Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

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.

Yep. Haven't been to a concert all year and that will be a first since high school.

My son went to one hockey camp this summer instead of the usual 2.

Etc, etc, etc.

Again, don't need any sympathy. I've still got it pretty darn good. Got a job, my health, a nice home, still have my hockey tix.

But I'm certainly much more careful with what entertainment, if any, I spend my money on. I know that many others are in the same boat if not worse off.

That's why when the athletic department continues to ask for more money as if Rome is in fact NOT burning, it gets kinda humorous.

 

[Toe Blake]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

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.

Not sure what the percentage decline is in football as the article is a bit vague. Basketball is down a couple hundred seats out of 17,000. Meanwhile hockey has dropped about 25%. Doesn't that suggest that team performance is a much larger factor rather than merely an exacerbation of the decline? I agree that it's not 100%, but if the hockey team had not lost a bunch of guys early and was sitting atop the WCHA right now, I find it hard to believe they would not have sellouts.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Not sure what the percentage decline is in football as the article is a bit vague. Basketball is down a couple hundred seats out of 17,000. Meanwhile hockey has dropped about 25%. Doesn't that suggest that team performance is a much larger factor rather than merely an exacerbation of the decline? I agree that it's not 100%, but if the hockey team had not lost a bunch of guys early and was sitting atop the WCHA right now, I find it hard to believe they would not have sellouts.

The record has a little factor but there's so much more to it. Look at the Minnesota Wild attendance. For the first time in a while they are the best team in the league, and their attendance is the worst in franchise history.

 

[Almington]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Not sure what the percentage decline is in football as the article is a bit vague. Basketball is down a couple hundred seats out of 17,000. Meanwhile hockey has dropped about 25%. Doesn't that suggest that team performance is a much larger factor rather than merely an exacerbation of the decline? I agree that it's not 100%, but if the hockey team had not lost a bunch of guys early and was sitting atop the WCHA right now, I find it hard to believe they would not have sellouts.

It suggests that last seasons performance was a much bigger factor than this seasons. The Saturday night football games had to hurt attendance also. I suspect that much of that decline is the result in a drop in season ticket renewals. Economic pressure + poor previous season = low renewals. Particularly, when people are forced to chose between sets of tickets for financial reasons.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Attendance across all of college hockey is down. The Gophers had a legendary season ticket waiting list. They aren't even selling all their tickets anymore.

PS...despite all the griping about tickets/attendance, do people realize Wisconsin still leads the nation in attendance? I know that's tickets sold, not butts in seats but still.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

It suggests that last seasons performance was a much bigger factor than this seasons. The Saturday night football games had to hurt attendance also. I suspect that much of that decline is the result in a drop in season ticket renewals. Economic pressure + poor previous season = low renewals. Particularly, when people are forced to chose between sets of tickets for financial reasons.

yes. Last season does have a bearing on this year's attendance and the team performance to-date hasn't helped one bit. I mean if you miss the NCAA's with Craig Smith and Jake Gardiner something's amiss...now add in this season's struggles

also, the economy of course as many have stated. concerts sales are down from what i read (except for festival 20-band all-day things), movies ticket sales are down etc. we can parse that out a # of ways I know...

and I agree w/you also on Saturday night football games (MSU is one where I was at the Union South (to see The Obits and Bottomless Pit rock the house later) and no kid there had a clue that UW was playing NODAK that night just up the street) hurting attendance, the brewers hurt also for the NMU series.

I don't know. if they don't average closer to 12k for the 2nd 1/2 Alvarez better start thinking of helping the fans out and maybe having cheap concessions or setting season ticket prices back to $20

 

[Almington]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

I don't know. if they don't average closer to 12k for the 2nd 1/2 Alvarez better start thinking of helping the fans out and maybe having cheap concessions or setting season ticket prices back to $20

Or he'll fire Eaves and raise ticket prices to pay the new coach.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

The record has a little factor but there's so much more to it. Look at the Minnesota Wild attendance. For the first time in a while they are the best team in the league, and their attendance is the worst in franchise history.

Gotta agree with Chuck here. And it's not just the Wild. The Gophers are in first (or tied for) in the WCHA and ranked 2nd in the nation and are having problems selling out. Like at UW, there have been season ticket changes and price increases people just can't afford. And I posted a picture of Yost Arena while Michigan was ranked #1 in the country in a few threads, and their stands were REALLY empty. We also just played Michigan State, and neither game was a sellout. Not even close. The economy still sucks, and that is a huge factor IMO.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Or he'll fire Eaves and raise ticket prices to pay the new coach.

lol

 

[Toe Blake]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

The record has a little factor but there's so much more to it. Look at the Minnesota Wild attendance. For the first time in a while they are the best team in the league, and their attendance is the worst in franchise history.

