Big Ten Conference Tournament

[FireKnight]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

It's feast or famine with a 7-man rotation and an offense that depends on the long-range jumper. That, and Ohio couldn't miss.

I don't know a darn thing about basketball. I just watch some of the NCAA tourney and root for the underdogs. I've been a Marist fan when it comes to basketball but their men's team hasn't been good since the days of Rick Smits.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

I love the triumphalist mindset of Minnesota fans when it comes to this tournament. It's sheer comedy.

Yep, we are the greatest hockey fans in all of the USA and I am not kidding either.

 

[UMBand]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

Yep, we are the greatest hockey fans in all of the USA and I am not kidding either.

That's great for you, but pardon me if I don't have a lot of tolerance for those who advocate for a conference tournament format that gives their program alone an arena full of their fans each and every year, with an impossibly long trip for every other team in the league.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

That's great for you, but pardon me if I don't have a lot of tolerance for those who advocate for a conference tournament format that gives their program alone an arena full of their fans each and every year, with an impossibly long trip for every other team in the league.

It is about making money and the X will make more money than anywhere else in the country. Minnesota fans don't cry because Indiana has the basketball tourney.

 

[UMBand]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

It is about making money and the X will make more money than anywhere else in the country. Minnesota fans don't cry because Indiana has the basketball tourney.

Or, it's about Minnesota fans wanting a home game every year.

The Big 10 is interested in TV revenue, not the gate. As long as the BTN has these games in every home in the midwest, and hauls in the associated revenue, they could be playing this game in a cornfield in Indiana for all Delany cares.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

Or, it's about Minnesota fans wanting a home game every year.

The Big 10 is interested in TV revenue, not the gate. As long as the BTN has these games in every home in the midwest, and hauls in the associated revenue, they could be playing this game in a cornfield in Indiana for all Delany cares.

Nice to see we are already renewing the rivalry. LOL.

 

[Caustic Undertow]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

Minnesota fans don't cry because Indiana has the basketball tourney.

Indianapolis is within five hours of driving of 8 of the teams in the conference. 3 teams to the west and 1 to the East have further to go. Minneapolis is at the far extreme of the footprint; Wisconsin can make it there, but it is undriveable for all but the biggest fans of the other four teams in the conference. Welcome to college hockey, Penn State! You can watch your team play in the conference tournament for a mere 18 hour drive.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

Indianapolis is within five hours of driving of 8 of the teams in the conference. 3 teams to the west and 1 to the East have further to go. Minneapolis is at the far extreme of the footprint; Wisconsin can make it there, but it is undriveable for all but the biggest fans of the other four teams in the conference. Welcome to college hockey, Penn State! You can watch your team play in the conference tournament for a mere 18 hour drive.

The Penn State fans are just happy to have hockey.

 

[13cupsandcounting]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

Detroit is a good option because they're only an hour away from I-80/90 which means fans can easily reach it via interstates. Also it's hockeytown USA folks, and each game will draw good crowds, especially the title. With that being said I'd like a switch from St Paul to Detroit every year. Satisfy the Minnesota and Wisconsin fans one year, Michigan and Michigan State the next

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

The Penn State fans are just happy to have hockey.

You're kidding right? The Penn State fans will care less about their hockey team once they settle into the bottom slot of the BTHC than Ohio State fans care about the college hockey team that plays in Columbus. They are more worried in Happy Valley about getting Beaver Stadium renamed in favor of Joe Paterno.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

I'd favor a rotation of cities for the BTHC post-season tournament. Still, while I don't mean to be disloyal to those with CCHA roots, the following point needs to be made: St. Paul has done a sensational job with the Final Five. It's an elite event in every respect. The CCHA tournament? Not so much. I spent Friday evening on DirecTV, flipping back and forth between the two tournaments. In St. Paul, the X was packed. The high energy level was obvious. In Detroit, the viewer saw a sea of empty seats at the Joe. And that was with the big drawing card, The University of Michigan, playing in the game.

I'm well aware that the Wolverine hoops team was off losing to the actual Ohio University during the same time slot. But that very pleasant fact that doesn't change my opinion one bit. Over the years the Final Five has consistently outdrawn the CCHA Tournament in it's various forms, regardless of which teams and which timeslots are involved. The WCHA fans seem to attend regardless of who's playing. The CCHA fans? Not so much. Michigan vs. Michigan State? OK, that will draw fine. ANY other combination of teams? Again, not so much. I should emphasize that I've attended both tournaments multiple times over the years. My impressions are based on much more than a single night of satellite TV.

13Cups: I agree with your conclusion, which I suppose is the most important thing. But I have huge doubts as to how well the BTHC Tournament will draw in Detroit. I want to believe. Still, as far as I'm concerned, the Hockeytown moniker derives from Wings games, not college tournaments.

EDIT: Credit to Gurtholfin for making a similar argument first...

 

[UMBand]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

At what point do we cut off the constant comparisons to both the Final Five and the CCHA tournament when discussing the BTHC? New conference, different mix of teams, and entirely new geographic realities. Plus a devoted television network by which almost all conference revenue decisions are made. This isn't the small-time, ad-hoc regional isolation we're used to in the WCHA and CCHA. All of us should know by now that's not how the Big 10 operates.

 

[mikecgrimes]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

I would imagine the NAC at Target Center will outdraw all Big Ten games that don't involve the Gophers, I also wouldn't be shocked if the WCHA tourny did better then the Big Ten in a lot of cases. We're already seeing it, if it's to Michigan fans aren't committed to heading to St Paul, there might be more Alaska fans that find there way to St Paul if one of there teams ever makes it there.

