RPI 2025–26: Off the Critical List and In Recovery

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Several years ago after the Devils AHL team left Albany, I had a conversation with someone who pointed out that it is very hard to , for lack of a better term, recruit sports fans to hockey. You either like hockey or you don’t. Granted winning helps, but people that are fans of other sports aren’t likely to convert to hockey fans. The area had players with the Devils who became big stars in the NHL and the team left because this area didn’t want to support the team.

Compare that to Minnesota where the state high school championship game sells out an NHL arena.

Well, the team up in Glens Falls would likely disagree. Despite losing their AHL franchise and then landing an ECHL team, they've marketed, promoted and ground out an amazingly vibrant franchise that sells out nearly every home game. They have a building that fits the league they are in, unlike the MVP Arena which is entirely too large for hockey in this market. Even when they had 3,000 fans for hockey the place felt empty. The overhead for operating that facility for minor league hockey was an uphill battle from the start. Add in that many folks in the suburbs have no interest in going to downtown Albany, especially with kids.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Alcohol will add revenue, won't increase attendance.

Many of the ECAC rinks sell beer and shockingly, actually let you take it to your seat, unlike RPI where you have to stay in beer "jail" to drink it. Why they aren't able to treat fans like adults is beyond me...

 

[Engineers]

Many of the ECAC rinks sell beer and shockingly, actually let you take it to your seat, unlike RPI where you have to stay in beer "jail" to drink it. Why they aren't able to treat fans like adults is beyond me...

I don’t understand this at all. You can only drink the beer in a timeout area like a little kid? It’s just a beer for Christ sakes? This boggles the mind

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

I don’t understand this at all. You can only drink the beer in a timeout area like a little kid? It’s just a beer for Christ sakes? This boggles the mind

Truth

 

[DrDemento]

Many of the ECAC rinks sell beer and shockingly, actually let you take it to your seat, unlike RPI where you have to stay in beer "jail" to drink it. Why they aren't able to treat fans like adults is beyond me...

Throughout the years we had season tickets -all the way to 2001, we were always able to bring in a flask or two. After our customary pre-game meal at Verdiles we would pick up dessert from Bella Napoli (which we shared with Row K in section 6) but always had a potent potable or two. It varied from straight premium vodka to cherry brandy to Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry but we always had something and that way, win or lose, the game was enjoyable! As I recall, the only poorly attended games were the early game on the first night of the Invitational (or Christmas) Tournament. We talk about those days with many of our old hockey friends and miss those times terribly. After the games there was always Casey's East or the Castaways or the Station Bar at the Holiday Inn or a late meal at the Plum Blossom!
If only the HFH could even approach the atmosphere of those days, we could easily be convinced to make the 200 mile drive for many games.

 

[tony/troy]

Having reviewed the comments on attendance, I need to remind folks that this is not an RPI centric issue. Certainly the prior regime led us to the depths we're at now, both on the ice and off, but times have changed. Union's new barn was only about 3/4 full for the "crosstown rivalry" game. Colgate's struggles to fill their barn are well documented. In my last several trips to the north country, SLU is barely half full and CCT is also not much above 1/2 full. Add in the near absence of anything resembling promotion for the RPI program, the attendance we're seeing is not a surprise. The casual fan is just not going to attend if there isn't a buzz with the team.

The casual fan is also just not going to attend if they can't just drive there and park their ------- car!!!

No, the casual fan has absolutely no interest whatsoever in paying $80 a year for a parking pass just to attend a few games a year. That is the only way you can get into any of the four parking lots. They would also have zero interest in street parking on any of a half dozen surrounding streets and then either walking down or up a steep hill in colder weather.

So you may ask how did the Fieldhouse back when it was the area's main entertainment venue host at least a couple of big name concerts a month that, especially when they had floor seating, easily outdrew hockey??? Answer is simple. Many of the attendees, myself included, were not old enough to either drive at all and/or permitted in that era to drive after dark. In many cases, a ride to and from by dad, mom or a city bus was needed. On those long ago nights the parking lots were not exactly packed.

Drawing casual fans requires easy, convenient and preferably free parking PERIOD!!!

 

[tony/troy]

Alcohol will add revenue, won't increase attendance.

Especially when they charge $8.50 per 5 to 6 ounces of a below mid grade brand of wine coming out of a 20 ounce bottle that costs no more than $10 including tax at any local liquor store. Quite a profit margin per bottle for a brand that people that appreciate and know their wines basically consider swill. Just a wild guess, but it is most likely not the brand available in the luxury box!!!

 

[DrDemento]

T/T-if you take a couple of shots of Jersey Devil Wine from Valenzano Winery (right near us here in NJ) the game is much easier to watch!!! it is 19.5% alcohol or 39 proof. One of Jenny's favorites!! I think if I had some of that I would have enjoyed tht 16-1 drubbing by Clarkson in 1964-65 or the 14-0 loss to Northeastern that same season!!

