>>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

[LtPowers]

So, can we put to bed the theory that OOC games don't matter?

Every single OOC win helps the conference's strength of schedule. That's good for Atlantic Hockey, and by extension, good for RIT.

Topics for the offseason: The class of 2017; the Gene Polisseni Center; the 2013-14 schedule.


Powers &8^]

 

[Rochester]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

So, can we put to bed the theory that OOC games don't matter?

Every single OOC win helps the conference's strength of schedule. That's good for Atlantic Hockey, and by extension, good for RIT.

Topics for the offseason: The class of 2017; the Gene Polisseni Center; the 2013-14 schedule.


Powers &8^]

Gene Polisseni Center... Any updates on what it will look like?

Also What are the odds we sellout Frontier Field?

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Also What are the odds we sellout Frontier Field?

The eternal naysayers and pessimists that dominate this discussion will tell you there's no chance. I tend to think there is an above average chance of it, and even if we don't, we will put enough fans in seats to be completely worth it.

We're not the Amerks, nor should we be. The Amerks are going to sell it out because it's a special event and it's a professional team, and they have more community exposure. I don't think RIT pulling in 5000 or 7000 should be considered a failure, if that ends up being what we draw.

 

[dxk3355]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Really, last Amerks game I went to was emptier than an RIT homegame.

 

[RITFan67]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

I don't think RIT pulling in 5000 or 7000 should be considered a failure, if that ends up being what we draw.

I think around 5000 is realistic, but hopefully way on the low side. I assume all seats would be GA because season ticket holders would have tickets in their package as a regular season game. People would tend to space themselves out comfortably so the stadium would not look empty. Of course, the uniqueness of the game itself may draw many Niagara fans also and Rochester sports fans who do not normally go to hockey games... and the tickets prices would (hopefully) be cheap compared with the Amerks game.

 

[XCTiger]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Has anyone seen the Niagara and Canisus "we're psyched for the NCAA's" threads here...... Didn't think so.......

 

[lmg6841]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Do they ever have threads? The only other fans I see posting on here are Bently.

Has anyone seen the Niagara and Canisus "we're psyched for the NCAA's" threads here...... Didn't think so.......

 

[RITProf]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Gene Polisseni Center... Any updates on what it will look like?

Also What are the odds we sellout Frontier Field?

Haven't heard nor seen anything new on the arena (other than lots of pilings).

At the risk of being categorized with the "eternal pessimists" (perhaps the word "eternal" needs to be looked up?) I will say the probability of a sellout is extremely close to zero (maybe 0.01). But as they say ... "there's a chance".

The big variables to me are weather and RIT. Weather is a crap shoot, but RIT could go a long way toward making it a sellout, or close to it, with some creative marketing, busses for students, etc. That's possible, but I will be the naysayer on this one and say RIT isn't so great at that (the marketing part). And I will repeat again one more time (was that enough?) that the semester schedule is against this game with classes ending a few days earlier.

Of course, maybe it doesn't need to be a sellout. Maybe tickets will just be given away. That might do it.

To show some optimism, if it was the Sabres playing, I think it would sell out!

And, just before I see it again and get grumpy ... "casual fan" is an oxymoron.

 

[RITAbe]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Look at this packed BCA with thousands of screaming Canisius fans after they won the title about an hour away from home:

Source: http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbc...ategory=PHOTOGALLERIES&ArtNo=325009999&Ref=PH

 

[mar7967]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Look at this packed BCA with thousands of screaming Canisius fans after they won the title about an hour away from home:

Source: http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbc...ategory=PHOTOGALLERIES&ArtNo=325009999&Ref=PH

I never thought I would do this....but I need to stick up for Canisius a bit here. Sure, attendance sucked at Blue Cross, but lets look at attendance as a % of undergrad enrollement. (I know this isn't a good measure of attendance, but it's more to prove a point here).

RIT has an undergrad enrollment of 15085 (per wikipedia). In 2010, when RIT beat Sacred Heart for the AHA Championship, attendance was 3298, or 21.9% of our undergrad # (source: http://ritathletics.com/custompages/mhock/2009-10/032010.htm)

Attendance on Saturday was 887 (source: http://www.uscho.com/box/mens-hockey/2013/03/23/canisius-vs-mercyhurst/) That is 26% of Canisius's undergrad number of 3385 (again, per wikipedia).

Not all students are going to love hockey. Canisius is primarily a basketball school. Blue Cross is in RIT's backyard, and as you said, it is an hour away from Canisius, which isn't far for real fans, but I would argue that the everyday student wouldn't travel that.

Attendance is more than just Canisius's problem. I think the AHA really needs to market the championship weekend better to the Rochester area to improve attendance. I don't think Canisius (or Mercyhurst for that matter, with 4400 students, can be blamed for poor attendance.

 

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

I think the aha really needs to market the championship weekend better to the rochester area to improve attendance.

Bingo.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

I think around 5000 is realistic, but hopefully way on the low side. I assume all seats would be GA because season ticket holders would have tickets in their package as a regular season game. People would tend to space themselves out comfortably so the stadium would not look empty. Of course, the uniqueness of the game itself may draw many Niagara fans also and Rochester sports fans who do not normally go to hockey games... and the tickets prices would (hopefully) be cheap compared with the Amerks game.

