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Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

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  • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

    They've been putting out these "Wisconsin Hockey All Access" videos weekly, which is nice. This week's video transitioned from a normal recap to a full-on hype video, with Joe Pavelski! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo5Ao87576g

    Comment


    • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

      I am not a fan of all this marketing and hype. It could be a major distraction to the players, the youngsters specifically. This isn't the pros, its college. Let's tone things down and just play the game. Let the play do all the hyping itself.
      Wisconsin Hockey: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 WE WANT MORE!
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Come to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Originally Posted by Wisko McBadgerton:
      "Baggot says Hughes and Rockwood are centering the top two lines...
      Timothy A --> Great hockey mind... Or Greatest hockey mind?!?"

      Comment


      • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

        Originally posted by Timothy A View Post
        I am not a fan of all this marketing and hype. It could be a major distraction to the players, the youngsters specifically. This isn't the pros, its college. Let's tone things down and just play the game. Let the play do all the hyping itself.
        They've been in desperate need of more hype for a long, long time. Remember when they set record low attendances when they had the best team since 2009-10? They need to do this (at a minimum) in order to keep the program from turning into one where its ceiling is below the old baseline, and the new baseline is a fan base about a third of its old size.

        The problem is that their play CAN'T do hyping itself. That's just not the nature of college hockey in this country, certainly outside of places like Duluth, St Cloud, Potsdam/Canton, Grand Forks, etc.

        To reference 2013-14 again, the Badgers absolutely stormed into the national tournament as one of the top teams in the country. Unless thousands of people somehow knew they'd get upset by UND and decided not to care because of their visions, very, very few people cared. Even when there were some big crowds down the stretch of that season, attention was contained within a pretty well-defined bubble. Outside of people actively seeking it out - and their friends they talked to (or talked at) about Badgers hockey, it didn't register at all. Year after year, new classes of students would come in and not give hockey a shot, and not because they looked at the team and thought about their chances based on what they read on CHN or USCHO. It just didn't register in the first place, because there was zero exposure beyond the people who went way out of their way to seek it out.

        If they want to build a fan base, they need people to engage with Badgers hockey. It used to be so hard to find any content at all, and I'm saying that as someone who will go out of my way for it.

        Football and basketball can let their play do the hyping. Pick your favorite sports media outlet in this country, and they've got it covered. Reminders that it's fun to be a fan and worthwhile to follow the team aren't as necessary there. They are in hockey. After all, if a team is good, that only builds hype if people actually care about how good the team is. If they don't care, then however much they win or lose doesn't change that, because they won't notice anyway.

        They have to make the program noticeable. Without plenty of exposure (and reminders that hockey season does indeed start before January), the only way to get those people outside the bubble to notice (beyond very small numbers) would be a Frozen Four run.

        If you ask me, we could use more UW hockey content out there. Sometimes it feels like they're trying to keep this program a secret. It also helps to strengthen the sense that the program actually matters, which I see as a good thing. The football team does just fine with insane overexposure, and I'd argue that the little bit of promotion we're seeing for the home schedule starting is more in the "less underexposure and a little closer to baseline for what we all want UW Hockey to be," rather than anything resembling excessive hype.

        Positioning UW Hockey as a worthwhile and notable "thing" (rather than a cutesy fringe "olympic sport") for sports fans is especially important for students and other new general Badgers fans

        If it ever gets to "major distraction" levels, then mission accomplished. That would mean the fan base grew by a very large factor for that to be possible. But that would involve a lot of media attention, local radio hits, and a ton of stuff beyond a couple of videos and a few blurbs on some niche sports sites.
        Last edited by WiscDC; 10-16-2019, 10:21 AM.

        Comment


        • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

          Good post, DC.

          I like the marketing of the program (I was in marketing/sales and it's the ultimate "attention-getter") as long as they don't go too far like saying how good these guys WILL be (as opposed to COULD be).

