What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

>>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

kwm4385 said:
I don't think anyone is calling for RIT to ditch homecoming at Blue Cross all together. But I do see the argument that the trend of scheduling "unbeatable" teams for it has dampened the enthusiasm somewhat.

Although I know coach has said playing such tough competition early in the season is good for the team, it would be nice to see a few wins here. I'd be in favor of sticking to ECAC or lower-tier Hockey East opponents for these games. It would provide the name recognition needed to draw non-hockey people in while still giving the team a chance to win and create a more positive experience.
Click to expand...

I would imagine the players, coaches and fans would want more.....would want to make it into the NCAAs as a number 10 seed rather than an auto-bid and having to face the number 1 seed in the first round, year after year. Playing the hard games builds the character of the team and to be honest, sitting in amongst 9K + fans, all dressed in orange is a pretty good time. Losing sucks and it can get old but the sweet smell of beating a perennial powerhouse every now and then in front of that crowd or just giving those teams a run for the money means so much more than taking on what you call a lower tiered team from HE just for the win at homecoming.
 
komey1 said:
Note that we got Michigan and BC right after our Frozen Four season. The top teams will rarely play a road game against a team like RIT unless they see it will help them in pairwise in the SOS department.
Click to expand...

Hey Komey. I always thought that we got Michigan because we were out there the year before and we got BC because of coach playing for Jerry York and we then went to play them in their barn the following year. . Bowling Green because coach played there and now we go and visit them this year. If this all plays out I wonder if we visit UCONN next year. Agree that originally going out to Michigan may have had something to do with the NCAA's.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

I personally would like to see this be a conference game, playing Air Force or Army. No matter what, it's homecoming. People will show up and the barn will sell out. The people attending these games do not care who is playing as long as RIT wins. RIT has a brand new arena with seating for 4,300 fans. We can attract other big name teams to the GPC. Just think, Penn State played Army for their home opener... Why? Because they want to create a casual fan.

Homecoming is to show off RIT pride, not to play the biggest teams in the country and get our butt stomped. Make the 10,400 fans happy and hopefully they will come to the GPC. Everyone is a loser when RIT loses at the BCA. The only people that actually care about who we play as a fan goes...are the people on this forum... We make up 15 of the 10,400 people...
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

blazer777 said:
So you're saying that they should stop having these homecoming games at the BCA? When I was in the area, it was a great event...even with the losses and the beat-downs. I think it's an opportunity to for the school and team to showcase its major athletic program and introduce a lot of freshman students to the program and convert them from occasional attendees to more die-hard fans. The corner crew and the team need to have a pipeline or the fan base might take a serious beating.
Click to expand...

No that's not what I said at all. I'm saying RIT should bring in teams we have a realistic chance of beating, or at least hanging close with. If you are viewing it as an opportunity for the program to expose itself to the community and to students and convert them into fans, I'll buy that (my first RIT game was homecoming, in fact) but if that is the case, shouldn't the game be against a team that we don't get beat down by? How many fans are going to want to come back the next week after BC runs us out of the building?

TigerFan86-87 said:
Actually, in college hockey circles, Cornell, Harvard, and Yale are relatively well thought of programs. Their name recognition to the rest of the world has nothing to do with any sports (except maybe the Harvard Yale football game), let alone hockey.
Click to expand...

You aren't wrong but you aren't right, either, in context. Yes these schools are known as D1 hockey power houses, but as you noted that is NOT where their name recognition comes from. Fans of college hockey in Rochester are probably already coming to RIT for games as it's the only team in town. The argument for ECAC/bigger name schools has always been that the name recognition would help bring in "the community". If a family is looking for somewhere to spend their money on a Saturday night, seeing RIT vs Harvard is a more appealing choice than seeing RIT vs AIC whether or not you are a fan of the game or understand the relative skills of these programs. The fact that these schools are famous in general is exactly why we want to play them. By and large the ECAC schools are also older/bigger which means more alumni and family potentially in our area (especially for Cornell/RPI) to also boost attendance.

