From: Stephen Roth <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Stephen Roth <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2003 07:40:09 -0800
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Big 10 Conference
>
> Greg Ambrose wrote:
> ------------------------
> The thought of a Big Ten conference is not far fetched. You've got five
> schools right now and it doesn't take much imagination to predict that Penn
> State (once Joe Pa finally leaves), Iowa, Illinois or Northwestern fielding a
> team. Once that happens (and I predict it will, based on $$$ alone),  then the
> WCHA will need to raid the CCHA to stay viable.
>
> Money talks in all this and I don't see any reason why the shifting sands of
> conference affiliation can't affect hockey just as it has done with football
> and roundball.  Change is definitely in the wind.
> ---------------------------
> While it might seem logical, I'd be surprised -- for two reasons.  First, the
> cost to start-up a D-I hockey program is immense, with no guarantee that
> revenue will float the programs for at least the first several years.  More
> importantly, Title IX would require a more-or-less equal investment in women's
> athletics, with no revenue help at all.  Most of the Big 10 schools are barely
> in compliance as it is.  Adding men's hockey would tip the scales too far.
>
> --Steve Roth
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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