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.

UML Offseason Begins

Re: UML Offseason Begins

boblav1 said:
Did all season ticket holders have access to the Talon room? I had access but it was because of the Center Ice club. Other than a couple of times when they had a function going on before the game the amount of people in Talon room was pretty small.

I think it's a good idea to open the room up to more people, same with the Center Ice club. It's nice to get the big donors but it would be better to make it affordable for families to join like most Friends groups. The more involvement the better.
Click to expand...

I also had access to the Talon room through the Center Ice Club. I only got to go to one game this year and had every intention of going to the Talon Club, but on the recommendation of some posters here, we went to the Beer Works first. The food was good, the beer was great, so we just stayed there almost until the start of the game. It was my first time at the Beer Works and we were all impressed.

I like where the new Talon Room is as opposed to the old location where a section of the walkway behind the goal was closed off to everyone but members. The new location does have the disadvantage of being unable to see the rink from most areas inside the room.

Maybe the marketing team can work something for next year's Center Ice Club. The family package gets you a couple of ballcaps for the kids and passes to the Talon room for X dollars. The Beer Works package gets you a free beer or appetizer before every home game for Y dollars. Good advertising for the restaurant, more potential donors for the school. I'm obviously the newbie here, but if the goal is to gain more memberships, something like that might be a way. It could also turn the Talon Club into a kids' room. One issue at a time:) Hopefully the marketing team is always looking for ways to attract large donors, small donors, and anything that will contribute to the program.

Nice to see the no hitter and a doubleheader sweep for the baseball team to snap the losing streak.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

It would be nice to have something that attracted people without tons of cash to some sort of Friends group option. They might not have mucho buckos now but loyalty is a commodity that sells tix and sets up the next generation. Yrs ago the Friends set up travel to the games in places like AK, CO, ME etc. I don't think there was a ton of cash but the fans were there. You guys have a loyal group that started as students but when they killed that they lost the avg Joe. Of course there might be something like that now and I don't know. The Tully was so much more intimate. People knew each other because there was a finite space to go. The Tsongas Tcenter seems so much more nebulous.

Bottom line- the rich guys may provide money but there aren't as many of them. The little guy helps build the culture and fanbase. He/She needs something to make them feel special.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

leswp1 said:
Bottom line- the rich guys may provide money but there aren't as many of them. The little guy helps build the culture and fanbase. He/She needs something to make them feel special.
Click to expand...

There's got to be a way to cater to both. Adding the Pavilion Club and Chancellor's Suite is a good way to bring in some high rollers. The Center Ice Club is a great idea to allow for small and large donors to participate. A newsletter, coach/AD emails, or something to keep people informed and interested would be a start.

I signed up to receive email updates from 'Mack (for free) because I like Hockey East and they were a fun team to root for in the NCAAs this year (shows there's hope for a DII school with DI hockey). I understand it was a banner year for them, but EVERY WEEK, I got a mass email from the AD talking about the coming week's sporting events, the status of the hockey team, rink renovations, and future plans for athletic facilities on the campus. I know it was probably written by an assistant or something and they weren't very long, but they were fun to read and kept the information flowing from the administration to the fans. I'll still be a member of the Center Ice Club next season because I finally go to a school that supports DI (and Hockey East) hockey and want to see that continue (maybe with some success), but something as little as a newsletter or mass email could go a long way.

Also noted this morning that the head coaching vacancy has been taken down from the UML job opportunities site. I think there are some weird rules regarding state employees and job postings, but maybe we'll hear something soon?
 
Last edited:
Re: UML Offseason Begins

goUMLgoBC said:
Also noted this morning that the head coaching vacancy has been taken down from the UML job opportunities site. I think there are some weird rules regarding state employees and job postings, but maybe we'll hear something soon?
Click to expand...
Yay :D
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

goUMLgoBC said:
Also noted this morning that the head coaching vacancy has been taken down from the UML job opportunities site. I think there are some weird rules regarding state employees and job postings, but maybe we'll hear something soon?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be surprised.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

leswp1 said:
Bottom line- the rich guys may provide money but there aren't as many of them. The little guy helps build the culture and fanbase. He/She needs something to make them feel special.
Click to expand...
Agree, and the program needs both of these groups. As goUMLgoBC mentioned, things like newsletters, emails, a membership card or a decal for the car go a long way. Any ways, first things first, the team still needs a coach.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

boblav1 said:
Agree, and the program needs both of these groups. As goUMLgoBC mentioned, things like newsletters, emails, a membership card or a decal for the car go a long way. Any ways, first things first, the team still needs a coach.
Click to expand...