 

[Engineers]

T/T-if you take a couple of shots of Jersey Devil Wine from Valenzano Winery (right near us here in NJ) the game is much easier to watch!!! it is 19.5% alcohol or 39 proof. One of Jenny's favorites!! I think if I had some of that I would have enjoyed tht 16-1 drubbing by Clarkson in 1964-65 or the 14-0 loss to Northeastern that same season!!

Jesus that will put hair on the chest doc? My goodness lol

 

[Engineers]

T/T-if you take a couple of shots of Jersey Devil Wine from Valenzano Winery (right near us here in NJ) the game is much easier to watch!!! it is 19.5% alcohol or 39 proof. One of Jenny's favorites!! I think if I had some of that I would have enjoyed tht 16-1 drubbing by Clarkson in 1964-65 or the 14-0 loss to Northeastern that same season!!

A little pre gaming with a few cocktails is the way to go. I agree with you doc

 

[tony/troy]

T/T-if you take a couple of shots of Jersey Devil Wine from Valenzano Winery (right near us here in NJ) the game is much easier to watch!!! it is 19.5% alcohol or 39 proof. One of Jenny's favorites!! I think if I had some of that I would have enjoyed tht 16-1 drubbing by Clarkson in 1964-65 or the 14-0 loss to Northeastern that same season!!

You forgot 11-1 to Western Ontario on night three of the Christmas Tournament.

Most notable thing about that game was that after playing their three years at RPI (freshman could not play varsity in the 1960's) both RPI Hall of Famer Jerry Knightly along with Bruce Tisdale did their post grad work and played hockey at Western Ontario. In those days, unlike American colleges, both freshman and grad students were eligible to play for Canadian colleges.

Western had little trouble running through a tournament field that included "stallworts" the likes of a 3-19 RPI, Bowdoin and Middlebury!!! Middlebury was one of RPI's three wins. The other two were Hamilton and a playing their first varsity game ever University of Pennsylvania, who folded their program in the late 1970's. Other RPI losses that year included all of the following then D2 Colby (7-2), AIC (6-1) and the above mentioned Bowdoin (5-3). Even Middlebury got their revenge a couple of weeks later up at their place with a 4-3 win.

And you thought thing were bad over the last two decades!!!

 

[Ralph Baer]

You forgot 11-1 to Western Ontario on night three of the Christmas Tournament.

Most notable thing about that game was that after playing their three years at RPI (freshman could not play varsity in the 1960's) both RPI Hall of Famer Jerry Knightly along with Bruce Tisdale did their post grad work and played hockey at Western Ontario. In those days, unlike American colleges, both freshman and grad students were eligible to play for Canadian colleges.

Western had little trouble running through a tournament field that included "stallworts" the likes of a 3-19 RPI, Bowdoin and Middlebury!!! Middlebury was one of RPI's three wins. The other two were Hamilton and a playing their first varsity game ever University of Pennsylvania, who folded their program in the late 1970's. Other RPI losses that year included all of the following then D2 Colby (7-2), AIC (6-1) and the above mentioned Bowdoin (5-3). Even Middlebury got their revenge a couple of weeks later up at their place with a 4-3 win.

And you thought thing were bad over the last two decades!!!

The only other time we did not beat AIC was a 1-1 tie in the 2007 Holiday Tourney. Mathias Lange was on the team that year. I am too lazy to try to find the program to see if he played. Eric Lang was an Assistant Coach for AIC then.

9-0 losses to each of BU and BC in 65-66 are worth mentioning also.

 

[Waite21]

The only other time we did not beat AIC was a 1-1 tie in the 2007 Holiday Tourney. Mathias Lange was on the team that year. I am too lazy to try to find the program to see if he played. Eric Lang was an Assistant Coach for AIC then.

9-0 losses to each of BU and BC in 65-66 are worth mentioning also.

As I recall, one of those 9-0 losses may actually have been a 10-0 loss, though RPI's records say 9-0.

I can remember listening to WGY's broadcast of the game (WGY used to broadcast RPI hockey in those days). With the score 9-0 in the dying seconds, the Boston team (don't remember whether it was BU or BC) was pressing, and poor Dick Greenlaw was doing all he could to prevent the score from going to double digits. The puck went into the net and the buzzer sounded, pretty much simultaneously. Announcer Paul Midghall initially said the goal didn't count and then broke for a commercial. When he came back on, he said that the teams had returned to center ice after the apparent no-goal and the referee dropped the puck, which would indicate that the tenth goal had counted.

I wonder what the Boston school's records list the score of that game as.

 

[DrDemento]

As I recall, one of those 9-0 losses may actually have been a 10-0 loss, though RPI's records say 9-0.

I can remember listening to WGY's broadcast of the game (WGY used to broadcast RPI hockey in those days). With the score 9-0 in the dying seconds, the Boston team (don't remember whether it was BU or BC) was pressing, and poor Dick Greenlaw was doing all he could to prevent the score from going to double digits. The puck went into the net and the buzzer sounded, pretty much simultaneously. Announcer Paul Midghall initially said the goal didn't count and then broke for a commercial. When he came back on, he said that the teams had returned to center ice after the apparent no-goal and the referee dropped the puck, which would indicate that the tenth goal had counted.

