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

[Engineers]

Times Union posted a great group of pics from the Freakout and post game Alumni house. Certainly has the feel of a renaissance in progress !! GO RED

https://www.timesunion.com/seen/article/48th-annual-big-red-freakout-rpi-hockey-game-21839023.php

That’s awesome!

 

[jericho]

Thanks greatly for posting that. It would be nice of the TU had included the names of former players in the picture captions. Even "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet" would have been more informative.

Matt Murley was in one of them and so was Marc Cavosie. I was talking to both of them after the game at the alumni house. If we broadcast a home game or go to Union for the playoff game, I’m going to try to get one or both to join us on the air

 

[DavidNardolillo]

Thanks for sharing these, good to see them.

So if I'm seeing them right, the first step (1A - 1B - 1C) is a major addition to the north side of the field house, with ground floor (event level) locker rooms, strength/training room, retail, etc., a new mezzanine level with offices and other behind-the-scenes functions, and a new top level with suites, a concourse that becomes the access point to the north seating, and a deck in the corner where sections 19-21 are.

That's basically a full-scale reconstruction of the north side of the building, impressive.

The phase 2 is the one that gets me. It reads as removal of Her Highness Shirley's suites and turning that whole west end structure into a "club", presumably a big event space/social space?

But I'm confused by the south side changes, which look like a mezzanine concourse rather than top level one, or maybe both with a smaller one at the top? Hard to tell.

Meanwhile feels like the east end student section is a long time away. And quite an interesting idea, taking students out of the north side and moving them to the end. Don't think you could fill both the north and south sides with local/non-student support.

It's all a dream until they get the money in, anyway!

It also looks like orientation of the benches and penalty boxes are going to change (both benches on the current RPI bench side with penalty box on current visitors bench side). Looks like the press box will also switch sides. And it looks like the currently layout of concessions and restrooms will change also; RIP to that awful men's room near the current visitors lockers.

 

[DavidNardolillo]

Thanks greatly for posting that. It would be nice of the TU had included the names of former players in the picture captions. Even "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet" would have been more informative.

That's a persistent issue with these TU photo galleries. A lot of these galleries capture attendees at charity events, but include no information about the charity, what it supports, or how to learn more.

It was nice to see the range of players in the photos, including some from the most recent lean years or who had finished their college careers elsewhere. You get a sense that some momentum and support are building in the right places behind the scenes.

 

[25+years]

Can someone explain the genius logic behind having a t-shirt toss to celebrate a goal while play is going on? On Saturday we scored to tie the game and to go ahead in the 3rd. In both cases the Field House was rocking and the crowd was into the game. Then they announced the t-shirt toss and the crowd that had been aggressively chanting "Let's go Red" began clamoring for a cheap t-shirt and the focus on the game was broken. I suppose they thought that would help sustain the momentum in an otherwise boring contest, but on Saturday, when the crowd was already into the game, it worked in the opposite manner. They really should wait for the next break in the action, the way every other t-shirt toss is done.

It would be nice if they developed a way to give the fans higher up in the stands a chance at a t shirt.

 

[25+years]

The HFH in-game production needs as much work as the building itself....

Not just in game. The whole experience needs to be looked at. We pay $80 for parking in A lot. For several games there was no one checking passes . Someone I know couldn’t find an open space. Then at the Harvard game, they allowed lots of fans to stand behind the west end goal. They did finally move them back so there was an open walkway. They never would have allowed that in the past. I have to assume all those folks had tickets with assigned seats.

 

[Puckfan90]

Not sure, maybe Black Friday game vs. Union a couple of years ago? But when you put 4400 people in that building, it's still a special place. The place was shaking. Actually had a wave going at one point. Felt like the old days.

AND the Pro Shop was open and you could actually buy RPI Hockey Swag!