Heck, depending on if my team's playing, I'd consider driving out for an event like this. I've never been to an outdoor game.

 

[Ritterrat]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

AHA should take a page from the PGA Championship where an adult ticket entitles the ticket holder to bring a 16 year old to the event for free. AHA should market real hard to the many youth leagues in Western NY with discounted tickets. RIT should have the premier venue in the AHA with the new arena. AHA should condider moving the championship to this smaller venue. (Lotta shoulds in this post!)

 

[mar7967]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

RIT should have the premier venue in the AHA with the new arena. AHA should condider moving the championship to this smaller venue. (Lotta shoulds in this post!)

This part won't happen - the conference tournament is supposed to be at a "neutral" site. Neutral is in quotes there because BCA is hardly neutral when RIT is playing.

 

[lmg6841]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

This part won't happen - the conference tournament is supposed to be at a "neutral" site. Neutral is in quotes there because BCA is hardly neutral when RIT is playing.

Which I think is a big mistake for this league. You're never going to get a vast number of fans traveling for their schools (outside of RIT). I think each round should be hosted by the higher seed, much like the first round and quarter finals. The AHA just needs to put in place rules requiring a certain percentage of tickets needs to be available for the away team. This is the only way to maximize attendance for the tournament.

 

[XCTiger]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Which I think is a big mistake for this league. You're never going to get a vast number of fans traveling for their schools (outside of RIT). I think each round should be hosted by the higher seed, much like the first round and quarter finals. The AHA just needs to put in place rules requiring a certain percentage of tickets needs to be available for the away team. This is the only way to maximize attendance for the tournament.

Unless you can overcome the issues that currently exist with host schools trying to minimize/discourage the visiting fans (e.g., NU breaking up the visitor seating and NU and Canisus not welcoming visiting bands), then going back to school sites is a mistake. What "real" DI hockey leagues play their tournament final at school sites?

The problem AHA has is that so few of the schools have a real rabid following of fans. Perhaps the fact that up until last year most of the schools were just bracket fill. Perhaps having more teams with a chance will breed more fans. No matter what though, the league (and the individual schools) has to do a lot more marketing. not just of the tournament, but of the regular season hockey as well. Perhaps a smaller and more centrally located venue would help with tournament weekend attendance. Heck, even the ECAC is struggling to find a comfortable home for it's tournament.

Also, RIT picked up another recruit in Defenseman Dustin Fostvelt (6'0"-190lbs) a 4 year player (170gm-18g-57a-0.4pt/gm) with Spruce Grove of the AJHL (60gm-10g-27a-0.6pt/gm). He was the 2nd leading scorer for the Saints who won the AJHLs north division and are still allive in the playoffs.

That makes 3 defensemen and 4 forwards coming in next year to replace the 3(4) seniors.

 

[RITProf]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

Love the idea of "kids attend free with paid adult ticket". That single action could do wonders for the AHA tournament and all the teams in the long run. That also would help fill up the Frontier Field game. (Just require the tickets to be "purchased" together and all is well.)

 

[Zyklon]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

That makes 3 defensemen and 4 forwards coming in next year to replace the 3(4) seniors.

I believe it is only 3 seniors leaving, Potts got an extra year of eligibility, and remember Brandon Thompson should be back. So instead of having 2 guys sitting out next year we should have 7 guys sitting a game. (Hopefully my math is correct).

 

[komey1]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

I think there is no question that several fans decided not to support the league in the tournament for various reasons, not the least of which is how Niagara and Canisius have treated Tiger fans and their band over the years.

The other problem the league faces in putting people in seats is that there is no GOOD central location to have the tournament. Buffalo would have been the closest thing to it with Niagara and Canisius practically right there - but are we really going to count on those teams? Other conferences have a location that is centrally located to some teams so they figure if one team doesn't get there, at least one of the others will to help with attendance.

Lastly, how much advertising does the league even do? Was a promo run during any Amerks games?

As for RIT - I think the outdoor game will draw fairly well even if not a sellout. Bringing in plenty of recruits is a big thing. I think Coach realized some of the players that were recruited did not progress as well as hoped and may lose their "spots". And I still say if I HAVE to choose between a conference win and a non-conference win, the conference win wins every time (not that I don't want both). Who wouldn't have traded that Michigan win for 2 or 3 more conference wins and a much better chance at the NCAAs?

 

[lmg6841]

Re: >>> RIT Tigers - 2013 Offseason: The Future Looks Bright <<<

And I still say if I HAVE to choose between a conference win and a non-conference win, the conference win wins every time (not that I don't want both). Who wouldn't have traded that Michigan win for 2 or 3 more conference wins and a much better chance at the NCAAs?

Outside of getting a first round by, regular season wins don't matter much in the AHA. We could have avoided playing Niagara with a better record, but at the end of the day (or season...) it comes down to how we play in the tournament. So really, we only have to play well once we get to the tournament if we're not shooting for an at-large bid.