Attendance

[beaverhockeyfan]

After many years of embarrassment and disaster, it was really nice to see respectable crowds at each of the venues. But for the same reason, it's WAY too early to be declaring victory on this.

In Sioux Falls, the West seems to have found a neutral site that actually works. First time in a long time. No, Fargo does not count. Fargo worked financially. For neutrality, it was hypocrisy on steroids.

The other part of the 2018 package was three Eastern Regionals. For truth-in-advertising, Allentown probably should have been called the Mid-East Regional. Again, I'm grateful for this year's success. But having three Eastern Regionals on a permanent basis would definitely raise a fairness question.

Let's see what happens for the next couple of years before getting too excited. Maybe this really is the start of a new, positive trend for the regionals. Or maybe it's a one year aberration.

If North Dakota would have made the tournament, Sioux Falls would have been Fargo on steroids since the Denny Sanford Center is twice the size of the Scheels Center. Fighting Hawk fans had bought up a lot (most) of the early tickets knowing if the Hawks made it, they would be in Sioux Falls. When they were eliminated a lot of tickets hit the secondary market.

 

[Saints#1]

Re: Attendance

For a comparison, note that my friends from Boston grumble about driving to Albany (3 Hours) and complain bitterly about driving to Buffalo. (8 Hours)

8 hours from Boston to Buffalo? Good lord, what are they driving a 1980 Chevy Chevette? ... Doing 70 mph on a 65 mph highway you can do Boston to Buffalo easily in 6 hours and 15 minutes. Even quicker if you don't mind going faster than that. I think your friends might need to learn how to drive!

 

[CLS]

Re: Attendance

8 hours from Boston to Buffalo? Good lord, what are they driving a 1980 Chevy Chevette? ... Doing 70 mph on a 65 mph highway youthrecan do Boston to Buffalo easily in 6 hours and 15 minutes. Even quicker if you don't mind going faster than that. I think your friends might need to learn how to drive!

Can't speak for pgb, but at my age there's no way I make it to Buffalo without two, maybe three, potty breaks.

 

[chickod]

Re: Attendance

8 hours from Boston to Buffalo? Good lord, what are they driving a 1980 Chevy Chevette? ... Doing 70 mph on a 65 mph highway you can do Boston to Buffalo easily in 6 hours and 15 minutes. Even quicker if you don't mind going faster than that. I think your friends might need to learn how to drive!

He's probably driving MY car...

 

[Wi.Huskies Fan]

Re: Attendance

Not sure what the prices for 2-day passes were elsewhere but I think they were $70 dollars at Bridgeport. This is at least within the realm of reasonable pricing, although I find $70 a bit too high for casual fans. I'm not sure what it cost to get in for just Saturday's ND/PC final. It would be nice if the NCAA (or is it NC$$) would reduce the required financial guarantee host institutions must pay to the NCAA, and they'd likely reduce ticket prices to maximize attendance. The more people in the building the more they make from parking and food and other trinkets.

From the TV shots, it did look like the buildings were all a little better than some regionals in the recent years. Perhaps the nadir was reached and we've seen an uptick as we've seen a steadier (if not completely healthy) economy.

One thing I'd like to see is all conferences go to a home ice format for their conference tournaments. You eliminate the travel required for half the fan bases to see their team play the weekend before the NCAAs and that alone may make people more willing to make a drive, spend a night at a hotel and all of the other costs associated with traveling to see yor team.

I looked online for ticket pricing at Bridgeport. It was $70 for a 2 day pass (not sure if that price was for all seats). If that was the case you were able to watch 2 games per day at $35, although you had to buy the package deal. I think that is a fair price to be in the building.

 

[D2D]

Re: Attendance

Only single seats are available according to NCAA.com

That will be quite the atmosphere, with over 19,000 in the building. Especially good, given that Minnesota, St. Cloud, Mankato and UND all won't be there. The closest team geographically will be Minnesota-Duluth, located about 150 miles north.

 

[hky]

Re: Attendance

Hearing UND did a great job hosting in Sioux Falls. Hopefully, that will be a frequent site in the West Regional rotation. Are attendance figures based on tickets sold or scanned? Sioux fans bought a lot of tickets ahead of time knowing they would be there if they got in. Many still went, despite crummy weather and roads. Many sold on the secondary market especially to Mankato fans who went through their school allotment quickly. Heard that Sioux Falls youth hockey and the Big Brother/Big Sister programs were gifted tickets as well. I don't understand the complaints on this board about Fargo. True, it's only 75 miles from Grand Forks. But there must be teams out east that are closer than that to Bridgeport and Worcester. Especially Worcester.

 

[chickod]

But there must be teams out east that are closer than that to Bridgeport and Worcester. Especially Worcester.

There are. But here’s the difference. There are a billion schools here and none have anywhere near the fan base that North Dakota does. None are capable of selling out the arena by themselves. UND is. That’s the difference.

 

[Wi.Huskies Fan]

Re: Attendance

Lots of empty seats at Worcester,MA for a Regional Championship game. Maybe some other city should host.