 

[RPI fan 4 life]

Not just in game. The whole experience needs to be looked at. We pay $80 for parking in A lot. For several games there was no one checking passes . Someone I know couldn’t find an open space. Then at the Harvard game, they allowed lots of fans to stand behind the west end goal. They did finally move them back so there was an open walkway. They never would have allowed that in the past. I have to assume all those folks had tickets with assigned seats.

Totally agree. The same thing has happened in B lot parking. And as far as the fans standing behind the west end goal, they used to have security standing in that area making sure fans didn’t walk in front of the people sitting in Rows A & B until there was a whistle to stop play. And those fans who stood probably had seats in Sections 12 & 13.

 

[rpi82]

Times Union posted a great group of pics from the Freakout and post game Alumni house. Certainly has the feel of a renaissance in progress !! GO RED

https://www.timesunion.com/seen/article/48th-annual-big-red-freakout-rpi-hockey-game-21839023.php

That was my thought as the clock wound down on Saturday. In every renaissance there's a point where momentum clearly shifted. Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but Saturday felt like that kind of game. It gave the hardcore fans who've sat through some miserable hockey in recent years hope that better days are ahead and it gave the new fans (which, based on some of our friends and family crowds earlier this year, was a significant percentage of Saturday's "sellout") a great experience that may translate into more games next year.

As for the renovation diagrams and renderings, I'm still perplexed. Maybe its because they are in different phases, but they don't seem internally consistent from level to level.

 

[tony/troy]

Wicked Slappaahs said:
The HFH in-game production needs as much work as the building itself....

Not just in game. The whole experience needs to be looked at. We pay $80 for parking in A lot. For several games there was no one checking passes . Someone I know couldn’t find an open space. Then at the Harvard game, they allowed lots of fans to stand behind the west end goal. They did finally move them back so there was an open walkway. They never would have allowed that in the past. I have to assume all those folks had tickets with assigned seats.

I was told a few weeks ago by a Fieldhouse staff person that some unknown to me student group (possibly answering to the student union but definitely not Fieldhouse staff, security or athletics???) is responsible for supervising parking. Saturday, one of the students (I think!!!) manning the B lot told me the problem is that non hockey attendees are using the lot improperly without any consequences and there are numerous cars already parked in B lot before the parking people even arrive. While I have no reason to disbelieve any of the above, I did arrive at the B lot on Saturday at 6:36 P.M. only to find there were already no spots left. I then drove up the hill to D lot (there has not been a C lot since ECAV was built) and was initially denied admission since D lot was reserved for "suite guests" whose names were on a list he was provided which he was holding . While pointing at the my B lot pass hanging from my mirror, had to get a little abrasive with the kid in telling him that I paid for parking and I expect to be able to park my freakin (actually something close to that) car. He then did let me in. There were plenty of available D lot spots probably due "suite guests" who were no shows.

Yes, both the in game production and the whole experience needs to be looked but I would not hold my breath waiting for that to happen anytime soon. Remember, this is the very same entity that not all that long ago referred to their long time loyal fans as "external spectators who need to be socially separated" on one communication. Another later release of several pages addressing an eventual reopening of athletic facilities (proved to be two years in total) ended with the equally demeaning and disparaging "management of spectators- to be determined". Management??? As in what??? Wildlife??? Game??? Fish???. Apparently, at the time of publication, they hadn't made up their minds yet. Just making the choice of using words and terms like that has to at least be some indicator of the level of utter contempt, disdain and loathing the entity has for it's fans, supporters and paying customers from the general public. Unfortunately, the opposite has also proven to be the case since, after the two years passed, many long time season ticket holders and regular attendees (of which I knew a lot) apparently elected to give them all the "social separation" they ever wanted and then some. They probably also elected to show them that spectators are actually PAYING CUSTOMERS and it is PAYING CUSTOMERS who "manage and determine" the entity and not the other way around. Bottom line is that they all simply vanished and have never set foot in any of their fall, winter or spring athletic facilities again.