Ohio State 2024-25 Domination of the Portal Queen!

[Hockeybuckeye]

So according to USCHO Minnesota averaged 1,938 and Ohio State 658 fans per game.

That 658 you mentioned is our maximum capacity. With rare exception every game is a sellout.
Wikipedia lists capacity at 1415 and I have no idea where they came up with that. Even back in the day when we had more rows of bleachers before they extended the ice sheet it only added about 200 more seats.

[robertearle]

That 658 you mentioned is our maximum capacity. With rare exception every game is a sellout.
Wikipedia lists capacity at 1415 and I have no idea where they came up with that. Even back in the day when we had more rows of bleachers before they extended the ice sheet it only added about 200 more seats.

The NCAA playoff vs Duluth lists a crowd of 795.

The WCHA playoffs vs Bemidji list crowds of 714 and 709.

Senior weekend vs St Thomas shows crowds of 779 and 776.

The Sunday of the regular season vs Bemidji shows 785

Regular season vs Duluth shows 774 and 768

The series vs Wisconsin shows 761 and 739.

etc etc.

[Hockeybuckeye]

The NCAA playoff vs Duluth lists a crowd of 795.

The WCHA playoffs vs Bemidji list crowds of 714 and 709.

Senior weekend vs St Thomas shows crowds of 779 and 776.

The Sunday of the regular season vs Bemidji shows 785

Regular season vs Duluth shows 774 and 768

The series vs Wisconsin shows 761 and 739.

etc etc.

Not possible. Attendance limit is set by the fire marshall, not the University unless they fudged the number by including the teams, the coaching staffs and employees.
I would know after having experienced 62 years in that building. I'm older than it is.

[robertearle]

Not possible. Attendance limit is set by the fire marshall, not the University unless they fudged the number by including the teams, the coaching staffs and employees.
I would know after having experienced 62 years in that building. I'm older than it is.

The numbers are from the box scores linked to on the 2023-24 schedule at the Ohio State team web site.

[Ditra]

That 658 you mentioned is our maximum capacity. With rare exception every game is a sellout.
Wikipedia lists capacity at 1415 and I have no idea where they came up with that. Even back in the day when we had more rows of bleachers before they extended the ice sheet it only added about 200 more seats.

USCHO has the capacity as 1,200. That will be quite a project. I am assuming that both teams would play their home games there in the future.

[Hockeybuckeye]

USCHO has the capacity as 1,200. That will be quite a project. I am assuming that both teams would play their home games there in the future.

When you say 1200 I assume you are talking about the proposed new arena? If so there's been a lot of misinformation out there. Last season coach Elander said he thought 3000 would be a good number but some of what I now hear at OSU doesn't make a lot of sense. The 4000 number now being floated would include both the men and women's team but that's too small for the men. Someone there has the idea the men play their games in there for the ones they don't expect overwhelming attendance but move them back to the Schott for the Big games. Does that make sense to anyone to bounce a team back and forth between two venues?
We won't know until things are actually finalized. The ground is cleared of the old student housing structures where the new arena is to be built but that's as far as it's gone.
To me the sad part is if our men's team was as successful as the women's they could easily fill a 10,000 seat venue.
But we've had a changing of the guard this year at Ohio State with a new president and new athletic director so new people at the top, new ideas.

[Ditra]

No. Team page on USCHO has current rink listed as 1,200 capacity. Well hopefully it all works out and you get the upgrade. Current on ice product deserves better.

[Hockeybuckeye]

No. Team page on USCHO has current rink listed as 1,200 capacity. Well hopefully it all works out and you get the upgrade. Current on ice product deserves better.

Yeah, I don't know where sites get these unrealistic numbers. It would be nice if the old barn really was 1200 then we wouldn't be turning away so many fans who didn't get tickets before they sold out.

