Attendance & Women's Hockey

[binnyrus]

As long as we're rehashing (as we have for 12 years! ) the dominance of the WCHA should we again discuss reasons for the poor attendance at women's games??

I bemoan this topic every season . . .

I am NOT nor have I EVER been the parent of a player. I am not, nor have I ever been a hockey player. I'm one of those rare birds that went to a UMD game and have missed very few since . . . 11 years so far. I love the game. If the women's game could manage to keep the fans (parents, family members) that follow a specific player we'd double the # of fans at most games. But, those family members pretty much seem to fade away. Is this because the game doesn't hold their interest when "their" player graduates????

(Just one way to enter the conversation . . . )

Is there anything at all that can be done to improve interest in the game???

 

[D2D]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

Is this because the game doesn't hold their interest when "their" player graduates????

Yes, you hit the nail on the head! I'm afraid that only a small percentage continue to be loyal fans.

Is there anything at all that can be done to improve interest in the game???

I'd like to hear some other ideas, but it would certainly help if those of us who are big fans make a concerted effort to introduce friends to the womens game by bringing them to a contest that promises to be especially competitive and (relatively) well attended - a lively atmosphere really helps a potential new fan get interested.

 

[Tweedle Dee]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

I'd like to hear some other ideas, but it would certainly help if those of us who are big fans make a concerted effort to introduce friends to the womens game by bringing them to a contest that promises to be especially competitive and (relatively) well attended - a lively atmosphere really helps a potential new fan get interested.

Therein lies the problem. It falls into a Catch 22 scenario: can't get fans without an atmosphere, can't get an atmosphere without fans.

My method is to harrass the student section into going to women's games. That's what a few of us at RIT try to do, doesn't work well but we do get a few new people each time. It also doesn't hurt that we have part of the pep band at the women's games.

 

[binnyrus]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

Therein lies the problem. It falls into a Catch 22 scenario: can't get fans without an atmosphere, can't get an atmosphere without fans.

My method is to harrass the student section into going to women's games. That's what a few of us at RIT try to do, doesn't work well but we do get a few new people each time. It also doesn't hurt that we have part of the pep band at the women's games.

Another rub!!! There's almost always a fairly large, raucus pep band at UMD games. The seem to enjoy themselves (and have made an annual habit of adopting "my" goalie chant) but . . . it doesn't seem to translate to more students showing up!! Perhaps some kind of extra credit could be attached to it???

 

[ARM]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

Another rub!!! There's almost always a fairly large, raucus pep band at UMD games. The seem to enjoy themselves (and have made an annual habit of adopting "my" goalie chant) but . . . it doesn't seem to translate to more students showing up!! Perhaps some kind of extra credit could be attached to it???

The pep band is invaluable to the fan experience. Most Minnesota games have one, and when they aren't there, it is dead by comparison. The piped in music just isn't the same. And although Eeyore may disagree, Goldy has to be there, because for most of the smaller children, he's the prime attraction.

Regarding parents of former players, many are pretty good about attending as long as some of the former teammates of their daughters are on the team. Once they are all gone, I doubt that they feel the same connection. There may be some burnout factor for them as well, because by the time a daughter graduates from college, they've spent a lot of years where every weekend is spent at an ice arena. Many have other kids or even grandkids playing, so the former college team drops on the priority list once their daughter graduates. Obviously those from outside the area are unlikely to fly in to watch.

I do very much appreciate when former players and their families make the effort to get out and support the game. If those like you that already know that it is a good game don't attend, then it is hard to expect the unexposed to turn out.

It is a very kid-friendly activity -- the players are excellent about interacting with children, even in the aftermath of tough losses. So if you can take some young ones to the game and get them hooked, please do so.

 

[CanHockGuy]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

Until somebody figures out a way to convey it to the general public that women's hockey is great to watch compared to the men's game, nothing will ever change. Women will never be able to convince anybody, and men might be your only hope.

 

[canadahockey26]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

I actually found the atmosphere at RIT quite impressive for a women's game. It might have also helped that the mens team were playing away games when I went down there.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

I actually found the atmosphere at RIT quite impressive for a women's game. It might have also helped that the mens team were playing away games when I went down there.

The men were not away this past weekend if that's when you were there.

The RIT men were playing downtown at the Blue Cross Arena in the Atlantic Hockey Tournament.

