Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

[sweatpants]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Back in 89/90, they played a scrimmage at the Beaver Dam HS with a autograph session and spaghetti dinner afterwards. The rink was packed. I have a stick with every autograph of every player and coach from that team, the eventual 1990 championship team, priceless.

They probably did that to help the Beaver Dam community pay for the new rink that they just built. I'm pretty sure 89' was when the building first opened. Kudos to them if that was the reason.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

I don't know when people will learn that junior and minor league hockey will never work in Madison. Madison had a USHL team in the early 90's and drew about 200 fans the last six seasons and eventually disbanded. The same fate happened with the Madison Monsters(4 years?), Kodiaks(1 year), and Ice Muskies(1 year). I believe same fate will happen to this new USHL team. If I were to put a USHL franchise somewhere in WI I would look into that Waukesha-Brookfield-Mequon area. Hockey is really growing in that area and I think they would get a ton of local support. There's also a ton of money in that area, but I'm not sure they have a rink big enough to support it.

Or the LaCrosse Center. I believe it holds 8,000 although they may already have some minor hockey there or did.

Madison is a Badger town. The vast (overwhelming?) majority of sports spending will always go to Badger sports.

I agree that a minor hockey team will fail here - just as they all have.

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Does anyone know where I can find old clips of Wisconsin Badgers hockey? This youtube channel has a bunch of stuff, but I can't find any broadcast footage from games at the Dane County Coliseum, apart from the water bottle incident. Heck, finding TV recordings of the 2006 championship on the internet is difficult compared to other years.

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Other than the aforementioned Party Pit ($25), Gamblers tickets range from $9-$17, with pretty good discounts for season tickets. http://www.gamblershockey.com/season-tickets

Cedar Rapids ranges from $13-23. Waterloo is $13-20. Indiana is $11-25. Omaha is $17-19.

As for LaCrosse, the building doesn't have ice. Managers have been approached several times but don't want to lose the dates the hockey team would take up (for practice and games). Doesn't make sense to me but it has been rejected. Wausau was close to building a rink a few years ago but it didn't happen.

I am not optimistic about the team in Madison either, but with the right management, promotion and price point, maybe it can work. The LaBahn idea is an interesting one - it's certainly a better sized building but I would imagine when it's available, the Kohl Center is being used - so perhaps not practical.

IIRC, baseball failed several times in Madison before the right combination was found in terms of league, prices, promotion, etc. The USHL has changed a bit since the Capitols left. Maybe it can work.

[Gandalf the Red]

Other than the aforementioned Party Pit ($25), Gamblers tickets range from $9-$17, with pretty good discounts for season tickets. http://www.gamblershockey.com/season-tickets

Cedar Rapids ranges from $13-23. Waterloo is $13-20. Indiana is $11-25. Omaha is $17-19.

As for LaCrosse, the building doesn't have ice. Managers have been approached several times but don't want to lose the dates the hockey team would take up (for practice and games). Doesn't make sense to me but it has been rejected. Wausau was close to building a rink a few years ago but it didn't happen.

I am not optimistic about the team in Madison either, but with the right management, promotion and price point, maybe it can work. The LaBahn idea is an interesting one - it's certainly a better sized building but I would imagine when it's available, the Kohl Center is being used - so perhaps not practical.

IIRC, baseball failed several times in Madison before the right combination was found in terms of league, prices, promotion, etc. The USHL has changed a bit since the Capitols left. Maybe it can work.

One of the biggest problems is that hockey fans are already busy on 10 or so weekends a season w/ Badger Hockey. I would probably go to their sunday/weekday games though or if a team full of Badger recruits were in town I would make a point of going. A couple years ago I went up to GB for GB vs Waterloo and I think there were 6 recruits in that game.

But you are completely right about baseball. The Madison Mallards are a huge success. Cheap ticket, a lot of beer, and good baseball.

[sweatpants]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Or the LaCrosse Center. I believe it holds 8,000 although they may already have some minor hockey there or did.

Madison is a Badger town. The vast (overwhelming?) majority of sports spending will always go to Badger sports.

