WCHA: Intrigue mounts over UNO
Posted on June 25th, 2009 – 5:33 PMBy Roman Augustoviz
Trev Alberts, the AD at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, said recently that the WCHA’s interest in adding UNO may be lessening.
Bruce McLeod, commish of the WCHA, said he may have something to say about expansion as soon as Friday.
WCHA athletic directors talked — reportedly for a long time — on a teleconference call on Wednesday.
So what is happening: Maybe posturing. McLeod reportedly has some leeway on what kind of deal the WCHA can cut with UNO.
Alberts has said UNO is interested in switching from the CCHA only under certain conditions.
So what is being negotiated? The entry fee to join the WCHA and playoff revenue.
Minnesota State Mankato, when it joined the league, had to pay the WCHA $120,000 in three annual $40,000 installments. During those three years, the MSU Mavericks also did not get a share of the playoff revenue.
The split this year was about $90,000 per team.
The UNO Mavericks probably want a sweeter money deal than that to jump from the CCHA.
Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi is the chair of the WCHA’s structure and executive committee. He said the expansion focus right now is forming a general consensus on the direction to go.
That’s actually a must. Eight of the 10 WCHA schools have to approve expansion.
“No final votes have been taken,” Maturi said, “but we’ve had many discussions.”
Bemidji State has applied to join the WCHA, but the conference at its April meetings in Florida decided to wait on an expansion vote until a 12th possible team came forward.
UNO and Alaska-Fairbanks have emerged as the two likeliest possibilities. Both are CCHA teams.
Maturi said he expects the ADs to make a recommendation soon on expansion, maybe within days.
I think UNO, especially with Dean Blais as its head coach, will still be the 12th team, but Alaska-Fairbanks is not out of the realm of possibility.
Everybody agrees on one thing. They want a decision by August.
