Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA
You forget that its not like there's a lot of us. Next time the Huskies play at Mariucci do an informal poll... stop every one in cardinal and black and ask if they attended SCSU. Throw out the kids with them and I'll bet 90% say they did. St. Cloud's in a community that still supports the Gophers as much or more than the Huskies. Its not like Minnesota, Wisconsin or North Dakota where EVERYBODY around there cheers for the Gophers, Badgers and Sioux. I'm not saying we travel well, but considering the small number of people who claim allegiance to team, we don't travel horribly either.
There is no question there are many residents of North Dakota, Minnesota or Wisconsin who never attended those universities but still choose to cheer for that state's flagship hockey program. I have many friends in that situation. However, it's my experience they don't, as a rule, travel to watch those sports teams play.
SCSU is not alone in college hockey when it comes to fans not "traveling well." In fact it's the rule, not the exception.
Fans of schools like Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan are perceived as traveling well, but that's only because of the gigantic alumni base they each have.
For small schools, UND fans are perceived as traveling as well as any big school, and frankly, as well as anyone in college hockey, primarily because of a couple of unique circumstances.
First, there are a substantial number of alumni in the Twin Cities and Denver areas. UND grads seem to have migrated specifially to these two locales more than any other, and they happen to be the two largest television markets in the WCHA footprint. They are also within very close driving distance from a number of other WCHA teams (Mankato, SCSU, CC).
Second, there have been affirmative steps taken to get UND fans to away games. If no one does anything, and you just depend upon fans, on their own, to make the decision to go, make arrangements, etc..., many fewer fans will make the trip. Al Pearson, from Grand Forks, and the UND Alumni group have both actively lined up tickets, bus/plane transportation and lodging for groups to go to various away games, including Colorado, Maine, etc... Without the efforts of Al and the Alumni group there would be far fewer green, black and white jerseys in the stands for UND away games.
Finally, UND hockey has really been the only game in town for North Dakota sports. We've always had good, small school football, an avid high school basketball following and the like. But for sports on a national level, UND hockey has been it. And candidly, any reason to get out of Grand Forks in the winter, even for a few days, is a good reason.