I agree that a minor hockey team will fail here - just as they all have.

Great call on LaCrosse. It would seem like a great fit to support a team. Mid-size college town with a lively bar scene, 10K enrollment, and is one of the four WIAC schools that currently doesn't have a hockey team. Sell cheap beer and I could see it drawing well just on students alone. Too bad the managers aren't up for it like GB fan said.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Great call on LaCrosse. It would seem like a great fit to support a team. Mid-size college town with a lively bar scene, 10K enrollment, and is one of the four WIAC schools that currently doesn't have a hockey team. Sell cheap beer and I could see it drawing well just on students alone. Too bad the managers aren't up for it like GB fan said.

I lived there for several years and while I was there they had a CBA (?) basketball team (the old minor league) that played there and drew pretty well. I was actually there one night for a preseason Bucks game (NOTHING came to LaCrosse, so we went to some oddball things - beggars and choosers and all that) and Flip Saunders was sitting in front of me and was announced/introduced at halftime as the new Catbirds coach. He ended up doing pretty well for himself from that point on.

LaCrosse is not a hockey city though, or at least wasn't while I was there. Didn't even have summer ice - we had to go up to Winona or Rochester to play.

It's been 20 years since I've lived there though and maybe things have changed. Gotta think putting ice in would be a big expense and maybe they've done feasibility studies that tell them that they can't make a profit. In addition, I believe that place is used for conventions more than anything else and maybe it's just too booked and the ice would be a pain for that side of the business.

Much easier to just pull off a basketball floor. Who knows?

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

It's been 20 years since I've lived there though and maybe things have changed. Gotta think putting ice in would be a big expense and maybe they've done feasibility studies that tell them that they can't make a profit. In addition, I believe that place is used for conventions more than anything else and maybe it's just too booked and the ice would be a pain for that side of the business.

Much easier to just pull off a basketball floor. Who knows?

It has been several years, but as I recall the proposal from the owner of the USHL Sioux Falls team: He was going to pay for the ice installation. In return, he wanted (some or all) parking and concession revenues from the hockey games for a certain period of time (perhaps 4-5 years?). And, he wanted a guarantee of something like 25 of the 30 home games would be on Friday or Saturday. The arena would own the ice, and could rent it out for other events (i.e. hs hockey, open skating, Disney on Ice, and so on). And, after that time, those revenues would again go to the center. The rationale was the arena wasn't getting those revenues now (because there is no ice), so it wouldn't miss them but he wanted them initially to recoup his investment. However, the arena rejected the plans. It said it was too busy to offer those dates and needed the revenues to operate. As I said, it's been several years, so my memory may be a little off on some of the details. The upshot is, it seemed like a reasonable plan but the arena management couldn't fit a hockey team into its calendar.

There is another rink in the area - in Onalaska, where the NAHL's Coulee Region Chill play. Gamblers played a game there once, I recall. The Omni Center doesn't have the seating capacity for an USHL team, however. Could be a practice rink, however, if the LaX Center had other events on some days.

UWLaX used to have a varsity team. There still is a women's club team, IIRC.

[burd]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

I lived there for several years and while I was there they had a CBA (?) basketball team (the old minor league) that played there and drew pretty well. I was actually there one night for a preseason Bucks game (NOTHING came to LaCrosse, so we went to some oddball things - beggars and choosers and all that) and Flip Saunders was sitting in front of me and was announced/introduced at halftime as the new Catbirds coach. He ended up doing pretty well for himself from that point on.

LaCrosse is not a hockey city though, or at least wasn't while I was there. Didn't even have summer ice - we had to go up to Winona or Rochester to play.

It's been 20 years since I've lived there though and maybe things have changed. Gotta think putting ice in would be a big expense and maybe they've done feasibility studies that tell them that they can't make a profit. In addition, I believe that place is used for conventions more than anything else and maybe it's just too booked and the ice would be a pain for that side of the business.

Much easier to just pull off a basketball floor. Who knows?

