Orthodox did -- May 1.
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Regional Attendance
- Thread starter ticapnews
- Start date
Orthodox did -- May 1.
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
Re: Regional Attendance
They did this with the B1G tourney. ANY student ID got up to 2 tickets for $20/each, starting an hour before gametime. A friend of mine, who has long since graduated but still had his ID got tickets for us.
Frankly, it's in the arena's best interest to get butts in the seats. Concessions are where they really make their money.
What also hurts the regionals, and has been mentioned, is if the host team isn't there. If MN was in the tourney this year, attendance would have been more than noticeably different.
They did this with the B1G tourney. ANY student ID got up to 2 tickets for $20/each, starting an hour before gametime. A friend of mine, who has long since graduated but still had his ID got tickets for us.
Frankly, it's in the arena's best interest to get butts in the seats. Concessions are where they really make their money.
What also hurts the regionals, and has been mentioned, is if the host team isn't there. If MN was in the tourney this year, attendance would have been more than noticeably different.
Re: Regional Attendance
NEVER use common sense and the NCAA in the same paragraph. They do not belong together.
NEVER use common sense and the NCAA in the same paragraph. They do not belong together.
Re: Regional Attendance
I half sarcastically wonder if they're going to start rethinking that. Last year, the Bruins gave up a March weekend for HE and an April weekend for the FF. The Bruins had an away-weighted schedule down the stretch, collapsed, and missed the playoffs. This year, they Bruins have given up a March weekend for HE and are about to give up a weekend for the world figure skating championships. A road trip the HE weekend started a five game losing streak that transformed challenging for a Division lead to barely being in the playoffs. If they miss the playoffs again, I wonder ...
Of course tiered pricing is a relatively recent development. Many of us remember paying the same price for our nosebleeds as the lucky folks in the lower bowl did [and a lot more than those empty center ice seats reserved for the NCAA, but that's another story.] And if I remember right, the first attempt at "tiering" wasn't making less desirable seats cheaper; it was charging astronomical prices for sitting on the glass.
And, of course, the availability of suitable arenas is only half the story. The arena has to make a bid. If the Regionals are looked at as a losing proposition, they won't make a bid, absent some form of guarantee which seems unlikely.
Lightening up on some of the signage restrictions and allowing alcohol sales might help some.
I half sarcastically wonder if they're going to start rethinking that. Last year, the Bruins gave up a March weekend for HE and an April weekend for the FF. The Bruins had an away-weighted schedule down the stretch, collapsed, and missed the playoffs. This year, they Bruins have given up a March weekend for HE and are about to give up a weekend for the world figure skating championships. A road trip the HE weekend started a five game losing streak that transformed challenging for a Division lead to barely being in the playoffs. If they miss the playoffs again, I wonder ...
Of course tiered pricing is a relatively recent development. Many of us remember paying the same price for our nosebleeds as the lucky folks in the lower bowl did [and a lot more than those empty center ice seats reserved for the NCAA, but that's another story.] And if I remember right, the first attempt at "tiering" wasn't making less desirable seats cheaper; it was charging astronomical prices for sitting on the glass.
And, of course, the availability of suitable arenas is only half the story. The arena has to make a bid. If the Regionals are looked at as a losing proposition, they won't make a bid, absent some form of guarantee which seems unlikely.
Lightening up on some of the signage restrictions and allowing alcohol sales might help some.
Re: Regional Attendance
Assume that St. Cloud would still have been assigned to the West Regional. That probably pushes total sales to 10,000, regardless of the other two teams. That qualifies as good, at least for the Saturday session.
But notice how low we're setting the bar. A 75% empty Xcel Energy Center qualifies as non-embarrassing. A 50% empty X qualifies as good.
And without either local team? A humiliating 1,000 people in the stands. (Sunday) In the hottest of the college hockey hotbeds!
To me, this is another piece of evidence that the current format is fundamentally flawed. Even in St. Paul. Putzing around with start times isn't going to change this lemon into lemonade.
No question about it. With the Gophers, you'd get 5,000 fans, regardless of the other three teams. That qualifies as non-embarrassing.
Assume that St. Cloud would still have been assigned to the West Regional. That probably pushes total sales to 10,000, regardless of the other two teams. That qualifies as good, at least for the Saturday session.
