Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

I still like the idea of the campus playoffs better, but that's most likely never coming back. What I don't understand is how nobody from Wisconsin or OSU spoke up about their arenas not being available the first time around when the conference decided on campus site playoffs.

The issue of OSU's arena not being available for first round due to the University signing a long term contract to host the state high school wrestling tournament has been beat to death on our threads and after awhile you get tired of bringing it up plus it's embarrassing as hell that Ohio State considers the money they get from it more important than their own collegiate team.

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

And I can't tell you that there is ZERO chance that RPI will outdraw Wisconsin next year for season attendance, but its pretty **** unlikely.

You realize that we're not going to ever settle this right? We'll never know what percentage of fans will be from what fanbase for certainty, I'm just saying if I were hoping for attendance, I'd rather have the Gophers at the X than UND, and I'd rather have Wisconsin than us and Duluth. You can disagree if you want; you seem to quite often, ad naseum, with everyone, but I don't see how you can't see that the Big 10 is likely to get better attendance numbers than the NCHC if all other things are equal (in a year where MN and UW are terrible, maybe then they'd be surpassed by NCHC people).

 

[davyd83]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

The issue of OSU's arena not being available for first round due to the University signing a long term contract to host the state high school wrestling tournament has been beat to death on our threads and after awhile you get tired of bringing it up plus it's embarrassing as hell that Ohio State considers the money they get from it more important than their own collegiate team.

Simple solution: Win more games. Dont finish in that position. Why would the scool forego the revenue from the wrestling tourney in hopes that the hockey team plays home in round one. The simple reason why there was a conflict was an underachieving team. Maybe when you average gets above one butt for every three empty seats, you'll have an argument.

 

[Almington]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

And I can't tell you that there is ZERO chance that RPI will outdraw Wisconsin next year for season attendance, but its pretty **** unlikely.

You realize that we're not going to ever settle this right? We'll never know what percentage of fans will be from what fanbase for certainty, I'm just saying if I were hoping for attendance, I'd rather have the Gophers at the X than UND, and I'd rather have Wisconsin than us and Duluth. You can disagree if you want; you seem to quite often, ad naseum, with everyone, but I don't see how you can't see that the Big 10 is likely to get better attendance numbers than the NCHC if all other things are equal (in a year where MN and UW are terrible, maybe then they'd be surpassed by NCHC people).

I think that it is safe to say:
1.) That neither the B10 or the NCHC championship will outdraw what the WCHA was getting (at the current ticket prices): They may not even need to open the upper deck.
2.) Since they report PAID attendance, selling ticket packages is more important than actually using the tickets.
3.) That the NCHC would be more attactive to the X if the attendance was equal because there are NO alcohol sales during the B10 championship.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

I think that it is safe to say:
1.) That neither the B10 or the NCHC championship will outdraw what the WCHA was getting: They may not even need to open the upper deck.
2.) Since they report PAID attendance, selling ticket packages is more important than actually using the tickets.
3.) That the NCHC would be more attactive to the X if the attendance was equal because there are NO alcohol sales during the B10 championship.

I think if the lower the ticket price they could sell out both the B1G and NCHC. The price is just too high for the casual fan IMO.

 

[Caustic Undertow]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

The paradigm of college hockey is about to shift so radically that we simply can't know exactly how things are going to change. Predicting future attendance would involve far more variables than just "this team brought x number of fans last year, therefore they will or won't show up well in the future." Fanbases are not necessarily static. The rearrangement of conferences will not only change the actual opponents that teams play, but it will <b>change the mindset of the fans of the teams themselves</b>.

This will probably be felt most acutely in the WCHA. Teams like Northern Michigan not only draw more fans to games against teams like Michigan due to the name of the opponent, but the fans get the benefit of following a team that plays in a major conference against that kind of team.

Ten years ago I went to a Michigan-Ferris game in Big Rapids. Everyone was looking forward to seeing their team take on the big winged helmets; UM and MSU are by far their biggest draws. Funny thing, though: The D-2 football team was holding a fundraising raffle to get fans excited about the team and make money. The grand prize? Season football tickets--to your choice of Michigan or Michigan State football.

How will Mankato, Northern, Ferris, and others respond to playing in a "minor" league without the big boys to take their shots against? Maybe it will have no effect. Maybe not. It's impossible to predict.

