Bob Suter Legacy20 Arena (Madison, WI area) Chosen As 2028 Championship Site

[Scott_TG]

The committee has chosen the Bob Suter Legacy20 Arena in Madison, WI as the predetermined host of the 2028 NCAA DIII Men's Hockey Championship weekend March 23-25, 2028. This was announced as in partnership with the WIAC as opposed to any one host institution.

The arena seats roughly 2,600 and is the home of the Madison Capitols. The arena is in Middleton, around 6.5 miles west of Madison. The press release touts the tournament bringing $740k of expected revenue to the local economy.



https://wiacsports.com/news/2024/10...p-coming-to-greater-madison-area-in-2028.aspx

 

[Pioneer247]

So we've got:

25 - Campus Site
26 - Utica
27 - Listed as TBD, assuming it's a Campus Site
28 - Madison

I like it

 

[SHockey98]

I believe 2025 has to be a western campus site, no? Given the last three have been Lake Placid, Endicott, and Trinity, this one should be coming west.

 

[Pioneer247]

I believe 2025 has to be a western campus site, no? Given the last three have been Lake Placid, Endicott, and Trinity, this one should be coming west.

If I remember correctly, they will try their best to put it in the West, but if there's no suitable building to host of the 4 teams that make the Final, they will give it to the highest ranked team in the Frozen Four with an approved site

 

[Scott_TG]

If I remember correctly, they will try their best to put it in the West, but if there's no suitable building to host of the 4 teams that make the Final, they will give it to the highest ranked team in the Frozen Four with an approved site

On the women's side they put it out west without a participant host in 2013 when they had the championship weekend at UW-Superior even though Superior didn't make the tourney let alone the finals. The committee can and may be obligated to send it west to comply with that rule.

 

[Scott_TG]

Do the bylaws say the Committee has leeway to disregard the rule about not being in the same region 4 straight years? Or are they bound to be out west even if there is no suitable western host in the semis?

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Do the bylaws say the Committee has leeway to disregard the rule about not being in the same region 4 straight years? Or are they bound to be out west even if there is no suitable western host in the semis?

This is not meant to "knock" Endicott because I was there and I think they did a phenomenal job hosting the FF in 2023, but how many "western contenders" have a smaller capacity rink than them?

Adrian I know of would probably have a hard time handling capacity, but they did host the women's tournament before so maybe they would be deemed suitable.

SNC and Stevens Point for sure could handle it.

Who's left as a "western contender"?

St. Olaf, Trine, River Falls, maybe?

I'm pretty sure it's a 99.9 percent situation that it has to go to the other region unless literally there is not even a remotely suitable host or a school didn't bid to host it.

I also don't see a situation where at least one of Adrian/SNC/Stevens Point isn't left in the tournament being very likely.

 

[Scott_TG]

This is not meant to "knock" Endicott because I was there and I think they did a phenomenal job hosting the FF in 2023, but how many "western contenders" have a smaller capacity rink than them?

Adrian I know of would probably have a hard time handling capacity, but they did host the women's tournament before so maybe they would be deemed suitable.

SNC and Stevens Point for sure could handle it.

Who's left as a "western contender"?

St. Olaf, Trine, River Falls, maybe?

I'm pretty sure it's a 99.9 percent situation that it has to go to the other region unless literally there is not even a remotely suitable host or a school didn't bid to host it.

I also don't see a situation where at least one of Adrian/SNC/Stevens Point isn't left in the tournament being very likely.

My understanding is Adrian isn't going to be considered for a championship weekend after how 2017 went.

In hypotheticals, say the rumored Adrian shadowban is in place but they're in the semis but SNC and Point aren't. Does it go to a neutral school that bid (SNC or Point who bid for championship weekend when they were in the QFs for example) or are they allowed to break the rule preventing 4 straight in one region?

 

[Russell Jaslow]

So we've got:

25 - Campus Site
26 - Utica
27 - Listed as TBD, assuming it's a Campus Site
28 - Madison

I like it

They announced 2027 as a campus site.

And to answer another post, it cannot go to a neutral site. It has to be one of the four teams. Yes, lean West, but in the most extreme case, they can be forced to give it to one of the Eastern teams still in it.