But notice how low we're setting the bar. A 75% empty Xcel Energy Center qualifies as non-embarrassing. A 50% empty X qualifies as good.
And without either local team? A humiliating 1,000 people in the stands. (Sunday) In the hottest of the college hockey hotbeds!
To me, this is another piece of evidence that the current format is fundamentally flawed. Even in St. Paul. Putzing around with start times isn't going to change this lemon into lemonade.
Re: Regional Attendance
When scalpers give up, as was the case on Sunday...you have a problem.
Edit: from reports, scalpers didn't even show up.
Times don't matter. Teams do. Imagine if NCAA put UND in with MN...up that attendance by a lot.
When scalpers give up, as was the case on Sunday...you have a problem.
Edit: from reports, scalpers didn't even show up.
Dirty Dream No. 2
Seeing Other People
FireKnight
Let's go Tech!
Re: Regional Attendance
I've got to wonder why some of these smaller arenas don't more regularly bid for regionals. Speaking solely from the east, every school in the east with the exceptions of Princeton, Maine, and the North Country have relatively easy access to I-90. The East Regional should not stray far from I-90 and the Northeast Regional shouldn't stray far from the Boston/Metro area. Maine and the North Country are used to traveling to get to civilization and Princeton, well, it's Princeton.
Albany basically hosts the East Regional every other year but they've had a hard time getting a host for the other years. Albany is a huge AHL arena and even with the upper bowl closed, just about any regional will look like a ghost town. Having Yale, QU, and RIT all in that regional and even Lowell within shouting distance was a big win but the numbers weren't great for that arena. However, the smaller arenas just don't seem to be into the regionals. Glens Falls would have sold out. Syracuse would have had a full look (assuming they don't swap the whole regional and send QU to Worcester because of distance). Bridgeport or Springfield would have been a near sellout, especially with the combatants.
The desire for the NCAA East regional is so slim that, for some reason, the East basically lost its regional next year to have two Northeast regionals. A 5,000 ticket sale weekend with the high end being a sellout should be desirable to most of these smaller arenas and if Albany can do it, there's no reason some of these smaller arenas can't.
The problem I have with campus sites is accessibility and space, even for the home team's fans. Many of the ECAC arenas and all of the AHA arenas with the exception of Army and possibly RIT (haven't seen their arena) could not accommodate a 4 team regional with press requirements, locker room space, etc. etc. If you put a 4 team regional in Appleton, for example, they'd probably have to commandeer seating areas for press, making it an even smaller arena. Even Clarkson and its newer arena doesn't have the accommodations for 4 Division 1 hockey teams and all they bring. Sure, they can host junior hockey tournaments with a number of teams but that's different than hosting a 4 team NCAA Regional.
I've got to wonder why some of these smaller arenas don't more regularly bid for regionals. Speaking solely from the east, every school in the east with the exceptions of Princeton, Maine, and the North Country have relatively easy access to I-90. The East Regional should not stray far from I-90 and the Northeast Regional shouldn't stray far from the Boston/Metro area. Maine and the North Country are used to traveling to get to civilization and Princeton, well, it's Princeton.
Albany basically hosts the East Regional every other year but they've had a hard time getting a host for the other years. Albany is a huge AHL arena and even with the upper bowl closed, just about any regional will look like a ghost town. Having Yale, QU, and RIT all in that regional and even Lowell within shouting distance was a big win but the numbers weren't great for that arena. However, the smaller arenas just don't seem to be into the regionals. Glens Falls would have sold out. Syracuse would have had a full look (assuming they don't swap the whole regional and send QU to Worcester because of distance). Bridgeport or Springfield would have been a near sellout, especially with the combatants.
The desire for the NCAA East regional is so slim that, for some reason, the East basically lost its regional next year to have two Northeast regionals. A 5,000 ticket sale weekend with the high end being a sellout should be desirable to most of these smaller arenas and if Albany can do it, there's no reason some of these smaller arenas can't.
The problem I have with campus sites is accessibility and space, even for the home team's fans. Many of the ECAC arenas and all of the AHA arenas with the exception of Army and possibly RIT (haven't seen their arena) could not accommodate a 4 team regional with press requirements, locker room space, etc. etc. If you put a 4 team regional in Appleton, for example, they'd probably have to commandeer seating areas for press, making it an even smaller arena. Even Clarkson and its newer arena doesn't have the accommodations for 4 Division 1 hockey teams and all they bring. Sure, they can host junior hockey tournaments with a number of teams but that's different than hosting a 4 team NCAA Regional.
fightingsiouxfan16
New member
Re: Regional Attendance
West Point could not handle it rink wise. Holds less than 3000 people. They would have lodging for the teams but thats about it.
