Nebraska-Omaha Votes to Move to Division 1

[superman7515]

But must drop football and wrestling to do it. xsmhx

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/03/25/nebraska-omaha.ap/index.html


LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- The University of Nebraska at Omaha is going to NCAA Division I, leaving more than a few broken hearts in its wake.

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted unanimously Friday to approve the school's move to the Summit League this fall. As part of the move, the school will eliminate its 100-year-old football program and a powerhouse wrestling program that has won six of the last eight Division II national championships.

After 90 minutes of emotional testimony from 28 people, several regents noted that they would cast their votes with mixed emotions because of the ramifications for the student-athletes and coaches who are losing their programs.

Athletic director Trev Alberts has said the two sports must be dropped to accommodate the conference switch and shore up the athletic department budget.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

But must drop football and wrestling to do it. xsmhx

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/03/25/nebraska-omaha.ap/index.html

Dear Nebraska-Omaha,

Congratulations, your athletics program is to the state of Nebraska what ETSU is to the state of Tennessee. To be fair to ETSU, at least ETSU had enough sense to not start a DI hockey program.

[Twentysix]

Fine with me, its a great excuse to head to omaha. Really nice city. Though i would rather go for a football game, or a basketball game against creighton.

[ccd494]

Dear Nebraska-Omaha,

Congratulations, your athletics program is to the state of Nebraska what ETSU is to the state of Tennessee. To be fair to ETSU, at least ETSU had enough sense to not start a DI hockey program.

Because sponsoring a sport that draws an average of 8,000 per game, over the course of 20 games, to your arena is a dumb decision.

Because sponsoring a sport where you can participate against Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, etc. on a level playing field is a dumb decision.

Because sponsoring a sport where you can play at the highest level and not the "that's adorable that you are trying" level is a dumb decision.

UNO football would have to average 20,000 fans over the course of an 8 game home schedule to have as many eyes on their product as UNO hockey gets. Neither would happen. If UNO football wanted to play Michigan or Minnesota, they would be walking into a road stadium with 20 fewer scholarships and a prayer. When UNO hockey walks into the Kohl Center in Madison, it has the expectation of winning. When UNO hockey goes to the NCAA tournament, they play Michigan. If UNO football went to the national tournament, their fans would need an atlas to figure out where the school they are playing is from.

As much as fans on this board romanticize FCS football, we are all here because our administrations made a conscious choice to be small time. With the exception of Montana and their money tree in Missoula, every FCS football program that has received a credible offer to move to a BCS conference has moved. Heck, lots of FCS programs WITHOUT a credible BCS offer have moved to the BCS. We can talk all we want about the purity of the playoff system vs. the bowl system, or the academic integrity of the Patriot or Ivy Leagues, or what have you, but at the end of the day, there is a higher level of collegiate football out there.

Is hockey as "big time" a sport as college football? No. The ceiling is lower, but the ceiling is attainable for a UNO, or a Maine, or a Yale, or a Colgate. (Note: not for a New Hampshire). You can make money playing D-I hockey (UNO needs to figure out basic math in signing leases, but they can too). You can get on ESPN and television just as much as you can playing FCS football. And you can do all of that with about 40 fewer scholarships, as well as a feeling that you are the best when you win the national title. Not the best, BUT those teams in the SEC. But the best, period.

[ccd494]

Please read above with "FBS" instead of "BCS." Thank you.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

Because sponsoring a sport that draws an average of 8,000 per game, over the course of 20 games, to your arena is a dumb decision.

Because sponsoring a sport where you can participate against Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, etc. on a level playing field is a dumb decision.

Because sponsoring a sport where you can play at the highest level and not the "that's adorable that you are trying" level is a dumb decision.

UNO football would have to average 20,000 fans over the course of an 8 game home schedule to have as many eyes on their product as UNO hockey gets. Neither would happen. If UNO football wanted to play Michigan or Minnesota, they would be walking into a road stadium with 20 fewer scholarships and a prayer. When UNO hockey walks into the Kohl Center in Madison, it has the expectation of winning. When UNO hockey goes to the NCAA tournament, they play Michigan. If UNO football went to the national tournament, their fans would need an atlas to figure out where the school they are playing is from.

As much as fans on this board romanticize FCS football, we are all here because our administrations made a conscious choice to be small time. With the exception of Montana and their money tree in Missoula, every FCS football program that has received a credible offer to move to a BCS conference has moved. Heck, lots of FCS programs WITHOUT a credible BCS offer have moved to the BCS. We can talk all we want about the purity of the playoff system vs. the bowl system, or the academic integrity of the Patriot or Ivy Leagues, or what have you, but at the end of the day, there is a higher level of collegiate football out there.

