Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

[badgerhawk]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

So who's the first team in the nation to 100 goals? This team!

Michigan Tech, they reached 100 GA a week or two ago.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I'm getting worried; only about 41,000 sold so far. I know there will be a walk-up crowd, but that place will look empty even with 50,000 in attendance. (Kind of like football games in the late 80's, but 50,000 would be pushing it.)

Barry can't blame the low ticket sales it on the team itself, they are playing some fun and exciting hockey and they are very highly ranked, which should get the attention of the casual fan. I think the Athletic Dept got too greedy with the tickets prices. If you are trying to set an attendance record, price them like you want to sell them. Also, the opponent should have been the sue or rodents. They have much larger followings than UM and the natural rivalries.

 

[ansinator]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Barry can't blame the low ticket sales it on the team itself, they are playing some fun and exciting hockey and they are very highly ranked, which should get the attention of the casual fan. I think the Athletic Dept got too greedy with the tickets prices. If you are trying to set an attendance record, price them like you want to sell them. Also, the opponent should have been the sue or rodents. They have much larger followings than UM and the natural rivalries.

I'm more disappointed with the advertising. 1 crappy television commercial shown only during Badger men's BBall and Hockey. There aren't even any live action clips, just a bunch of "fancy" graphics work.

The prices are because of the women's team playing as well. I applaud the athletic department for trying to draw some attention to the team (finally ), but for most people they just aren't interested and they see it as $25 for 1 game instead of 2. The fact that the women are also struggling a bit this year isn't helping.

If I remember correctly the WCHA squashed any chance at getting th Goofers because they weren't going to let conference foes play without getting a piece of the action. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised if the WCHA used bad attendance at the CRC as an excuse to never let WCHA teams play against each other outdoors.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Barry can't blame the low ticket sales it on the team itself, they are playing some fun and exciting hockey and they are very highly ranked, which should get the attention of the casual fan. I think the Athletic Dept got too greedy with the tickets prices. If you are trying to set an attendance record, price them like you want to sell them. Also, the opponent should have been the sue or rodents. They have much larger followings than UM and the natural rivalries.

I think they mentioned between periods last night on the radio broadcast that the Rodents turned us down.

 

[Innova]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

The reasoning that I heard, however valid or not, was that there were not proper angles for the replays.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

The prices are because of the women's team playing as well. I applaud the athletic department for trying to draw some attention to the team (finally ), but for most people they just aren't interested and they see it as $25 for 1 game instead of 2. The fact that the women are also struggling a bit this year isn't helping.

If I remember correctly the WCHA squashed any chance at getting th Goofers because they weren't going to let conference foes play without getting a piece of the action. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised if the WCHA used bad attendance at the CRC as an excuse to never let WCHA teams play against each other outdoors.

I'm not sure that this is true because when this was first announced, there was no women's game attached. I don't think that the women's game will be much of an added attraction. If I were going to the men's game, I sure wouldn't get there 4 hours early to watch the women's game unless I could leave the stadium and come back. Four additional hours in the cold will make a huge difference for most.

The ticket price should have been $10 with the women's game being free. They could have everyone leave between games and start taking tickets 1.5 hours before the men's game.

Like you said, if they wanted to set the record, they should have priced the tickets with that in mind. If I were in charge, I would open the upper deck up on Monday for $10 a ticket. It would be a PR hit at first, but it's the last chance they have to make this look good.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Further thoughts...

I really believe that the Lambeau game being only four years ago hurts this event. The key to something like this working in a small hockey market/state is people believing that it's a novelty.

I'm about as hockey as anyone can be and still hold a job and have a wife and I'm still on the fence with this. I just did this 4 years ago in a much better stadium with better amenities and a much more interesting mix of Badger Hockey and another idea(Packer Football).

Maybe they should have done this at Miller Park. I'd be more jazzed about going there. Imagine Bucky(or Bernie) sliding after we score a goal.

They could also sell booze there.

THAT would have been very cool.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Just a stupid hypothetical that came to my mind:

If upper deck tickets were declared free in the next week, do you think we'd get a sellout?

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Certainly not an original thought, but I think that getting a sellout quickly went out the door when they couldn't schedule (regardless of reason) Minnesota or North Dakota and came out with a $25 ticket.

Michigan was probably the best non-conference option and the athletic department is now offering some rather interesting discounts (buy $10 of Culvers and get $30 off 2 tickets) and seems to spending a fair amount of money in TV and radio advertising. However, they probably should have originally tiered the pricing and/or offered family four-packs like they do at Kohl.

I'm also not sure that they are doing the women's team any favors by having them play there. If you are a women's hockey fan and don't want to stay and watch the men, you have to spend $25 and deal with the parking issues. Or, if like me and a fan of both teams, have to spend about 6 hours outside or come 1 or 2 periods into the women's game neither of which are appealling. I would have preferred having them play at the Kohl and then have shuttles taking people over to Camp Randall for the men's game. I know logisitical issues that would prevent that, but would be a lot better for those who want to watch all of both games.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I'll do it. However, I see that the UW is offering a men's pre-game party (during the middle of the women's game) at the Fieldhouse where they charge another $20.

 

[ansinator]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I'm not sure that this is true because when this was first announced, there was no women's game attached. I don't think that the women's game will be much of an added attraction. If I were going to the men's game, I sure wouldn't get there 4 hours early to watch the women's game unless I could leave the stadium and come back. Four additional hours in the cold will make a huge difference for most.

The ticket price should have been $10 with the women's game being free. They could have everyone leave between games and start taking tickets 1.5 hours before the men's game.

