USCHO Fan Forum
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
-
The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.
Attendance at NCAA
- Thread starter ohcanada
- Start date
Re: Attendance at NCAA
No kidding. And one has to laugh at the story in the program (which was riddled with inaccuracies all over the place.) Page 12 says they expected ticket demand "to be at levels not before seen in collegiate women's hockey."
Wow.
No kidding. And one has to laugh at the story in the program (which was riddled with inaccuracies all over the place.) Page 12 says they expected ticket demand "to be at levels not before seen in collegiate women's hockey."
Wow.
Re: Attendance at NCAA
According the box score in the paper this morning, the attendance was 2,070. It actually felt and sounded like more than that, a good atmosphere for both games I thought. But without Minnesota in the final there will be lots more empty seats on Sunday. How many will depend on how many UMD fans drive down tomorrow morning.
According the box score in the paper this morning, the attendance was 2,070. It actually felt and sounded like more than that, a good atmosphere for both games I thought. But without Minnesota in the final there will be lots more empty seats on Sunday. How many will depend on how many UMD fans drive down tomorrow morning.
UMDSimmerdown
Getting bad rep since 1984
Re: Attendance at NCAA
There is a thread going in the Men's Frozen Four section that is trying to address this very problem. The solution: combine the Men's and Women's frozen four. Have the women play Th/Sa and the men play Fri/Su. Anyone who wins the lottery for the men's package would get free admission to the women's games, while there would still be some tickets set aside for people just wanting to buy the women's package. The hope would be that it would increase attendance for the women as well as create a buzz about college hockey on the whole.
Your thoughts?
Link to the thread
There is a thread going in the Men's Frozen Four section that is trying to address this very problem. The solution: combine the Men's and Women's frozen four. Have the women play Th/Sa and the men play Fri/Su. Anyone who wins the lottery for the men's package would get free admission to the women's games, while there would still be some tickets set aside for people just wanting to buy the women's package. The hope would be that it would increase attendance for the women as well as create a buzz about college hockey on the whole.
Your thoughts?
Link to the thread
Re: Attendance at NCAA
Well whatever the NCAA is doing now, it isn't working. I do expect Mercyhurst to get some good support next year. I hope it'll be just like Duluth in 2003.
If my memory serves me right, part of the reason for moving the women's season back so early was not so much about IIHF conflicts, but because they didn't want the men's and women's NCAA tournaments to conflict. This always struck me as odd, because it meant the women's quarterfinals conflict with conference quarterfinals (probably the busiest men's hockey weekend of the year in terms of # of teams involved and the importance of the games), and then the Frozen Four conflicts with the men's finals.
Well whatever the NCAA is doing now, it isn't working. I do expect Mercyhurst to get some good support next year. I hope it'll be just like Duluth in 2003.
If my memory serves me right, part of the reason for moving the women's season back so early was not so much about IIHF conflicts, but because they didn't want the men's and women's NCAA tournaments to conflict. This always struck me as odd, because it meant the women's quarterfinals conflict with conference quarterfinals (probably the busiest men's hockey weekend of the year in terms of # of teams involved and the importance of the games), and then the Frozen Four conflicts with the men's finals.
Re: Attendance at NCAA
In the Frozen Fenway game, we couldn't even get many men's fans to come to the women's game when they were included on the same ticket, for the same day right before the men's game.
Exactly how many of those men's fans are going to go out of their way on the "off" day to go watch the women?
In the Frozen Fenway game, we couldn't even get many men's fans to come to the women's game when they were included on the same ticket, for the same day right before the men's game.
Exactly how many of those men's fans are going to go out of their way on the "off" day to go watch the women?
UMDSimmerdown
Getting bad rep since 1984
Re: Attendance at NCAA
I'm not saying its going to pack the house, but I would guess you'd have maybe 1,000-2,000 more fans if it were done that way. Like you said, its the "off" day, so maybe people are just looking for something to do. The current system isn't working, I doubt the NCAA gets their money back for renting the venue under the current system. Even if it is only 1,000-2,000 extra fans, the added concessions money couldn't hurt.
I'm not saying its going to pack the house, but I would guess you'd have maybe 1,000-2,000 more fans if it were done that way. Like you said, its the "off" day, so maybe people are just looking for something to do. The current system isn't working, I doubt the NCAA gets their money back for renting the venue under the current system. Even if it is only 1,000-2,000 extra fans, the added concessions money couldn't hurt.
ARM
Fan of chipmunk-like mascots.
Re: Attendance at NCAA
What I think is vital to the attendance of the game, not just for the NCAAs but in general, is for former players and their families to stay involved. I saw a former Badger and her dad last night, and it wasn't the first time they've been at a game with no Wisconsin connection. I have a lot of respect for those who recognize that the game did a lot for them and now give back to it once they are no longer directly involved. Some parent's are great about coming back to support their daughers' former teammates and beyond. Others never find their way back to the building. I find that rather lame.
