Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

But that's not how it actually works. The BRF is essentially RPI's homecoming, scheduled months in advance, so everybody plans for it.

How many RPI fans will show up at the ECACs regardless of who is playing - the types who have already bought their tickets? Based on my observations in past years when RPI wasn't there, I'm guessing 500 at the very most (and that's pretty generous). That means that the remaining 4500 are at the very best waiting to make a last minute decision about whether to go depending on if RPI makes it, and a lot of them probably were out-of-town alums who already made their one trip back to Albany for the year and won't make it even if RPI is there. If you get 75% yield out of that, I'd say you're doing really well. That puts RPI's attendance around 500 + .75*4500 = 3875.

Last year there was 4857 attendance for Saturday. Figure 1000 of those go no matter what, maybe 2000 that Cornell drew (tops), 1000 for Yale and 800 for SLU (wasn't there, just outlining my thought process - please correct me if I'm wrong) with only a few dozen for Princeton. Replace SLU and Princeton with RPI (their 500 always-goers are already included, so their "draw" is 3375) and Union (call it 2000 even though they're on spring break), and my estimated total attendance peaks out at ~9375. But I think I've been awfully generous with RPI's and Union's last-minute-notice draws. In this breakdown, I'm only assessing perennial-power and certain 2009 NCAA participant Cornell's draw at 2000, and I just can't see a still-up-and-coming RPI beating that by more than 50% just because they're local. For a Cornell-Yale-RPI-Union final weekend, I'd guess 8000 attendance for Saturday, and that's only if two of (RPI, Union, and Cornell) win on Friday night to drive some good walkup sales.

Consideration most definitely has to come in not only to RPI or Union showing up, but who they happen to be playing. The RPI/Clarkson matchup draws significantly higher attendance, though this year that happening in Albany is a longshot. Union will show up in droves if they're playing RPI (OK, maybe a thousand more than usual). However you're right in that it's on a whim, and you probably won't get usage of the upper bowl (with the exception of the bands) unless it's 4 really big drawing schools.

[ADK11]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Maybe a bit of the longer view on this MVT 1st vs. 2nd team stuff is in order.. prior to 2 seasons ago, in over 16 seasons of being in the ECAC, Union had a total of 3 All-League selections - none of which were forwards. In the past 3 seasons U has had 6 such selections including a forward in each of the past 2 seasons. MVT getting 2nd Team IS a big deal and something to be very proud of. Kepler is spot on with his assessment of Backman. Also MVT being lumped with McIntyre, who was 1st team All-American last season, is not exactly shabby.

IMO the top 5 forwards in the league were Polacek, Little, Backman, McIntyre & MVT and then there were another 20 forwards that are in the very good category. The reasons for picking any one over another is razor thin and probably has more to do with what a particular coach saw on the 2 nights their teams played. And lets face it, Yale won the league and that's going to get their players more props. After all players that help you win are what it is all about. If U had actually beaten Yale and Cornell, etc. MVT probably would have gotten the nod (BTW this likely means Little or Backman will win MVP).

The program has come a long long way and this is all great news - but the next step is to win some BIG GAMES!!

[ADK11]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Consideration most definitely has to come in not only to RPI or Union showing up, but who they happen to be playing. The RPI/Clarkson matchup draws significantly higher attendance, though this year that happening in Albany is a longshot. Union will show up in droves if they're playing RPI (OK, maybe a thousand more than usual). However you're right in that it's on a whim, and you probably won't get usage of the upper bowl (with the exception of the bands) unless it's 4 really big drawing schools.

This conversation is really fascinating.. really it is.. but please take it somewhere else if you don't mind. Union's side of the story is WE DON'T KNOW how many Union fans would show up in Albany IF Union is fortunate enough to make it there.

[vicb]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Only 25 hours to get your picks into the ECAC Pick The Playoffs. Remember, 7PM on Friday is the deadline. We have 61 contestants so far, 32 shy of last years total.

[Red Cloud]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

But that's not how it actually works. The BRF is essentially RPI's homecoming, scheduled months in advance, so everybody plans for it.

I love how Cornell fans are experts in how every other fan in the league operates.

[unionbob]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

here comes Quinnipiac....

[vicb]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

ECAC Pick The Playoffs Round 2 is up and ready.

[UnionHockeyManiac]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Scenario Number Six: (Two upsets)
#5 St. Lawrence beats #12 Clarkson
#11 Brown beats #6 RPI
#7 Quinnipiac beats #10 Dartmouth
#9 Harvard beats #8 Princeton
Union would play Quinnipiac. Yale would play Brown. Cornell would play Harvard. Colgate would play St. Lawrence.

Scenario #6 FTW.

[LynahFan]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

I love how Cornell fans are experts in how every other fan in the league operates.

Which of the attendance figures at Houston this weekend refutes my hypothesis? 1639, 1223, or 1452?

[GreatLakerMohawk]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Which of the attendance figures at Houston this weekend refutes my hypothesis? 1639, 1223, or 1452?

Students on spring break.

Try again.

[LynahFan]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Students on spring break.

Try again.

Uh-huh. My contention is that RPI does not have enough total support, students plus locals, to put 10,000 butts in the TUC for the ECAC tournament on one week's notice. The attendance at this weekend's playoff games (also on one week's notice) is completely relevant to that point.

Your turn to try again.

Edit: I'm not sure why you guys are so defensive about this. No other ECAC team could do it either. Maybe, just maybe, if you relocated Cornell to Boston or NYC AND had the tournament there. Otherwise, no chance. It's just the way it is.

[Goaliefan]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Uh-huh. My contention is that RPI does not have enough total support, students plus locals, to put 10,000 butts in the TUC for the ECAC tournament on one week's notice. The attendance at this weekend's playoff games (also on one week's notice) is completely relevant to that point.

Your turn to try again.

Edit: I'm not sure why you guys are so defensive about this. No other ECAC team could do it either. Maybe, just maybe, if you relocated Cornell to Boston or NYC AND had the tournament there. Otherwise, no chance. It's just the way it is.

Ummm, at this point this is a moot discussion as we'll never know how many fans RPI would have attracted to the TUC. And anyway, the subject would probably be better debated on the RPI or Cornell thread.

Back to Union hockey. . . I'd like to say I feel relieved that Union isn't facing off against Harvard, but I also don't want them to feel too complacent against Q'Pac. There is no room for complacency in the ECAC.

[aweise]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

My take on the RPI situation....as enigmatic as their team is. Hosting their first playoff series in 4 years and they can't break 2000 for attendance? I know the students are on break, but are there actually 1000 students that would attend this game? From the late 80s to the early 2000s, RPI would easily have 2500 for a regular season non-conference game. I'm still stunned as to why their attendance figures for a playoff game can hardly break 1500. Is this a fair-weather fan thing...did they not think it was worth watching them unless they made it to Albany? I'm not accusing, just asking.

As for Union-Quinnipiac, I think we might see some goals scored at Messa. Both of these teams know how to put the puck in the net, so it's a matter of which team plays better defense and goaltending that will decide this.

[Go Puckman]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

With RPI out, I wish good luck to Union - take it all the way!
Make the CD proud!
Hopefully you will see fair refs at your games.

[SlyFoxMan7]

Re: Union College Hockey 2009-2010: Playoff series win? Check. Albany? This is the year.

Well since RPI did what they do best and **** the bed when it counts, it looks like it will be up to Union to be the only Capital District team to make it to Albany before the tournament is gone. Let's make sure we get there.