          Like a lot of us have been saying forever, the student base changes yearly and NEEDS to be informed of the history of the program and currently where it COULD be headed again. The past season ticket holders, who got ****ed at the level of play near the end of the Eaves era and didn't renew, are hopefully coming back. I know there is renewed optimism among my puckhead friends and even casual fans from hearing, seeing, and reading the sports.

          Now, referring to what Tim stated, it's up to the newer players not to bite, and the older players to keep them grounded. Caufield, Turcotte, et al, have been told how good they are for years. They seem to be handling it well. BUT....look what happened to the Badgers offensive line last year. They were hyped beyond belief for offensive linemen. S.I. front page; pre-season All-Americans. How did that work out?

          I could probably look it up somewhere, but any idea how season ticket sales are? Is it a wait and see attitude?

          Hockey is back, I am stoked! (Do you young ****s still say that?) The NHL has been up & running for 2 weeks, but last weekend made it official for me.
          Last edited by MadCityRich; 10-16-2019, 11:35 AM.
          "Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser." Vince Lombardi

          "License to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations. Man; free to kill gophers at will. To kill, you must know your enemy, and in this case, my enemy is a varmint....and a varmint will never quit...ever. They're like Viet Cong...Varmint Cong, so you have to fall back on superior intelligence and superior firepower...and that's all she wrote. Au revoir, gopher." Karl Spackler 1980

          Comment


          • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

            Originally posted by WiscDC View Post
            They've been in desperate need of more hype for a long, long time. Remember when they set record low attendances when they had the best team since 2009-10? They need to do this (at a minimum) in order to keep the program from turning into one where its ceiling is below the old baseline, and the new baseline is a fan base about a third of its old size.

            The problem is that their play CAN'T do hyping itself. That's just not the nature of college hockey in this country, certainly outside of places like Duluth, St Cloud, Potsdam/Canton, Grand Forks, etc.

            To reference 2013-14 again, the Badgers absolutely stormed into the national tournament as one of the top teams in the country. Unless thousands of people somehow knew they'd get upset by UND and decided not to care because of their visions, very, very few people cared. Even when there were some big crowds down the stretch of that season, attention was contained within a pretty well-defined bubble. Outside of people actively seeking it out - and their friends they talked to (or talked at) about Badgers hockey, it didn't register at all. Year after year, new classes of students would come in and not give hockey a shot, and not because they looked at the team and thought about their chances based on what they read on CHN or USCHO. It just didn't register in the first place, because there was zero exposure beyond the people who went way out of their way to seek it out.

            If they want to build a fan base, they need people to engage with Badgers hockey. It used to be so hard to find any content at all, and I'm saying that as someone who will go out of my way for it.

            Football and basketball can let their play do the hyping. Pick your favorite sports media outlet in this country, and they've got it covered. Reminders that it's fun to be a fan and worthwhile to follow the team aren't as necessary there. They are in hockey. After all, if a team is good, that only builds hype if people actually care about how good the team is. If they don't care, then however much they win or lose doesn't change that, because they won't notice anyway.

            They have to make the program noticeable. Without plenty of exposure (and reminders that hockey season does indeed start before January), the only way to get those people outside the bubble to notice (beyond very small numbers) would be a Frozen Four run.

            If you ask me, we could use more UW hockey content out there. Sometimes it feels like they're trying to keep this program a secret. It also helps to strengthen the sense that the program actually matters, which I see as a good thing. The football team does just fine with insane overexposure, and I'd argue that the little bit of promotion we're seeing for the home schedule starting is more in the "less underexposure and a little closer to baseline for what we all want UW Hockey to be," rather than anything resembling excessive hype.

            Positioning UW Hockey as a worthwhile and notable "thing" (rather than a cutesy fringe "olympic sport") for sports fans is especially important for students and other new general Badgers fans

            If it ever gets to "major distraction" levels, then mission accomplished. That would mean the fan base grew by a very large factor for that to be possible. But that would involve a lot of media attention, local radio hits, and a ton of stuff beyond a couple of videos and a few blurbs on some niche sports sites.
            All the hype in the world will never fill the Cole Center. Hockey's golden age in Madison is over. We must accept our fate.

