>                                                     we draw more fans than
> all but Minnesota
 
I think Wisconsin draws better than UNO as well.
 
> Here in Omaha, we just want to hear something from the WCHA. I think their
> silence is killing them more than it would if they came out and said
> something, ANYTHING, even if it was bad news. They're being kind of
> indifferent to us, acting like we're not even around almost, and that's the
> 100% wrong thing to do to Omaha.
 
Nothing much has been reported in the Madison papers about either UNO or
Mankato. You are probably closer to the situation, so I'd like to know
what has been reported in your papers to justify labeling the WCHA as
silent on UNO.
 
I know that UNO has been talked about a lot by various people around the
WCHA. I know that the WCHA did not make any promises. I am sure that the
WCHA and the various WCHA coaches and schools are open to discussion --
it has been my impression that the WCHA likes to deal with these things
after the season, and probably has not felt that there was anything more
to say at this time -- after all, UNO is (was) in the middle of their
first season.
 
I am in favor of bringing UNO into the WCHA, and doing so "early" (of
course, I don't get a vote -- just an opinion!).
 
From what I've heard and read in the papers, these are some of the
issues (in no particular order):
 
    1) Some of the recent additions to the WCHA had to wait, and there
       is some feeling of "we had to, why should they get a break?"
       Of course, college hockey has changed, and being an independent
       is even less viable than it used to be.
 
    2) There is genuine concern about scheduling. How many teams will be
       in the league? How will the schedule be structured? While it
       isn't the worst thing in the world, the current unbalanced
       schedule is not the best thing either. Adding two teams makes it
       worse, unless the league splits into divisions, which is even
       more radical.
 
       Add to that the other names that keep popping up as potentials
       (Bemidji, North Dakota State, UNLV, and oh yeah, what about
       Alaska Fairbanks?), and you can see there are some serious
       concerns.
 
    3) Money. Several of the WCHA schools depend on hockey revenue, and
       are (or were) afraid of losing ticket sales for home games
       against Mankato and UNO instead of (for example) Wisconsin,
       Minnesota, North Dakota.... When the WCHA and Hockey East had an
       interlocking schedule, attendence for the HE games at the WCHA
       schools was terrible.
 
I've heard speculation that some in the WCHA wish that UNO and Mankato
were in opposite positions -- they think UNO is a better fit, but
Mankato is in line first, so its a problem.
 
I hope everything works out.
 
        --david
 
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