While as a fan of UW Hockey I do prefer they play in the KC and as part of the season tix package, I'm not really at all upset that this game was moved. In the broadest sense, The University of Wisconsin is not Notre Dame, a private institution who can tell anybody they want to take a long walk off a short pier. UW is essentially owned by the people of Wisconsin and it's facilities, while controlled by the UW, are ultimately public facilities and as such, decisions about who plays where when necessarily are in consideration of the whole public. There are legitimate arguments as to why the WIAA bb tourney is a better use of this facility than Hockey this weekend, just as there are legitimate arguments that Hockey is the best use. Because I might personally disagree with the decision doesn't undermine it's legitimacy at all in my mind.
The problem, rather, lies with the AD not taking this challenge and turning it into an opportunity. Promoted correctly, the AD could have turned this weekend into the event of the year. The 50th year of Badger Hockey. The end of the WCHA. What more do you need to build a promotion around? Even having a big event every year at the Coliseum. A celebration of Badger Hockey annually that no one wants to miss. As I said at the beginning of the week, a chance to bridge gaps between generations of fans and players. Instead they chose to do nothing until a week before the event. Why exclude it from the season ticket package? With less than 6,000 ticket holders/ night, there is plenty of room for all plus the band, and 2,500 students. Or at the least they could have given one of those annoying out options that said, "By choosing not to purchase tickets to the season finale at the Coliseum I understand and I'm choosing to NOT support Badger Hockey and all the great history and traditions it entails. I fully acknowledge I AM A BAD PERSON."
Instead of a supportive Athletic department that is really on top of things, we have what feels like a few folks loyal to Badger hockey forced to handle promoting the program like it is (no offense intended Coach Van Emburgh) the tennis team. It could be so much better with so little effort.
Also I'm baffled by the way ticketmaster showed the lower bowl being nearly sold out yet there were so many empty seats there? Strange.
Hope for a big turnout tonight to close out the regular season with a Badger win. Go Red!