Minor detail.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

leswp1 said:
Minor detail.
Click to expand...

related thoughts... I know they do game notes... and they surely have STH on a list... why not attach or link to the game notes ever week in an e-mail?

edit: what would one want to see in such a thing... does the hockey program produce a newsletter? Fold it in with the program? Articles on what goes in the hockey game and the aspects of college hockey? (Day of a game for a player or coach... the recruiting trail (what we look for, etc.)... know your enemy('s tactics) w/ a couple of diagrams... etc...) Just some thoughts.
 
Last edited:
Re: UML Offseason Begins

Patman said:
related thoughts... I know they do game notes... and they surely have STH on a list... why not attach or link to the game notes ever week in an e-mail?

edit: what would one want to see in such a thing... does the hockey program produce a newsletter? Fold it in with the program? Articles on what goes in the hockey game and the aspects of college hockey? (Day of a game for a player or coach... the recruiting trail (what we look for, etc.)... know your enemy('s tactics) w/ a couple of diagrams... etc...) Just some thoughts.
Click to expand...
These are all great ideas!
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

I get the same newsletter from Merrimack and yeah, the AD does a really good job with that. The e-mails from Eric and Scott are good and list all the upcoming promotions which can be important, but to get an e-mail from Skinner or the new coach every couple weeks or so to keep updated on things would be appreciated since the Sun's coverage of the team is laughable.

I really like the idea of the athletic department organizing road trips to other HE schools and stuff like that. I don't play golf but I'd go to other season ticket holder events like game viewings if they're somewhere really far away.

Regarding the restaurant in the Tsongas being open to anyone now before games, I think that might entice me to go once or twice a season as opposed to none before. Won't really change my habit of scarfing down a pizza or sub at Suppah's before the Friday games after work and getting some good eats and drinks at Beer Works for the Saturday games.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

goUMLgoBC said:
There's got to be a way to cater to both. Adding the Pavilion Club and Chancellor's Suite is a good way to bring in some high rollers. The Center Ice Club is a great idea to allow for small and large donors to participate. A newsletter, coach/AD emails, or something to keep people informed and interested would be a start.
Click to expand...

Here's the link to Friends of UNH Hockey site to see their membership levels and benefits. I like the fact that they make it affordable for the students to join, get them involved early.
http://friendsofunhhockey.com/?page_id=30
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

jrobes01 said:
I get the same newsletter from Merrimack and yeah, the AD does a really good job with that. The e-mails from Eric and Scott are good and list all the upcoming promotions which can be important, but to get an e-mail from Skinner or the new coach every couple weeks or so to keep updated on things would be appreciated since the Sun's coverage of the team is laughable.
Click to expand...

I'm not a season ticket holder so I was unaware that any emails to fans existed at all. It's good that they do, but maybe they can expand the mailing list so season ticket holders and potential individual game purchasers are all informed (unless I totally missed something about signing up to receive email updates). That's what's great about email, doesn't cost a nickel to add a ton of people to a mailing list.

I was happy that the Center Ice Club advertised monthly email newsletters, but I got one in October and that was the only one for the season. It will be interesting to see how the new coach is on the PR circuit and what the Center Ice Club/season ticket packages look like next season.

I can't complain about the athletic department staff. I had an unusual travel schedule this winter, but for the one game that I could get to, a couple people in the hockey/athletic offices hooked me up big time. Makes it easier to contribute when the staff is helpful.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

The team held their awards dinner last night - no public this time. Here is who won each award:

MVP – Riley Wetmore
Coaches Perseverance – David Vallorani
Most Improved – Matt Ferreira
Gus Coutu – Ryan Blair
Unsung Hero – Jason DeLuca
Rookie and Best Defensive Player – Chad Ruhwedel
Marc Connelly – Sean Patno
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

boblav1 said:
I agree, but it's an option for some folks. My only concern with ordering food in the Talon room this past season was the service time, which they also addressed in the email.

Did all season ticket holders have access to the Talon room? I had access but it was because of the Center Ice club. Other than a couple of times when they had a function going on before the game the amount of people in Talon room was pretty small.

I think it's a good idea to open the room up to more people, same with the Center Ice club. It's nice to get the big donors but it would be better to make it affordable for families to join like most Friends groups. The more involvement the better.
Click to expand...

I didn't have access to the Talon room but if I have access this season I'll probably check it out. Especially on Friday nights when traffic stinks and the Beer Works is packed when I get to Lowell.
 
Re: UML Offseason Begins

zena said:
Kudos to Providence.
They get a far superior hire.
And who said PC isn't a good job?
Click to expand...
First, nothing's been finalized, so it's tough to say someone is a superior hire. Second, let's see them actually coach before we decide who's better. Third, I don't think most of us say PC isn't a good job ... most of us though do believe that Lowell is better set up to succeed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top