Lived there too in the late 80s, and the Catbirds did very well at that time. Really something to see even old ladies got fired up about that team. They were good, which helped, but Lacrosse was very receptive. Could hockey grab that kind of attention even if the LaX Center had ice? Don't know. Onalaska has become a bit of a hockey town, and there aren't many shows in town to compete. LaX is a cool area to live in for its size. Not Madison, certainly, but good.

[DPlaya]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Lived there too in the late 80s, and the Catbirds did very well at that time. Really something to see even old ladies got fired up about that team. They were good, which helped, but Lacrosse was very receptive. Could hockey grab that kind of attention even if the LaX Center had ice? Don't know. Onalaska has become a bit of a hockey town, and there aren't many shows in town to compete. LaX is a cool area to live in for its size. Not Madison, certainly, but good.

I attended UW-LAX in the late 80's and early 90's and interned for the Catbirds. Flip Saunders was our coach and we won the CBA Championship one of the years I interned there. It was a really good time, to say the least.

Haven't heard they ever put ice in the La Crosse Center, but it's come up many times over the years as someone mentioned. Onalaska now has a NAHL franchise (Coulee Region Chill) which started last year, I think. I'm not sure how their attendance has been. I think the Onalaska rink is called the Omni Center.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

It has been several years, but as I recall the proposal from the owner of the USHL Sioux Falls team: He was going to pay for the ice installation. In return, he wanted (some or all) parking and concession revenues from the hockey games for a certain period of time (perhaps 4-5 years?). And, he wanted a guarantee of something like 25 of the 30 home games would be on Friday or Saturday. The arena would own the ice, and could rent it out for other events (i.e. hs hockey, open skating, Disney on Ice, and so on). And, after that time, those revenues would again go to the center. The rationale was the arena wasn't getting those revenues now (because there is no ice), so it wouldn't miss them but he wanted them initially to recoup his investment. However, the arena rejected the plans. It said it was too busy to offer those dates and needed the revenues to operate. As I said, it's been several years, so my memory may be a little off on some of the details. The upshot is, it seemed like a reasonable plan but the arena management couldn't fit a hockey team into its calendar.

There is another rink in the area - in Onalaska, where the NAHL's Coulee Region Chill play. Gamblers played a game there once, I recall. The Omni Center doesn't have the seating capacity for an USHL team, however. Could be a practice rink, however, if the LaX Center had other events on some days.

UWLaX used to have a varsity team. There still is a women's club team, IIRC.

Thanks for the info. I always wished they had some level of minor hockey while I was there. These developments that you reference happened after I was gone.

As far as UWL, not sure they were ever varsity. Some buddies of mine played on the last couple of club teams and that was around 87-89. I ended up with a road jersey after a friend of a friend liberated them from a storage room after the team was dissolved. Still wear it in my men's groups.

LaCrosse INDIANS back then, not Eagles.

[MadCityRich]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

one of the biggest problems is that hockey fans are already busy on 10 or so weekends a season w/ badger hockey. I would probably go to their sunday/weekday games though or if a team full of badger recruits were in town i would make a point of going. A couple years ago i went up to gb for gb vs waterloo and i think there were 6 recruits in that game.

But you are completely right about baseball. The madison mallards are a huge success. Cheap ticket, a lot of beer, hotties, and good baseball.

fyq

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

USHL team for Madison official:


USHL AWARDS MEMBER CLUB TO MADISON, WISCONSIN
League makes return to hockey-rich city beginning with 2014-15 season

Chicago, IL – The United States Hockey League announced today that the League’s Board of Directors has approved a new Member Club that will play in Madison, Wisconsin, commencing with the 2014-15 season.

The team will be owned and operated by Madtown Hockey, LLC, a consortium of veteran and new USHL owners. The League’s sixteen-member Board of Directors hosted the new ownership group last month at the USHL’s annual meeting in Kohler, Wisconsin and reviewed the plans for the new Madison team, which is set to play its home games at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center subject to final lease approval by the Dane County Board of Supervisors.

“I remember going to hockey games in the Coliseum as a kid. The environment there was awesome. We plan to bring that energy back with USHL hockey,” said Tom Garrity, CEO of Quan Sports Management and a Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin native who is part owner of the team and will be assisting with its launch.