            My wife and I have had the UW ticket office call us about 6 times between us asking us if we want to buy season tickets. That is an act of desperation. The only source of more calls in the last month has been about the warranty on my 2003 Explorer with 165000 miles on it that it's warranty is about to expire. And then when I specifically complain to the ticket office about the no empty seats policy they ignore me.
            Wisconsin Hockey: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 WE WANT MORE!
            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Come to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Originally Posted by Wisko McBadgerton:
            "Baggot says Hughes and Rockwood are centering the top two lines...
            Timothy A --> Great hockey mind... Or Greatest hockey mind?!?"

            Comment


            • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

              Originally posted by MadCityRich View Post
              .look what happened to the Badgers offensive line last year. They were hyped beyond belief for offensive linemen. S.I. front page; pre-season All-Americans. How did that work out?
              Yes, this is an excellent point. I think being in the USDP helps those guys stay grounded.
              Wisconsin Hockey: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 WE WANT MORE!
              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Come to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Originally Posted by Wisko McBadgerton:
              "Baggot says Hughes and Rockwood are centering the top two lines...
              Timothy A --> Great hockey mind... Or Greatest hockey mind?!?"

              Comment


              • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

                Originally posted by Timothy A View Post
                All the hype in the world will never fill the Cole Center. Hockey's golden age in Madison is over. We must accept our fate.

                My wife and I have had the UW ticket office call us about 6 times between us asking us if we want to buy season tickets. That is an act of desperation. The only source of more calls in the last month has been about the warranty on my 2003 Explorer with 165000 miles on it that it's warranty is about to expire. And then when I specifically complain to the ticket office about the no empty seats policy they ignore me.
                Same here. I'm going with the $15 per ticket plus food option a few times this year. I'll only be taking 3 of us to the games, more often than not, but the extra $10 in concession vouchers will work out nicely.
                Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting spreadsheet (both Men's and Women's)

                Comment


                • Originally posted by Timothy A View Post
                  All the hype in the world will never fill the Cole Center. Hockey's golden age in Madison is over. We must accept our fate.

                  My wife and I have had the UW ticket office call us about 6 times between us asking us if we want to buy season tickets. That is an act of desperation. The only source of more calls in the last month has been about the warranty on my 2003 Explorer with 165000 miles on it that it's warranty is about to expire. And then when I specifically complain to the ticket office about the no empty seats policy they ignore me.
                  The "golden age" may be over, but they're far below even conservatively realistic potential, because they spent multiple cycles of students just kind of assuming that the fan base would take care of itself, forgetting that each new class needs an introduction, and two of the key elements of marketing are to inform and remind.

                  Promotional efforts make a huge difference in introducing new fans to Wisconsin Hockey and what it's all about, and they've only recently begun to right that ship. So many students - sports fans, even hockey fans - pass through campus giving no thought to UW hockey beyond an abstract awareness of its existence ("yeah I guess it's a thing...we always suck, right?"). Make it an attractive product, people try it out, they start to really get it, and some of them stick as fans. Every spring when I was a student, the outer layers would come off, NHL playoffs would start, and the amount of visible hockey fans was insane (even compared to other sports).

                  Or in short: Inspiring more interest results in more interest, and it's easy to inspire more interest when your starting point is short of doing even the most basic things that any major program should always be doing.

                  Edit: FWIW, I thought they should've been putting out more stuff even when the team was straight-up bad and the results weren't exactly selling the team. I still wanted it in the general consciousness of sports fans here.
                  Last edited by WiscDC; 10-16-2019, 01:15 PM.

