As for basketball I absolutely think there's some shady seed maneuvering when needed. Do people want that? If you look at this year's hockey field that could have resulted in an easy switch of Penn State and Ohio State so that Ohio State is #8 overall and goes to Fargo and then Penn State can be a 3 in Allentown. Auburn hoops just got to play the #1 seed Houston in Birmingham, AL.
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- Thread starter Speed Kills
- Start date
Honestly, I feel like Fargo should basically be a permanent host if they're up for it. If UND doesn't make the field there's a good chance multiple teams from Minnesota are still in field. And aren't UND fans buying the tix ahead of time anyway? Do they still go to the games if UND isn't there? UND also lost to BU in Fargo so it's not a slam dunk they always advance.
As far as first round matchups go, I don't think the committtee could have done anything differently having been confined by first round matchups due to B1G and ECAC conflicts. The only possible question would be the location of the 7Harvard/9OSU and 6St. Cloud/11MSU games. As to whether one or the other matchup produces a stronger opponent for the 1 seeds is very debatable. First they have to get by their own opponents. Minnesota easily got the most desirable opponent but in it they play one of the best goalies so if Canisius can somehow steal a goal they do have a chance. Quinnipiac will have their hands full with Merrimack in what may be a 0-0 OT game. Bridgeport got 3 of the 4 New England schools which is essentially the same as Fargo getting the 3 Minnesota schools. Attendance probably would not have suffered if it was a switch but saying that St. Cloud is better than Harvard is very questionable and may likely be untrue but the difference between Ohio State and Minnesota State is likely greater. Harvard has 3 players with higher PPG than the first SCSU player and their goaltender has a better GAA and Save Percentage than SCSU. So those wishing for a different combination may want to reconsider their gripes.
Darius
Go 'cats!
Really hoping, but doubt, they will let us leave and reenter between games. The SNHUrena food is not good.
Looks like I will try to stuff my face somewhere before the first game
If you look closely at the future sites....It's either Fargo or Sioux Falls for as far out as they have been awarded. UNO is host at Sioux Falls. I would be in favor of that rotation continuing for a long, long time.
ETA: All of the following schools are within driving distance:
U Minn
UMD
Bemidji State
MSUM
SCSU
UNO
UND
St Thomas
I think there would more years when two of these qualified than when none of them did.
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Now if we could just find one or two locations where the same would work for the Michigan schools...
The Eastern sites basically have it covered. Sure you might end up with what you had in Albany last year where that was a disaster but overall it's fine.
That matchup could last four days.
Well, that's the problem. Toledo, OH fits the bill, but it doesn't seem to work well as a regional site. I'm not sure why, though. The following schools are near enough there to drive:
Miami
Bowling Green
U Mich
Mich St
Western Michigan
Ohio State
U Wisc
Ferris State
LSSU
NMU
Grand Rapids, MI has also hosted, but it hasn't worked well. All of the prior mentioned, plus Mich Tech (at just under 500 miles) might be driving distance.
I think the reality is that the Michigan schools don't travel as well as the Minnesota schools. Or, perhaps that the available schools don't get doubled up as often. As long as MSUM is a powerhouse in the CCHA, Fargo and Sioux Falls have the opper hand. The chance of Toledo or Grand Rapids missing a CCHA team are much higher. Also, there isn't as much to hope from the NCHC, because the usual powers there (UND, DU, SCSU, UMD) are too far away. So, having 2 'nearby' schools is harder to get.
But, also, Loveland will work as long as Denver or CC is in the field. So, among those three:
Grand Rapids
Toledo
Loveland
There should be a decent opportunity.
Next year Lindenwood is hosting in Maryland Heights, MO. I think that will be a disaster. No one is close at all. They'll need very kind treatment from the committee.
And, in general, Allentown is not necessarily bad. You can use that as a Midwest/Mideast location, and the following are close enough:
Penn State
Ohio Sate (450 miles)
Most of the AHA
Cornell
St Lawrence
A whole bunch of others, too
The problem is a year like this one, where the field is skewed to the West.
It would work much better in a year like 2025, where the other hosts are Toledo, Fargo, and Manchester. And, certainly, it's a bad idea to go to Allentown and Albany the same year.