 

[johnnyredshoes]

Or, it's about Minnesota fans wanting a home game every year.

The Big 10 is interested in TV revenue, not the gate. As long as the BTN has these games in every home in the midwest, and hauls in the associated revenue, they could be playing this game in a cornfield in Indiana for all Delany cares.

If the tv revenue would be the same no matter where the tournament is held, why wouldn't they put it at the x to make even more $$ on top of that?

 

[bronconick]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

If the tv revenue would be the same no matter where the tournament is held, why wouldn't they put it at the x to make even more $$ on top of that?

Why play the Big Ten Championship in a dome in Indianapolis? Big Ten football is manball, and should be played outdoors, in a campus stadium that seats somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 more people at $60 a head.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

I should emphasize that I've attended both tournaments multiple times over the years. My impressions are based on much more than a single night of satellite TV.

13Cups: I agree with your conclusion, which I suppose is the most important thing. But I have huge doubts as to how well the BTHC Tournament will draw in Detroit. I want to believe. Still, as far as I'm concerned, the Hockeytown moniker derives from Wings games, not college tournaments.

This. I have been watching both of these tourneys for years - even going back to when CCHA games were on a network called PASS, I believe.

There are vast amounts of empty seats EVERY year, regardless of who's playing.

It's been said that attendance will be good (not great) if MSU and Michigan square off. Yippeee! What about the other games where it is horrible?

Attendance at the X is at least good when Tech plays Denver.

I enjoy watching the WCHA Final 5 (6?) more than most of the regionals because of the atmosphere - and the superior level of hockey (). It'd be a real downer to have the BTHC tourney beamed to the world and have the world see 1000's of empty red seats.

Like you said, Detroit is a PRO hockey city - end of story. Much like Chicago btw.

St. Paul could probably come close to selling out the X for an upper level Pee Wee tournament.

Finally, I also used to (many years ago) believe that having the conference tourney at the X or at the old St. Paul Civic Center disproportionately benefitted the Gophers. Not true. For reference, see last night's game. The results (facts) over the years do not support that argument.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

It is about making money and the X will make more money than anywhere else in the country. Minnesota fans don't cry because Indiana has the basketball tourney.

True, but....

Or, it's about Minnesota fans wanting a home game every year.

Gopher fans have to be kidding if they won't at least admit to this playing a role in the argument that they make.

Finally, I also used to (many years ago) believe that having the conference tourney at the X or at the old St. Paul Civic Center disproportionately benefitted the Gophers. Not true. For reference, see last night's game. The results (facts) over the years do not support that argument.

The WCHA Final Five also has the draw of North Dakota, UMD, and SCSU. All with very good sized fan bases, many within just a few hours drive. In some cases, their fan base in the Twin Cities is considerable. In last night's game, you could audibly hear the influence of the Fighting Whioux fans in the crowd.

Are those fans going to go to a BTHC tourney? Where are you going to get the influx of visiting fans from? Will our fanbase make up the difference? Or the fanbases that currently don't do much to support their current tourney? Or the brand new fanbase that would have to take a flight to get in? I doubt it. Without the help of other localized schools like NoDak, UMD, etc., a BTHC tourney in St Paul every year might as well be held in Mariucci.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

You're kidding right? The Penn State fans will care less about their hockey team once they settle into the bottom slot of the BTHC than Ohio State fans care about the college hockey team that plays in Columbus. They are more worried in Happy Valley about getting Beaver Stadium renamed in favor of Joe Paterno.

You hear that Steve and other PSU fans you will not care about your club because everyone already knows you are a cellar dweller. Not that I disagree but they haven't even suited up yet. In the words of KSTP 1500AM "We don't know that."

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

I would imagine the NAC at Target Center will outdraw all Big Ten games that don't involve the Gophers, I also wouldn't be shocked if the WCHA tourny did better then the Big Ten in a lot of cases. We're already seeing it, if it's to Michigan fans aren't committed to heading to St Paul, there might be more Alaska fans that find there way to St Paul if one of there teams ever makes it there.

It depends if the new league goes head to head with the B1G Ten. If it does the B1G tourney will most certainly outdraw the new league.

 

[Jaws]

Re: Big Ten Conference Tournament

Excellent Post. The one fly in the ointment for the big ten tourney at the X would be if the NCHC ended up at Target center the same week. All the Sioux, Bulldog, Huskie fans are across the river. you could end up with two half full arenas.

This. I have been watching both of these tourneys for years - even going back to when CCHA games were on a network called PASS, I believe.

There are vast amounts of empty seats EVERY year, regardless of who's playing.

It's been said that attendance will be good (not great) if MSU and Michigan square off. Yippeee! What about the other games where it is horrible?

Attendance at the X is at least good when Tech plays Denver.

I enjoy watching the WCHA Final 5 (6?) more than most of the regionals because of the atmosphere - and the superior level of hockey (). It'd be a real downer to have the BTHC tourney beamed to the world and have the world see 1000's of empty red seats.

Like you said, Detroit is a PRO hockey city - end of story. Much like Chicago btw.

St. Paul could probably come close to selling out the X for an upper level Pee Wee tournament.

Finally, I also used to (many years ago) believe that having the conference tourney at the X or at the old St. Paul Civic Center disproportionately benefitted the Gophers. Not true. For reference, see last night's game. The results (facts) over the years do not support that argument.