Women's Hockey Attedance

[ARM]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

If both mens and womens hockey tickets cost the same price, but you only have the funding to buy one ticket, which would you pick? Would you rather spend your hard earned money watching mens or womens hockey?

Tickets for men's and women's hockey do NOT cost the same amount.

Case in point is footbal. If the football team needs $100, then you have to come up with $200. $100 for the football team and then an additional $100 for womens athletics.

This is inaccurate. Consider how much is spent for coaching staffs for football and men's basketball alone at a school like Minnesota. A new stadium was just built for football. No sudden mountain of cash has appeared for women's sports to offset that spending.

 

[AtlanticCanuckFan]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

If both mens and womens hockey tickets cost the same price, but you only have the funding to buy one ticket, which would you pick? Would you rather spend your hard earned money watching mens or womens hockey?

In all honesty I'd pick the womens.

 

[D2D]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

6800 at the Xcel Energy Centre to see the Canada-USA game is not great attendance in a state that prides themselves on being a hockey mad state either.

I was planning to attend this game until I saw it was going to be on TV and then found out how much they were charging for tickets. $22 and $10+ for parking, vs. staying home and watching it in HD? Unless my experience was unique, I think both factors played a role as far as attendance is concerned.

 

[devinsba]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

I don't know about Minnesota but I have some theories in general more based on New England.

+ Scheduling: Some games are scheduled over breaks (even thanksgiving break: the annual Nutmeg Classic tournament here in CT had very few fans in attendance, and even fewer students.)

+ Awareness: I can speak first hand that sometimes as students it's hard to keep sports teams in the conciousness. I'm sure at schools with higher hockey traditions it's easier to get the attention of the student body, but at schools that are broader it may be more difficult. The marketing methods utilized to draw in people from outside the universities vary as well. Some are very good at bringing the fans in, some not so much. I think this expands even into the Men's side of things as well in terms of Hockey.

+ The typical unbalance between men's and women's sports: Even Women's Basketball has trouble drawing at most schools (except places like UConn and a few others) whatever it is, in the sports conciousness, there's still an inherent leaning towards the men's side. I'm betting that BC vs. BU Men's draws much better than BC vs. BU Women's.

+ Checking. It's probably hurting the sport a bit that some hockey fans may show up and learn there isn't the checking allowed on the men's side. With an age old saying "went to a fight and a hockey game broke out" the elimination of even checking might turn some fans away. (Not pro or con on that, just theorizing.)

But these theories are likely nothing new. I wish there was a magic bullet to solve attendance problems at college sports, and not just women's hockey. I don't know where the fanbase starts growing. It seems almost magical over whether programs get good attendance or not. Especially in Women's Hockey where the likelihood of seeing a downright meaningful game on any given night is much higher than that for basketball or some of the more lopsided football contests.

As a Clarkson Student and a Clarkson Womens Hockey Fan, i can agree with every one of these. Especially about the unbalance between the men and the women. Our mens team is terrible this year yet the student section still fills up completely for the mens games, while even with our womens team ranked in the top 4 of the nation we are averaging less than 400 people. And it always seems like the majority of those people are family of the players.

I have people tell me all the time that it's not real hockey because there is no hitting. This is really a problem with the perception of the game that our mens teams brings to people on campus. Personally though i feel like when i go to womens games i get to watch the game the way it was meant to be played, where the most skilled succeed, not the best hitters.

 

[Hux]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

The Canadian team is based in Calgary too and have played a number of games there against the Alberta Major Midget AAA Teams, but I would be willing to bet that if there were a Canada-USA game at the Saddledome it would be sold out for that game no matter what night it was. Imo a game between the top two teams in the Olympic competition should draw more attendance than a high school game. In all honesty how many high school players go on to play in the NHL? Not a lot is there?

I've no doubt that they would do so in Calgary or Barrie, or St. John's. Hockey is religion, especially concerning the Maple Leaf. Canadians don't get the "high school" thing, because high school hockey north of the border tends to be viewed as house league when compared to Major Junior.

However, in Minnesota high school hockey is sacrosanct. So much so that kids don't think of going off to play junior hockey. You play before packed houses for your local school. The state tourney is televised and the Excel is sold out for games. As for high school players in the NHL, well I would run out of space before I would run out of names.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

One other note about Minnesota's attendance vs. Wisconsin...

At Wisconsin, you can't have men's or women's basketball or men's hockey going on at the same time as a women's hockey game, because they all share the same arena. Therefore, you don't have to choose between one or the other (assuming price is not a consideration).