There were more people than that. That just counts the tickets sold and does not include player pass lists and those with credentials. My guess would be that there were around 2,500 people at the peak. Because there were a lot around the railings as well as upstairs.
I was worried it was going to be even worse. The marketing for this event was too little, too late. The game-in, game-out fans were there, but there just aren't enough of them. The only hope of doing well in Minneapolis for this type of event is to reach out to youth hockey organizations, and it sure didn't look like this happened.
My impression is that the NCAA is doing very little. I also think that Minnesota has hosted too much. Too many WCHA finals, too many Frozen Fours, too many men's regionals, too much NCAA basketball means zero buzz for this event. St. Cloud or Mankato would be better the next time around (assuming Duluth does the next western site with their new arena.) Gopher/Bulldog/Badger fans could still get there, but it wouldn't be same old, same old. And the East should bid more often than they apparently are doing these days.
If you get 1,000 men's fans but lose 1,000 women's fans, is that a gain? My worry with locking the women's event to the men's is that then the women's schedule/locations will be always at the mercy of whatever decisions men's hockey makes, with zero input as to if something is hurtful to the women's game. Conflicting with World Championships really tarnishes the Frozen Four if the best players leave.
What I think is vital to the attendance of the game, not just for the NCAAs but in general, is for former players and their families to stay involved. I saw a former Badger and her dad last night, and it wasn't the first time they've been at a game with no Wisconsin connection. I have a lot of respect for those who recognize that the game did a lot for them and now give back to it once they are no longer directly involved. Some parent's are great about coming back to support their daughers' former teammates and beyond. Others never find their way back to the building. I find that rather lame.
JosephPSchmoe
I'll say it if you won't
Re: Attendance at NCAA
I'll be there. I didn't buy my ticket until after last night's game and I was still able to get a reserved seat (not the bench type) between the blue line and center ice. But I expect I'll be able to find a better seat if I really want one. I don't know how a national championship tournament doesn't draw more people. We almost filled the DECC in 2008.
I'll be there. I didn't buy my ticket until after last night's game and I was still able to get a reserved seat (not the bench type) between the blue line and center ice. But I expect I'll be able to find a better seat if I really want one. I don't know how a national championship tournament doesn't draw more people. We almost filled the DECC in 2008.
Re: Attendance at NCAA
The WCHA Final Five tournament at the X drew over 15,000 for the play-in game on Thursday. This is without the Gophers participating this year
. There should be a very good crowd tonight with SCSU and North Dakota playing for the title.
I agree that the Twin Cities probably hosts more hockey events than it needs to. Seems like there is always a lot to choose from, especially when March rolls around.
The WCHA Final Five tournament at the X drew over 15,000 for the play-in game on Thursday. This is without the Gophers participating this year
. There should be a very good crowd tonight with SCSU and North Dakota playing for the title.I agree that the Twin Cities probably hosts more hockey events than it needs to. Seems like there is always a lot to choose from, especially when March rolls around.
Re: Attendance at NCAA
Brilliant idea....I'd be much more likely to travel a long distance (and spend the associated money) to watch teams other than my own play if there was that much more good hockey to watch at the same time...makes it a much bigger event
Brilliant idea....I'd be much more likely to travel a long distance (and spend the associated money) to watch teams other than my own play if there was that much more good hockey to watch at the same time...makes it a much bigger event
ManBehindTheCurtain
Great and powerful wizard
Re: Attendance at NCAA
Box score lists attendance for the final as 1,473.
I estimate far fewer than that actually in the building.
IMO there is no other way to cut it except to say it was a deplorable turn out in the so-called state of hockey.
Also perhaps worthy of note: Yesterday afternoon in Saint Peter the D-III 3rd place game (featuring the host school Gustavus) drew 461. The evening championship game box score lists attendance of 138.
Box score lists attendance for the final as 1,473.
I estimate far fewer than that actually in the building.
IMO there is no other way to cut it except to say it was a deplorable turn out in the so-called state of hockey.
Also perhaps worthy of note: Yesterday afternoon in Saint Peter the D-III 3rd place game (featuring the host school Gustavus) drew 461. The evening championship game box score lists attendance of 138.
Nowheresville
Registered User
Re: Attendance at NCAA
It seems like there was some very poor timing selecting this weekend to have the Women's Frozen Four in Minneapolis. Placing it up head to head with the Final Five just made for too much hockey competition in the Twin Cities. Back in 2006, I'm pretty sure that it was the same weekend as the Mens regionals, and nearly 5000 came out to Mariucci. Obviously, this year, with the X hosting a regional too, that wouldn't have been much of a help, but its quite a lot to host two college tournaments in the same weekend in the same city/market.
I'd also say that Ridder just isn't a championship venue. I can see the debate about playing in a full small venue vs. a half empty large one, but watching a game at Ridder is a lot like watching a game in a high school rink. Having it at Mariucci just makes it seem like more of an event, and that's going to appeal to more casual fans.