 

[hky]

Re: Attendance

There are. But here’s the difference. There are a billion schools here and none have anywhere near the fan base that North Dakota does. None are capable of selling out the arena by themselves. UND is. That’s the difference.

Is the problem then that none of them are willing or able to host?

 

[J.D.]

Lots of empty seats at Worcester,MA for a Regional Championship game. Maybe some other city should host.

Check the box score from yesterday. Then factor in both Cornell and NU had good fan support yesterday. They're not here anymore and it's down to two teams. It's a decent crowd today. Not amazing but solid.

 

[ThePowerConference]

Re: Attendance

My biggest complaint about the attendance is when they put the games in a building that is too big for the crowd. 8,000 fans in a 10,000 rink isn't bad. If that rink holds 15,000+, or if you have 4,000-5,000 in a rink that holds 10,000, then there is no atmosphere at all. I was at both WCHA Championship games on campus this year and last and nothing beats a full building even though the crowds were less than 4,500 each time. They don't have to move the NCAA onto campus, just "right-size" the venue. In my opinion if you fill a 10,000 seat arena and turn 2,000 fans away that is a good thing. Better than 12,000 in an NHL rink.

I totally agree. NHL sized arenas should be for the Frozen Four, not regionals. They've had a west regional at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul a couple times in the past few years and although it was a good crowd (7,000-10,000) every time, it still looks empty in a 19,000 capacity arena. Stick to arenas that are 5,000 - 10,000 in size, lower ticket costs, and try to maximize attendance with local teams if possible.

 

[chickod]

I totally agree. NHL sized arenas should be for the Frozen Four, not regionals. They've had a west regional at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul a couple times in the past few years and although it was a good crowd (7,000-10,000) every time, it still looks empty in a 19,000 capacity arena. Stick to arenas that are 5,000 - 10,000 in size, lower ticket costs, and try to maximize attendance with local teams if possible.

Except you have to understand the history. Worcester WAS a medium sized arena (around 11,000) until the renovation to add the balcony seats. That’s most likely to attract concerts etc and now there’s an ECHL team here. They had already established themselves in the rotation. I get what you’re saying but where else are they going to have it? It’s right in the middle of a large population center and close to at least twenty schools.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Attendance

Not sure why they never use Springfield? Medium size ala Bridgeport

 

[chickod]

Not sure why they never use Springfield? Medium size ala Bridgeport

Further away from all the Hockey East schools. I mean if you’re concerned about attendance why would you move it further away?

 

[chickod]

Re: Attendance

No difference for Yale or Quinnipiac really

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Attendance

Are attendance figures based on tickets sold or scanned?

That depends on the honesty of those reporting the attendance. Officially, they will tell you it is tickets sold and rarely (if ever) is it tickets scanned. I have my doubts sometimes about the "tickets sold" because I have first hand knowledge of SIDs flat out making up figures to distribute to the press.

To me it looks like the figures I have seen reported in box scores for the last 3 days are probably an honest reflection of tickets sold. And that's because the regions did seem to perform a little better, ticket-wise, this time around.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Attendance

Further away from all the Hockey East schools. I mean if you’re concerned about attendance why would you move it further away?[/QU

I was more concerned about building size, and not all the hockey East Schools are going to make the tourney. When it comes down to it, the only sites to consider for the Northeast are Providence, Worcester, Springfield, Manchester,and maybe Portland. You can't base the location on one conference.

 

[chickod]

Re: Attendance

Further away from all the Hockey East schools. I mean if you’re concerned about attendance why would you move it further away?[/QU

I was more concerned about building size, and not all the hockey East Schools are going to make the tourney. When it comes down to it, the only sites to consider for the Northeast are Providence, Worcester, Springfield, Manchester,and maybe Portland. You can't base the location on one conference.

Not basing it on one conference. I said it's about the same distance for Quinnipiac and Yale (and really UConn too). Portland is too small...Worcester had 10,000 yesterday and Portland only holds 6,700. As it is they rotate Manchester and Worcester every other year. Maybe Springfield doesn't bid.

And frankly, for those complaining about Worcester. The MassMutual Center (Springfield) is a dump.

 

[CLS]

Re: Attendance

That depends on the honesty of those reporting the attendance. Officially, they will tell you it is tickets sold and rarely (if ever) is it tickets scanned. I have my doubts sometimes about the "tickets sold" because I have first hand knowledge of SIDs flat out making up figures to distribute to the press.

To me it looks like the figures I have seen reported in box scores for the last 3 days are probably an honest reflection of tickets sold. And that's because the regions did seem to perform a little better, ticket-wise, this time around.

I'd guess almost certainly they use tickets sold, because they know that there are going to be people how buy tickets for the finals that don't use them if their team loses in the Regional semis. And as for comparing crowd size with tickets sold, the semifinals are typically single admission, so the number of folks in the seats at any one time is quite a bit less than the number of tickets sold.

Not sure why they never use Springfield? Medium size ala Bridgeport

Probably because Springfield doesn't submit bids. Worcester has evidently determined that NCAA Regionals are good business for them, and submit a bid every other year. Springfield evidently hasn't done so.