Nobody cares about hockey while a team of kids that haven't enrolled in college yet (Fargo Force) outdraw Bison Basketball 4 to 1. Yeah I have to respectively disagree with that statement
Fargo is a hockey town, hosts squirt international, has some of the highest participation rates in the country and has elite level facilities for youth hockey
We have no chance to ever be competitive in basketball again nor does anyone in the summit league. The region is flush with talent. Hockey would be successful within 5 years
We would pack Scheels Arena day 1 until we can build our own arena and it wouldn't take away from football. Different audience that is untapped. If we start hockey I bet wr could even get public support for a new duel purpose hockey/basketball arena. Maybe even attached to the Fargodome
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No to hockey. ND is already spread too thin as a state in this new D1 era, and susie has to compete with the B1G now, plus the portal. Not going super great in case you haven’t been paying attention (which would be ironic since you’re pushing D1 Bison hockey)
Like 92 says, use the money to elevate men’s BB and try to climb. I think you underestimate the loyalty of the state to the UND hockey brand, and there is no external value in trying to create a 2nd whole new brand to compete with it internally (although admittedly, it is a better brand)
It would be an epic fail by the state, the NDUS, and NDSU for Bison FB to not be at the 2nd level if there’s a split, so no reason to go there now. Let's see what happens
The solution is out there. With the MWC still stiff arming the PAC-2 for a PAC-12 revival...Oregon St. and Wash St. should start the next G5 Conference.
Invite:
Montana
Montana St.
SDSU
NDSU
Wyoming (buyout)
Boise St. (buyout)
UND
USD
Gives you solid state-sponsored schools with a full slate of athletics. Conference would be immediately competitive with other G5 conference for football and hoops bids. Decent travel (considering other conference footprints). Solid war chest from PAC-12 conference.
Frankly, do WasSU and OrSU look more like:
- USC and UCLA, or
- ColoSt and Nevada
The PAC12 dissolution exposed what WasSU and OrSU really are: G5s.
Agree with you that they would see this as a "step down"...unfortunately. I don't see a path forward for them unless they submit to the MWC entirely. This would give them autonomy and (I would assume, some measure of control). At some point, common sense needs to re-enter the conversation.
I don't care what Jim says. That is not the real Ben Franklin. I'm 99% certain.