[robertearle]

That 658 you mentioned is our maximum capacity. With rare exception every game is a sellout.
Wikipedia lists capacity at 1415 and I have no idea where they came up with that. Even back in the day when we had more rows of bleachers before they extended the ice sheet it only added about 200 more seats.

One of the great things about Wikipedia is that they quite often cite the source of the things that are posted there.

The 1415 number comes from a 2006-2007 OSU Women's Hockey Quick Facts press release.

Wayback Machine (archive.org)

[robertearle]

The Greater Columbus Sports Commission says (oddly) "the ice rink can seat up to 1,500 for competitions", but then says "capacity 800" in smaller print underneath.

OSU Ice Rink | Columbus, OH 43210 (columbussports.org)

Given the number of "big" games where the attendance fell in the 770-780 range, clearly 800 is the most likely (current) correct answer.

------------

A 2009 Columbus Dispatch article about the OSU Men's team having to play a CCHA playoff series in the OSU Ice Rink:

"So off to the Ice Rink -- capacity 800 -- the Buckeyes go.

"I mean, who wants to play there, you know, but what can you do?" Elkins said. "It's something we have to accept.""

(I didn't need to leave that last bit attached, but, you know... :-)

OSU's comeback falls short (dispatch.com)

[Sierra]

For the past two years, I've unfortunately witnessed a plethora of families being turned away from being able to attend a game due to the rink being at capacity. The restaurants across the way have benefited as they show the games on their TVs. I love the small rink for tons of reasons. It's sad to see young girls who travel all the way from Cincinnati and Cleveland to see young women that they look up to, only to be turned away. Buy your tickets and buy them early. I will say even tho it kills me to say it. WI is a blast to watch a game as well. Especially when the crowd gets into their chants. Dam badgers...

[nobody72924]

OSU Ice Rick went through a renovation in 1999. Before 1999 the rink was 85x185 and seating capacity was 1200-1400. After the renovation the rink was 85x200 and seating capacity is just short of 800. The “official” capacities at USCHO, NCAA, Wikipedia are just following what Ohio State has which was never corrected after the renovation in 1999. I wish the rink held more. Last year they started selling tickets so they would know when the rink was sold out. The last year before tickets there were many games where they turned away up to 500 people. Many of us encourage people without tickets to go to The O on Lane for food, drink and women’s ice hockey on tge big screen tvs.

[Sierra]

Thanks for the post Bkruczynski! The Buckeyes are back on the ice. First practice was yesterday!!! GO BUCKS!!!

[Hockeybuckeye]

Bkruczynski was helpful but I have additional facts. I was at the rink and ticket office this morning to pull up the official info.
Per fire code the CAPACITY limit of the rink is 840 which includes fans, teams, staff, EVERYONE.
According to the officials in the ticket office there is no set cutoff for ticket sales due to several factors. They have to factor how many for both teams, coaches and support staff will be in the building along with the rinks staff. Then there is the variable of if the band will be there and how many of them there will be, their numbers fluctuate game to game. They also hold enough seats in reserve for the students to fill the two rows of bleachers at the south end.
Then there's allotment to the visiting team and our own parents and guests.
So when they have all those numbers it's subtracted from the 840 maximum capacity and there's your number of public tickets available.
That's why when you look at on our website for attendance on games that were called sellouts the numbers are not always the same.
I hope that answers all questions on this subject.

[Timothy A]

For the past two years, I've unfortunately witnessed a plethora of families being turned away from being able to attend a game due to the rink being at capacity. The restaurants across the way have benefited as they show the games on their TVs. I love the small rink for tons of reasons. It's sad to see young girls who travel all the way from Cincinnati and Cleveland to see young women that they look up to, only to be turned away. Buy your tickets and buy them early. I will say even tho it kills me to say it. WI is a blast to watch a game as well. Especially when the crowd gets into their chants. Dam badgers...

Anyone who just shows up and is expecting tickets to be available in the age of online ticket purchasing deserves to be turned away.