We will just have to agree to disagree. The Wild have been boring for several years and the have missed the playoffs for multiple years. The Gophers did not meet traditional expectations for three years in a row. While there may be a delay between cause and affect, it's still performance driving attendance. If Wisconsin turns it around next year (or later this year), the seats will have butts in them regardless of the economy. The longer you go without success, the harder it is to regain fan support. The longer you go with success, the longer poor performance takes to negatively impact attendance. But ultimately, it's performance driven.

 

[NMH]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

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.

Well **** you too. It was a brain fart, nothing more. I didn't even know I wrote it. And it comes more from the 20-some years of soccer I've played, not football.

I understand pet peeves, but you might want to find a way to unravel a little bit there buddy, you're sounding way high strung.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

We will just have to agree to disagree. The Wild have been boring for several years and the have missed the playoffs for multiple years. The Gophers did not meet traditional expectations for three years in a row. While there may be a delay between cause and affect, it's still performance driving attendance. If Wisconsin turns it around next year (or later this year), the seats will have butts in them regardless of the economy. The longer you go without success, the harder it is to regain fan support. The longer you go with success, the loGnger poor performance takes to negatively impact attendance. But ultimately, it's performance driven.

Poor play never hurt Wild or Gopher attendance before. I don't think it's hurt Wisconsin's attendance before either. I'm sorry, but I think you are vastly underestimating the effect of the poor economy.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

The economy plays a large role no question, however why hasn't basketball seen a similar 25% decrease? the tickets are roughly the same price.

to that I'd have to answer it's the success of the team. Bo Ryan has had UW perpetually in the top 20 nationally, makes the NCAA's annually and is a threat for the B10 title every year for at least 6-8 years. that kind of continuity is what keeps people coming back.

I think the constant up and down w/the hockey team has people a bit miffed (myself squarely in that camp). I mean they win the title in 06 and one starts to think that the team is back to the glory days. annual top 3-4 wcha contenders, annual ncaa team. We found out the hard way that wasn't (and still isn't) going to be the case.

when you compare UW hockey and basketball that's where i see the winning and losing having a much more significant impact than the economy. especially considering basketball plays a significant # of games on school nights (wednesdays etc)

also the raise to $24 in UW hockey tickets is not insignificant for season ticket holders. that was an unnecessary hike on barry's ("I'm not a hockey guy") part

 

[Carter]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

I think the constant up and down w/the hockey team has people a bit miffed (myself squarely in that camp). I mean they win the title in 06 and one starts to think that the team is back to the glory days. annual top 3-4 wcha contenders, annual ncaa team. We found out the hard way that wasn't (and still isn't) going to be the case.

While I agree, I think it's almost entirely due to the early drafting of hockey players. It's just impossible to keep a team together from year to year.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Part of the reason the basketball team hasn't seen decrease in attendance as much as hockey is because many people hold season tickets for hockey, basketball and football. It doesn't take a genius to figure out in America that hockey is the third most popular sport. Therefore I'm sure it was hockey that got dropped when push came to shove when their entertainment budget dropped.

I also find the basketball success thing funny. Because they make the 64 team NCAA tournament field every year? So what? The hockey team has been in the national championship game twice in the past five years, including one in which they won a title.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

While I agree, I think it's almost entirely due to the early drafting of hockey players. It's just impossible to keep a team together from year to year.

Everyone is dealing with that though.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Part of the reason the basketball team hasn't seen decrease in attendance as much as hockey is because many people hold season tickets for hockey, basketball and football. It doesn't take a genius to figure out in America that hockey is the third most popular sport. Therefore I'm sure it was hockey that got dropped when push came to shove when their entertainment budget dropped.

Bingo.

 

[cross cheque]

Poor play never hurt Wild or Gopher attendance before. .

Please, unless your fans have been dressing up as maroon plastic seats the last 3 years Gopher attendance has not been good until this year.

 

[Toe Blake]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

Part of the reason the basketball team hasn't seen decrease in attendance as much as hockey is because many people hold season tickets for hockey, basketball and football. It doesn't take a genius to figure out in America that hockey is the third most popular sport.

Especially when the hockey team is in 10th place.
Bottom line, if the Badgers were leading the WCHA right now, tell me where you think the average attendance would be between the current 11k and capacity.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

The Gophers are in first (or tied for) in the WCHA and ranked 2nd in the nation and are having problems selling out.

I was shocked to turn on the rodents playing tech this last weekend and see so many empty seats in the home rink of the state of hockey, so maybe this just isn't a UW thing.

The fact that UW men's BB is down a couple hundred is inconsequential.

UW did reach out to fans with the black friday sale, but overall $24.00 is just way too much to charge. Plus you can't carry in anything, so for me to take a family of 5 to a game, share 3 waters and park is over $150.00. One thing that really pizzes me off is the extra charges when you buy tickets online. If you do the print at home tickets, they charge you a "convience fee". What Barry doesn't understand is I'm saving the UW ink, the ticket material and them having to pay someone to give me my tickets at a window. There should be a discount for buying online.