Clearly the marketing wasn't where it needed to be either. I was at the Camp Randall games and there was tons of advertising and promotion for Ford Field, but no mention of Ridder anywhere that I remember. I also don't recall seeing any promotion for the Women's Frozen Four at the Gopher Mens games. And if they didn't advertise at those easy venues where you've got a college hockey audience, I just can't imagine that they did much outreach elsewhere.
It seems like there was some very poor timing selecting this weekend to have the Women's Frozen Four in Minneapolis. Placing it up head to head with the Final Five just made for too much hockey competition in the Twin Cities. Back in 2006, I'm pretty sure that it was the same weekend as the Mens regionals, and nearly 5000 came out to Mariucci. Obviously, this year, with the X hosting a regional too, that wouldn't have been much of a help, but its quite a lot to host two college tournaments in the same weekend in the same city/market.
I'd also say that Ridder just isn't a championship venue. I can see the debate about playing in a full small venue vs. a half empty large one, but watching a game at Ridder is a lot like watching a game in a high school rink. Having it at Mariucci just makes it seem like more of an event, and that's going to appeal to more casual fans.
Clearly the marketing wasn't where it needed to be either. I was at the Camp Randall games and there was tons of advertising and promotion for Ford Field, but no mention of Ridder anywhere that I remember. I also don't recall seeing any promotion for the Women's Frozen Four at the Gopher Mens games. And if they didn't advertise at those easy venues where you've got a college hockey audience, I just can't imagine that they did much outreach elsewhere.
Re: Attendance at NCAA
Other places in Minnesota and the area that could host could be the Bemidji Regional Events Center, the new DECC in Duluth, US Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, The Resch Center in Green Bay, Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, IL, or the Urban Plains Center in Fargo.
Other places in Minnesota and the area that could host could be the Bemidji Regional Events Center, the new DECC in Duluth, US Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, The Resch Center in Green Bay, Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, IL, or the Urban Plains Center in Fargo.
Hux
Alfond to Ridder & rinks in between
Re: Attendance at NCAA
As ARM noted, the building was ringed with people standing at the rail on the concourse. Put those people in the seats and you'd have few empty seats.
A big problem is the fact that a good portion of your likely audience is the youth/high school/ adult player and family. Just as with last year, that audience is prevented from attending because of commitments to tryouts for the NDCs, state championships to qualify for Nationals and so on. Until the NCAA and the local governing bodies can work to ensure that conflicts like this don't arise, you will continue to see attendance at well below what it should be.
However, overall I was pleased with the turnout. The crowd was boisterous, with both sides leading cheers for their prospective schools. There was no sitting on hands or apathetic viewing. I'd rather have 2000 people who are into the game than twice that many that aren't.
As ARM noted, the building was ringed with people standing at the rail on the concourse. Put those people in the seats and you'd have few empty seats.
A big problem is the fact that a good portion of your likely audience is the youth/high school/ adult player and family. Just as with last year, that audience is prevented from attending because of commitments to tryouts for the NDCs, state championships to qualify for Nationals and so on. Until the NCAA and the local governing bodies can work to ensure that conflicts like this don't arise, you will continue to see attendance at well below what it should be.
However, overall I was pleased with the turnout. The crowd was boisterous, with both sides leading cheers for their prospective schools. There was no sitting on hands or apathetic viewing. I'd rather have 2000 people who are into the game than twice that many that aren't.
Last edited:
Re: Attendance at NCAA
I suppose that the thinking behind the proposal is that the Men's title should be the concluding event. I'm not sure that's absolutely necessary. But even if so, the Women's semi-finals could be Wednesday, with the Championship decided on Friday evening. While attendance at the semis would likely suffer a bit, the title game would have a pretty attractive timeslot.
Otherwise, we could simply keep the Women on the Friday/Sunday schedule that has the normal option up to this point.
My first reaction is that the Men's tournament won't (and shouldn't) give up their Thursday/Saturday schedule.
I suppose that the thinking behind the proposal is that the Men's title should be the concluding event. I'm not sure that's absolutely necessary. But even if so, the Women's semi-finals could be Wednesday, with the Championship decided on Friday evening. While attendance at the semis would likely suffer a bit, the title game would have a pretty attractive timeslot.
Otherwise, we could simply keep the Women on the Friday/Sunday schedule that has the normal option up to this point.
Crimson Hockey Fan
Registered User
Re: Attendance at NCAA
But the way the Frozen Fenway game was set up shut out those of us that only wanted to go to the women's game. (Not that I wasn't interested in the men's - but that's a long day/night outside in the cold!)
I like this idea - I agree that it would be a small proportion of the men's fans that would attend - but even a small proportion would certainly increase the attendance. And - it would eliminate this dumb conflict with conference championships, which I do think really hurts the women's game.
But the way the Frozen Fenway game was set up shut out those of us that only wanted to go to the women's game. (Not that I wasn't interested in the men's - but that's a long day/night outside in the cold!)
I like this idea - I agree that it would be a small proportion of the men's fans that would attend - but even a small proportion would certainly increase the attendance. And - it would eliminate this dumb conflict with conference championships, which I do think really hurts the women's game.