D3 Bracketology

[spike]

Re: D3 Bracketology

How about cudos for once to the NCAA. First, they are flying SNC east because that is the right thing to do. Second, absent a monumental upset in Platty next weekend, the NCAA will end up flying 3 eastern teams out west. Imagine if they had flown Gustavus east in the hopes of creating a 2-2 split? My point is that we often criticize them, and rightfully so, but I think they got it right this time and its going to cost them a big chunk of change to make it work.

 

[gojackets]

Re: D3 Bracketology

Both are sad comments on the amount of time spent on DIII in general, and women's in particular.

This year, SNC, Bowdoin and Norwich have both men's and women's teams in the NCAA tourney. Plattsburgh also had a chance to have both.
And yet somehow, the possibility of having both DIII championships at the same location never came up?? Seems like that could boost attendence if you had one or more schools with two teams in it.

I'd like to point out that of all of these teams that had the "potential" to bring teams from the same school to the "big dance" only the Norwich men made it. i'm glad that they didn't base their decision on what might happen!

 

[obserbear]

Re: D3 Bracketology

Both are sad comments on the amount of time spent on DIII in general, and women's in particular.

This year, SNC, Bowdoin and Norwich have both men's and women's teams in the NCAA tourney. Plattsburgh also had a chance to have both.
And yet somehow, the possibility of having both DIII championships at the same location never came up?? Seems like that could boost attendence if you had one or more schools with two teams in it.

Over the course of the season I spoke with several women's coaches on the hosting topic and asked why there were only 2 bids submitted to host the DIII women's championship this season (Superior and Norwich)? The answer was pretty much that to submit a bid before you knew your team was in the finals just did not work for the coaches. If your team isn't in it you are commiting yourself to a lot of work in hosting the tournament in what is otherwise your off season.
Personally I think the non pre-determined site system in use prior to this season worked just fine. I attended all the women's DIII finals except the one at Gustavus and always had a quality experience. The host schools and venues were great. They made the women's game the focus and the players had their moment in the spotlight. This is the reason I feel it is a grave mistake to combine the DIII women with any other championship. Combined with DIII men or DI women the DIII women invariably become a sideshow and tht would be a grave dis-service to their talent and dedication in playing a sport essentially for love of the game.

 

[spwood]

Re: D3 Bracketology

Over the course of the season I spoke with several women's coaches on the hosting topic and asked why there were only 2 bids submitted to host the DIII women's championship this season (Superior and Norwich)? The answer was pretty much that to submit a bid before you knew your team was in the finals just did not work for the coaches. If your team isn't in it you are commiting yourself to a lot of work in hosting the tournament in what is otherwise your off season.
Personally I think the non pre-determined site system in use prior to this season worked just fine. I attended all the women's DIII finals except the one at Gustavus and always had a quality experience. The host schools and venues were great. They made the women's game the focus and the players had their moment in the spotlight. This is the reason I feel it is a grave mistake to combine the DIII women with any other championship. Combined with DIII men or DI women the DIII women invariably become a sideshow and tht would be a grave dis-service to their talent and dedication in playing a sport essentially for love of the game.

+1 and here's hoping they go back to deciding after the QF weekend....

P.S. What do they do if they don't get any bids to host?

 

[ARM]

Re: D3 Bracketology

This is the reason I feel it is a grave mistake to combine the DIII women with any other championship. Combined with DIII men or DI women the DIII women invariably become a sideshow and tht would be a grave dis-service to their talent and dedication in playing a sport essentially for love of the game.

You are probably correct about the DIII men. Combining it with the other women's event, I don't think the problem is that the D-III tournament is lesser in any way, but rather that there isn't that much overlap between the fan bases. If the hope is to get attendance from hockey fans who are not yet fans of women's college hockey, they will probably only show up for one day in any case. Most casual fans aren't going to attend a tournament three days in a row if they don't have a team playing.

 

[4and20]

Re: D3 Bracketology

Over the course of the season I spoke with several women's coaches on the hosting topic and asked why there were only 2 bids submitted to host the DIII women's championship this season (Superior and Norwich)? The answer was pretty much that to submit a bid before you knew your team was in the finals just did not work for the coaches. If your team isn't in it you are commiting yourself to a lot of work in hosting the tournament in what is otherwise your off season.
Personally I think the non pre-determined site system in use prior to this season worked just fine. I attended all the women's DIII finals except the one at Gustavus and always had a quality experience. The host schools and venues were great. They made the women's game the focus and the players had their moment in the spotlight.

Early in the season I spoke with several women's coaches and AD's after the announcement of the designated site and they all said they had not been informed that the process had changed and the deadline had passed. In prior years you needed to submitt a bid some time mid-season to even be considered if your team was still playing. Seems fishie that the AD from Superior heads the DIII Women's Championship committe and his school and one other even knew about the bid deadline being moved up! I'm just sayin.
Obserbear, I am glad you have gotten to attend all but one tournment, but you have the advantage of being able to drive to each site in a reasonable amount of time. Even with a horse in the race when you only find out sometimes Monday that the games are someplace you can't get to for less than $ 800 per person and then drive several more hours it is a pain in the pocket book along with the back and butt.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: D3 Bracketology

Even with a horse in the race when you only find out sometimes Monday that the games are someplace you can't get to for less than $ 800 per person and then drive several more hours it is a pain in the pocket book along with the back and butt.