Compare that to Minnesota, where the two hockey teams have separate arenas, so both teams can have Friday night home games -- and they often do, with some overlap. Additionally, Saturday afternoon women's hockey games occasionally overlap with men's basketball, and Sunday afternoon women's hockey games occasionally overlap with women's basketball. There was also overlap between women's hockey and women's volleyball matches through November.

 

[dfpsports]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

The funny thing is that while there is not some of the contact one finds in the men's games, there is clearly hitting going on in the games, and anyone who can't see it needs new pairs of eyes. I've seen many games that get very rough, and even those that are not, yes fights are fun, yes hard hits are fun, but goals are goals and I saw a magnificent one just today.

I do wonder if fans just get burnt out. I mean at UConn for instance tomorrow, the Men's basketball team is playing, the Women's basketball team is playing, and the Football teams is in a bowl game, and the Women's Hockey Team has a game, which (weather permitting) I'll be at, probably one of the few there heh. Now I realize a lot of programs don't have so many major sports overlapping but still it causes issues.
No disrespect to the men's team, but due to scheduling the women play more ranked opponents by nature of being in Hockey East as opposed to the men in the Atlantic. But the men draw better. I'd like to see more equalization. Of course it would help if so many women's games weren't scheduled for absurd times.

 

[WHKY blogger]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

One other note about Minnesota's attendance vs. Wisconsin...

At Wisconsin, you can't have men's or women's basketball or men's hockey going on at the same time as a women's hockey game, because they all share the same arena. Therefore, you don't have to choose between one or the other (assuming price is not a consideration).

Compare that to Minnesota, where the two hockey teams have separate arenas, so both teams can have Friday night home games -- and they often do, with some overlap. Additionally, Saturday afternoon women's hockey games occasionally overlap with men's basketball, and Sunday afternoon women's hockey games occasionally overlap with women's basketball. There was also overlap between women's hockey and women's volleyball matches through November.

What does happen especially in the fall is Volleyball-W. Soccer-W. Hockey all at the same time. If you go to the games you will notice alot of the same people so when you play them all at one time it dilutes the crowd at every one of them.

I realize some of this cant be avoided but when it happens alot it is frustrating.

Also the suite attendance is counted only by who comes in at the suite entrance. If you use your suite for a women's game and nobody comes it does not add to the count.

 

[Skate79]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

For the Minnesota series, Harvard had 400 or so fans for the Friday night game and 700+ for the Saturday afternoon game. Disappointing to say the least given Minnesota's stature as a women's powerhouse. The game we had vs Dartmouth drew only 600 fans due in part because it was played the day before Thanksgiving. Scheduling a rival such as Dartmouth prior to a holiday is asking for a low turnout. We usually average around a 1000 fans for that game.

As the skill level continues to rise and the quality of play improves, the attendance drops which is somewhat mystifying. I don't believe an increase in physicality will result in a measurable uptick in attendance.

I think Harvard overall needs to do a better job of marketing their teams to stimulate interest. As this is an Olympic year, women's hockey should be doing much better but if only 6800 turned out for the US-Canada game the other night, well, that doesn't say much for interest in women's hockey. Perhaps February will bring an increase in interest?

 

[unhpuckfan2001]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

Prediction: the largest attendance for a NCAA Women's Hockey Game will be shattered on Friday, January 8th, 2010.

 

[CanHockGuy]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

For the Minnesota series, Harvard had 400 or so fans for the Friday night game and 700+ for the Saturday afternoon game. Disappointing to say the least given Minnesota's stature as a women's powerhouse. The game we had vs Dartmouth drew only 600 fans due in part because it was played the day before Thanksgiving. Scheduling a rival such as Dartmouth prior to a holiday is asking for a low turnout. We usually average around a 1000 fans for that game.

As the skill level continues to rise and the quality of play improves, the attendance drops which is somewhat mystifying. I don't believe an increase in physicality will result in a measurable uptick in attendance.

I think Harvard overall needs to do a better job of marketing their teams to stimulate interest. As this is an Olympic year, women's hockey should be doing much better but if only 6800 turned out for the US-Canada game the other night, well, that doesn't say much for interest in women's hockey. Perhaps February will bring an increase in interest?

6800...Where was that?

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

6800...Where was that?

St. Paul, on the 29th (a week ago).

 

[quiddlet]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

Prediction: the largest attendance for a NCAA Women's Hockey Game will be shattered on Friday, January 8th, 2010.

That's exactly what I came over here to say...

Will any of the women's hockey forumites be in attendance?

 

[freak]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

I have long-suspected that the attendance numbers includes the teams on the ice (especially at Hockey East games). Does anyone know if they are counted?

As far as UNH goes....

