UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

First of all, DU has an incredible amount of families attending games - including 5-6 youth hockey teams on comp tickets every night. I'm sorry for your experience 1932 - but again, I've attended all but a handful of DU games the last two years and never noticed an incident. I usually buy tickets and sit in a different spot each period, so it's not just my location.

They also announce pre-game that fans are welcome to report issues. All UNH games have security, so if a fan is unruly - report them and toss them. DU limits beer sales to two at a time and stops sales after the second period. Instead of just dismissing the idea they've worked to diffuse common concerns and still get the revenue. Intelligent and creative.

As far as DU being a comp for UNH - they absolutely are. In addition to coaching, I've also worked in sports information and marketing at the NCAA level, including for a prominent college hockey conference and a historically elite hockey program. Everyone faces the same obstacles - not enough money, competition, etc.

DU as a private school has to create all of its own revenue, they need to overcome smaller enrollment numbers, they need to deal with even more elitist admissions and BOTs than UNH and there are in fact, less people within 15 miles than the population of NH. Denver population is less than 700k. DU metro pop is larger, but outside your radius. UNH can compete with that by dipping into border towns in ME and MA that are within easy 30 min drives of campus.

They're also competing with the Avs, Nuggets, Broncos, CU, actual nightlife, easy downtown aces for students and there are a surprising amount of successful DII athletic programs in the area...

DU has to scratch and claw for what they get - and they only passed UNH (who's marketing dept sits on its hands) in attendance late last season. Let's consider something as simple as email marketing. I hear from DU all the time. I always purchased UNH hockey broadcasts. I buy tickets online every year. Do you know when I last received any contact from UNH? It's a trick question. The answer is never...

Better marketing would draw more fans at UNH just like it has at DU. Increased effort to give tickets away to youth teams and students would work at UNH would work just like it has at DU. Only for Rivalry games is not enough. Sitting in the ticket office waiting for students to come get tickets is not enough. Their small allotment for students is not enough.

Friday morning and you have 2000 extra tickets? Take 1700 and go hand them out to additional students for free. If only 400 come, that's a whole lot better than not having them. Like many UNH issues, it's just laziness and lack of ingenuity...

Beer sales would easily purchase couches, ping pong and pool tables, computers, tvs, etc to set up in an extra locker room and give the hockey programs the lounge they feel a lack of is responsible for their recruiting woes. If they're not willing to do this, figure out a way to make it work or come up with alternative ideas then I don't want to hear any whining about money.

I understand we're just debating on a message board - but this is what you're up against Zoofer. UNH doesn't get creative, they don't consider new ideas, they don't fight to make things work. They dismiss them as difficult, they focus on negatives, they don't overcome obstacles, they assume other schools who do these things have advantages they don't have and they feel sorry for themselves. Thus, nothing gets done. Until a woe is us attitude is replaced with a find a way attitude - the programs are on their own...

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

NCAA Conf. Championship Game attendance:

HEA — 12,309
NCHC — 10,297
B10 — 5,601
ECAC — 4,830
WCHA — 4,466 (sellout)
AHA — 650

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

I don't want to seem like I am giving UNH AD credit for changing...

For the rivalry games - particularly Maine - UNH was handing the tickets out on Friday like candy on campus. It is also how the Maine game was a sellout, I think the only one all year. That is why there were students everywhere, band end, non band end, any open seat with a back... etc. etc.

With such a small AD, how did they hand them out you ask? They got creative, tickets were funneled via Res-life to the hall directors to the RAs to students. Shocking! It worked well as the students living on campus, that were staying all weekend got the tickets.

Traditionally the AD has made it hard on the students to get the tickets. When UNH was winning and selling out the AD wanted to sell those student tickets twice. Once as part of the mandatory athletic fee and then to the public. The rule was students tickets still available on Thursday went on sale to the general public. There was a period of time they tweaked it where once on sale to the general public even a student would be required to buy the ticket - this was where the double dip became blatant. This is classic mistreatment of your fan base. As such the fan base eventually lost interest. It wasn't immediate, it was obvious, it was just word of mouth. As the product slipped there were fewer passionate students to bring there friends along.

At this point the AD has to go get the students. They can't wait for them to show up and ask for tickets. Using res-life is a way to do it. Maybe e-tickets on students cell phones... etc.

For some games they went and got the students, now they need to do it for more games. How about all games where as of Friday morning less than 90% of the tickets have been sold.

