Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I think the reason for the Chicago playoffs is the hope to get numbers by making it easier for the Minnesota and Wisconsin fan base to attend and screw all the others!

I know for a fact I would not attend if I have to drive or fly somewhere. Too expensive. Sorry.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Final Five thursday was quite possibly the worst possible matchup they could have had, you get a minnesota school in that game or nodak and its much better...

I agree. And my point is that this weekend is a preview of what's to come, minus MN fans (and some other fanbases) that won't show up at all in the future because it wouldn't even be our conference tournament.

 

[scsutommyboy]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I think the reason for the Chicago playoffs is the hope to get numbers by making it easier for the Minnesota and Wisconsin fan base to attend and screw all the others!

Will Minnesota fans travel to Chicago it great enough numbers to make it worth while?

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I think the reason for the Chicago playoffs is the hope to get numbers by making it easier for the Minnesota and Wisconsin fan base to attend and screw all the others!

Also there are a TON of alumni in Chicago from Wisconsin/Michigan/MN/OSU...

IF they get decent press by putting this at the UC, and hopefully getting smart and letting people know about the IL kids playing as well and what school has sent what NHL'ers up etc, they could start to generate some interest. I have serious doubts though that it can take off like it would at the X. reason being no Illinois teams, AND the fact that while the trib covers NCAA hockey once in a while it doesn't do so regularly. Even most blackhawk fans couldn't tell you where Toews (UND), Dowell (UW), Scott (UAA), Leddy (UMN) Sharp (Vermont) played prior to the pros so that doesn't help matters.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I swear that the UD was about $20/game (so $40 for Thu), compared to around $45/game for LD ($90). Honestly, I didn't look at the price of my tickets, since I really didn't care.

Upper deck ends are cheaper...they are the only ones...

 

[The Rube]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Will Minnesota fans travel to Chicago it great enough numbers to make it worth while?

I wouldn't. I would barely be convinced to travel to WI for the BTHC tourney. I'd rather spend the money for more F4s or hockey road trips (BTHC or other).

Upper deck ends are cheaper...they are the only ones...

Ah, ok. My UD seats have always been on the ends, so that is where my confusion came from.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I wouldn't. I would barely be convinced to travel to WI for the BTHC tourney. I'd rather spend the money for more F4s or hockey road trips (BTHC or other).

I wouldn't either. I would spend the money elsewhere. Like my house or other sporting events.

 

[Armadillo]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

This. ****ing. Sucks.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I wouldn't either. I would spend the money elsewhere. Like my house or other sporting events.

For about $500 or so (educated guess on the cost for a BTHC tourney in WI: gas, tix, food, booze) I could fly out to CC or DU and catch a weekend series, hit a MN-tUMD series in Duluth (and have extra money), go to UNO, etc etc etc. $500 would at least get me TO the eastern schools' areas, and I'd make a vacation out of it and have an extended weekend.

Basically expand the arenas I've been to, or hit more F4s, depending on if I actually wanted to go to that city (for example, I am interested in Pittsburgh, but not Nashville).

 

[Wol4ine]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I watched the miami/notre dame game Friday and there was 1,000 people there at the most. I doubt the big ten is going to have it there if that is the embarassing attendance the two michigan schools currently draw.

The announced attendance was 12,300 for the 2 games friday. As you said, they were there to see the 2 Michigan schools. Throw a little blame toward Ohio and Indiana fans for not traveling. I also think this points out why tBTHC wants to form. tBT teams are tired of carrying all this dead weight. (a bit of sarcasm there for those who care).

I think tBTHC would be better off having the tourney on campus. Have the bottom 4 teams play a 2 out of 3 series the first weekend. Then have the winners go play the top 2 teams the next weekend for a 2 out of 3 series. Then have the highest seed left host the Championship series.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

You should be. You're team coupled with the red menace has destroyed everything I hold dear about college hockey. PSU hockey can wither and die for all I care. Better you guys than any of the other teams in Division 1.

I don't get this thinking.

Almington, con, and I were talking about that. There were still 5 games, though, and all games meant something (compared to the 3rd place game that doesn't exist anymore, thank Parise). I'm just saying that this weekend was a sign of things to come. I highly doubt that once the BTHC forms, that the F5 will even bring 57K anymore to the X, given the number of MN fans that go no matter if MN is in it or not.

I think both sides of the debate merit discussion, and time will tell.

Edit: It's still impressive, but it's not the monster tournament draw it once was, when you could easily have close to 40K after the Thu game/Fri afternoon game.

This years Final 5 gives the WCHA what it will be like without Minnesota and Wisconsin. It very well may even be worse.