The listed capacity for the Whitt went from 6101 (or 6266 depending on the source) to 6501 in the 2000-2001 season. I've heard that the new, higher capacity reflects a sellout, including all the players, coaches, officials, arena staff, etc. This is for a men's sellout, obviously, which would require far fewer arena personnel for a women's game.

That said, UNH also scans tickets for entry, so the attendance figure is likely fairly accurate.

 

[freak]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

Yes but all of the women's college hockey programs are in states where hockey is a big thing.

Yes, but many of the MENS college teams have trouble drawing consistently large crowds.

Now mention "WOMENS HOCKEY" to the average "fan," and at best you'll get an uninformed reply about why they don't like it (having never seen it), and at worst you'll receive a diatribe about how they'd rather watch peewee sled hockey than women's hockey.

 

[freak]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

Prediction: the largest attendance for a NCAA Women's Hockey Game will be shattered on Friday, January 8th, 2010.

And technically it is a Northeastern "home" game.

Although, I think you are more optimistic than I about how many BU/BC fans will show up for the early game instead of drinking an extra 2 hours before heading to the park.

 

[freak]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

Hard to grow womens hockey when all the NCAA Champions have come from the same conference.

7. NCAA Division 1 Womens Hockey has been around for over 3 decades

FYP.

UNH and Harvard won the first two national titles in the women's game, with Minnesota taking the 3rd. Also, through most of the history of ncaa women's hockey, the ECAC was the only league of note, so a case can be made that the ECAC champion was effectively the "national" champion (which would add 5 to UNH, 6 to Providence, and 3 to Northeastern). 1997-1998 was the first year of a sponsored national championship tournament, and Minnesota was the only program of note outside of the ECAC.

That said, I'm guessing that you (like most) are only familiar with the NCAA Championship era of womens hockey, and their views would be similarly colored by this.

 

[freak]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

Team            Total        Attendance Avg.     Highest Attended Game
New Hampshire   5576  (11)   506                 615 vs. Boston U.

This is WAY down from previous years, and I imagine that the economy plays a big factor. UNH charges for tickets, and in my experience, they have one of the pricier tix. This even includes a game against Providence, which is usually one of the biggest draws.

00-01: 618
01-02: 722
02-03: 622
03-04: 547
04-05: 473
05-06: 740
06-07: 843
07-08: 837
08-09: 693
09-10: 507

It seems that along with the economy, the team's fortunes also play a role in attendance.

But in my experience, the days and times of the scheduled dates also play a factor. In 07-08 it seemed that UNH had more weekend, night games, and were opposite the mens team far less often.

Last year they seemed to have more afternoon and weekday games, mostly as a result of having to schedule to accommodate the small roster and national team commitments.

Similarly, there seem to be more afternoon games, and the women are often opposite the mens games as well.
.

 

[ARM]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

Also, through most of the history of ncaa women's hockey, the ECAC was the only league of note, so a case can be made that the ECAC champion was effectively the "national" champion (which would add 5 to UNH, 6 to Providence, and 3 to Northeastern).

While that is true, the word "national" seems a bit misleading for a postseason that begins and ends with a conference tournament. Maybe "collegiate" champion would be better.

1997-1998 was the first year of a sponsored national championship tournament, and Minnesota was the only program of note outside of the ECAC.

I've heard the first two years of that national chamionship called "ECAC tournament plus special guest Minnesota", because the parameters dictated that there had to be a western team, and Minnesota was the only western team fully competing in D-I at the time.

While I agree that UNH and Northeastern are likely to play in front of more fans than have ever seen a women's college game before, it comes with a bit of an asterisk in terms of an attendance record if the same ticket is used for both the women's and the men's game later that day.

 

[AtlanticCanuckFan]

Re: Women's Hockey Attedance

I've no doubt that they would do so in Calgary or Barrie, or St. John's. Hockey is religion, especially concerning the Maple Leaf. Canadians don't get the "high school" thing, because high school hockey north of the border tends to be viewed as house league when compared to Major Junior.

However, in Minnesota high school hockey is sacrosanct. So much so that kids don't think of going off to play junior hockey. You play before packed houses for your local school. The state tourney is televised and the Excel is sold out for games. As for high school players in the NHL, well I would run out of space before I would run out of names.

You are right about the way that we view high school and major junior, and yes I know about Minnesota High School Hockey. What I meant was that you don't see many high school players drafted right out of high school and be high draft picks like they are out of major junior. If I am not mistaken I believe that Bobby Carpenter might have been the last high schooler taken first overall.

There aren't many Minnesotans in major junior hockey but there have been a few. Jamie Langenbrunner is one that comes to mind.