WCHA Commissioner Confirms Exploring Conference TV Net
Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Commissioner Bruce McLeod confirmed conference officials are "relatively early in the process but are investigating a WCHA television network," according to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. The league has "had talks with several cable companies, including Comcast, Charter and Mediacom.'' McLeod: "We are not going to produce anything until we are sure about the carriage and what level the channel would be carried on." Zulgad noted operators "certainly would look to put the potential upstart on a sports tier, meaning anyone who wanted it could subscribe for a fee." McLeod added that initial discussions "haven't necessarily involved a 24-hour channel but rather one that carries men's and women's games and perhaps some other ancillary programming" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/4).
LEFT WING: The STAR TRIBUNE's Zulgad, in a separate piece, reported McLeod is "optimistic about the NHL's willingness to work with college hockey to address the concern about the growing number of players who sign professional contracts before their eligibility has expired." McLeod believed that a "positive step was taken" at April's American Hockey Coaches Association convention in Naples, Florida, when NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and NHLPA Exec Dir Paul Kelly met with the group. McLeod: "We have some different ideas but not a consensus. We hope later in the summer to get everybody in the same room and discuss this." McLeod added that the target for resolving the issue is "in early August, when a meeting will be held in Detroit." McLeod and his colleagues "aren't necessarily upset about NHL clubs that sign players and keep them on the roster," rather their concern is "when players are sent to the minor leagues." Zulgad noted college hockey officials would "like to see deterrents" wherein college hockey could be "compensated if a player does not stick in the NHL, and ... restrictions as to when players can and can't sign." Some of the ideas to help the college game include NHL teams "losing a draft choice if a player is signed but then demoted or some type of monetary reimbursement that could go to an organization such as USA Hockey" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/4).
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