Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XX - Growth Through Experience

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

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.

I'll place my bet at 13,150.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

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.

That's exactly the point moron. The Gophers didn't have attendance issues for DECADES, win or lose, and the last few years they have. Are you seriously this dense?

 

[JDUBBS1280]

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.

Yeah, last year was the first time in my nearly 40 years that I've seen advertisements for Gopher tickets. The past few seasons have been rough, especially following the season ticket and price changes the school made.

So it's definitely not just UW.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Sorry, duplicate post. Darn iPhone.

 

[Toe Blake]

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

That's exactly the point moron. The Gophers didn't have attendance issues for DECADES, win or lose, and the last few years they have. Are you seriously this dense?

In the previous two decades, they missed the NCAA tournament the same number of times they missed in the last three years. I think you actually support my point. All fan bases are fair weather (or disciminating if you prefer). Sometimes there is goodwill built up which delays the downturns, and sometimes there is a lack of trust in short term success that delays an uptick. But over the long haul, team performance drives attendance more than any other factor. I'm not saying that the economy never has an impact. I just don't think it's gotten to the point where 25% of Badger hockey fans have opted out due to economics vs. the entertainment value of a 10th place team.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

In the previous two decades, they missed the NCAA tournament the same number of times they missed in the last three years. I think you actually support my point. All fan bases are fair weather (or disciminating if you prefer). Sometimes there is goodwill built up which delays the downturns, and sometimes there is a lack of trust in short term success that delays an uptick. But over the long haul, team performance drives attendance more than any other factor. I'm not saying that the economy never has an impact. I just don't think it's gotten to the point where 25% of Badger hockey fans have opted out due to economics vs. the entertainment value of a 10th place team.

They have missed the NCAA tournament the last 3 years. They also missed the NCAA tournament Doug Woog's last 2 years and Don Lucia's first. They had no issues selling out during that period, and had a long waiting list for season tickets that didn't get any shorter.

I don't buy it. Minnesota and Wisconsin both have long histories of great attendance, win or lose, and pretty loyal fan bases. I think it's the economy that is overwhelmingly the problem.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

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

Rodent fight! Rodent fight! Rodent fight!

Get your popcorn, Badgers!

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Rodent fight! Rodent fight! Rodent fight!

Get your popcorn, Badgers!

I'm actually trying to defend your fan base idiot

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

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

In the previous two decades, they missed the NCAA tournament the same number of times they missed in the last three years. I think you actually support my point. All fan bases are fair weather (or disciminating if you prefer). Sometimes there is goodwill built up which delays the downturns, and sometimes there is a lack of trust in short term success that delays an uptick. But over the long haul, team performance drives attendance more than any other factor. I'm not saying that the economy never has an impact. I just don't think it's gotten to the point where 25% of Badger hockey fans have opted out due to economics vs. the entertainment value of a 10th place team.

First of all, attendance is down about 15% (I think...I'm terrible at math, someone can correct me). Second of all, you claimed performance was 99% of the problem. That's just not true. It does have some effect, but not even close to all.

As has been brought up multiple times, discretionary income has continued to take a hit.

Additionally, other teams have stolen hockey attendance. For example:

Home opener: Played during the all important deciding game five of the Brewers NLDS game vs Arizona. Attendance: 9,444...for the HOME OPENER. Was Wisconsin in 10th place then?
Saturday vs North Dakota: Undefeated and top 10 ranked football team plays on National TV @ night vs Michigan State
Saturday vs Nebraska-Omaha: Football team plays another huge National TV game @ night vs Ohio State

IMO those factors weigh in more than performance, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Toe Blake]

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

I'm actually trying to defend your fan base idiot

Defend from what? I stated earlier that I don't think there is anything wrong with not financially supporting a team that is not providing quality entertainment. So I'll ask you...how many butts would they have in the seats above the 11k current average if they were riding high in first place? I'm just sayin I think it would be near capacity if not capacity despite a bad economy or anything else.

(This must be really entertaining to Badger fans......Rodent fight with one defending Cross Cheque's point of view).

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Defend from what? I stated earlier that I don't think there is anything wrong with not financially supporting a team that is not providing quality entertainment. So I'll ask you...how many butts would they have in the seats above the 11k current average if they were riding high in first place? I'm just sayin I think it would be near capacity if not capacity despite a bad economy.

(This must be really entertaining to Badger fans......Rodent fight with one defending Cross Cheque's point of view).

Cross Cheque doesn't have a point of view. He criticized me for a point he then proceeded to make himself. Dude is clueless.

