2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

[cetihcra]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

Break even attendance is around 2500. Best case scenario is a capacity crowd that averages about $30/person on concessions, parking and souvenirs and even then the organizers are looking at ~$130,000 profit. The only way this works in almost any western city (and many in the east) is if you are able to get funding from the local CoC or a tourism group in town. All those people will need hotels, food and things to do when not watching hockey. Of course the area is already lousy with tourists since this is ski country. Loveland Ski Area is open into May. Will many locals be that excited about a hockey tournament when they're busy with an already robust tourism industry? I guess we'll see next March.

LOL, Loveland Ski Area is NOWHERE near Loveland, CO...100 miles and 2 hours apart. Loveland (city) locals will be but a small portion of the people that regional will attract...hockey fans from Denver and COS are the target market there, and they should fill the place fairly easily. Granted, filling is small, but it should be a good atmosphere.

r

 

[J.D.]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

No, it's definitely the NCAA's fault that the western teams are so far apart. They could totally have picked a regional location within 500 miles of every western school if they just bent their map of America a little bit and removed some of that darn space.

Where's the like button

If true I assume it's just a continuation of the NCAA policy that if a non-school site bids, they won't consider an on campus site.

That has to be it. They will accept on campus bids but will only pick them if there are no other options.

 

[Biddco]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

I'm very bummed that Fighting Hawk Falls isn't the Midwest Regional. It was a great arena and good town for that. According to Schlossman UND didn't bid there this year but bid on the Ralph.

Loveland is a great idea and the only surprise is that it didn't happen sooner.

I wonder why more schools don't try to host in Iowa at USHL venues. but I digress.

 

[Biddco]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

I am enjoying all the donkeys on Twitter complaining about Allentown not being in the Midwest. Give it up already. Midwest is just a name at this point.

I am NOT ready for another year of that...serenity now...

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

Nothing. Notre Dame hosted at their own rink not terribly long ago. It's an arbitrary rule that can be arbitrarily enforced.

Notre Dame offered a very attractive bid in terms of $$$, and the NC$$ ain't the NC$$ because $$$ ISN'T their first consideration. The school's costs were fairly low since they own the rink and would have been paying something to run it those days anyway (other than a couple of holidays, it never sits idle) and they were assured of a ton of ticket money since they forced their season ticket base to buy tickets and my guess is their season ticket base was in the midst of their largest couple of seasons (to that time, 2018-2019 may have bested it) in 2014/2015. I also was led to believe there were simply no other viable bids for that regional and the NCAA wasn't left with much in the way of options.

 

[ecachawkeyfan]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

I'm shocked to see Albany just because there had been nothing reported that the arena even bid.

But those who hadn't been there in a few years will be pleasently surprised. There's been over $20M in upgrades to the arena - the atrium/entrance is much improved and now enclosed. It looks nothing like it did before. The concessions have all new facades. Most of the bathrooms have been re-done.

There's also an attached convention center to the arena that was not open when hockey was here in 2016. It will be great for fan fests and the like.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

I'm very bummed that Fighting Hawk Falls isn't the Midwest Regional. It was a great arena and good town for that. According to Schlossman UND didn't bid there this year but bid on the Ralph.

Loveland is a great idea and the only surprise is that it didn't happen sooner.

I wonder why more schools don't try to host in Iowa at USHL venues. but I digress.

Not a lot of large capacity rinks in the USHL.

Green Bay and Sioux Falls have hosted. Sioux City and Central Illinois are the only others that seat more than 6000 in their arenas.

 

[ticapnews]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

LOL, Loveland Ski Area is NOWHERE near Loveland, CO...100 miles and 2 hours apart. Loveland (city) locals will be but a small portion of the people that regional will attract...hockey fans from Denver and COS are the target market there, and they should fill the place fairly easily. Granted, filling is small, but it should be a good atmosphere.

r

I don't think the locals are the target audience to fill the arena, I think local business is the target to help fund the regional. The restaurants, hotels and tourist traps all stand to gain if the regional does well. Tap into that.

That's true in every city, not just Loveland.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

By my count, the distance between the "Midwest" Regional and the West Regional is 1,708 miles.

That also means there are only FIVE west schools within 500 miles of a regional site:

Allentown - 164 to Penn State, 448 to Ohio State (next closest 510 to BGSU)
Loveland - 40 to Denver, 120 to Colorado College & Air Force Academy (next closest 530 to Omaha)

Another big F U to the west. What a joke.

Nobody bid.

 

[ticapnews]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

No, it's definitely the NCAA's fault that the western teams are so far apart. They could totally have picked a regional location within 500 miles of every western school if they just bent their map of America a little bit and removed some of that darn space.

I get your point, but I also hear the other side. The NCAA isn't at fault for geography but it could make bidding in the first place much more attractive by dropping that insane $150,000 fee for a host. Not many places out west are willing to take that financial risk, especially if the host team misses the tournament and their venue becomes a wasteland. Without that stiff price tag you'd see more bids. That isn't going to happen either.

Until the NCAA changes what it wants from a national tournament the system we have is the system we'll keep.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

I'm shocked to see Albany just because there had been nothing reported that the arena even bid.

But those who hadn't been there in a few years will be pleasently surprised. There's been over $20M in upgrades to the arena - the atrium/entrance is much improved and now enclosed. It looks nothing like it did before. The concessions have all new facades. Most of the bathrooms have been re-done.

There's also an attached convention center to the arena that was not open when hockey was here in 2016. It will be great for fan fests and the like.

