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.

Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

I'm not a big fan of the new sweaters either. Anyone else bothered by the fact that the bottom looks like it should be tucked in like a dress shirt? They should be straight across the bottom IMO.

I really like the retro-look of this year's alternate jerseys though!

As far as music goes, there are only a few times canned music should be played: when they do that history video before the team skates out (I admit I get teary-eyed whenever they play it) and prior to player intros.

I also think the "make noise" graphics should be banned.

And get off my grass, dammit!
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

This from an outsider. I moved to Wisconsin after having watched most of my college hockey at the old Ralph and even the old barn before that. The Kohl Center was not yet built. After watching games at the Dane, I felt that the enviornment at the Ralph was more intense but that the crowd at the Dane was more fun and that the band was a major part of that. The UW crowd has a celebratory quality that is great. The UW band and the role it plays at hockey games is too special to give an inch to canned anything.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

A few different thoughts:

The "Make Noise" graphic is awful - and the worst part is that (at least at the last two games I went to) it was only put up during a stoppage in the game - usually a TV timeout. That means you're "rallying the crowd" when it does the team no good. IF they follow the command of the graphic, it dies down before play ever resumes. So **** stupid.

_____

I understand that folks have expectations of the Badgers every year, but I'm honestly a little shocked that anyone thinks this team can compete in the F5 or should be in the NCAA. They're just not a great team this year. But there are flashes of brilliance and it makes me excited for next season. As far as I'm concerned, this is a building year and I have no problem looking forward to 2013.

_____

While Saturday night wasn't the best showing overall, I was really heartened by the third quarter play. Obviously it would have been best to see that intensity all the way through, but I thought it said a lot about the team that they were still fighting and pushing so hard while being shut out and in the third quarter. It seemed unlike Eaves to go without a goalie for so long, but I liked the call. Like I said above, I see this as a learning year and that was an important stretch for the team.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Tom Oates column today on lagging UW attendance.

Don't know how many of his conclusions apply to hockey, but I thought this was ominous:

The latest money grab is a proposal to charge extra for marquee football games such as Ohio State and Michigan State that likely will go into effect next year. And there are other things in the discussion stage that will turn off fans even more.
Click to expand...

Yikes. Wonder what that could be?
 
tristarscoop said:
A few different thoughts:

The "Make Noise" graphic is awful - and the worst part is that (at least at the last two games I went to) it was only put up during a stoppage in the game - usually a TV timeout. That means you're "rallying the crowd" when it does the team no good. IF they follow the command of the graphic, it dies down before play ever resumes. So **** stupid.

_____

I understand that folks have expectations of the Badgers every year, but I'm honestly a little shocked that anyone thinks this team can compete in the F5 or should be in the NCAA. They're just not a great team this year. But there are flashes of brilliance and it makes me excited for next season. As far as I'm concerned, this is a building year and I have no problem looking forward to 2013.

_____

While Saturday night wasn't the best showing overall, I was really heartened by the third quarter play. Obviously it would have been best to see that intensity all the way through, but I thought it said a lot about the team that they were still fighting and pushing so hard while being shut out and in the third quarter. It seemed unlike Eaves to go without a goalie for so long, but I liked the call. Like I said above, I see this as a learning year and that was an important stretch for the team.
Click to expand...

PERIOD... The third PERIOD. Not only is "Quarter" incorrect from a hockey standpoint (**** you Wisconsinites trying to make everything football), but it is impossible mathematically too (there are only three segments to the game, so you can't have quarters).

Sorry, pet peeve of mine.
 
Last edited:
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

WeWantMore said:
Tom Oates column today on lagging UW attendance.

Don't know how many of his conclusions apply to hockey, but I thought this was ominous:



Yikes. Wonder what that could be?
Click to expand...


Who cares? If they do something silly, they'll pay for it with even less attendance. Let them make their own bed.

I'm still in when it comes to UW season hockey tickets, but it becomes less enjoyable to go as less people go. A 2/3 full KC is a bummer and if it continues, my need to be there will decrease. I sold 4 of my "family games (4 seats)" to a buddy this year as it is.

I already sell most of my football package every year. Hopefully I will continue to find someone to buy those garbage non-con games along with a couple of B1G games so I can hold on to my tickets that I've had for 18 years. If I'm forced to keep all of the tickets, I'll let them go. I prefer watching on TV as opposed to cramped Camp Randall anyway.

And oh btw, it's the economy, stupid. Last time I checked, there are a LOT of public employees around these parts and their discretionary income went down this year while their expenses stayed the same. People would rather pay their heating bill this winter than go to a hockey game.

