The rest of the year in the CCHA
 
Given the losses by the leading teams in the league, I think it will be a
very entertaining season, and a lot of fun to watch unfold.  I think it
is also great for college hockey across the board.
 
Hockey in general is getting more popular south of the Canadian border.
Americans are used to looking at the college ranks to see future pro
stars in other sports.  With the exception of baseball, Americans are
used to watching the pro game and seeing what college the player came
from.  With so many people starting to explore world of hockey, it
follows that they are then looking to see what the college game is like.
Seeing a classic dog-fight for the league title among several outstanding
teams can only serve to bring in and retain new hockey fans.  From that
everything from D-1 expansion, to an increase in the talent pool will depend.
 
Speaking of expansion.....
 
People see teams like OSU, MSU, UM, along with other Big Ten schools and
wonder when they are going to make their own conference.  I don't think
they ever will, regardless if all Big Ten schools did finally get D-1
teams.  Right now their are Big Ten teams contending to win the title in
two different leagues.  If the Big Ten were to consolidate into one
league, that would lessen their collective impact.  Only one school could
lay claim to being the best.  And you would wind up with a few teams that
would be bottom feeders, just as you have in any league.  The Big Ten
schools would wind up doing exactly what they have done in football to an
extent.  That is lessen their overall impact on the sport, by beating
each other up all season.  They may have a lot of great teams, but they
wind up eliminating each others chances at national championships by
playing each other.
 
The key to all of this is that hockey is not any of the other big
sports.  Figuratively speaking it is a "new world."   The great thing
about college hockey is that it is really an entirely different animal
than college football, or basketball.  Traditional sports powers, often
are not great hockey schools.  College hockey is a game where small and
or remotely located schools can and do stand toe to toe with the most
well known sports powers.  When I talk to other hockey fans and say I go
to Bowling Green, I don't get asked if that's in Kentucky.  I get a good
laugh when prospective students I take on tours of BG ask if Ohio State
is good at hockey.  (granted I don't laugh as hard after weekends like
this past one).
 
I think we are going to see a lot of schools join D-1.  I think it will
happen faster than most expect, regardless of Title 9.  I believe it will
happen because hockey is being looked at, as the last and possibly only
chance, for some schools to compete on a national level. (in one of the
BIG FOUR sports)
 
It is still possible for schools to get in on the "entry" level of
hockey.  A lot of schools would rather be able to brag to alumni about
being a national power in Hockey, than Lacrosse, or Rugby, or other
sports.  I work with alumni at BG, and we get more questions about how
the hockey team is doing, than we ever get about our football team (which
isn't all that bad either).
 
Frankly hockey teams don't have 98 man rosters, and the costs that go
along with football teams.  A school can better justify building an ice
arena that community high schools and public can pay to use when the
varsity team isn't, than a 54 million dollar football stadium like
Marshall U. just built.  Some smaller schools are also closer to title 9
compliance than a lot of the major athletic schools, and as such don't
have the same level of concern.  Marshall for example has full T-9
compliance if I read correctly.  There are also a lot of women's hockey
teams emerging, but that's another story.
 
I think that a lot of these future D-1 schools also have recognized
mistakes made in other sports.  They know that they can't simply create a
team and play.  They have to do it properly if they are going to
succeed.  As such they will develop their programs on solid foundations,
and with patience that isn't seen in other sports.
 
Nathan W.L. Boyle
 
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