Like you said, if they wanted to set the record, they should have priced the tickets with that in mind. If I were in charge, I would open the upper deck up on Monday for $10 a ticket. It would be a PR hit at first, but it's the last chance they have to make this look good.

Were the ticket prices announced before adding the women's game? I don't remember. If they were then you are 100% correct, but if they weren't I could see the ticket office thinking, "Hmmm....two games, we can charge more."

 

[blockski]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

No offense to the Women's team, but adding them to the ticket adds approximately zero dollars of value.

The tickets are too expensive by at least $10.

They're charging more money than your average, face value regular season ticket. When they don't regularly sell out a building that seats 15,000. In a stadium that could hold 80,000.

Please, will someone from the economics department run over to Kellner Hall.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Do you think the women even want to be playing outside anymore? They have a pretty darn thin margin of error now. I'm sure they'd rather be playing inside at the KC rather than having to navigate an unfamiliar ice sheet.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

Were the ticket prices announced before adding the women's game? I don't remember. If they were then you are 100% correct, but if they weren't I could see the ticket office thinking, "Hmmm....two games, we can charge more."

As far as I remember, the ticket price was announced at the same time, but that's not to say that adding the women's game wasn't already in the works. I totally agree with you that this is a money grab.

I agree with Blocksi though that adding the women's game adds no real value to the event because the vast majority of people will not get there early enough to see it.

And yes, a simple supply and demand graph with price could have predicted the result that we are seeing.

For my $25 I can sit in the comfort of the KC and have a great view OR I can sit outside far from the action and depending on the weather freeze my balls right off. Hmmmmmm....

Tickets should have been $10.

50k tickets at $20(average) = $1,000,000.

80k tickets at $10 = $800,000.

When you add in concessions and benefit to the local economy, the $10 ticket is at least equal, if not better.

Simple Math?

 

[RedFreak]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

For my $25 I can sit in the comfort of the KC and have a great view OR I can sit outside far from the action and depending on the weather freeze my balls right off. Hmmmmmm....

This doesn't even rise to the level of "Hmmmmm..." for me.

Adding the women's game decreased attendance in two ways, IMO. It raised prices (as other's have said) and it increased the time outside to six hours. It leaves you with two bad choices. Don't go to the women's game even though you're paying for it or, to get the value of paid for, spend 6 - 7 hours standing in a windswept place in Wisconsin in February. I was incredulous when I heard they had added the women's game. Really dumb.

That said, I bet a significant number of people held out to see what the weather is like. Good weather could save their butt.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

As I said before, as a fan of both the men's and women's teams, it would be better to play the women's game at 2 at KC ($5 ticket/free parking/stay warm for 2 1/2 hours) and then head over to Camp Randall for the men's game.

The intention to include the women's team in the overall event was probably a good one, but not so much logistically.

 

[RedFreak]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

There's something else I've been wondering about the Camp Randall game. I was surprised when I first heard it was at night. Sitting outside on a sunny winter day is one thing. Night's another matter. Has there been any other outside game, NHL or college, that was held at night? The ones I can recall have been in the afternoon. Was the game always going to be at night, or did the addition of the women's game shift it to after dark?

 

[blockski]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

There's something else I've been wondering about the Camp Randall game. I was surprised when I first heard it was at night. Sitting outside on a sunny winter day is one thing. Night's another matter. Has there been any other outside game, NHL or college, that was held at night? The ones I can recall have been in the afternoon. Was the game always going to be at night, or did the addition of the women's game shift it to after dark?

The Lambeau game, the Cold War, the NHL Edmonton game, and the first New Years Day game all started during the day and finished under the lights, which is about what will happen here. It's maybe a little later, but nothing huge.

 

[RedFreak]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

The Lambeau game, the Cold War, the NHL Edmonton game, and the first New Years Day game all started during the day and finished under the lights, which is about what will happen here. It's maybe a little later, but nothing huge.

What time did the Lambeau game start? 2? 3? The upcoming men's game starts at 5pm. Sunset is 5:15.

 

[blockski]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

What time did the Lambeau game start? 2? 3? The upcoming men's game starts at 5pm. Sunset is 5:15.

Does it really matter? None of them were out there during the warmest hours of a winter day.

EDIT: pretty sure the Cold War game was a night time start, as was the Edmonton one.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 2 - No Silly Eaves-isms, Just Win The Title!

I agree with all the sentiments regarding cost. If the UW AD wants a sell-out or a record attendance for an outdoor hockey game than anything over $15 per ticket would preclude that happening.

As for the women's game. I like the idea, and it won't be long before the NHL has a 2nd game in front of their winter classic as well. The problem is at those temparatures as stated earlier, those who show up with the intention of seeing both games, 1/3 to 1/2 of those who get there that early will be gone by period 1 or 2 of game 2 because of the cold.

The rest will show up between games.

I was at the outdoor game at lambeau and that had the lambeau mystique thing going for it and the uniqueness of being Wisconsin's first outdoor game.

also - the weather on game day was like 25 deg with little wind which is the best you can hope for.

I think if they don't get 55,000 to 60,000 in that stadium that's going to be a huge embarrassment for the U.

Of course if Nodak or the Rodents were playing the chances of a sell-out would be greater, but the x factor today is....how many minnesota fans would drive to madison now considering their team's record, all to sit out in the cold, in a stadium that is completely unforgiving in that environment, just to say they were there?

best they can hope for now is advertise like hell with cheap tickets in the upper deck, and hope for an above 20 deg, and "relatively" non-blustery conditions.