An entire network devoted to college hockey??!!! Sweet.
Posted by Dave Weldon at 5/04/2008 10:34:00 PMAs more and more information comes out regarding the recent NCAA meetings in College Hockey, this by far is the coolest talks I have heard so far: "The WCHA is the latest college conference to explore getting into the television business."
An entire channel, devoted to hockey?!?!?! YES! Granted, this does not include our beloved Colonials, but still, this is the start of an important step in College Hockey. The WCHA is exploring the idea of creating a similar system to what the Big Ten Network developed about a year ago. The article in Star Tribune of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, sites that WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod is not going to be "a Big Ten thing," adding, "we are approaching it very differently."
Well, it will be different, it won't include football or basketball. Honestly, I don't see how they can be different, I do not currently subsribe to the Big Ten Network (thanks Comcast, jerks) but from what I hear, it is a 24 hour sports channel devoted to the Big Ten. If I am wrong, so what.
Whether the channel is different or follows a new trend (that has been created by the Big Ten), this is only besides the point; MORE EXPOSURE. If you are pissed or being selfish because this isn't "your conference," just hold onto your hat before you throw it down in digust, because this IS a great thing, IF it happens. As college hockey continues to grow, there needs to be more exposure for teams, not just an individual team that has the ability to sign a contract with their local FSN affiliate (Minnesota Gophers), but the whole sport.
With the NHL's exsposure growing this season, and attendence going up, college hockey will to begin to see a trick-down affect. A start up hockey network station will only lead to more networks being created around the country.
So, if you have spent time in reading this, start sending mass emails to your CHA reprsentative to get a CHA Network going...I'm serious.
You can read that article here
I really don't see how this WCHA channel would be anything more than a very regional network.