For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

[sandiegoblkbr]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

1. Providence
2. Providence

They care about hockey there. There aren't many other options.

 

[Onion Man]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Lake Placid, NY.

There is nothing better than a weekend in Lake Placid, staying at the Crowne Plaza and hitting the Lake Placid Brewery and then hitting the games. Perfect location for a tournament.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Sure. I calculated average distances and size of 14 metro areas last year and am pasting the results below with Rochester added:

The figures below are (i) the sum of the total distances between each of fifteen possible cities and the twelve ECAC teams; (ii) divided by 12 (to obtain the average distance between possible venue and ECAC team; (iii) the number of ECAC teams which are within 200 miles (approx 3 hour drive) of the venue in parentheses; and (iv) the population of the metropolitan area in which the venue lies.

Albany 1614 miles/12=134.5 miles (12 teams) 825,000 metro pop.
Springfield 1810/12=150.8 (9) 680,000
Glens Falls 1882/12=156.83 (9) 124,000
Hartford 1893/12=157.75 (8) 1,148,000
Bridgeport 2081/12=173.4 (7) 882,000
Worcester 2094/12=174.5 (7) 750,000
Mohegan Sun 2241/12=186.75 (8) 18,546
Binghamton 2289/12=190.75 (5) 252,320
Syracuse 2315/12=192.9 (6) 650,154
Providence 2322/12=193.5 (7) 621,000
New York City 2341/12=195 (6) 18,000,000
Boston 2393/12=199.4 (7) 4,391,000
Lake Placid 2416/12=201.3 (6) 2,638
Rochester 3240/12=270 (3) 1,054,322
Atlantic City 3591/12=299.25 (1) 252,552

If you take 200 miles as an arbitrary cut off (3 hours drive at 67 mph), all except Rochester and Atlantic City qualify (LP is only slightly over).

Albany is within 200 miles of all teams. From this perspective it is the ideal location.

Glens Falls is within 200 miles of 9 schools and closer than all except Albany and Springfield.

Mohegan Sun is a bit further than Hartford, Bridgeport and Worcester, but it is within 200 miles of 8 schools, more than Bridgeport and Worcester.

Interestingly, Syracuse and Providence, on opposite ends of the ECAC map, are about equidistant on average from the 12 schools and are in similar sized metro areas, although Providence would probably benefit from being nearly adjacent to the Boston metro area. Both Boston and New York are at the outer limits, but both might have the advantage of better air and rail service than some of the other locations.

Does Mohegan Sun even have ice? Never heard of a hockey game there.

 

[Onion Man]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Lowell is essentially a suburb of Boston - there's plenty to see and do in the area.

Sure:

1.) Get carjacked
2.) Mugged
3.) Victim of a home invasion (if you rent a house for the weekend)

Sounds good to me.

 

[BC/HE]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

From best to worst -

1. Albany - probably the best centralized location, big arena

2. Lake Placid - great hockey town, historic arena with ample capacity (7500-ish). Has to be a way to solve the wide ice issue. Lots to do in/around town, but it's off the beaten path.

3. Glens Falls - One of my favorite venues to watch a hockey game. Depends on what happens with the HS tourney. Not the biggest arena, can only stretch to about 5500 with SRO. But easy to get to, close to other attractions like Lake George.

4. Syracuse - Would have to schedule around the Crunch, but arena can sit 6500 and six schools are within 3 hours.

5. Springfield - Not a bad location (2 hours or less for Union, RPI, QPac, Yale, Harvard, Brown) but the MAAC basketball tournament moved there and it hasn't been supported well. Arena holds 6500 for hockey.

The prices for the MAAC basketball tournament were outrageously high. I would expect them to offer tickets at a much lower price the next few years. Perhaps they thought they would fill it at those prices but they were wrong. The rink size and central location make Springfield an excellent choice.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Finalist are: Lake Placid, Lake Placid and Lake Placid.

The Olympic Ctr staff knows hockey, knows how to run tourneys, and the building is the right size. Also, some folks may not be aware, but they built a brand spankin' new convention center on the end of the building adjacent to the '32 rink. Plenty of room for in-house banquets and alum receptions.

The tourney held in Lake Placid is truly an event. Everywhere else, its just four games in a nameless city that is oblivious that the event is being held.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

The prices for the MAAC basketball tournament were outrageously high. I would expect them to offer tickets at a much lower price the next few years. Perhaps they thought they would fill it at those prices but they were wrong. The rink size and central location make Springfield an excellent choice.

I agree with Springfield geographically being a good choice. But downtown, the City is suffering much of the blight and crime that other small eastern cities are.

 

[Eph72]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Does Mohegan Sun even have ice? Never heard of a hockey game there.

Somebody suggested Mohegan last year. There was some discussion pro and con if you want to scroll back...

 

[Eph72]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Finalist are: Lake Placid, Lake Placid and Lake Placid.

The Olympic Ctr staff knows hockey, knows how to run tourneys, and the building is the right size. Also, some folks may not be aware, but they built a brand spankin' new convention center on the end of the building adjacent to the '32 rink. Plenty of room for in-house banquets and alum receptions.

The tourney held in Lake Placid is truly an event, everywhere else, its just four games in a nameless city that is oblivious that the event is being held.

If memory serves there are two rinks? '32 and Herb Brooks? Brooks is a large sheet and '32 NHL-sized? What are the respective seating capacities? Could the whole tournament be held on the '32 sheet? If not, how do we deal with the larger sheet?