“We really appreciate the efforts of the Alliant Energy Center staff in making this happen and are very excited to work with them to bring a great product to the people of Madison and its surrounding areas,” said Saul Treiman, the team’s Chairman and part-owner.

The other members of the ownership group are Charles Bidwill, III, Jeffrey Krol, Brian Schoenborn, and Greg Scott.

The new Madison team marks the return of USHL hockey to the city after nearly twenty years. The city was first part of the League from 11 seasons (1984-95), competing as the Madison Capitols (1984-91) and then as the Wisconsin Capitols (1991-95). The Capitols won over 200 games during the time in Madison, including a team record 33 games in both the 1986-87 and 1988-89 seasons under coach Scott Owens, the now long-time head coach at Colorado College.

A total of 12 USHL players who played in Madison would go on to be selected in the NHL Draft, in addition to numerous players that would earn NCAA Division I opportunities. Former NHL defenseman Brian Rafalski spent the 1990-91 season in the USHL with the Madison Capitols before staying in town to play collegiately at the University of Wisconsin. He would then embark on an 11-year NHL career that included winning three Stanley Cups, the most by any USHL alum. Derek Plante was part of the Madison team for the 1988-89 season and would become the second-ever USHL alum to win the Stanley Cup when he did so in 1999 with the Dallas Stars.

"We’ve been working on this project for the past nine months in order to insure the USHL returns to Madison as a successful Member Club,” said USHL President and Commissioner Skip Prince. “We’re almost there. Madison has changed and grown over the past twenty years – as has the USHL – but the city has retained a rich hockey tradition and a passionate fan base we think will be thrilled by the caliber of hockey and player the USHL will bring to Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It’s good to come back home.”

Several former Madison players have gone on to successful coaching careers, including current Team USA head coach Don Granato who also had a coaching stint with the team during the 1993-94 season. Mark Osiecki played with the Capitols in 1986-87 before his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin. He would return to the USHL as head coach of the Green Bay Gamblers (1997-2004). Mike Corbett played two USHL seasons in Madison (1990-92), and after spending the last decade on the coaching staff at the Air Force Academy, he was recently named as head coach at the University of Alabama-Huntsville.

“We’re excited to welcome USHL hockey back to the Coliseum after nearly 20 years,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “We know that, together with USHL hockey, we can provide an exciting experience for fans. This partnership is yet another reason why the Alliant Energy Center remains such an important contributor to Dane County’s regional economy, and continues to offer world-class entertainment for residents and visitors.”

The Madison team will participate as a League member at the Board and committee level, bringing the total League membership to a record high 17 teams. Garrity and Quan Sports will begin assembling a senior management team as the team commences business locally and prepares to take the ice for the 2014-15 season. The group plans a naming contest for the new team, which will take place this fall. Offices for the team will be located at the Alliant Energy Center.


Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL now prepares to enter its 12th season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2013-14. A record 32 players were chosen in the 2013 NHL Draft and more than 300 players on team rosters last season have committed to NCAA Division I schools, further establishing the USHL as the world’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.USHL.com or visit the League’s social media platforms, including Facebook (www.facebook.com/ushlhockey), twitter (www.twitter.com/ushl), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/ushlinteractive). Fans can also watch USHL action all season long, live or on-demand via FASTHockey (ushl.fasthockey.com).

It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL.

[MaizeRage]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Haven't heard they ever put ice in the La Crosse Center, but it's come up many times over the years as someone mentioned. Onalaska now has a NAHL franchise (Coulee Region Chill) which started last year, I think. I'm not sure how their attendance has been. I think the Onalaska rink is called the Omni Center.

They averaged 750/game in their first year, and have lost about 100 people off that average each of the past two years, so not even close to USHL numbers. I don't know if moving downtown would make that big of a difference.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

I have to think that's not good news to the athletic department.

As much as my gut says that it won't work long term, the Badger hockey team is at a vulnerable stage and no longer has a stranglehold on the local hockey market as evidenced by the slipping attendance numbers.

A cheaper ticket with convenient parking, beer sales, a more wide open style of play, fighting(?).

We'll see...