Pam Sweeney writes...
>Do people in the CCHA complain that Michigan has an unfair advantage
>if Notre Dame moves its home game against Michigan to Joe Louis??
 
I haven't heard anyone complain, albeit it is
advantageous for both teams.  In the scenario
above, Michigan reduces it's travel and gets
to play an extra "home" game in terms of
geography.  (UND would still be the home team,
wear home jerseys and get the last change, but
the crowd would be partisan UM.)
 
Notre Dame primarily benefits from the substantially
increased gate receipts, and secondarily from the
increased exposure.
 
Now, looking at Minnesota (as an example) moving
two home games versus UAF to Fairbanks, what
happens?  Do the Gophers wear home jerseys?
Do they get the last change?  Do they get the $$
from the game?  Pending answers to these questions,
I'd say the CCHA situation is different simply due to
the fact that the game is not being moved to the visiting
team's home (campus) rink.  (The same applies to
Minn-Duluth hosting Wisconsin at the Bradley Center.)
 
Of course, the REAL difference is that Notre Dame
does not get to play an extra game for hosting Michigan
at The Palace.  Hence, any change in venue to Alaska
is COMPLETELY different than the other examples.
The motives for the move and the benefits are substantially
different.  I don't see how the UND-Mich and UAA-Minn
examples can be equated.
 
 
John H
U Mich