An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

But college basketball and football are popular so whey don't they rotate their conference championships?

You mean like the Big Ten alternating between Conseco and the United Center from 2001-2008?

You mean like Big 12 basketball moving from:
02 - Kansas City
03 - Dallas
04 - Dallas
05 - Kansas City
06 - Dallas
07 - Oklahoma City
08 - Kansas City
09 - Oklahoma City
10- Kansas City

or even the ACC men's hoops:
05 - Washington DC
06 - Greensboro
07 - Tampa
08 - Charlotte
09 - Atlanta
10 - Greensboro

And the SEC men:
08 - Atlanta
09 - Tampa
10 - Nashville
11 - Atlanta
12 - New Orleans
13 - Nashville
14 - Atlanta

[blockski]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

I would love to see the Final Five rotate to, say, Denver and/or Milwaukee if (IF) those sites could get a similar gate and generate similar revenue.

They cannot.

Nobody says St. Paul is neutral, but it certainly is about as central as you're going to get in a league with the geography of the WCHA. Milwaukee is a further trip for everyone but Wisconsin. Same with Denver - a much longer trip for everyone but DU and CC (UAA is flying already, no real difference there).

I wonder if this issue would come up if the geography was slightly different - if Minnesota wasn't located in the Twin Cities, the same way that neither Michigan or Michigan State are directly in Detroit. If Minnesota's campus was in, say, Rochester, would this claim of bias still come up so often?

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

I wonder if this issue would come up if the geography was slightly different - if Minnesota wasn't located in the Twin Cities, the same way that neither Michigan or Michigan State are directly in Detroit. If Minnesota's campus was in, say, Rochester, would this claim of bias still come up so often?

Most likely, and from the same sources.

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

I would love to see the Final Five rotate to, say, Denver and/or Milwaukee if (IF) those sites could get a similar gate and generate similar revenue.
If Minnesota's campus was in, say, Rochester, would this claim of bias still come up so often?

If it were, we would know for sure if it was all about the Gophers if they played it at the Rochester Rec Center. I love how the ice looks striped.

[MikeAnderson]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

You mean like the Big Ten alternating between Conseco and the United Center from 2001-2008?

You mean like Big 12 basketball moving from:
02 - Kansas City
03 - Dallas
04 - Dallas
05 - Kansas City
06 - Dallas
07 - Oklahoma City
08 - Kansas City
09 - Oklahoma City
10- Kansas City

or even the ACC men's hoops:
05 - Washington DC
06 - Greensboro
07 - Tampa
08 - Charlotte
09 - Atlanta
10 - Greensboro

And the SEC men:
08 - Atlanta
09 - Tampa
10 - Nashville
11 - Atlanta
12 - New Orleans
13 - Nashville
14 - Atlanta

It's almost like conferences (all of them, from Division I to Division III, from ice hockey to field hockey) put out these championships for competitive bid and award them to the venue that will generate the greatest return to the league.

[Bakunin]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

Most likely, and from the same sources.

Plus it wouldn't change the fact that there's a huge population of U alumni in the twin cities which would continue to drive the attendance and tv ratings for the tournament.

[dggoddard]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

The General Manager for the XCEL was on between periods tonight. They have 3 concerts, the Final Five, NCAA practices & NCAA regionals squeezed in a week. Impressive management and scheduling to be sure.

Its certainly possible, if not probable that the WCHA gets the XCEL for free, at cost or significantly below market rates.

Finally did everyone notice the WCHA sponsorship & signage on the boards tonight. An impressive display of Minnesota based businesses stepping forward and supporting WCHA hockey.

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

On the serious side, the WCHA tried the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

The last time it was there, 1998, the attendance for two of the sessions - semifinal and finals - was 9,452 and 10,166, and the Badgers won the tournament.

So, I understand perfectly why it's at the X.

[RaceBoarder]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

I hear the CCHA wants to have an opening act before the games at the Joe

That might be a possibility...

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

I hear the CCHA wants to have an opening act before the games at the Joe

That might be a possibility...

I'm sure that Bruce McLeod would be happy for the CCHA to be the opening act for the Final Five. 4 AM and 9 AM games, anyone?

[badgerhawk]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

Dumbest thing I've ever heard and I've been around here for a long time.

Come on SD, I know you have read uw14, vw's and rinkpigs posts.

[Twitch Boy]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

I hear the CCHA wants to have an opening act before the games at the Joe

That might be a possibility...

The Joe had some hack cover band between games at GLI. Worked out as well as you think it did.

[VarsityWisconsin]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

Come on SD, I know you have read uw14, vw's and rinkpigs posts.

Another thing that is preposterous is that he must not read his own posts either.

[VarsityWisconsin]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

On the serious side, the WCHA tried the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

The last time it was there, 1998, the attendance for two of the sessions - semifinal and finals - was 9,452 and 10,166, and the Badgers won the tournament.

So, I understand perfectly why it's at the X.

I went to the Bradley Center during my lunch today and saw some ugly colored Maroon and Yellow team practicing basketball. There could be better use for the building. I agree.

[Map Man]

Re: An open an honest proposal for the WCHA final five

Xcel is fine. Even without Minnesota in there the crowds will be great. Many people I know have given up on the State High School hockey tourney tix in favor of making the WCHA their big weekend. Great weekend a lot of fun. Great fan support from all teams.

The west regional will be the test for local fan interest.

How did Minnesota blow the opportunity to play in NCAA regionals they host two years in a row?