Attendance at NCAA

[Sean Pickett]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

Here are the FF attendance figures for every year it has been held:

By Year
2001 Minneapolis  Semifinals  2,099        Final  3,079
2002 Durham       Semifinals  2,051        Final  3,102
2003 Duluth       Semifinals  4,801 (host) Final  5,167 (host)
2004 Providence   Semifinals  2,526        Final  3,522
2005 Durham       Semifinals  2,204        Final  2,056
2006 Minneapolis  Semifinals  2,876 (host) Final  4,701 (host)
2007 Lake Placid* Semifinals  3,423 (host) Final  3,355
2008 Duluth**     Semifinals  3,023 (host) Final  4,031 (host)
2009 Boston       Semifinals  2,706        Final  2,437
2010 Minneapolis  Semifinals  2,070 (host) Final  1,473
* first year FF held a week earlier
** Thursday-Saturday

By Attendance
Semifinals          Final
4,801 (host)        5,167 (host)
3,423 (host)        4,701 (host)
3,023 (host)        4,031 (host)
2,876 (host)        3,522
2,706               3,355
2,526               3,102
2,204               3,079
2,099               2,437
2,070 (host)        2,056
2,051               1,473

Having the host in the tournament has boosted attendance (except this year). The top four semifinals and the top three finals all involved the host team.

It is hard to determine if the change to a week earlier is impacting attendance, as it went up the first year for the semifinals, but dropped for the final. The semifinal attendance has now dropped for three straight years and the final attendance for two straight and 3-of-4.

I find the drastic attendance drop off this year troubling. The semifinal attendance is second to last, despite the host playing, and over 600 less than last year’s. The final attendance is dead last, almost 1000 less than last year and over 600 less than the previous low.

It will be interesting to see the attendance in Eire next year, with or without Mercyhurst. And regarding ticket prices, I see that tickets for next year are already on sale:

All session passes for Friday & Sunday are $50.00 adult, $40.00 student.
All session passes are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale March 11, 2011.

Sean

 

[dave1381]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

Do you have price data? I think that the $50-$40 difference for adult-student ticket prices is pretty absurd, should be more.

Also notice that the 2005 final was on Easter Sunday. That definitely impacted attendance.

Being in a new location will definitely help. You definitely see a dropoff in attendance in repeat locations, once you control for other factors.

 

[ARM]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

Being in a new location will definitely help. You definitely see a dropoff in attendance in repeat locations, once you control for other factors.

That's true, but I think the problem goes beyond that. Forgetting the novelty factor, I think that both UMD and Minnesota have less fans than they once did. There were way more Bulldog fans in Mariucci in 2001 than I saw last weekend, and regular season attendance has been on a downward trend as well. Wisconsin blipped up when they first had success; we'll have to see what direction their crowds go next year with Johnson back in the mix.

 

[Sean Pickett]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

Do you have price data? I think that the $50-$40 difference for adult-student ticket prices is pretty absurd, should be more.

I have only attended last year at Agganis Arena and I have only been able to find prices for 2008-2011 online.

All Session Passes
2008 Adults $35.00 Children/Students $25.00
2009 Adults $49.00 Children/Students/Groups $34.00
2010 Chair back (All) $40 Bench (Adults) $35.00 Bench (Children/Students/Seniors) $30.00
2011 Adults $50.00 Students $40.00

<a href=http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/champ_handbooks/ice_hockey/2010/10_nc_wicehockey.pdf> The Women’s Championship handbook</a> states that the minimum price for all-session tickets shall be $20.

Sean

 

[Hux]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

Do you have price data? I think that the $50-$40 difference for adult-student ticket prices is pretty absurd, should be more.

Also notice that the 2005 final was on Easter Sunday. That definitely impacted attendance.

Being in a new location will definitely help. You definitely see a dropoff in attendance in repeat locations, once you control for other factors.

Another likely culprit that hasn't been touched on would be the availability of web/tv coverage. I wouldn't be surprised if, in conjunction with high ticket/gas prices and the poor economy, many folks opted to sit in front of the high-def tv/computer screens in the oh so affordable den rather than travel to Ridder.

 

[CammieBuckeye]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

I broke the bank twice this past season. I drove from Columbus, OH to Madison, WI for Ohio State vs Wisconsin 1st round WCHA playoffs. Then I drove from Columbus, OH to Minneapolis, MN for the WCHA Final Faceoff. But I know the OSU girls and have followed them closely for 5 years. In both cities, OSU definitely just had family and close friends in attendance. At home, OSU gets a lot of their families and friends, but also a lot of young girls and their families from around Columbus. I've also seen some of the men's team in attendance every once in awhile. There is no charge for admittance, but the OSU Ice Rink is very small. According to ohiostatebuckeyes.com, the OSU Ice Rink holds around 1,200 people. I've seen it full on many occasions and I'd venture a guess it usually draws around 80-85% capacity. But around campus, there is virtually no marketing for the team, nor the men's team really. And that's a real problem.

 

[ARM]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

I wouldn't be surprised if, in conjunction with high ticket/gas prices and the poor economy, many folks opted to sit in front of the high-def tv/computer screens in the oh so affordable den rather than travel to Ridder.

I could see that for people traveling from a distance. Local people, if they don't care enough to show up, aren't likely to watch on the web either. Maybe Sunday with the TV coverage, but the real puzzler in my mind was Friday night.

