Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

[ZYanksRule]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

I think knocking a couple of bucks off the price to a ticket to a game on the hill might help the local walkup. Never happen though. As seen in the attendance threads for the various playoff series, the economy sucks and price is an issue. The frozen floor isn't even sold out.

I certainly think that's something they should look at. I believe the price for hockey games is slightly more than the price for basketball games.

The other thing, and this has been a problem since the opening of the building, is ease of students to get to games. I think they need to find a way to allow students to drive up. Most students don't want to take the shuttles. I personally had a few problems with them. There was a story in the Chronicle a few weeks ago that after one of the hockey playoff games, no shuttles picked students up after a game for almost an hour, despite numerous calls to the security office. That's a massive problem, if true. It's been five years, and they still haven't perfected the system.

I distinctly remember, as a student media member, being trapped up there many times for a while because they didn't realize some students were actually working at the games. There were a few times the radio crew, with our radio equipment, had to get driven down by a security member in his car because not only were there no more shuttles, but they weren't even willing to send another shuttle to pick up the student workers. So, there are some definite issues that security and athletics need to work on. I do think the shuttle system is the single biggest issue affecting student support, at both basketball games and at hockey games.

 

[allnightwong]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

I certainly think that's something they should look at. I believe the price for hockey games is slightly more than the price for basketball games.

The other thing, and this has been a problem since the opening of the building, is ease of students to get to games. I think they need to find a way to allow students to drive up. Most students don't want to take the shuttles. I personally had a few problems with them. There was a story in the Chronicle a few weeks ago that after one of the hockey playoff games, no shuttles picked students up after a game for almost an hour, despite numerous calls to the security office. That's a massive problem, if true. It's been five years, and they still haven't perfected the system.

I distinctly remember, as a student media member, being trapped up there many times for a while because they didn't realize some students were actually working at the games. There were a few times the radio crew, with our radio equipment, had to get driven down by a security member in his car because not only were there no more shuttles, but they weren't even willing to send another shuttle to pick up the student workers. So, there are some definite issues that security and athletics need to work on. I do think the shuttle system is the single biggest issue affecting student support, at both basketball games and at hockey games.

There was a game at the end of the season, maybe a playoff where there were around I'd guess 30-50 students in the student section including the band. When driving down the hill that night, I saw a group of 30-50 students waiting for the shuttle. It's one thing when the student section is overrun with students to make them wait, when there are barely any, and those that are there are the devout few, there's no reason whatsoever to make them wait. Ridiculous. I've written in great length about the state of the program. I even question if the people would show up if we won the league. A few years ago we were 4th in the country and it's not like it was a clear cut sell out those nights. Just frustrating. Maybe more giveaways for the students, that seemed to get them out in the past.

 

[allnightwong]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

They have to create more of a college hockey type atmosphere and buzz around the program. It's still a very minor league like atmosphere where families and young children come before the student body. At successful programs in terms of attendance, the students are put first. Try a pep rally on campus, start a "spirit" class that students can take as an elective and require attendance to the games, push the fight song (which I love btw), have more on the ice student activities instead of some idiot easily missing a once in a lifetime shot for a Mercedes, support tailgating and make it a school wide event, double up busses so there's more than enough, possibly limit the size of the student section for all games besides the Yale game, so that even if there aren't a lot of them, they are at least sitting together, and on a much more difficult level bring in some quality opponents. I know it's hard to schedule the big boys but the fans are growing bored and complacent with AIC, Bentley and Holy Cross.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

They have to create more of a college hockey type atmosphere and buzz around the program. It's still a very minor league like atmosphere where families and young children come before the student body. At successful programs in terms of attendance, the students are put first. Try a pep rally on campus, start a "spirit" class that students can take as an elective and require attendance to the games, push the fight song (which I love btw), have more on the ice student activities instead of some idiot easily missing a once in a lifetime shot for a Mercedes, support tailgating and make it a school wide event, double up busses so there's more than enough, possibly limit the size of the student section for all games besides the Yale game, so that even if there aren't a lot of them, they are at least sitting together, and on a much more difficult level bring in some quality opponents. I know it's hard to schedule the big boys but the fans are growing bored and complacent with AIC, Bentley and Holy Cross.

I agree wholeheartedly with the minor-league atmosphere. That was a complaint in 2007. Look, students don't pay to get in and families do, so why should they care about the students? The students aren't paying for their tickets. That being said, I agree more needs to be done to excite the student body. Back when I was there, the building was excitement enough. Now, the building was there when these students got there, so there's no excitement anymore.

