It seems that both regionality and the lack of college hockey gambling
have caused college hockey to be a second class sport compared to college
basketball or college football. There is a small group of college hockey
diehards that follow the sport plus college student fans. Right now hockey
programs are more like College Lacrosse/golf/Rowing, etc. Regional w/o
gambling.
 
College hockey is big but not in the top TV markets - NYC, LA, etc.
So major networks don't touch them and regional pickup becomes a whim
of the local/regional nets/stations - not a very planned experience.
 
The one advantage to college hockey fans is that playoff games can be
attended if you lucky to be within driving distance. I look forward
to these to see the good teams play. The matchups are great as witness
the number of games that are decided in OT.
 
If college hockey would be more popular I would never be able to attend
at a reasonable price. I would have to be content to watch them on TV.
 
William Krebs