EDIT: In addition, sports teams run the risk of the people who aren't going anymore realizing that they can live without going to the games. So even when the economy and incomes bounce back, many former paying fans may not return.

The paying fans have to get by on less income these days, what makes athletic departments and pro teams think that they are exempt from this?

Time will tell, but I feel less and less inclined to spend money on sports by the year. Barely go to Brewers games anymore, in fact haven't gone since 2009 and I used to go to about 10 games a year. Don't even bother with the Blackhawks as I got priced out of the 200's and I'm not driving all the way to Chicago to sit in the 300's. Center Ice costs me the same amount as 1 ticket would cost. Barely go to UW football and went to every game for about 12 years.

I still love my teams and root for them hard, but my 60" HD and surround sound make it real easy to save the money and avoid the hassle.
 
Last edited:
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Gurtholfin said:
Time will tell, but I feel less and less inclined to spend money on sports by the year. Barely go to Brewers games anymore, in fact haven't gone since 2009 and I used to go to about 10 games a year. Don't even bother with the Blackhawks as I got priced out of the 200's and I'm not driving all the way to Chicago to sit in the 300's. Center Ice costs me the same amount as 1 ticket would cost. Barely go to UW football and went to every game for about 12 years.

I still love my teams and root for them hard, but my 60" HD and surround sound make it real easy to save the money and avoid the hassle.
Click to expand...

I'm starting to seriously consider dropping at least one night's tickets, and maybe both, something I would have considered flat out impossible just a few years ago. I'm in my 36th year of attending both Fridays and Saturdays, and next year I hit 60, and the old oomph just isn't there. If I could snap my fingers and be in my seat at the Kohl, I'm sure I'd keep my tickets, but the whole process of getting there and parking... I don't know. I feel like an absolute traitor for feeling this way, but I just seem tired of it all. Oddly enough, I still have tons of excitement for the women's team. Maybe because it's mid-day (usually) and my energy levels are higher, plus I can casually sit wherever I want. At any rate, I am disturbed by the large drop in attendance at the men's games, and I sure hope something turns it around. Those attendance records have been a real source of pride down through the years.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Qucik Hits

1. Butters can't develop or recruit! :D

2. Schultz will never win a hobey if Sconi can't get over .500

3. Braun is a cheater, can't wait until Clay Mathews gets busted like his college buddy Cushing.

4. Gophers are back ;)
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Gurtholfin said:
I still love my teams and root for them hard, but my 60" HD and surround sound make it real easy to save the money and avoid the hassle.
Click to expand...

I wonder how long it will take the schools to realize this, that the downside of the improved TV contracts is a decreased need to deal with the cost and hassle of actually going to the events. You can only grow the revenue sports pie so quickly before you start cannibalizing on other revenue streams in an effort to expand a different stream. Not to mention the dangers of pricing people out of the ticket market and shrinking the pool of people who consider buying tickets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: XYZ
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Chuck Schwartz said:
It's a Reebok thing. I saw a high school game recently and they have the exact same jerseys (obviously don't say Wisconsin).
Click to expand...

So Reebok dictates to the UW what the uni's are going to look like? I can't believe a University as powerful financially as UW can't dictate to their supplier how they want the uni's to look. Branding/history is important to a company such as UW.

I did really like the alt jerseys they wore earlier this year.

Attendance.....to get to the point, is UW attendance down because tons of public employees now have to pay for their own insurance due to Scott Walker's changes and now they can't afford to go to hockey games? I can't imagine that change cost UW 1,000 people per game. The economy has been flat between this year and last year and the attendance is down this year vs last.

All I can afford is one game a year of men's hockey for 4 people. This year I bought the tickets on black Friday when UW had that sale and got a break on the cost. I'm probably going to do the women's game, go to 5 Guys for supper, then go to the men's game. I wonder how many tickets were sold during that sale.
 
RinkPig said:
Qucik Hits

1. Butters can't develop or recruit! :D

2. Schultz will never win a hobey if Sconi can't get over .500

3. Braun is a cheater, can't wait until Clay Mathews gets busted like his college buddy Cushing.

4. Gophers are back ;)
Click to expand...

Dude, take the football and baseball talk to another board. And I would hardly brag about our team's play as of late. Very inconsistent. I will agree with you though, Schultz will have to run away with this thing in order to win it on a sub .500 team. He's in the Top 5 right now, but to say he's THE front runner is utterly ridiculous. Take away second assists and his numbers look much less impressive. Right now, my money is on Connolly from UMD.
 