 

[NUWH DogHouse]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

I am NOT nor have I EVER been the parent of a player. I am not, nor have I ever been a hockey player. I'm one of those rare birds that went to a UMD game and have missed very few since . . . 11 years so far. I love the game. If the women's game could manage to keep the fans (parents, family members) that follow a specific player we'd double the # of fans at most games. But, those family members pretty much seem to fade away. Is this because the game doesn't hold their interest when "their" player graduates????

Fall into the same category. Started going to NU games and fell in love with being be to be heard clearly. I'll be honest for certain things I love the emptiness of the games. Player's know who I am and can hear me. But I do feel bad for the players especially in comparison to our men's team which is to put it mildly inconsistent but still get exponentially better crowds.

I have worked for my 5 years to get other students but nothing worked. Some would come for a game or two here and there but no other consistent people. Very recently one of our more faithful mens's supporters decided he really like the women's team and started going more. As an alumni next year I will be moving away from my normal spot and "behaving" better but I would've liked to have a replacement

To Tweedle Dee our pep band is usually there too but that is more of a deterrent here. They have been bad for years ( I say that as a former member) but are slowly getting better. Problem is most men's fans find them grating (many times for good reason) and they don't coordinate with fans well though they are trying. My problem with them is they try to block my chants out with usually just "white noise". Some people I'm sure appreciate my chants being overplayed but I don't and since I am there more than them it is annoying to say the least.

To Binnyrus at NU they do an NCENTIVES program that involves more points for women's hockey games with no success.

If they allowed hitting I am sure I could get a few more people to the game but the lack of hitting and stoppage of play when there is any can be a turn off.

 

[brookyone]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

If they allowed hitting I am sure I could get a few more people to the game but the lack of hitting and stoppage of play when there is any can be a turn off.

I think adding checking is as likely to cost the sport current fans that now attend games rather than increase attendance with new fans in the seats. Though probably mostly among those with no family connections. I know many hockey fans can only enjoy the men for it's physical / checking component. I just have my doubts those fans are going to attend women's games even with checking added. You could quite possibly kiss the considerable youthful women's hockey enthusiast that typically attends goodbye.

 

[canadahockey26]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

The men were not away this past weekend if that's when you were there.

The RIT men were playing downtown at the Blue Cross Arena in the Atlantic Hockey Tournament.

I was there in December. The band was there and the Arean seemed over half-full.

 

[taz91]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

I'd like to hear some other ideas, but it would certainly help if those of us who are big fans make a concerted effort to introduce friends to the womens game by bringing them to a contest that promises to be especially competitive and (relatively) well attended - a lively atmosphere really helps a potential new fan get interested.

That does work sometimes. I have a friend I graduated that was going to the going to the Gopher men's game the final home weekend of the women's regular season. I told her she should be next door because it would be better hockey (UM vs UND). She came to the game with her husband and enjoyed it. They liked it so much they, along with their kids (both daughters), came to the NCAA quarterfinal game against UND again and decided they were going to more games next year. I always say that once you give the game a chance, you will enjoy it. If you come expecting it to be like a men's game, you'll not enjoy it.

 

[Watson Rink]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

The "family & friends" aspect is undoubtedly the core: I'll admit I started paying attention to the women's game simply because my goddaughter was freshman roommates with Angela Ruggiero. Some of the funniest groups of fans are undergraduate friends of particular players who will occesionally show up in sports bras, each with one letter of an inspirational message painted on their bare midriffs; occasionally as they shiver they sit out of order, thereby misspelling their message. The university has discounts and promotions for schoolgirls' hockey teams. Our band is much less embarassing than it used to be, so when they show up it's now a positive contribution to the atmosphere.

Sad to say, though, the REAL reason my friends my age will go to womens games in a group, besides the fact that you don't need to get advance tickets, thereby making it easier for a group to coalesce at the last moment for hamburgers and beer followed by watching a game, is very simple: this is the game we grew up with, with lots of stickhandling, coordinated line play, a pace and skill set that we relate to, whereas the men's game has gotten too ragtag, dump it in, hit anything that moves, hope to score off of tips and loose rebounds, basically too wild and out of control. While this aspect of womens hockey may hit the sweet spot for people my age who have often spent years coaching youth sports and trying to get players to appreciate the finer points of various sports, I can see why it wouldn't appeal to your typical male undergraduate. And I think allowing hitting would spoil this particular kind of appeal in the womens game. (I enjoyed the struggles our son in law experienced as a defenseman when he started playing in the no-check business school league and learned that he had to develop some real skills rather than just rely on clocking people).