Albany is a good site. Within a drive for any Eastern team, a nice-enough facility, and very handy to Pearl Street for between-games food and beverages.

Not much to dislike about the experience there.

 

[ericredaxe]

I am curious how Allentown would do if it was the host for the East regional. They’ve done well as it is.

Most likely worse than Manchester, Worcester or Providence typically do.

 

[duper]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

Loveland is actually a pretty cool spot for it. It's a nice drive up from Denver, and for those who don't want an hour in the car, it's a quick drive down from Fort Collins. If I were still living in Denver, I'd definitely plan on being there. Sadly, getting downstates is too costly and time consuming to be realistic.

 

[joecct]

Loveland is actually a pretty cool spot for it. It's a nice drive up from Denver, and for those who don't want an hour in the car, it's a quick drive down from Fort Collins. If I were still living in Denver, I'd definitely plan on being there. Sadly, getting downstates is too costly and time consuming to be realistic.

Is still 80mph on the interstate between Denver & Ft. Collins??

 

[jericho]

Albany is a good site. Within a drive for any Eastern team, a nice-enough facility, and very handy to Pearl Street for between-games food and beverages.

Not much to dislike about the experience there.

Not to mention all the improvements made to the arena in the past year, as well as the building of the Capital Center. Much improved since the last time they hosted. Oh, and the fact they lost their AHL team, so I’m sure that this is an audition to get a team back to the arena.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

https://www.ncaa.com/news/icehockey...es-di-mens-ice-hockey-regional-sites-2020-and

2020:
NE: Worcester
East: Albany
MW: Allentown
West: Loveland

2021:
NE: Manchester
East: Bridgeport
MW: Fargo
West: Loveland

If you need any more indication that the NCAA cares more about neutrality than people actually showing up…

Personally I didn't need any further evidence or persuading. But of course you're correct.

Allentown is the least objectionable location, IMO.

It fits the current rules & policies as they now stand. I do wonder about going to the well for a third consecutive year. The novelty has to be gone in the local area. If Allentown has decent luck with the assigned teams, it should once again prove to be "acceptable." Poor luck? We'll see.

If true I assume it's just a continuation of the NCAA policy that if a non-school site bids, they won't consider an on-campus site.

That has to be it. They will accept on campus bids but will only pick them if there are no other options.

I read the decision on Madison (and if applicable Grand Forks) the same way.

A trip to Kohl Center would have been tempting. But I'm certainly not surprised it wasn't selected.

Until the NCAA changes what it wants from a national tournament the system we have is the system we'll keep.

Yes; and until those favoring change unite behind a coherent alternative, the status quo is "wanted" by default.

Albany is a good site. Within a drive for any Eastern team, a nice-enough facility, and very handy to Pearl Street for between-games food and beverages.
Not much to dislike about the experience there.

Agreed. If one assumes the current rules & policies, Albany is a fine choice. The arena is too big to be ideal for tournament atmosphere, but we're operating under the assumption that the in-arena experience doesn't really matter. Neutrality is served; I don't think any single school is capable of "taking over" that arena. With the right set of teams, there's upside potential on the financial side. Even with poor luck on the tournament field, it's very unlikely that Albany would have no close-by teams at all, and thus be a financial bloodbath.

Big Picture? Small Screen:
For me, this set of venues means another two years of viewing the regionals on TV. It'll be OK; I'm used to it. Loveland may even help the TV viewer. With the Mountain Time Zone in the mix, that provides some options for reducing overlap between the games.

I am concerned about Year 2 in Loveland. No DU + less novelty could mean disaster at the turnstiles. But pairing that selection with Fargo provides a financial safety net, assuming that the UND fanbase is once again willing to subsidize the current format en masse. Note that giving the Dakotas a year off in 2020 may serve to whet the appetite for 2021.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

With Yale and SHU as co-hosts in Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport in 2021, what would the NCAA do if both teams make the field? Unlike in past years where Yale and Fairfield co-hosted, as of this past season the Webster Bank Arena is SHU's home rink. Highly unlikely scenario, but who knows?

 

[thebrain]

Not a lot of large capacity rinks in the USHL.

Green Bay and Sioux Falls have hosted. Sioux City and Central Illinois are the only others that seat more than 6000 in their arenas.

Xtreme Arena in Coralville (Iowa City) is under construction. It will be home to the University of Iowa volleyball team, U of I’s club hockey team and the community hockey programs. It opens August 2020 and holds 5,100.

http://coralville.org/765/Xtream-Arena

 

[duper]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

Is still 80mph on the interstate between Denver & Ft. Collins??

I honestly couldn't tell you.

 

[GB Puck Fan]

Re: 2020 Regional sites - any predictions?

Not a lot of large capacity rinks in the USHL.

Green Bay and Sioux Falls have hosted. Sioux City and Central Illinois are the only others that seat more than 6000 in their arenas.

One issue is the timing. The regionals are near the end of the regular season for the USHL. I think most teams want to try have as many home dates at the end for the 'playoff push' - and because attendance is just better in March than early October.

It doesn't make much sense, but I wonder if Wisconsin would get a bid if it offered to host at the Coliseum (it's former home, also former USHL home). Smaller capacity than the Herb Garden, albeit a (IMO) not-so-great place to watch a game.

Also, the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis was a USHL site. Holds about 6,800, I think. The Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, is a former Lancers home and holds about 6,700. Again, could be similar for UNO to host there? Not the home rink...

But other AHL rinks could work: Rockford (6,000), Milwaukee (9,500), Des Moines (15,000) - but, again, can't force places to bid.