The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

[gfmorris]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

I think Grand Rapids is fine, by the way. It's a small enough area that Our Little Tournament is a decent draw for the town for that week. In bigger markets, we won't draw ****, and it's just a destination city ... in March ... in the Midwest.

GFM

[fairbanks hockey puck]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

Arenas....Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Saginaw has a 5000 seat arena---not a good part of town//not much to offer, Toledo--but geographically nothing to offer other than BG, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit...kinda sounds like Grand Rapids and Minneapolis on a rotating basis are the best bets..

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

Haha, Sagnasty - good idea.

Toledo, you might get some additional Detroit-area alums from the Michigan schools who didn't want to pay for a hotel in GRR to make it a day trip, since the Ohio line is only 1.5-2 hrs from a majority of the area.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

Not unless we're hiring BigBlue for security.

I'm here to serve.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

What about Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada?

[davyd83]

My mind keeps coming back to Chicago as the best long-term option. Yes, I know there's stuff wrong with it, but there's also plenty that's right.

Four hours driving time from Ferris or BG. 10 hours from Huntsville or Bemidji. 6-7 hours for everybody else (except the Alaskas)
Lots of direct flights from just about ANYwhere in the world, with 2 major airports to choose from.
A large metro population (about 10 mil) that certainly MUST contain lots of alumni, PLUS a bunch of other hockey fans.

My quick search shows over 90 ice rinks in the Chicagoland metro area. Sure, most are tiny community rinks, but certainly there must be ONE that fits our size needs. In the right size building (say 4-7000), supply will be more in balance with demand, and nobody will crab about paying a premium price.

Sometimes I think we focus TOO much attention on the attendance of students. While I LOVE the spirit and enthusiasm they bring, let's face it. The average college student doesn't have the time OR the money to travel anywhere beyond his immediate backyard, and what limited resources he/she has are (at this time of the year) more likely to be spent on a spring-break trip to some warm weather climate. Yes, there are those total die hards who will pile 8 into the same car and same hotel room, but they're going anyhow, even if they have to drive around or across Lake Michigan to do so. At the other end of the spectrum are the 'high-rollers' among your season ticket holders...guess what?...they're going anyway, no matter if it's across the street or across the country.

It's the people 'in-between' that make the difference. Grand Rapids is a nice place, so is St Paul. Every sports fan ought to visit Green Bay once in their lifetime, but none of these places are 'destinations' for anything OTHER than the event. Dad and his buddies are MUCH more likely to get momma's OK to make such a trip if the wives are invited along to spend a day shopping and take in a show. Chicago is one of a handful of cities in the USA that can be such a destination...and its within one day's travel from any of us.

I'd be willing to bet that every one of our schools has a Chicagoland chapter of their alumni association. They'll use an event like this to socialize, network and re-live the 'good-ol-days'. Put this all together, and I truly believe it would work.

you can make Chicago in 6-7 hours from Houghton, the Soo, Marquette or Bemidji? Really?

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

you can make Chicago in 6-7 hours from Houghton, the Soo, Marquette or Bemidji? Really?

actually you can get to Chicago in ~7 hrs from Houghton, Marquette and the Soo without traffic...Bemidji was in the sentence about it taking 10 hours...

Houghton and Marquette, just get to Green Bay and hop on I43.

[stuckinwi]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

actually you can get to Chicago in ~7 hrs from Houghton, Marquette and the Soo without traffic...Bemidji was in the sentence about it taking 10 hours...

Houghton and Marquette, just get to Green Bay and hop on I43.

Gurnee maybe... anywhere actually in Chicago is 8 at least.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

Gurnee maybe... anywhere actually in Chicago is 8 at least.

I've done Houghton to Chicago (O'Hare) once, I think 7 hours was about what it took.

[stuckinwi]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

I've done Houghton to Chicago (O'Hare) once, I think 7 hours was about what it took.

I'll give you that. it's northwest burbs enough to do that assuming you're not stopping and driving quickly.

If you're going downtown it's going to be 8. Wife went to school at Loyola on the northside.... The last hour from Gurnee into the city always sucked. And sucked a lot.

[davyd83]

actually you can get to Chicago in ~7 hrs from Houghton, Marquette and the Soo without traffic...Bemidji was in the sentence about it taking 10 hours...

Houghton and Marquette, just get to Green Bay and hop on I43.

I've made the trip many times. You can make downtown Chicago from Marquette in a little over 7 if there's zero traffic and you don't stop for lunch or to pee. In realistic travel, it's about 8 from Marquette and 8 1/2-9 from Houghton or the Soo.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

I've made the trip many times. You can make downtown Chicago from Marquette in a little over 7 if there's zero traffic and you don't stop for lunch or to pee. In realistic travel, it's about 8 from Marquette and 8 1/2-9 from Houghton or the Soo.

To be fair to Freddie if you google it, thats what comes up.

[stuckinwi]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

To be fair to Freddie if you google it, thats what comes up.

Whoa whoa. I thought we hated Freddie though. We can't be seen defending him

[ninelives]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

Has anyone heard when the schedules for 2014-2015 are going to be posted?

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: The New WCHA IV (2013-14): Unlocked and Cocked

Has anyone heard when the schedules for 2014-2015 are going to be posted?

Unfortunately no, but someone posted a tentative schedule for Ferris State in the 2014-15 schedules thread.