Is hockey as "big time" a sport as college football? No. The ceiling is lower, but the ceiling is attainable for a UNO, or a Maine, or a Yale, or a Colgate. (Note: not for a New Hampshire). You can make money playing D-I hockey (UNO needs to figure out basic math in signing leases, but they can too). You can get on ESPN and television just as much as you can playing FCS football. And you can do all of that with about 40 fewer scholarships, as well as a feeling that you are the best when you win the national title. Not the best, BUT those teams in the SEC. But the best, period.

I concur. I also have another question for those who follow schools that have DI hockey/wrestling programs. What is the average budget for a DI hockey relative to a DI (FCS) football program? DI wrestling program? Maybe if Nebraska-Omaha cut hockey (the only school in all of Nebraska to have one), my guess is their storied wrestling and football programs could have been spared.

[Tim James]

Strange that a school in Nebraska would choose hockey over football. Hockey gets better attendance and makes more money but they dont have much of a local base to recruit from and football IS Nebraska.

[ccd494]

Strange that a school in Nebraska would choose hockey over football. Hockey gets better attendance and makes more money but they dont have much of a local base to recruit from and football IS Nebraska.

Hockey recruiting is a completely different animal than football recruiting. There are maybe ten high schools, nationwide, where you can jump straight to division I. All of them are either in Minnesota or Massachusetts. The majority of DI hockey players will come from one of three US-based junior leagues (the EJHL spanning from New England to NJ/PA, the USHL in the upper midwest with a franchise in Omaha, and the NAHL, which goes from the midwest, down to Texas, up to Alaska) or a few Canadian junior leagues.

Other than BC's lockdown on the best Mass. preps, and Minnesota's choice of MN Mr. Hockey winners, everyone has a pretty equal shot at the best kids. With Omaha's facilities, great coach (Blais won two NCAA titles at NoDak), institutional commitment, there's no reason they can't go toe-to-toe with anyone in recruiting. UNO focuses pretty clearly on getting the best USHL kids- and they are doing it well.

People equate Nebraska with football, but there's plenty of hockey interest. Lincoln's USHL franchise averages 3750+/game, tops in the league. Omaha isn't far behind at a bit over 3000. Kearney, NE's team is just under 2500. The backgrounds of these kids are pretty diverse, a decade ago every player would have been from New England, the upper midwest or Canada. Now, teams are littered with Arizonans, Texans, Floridians, Missourians, etc.

It's the same argument, did UNO want to be second fiddle to UNL with a football team a division lower, or did UNO want to be the premier hockey program in a state with an appetite for hockey?

[TheValleyRaider]

It's the same argument, did UNO want to be second fiddle to UNL with a football team a division lower, or did UNO want to be the premier hockey program in a state with an appetite for hockey?

Or, was the state legislature likely filled with UNL alums willing to put any money towards increasing UNO's football budget?

Not trying to sound conspiratorial, but the state government is probably dominated by Husker alums who aren't interested in funding too much competition

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

Here's the next question, if hockey is growing in the state of Nebraska, how come UNL does not have among its 20+ athletic teams, a hockey team?

[darell1976]

Because sponsoring a sport that draws an average of 8,000 per game, over the course of 20 games, to your arena is a dumb decision.

Because sponsoring a sport where you can participate against Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, etc. on a level playing field is a dumb decision.

Because sponsoring a sport where you can play at the highest level and not the "that's adorable that you are trying" level is a dumb decision.

UNO football would have to average 20,000 fans over the course of an 8 game home schedule to have as many eyes on their product as UNO hockey gets. Neither would happen. If UNO football wanted to play Michigan or Minnesota, they would be walking into a road stadium with 20 fewer scholarships and a prayer. When UNO hockey walks into the Kohl Center in Madison, it has the expectation of winning. When UNO hockey goes to the NCAA tournament, they play Michigan. If UNO football went to the national tournament, their fans would need an atlas to figure out where the school they are playing is from.

As much as fans on this board romanticize FCS football, we are all here because our administrations made a conscious choice to be small time. With the exception of Montana and their money tree in Missoula, every FCS football program that has received a credible offer to move to a BCS conference has moved. Heck, lots of FCS programs WITHOUT a credible BCS offer have moved to the BCS. We can talk all we want about the purity of the playoff system vs. the bowl system, or the academic integrity of the Patriot or Ivy Leagues, or what have you, but at the end of the day, there is a higher level of collegiate football out there.