And I don't think you are giving fans of either of the fan bases enough credit for standing by their teams. I have been a college hockey fan for a long time, and I don't recall as much wide spread attendance issues as we're seeing across college hockey right now.

Not an argument, just a disagreement

 

[DCBadger]

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

Not sure if this is anywhere else, but news is coming out that the FIBs are starting a D-1 program. Great for the Big 10 conference, if true!

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Not sure if this is anywhere else, but news is coming out that the FIBs are starting a D-1 program. Great for the Big 10 conference, if true!

<A HREF ="http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?98078-Illinois-to-D1&goto=newpost">http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?98078-Illinois-to-D1&goto=newpost</A>

Let's Play Hockey broke the story a while back. The rest of the media is just slow catching on.

 

[cross cheque]

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

Cross Cheque doesn't have a point of view. He criticized me for a point he then proceeded to make himself. Dude is clueless.

And I don't think you are giving fans of either of the fan bases enough credit for standing by their teams. I have been a college hockey fan for a long time, and I don't recall as much wide spread attendance issues as we're seeing across college hockey right now.

Not an argument, just a disagreement

Look at what you wrote donkey:

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.

Poor play has hurt goofer attendance the last few years thus my comment regarding your fans dressing up as empty seats. If you think the economy is what is hurting attendance you're a moron, goofer fans would sell their children to watch a winning product. Just for clarification I am only referencing goofer attendance not UW or all of college hockey.

"I have been a college hockey fan for a long time.......blah blah blah I'm Ryan Cardinal's sock puppet/spooge rag."

 

[Almington]

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

Attendance is down for UW hockey - Fact

Reasons:
On Ice Performance this season is down
On Ice Performance last season was down
Overall Economy is down
Ticket Prices are up

All matter, we can argue forever what the correct weight is to each of these. But they ALL have an effect.

 

[burd]

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

Not sure if this is anywhere else, but news is coming out that the FIBs are starting a D-1 program. Great for the Big 10 conference, if true!

Yet another reason for Wisconsinites to besmirch Fibbers.

 

[solovsfett]

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.

the point I'm making is for hockey fans and basketball fans, yes. but MORESO casual sports fans.

but having said that, yes UW has been in the NCAA title game 2x in 6 years (I'm including this season) they haven't given themselves a chance those other years. Bo Ryan's team always is there with a chance and that's a big difference to some people.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Look at what you wrote donkey:



Poor play has hurt goofer attendance the last few years thus my comment regarding your fans dressing up as empty seats. If you think the economy is what is hurting attendance you're a moron, goofer fans would sell their children to watch a winning product. Just for clarification I am only referencing goofer attendance not UW or all of college hockey.

"I have been a college hockey fan for a long time.......blah blah blah I'm Ryan Cardinal's sock puppet/spooge rag."

That's exactly what I said. When I say it never hurt Gopher attendance, "before", I meant before the past few years. In this discussion, I have mentioned numerous times that attendance has been down the past few years. I even said last year was the first year I have EVER heard any advertising for games. No one else had a.problem picking up that distinction. I wonder why?

BEFORE the PAST FEW YEARS, the Gophers sold out consistently whether they won or lost, and had a very lengthy waiting list for season tickets. Got it?

Pull your head out of your *** and read the discussion instead of reading what you want to read or stay the hell out of the discussion. My God are you dense.

As for your comments regarding why we have attendance problems, save it for someone that values your opinion in even the slightest. You guys had problems filling even half your seats in the early 90's while we had college hockey's longest season ticket waiting list. A waiting list that existed for decades (through a similar tournament drought at the end of Woog's tenure and beginning of Lucia's) and only disappeared last year.

Puts a pretty big dent in your theory when we were losing in the late 90's, but still sold out regularly and had a season ticket waiting list, while now when we are tied for first in the conference and ranked 2nd in the nation we still have attendance issues.

 

[solovsfett]

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

JDUBBS - funny you mention advertising. the last month 1/2 in milwaukee I've been hearing advertising for UW hockey games on the radio. Unheard of previously except for the badger hockey showdown.

 

[Gurtholfin]

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

No one else had a.problem picking up that distinction. I wonder why?

He probably just assumed that you're post would be made up of the same "Gophers (and their fans) are the best and we just experience this sport on a different level of awareness than you other cretins and you need to take what I say as one would from guru to student" drivel that you always post.

Can't say I blame him if he came into your post with preconceived notions about what you would be spouting.

Why are you always here? You should start the "Dubber's Wisconsin Hockey Thread - I'll Teach You How To Be True Hockey Fans." Your first topic could be, "Periods vs. Quarters: which are in Ice Hockey?"

Okay, back to ignoring you...