• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
College Hockey
NCHC

NCHC Hockey: Fenton, “We’re very happy where we stand today”

By Eric Burton April 25th, 2014

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp
NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton (NCHC Image)

NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton (NCHC Image)

I sat down with Josh Fenton to get his take on the state of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference following the inaugural season. I asked him about his thoughts on the first season and about the rumors of further realignment that have surfaced recently.

Eric Burton, the Hockey Writers: What’s the state of the conference?

Josh Fenton, Commissioner National Collegiate Hockey Coherence: We’re happy with where we stand right now. We had a good, successful inaugural season. Doing everything for the first time takes a little bit longer, because it’s the first time. We’ve kind of learned along the way, two or three tweaks to do next year, to better our process. We’re very happy where we stand today.

EB: For the most part the conference tournament appeared to go off without a hitch, except maybe for the ice conditions. But I would imagine that the conference is addressing that and some other issues?

JF: All in all, it was good first start with our conference tournament. We certainly aren’t going to rest on what we created this year, and think it’s sufficient for future years. We need to work to make it better, and enhance it in the future.

There are really two things that guide our decision making and our thought process as it relates to the conference as a whole. Certainly the conference tourney is a big part of it.

First one is the student experience. What kind of experience are our students having in the conference? Is it a good experience? Is it not a good experience? The NCHC has a student athlete adviser group that we communicate with periodically. They can give us feedback in terms of the experience that student athletes have as member institutions, and as members of the conference.

Second one is the fan experience. What kind of a fan experience do we have for our fans during the regular season? What type of experience do we have for our fans during the post season?

It’s how we engage our fans, through social media, through our website. We run different and unique promotions. Visibility and the exposure of the conference; whether it’s through television or other means that we can provide for our fans to follow, and watch our member institutions. We want to be able to do that.

At the end of the year, in particular with the Frozen Faceoff, we want to create an immense experience that goes above and beyond the hockey games that occur on the weekend. I think we did a good step forward in that this year. The fan experience and the student experience are two of the things that ground our decision making.

EB: Where do you see this league in three to five years?

JF: We need to be able to enhance revenue streams, primarily through the conference tournament with ticket sales, sponsorship engagements, and then look for different or new revue streams. The financial operations of the conference are supported largely with what happens that year with our conference tournament. Just the financial structure and the ability to drive revenue are certainly important for the conference.

EB: Are you looking to add new members to the NCHC in three to five years?

JF: Membership for us, right now, is focused around the eight member institutions that we have. We have a lot of work to do in our inaugural year to just kind of get ourselves up and off the ground, and provide a great experience for students and fans at our member institutions, as a whole. We were really focused on the eight member institutions that we have. That still remains our focus today. On adding a member in the future, you must look at what value does that add to the membership as a whole?

Any discussion of membership or landscape changes always reverts back to what do we need to add value to the conference? Do things or changes that come in the future add that value to the conference? Right now we don’t have any certainly specific answers or things that we’re looking to do in relation to membership. It’s my job to keep my ear to the rail, so to speak, to see what’s happening nationally, what might be out there and what other institutions are thinking, and what other conferences are thinking about their alignment.  It’s my job to report what I hear and know back to our board and our members.

EB: Thanks for chatting with me today.

JF: No problem. If you need anything else, feel free to call me.

 

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 26th 1:55 PM
Anaheim Ducks

NHL Rumors: Blue Jackets, Jets, Ducks, Canadiens, More

Jan 26th 1:35 PM
Nashville Predators

Predators Need to Fix the Penalty Kill

Jan 26th 1:25 PM
Previews and Predictions

Capitals’ Keys to Success in Revenge Games Versus Islanders

Jan 26th 1:16 PM
Archives

Wayne Gretzky – The Great One’s 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Jan 26th 12:15 PM
NHL Expansion

Kraken Expansion Draft Targets on Maple Leafs Roster

Jan 26th 12:05 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Oilers’ Yamamoto Off to Strong Start in 2020-21

Jan 26th 11:55 AM
Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche Weekly: A Slow Start From Depth Forwards

Jan 26th 11:45 AM
Boston Bruins

Bruins’ Fourth Line Needs to Be Part of Winning Formula

Jan 26th 11:35 AM
Calgary Flames

Flames’ Tkachuk Not At Fault in Latest Controversy Despite Reputation

Jan 26th 11:25 AM
NHL Goaltending

Wild’s Backup Goaltender Kahkonen Stands Tall

Editor’s Picks
Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information