NCAA Hockey Administrators to western fans: Drop Dead

[pgb-ohio]

Re: NCAA Hockey Administrators to western fans: Drop Dead

Of course there may be more than that, but that is the factor you noted. It is one of the major factors at schools with good student support that drive sub-par crowds during the first two rounds of conference tournaments. And that factor would be largely absent by the time the NCAA rolls around. NCAA tournament games are (or should be) bigger deals than conference tournament games and I have zero doubt that hosting at least the first round on campus sites would lead to (generally) full buildings, barring horrible pricing decisions forced on the schools by the NCAA.

This.

If big crowds are your priority the only thing that would assure them is higher seeds hosting.

Give this last one further review.

In my format, the AH Champ & WCHA Champ would get home games. Not always, but those teams are likely to be appealing underdogs who wouldn't get home ice otherwise. And they're schools that don't usually get the opportunity to host an NCAA event. Pair them against a "name brand" school that finished 2nd or 3rd in their conference. Who, for better or worse, steps into the role of Goliath. Those tickets will sell extremely well, don't you think?

Of course I agree that if the Top 8 teams in the Pairwise host, tickets sales will go well. Basking in the warm afterglow of a successful regular season, with an opportunity to do something great on home ice? Ticket buyers love winning.

Many will feel the latter approach is the fairest. But the "small' schools will disagree, with some justification. And we need the support of the small schools to have any chance of making a change.

[John J. MacInnes]

While you're here, let me ask you a question. My friend EODS brought up Houghton in a recent post. In your humble opinion, could MTU host a 1st Round NCAA hockey game on short notice? (One visiting team; single game, winner-take-all format; with roughly a week's notice)

The WCHA Championship game is proof that Tech could host an NCAA game. They advanced from the semifinals on a Sunday and hosted the following Saturday.

Tech has great locker room space for a visiting team, there are more than enough hotel rooms proportional to the size of the town. And considering that the majority of teams are outside the 500 mile radius from Houghton, they would be flying on an NCAA charter right into CMX just 7 miles from campus.

TV would come from Wisconsin, where there are at least three production companies within a 6 hour drive for the truck. There have been a half-dozen full blown telecasts from the JMSIA and they worked just fine.

So in short, yes.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: NCAA Hockey Administrators to western fans: Drop Dead

The WCHA Championship game is proof that Tech could host an NCAA game. They advanced from the semifinals on a Sunday and hosted the following Saturday.

Tech has great locker room space for a visiting team, there are more than enough hotel rooms proportional to the size of the town. And considering that the majority of teams are outside the 500 mile radius from Houghton, they would be flying on an NCAA charter right into CMX just 7 miles from campus.

TV would come from Wisconsin, where there are at least three production companies within a 6 hour drive for the truck. There have been a half-dozen full blown telecasts from the JMSIA and they worked just fine.

So in short, yes.

As I thought. But having the specifics available makes for a much stronger post. Well done.

[ScoobyFanClub]

Re: NCAA Hockey Administrators to western fans: Drop Dead

Of course there may be more than that, but that is the factor you noted. It is one of the major factors at schools with good student support that drive sub-par crowds during the first two rounds of conference tournaments. And that factor would be largely absent by the time the NCAA rolls around. NCAA tournament games are (or should be) bigger deals than conference tournament games and I have zero doubt that hosting at least the first round on campus sites would lead to (generally) full buildings, barring horrible pricing decisions forced on the schools by the NCAA. If big crowds are your priority the only thing that would assure them is higher seeds hosting.

What do you mean that is the factor I noted? You noted a factor ... I just said attendance was poor. You said a reason. I said it was more than that. What are we missing here?

[mookie1995]

Re: NCAA Hockey Administrators to western fans: Drop Dead

I get how that works. That was not my point.

For example, if we were playing in Arizona, I would guess at minimum, we would have 100 fans going. Clearly at any venue, every team gets at least 100 tickets.
Would Arizona State want 20% of fans from Minnesota State in the building, and they have to turn hundreds of their fans away. I don't think so.

well that is now it would work. visiting team gets an allotment. home team gets one.

don't think you can assume it is split evenly, because even now the regionals are not split 25/25/25/25

they would turn away hundred. maybe hundred and half... not hundreds

[mookie1995]

Re: NCAA Hockey Administrators to western fans: Drop Dead

TV would come from Wisconsin, where there are at least three production companies within a 6 hour drive for the truck. There have been a half-dozen full blown telecasts from the JMSIA and they worked just fine..

would never put it past espn to just utilized the jumbletron feed and have a couple "play by play" guys watch the feed and comment from CT

if there is a tech issue, they can run replays of lacrosse

[Iwearpurple]

Re: NCAA Hockey Administrators to western fans: Drop Dead

well that is now it would work. visiting team gets an allotment. home team gets one.

don't think you can assume it is split evenly, because even now the regionals are not split 25/25/25/25

they would turn away hundred. maybe hundred and half... not hundreds

I never suggested it was split equally. And if you think that if Arizona State was to host the first round of the NCAA playoffs, at most 650 of their fans would want to attend the game, you are wrong.