And, that playoff game is, I believe, the game I described as being written about in the Chronicle.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

The Quinnipiac atmosphere was created by whatever architect and consultant built that complex. At it's best, when full it is a pretty cool place to see a game. Last year during the ECAC playoffs it was a masoleum. I still find even the sold out games to be "canned". I will always prefer a Ingalls type experience where it is authentic, just because of the history of the program.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

The Quinnipiac atmosphere was created by whatever architect and consultant built that complex. At it's best, when full it is a pretty cool place to see a game. Last year during the ECAC playoffs it was a masoleum. I still find even the sold out games to be "canned". I will always prefer a Ingalls type experience where it is authentic, just because of the history of the program.

Canned is the perfect word. I know the band at QU isn't the best, but they have to be allowed to play. How many Lady Gaga songs can you fit in a hockey game? It's like seeing a game at Madison Square Garden, presentation-wise, and that's not a compliment. The atmosphere at Cornell is created because of the crowd and the band, not because of Lady Gaga songs.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

Even at Ingalls, they play too much music, three songs before the period opening faceoffs is just enough for me. Let the band(s) play during the game. Doesn't MSG still have a live organ player? It's hard to believe at 52 years old, I have never been there for a hockey game.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

I reluctantly started an offseason thread... I hate the end of hockey season.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

Even at Ingalls, they play too much music, three songs before the period opening faceoffs is just enough for me. Let the band(s) play during the game. Doesn't MSG still have a live organ player? It's hard to believe at 52 years old, I have never been there for a hockey game.

They do, but he only plays in between periods and before the game.

 

[MinniQUFan]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

I'll answer too, since I've been following them since '04.

I feel like there's a sense of "ho-hum" to everything around the program, now. In '04-'05, everyone was excited about the move to ECAC, we were dominating the AHA, it was a great year. In 05-'06, it was our first year in the league, we outperformed expectations, lots of student support, and I remember being surprised that so many non-students were showing up at the games.

Obviously, the arena opened in '06-'07, we went to the conference championship, was arguably the best year in program history.

Now, I look at the student support and I can't believe that it has taken such a negative turn. The TD Bank Sports Center used to be one of the top 2 or 3 arenas in the league, in terms of intimidation factor. The place ROCKED for every league game. It was Cornell, Clarkson, and Quinnipiac as the top intimidating rinks in the league. Now? We're at the bottom of the barrel. Attendance has dropped off, student support has dropped off, that excitement level just isn't there.

USCHO lists our average attendance this year at 2,524, and 81.8% of capacity. In 2007-'08, attendance averaged 2,922, or 94.8% of capacity. What has happened? Why have we lost an average of 500 fans/game. Something needs to be done about the lack of excitement people have regarding Quinnipiac hockey. This is the big program at this University. It's our football. I'd like to see the program really billed as THE exciting thing to do on campus. At the big football schools, they've marketed their football team to the students. Kids know that on Saturday afternoons, rain or shine, you go to the stadium to cheer on your classmates. There needs to be that excitement level around this program.

As I said, everything just feels "ho-hum" right now. I can't speak for the action on the ice because I really didn't have the ability to see a lot of games this year, but it's very sad to me to see how support has dwindled.

Gonna actually agree with ZYanks on this one. I can't really comment about the on ice stuff since I only saw the team once live and once on TV, but from reading game recaps and box scores, it truly does seem like same old same old. I mean the teams supposedly been on the brink a number of times over the last decade and things just never materialized. Just look at 2008 when we were coming off the conference title game appearance and the only loss (albeit major) was Reid. But there was ALOT of young talent on that team. From Fisher to Wong to Marshall, it seems like an entire generation of QU players have never lived up to the potential that we got glimpses of in their Freshman years.

Speaking of % of capacity stats... I love how when you look back to the 2005/06 days, and you looked at the national rankings for % of capacity. Because they let 2000 people in the 1200 capacity NIP, QU would always be dominantly placed at the top of the list with like 180% capacity. I guess we had that going for us then. If QU ever played a game at the NIP again, I'd be there in a second.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Re: Quinnipiac Bobcats '11-'12 - Time to say bye?

Gonna actually agree with ZYanks on this one. I can't really comment about the on ice stuff since I only saw the team once live and once on TV, but from reading game recaps and box scores, it truly does seem like same old same old. I mean the teams supposedly been on the brink a number of times over the last decade and things just never materialized. Just look at 2008 when we were coming off the conference title game appearance and the only loss (albeit major) was Reid. But there was ALOT of young talent on that team. From Fisher to Wong to Marshall, it seems like an entire generation of QU players have never lived up to the potential that we got glimpses of in their Freshman years.

Speaking of % of capacity stats... I love how when you look back to the 2005/06 days, and you looked at the national rankings for % of capacity. Because they let 2000 people in the 1200 capacity NIP, QU would always be dominantly placed at the top of the list with like 180% capacity. I guess we had that going for us then. If QU ever played a game at the NIP again, I'd be there in a second.

I still maintain they should play 1 game a season at the NIP. Do it as one of the AHA OOC games, bill it as a blast from the past. You'd easily fill the place, and it would be a lot of fun.