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TalonsUpPuckDown
Roll along you BG Warriors!
The other spin on a Toledo site would be Detroit alumni. While Tech (or Northern) may be a haul distance wise, you pick up a crap-ton of Tech alumni in the metro Detroit area. If they're willing to travel an hour down I-75 to Bowling Green to see their team play, they'll absolutely travel 40 min to Toledo for a regional.
Edit: Tech grads probably all live in Oakland county so the travel is 90min/70min...
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Let’s put a regional in Legacy Arena in Birmingham. It’s a terrific hockey barn!
John J. MacInnes
Coach Emeritus
I think the best regionals need a host school in town. That's one of the reasons Grand Rapids hasn't caught on, and why Fort Wayne was a bust. Also why the Dow Events Center in Saginaw would fail. The best option in Michigan that hasn't been tried would be Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo.
-natural host school in WMU
-serviceable airport nearby
-5 hour proximity to at least 10 schools (ND, MSU, UM, BGSU, OSU, WI, FSU, Miami, LSSU, Mercyhurst)
-5000 seat barn, practice sheets attached
-4 team hotels & media hotel within 10 minutes of rink
-natural host school in WMU
-serviceable airport nearby
-5 hour proximity to at least 10 schools (ND, MSU, UM, BGSU, OSU, WI, FSU, Miami, LSSU, Mercyhurst)
-5000 seat barn, practice sheets attached
-4 team hotels & media hotel within 10 minutes of rink
That sounds really interesting. Why haven't they bid?
BUPhD
Active member
As someone who grew up in Ft. Wayne, its a strong hockey town there was definite interest and strong marketing to the city. But when you can get the best seat in the arena for $30 (This season, it might have been cheaper in 2010) for the Komets game, the non-affiliated fan looked at the price the NCAA was charging for tickets and laughed. ($46 for the lower bowl single game)
Notre Dame was the host school but they're South Bend and weren't playing anyway. Miami (OH) came in as the #1, had a 4 PM saturday game. Michigan had the late game. Not sure how much either really traveled for it. Bemidji and Huntsville get a pass for not making the trip as a flight would likely be to Chicago, Detroit, or Indy then a drive. You can fly into Ft. Wayne but it's stupid expensive as an underserved small airport with few airlines and flights.
Notre Dame was the host school but they're South Bend and weren't playing anyway. Miami (OH) came in as the #1, had a 4 PM saturday game. Michigan had the late game. Not sure how much either really traveled for it. Bemidji and Huntsville get a pass for not making the trip as a flight would likely be to Chicago, Detroit, or Indy then a drive. You can fly into Ft. Wayne but it's stupid expensive as an underserved small airport with few airlines and flights.
Tech's fan base is very concentrated in metro Detroit as well as the Twin Cities.
John J. MacInnes
Coach Emeritus
I think so many places are spooked with the high guarantee levels the NCAA demands, especially with the track record outlined by previous regionals nearby.
Too bad because this could be a great fit. And I should also point out that the K-Wings (the regular tenant in the building) do very effective marketing and would sell this hard.
Bronco
Onondaga United IV.6
I'm not sure it would be up to NCAA standards, it is quite old and small. 5k seats isn't enough if you're required to have Michigan or Michigan State in the regional that you are hosting.
Can't speak to the quality of the venue but we as a sport should not be saying no to 5k seat arenas for regionals.
Bronco
Onondaga United IV.6
It is unfortunate when WMU hosted the regionals in Grand Rapids that the teams in the state were pretty bad. There was only one local team most years, and one without a local team. WMU was quite terrible during that period. If you could get something like the Fargo regional this season with 3 instate teams, then it would work, but the chances of that are very low and honestly not worth bidding.
As for the K-Wings, they draw about 3000-3500 most nights. If they ever get their wet dream of a tax payer funded 5-6k stadium in downtown Kalamazoo it would work for an NCAA regional, but I hate *everything* about their proposals.
Sol Diablo
Active member
"And, in general, Allentown is not necessarily bad. You can use that as a Midwest/Mideast location,"
I once had a client tell me: the plant is located in the Midwest, very close to you". I asked where, he said "Philadelphia"........
I once had a client tell me: the plant is located in the Midwest, very close to you". I asked where, he said "Philadelphia"........