[UNH1932]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Dan

Thanks for your post as you make some very strong points and our marketing efforts could be far better than it is. I have argued for the past 4 years to lower ticket prices and they did lower from 375 to 307 for alumni/faculty/staff/Durham residents. It is not enough to get the seats full. We need to start winning important games at home as we have lost so many close games over the past few years. I proposed to the powers at the field house that we should drop prices to $250 for adults $200 for faculty staff $180 for senior citizens and $145 for kids. I told them to as you mentioned to give tickets away to fill the seats as that is most important until we are relevant again. Umile is right that we are not as far away as everyone seems to think on the board. We have a NHL drafted goalie coming in and we have four very good to exceptional defensemen coming in next year. We will be far better in our defensive zone for the foreseeable future. I think we have a reasonable shot at winning 20 games next year and I know that sounds like a whack job’s pipe dreams. We did lose Tyler Kelleher who was a special player but he kept the puck too long on way too many occasions. He did play defense better in his senior year and is a lock for All-American. His brother will be a superior player as well.
I do think you are wrong in your evaluation of Jason Salvaggio. If he played on the first line last year, he would have scored more than 20 goals if on the Pots/Kell line. Umile had him on that line until a week before the season started as he does favor the seniors. He was a goal scorer in the CT private school league and you are correct that he was a third and fourth line player in Indiana and for his first two years at UNH. You seem to like McNicholas and neither of the two is a lock for the first line as we do have talent at the forward positions. Sally will not revert to the mean and you can bank on that. You should be thinking more Saviano and Moses than how little he contributed his first two years. 23 goals is a lot in this day and age in college hockey.

You are correct that we could market better and if you want me to call to see if there is an opening for you, I would be glad to recommend you for the position. You are passionate about UNH (hockey at least) and we both spent our youth at UNH hockey games and are one of very few true diehards at present. They have tried everything to fill the house and no matter what they do, they can only sell out the Big 3 games. We do not have the same fan base and I am not going to write a letter like Shawn Joyce did as he is not a passionate fan as he only wants to root for a winner. He is a very nice man and I thought about writing a letter to the editor at the end of the first period last Sunday when we were down 6-1 against Lowell. They played with their heart and soul the last two periods of that game and it gave me hope for the future. I can live with either Umile or Souza as our head coach next yearand we are hopefully back finding the diamonds in the rough as we always have. We would probably lose Souza, Collins and Saviano to BC or BU today as they did not recruit those type of players in that era. Most of our stars of your era did not get an offer from their choice of colleges and we did well being the second or sometimes third choice. I have a lot more faith in Mike Souza than you do and I hope over the next two-three years you will agree that he will be a difference maker. My first goal is for the coaches to make the college athlete a better person than when they came to UNH. Umile and Souza do lead by example and they teach the kids to treat everyone like they are the most important person in the room. I also want them to win and make it to the national tournament. I am cautiously optimistic for next year.

They do give tickets away to youth groups and others now and they do have 1500+ tickets or more available to students that want them and they generally do not want them. They are trying their best and please call them with any ideas you might have as they do want to fill the house and build the season ticket base. It seems likely that beer sales may be coming within the next two years and though I am not a fan, it is inevitable. I am not sure this will increase attendance but it will raise revenue. I kind of like the Denver policies and I hope they have certain sections that are kid friendly.
Students at UNH pay over $900 per year for athletic tickets. They very rarely go to games and you are correct when you say they should give them all tickets if available. They have been very good about that recently.
Denver does have a built in advantage in recruiting that you cannot deny. They do get every kid in Western Canada and Western US that they want. This has always been the case and losing to UNH twice in one year (they also concussed both Goumas and Downing giving us no real hope in our last regional final) was the catalyst to bring in Montgomery. You can call Souza at any time if you have a recruit that you feel is a great fit at UNH. You are not a season ticket holder or alumni. I am sure they know who most of the stars are but it is always those diamonds in the rough that had us near the top of the heap. Give Mike a call.
I know I was very wrong about Chris Miller this year. I was right about Grasso and Salvaggio and Tirone was very good for most of the season. My hope is with better defense he will be down to 25-30 shots per game versus the 40+ he saw way too many times this year.

I am asking those on board to try to keep the negativity down a little if you can as I know from personal conversations that athletes and parents read the USCHO fan forum. You can start up next fall if we are off to yet another slow start and I might actually join you in the hate.

