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More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is...

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  • More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is...

    10 of 12 games have been completed in mostly dramatic fashion. In front of mostly empty seats.

    Yes, the NCAA regional disaster rolls on. The most important games of the season, featuring electrifying action, overtime, and bad officiating. And nobody goes to see the games.

    I knew nobody would be in Green Bay. I took my wife and kids and we had a great time, but there were fewer than 3500 people there on Friday. There were whole sections that but for one or two people were totally empty. With four teams that weren't particularly close, this wasn't a surprise. Still, it's embarrassing to see the highlights of these "crucial" games play out in front of a sea of red seats.

    Nonetheless, the real travesty was in St. Paul. St. Paul, a stone's throw from the University of Minnesota, who was in the game. St. Paul, a few hours of familiar driving away from Grand Forks. St. Paul, home to the best hockey arena in the world. St. Paul, which finally won the regional lottery and got both Minnie and NoDak, the two most prominent fan bases at the Final Five the week before. Both playing on a Saturday.

    The attendance for day one of that regional: 9386.

    I'm not going to blame Minnie or NoDak fans who just went to the Final Five and hope for a Tampa trip. I won't blame promotion of the games, though it doesn't seem to have been very good. I won't even blame the absurdly high prices. And, granted, there will be a huge walk-up tomorrow as fans look for a rematch of last week's see-saw WCHA title game.

    But this, to me, is an absolute travesty. If you can't even draw 10,000 fans at the X for the two biggest fan bases in the WCHA, your regional system is broken. It is an insult to the players, the coaches, the fans, and the sport itself. It must change.

    The NCAA must drop neutral-site regionals and play the first 12 games at the home sites of the higher seeds.
    Jesus Saves

  • #2
    Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

    Originally posted by Caustic Undertow View Post
    10 of 12 games have been completed in mostly dramatic fashion. In front of mostly empty seats.

    Yes, the NCAA regional disaster rolls on. The most important games of the season, featuring electrifying action, overtime, and bad officiating. And nobody goes to see the games.

    I knew nobody would be in Green Bay. I took my wife and kids and we had a great time, but there were fewer than 3500 people there on Friday. There were whole sections that but for one or two people were totally empty. With four teams that weren't particularly close, this wasn't a surprise. Still, it's embarrassing to see the highlights of these "crucial" games play out in front of a sea of red seats.

    Nonetheless, the real travesty was in St. Paul. St. Paul, a stone's throw from the University of Minnesota, who was in the game. St. Paul, a few hours of familiar driving away from Grand Forks. St. Paul, home to the best hockey arena in the world. St. Paul, which finally won the regional lottery and got both Minnie and NoDak, the two most prominent fan bases at the Final Five the week before. Both playing on a Saturday.

    The attendance for day one of that regional: 9386.

    I'm not going to blame Minnie or NoDak fans who just went to the Final Five and hope for a Tampa trip. I won't blame promotion of the games, though it doesn't seem to have been very good. I won't even blame the absurdly high prices. And, granted, there will be a huge walk-up tomorrow as fans look for a rematch of last week's see-saw WCHA title game.

    But this, to me, is an absolute travesty. If you can't even draw 10,000 fans at the X for the two biggest fan bases in the WCHA, your regional system is broken. It is an insult to the players, the coaches, the fans, and the sport itself. It must change.

    The NCAA must drop neutral-site regionals and play the first 12 games at the home sites of the higher seeds.
    $$$$$$$

    Did you look at the price for tickets at the X? Stupidly high. It's ridiculous.
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    • #3
      Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

      Originally posted by Eaglefan06 View Post
      $$$$$$$

      Did you look at the price for tickets at the X? Stupidly high. It's ridiculous.
      one session... 57... what i paid through lowell for both days at b-port... 60 (retail 70).

      You know what, you hold this on campus for Minnesota you're still going to have problems, its not like its a half hour away.
      BS UML '04, PhD UConn '09

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      • #4
        Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

        It would be amazing if the games were held at campus sites.

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        • #5
          Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

          Originally posted by MUnRPI View Post
          It would be amazing if the games were held at campus sites.
          It used to be that way, but everyone got sick of Michigan playing home games in the NCAA tournament.
          How do they expect us to throw hotdogs at the gophers with that [Expletive deleted] net in front of us?

          We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard...

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          • #6
            Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

            Agreed. I was amazed at that figure (9386) when I looked at the box scores. Is that butts in seats, or tickets sold?

            I thought about driving up from Detroit, and assumed I'd pay a lot for tickets on the street. Instead, here in MI, I couldn't even see the NoDak game on TV, and only saw Minn thanks to NESN not being blacked out here.

            Might help to make the regionals truly regional vs sending teams helter skelter across the US with far less notice than is needed for an affordable airline ticket.

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            • #7
              Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

              I'm going to guess, with the prices they're charging, you'd see the exact same attendance issues regardless of where the games are held.
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              • #8
                Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

                Originally posted by mnstate0fhockey View Post
                I'm going to guess, with the prices they're charging, you'd see the exact same attendance issues regardless of where the games are held.
                Especially after forking out lots of cash the week before at the Final Five.

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                • #9
                  Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

                  BTW, I wonder who came up with starting the Northeast regional final on a Sunday night at 8 PM EST...that just sounds like a brilliant idea.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by SanTropez View Post
                    Especially after forking out lots of cash the week before at the Final Five.
                    And gas prices what they are and such. People just don't have the discretionary income they had in the past.
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                    • #11
                      Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

                      Originally posted by mnstate0fhockey View Post
                      I'm going to guess, with the prices they're charging, you'd see the exact same attendance issues regardless of where the games are held.
                      I agree. At this price, you're not going sell out any venue.
                      Drop the ticket prices and fans will come. Pretty simple actually.

                      Or...

                      Go back to the 12 team tournament. There were 2 Regionals, one in the east and one in the west. The top two seeds in each regional got a bye in the first round while the other 4 teams played. The two winners on day one played the two top seed teams the next day. The two winners of those games went to the Frozen Four. You got 4 games for half the price of today's ticket prices and IIRC, the Regionals were well attended.
                      'Eavesdropped the BC forum in USCHO. A range of intellects over there. Mostly gentlemen, but a couple of coarse imbeciles' - academic_index, a Brown fan

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                      • #12
                        Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

                        Originally posted by MUnRPI View Post
                        It would be amazing if the games were held at campus sites.
                        Games at the Ralph would draw 12,000.
                        Believe it. Earn it. Raise it.

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                        • #13
                          Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

                          Part of this has to do with the availability of games on TV these days, even with the issues of blackouts on D-TV and such. Back in the nineties it was nearly impossible to see regional action on TV. The rest has to do with pricey tickets combined with not knowing where your favorite team is playing until travel costs become sky high which ultimately leads to empty arenas.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Siouxfaninseattle View Post
                            Games at the Ralph would draw 12,000.
                            And most years, with Minnesota and North Dakota playing, the X would way out draw that.
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                            • #15
                              Re: More proof that the Regional system is a disaster: Today's attendance at the X is

                              Originally posted by mnstate0fhockey View Post
                              And most years, with Minnesota and North Dakota playing, the X would way out draw that.
                              but how many more times will Minnesota and North Dakota be in the same regional, at the X..?

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