West Point could not handle it rink wise. Holds less than 3000 people. They would have lodging for the teams but thats about it.
billmich88888
Registered Person
MarkEagleUSA
C'mon Q!
Quinnipiac
Re: Regional Attendance
RIT could certainly fill those requirements. The Polisseni Center holds 4300, has 4-5 locker rooms, and media suites (all home games during the regular season are already televised).
RIT could certainly fill those requirements. The Polisseni Center holds 4300, has 4-5 locker rooms, and media suites (all home games during the regular season are already televised).
elbojpb
Well-known member
NCAA feedback
NCAA feedback
Not that any of our opinions will matter, but the NCAA is soliciting feedback from championship weekends at www.ncaa.com\feedback.
At Albany, not all of the fans were there simultaneously. The Yale fans didn't show up until 6'ish, and 95% of the RIT fans vanished after game 1. That was likely because the food lines were absolutely absurd between games. Evidently no one told the vendors that there was no re-admittance to the arena. I'd like to see separate tickets for both first-day games.
We left town Sunday AM, gave our tickets to the valet, but likely would have stayed if the championship game was any earlier than 7:30p.
NCAA feedback
Not that any of our opinions will matter, but the NCAA is soliciting feedback from championship weekends at www.ncaa.com\feedback.
At Albany, not all of the fans were there simultaneously. The Yale fans didn't show up until 6'ish, and 95% of the RIT fans vanished after game 1. That was likely because the food lines were absolutely absurd between games. Evidently no one told the vendors that there was no re-admittance to the arena. I'd like to see separate tickets for both first-day games.
We left town Sunday AM, gave our tickets to the valet, but likely would have stayed if the championship game was any earlier than 7:30p.
billmich88888
Registered Person
Re: Regional Attendance
Not in hockey regions. Aside from several in PA, the only 7-9k arenas in the Northeast are Bridgeport and Trenton. And Bridgeport regularly gets regionals already. Most of the arenas of that size are in the South and Midwest.
Powers &8^]
Not in hockey regions. Aside from several in PA, the only 7-9k arenas in the Northeast are Bridgeport and Trenton. And Bridgeport regularly gets regionals already. Most of the arenas of that size are in the South and Midwest.
Powers &8^]
Re: Regional Attendance
Wasn't it Princeton-Yale, Brown-Harvard, and Dartmouth-Vermont?
Powers &8^]
Wasn't it Princeton-Yale, Brown-Harvard, and Dartmouth-Vermont?
Powers &8^]
fightingsiouxfan16
New member
Re: NCAA feedback
Re: NCAA feedback
I just took it. I like you thought about leaving sunday morning to head home. i only had a 2 hour trip but decided to bum around albany for the day waiting for the game. There was a lot of stores closed on sunday due to easter. They had one banner that said fan fest in albany but they literally did nothing. If it wasnt for the Pearl St pub on saturday it would have been a bum weekend but that place was great. The owner was great. The bartenders were very attentive for a crowded bar. Felt the NCAA could have set up more things to do for the fans but overall i would say i would give my experience a 8 out of 10
Re: NCAA feedback
I just took it. I like you thought about leaving sunday morning to head home. i only had a 2 hour trip but decided to bum around albany for the day waiting for the game. There was a lot of stores closed on sunday due to easter. They had one banner that said fan fest in albany but they literally did nothing. If it wasnt for the Pearl St pub on saturday it would have been a bum weekend but that place was great. The owner was great. The bartenders were very attentive for a crowded bar. Felt the NCAA could have set up more things to do for the fans but overall i would say i would give my experience a 8 out of 10
fightingsiouxfan16
New member
Re: Regional Attendance
The problem I had with Albany back circa 2000 was that, being a government seat, everything closed down on the weekend. It was completely dead...hardly anything open. Not a fun destination...
The problem I had with Albany back circa 2000 was that, being a government seat, everything closed down on the weekend. It was completely dead...hardly anything open. Not a fun destination...