Rochester said:
I personally would like to see this be a conference game, playing Air Force or Army. No matter what, it's homecoming. People will show up and the barn will sell out. The people attending these games do not care who is playing as long as RIT wins. RIT has a brand new arena with seating for 4,300 fans. We can attract other big name teams to the GPC. Just think, Penn State played Army for their home opener... Why? Because they want to create a casual fan.

Homecoming is to show off RIT pride, not to play the biggest teams in the country and get our butt stomped. Make the 10,400 fans happy and hopefully they will come to the GPC. Everyone is a loser when RIT loses at the BCA. The only people that actually care about who we play as a fan goes...are the people on this forum... We make up 15 of the 10,400 people...
Click to expand...

Yeah I mostly agree with this. I do think RIT should stick to trying to invite the more relevant of AHC schools though in this case...which really just means Army/Air Force. Those games would be a pretty hot ticket and would provide for evenly matched, exciting hockey. I don't think RIT needs to limit itself just to AHC teams, but there's plenty of not so great teams OOC they could invite in for good games.
 
Last edited:
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

RIT Winters said:
seeing RIT vs Harvard is a more appealing choice than seeing RIT vs AIC whether or not you are a fan of the game or understand the relative skills of these programs.
Click to expand...

I realize this is the conventional wisdom, but do we have any evidence for this? That there are large numbers of people out there who say "Oh, I've heard of Harvard, maybe I'd enjoy watching their hockey team"?


Powers &8^]
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

LtPowers said:
I realize this is the conventional wisdom, but do we have any evidence for this? That there are large numbers of people out there who say "Oh, I've heard of Harvard, maybe I'd enjoy watching their hockey team"?


Powers &8^]
Click to expand...

Beyond conventional wisdom it's probably hard to prove either way, as Ritter almost always sold out regardless and GPC hasn't been around long enough to have a substantial sample size.
 
Last edited:
Borrowing Rochesters number of "15" when referring to the number of RIT posters on this forum I'd say that we 15 would rather see RIT play Harvard rather than AIC (no disrespect to AIC, I think they will be much improved this year).

Speaking of us 15, not sure where you all are, how many of you are going to be at the game? I will be up but I see that TWC is advertising that the game will be on TV down here.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

Downstate_RIT_Fan said:
Speaking of us 15, not sure where you all are, how many of you are going to be at the game? I will be up but I see that TWC is advertising that the game will be on TV down here.
Click to expand...

I haven't missed a homecoming game yet. But I've lived in Monroe County since graduation.


Powers &8^]
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

Downstate_RIT_Fan said:
Borrowing Rochesters number of "15" when referring to the number of RIT posters on this forum I'd say that we 15 would rather see RIT play Harvard rather than AIC (no disrespect to AIC, I think they will be much improved this year).

Speaking of us 15, not sure where you all are, how many of you are going to be at the game? I will be up but I see that TWC is advertising that the game will be on TV down here.
Click to expand...

I'll be there, I personally don't mind the trip downtown and enjoy the atmosphere. I just wish I'd seen more than 1 win ever there for homecoming.
 
RIT Winters said:
I'll be there, I personally don't mind the trip downtown and enjoy the atmosphere. I just wish I'd seen more than 1 win ever there for homecoming.
Click to expand...

Yes I missed the SLU game but I have to say the most disappointing loss for me was the Penn State game. If I remember correctly I think Penn State had just played SUNY Buffalo and lost so I set my expectations as a game we would win. Compounding the tough game was the fact that I showed up just before puck drop and that game was still all General Admission and I had to scramble to find two seats next to each other. On the plus side the folks next to me managed to bring a box of wine into the event and were super friendly so it was a great time nonetheless. Looking forward to the drive up tomorrow. I'll be at Tate tonight for Army - Sacred Heart.
 
