Sid's points are good ones, but I do not see the conferences merging at any
time in the near future.  The rifts that remain between them are deep and
wide, even though we have seen a thawing of the cold war with the recent
increase in nonconference games between teams from HE & the ECAC.  For
some time, HE and ECAC teams would even refuse to play each other.  At least
this is not the case now.
 
But there are still several key philosophical and structural disagreements
that will keep the leagues apart for a while, IMO.  The main ones are the
academic index and the 30-game limit.  In addition, HE is flourishing with
its NESN tv contract, and I doubt it wants to have the money from that deal
split among 20 teams instead of 8.  It is easier to market the league both
to NESN and to potential advertisers/sponsors when they can present it as
a New England-oriented league; the ECAC being spread out as much as it is
has hindered it from getting its own widespread tv contract.
 
I think the best we can hope for is to see the early-season nonconference
games between teams from the two leagues, but even these are going to be
reduced next season when HE teams add three more league games.
 
But, remembering the WCHA-HE interlocking schedule of 1984-89, I would
suggest some similar deal between the ECAC & HE.  Make the nonconference
games count in the standings.  This would require two things: 1) HE would
have to cut back its league schedule, which it is reluctant to do since those
games draw much better than even HE-ECAC games, and 2) the ECAC and Ivies
would have to get rid of their self-imposed 26/30-game limits, which they
are reluctant to do.
 
 
- mike