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

I would honestly recommend Syracuse. Obviously you have to schedule around the Crunch and the Silver Knights (should they ever be good enough to actually make it to the championship), but you have some good selling points:

1. No more than 150 miles from the schools that will actually send fans to this event. That's Cornell, RPI, CCT, and SLU.
2. Moderate sized arena of 6000-7000 will help the building look better.
3. Right in the middle of the city with plenty to do; there's also SU up the hill should the need arise (maybe check out a lacrosse game).

 

[LTsatch]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Somebody suggested Mohegan last year. There was some discussion pro and con if you want to scroll back...

I scrolled back, the con was that they don't have ice.

 

[Eph72]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

For what its worth, Lake Placid is hosting the 2012 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey D-III Championships this weekend at the Herb Brooks rink.

Here's the program: http://www.ncaa.com/DIIIMensIceHockey

Last night Amherst and Oswego drew 3100 for their semi-final game.

Box: http://www.uscho.com/box/mens-hockey/2012/03/16/amherst-vs-oswego/

Finals are tonight.

 

[Eph72]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

I scrolled back, the con was that they don't have ice.

Does that make it better or worse than Atlantic City....

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Does that make it better or worse than Atlantic City....

Better!

 

[FredDavenport]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

ECAC gets most of their revenue and attendance from the 1st & QFinal Rounds on campus. The atmosphere is very good. Time for the ECAC to start thinking about campus sites. I would suggest Quinnipiac.

• Over 4,000 seats, plus standing room
• Another 200 excellent seats and dining in the University Club
• HD-TV WOULD happen for semis and finals
• pretty centric to ECAC
• excellent atmosphere
• expenses would be minimal
• Over 2500 FREE parking spaces
• Many hotels in nearby New Haven

Time to start looking at full seats , not empty ones. Also time to start thinking "outside the box" and have good atmosphere, lots of TV and lots of revenue!!

 

[Nottme]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

ECAC gets most of their revenue and attendance from the 1st & QFinal Rounds on campus. The atmosphere is very good. Time for the ECAC to start thinking about campus sites. I would suggest Quinnipiac.

• Over 4,000 seats, plus standing room
• Another 200 excellent seats and dining in the University Club
• HD-TV WOULD happen for semis and finals
• pretty centric to ECAC
• excellent atmosphere
• expenses would be minimal
• Over 2500 FREE parking spaces
• Many hotels in nearby New Haven

Time to start looking at full seats , not empty ones. Also time to start thinking "outside the box" and have good atmosphere, lots of TV and lots of revenue!!

Spot on. Watched Union-QU there earlier this season and thought the same thing. Actually saw lots hockey fans in attendance.

 

[chickod]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

I scrolled back, the con was that they don't have ice.

Might be tough to play there, then. On the other hand, it wouldn't be much worse than say, Bridgeport...

 

[FireKnight]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

Well, the A10 tournament is moving from AC to Brooklyn next year. That will either give us the whole billboard (unlikely) or there will be no billboard promoting the ECAC tournament.

I'm not sure the Brooklyn arena would even be interested in the ECAC's. There are some that still have delusions that the Isles will leave the Nassau Mausoleum to go to the new Barclay's Center but I don't think the NHL would allow it. Putting a major market team in what would be the smallest arena in the league just isn't bright. Honestly, when the Isles either re-up to stay somewhere in Nassau or move altogether, I'm not even sure the Barclay's Center will even keep an ice sheet. I actually think there could be a draw there from NYC alums (see BU/Cornell @ MSG) but for those traveling from the institutions, there are several issues. Lodging in that area of Brooklyn is not plentiful and the lodging that is there is pretty dumpy, with 1 or 2 exceptions. Transportation is also not as good as one might expect for NYC. It's not horribly accessible without going to Manhattan first and boarding the subway. In fact, from my location in the Hudson Valley, with decent access to Metro North, I would rather drive down than go through the hassle to get there via rail.

 

[css228]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

ECAC gets most of their revenue and attendance from the 1st & QFinal Rounds on campus. The atmosphere is very good. Time for the ECAC to start thinking about campus sites. I would suggest Quinnipiac.

• Over 4,000 seats, plus standing room
• Another 200 excellent seats and dining in the University Club
• HD-TV WOULD happen for semis and finals
• pretty centric to ECAC
• excellent atmosphere
• expenses would be minimal
• Over 2500 FREE parking spaces
• Many hotels in nearby New Haven

Time to start looking at full seats , not empty ones. Also time to start thinking "outside the box" and have good atmosphere, lots of TV and lots of revenue!!

Plus, there's rarely the conflict of interest of Q-Pac actually making the final weekend on its home ice!
(Seriously though, if we're going to do it in league rinks, just do it in the best rink in the league, Lynah, or one of the 4000+ rinks that isn't Dartmouth as long as it doesn't have a team in the Final Four that year (a.k.a Q-PAC, HFH, or in the rare situation of Cornell not making championship weekend, Lynah, putting it at Thompson if all three of those would be a conflict of interest))

 

[yaledoc]

Re: For ECAC Fans: Where Should Our Tournament Be Held?

ECAC gets most of their revenue and attendance from the 1st & QFinal Rounds on campus. The atmosphere is very good. Time for the ECAC to start thinking about campus sites. I would suggest Quinnipiac.

• Over 4,000 seats, plus standing room
• Another 200 excellent seats and dining in the University Club
• HD-TV WOULD happen for semis and finals
• pretty centric to ECAC
• excellent atmosphere
• expenses would be minimal
• Over 2500 FREE parking spaces
• Many hotels in nearby New Haven

Time to start looking at full seats , not empty ones. Also time to start thinking "outside the box" and have good atmosphere, lots of TV and lots of revenue!!

An EXCELLENT idea,Fred. Having just returned from Atlantic City, Quinnipiac would be a great choice !!!