What a New NCAA President Could Mean for College Hockey

If you follow college sports, you know that current NCAA President Mark Emmert will be stepping down next March. You probably didn’t expect current but soon-to-be-retired Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to be named their new president.

The NCAA is in the midst of many changes. In addition to the new NIL regulations (those that allow student-athletes to earn endorsements), there are new television contracts to negotiate, regulatory matters to deal with and the NCAA’s previously announced “Division I Change Committee“committee.

What does this mean for American college hockey?

When it comes to non-NHL, non-professional hockey, Canada’s major junior leagues always get the lion’s share of attention, unlike the NCAA. That’s understandable since most draft-eligible players are in those leagues and not at an NCAA school.

College hockey also remains a regional attraction and pales in comparison to other college sports such as basketball and football.

For example, TurnkeyZRG President Len Purna helped the NCAA search for the next president and listed “could dunk a basketball” as one of the qualifications, and I don’t think they were kidding.

The NCAA will soon have a new president.

With college hockey being a regional draw, hiring Baker raises an interesting thought.

Massachusetts is one of the hottest markets in college hockey. The “Bean Pot,” a tournament between all four college hockey teams in the Boston area, is one of the sport’s most famous traditions.

As governor of Massachusetts, Baker had a front-row seat to his love of college hockey, but it’s worth noting that he was a basketball player, not a hockey player, at Harvard.

Of the past eight NCAA presidents, including the interim, only two even made brief stops at a school with a Division I hockey program during their administrative careers.

Current president Mark Emmert was non-athletic at the University of Connecticut from 1995-1999. Former president Dick Schultz served as Cornell’s athletic director from 1976-1981.

When it comes to NIL deals, college hockey is expected to remain a minor player. College Hockey News published a great article last year about the relative uncertainty of how college hockey will play out in the NIL market.

The assistant professor at Oklahoma State University predicted small, regional deals. Dunkin’ recently signed 23 student-athletes, including men’s and women’s hockey, so Charlie Baker’s Beantown heart must be proud.

Minnesota-Duluth athletic director Josh Berlo explained that he was already seeing players at his school take NIL contracts, with female hockey players earning more than their male counterparts.

It’s an interesting trend that I dug a little deeper into. Other female college athletes in other sports are making news for doing the same (ever heard of Olivia Dunne?).

In November, the sports nutrition company Bio-Steel announced a collaboration with four female college hockey players.

Last summer, the Florida Panthers announced their plan to partner with South Florida college athletes in NIL contracts, specifically mentioning how they wanted to include female athletes.

Women’s hockey ranked in the top ten for NIL contracts last year with 1.2 percent of the sport’s total compensation. Men’s hockey didn’t even make the list.

The NCAA’s media rights deal with ESPN expires in August 2024. There’s been talk that women’s basketball could try to earn its own separate deal instead of the NCAA selling off all of its sports as one big package, but could the same be true for hockey?

Anyone who watches NHL hockey knows that some sports channels pay more attention and care about hockey than others. Perhaps while some companies are fighting for the rights to NCAA football and basketball, another company can contract and focus on hockey.

On the other hand, with current rights holder ESPN recently signing a major broadcast deal with the NHL, perhaps they will invest in college hockey as well.

College sports is at a crossroads, and news of Baker’s hiring could be a seismic shift in the way things are done. The NCAA wants to improve their product, add some clarity to the massive expansion of NIL contracts, and find a way to continue earning that television revenue. Let’s hope that things in university hockey will change for the better.