Is hockey as "big time" a sport as college football? No. The ceiling is lower, but the ceiling is attainable for a UNO, or a Maine, or a Yale, or a Colgate. (Note: not for a New Hampshire). You can make money playing D-I hockey (UNO needs to figure out basic math in signing leases, but they can too). You can get on ESPN and television just as much as you can playing FCS football. And you can do all of that with about 40 fewer scholarships, as well as a feeling that you are the best when you win the national title. Not the best, BUT those teams in the SEC. But the best, period.

Well said.xsmileyclapx

[ccd494]

Here's the next question, if hockey is growing in the state of Nebraska, how come UNL does not have among its 20+ athletic teams, a hockey team?

There are high startup costs. You need a facility. You need to add an equivalent number of women's scholarships (usually in the form of a women's hockey program). A lot of schools have entrenched football or basketball coaches that are dead set against sharing the limelight.

Penn State is pretty instructional in this. They had the best club team in the nation for years, but they built a new basketball arena without ice. Word was that JoePa didn't want a hockey team playing on Friday and Saturday nights in October and November. Then, a donor stepped up to fund a new arena and all the necessary scholarships (to the tune of $88M). Now, Penn State is starting a hockey program and the Big 10 is going to sponsor the sport.

That $88M figure is probably about par for the course if you were going to start a competitive D-I program from scratch, today. UNO already has somewhere to play, and UNO is already funding the scholarships. UNL has neither. As much money as UNL makes on football, I sincerely doubt there is an unallocated $88M just sitting in a bank account somewhere. UNL is building a new basketball arena, I don't know if they will have ice capabilities. If they do, it's probably just a matter of time and the economy turning around, especially since UNL is joining the Big 10 which is starting a six team league. If they aren't going to have ice, it's a non-starter unless they get a major donor who really wants the Huskers to sponsor the sport.

[darell1976]

There are high startup costs. You need a facility. You need to add an equivalent number of women's scholarships (usually in the form of a women's hockey program). A lot of schools have entrenched football or basketball coaches that are dead set against sharing the limelight.

Penn State is pretty instructional in this. They had the best club team in the nation for years, but they built a new basketball arena without ice. Word was that JoePa didn't want a hockey team playing on Friday and Saturday nights in October and November. Then, a donor stepped up to fund a new arena and all the necessary scholarships (to the tune of $88M). Now, Penn State is starting a hockey program and the Big 10 is going to sponsor the sport.

That $88M figure is probably about par for the course if you were going to start a competitive D-I program from scratch, today. UNO already has somewhere to play, and UNO is already funding the scholarships. UNL has neither. As much money as UNL makes on football, I sincerely doubt there is an unallocated $88M just sitting in a bank account somewhere. UNL is building a new basketball arena, I don't know if they will have ice capabilities. If they do, it's probably just a matter of time and the economy turning around, especially since UNL is joining the Big 10 which is starting a six team league. If they aren't going to have ice, it's a non-starter unless they get a major donor who really wants the Huskers to sponsor the sport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebraska%E2%80%93Omaha_Mavericks_men's_ice_hockey# WCHA_Years_.282010.E2.80.93present.29



The school currently has a lease at the Qwest Center through the 2012–13 season. Athletic Director Trev Alberts has been drumming up support for a new arena because of the unfavorable lease at the Qwest Center; the school lost $150,000 as part of the deal in 2008–09 after turning a $1,000,000 profit in its last year at the Civic Auditorium in 2002–03. Rumors have circulated that UNO plans to build an on-campus arena that seats between 7,000 and 8,000 fans. At the WCHA preseason media day in October 2010, coach Dean Blais told media members that the school hoped to break ground on an on-campus arena at some point in 2011.

[ccd494]

Update on UNO's arena: http://www.omaha.com/article/20121014/NEWS/710149936/1685

Interesting points:

-Will seat 7,500, which is actually under what UNO averages in the Qwest, but is greater than the tickets sold number.
-UNO hockey accounts for 92% of UNO's athletic revenues.
-Will be built on campus, adjacent to the dorms (good for student turnout)
-No taxpayer funds, supposedly (I always take those claims with a grain of salt, because how do you define taxpayer funds?)

[darell1976]

Update on UNO's arena: http://www.omaha.com/article/20121014/NEWS/710149936/1685

Interesting points:

-Will seat 7,500, which is actually under what UNO averages in the Qwest, but is greater than the tickets sold number.
-UNO hockey accounts for 92% of UNO's athletic revenues.
-Will be built on campus, adjacent to the dorms (good for student turnout)
-No taxpayer funds, supposedly (I always take those claims with a grain of salt, because how do you define taxpayer funds?)

UND plays UNO in an outdoor hockey game this winter at TD Ameritrade Park.

[Gil Dobie]

That's a long way from the original campus, but UNO has always been generalized as a commuter school with all the people from the Air Force base that attend classes.