I watched the miami/notre dame game Friday and there was 1,000 people there at the most. I doubt the big ten is going to have it there if that is the embarassing attendance the two michigan schools currently draw.

Are they on spring break?

I certainly won't carry a hard-on for our former conference mates once we're out of the WCHA. At that point, I leave with my team.

Badger fan first, conference allegiance somewhere far down on the list.

So shoot me...

Here is the difference between a Minnesota hockey fan and a UW fan. Big difference.

I'm just old enough to remember PSU pre-Big Ten and thought it would be cool to get back to those roots. And almost 20 years in the Big Ten has given us very little in the way of rivalry, just the monotony of the same schools over and over and over.

Rivalries develop over a long time and PSU on the mens side is really only know for football.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

The announced attendance was 12,300 for the 2 games friday. As you said, they were there to see the 2 Michigan schools. Throw a little blame toward Ohio and Indiana fans for not traveling. I also think this points out why tBTHC wants to form. tBT teams are tired of carrying all this dead weight. (a bit of sarcasm there for those who care).

I think tBTHC would be better off having the tourney on campus. Have the bottom 4 teams play a 2 out of 3 series the first weekend. Then have the winners go play the top 2 teams the next weekend for a 2 out of 3 series. Then have the highest seed left host the Championship series.

If they're smart they host the semis and finals (third place game) at one site on one weekend. No way they add in the extra travel.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I don't get this thinking.

All I care about are UND, the Minnesota teams, the Broodmore, the McNaughton, and the national title. They have essentially destroyed that and other teams are more likely to fold because of this move. Better PSU than me or mine.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

All I care about are UND, the Minnesota teams, the Broodmore, the McNaughton, and the national title. They have essentially destroyed that and other teams are more likely to fold because of this move. Better PSU than me or mine.

Who is they and what have they destroyed?

 

[The Rube]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I care about MN.
I care about whatever *ing title(s) MN can win. Broadmoor, McNaughton, whatever the BTHC trophy is going to be, etc.

When MN leaves, I won't care THAT much about the WCHA, meaning I probably won't go to their conference tourney, won't care if DU, UAA, or *gasp* UND wins or loses (unless they are playing MN or can affect MN's PWR), etc. They are just another conference, like the CCHA or HE, in my eyes.

The latter part of that second part is what makes me sad.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Until this year. The title game didn't even sell out (16K). Total attendance for the weekend was 57K+. The average over the last 7-8 years is around 71K.

Accounting for the fact the Thursday session was combined on one ticket, the per game attendance was similar to last year I think. However, that per game attendance is a full 3k lower than it is when MN makes it and plays 2-3 days. IIRC the high water mark ('07?) averaged 17-18k per game.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Accounting for the fact the Thursday session was combined on one ticket, the per game attendance was similar to last year I think. However, that per game attendance is a full 3k lower than it is when MN makes it and plays 2-3 days. IIRC the high water mark ('07?) averaged 17-18k per game.

I tried finding it on the web, and I thought someone had posted it before, but I thought the record was around 90K, the contract-length avg was 71K, and the recent avg until the last two years (71K and 57K respectively) was around 80K.

Again, this is just a preview of what is to come. Not saying this is a fluke, but I highly doubt that once the BTHC forms you'll see 50K again.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

Who is they and what have they destroyed?

Are you just being obtuse or do I have to spell it out for you?

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I care about MN.
I care about whatever *ing title(s) MN can win. Broadmoor, McNaughton, whatever the BTHC trophy is going to be, etc.

When MN leaves, I won't care THAT much about the WCHA, meaning I probably won't go to their conference tourney, won't care if DU, UAA, or *gasp* UND wins or loses (unless they are playing MN or can affect MN's PWR), etc. They are just another conference, like the CCHA or HE, in my eyes.

The latter part of that second part is what makes me sad.

This is how I feel. IMO, at least from the Minnesota side once the BTHC starts up the rivalry between Minnesota and North Dokota will lose its luster over night.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt II - The Exodus

I tried finding it on the web, and I thought someone had posted it before, but I thought the record was around 90K, the contract-length avg was 71K, and the recent avg until the last two years (71K and 57K respectively) was around 80K.

Again, this is just a preview of what is to come. Not saying this is a fluke, but I highly doubt that once the BTHC forms you'll see 50K again.

Well I wouldn't be so sure, I just bet they won't be charging $45 face value for 80% of the tickets in the arena. Like I said, the thursday and friday morning games were about the worst possible scenario the WCHA could have had...I think UNO will draw decent...UMD, BSU, SCSU will do better than CC vs UAA.