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

[Pink Pony]

Ummm, you do know they left the WCHA, right? And the hockey fans that are in that town would likely head to the NCHC tournament being held the same weekend?

Yes, hopefully some WCHA alumni will fill the seats and hotels.

[Squarebanks]

Great hockey.
Great venue.
But something has to be done to increase attendance.
From what we saw on TV the Final 4ive lost rather than made money.
I don't have the answer however the league better come up with something quick or it looks like red ink renting a 20,000 seat arena for next year.
Maybe Squarebanks idea of rotating would help.
And get real about the rotation. No Ferris or Alaska schools hosting. Remember two sentences back? Get real! Lets try to make a buck not be politically correct.
And yes I am a staunch UAA supporter living in Anchorage.

Funny thing is, Anchorage would actually make a great host city. The arena is right-sized, tons of hotel space in March, good restaurants and bars, lots of flights. Just the minor detail of being 2500+ miles from the rest of the conference, minus one exception.

[Jimjamesak]

Funny thing is, Anchorage would actually make a great host city. The arena is right-sized, tons of hotel space in March, good restaurants and bars, lots of flights. Just the minor detail of being 2500+ miles from the rest of the conference, minus one exception.

Negatory on that good sir. HS Basketball tournament is the same weekend and ASAA isn't about to give up their lone cash cow.

Otherwise it'd be a decent idea.

[seawolfpunk]

Negatory on that good sir. HS Basketball tournament is the same weekend and ASAA isn't about to give up their lone cash cow.

Otherwise it'd be a decent idea.

The hs bball tournament is being moved to the Alaska airlines center starting next year

[Freddie]

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

We're all missing the obvious.
Huntsville should be the permanent home for the Final-Whatever...why?
The arena is the right size.
Yes, its a long way, but its long for everybody.
We can all bring our golf clubs along

[Meese]

We're all missing the obvious.
Huntsville should be the permanent home for the Final-Whatever...why?
The arena is the right size.
Yes, its a long way, but its long for everybody.
We can all bring our golf clubs along

Warmth! What's that?

Honestly, it sucks that geography is such a limiting factor. I don't doubt that many of the places suggested are great towns/venues. I wish we all had enough disposable income that it wasn't an issue.

But for the WCHA's sake I hope a Minnesota school gets in next year. Last nights game was a ferris home crowd (though full credit to the respectable sized group who came from Minnesota) and I'm not too optimistic that that many FSU fans would have gone given the ticket prices if we hadn't made it to the final. I'm a little nervous about that 17,000 seat rink...

[Pink Pony]

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

The obvious answer is the location. has to change to fit the right amount. of fans.

[Squarebanks]

Negatory on that good sir. HS Basketball tournament is the same weekend and ASAA isn't about to give up their lone cash cow.

Otherwise it'd be a decent idea.

They aren't moving that to your new arena?

[hattrick16]

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

I think the key is to change the format of the tournament. No other college sports league has the geography issues the WCHA faces.

Two options:

Option A: Do it like most NCAA basketball tournaments and invite all 10 schools to one venue, say Grand Rapids, Green Bay, MSP, Detroit or Chicago (All-State or Sears Center is my choice) and do a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday single elimination tournament with a consolation game. That way everyone knows in September that they will get to see they're team play at least one game at the conference tournament and book their tickets, hotels and flights ahead of time.

Option B: End the season a week earlier and do a NHL style playoff where the higher seed hosts an opponent for a best of 3 series for three weekends in row. Large home crowds will be there throughout. Mankato took it to Ferris this season, but a three game series in Big Rapids between the two schools for the Broadmoor would have been raucous and made for some fantastic hockey.

[MavHockey14]

I think the key is to change the format of the tournament. No other college sports league has the geography issues the WCHA faces.

Two options:

Option A: Do it like most NCAA basketball tournaments and invite all 10 schools to one venue, say Grand Rapids, Green Bay, MSP, Detroit or Chicago (All-State or Sears Center is my choice) and do a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday single elimination tournament with a consolation game. That way everyone knows in September that they will get to see they're team play at least one game at the conference tournament and book their tickets, hotels and flights ahead of time.

Option B: End the season a week earlier and do a NHL style playoff where the higher seed hosts an opponent for a best of 3 series for three weekends in row. Large home crowds will be there throughout. Mankato took it to Ferris this season, but a three game series in Big Rapids between the two schools for the Broadmoor would have been raucous and made for some fantastic hockey.

This pretty much effectively eliminates a lower seed from making the NCAA tournament with a late playoff run. It's much tougher to win three series than one series and 2 games.

[hattrick16]

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

This pretty much effectively eliminates a lower seed from making the NCAA tournament with a late playoff run. It's much tougher to win three series than one series and 2 games.

It's kind of a slimy way to get into the tournament anyway.

[MavHockey14]

It's kind of a slimy way to get into the tournament anyway.

It is, but it's generally good for the game and keeps mre people and teams involved later into the year.

[gfmorris]

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

I think they're the same camera angles teams use for Griffins games. The only other angle is from the press deck up near the rafters.

I thought that they were in different spots (read: higher) when ESPN did the NCAA Midwest Regional in 2007. Maybe I'm just remembering my great angle.

As for Huntsville: if UAH isn't in the game, our local fans won't come. We hosted the CHA tournament in the first two years of the league, and it was me and my 125 closest friends for those non-UAH games. I was a student and had that kind of free time (well, not really, as I had an engineering job, but my boss knew that I wanted to go).

GFM

[gfmorris]

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

Option A: Do it like most NCAA basketball tournaments and invite all 10 schools to one venue, say Grand Rapids, Green Bay, MSP, Detroit or Chicago (All-State or Sears Center is my choice) and do a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday single elimination tournament with a consolation game. That way everyone knows in September that they will get to see they're team play at least one game at the conference tournament and book their tickets, hotels and flights ahead of time.

Are we willing to sacrifice the first-round series to do a one-and-done? I think that I am. I even have a plan.

GFM <— will save it for the new thread.

[gfmorris]

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

WEIRD AS HECK: the attendance for the FSU semi on Friday was better than the final on Saturday. 3968 Saturday, 4494 Friday

GFM