In similar fashion the B1G has the possibility of enhancing the relevance of its constituents hockey teams within their own fan bases. MSU could see a resurgence to its always-sold-out days of yore; OSU fans may start buying more season tickets and "casual" fans may start following the scores and standings more closely. Who knows? Not any of us.

It is overly simplistic to say "NoDak had almost as many fans at the X as Minnesota did, therefore the NCHC will probably draw as well as Minnesota." It may well be true, it may be false. But we can't possibly have any idea what conference tournaments will be like in a year or two. For all we know the conference tournament concept may wane and collapse as people vote against them with their wallets; or both the B1G and NCHC tournaments become such smashing successes that tv networks start paying to televise them as NCAA basketball counter programming.

Who knows? Not us.

 

[Almington]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

I think if the lower the ticket price they could sell out both the B1G and NCHC. The price is just too high for the casual fan IMO.

Fair enough, but would that price maximize the revenue from the event (and how much weight should that have during the decision making process).

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

Fair enough, but would that price maximize the revenue from the event (and how much weight should that have during the decision making process).

It depends on how many empty seats there are. I am sure at some point it would be more profitable to sell more at less. What I think they really need to do is tier the prices of tickets.

 

[Tipsy McStagger]

You can disagree if you want; you seem to quite often, ad naseum, with everyone,

Hold up. Who disagreed with who? YOU were the one who disagreed with ME. Then suggested I must be high.

Secondly, I disagree with everyone? How is that possible? If there is a thread that everyone except one person agrees in (not counting JDUBBS), they are few and far between. I have opinions. I share them. Haven't received much negative rep, so I must no be that abrasive. It is called participating in a discussion. If you don't like it, a message board probably isn't the place for you.

 

[Huskiefan906]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

I hope the Big mistake tourneys match the current CCHA tourney attendance at the Joe.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

I hope the Big mistake tourneys match the current CCHA tourney attendance at the Joe.

At the Xcel it likely will not be like the CCHA tourney attendance.

 

[4four4]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

The paradigm of college hockey is about to shift so radically that we simply can't know exactly how things are going to change. Predicting future attendance would involve far more variables than just "this team brought x number of fans last year, therefore they will or won't show up well in the future." Fanbases are not necessarily static. The rearrangement of conferences will not only change the actual opponents that teams play, but it will <b>change the mindset of the fans of the teams themselves</b>.

This will probably be felt most acutely in the WCHA. Teams like Northern Michigan not only draw more fans to games against teams like Michigan due to the name of the opponent, but the fans get the benefit of following a team that plays in a major conference against that kind of team.

Ten years ago I went to a Michigan-Ferris game in Big Rapids. Everyone was looking forward to seeing their team take on the big winged helmets; UM and MSU are by far their biggest draws. Funny thing, though: The D-2 football team was holding a fundraising raffle to get fans excited about the team and make money. The grand prize? Season football tickets--to your choice of Michigan or Michigan State football.

How will Mankato, Northern, Ferris, and others respond to playing in a "minor" league without the big boys to take their shots against? Maybe it will have no effect. Maybe not. It's impossible to predict.

In similar fashion the B1G has the possibility of enhancing the relevance of its constituents hockey teams within their own fan bases. MSU could see a resurgence to its always-sold-out days of yore; OSU fans may start buying more season tickets and "casual" fans may start following the scores and standings more closely. Who knows? Not any of us.

It is overly simplistic to say "NoDak had almost as many fans at the X as Minnesota did, therefore the NCHC will probably draw as well as Minnesota." It may well be true, it may be false. But we can't possibly have any idea what conference tournaments will be like in a year or two. For all we know the conference tournament concept may wane and collapse as people vote against them with their wallets; or both the B1G and NCHC tournaments become such smashing successes that tv networks start paying to televise them as NCAA basketball counter programming.

Who knows? Not us.

The casual fan of college hockey will likely believe the Big Ten is the only major conference and they likely will believe everybody else to be minor.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

Simple solution: Win more games. Dont finish in that position. Why would the scool forego the revenue from the wrestling tourney in hopes that the hockey team plays home in round one. The simple reason why there was a conflict was an underachieving team. Maybe when you average gets above one butt for every three empty seats, you'll have an argument.

I can see how you have that perspective from the outside but mind you OSU used to average 6500 a game in earlier years, as good as Michigan draws at home. We've sold out all 17,500 seats on rare occasion, 10,000 for a game against Michigan this last season so yes, when things are good we can sell seats but they never had the intention of giving hockey a chance to show if they could draw well as they signed that deal with the devil almost as soon as the mortar was dry at the Schottenstein Center - for a period of 10 years! And a couple of years ago the bast*rds renewed the contract!