Last edited:
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Timothy A said:
So Reebok dictates to the UW what the uni's are going to look like? I can't believe a University as powerful financially as UW can't dictate to their supplier how they want the uni's to look. Branding/history is important to a company such as UW.

I did really like the alt jerseys they wore earlier this year.
Click to expand...

Sure, Wisconsin has final say on what the jersey's look like, but Reebok provides the actual jersey (which includes the cut).
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Timothy A said:
Attendance.....to get to the point, is UW attendance down because tons of public employees now have to pay for their own insurance due to Scott Walker's changes and now they can't afford to go to hockey games? I can't imagine that change cost UW 1,000 people per game. The economy has been flat between this year and last year and the attendance is down this year vs last.
Click to expand...

So the BIG difference between last season and this in the local economy is...? I'll give you 3 guesses and the first two don't count.


It made a HUGE difference in my household. It went into effect in September. We're down $500 a month yet our mortgage and all other expenses are still the same.

Maybe no one is going to give me a hanky that I can't go to as many games or out to eat as much as I might want (or ever), but then don't complain when restaurants are hurting and UW ticket sales are down.

Don't pooh pooh it. Madison has usually been insulated from bad economies, but the change in contributions has hit home.

I'm not here to argue the policy as I see it as a grey issue where both sides have merits in their arguments. The consequences are easy to see though.


Look, I don't believe that it's the sole reason, but it's part of the big picture. In addition, the bad economy has gone on longer than most expected. Many could stretch and keep their tickets for a year or two or three, but now many have to make tough choices. Read the comments on that Oates article.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Chuck Schwartz said:
89% says you have no clue what you're talking about.
Click to expand...

It's really not a swipe at Wisconsin or their fans. I don't believe fans should be loyal to a team regardless of quality. There should be no expectation that fans pay big bucks to be subjected to less than average entertainment, all the while be persistently marketed various products.
Wisconsin fans are not immune to this nor should they be. To deny there is not a strong correlation between winning and attendance is denying reality. I was in Camp Randall in the 80's......

I don't think the current 10th place performance and significantly lower attendance this year is a coincidence.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

It would be foolish to dismiss the effect of being in 10th place- Oates mentioned it when he talked about hockey.

But to think that it's the only issue is just as foolish, since there's also issues with football and bouncyball, who have both been more successful in recent years.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Toe Blake said:
It's really not a swipe at Wisconsin or their fans. I don't believe fans should be loyal to a team regardless of quality. There should be no expectation that fans pay big bucks to be subjected to less than average entertainment, all the while be persistently marketed various products.
Wisconsin fans are not immune to this nor should they be. To deny there is not a strong correlation between winning and attendance is denying reality. I was in Camp Randall in the 80's......

I don't think the current 10th place performance and significantly lower attendance this year is a coincidence.
Click to expand...

Explain why attendance was down for a 11-2 Rose Bowl bound football team that came into the season with legitimate BCS aspersions?

Explain why attendance is down for a top-15 ranked men's basketball team?

Clearly their are factors beyond just a down season for the decline in hockey attendance, I'm sure that the results thus far this season have exacerbated the decline but that is not solely responsible.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Gurtholfin said:
So the BIG difference between last season and this in the local economy is...? I'll give you 3 guesses and the first two don't count.


It made a HUGE difference in my household. It went into effect in September. We're down $500 a month yet our mortgage and all other expenses are still the same.

Maybe no one is going to give me a hanky that I can't go to as many games or out to eat as much as I might want (or ever), but then don't complain when restaurants are hurting and UW ticket sales are down.

Don't pooh pooh it. Madison has usually been insulated from bad economies, but the change in contributions has hit home.

I'm not here to argue the policy as I see it as a grey issue where both sides have merits in their arguments. The consequences are easy to see though.


Look, I don't believe that it's the sole reason, but it's part of the big picture. In addition, the bad economy has gone on longer than most expected. Many could stretch and keep their tickets for a year or two or three, but now many have to make tough choices. Read the comments on that Oates article.
Click to expand...

I asked a friend of 30 years if he'd like to pick up my second seat for one series, since my wife really can't afford it now. Same story as you, unfortunately. He's in the worst financial shape he can remember. He's down $400 to $500 per month, had to get rid of the second car, refinance the mortgage, more stuff on plastic. A LOT of people in the Madison area are really hurting, and I would think that would really slam the entertainment budget.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top