Many interesting comments on this subject. Let me add some from the Alaska perspective.
 
It is our understanding that the "NCAA schedule exemption" for teams playing in Alaska
has nothing, in particular, to do with hockey. Obviously, some kind of incentive was
needed for any Alaska college team to be even remotely considered as a part of the U.S.
-- i.e. for us to schedule and play "lower 48" teams. From a competitive (insufficient
teams or population to form our own league) and financial standpoint we certainly aren't
even competitive with a small suburb in a large US city. Thus, the "exemption" has been
very helpful in developing university level men and women sports (swimming, both types of
ski teams, basketball, and a few others) as well as several special tournaments.
 
The primary incentive for this exemption, I believe, came approximatley fifteen years ago
for the purpose of hosting a pre-season basketball tournament (Great Alaska Shootout). As
a result, we have had nearly all of the premier basketball teams here at one time or
another -- it was quite successful, and from that initiative we now understand that the
"exception rule" has grown to include all "off-shore" US States or Territories
(especially Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska). Thus, viewing the exception solely from a
hockey standpoint is rather narrrow and probably irrelevant, although the exception has
grown to become the most meaningful in that sport (due to conference associations). Note:
The Shootout now has it's own special set of rules, but this was the initiator that
generated the general NCAA exemption rule.
 
From another perspective, I would think that nearly everyone in Division I College Hockey
would like to see the sport grow and that's a product of marketing, money, and long term
strategy. In this respect, the WCHA and CCHA (with reluctance and with grateful
appreciation from Alaskans) are sacrificing in order to keep a couple of fledgling
programs alive. The ultimate goal would be to see a West Coast Conference formed, to see
us get over 50 Division I teams, and to become more of a nationwide sport. To achieve
that will require some inequities -- such as an unbalanced schedule. Also, the Holiday
and other "special" tournaments certainly benefit college hockey much more than playing
games in Alaska. Lastly, new arenas and dynamic programs cost money. Ideally, we may wish
for everything to be evenly balanced, but realistically we need to consider some
scheduling for marketing appeal, revenue, and exposure -- if the overall program is to
grow. Equality in college sports REQUIRES that those teams which can make money now need
to make much more in order to fund other programs. Thus, much greater emphasis is being
placed on maximizing revenue. Without the exception we, of course, would be dead.
 
In terms of raw money, we have been told that the "extra" two games means an additional
quarter of million dollars to the bigger schools. In our case, we get roughly another
$130,000 (extra set of home games both ways). Initially, we were told that one "price"
for admission to the WCHA was that we would pay the visiting team a fixed travel cost of
$20,000 per weekend. I'm not sure if that applies in the CCHA, but somehwere seem to have
heard that it doesn't and this has a partial effect on the way they schedule games (three
at a time). Likewise, our first year schedule was slightly dictated because some schools
simply didn't have the money to make the trip. This contributes to inbalances.
 
Many of the WCHA schools are small. As a thought, I wonder how long the bigger schools
would continue to play these smaller schools if the WCHA or NCAA totally ignored some of
the special needs of these schools -- i.e., some revenue considerations, opportunity for
hi-profile tournaments, cross-conference play, etc.
 
Lastly, we do miss what the "exception" allowed when we played as Independents. Namely,
most Alaskans are from somewhere in the "lower 48". Thus, we see a strong alumni presence
at many games and miss the opportunity to schedule teams from all over. Many of these
"alumni" groups made special efforts to "host" the teams when they came infrequently and
this uniqueness wanes with a conference schedule.
 
Hopefully, I have presented some information which makes both the NCAA "exception" and an
"unbalanced schedule" more acceptable to college hockey in general.
 
Lowell King (representing solely my own opinions and intrepretations)