 

[bronconick]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

Casual hockey fans in America exist as a number low enough that they would qualify for endangered species status. Casual college hockey fans skip right past that stage and exist on a level on par with the Yeti, Chupacabra and Loch Ness Monster, where you may hear a 4th hand reference that someone claims to have met one.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

Casual hockey fans in America exist as a number low enough that they would qualify for endangered species status. Casual college hockey fans skip right past that stage and exist on a level on par with the Yeti, Chupacabra and Loch Ness Monster, where you may hear a 4th hand reference that someone claims to have met one.

Generally speaking, very true. But casual college hockey fans are much rarer some places than others. I know quite a few people who will go to a Gopher game every now and then, but don't follow the team that closely during the season. It's more of a social outing for them. Then there are the types that only go to games in the postseason when the team is playing well. I have a few friends who are like this. Bigger college bouncy ball fans that jump on the hockey wagon when the team is playing well.

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

Casual hockey fans in America exist as a number low enough that they would qualify for endangered species status. Casual college hockey fans skip right past that stage and exist on a level on par with the Yeti, Chupacabra and Loch Ness Monster, where you may hear a 4th hand reference that someone claims to have met one.

I think it depends on region but I know a lot who don't root for anyone but the Wild or not even them, just like hockey, and when they go to a game have an absolute blast.

 

[davyd83]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

I can see how you have that perspective from the outside but mind you OSU used to average 6500 a game in earlier years, as good as Michigan draws at home. We've sold out all 17,500 seats on rare occasion, 10,000 for a game against Michigan this last season so yes, when things are good we can sell seats but they never had the intention of giving hockey a chance to show if they could draw well as they signed that deal with the devil almost as soon as the mortar was dry at the Schottenstein Center - for a period of 10 years! And a couple of years ago the bast*rds renewed the contract!

I'm well aware of what they have drawn on occasion. But again, the bottom line is that if you don't like playing in the practice rink, win more games, earn a bye. Now with the Big Ten, there won't be any conflict.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

I'm well aware of what they have drawn on occasion. But again, the bottom line is that if you don't like playing in the practice rink, win more games, earn a bye. Now with the Big Ten, there won't be any conflict.

How won't there be a conflict? The selection of the X and the Joe only have to do with the finals, not the rounds leading up to it. Now if the Big Ten dictates to OSU that unlike the CCHA they won't tolerate us hosting a playoff round in a substandard facility and from this point on it's a no-no then that would be the first bit of news about the new conference that would make me happy.

 

[davyd83]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

How won't there be a conflict? The selection of the X and the Joe only have to do with the finals, not the rounds leading up to it. Now if the Big Ten dictates to OSU that unlike the CCHA they won't tolerate us hosting a playoff round in a substandard facility and from this point on it's a no-no then that would be the first bit of news about the new conference that would make me happy.

If you read the article, all six teams will compete in the Big Ten tourney on one weekend. On the Thursdays #3 will play #, 6 and #4 will play #5. On the Fridays, #1 & #2 play the winners from Thursday, with the Friday winners playing for the title on Saturday. Those tournaments are scheduled for the third weekend of March. There are no earlier rounds. Since there are no Big Ten playoffs on the first weekend of March, there is no chance for conflict.

http://www.uscho.com/2012/04/19/big-ten-postseason-tournaments-to-rotate-between-st-paul-detroit/

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Big Ten officially announces tournament sites

If you read the article, all six teams will compete in the Big Ten tourney on one weekend. On the Thursdays #3 will play #, 6 and #4 will play #5. On the Fridays, #1 & #2 play the winners from Thursday, with the Friday winners playing for the title on Saturday. Those tournaments are scheduled for the third weekend of March. There are no earlier rounds. Since there are no Big Ten playoffs on the first weekend of March, there is no chance for conflict.

http://www.uscho.com/2012/04/19/big-ten-postseason-tournaments-to-rotate-between-st-paul-detroit/

Thanks, I was not aware of that.
I hope you understand how touchy a subject that first round issue has been for us here. As far as the university was concerned it was never about how well our team could or should draw being a reason for signing that contract, it was always about them putting a high school event ahead of their own team solely for the money because hockey had always been a low priority sport for them!