                  Comment


                  • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

                    I agree with this about DC post. I didn't really follow UW Hockey or hockey in general until college here. I went to the Coliseum and was hooked. I 'd rather watch UW hockey then just about anything (other than my kid's sports teams). I have had some sort of season ticket since other than the past two years, so yeah getting these millennials engaged early is critical.
                    gwhinwi's: Wisconsin Badgers Recruiting Spreadsheet & Individual Face-Off Statistics

                    EODS: De-Commit / Non-Pro Early Departure List

                    Comment


                    • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

                      Originally posted by MadCityRich View Post
                      I could probably look it up somewhere, but any idea how season ticket sales are? Is it a wait and see attitude?
                      No idea on season ticket numbers but 8,700 tickets for this Friday and 11,230 for this Saturday at this point.

                      https://madison.com/wsj/sports/colle...c3141c25d.html
                      Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting spreadsheet (both Men's and Women's)

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by gwhinwi View Post
                        No idea on season ticket numbers but 8,700 tickets for this Friday and 11,230 for this Saturday at this point.

                        https://madison.com/wsj/sports/colle...c3141c25d.html
                        It will go up, but that's not good.
                        "Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser." Vince Lombardi

                        "License to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations. Man; free to kill gophers at will. To kill, you must know your enemy, and in this case, my enemy is a varmint....and a varmint will never quit...ever. They're like Viet Cong...Varmint Cong, so you have to fall back on superior intelligence and superior firepower...and that's all she wrote. Au revoir, gopher." Karl Spackler 1980

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by WiscDC View Post
                          They've been putting out these "Wisconsin Hockey All Access" videos weekly, which is nice. This week's video transitioned from a normal recap to a full-on hype video, with Joe Pavelski! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo5Ao87576g
                          We could use more of this for students and casual fans. Ask Rafalski, Stepan, McDonagh, Chelios, Suter, Heatley, CUJO and more to take a minute to be in a hype video
                          Everything in its right place, Wisconsin Hockey National Champs!


                          "but you're not as confused as him are you. it's not your job to be as confused as Nigel". Tap pt 1.

                          "I think it's ****ing stock. What--? Which part of that is unclear to you? I think it sounds stock to my ears. I mean, do you want me to write it down?" Tap Pt. 2

                          Who???! So What!!!! Big Deal!!!!

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                          • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

                            Originally posted by MadCityRich View Post
                            It will go up, but that's not good.
                            Not good?

                            Did you read the article?

                            This will be the largest home opener crowds in at least 5 years...

                            From the article:
                            Over the last four seasons, the first game in the Face-Off package (the first game of a series) averaged an announced attendance of 7,441, with a 9,012 average for the initial game in the Slap-Shot package (the second game).

                            In 2014, the Badgers drew announced crowds of 10,605 and 13,621 for the home-opening series against another former Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival, North Dakota.

                            Comment


                            • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

                              Originally posted by KaMiGo View Post
                              Not good?

                              Did you read the article?

                              This will be the largest home opener crowds in at least 5 years...

                              From the article:
                              Over the last four seasons, the first game in the Face-Off package (the first game of a series) averaged an announced attendance of 7,441, with a 9,012 average for the initial game in the Slap-Shot package (the second game).

                              In 2014, the Badgers drew announced crowds of 10,605 and 13,621 for the home-opening series against another former Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival, North Dakota.
                              I think we just all hope for more. It is a Minnesota Duluth team that has won back-to-back titles and it looks like almost all of the 300 section will be largely empty.

                              I long for the old days when the Kohl center was rocking, but those days appear to be gone.... Unless we can put together some sort of multiple Frozen Four runs and a possible championship, we aren't going to see a full barn except during rare 1 v. 2 matchups.
                              Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting spreadsheet (both Men's and Women's)

                              Comment


                              • Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2019-2020: Time to Get Offensive

                                I'll start up a post that I'll try to update weekly to keep track of important stats

                                Record: 1-1-0
                                USCHO Poll: 17
                                USA Today Poll: RV (18)
                                PWR: 18
                                RPI: 18
                                KRACH: not available
                                Scoring: 7.00 GPG; 1st
                                Defense: 5.00 GAPG; 47th
                                Power Play Goals: 5; 2nd
                                Power Play Rate: 50%; 1st
                                Penalty Kill Goals: 0; 1st
                                Penalty Kill Rate: 100%, 1st
                                Penalty Min per Game: 16.5; 5th (1st is worst)
                                Shorthanded Goals Scored; 2; 1st
                                Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 0, 1st

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