I'm not sure what "smaller schools" means???  Are non-Big-10 schools
considered "small schools"?  Not in general, in my mind.
  Name the "small schools" that are now in the CCHA, ECAC, HE and WCHA.
  Also take a look at the Big-10 schedules in other sports.  MSU among
the others have non-Big-10 schools on their schedules -are these
classified and "large schools"? - in football, basketball, wrestling,
swimming, among others - are these not considered direct competition?
 
  I really don't understand the concern.  The Big 10 schools will still
have to play the same teams as now - there are only 5 big 10 hockey
programs at the varsity level - which is not enough to form an
"exclusive" conference - and I'm not sure which other schools ar3
(Big 10, that is) are ready to launch a varsity hockey program -
Title IX problems being what they are.
  One other aspect has to do with schools that are starting varsity
programs - there have been quite a number of the past several years
(not too long ago there were only 2 (two) conferences and even now
there is a lot of complaint on hockey-l about lack of intersectional
play.
 
  ???
 
-glen-
 
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