Well one way around that is to book a ticket ahead of time with cancelation or change insurance. You can then get a credit with the airline or agency and have up to 12 months to use the ticket plus a set cancel fee to use. For example, buy a ticket for $250 a month ahead of time, instead of $750 in the last week, Cancel the tiekc for a $100 fee and then have the $250 to use on a flight within the next year. So you either have a ticket for $250, or a future ticket worth $250 for $350. It is like futures trading with airline tickets.

 

[Hckynut12]

Re: D3 Bracketology

You are probably correct about the DIII men. Combining it with the other women's event, I don't think the problem is that the D-III tournament is lesser in any way, but rather that there isn't that much overlap between the fan bases. If the hope is to get attendance from hockey fans who are not yet fans of women's college hockey, they will probably only show up for one day in any case. Most casual fans aren't going to attend a tournament three days in a row if they don't have a team playing.

How about DI and DIII women at the same site? As a fan of women's hockey I can see myself enjoying both levels on the same weekend if that were possible. I feel there would be more crossover interest that way than with women/men.

 

[gojackets]

Re: D3 Bracketology

Well one way around that is to book a ticket ahead of time with cancelation or change insurance. You can then get a credit with the airline or agency and have up to 12 months to use the ticket plus a set cancel fee to use. For example, buy a ticket for $250 a month ahead of time, instead of $750 in the last week, Cancel the tiekc for a $100 fee and then have the $250 to use on a flight within the next year. So you either have a ticket for $250, or a future ticket worth $250 for $350. It is like futures trading with airline tickets.

That assumes you have $100 to just throw away

 

[OnMAA]

Re: D3 Bracketology

That assumes you have $100 to just throw away

If you are even considering spending $750 to get there, $350 is nothing. Off course if it is not in your budget, then it's a no go from the get go. Personally, try to always travel as cheap as possible, for example a long (5-7 hours) drive home late after a game to save on the cost of a hotel night. However, sometimes you have to eat a cost. For example the recent blizzard in NE cost me a nights Hotel, that I never used and was not refundable.

 

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: D3 Bracketology

If you are even considering spending $750 to get there, $350 is nothing. Off course if it is not in your budget, then it's a no go from the get go. Personally, try to always travel as cheap as possible, for example a long (5-7 hours) drive home late after a game to save on the cost of a hotel night. However, sometimes you have to eat a cost. For example the recent blizzard in NE cost me a nights Hotel, that I never used and was not refundable.

..or better yet, save the $750 and spend it on a pair of nose bleeds at ACC to watch the Leafs spiral into oblivion yet again....

 

[OnMAA]

Re: D3 Bracketology

..or better yet, save the $750 and spend it on a pair of nose bleeds at ACC to watch the Leafs spiral into oblivion yet again....

Been there, done that. Once our kids got into minor hockey, gave up my half season pack of tickets for the local NHL club, that I shared with a buddy. Instead spend the time and money on Minor Hockey.

Funny thing is, used to take my oldest daughter to NHL games, and one day on the one plus hour drive home after one of those games she said.....Dad, can I play hockey next year. I asked her why. Dad, a couple of boys in my class play on a team and they say it is a lot of fun. She was 8 or 9 years old at the time. Signed her and her younger sister up the next fall. She played hockey for the next 12 years, starting with the boys, moved to girls and then on to college. Her varsity career finished a few years ago. Now She is back playing with the boys, and is marrying one of them this summer......I often think back of that moment all these years ago, and wonder what would have been if she had not asked that question, or if I would not have brought her to the NHL games.

 

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: D3 Bracketology

What a great story!! I'm sure there's plenty of fathers out there with similar memories! I know I have one...it involved my D trying out figure skating at the age of four and refusing to go on the ice with anything other than hockey skates! I took that as a good sign! And it was.

Been there, done that. Once our kids got into minor hockey, gave up my half season pack of tickets for the local NHL club, that I shared with a buddy. Instead spend the time and money on Minor Hockey.

Funny thing is, used to take my oldest daughter to NHL games, and one day on the one plus hour drive home after one of those games she said.....Dad, can I play hockey next year. I asked her why. Dad, a couple of boys in my class play on a team and they say it is a lot of fun. She was 8 or 9 years old at the time. Signed her and her younger sister up the next fall. She played hockey for the next 12 years, starting with the boys, moved to girls and then on to college. Her varsity career finished a few years ago. Now She is back playing with the boys, and is marrying one of them this summer......I often think back of that moment all these years ago, and wonder what would have been if she had not asked that question, or if I would not have brought her to the NHL games.