That SLU game at the BCA was the most exciting game I have ever been to. SLU isn't even a household name for people in Rochester and it still sold out... Because it's homecoming! No more unbeatable teams for homecoming! It's homecoming! A time to show off RIT pride. Nothing kills a casual fan off than losing at homecoming.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

Rochester said:
That SLU game at the BCA was the most exciting game I have ever been to. SLU isn't even a household name for people in Rochester and it still sold out... Because it's homecoming! No more unbeatable teams for homecoming! It's homecoming! A time to show off RIT pride. Nothing kills a casual fan off than losing at homecoming.
Click to expand...

Yep, the SLU game was the best while the UMASS Lowell game was the most disappointing, even though it ended up as a tie.

FYI, the Washington General's are available as an opponent now that they've been released from their previous schedule conflicts! That will guarantee a win and a few laughs along the way.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

Downstate_RIT_Fan said:
Borrowing Rochesters number of "15" when referring to the number of RIT posters on this forum I'd say that we 15 would rather see RIT play Harvard rather than AIC (no disrespect to AIC, I think they will be much improved this year).

Speaking of us 15, not sure where you all are, how many of you are going to be at the game? I will be up but I see that TWC is advertising that the game will be on TV down here.
Click to expand...

Relegated to the interweb, sigh! Safe travels and here hoping for a win!
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

RIT Winters said:
You aren't wrong but you aren't right, either, in context. Yes these schools are known as D1 hockey power houses, but as you noted that is NOT where their name recognition comes from.
Click to expand...
You just confirmed both of my points. How are they not right?
RIT Winters said:
Fans of college hockey in Rochester
Click to expand...
There really isn't such a thing in any significant numbers. There are RIT students, faculty and staff as well as RIT alumnae. Then there are alums of other regional schools (i.e. Clarkson, RPI, Niagara, Canisius, etc.). But very few of those folks are true college hockey fans as much as they are fans of their school's hockey team only. Case in point is the atrocious attendance at the NCAA Regional held at BCA in 2007. Even though Clarkson was there, the attendance was pathetic, despite the event being well advertised at Amerks games for months ahead of time. True college hockey fans are willing to go to games that do not involve their own school. That is a rarity here in Rochester today. Maybe somewhere down the line, but not now. Although you can't tell by Amerks attendance currently, pro hockey fans rule the roost here. Try and convince them that a game with no fighting is more appealing and it's like talking to a wall.
RIT Winters said:
The argument for ECAC/bigger name schools has always been that the name recognition would help bring in "the community". If a family is looking for somewhere to spend their money on a Saturday night, seeing RIT vs Harvard is a more appealing choice than seeing RIT vs AIC whether or not you are a fan of the game or understand the relative skills of these programs.
Click to expand...
You keep comparing RIT v Harvard to RIT v AIC, or the most recognizable ECACHL team to the least recognizable AHC team. Hardly an apples to apples comparison. Air Force and Army are just as likely to attract attention from the casual fan as Harvard or Yale. The problem, as I stated above is that there aren't many of those fans to attract in Rochester. RIT v AIC draws virtually no interest outside of RIT fans. RIT v Air Force might attract 50 to 100 extra of those fans, maybe, if even that many. A family looking for somewhere to spend their money on a Saturday night is more likely to take in another showing of Rogue One or Zootopia than catch a college hockey game.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

I don't want to give up a conference game to BCA from the GPC. I don't think RIT would gain anything from that.

We won't be getting traditional powers to play at GPC - it's too small to be worth it for them and RIT is not a national power to be a significant game in terms of Pairwise. I don't think a anyone really went into the BC and Michigan games thinking we should win.

I would love to see RIT win homecoming games, but if the choice is winning or playing a Michigan/BC/Minnesota type team here - I want to see those teams come here.
 
Re: >>> RIT Tigers 2016-17: That was fun; let's go for three!

Looks like there are still a few hundred tickets left for tomorrow night... usually sold out before this in other years.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top