I wonder what the Boston school's records list the score of that game as.

Dick made 78 saves officially in the BU game. i suspect they really lost count. BU had far more shots on goal in that game and although they did not count as saves, they hit either the crossbar or the posts at least 5 times. That game could have easily been by a wider spread than the Northeaster 14-0 drubbing.

 

[DrDemento]

A little pre gaming with a few cocktails is the way to go. I agree with you doc

One of the reasons we try to watch the broadcasted games at our local pub. Since it is much less crowded early on a Friday or Saturday, the early start times of 3:00 for the ladies games and 4:00 for the Saturday boys game we can usually claim a TV for ourselves at the bar. But started to drink that early often means I forget what happens late in third periods of games !! This weekend is rather sparse for broadcasting as the girls are not on ESPN+ against Robert Morris. i could be way off base but honestly believe we have a shot for a 4 game hockey sweep this weekend. It will take the same effort as we showed for most of the Clarkson game for the guys and the girls will have to stay out of the penalty box and avoid those 5 minute majors that the refs seem to love to call on them.

 

[Ralph Baer]

As I recall, one of those 9-0 losses may actually have been a 10-0 loss, though RPI's records say 9-0.

I can remember listening to WGY's broadcast of the game (WGY used to broadcast RPI hockey in those days). With the score 9-0 in the dying seconds, the Boston team (don't remember whether it was BU or BC) was pressing, and poor Dick Greenlaw was doing all he could to prevent the score from going to double digits. The puck went into the net and the buzzer sounded, pretty much simultaneously. Announcer Paul Midghall initially said the goal didn't count and then broke for a commercial. When he came back on, he said that the teams had returned to center ice after the apparent no-goal and the referee dropped the puck, which would indicate that the tenth goal had counted.

I wonder what the Boston school's records list the score of that game as.

BC shows 9-0. https://bceagles.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule/1965-66

BU has nothing which I could find for 65-66. https://goterriers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule

 

[DrDemento]

i was at the BU game and could not remember if it was 8-0, 9-0, or 10-0. i do know I usually tried to keep some sort of score card which I am sure we still have ( but not here in NJ). I recall I could not keep up with the shots on goal and BU might have had as many as 35 in the first period. i do remember two BU coeds sitting in the same row as i did but unfortunately I got nowhere with either one of them!!

 

[rpi82]

BC shows 9-0. https://bceagles.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule/1965-66

BU has nothing which I could find for 65-66. https://goterriers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule

Those disasters remind me of the worst blowout I ever attended. Late in the 85-86 season (about 11 months after winning the NC in Detroit), we were beaten 11-0 by Harvard in Brighton. I was there with a Harvard graduate friend and all I could do was grin and bear it while pointing out we were still defending champs and Harvard had never won a NC. They went on to win it all 3 years later.

 

[RPI_9293]

The casual fan is also just not going to attend if they can't just drive there and park their ------- car!!!

No, the casual fan has absolutely no interest whatsoever in paying $80 a year for a parking pass just to attend a few games a year. That is the only way you can get into any of the four parking lots. They would also have zero interest in street parking on any of a half dozen surrounding streets and then either walking down or up a steep hill in colder weather.

So you may ask how did the Fieldhouse back when it was the area's main entertainment venue host at least a couple of big name concerts a month that, especially when they had floor seating, easily outdrew hockey??? Answer is simple. Many of the attendees, myself included, were not old enough to either drive at all and/or permitted in that era to drive after dark. In many cases, a ride to and from by dad, mom or a city bus was needed. On those long ago nights the parking lots were not exactly packed.

Drawing casual fans requires easy, convenient and preferably free parking PERIOD!!!

The casual fan is also just not going to attend if they can't just drive there and park their ------- car!!!

No, the casual fan has absolutely no interest whatsoever in paying $80 a year for a parking pass just to attend a few games a year. That is the only way you can get into any of the four parking lots. They would also have zero interest in street parking on any of a half dozen surrounding streets and then either walking down or up a steep hill in colder weather.

So you may ask how did the Fieldhouse back when it was the area's main entertainment venue host at least a couple of big name concerts a month that, especially when they had floor seating, easily outdrew hockey??? Answer is simple. Many of the attendees, myself included, were not old enough to either drive at all and/or permitted in that era to drive after dark. In many cases, a ride to and from by dad, mom or a city bus was needed. On those long ago nights the parking lots were not exactly packed.

Drawing casual fans requires easy, convenient and preferably free parking PERIOD!!!

We always park at the alumni house. They have shuttle buses from there to the field house. Sometimes we take the bus, sometimes we walk. Parking is free, shuttle is free.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

We always park at the alumni house. They have shuttle buses from there to the field house. Sometimes we take the bus, sometimes we walk. Parking is free, shuttle is free.

Correct. Easy peasy for folks who want free parking.