 

[Nowheresville]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

Its really disappointing to see that they're going to try to get $50 for tickets to next year's F4. That's completely pricing the event out of the budget of the casual fan. And $40 for students? Good luck getting any sort of student/family crowd at that price.

That's $180 dollars for a family of four to go. You'll certainly get the die hard fans at that price, but that's way too high to get any noteworthy crowd outside just the core supporters. For an event that's been watching its attendance fall significantly, and has never drawn a huge crowd in the first place, its insanity to set tickets at that price point.

Quite frankly, its a little disappointing that the NCAA sets a minimum price at $20. Yes, there is such a thing as a price that's too low, but there is a happy medium.

If they wanted to draw a crowd, they should be looking to set the adult price at $20-30, and the student price at $10-20. Even from there, they should be offering additional discounts and promotions especially to youth groups and others who could help grown the sport by through the exposure.

 

[MICZamboni]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

It will be interesting to see the attendance in Eire next year, with or without Mercyhurst. And regarding ticket prices, I see that tickets for next year are already on sale:

All session passes for Friday & Sunday are $50.00 adult, $40.00 student.
All session passes are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale March 11, 2011.

Sean

Purely speculation but I am thinking the way Mercyhurst women's hockey is marketed in Erie, there will be as much advertising in this area as anywhere else, if not more. If Mercyhurst makes the Final Four, I will guess 3500 to 5000 at least for any game they are playing in. Any other team, I will guess it will be about the average of these past 5 or 6 seasons.

 

[Trillium]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

Purely speculation but I am thinking the way Mercyhurst women's hockey is marketed in Erie, there will be as much advertising in this area as anywhere else, if not more. If Mercyhurst makes the Final Four, I will guess 3500 to 5000 at least for any game they are playing in. Any other team, I will guess it will be about the average of these past 5 or 6 seasons.

What is the capacity of the arena it will be played in?

 

[Hux]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

What is the capacity of the arena it will be played in?

It is an OHL barn, so I would think it is over 4K.

edit: Found this on the ever useful Wiki:
The Erie Otters play home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. The arena was built in 1983 and seats 5,500 spectators

 

[Trillium]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

It is an OHL barn, so I would think it is over 4K.

edit: Found this on the ever useful Wiki:
The Erie Otters play home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. The arena was built in 1983 and seats 5,500 spectators

Thanks--I hit the refresh button just in time.

 

[WHKY blogger]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

It is an OHL barn, so I would think it is over 4K.

edit: Found this on the ever useful Wiki:
The Erie Otters play home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. The arena was built in 1983 and seats 5,500 spectators

From the OHL Arena Guide Page


Items of Note:

Upon entering the Tullio Arena there are big signs posted on every door - "No cameras allowed in the Tullio Arena".

Tullio Arena's layout is unconventional. ...there are two huge grandstands running down both sides of the building but little seating in the ends. The side grandstands have about 25 rows apiece and all seats face forward, not angled towards the ice, so if you're in a corner you have to tilt your head to see the action.

Ahh, the crowd noise. In case you haven't heard, Tullio Arena is LOUD. It is by far the loudest building in the OHL. There are no sound dampeners, no acoustic tiles, just hard surfaces which reflect the noise and amplify it. As a result, the noise in Tullio Arena is downright scary at times.

The press box is tiny, with only enough room for the Otters' radio crew, so any visiting team's crew is set up at the top of one of the sections on risers.

 

[Hux]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

No cameras in the arena? Hmmmm, lovely concept. Good luck telling parents of players in the FF they can't snap pics of their kids.

 

[WHKY blogger]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

No cameras in the arena? Hmmmm, lovely concept. Good luck telling parents of players in the FF they can't snap pics of their kids.

I was thinking the same thing..

We have a no detachable lens camera policy in the Kohl Center, but the only time I have seen it enforced was when a mother was walking back and forth through sections and up and down the isles during play for most of the first period.

I can see allowing no cameras for a Big Show or something, but I cant imagine why an arena would have a no camera policy for all events. Just a bit of overkill IMO..

 

[Trillium]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

No cameras in the arena? Hmmmm, lovely concept. Good luck telling parents of players in the FF they can't snap pics of their kids.

No worries.....hockey parents happen to be illiterate

 

[CammieBuckeye]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

I know when I was at Ridder they said no flash on the camera. That's cool. The lighting is good enough there. I hope they allow cameras. That would be ridiculous to not allow parents to take pics of their kids. I can understand no flash though. That's cool. But let cameras in.

 

[Skate79]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

From the OHL Arena Guide Page


Items of Note:

This arena sounds like the public skating rink in my town. You hold your most important event in a third rate facility? Fantastic. The press box sounds like it won't be able to accommodate the TV crew. And people wonder why women's hockey is suffering from poor attendance.

 

[dave1381]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

. The press box sounds like it won't be able to accommodate the TV crew. And people wonder why women's hockey is suffering from poor attendance.

They'll find a way. Lots of places don't exactly have 1st-rate press facilities.

 

[MICZamboni]

Re: Attendance at NCAA

What is the capacity of the arena it will be played in?

5586 with room for standing room only (not that it will be needed for the Frozen Four unless Mercyhurst is playing).

I do suggest clicking on the link someone put on earlier. There will be major renovations taking place starting this spring and the place should look even better.