 

[CanHockGuy]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

The "family & friends" aspect is undoubtedly the core: I'll admit I started paying attention to the women's game simply because my goddaughter was freshman roommates with Angela Ruggiero. Some of the funniest groups of fans are undergraduate friends of particular players who will occesionally show up in sports bras, each with one letter of an inspirational message painted on their bare midriffs; occasionally as they shiver they sit out of order, thereby misspelling their message. The university has discounts and promotions for schoolgirls' hockey teams. Our band is much less embarassing than it used to be, so when they show up it's now a positive contribution to the atmosphere.

Sad to say, though, the REAL reason my friends my age will go to womens games in a group, besides the fact that you don't need to get advance tickets, thereby making it easier for a group to coalesce at the last moment for hamburgers and beer followed by watching a game, is very simple: this is the game we grew up with, with lots of stickhandling, coordinated line play, a pace and skill set that we relate to, whereas the men's game has gotten too ragtag, dump it in, hit anything that moves, hope to score off of tips and loose rebounds, basically too wild and out of control. While this aspect of womens hockey may hit the sweet spot for people my age who have often spent years coaching youth sports and trying to get players to appreciate the finer points of various sports, I can see why it wouldn't appeal to your typical male undergraduate. And I think allowing hitting would spoil this particular kind of appeal in the womens game. (I enjoyed the struggles our son in law experienced as a defenseman when he started playing in the no-check business school league and learned that he had to develop some real skills rather than just rely on clocking people).

No offense, but if your son in law had played in a "good" league, he would've had to have the "real" skills you speak about. A high level men's game has the whole package; unfortunately the women's game doesn't, so there lies the problem. The model (whatever that is) where women's basketball got its credibility from is where people should look. Is women's basketball popular still?

 

[Hux]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

No offense, but if your son in law had played in a "good" league, he would've had to have the "real" skills you speak about. A high level men's game has the whole package; unfortunately the women's game doesn't, so there lies the problem. The model (whatever that is) where women's basketball got its credibility from is where people should look. Is women's basketball popular still?

Women's basketball is popular because 1) there are millions of people who have played hoop at some point (and thus understand the game), and 2) it is easy to follow a bouncy ball go through the hoop.

 

[CanHockGuy]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

Women's basketball is popular because 1) there are millions of people who have played hoop at some point (and thus understand the game), and 2) it is easy to follow a bouncy ball go through the hoop.

Gotcha. We'll have to look elsewhere then.

 

[northhockey]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

Its easy to support your hockey team if you can watch it from the the seats at the Palace of the Ralph!

 

[D2D]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

...the REAL reason my friends my age will go to womens games in a group...is very simple: this is the game we grew up with, with lots of stickhandling, coordinated line play, a pace and skill set that we relate to, whereas the men's game has gotten too ragtag, dump it in, hit anything that moves, hope to score off of tips and loose rebounds, basically too wild and out of control. While this aspect of womens hockey may hit the sweet spot for people my age who have often spent years coaching youth sports and trying to get players to appreciate the finer points of various sports, I can see why it wouldn't appeal to your typical male undergraduate. And I think allowing hitting would spoil this particular kind of appeal in the womens game.

I agree with everything you say here except for the part that I've highlighted in bold type. If anything, the mens' game has become too predictable (as opposed to wild) and controlled (as opposed to out of control). In short, it's now too much like the NHL where they play not to make a mistake as opposed to generating offense. The players have gotten so good and the systems so sophisticated that it's become less wide open, more of a cat and mouse game.

That said, I still very much appreciate the speed and higher level of skill that the men have, but I've come to really enjoy watching the women play for all the reasons you mention.

 

[yungblud]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

I would have to agree the biggest obstacle is getting men's hockey fans to come to the game with an open mind. I remember when I first saw a women's game about eight years ago, I would have had a hard time believing I would ever get to a point where I would sometimes prefer going to a live women's hockey game than staying at home and watching the men's team on the road on tv. The game is developing faster than any sport I can think of in the past. When I started watching eight years ago there was your extremely elite players on your elite teams. One line of elite players could pretty much guarantee you a run to the Frozen Four. Although there is still your elite kids (Olympians), I believe the reason women's hockey is such a better sport then it was even five years ago is that your second and third lines can be relied on to make positive plays instead of just hoping they don't get scored on. The more the game develops the more it will continue to get better and hopefully that will relate to the continued growth in fan support.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: Attendance & Women's Hockey

Women's basketball is popular because 1) there are millions of people who have played hoop at some point (and thus understand the game), and 2) it is easy to follow a bouncy ball go through the hoop.

Looking at the WNBA numbers, it's not all that popular.