 

[Scott_TG]

They announced 2027 as a campus site.

And to answer another post, it cannot go to a neutral site. It has to be one of the four teams. Yes, lean West, but in the most extreme case, they can be forced to give it to one of the Eastern teams still in it.

Thanks for your insight.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

My understanding is Adrian isn't going to be considered for a championship weekend after how 2017 went.

In hypotheticals, say the rumored Adrian shadowban is in place but they're in the semis but SNC and Point aren't. Does it go to a neutral school that bid (SNC or Point who bid for championship weekend when they were in the QFs for example) or are they allowed to break the rule preventing 4 straight in one region?

I was also there for that debacle and would say "good". It's nice to see there is some accountability if that is indeed true.

 

[HeeHee]

My understanding is Adrian isn't going to be considered for a championship weekend after how 2017 went.

In hypotheticals, say the rumored Adrian shadowban is in place but they're in the semis but SNC and Point aren't. Does it go to a neutral school that bid (SNC or Point who bid for championship weekend when they were in the QFs for example) or are they allowed to break the rule preventing 4 straight in one region?

Can someone explain Adrian being shadow banned from hosting? As an SNC fan this brings me immense joy but what happened to warrant this?

 

[Scott_TG]

Can someone explain Adrian being shadow banned from hosting? As an SNC fan this brings me immense joy but what happened to warrant this?

In addition to the facilities being too small and uncomfortable for 4 teams to feel like championship caliber (which is a big emphasis for the committees especially lately) and the refs being out of control biased, my understanding of what set it over the edge was that despite it being very clear that for championship weekend teams were to cover up logos and markings on the ice and boards and leave them neutral, Adrian painted some kind of message to the Bulldog women on the ice. I was there in Adrian and didn't notice it but that's what I was told after.

It seems like an overreaction to me if it was really just that so maybe there's more that happened but I'm glad if its never there again.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

It seems like an overreaction to me if it was really just that so maybe there's more that happened but I'm glad if it’s never there again.

If true, it is definitely not an overreaction. The NCAA is extremely strict on this sort of thing.

There’s a reason why Boston, of all cities, was purposely overlooked not once, but twice, in Frozen Four bids.

 

[Lord_Zubin]

I liked it when it was placid every year. Adequate facility very little scheduling conflict and who wouldn't want to play in that arena it's every American players dream to play there. What happened to that?

 

[HeeHee]

I liked it when it was placid every year. Adequate facility very little scheduling conflict and who wouldn't want to play in that arena it's every American players dream to play there. What happened to that?

West teams don't like to travel that far

 

[Lord_Zubin]

By West teams u mean the same 3 of st norbort stevens point and adrian. Seriously we've had what 3 tourneys in the past 20 years that didn't have at least one of those 3 in the frozen four. Why are they allowed to throw a hissy fit. Put it in Cleveland they have an ahl arena and that's in the middle for pretty much everyone if they're so concerned with travel.

 

[Scott_TG]

If true, it is definitely not an overreaction. The NCAA is extremely strict on this sort of thing.

There’s a reason why Boston, of all cities, was purposely overlooked not once, but twice, in Frozen Four bids.

I'm wondering just how permanently frozen out is Adrian. Say they come through with a partnership proposal as the host institution for a championship weekend at nearby Huntington Center (home of the Toledo Walleye) similar to how this Madison bid was done, would the NCAA still tell them to f off or would it be considered? If its really about them not following instructions they should toss it out but maybe it is about Arrington.

And if it is about Arrington, Amherst should be similarly frozen out for women's championships for how 2023 went which I'm hearing they're not

 

[bakdraft21]

Have not been following but....does a school have to put a bid in to be considered????...I would imagine Oswego would be a nice place to host, with a killer 3000 seat arena is that to small??, and a bunch of hotels and places to eat etc etc.....

 

[Scott_TG]

Have not been following but....does a school have to put a bid in to be considered????...I would imagine Oswego would be a nice place to host, with a killer 3000 seat arena is that to small??, and a bunch of hotels and places to eat etc etc.....

Yes, schools have to bid. The NCAA isn't psychic they need to know who is available and willing for each of the rounds of their natty tournaments.