Watcher,
I think you underestimate the talent of our defensemen coming in this year. I also think you are a bit tough on Charlie Kelleher as he has been between 8th and 13th top scorer in USHL for most of the season. Goumas was 40th and was on first line in his sophomore season. Kelleher has more points than Poturalski at same age group (I am not saying Kelleher is as good as Pots by any stretch of imagination) and has a reasonable chance of being on first line this fall. You seem to think MacAdams is the real deal and I hope he is Bobby Butler but I think Kelleher will be a better college player over the four years at UNH. I think that Gildon and Wyse will be first pairing and Maass and Marks will be the second pairing, my best guess is Miller and Chanter for third. I think the offensive lines might be very different this year as our one very high end forward is playing in Milwaukee. Come up to Durham to see a game sometime and you cannot contact the coach about players as you are an alum of UNH. Thanks for keeping us up to date and I hope you can come on board for the Umile National Championship run in 2017-18.

JB , Great post about changes in athletics related to attendance. I hope they keep it up.

I will see you all in the fall and let us be optimistic until November and the hate can come back if we are awful

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

We would probably lose Souza, Collins and Saviano to BC or BU today as they did not recruit those type of players in that era. Most of our stars of your era did not get an offer from their choice of colleges and we did well being the second or sometimes third choice. ....I am sure they know who most of the stars are but it is always those diamonds in the rough that had us near the top of the heap. Give Mike a call.

Huh? Don't know where this "UNH never went after top kids" narrative comes from. Its false. Collins was the highest recruited Mass kid, and Souza was a hot prospect. Saviano was a bit underrated, but even BU wanted him as a gateway to Collins.

WILDCATS SNARE HOT MASS. PROSPECT
The University of New Hampshire hockey team stole away another hot prospect for the 2001-02 season, receiving a verbal commitment from Reading (Mass.) High School star forward Sean Collins. Collins, a 17-year-old junior who is widely considered one of the biggest prospects in Massachusetts, gave UNH his verbal earlier this week. The Rockets’ leading scorer potted 37 goals this season in 22 games for Reading, a perennial contender in Massachusetts’ elite Division 1A "Super Eight" tournament. "He’s a one-in-a-million type of talent," Reading coach Peter Doherty said. "He’s a great, great hockey player, he can play any position on the ice. Growing up, he played on two different teams, and on one he played defense and on the other he played forward. And he’s an unbelievable goal scorer." With 214 points in three seasons at Reading, Collins is on pace to shatter the Middlesex League record (218) held by former teammate Stephen Saviano, who is headed to UNH this coming fall. Former UNH captain Mike Souza, a Wakefield High grad, previously owned the record.
Collins also impressed scouts at the National Midget Championships in Pittsburgh in early April, scoring five goals in the semifinals and five more in the final to lead the Eastern Mass. Senators to the tournament title. Collins finished with 17 goals in the tournament. The next highest scorer finished with 12 total points. "And that’s against the best midget-aged players in the country," Doherty said. "He’s got great vision, he’s tough as anything and he’s got a great shot. He has to be one of the most heavily recruited kids in Greater Boston. It’s a great coup for (UNH coach Dick Umile) to get him."
Many Division I programs were trying to get Collins, who had it narrowed down to UNH, Maine, Boston College and Boston University before deciding on Durham. "It was incredible having four schools like BU, BC, UNH and Maine looking at me, so it took me a while to take it all in and come to terms with it," Collins said. "But once you do, you have to decide what school is best for you and I felt UNH was that school. "Just the atmosphere alone at UNH — you walk into the rink and watch a game, and there are over 6,000 people there. It’s pretty exciting," continued Collins. "(My decision) changed every week. UNH was up there, BU was up there, too."

CATS ADD TO ROSTER JUNE 10, 2000 BY ROGER BROWN
If you're Dick Umile, the hockey season never ends. The latest reminder came Friday, when Umile, the men's hockey coach at the University of New Hampshire, said he received a verbal commitment from Reading High School's Sean Collins. Collins, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound left wing, will be a senior at Reading next season. He'll join the UNH program before the 2001-2002 season.
"I made the decision Monday, but I didn't call Mr. Umile until yesterday," Collins said. "I just wanted to make sure. (UNH) is everything I look forward to in a college."
Collins collected 37 goals and 42 assists as a junior at Reading, which went 16-2-4 and won the Middlesex League title for the sixth straight season. According to Reading coach Pete Doherty, Collins was the leading scorer among Division I players in Massachusetts. "He's a hockey player," Doherty said. "It doesn't make a difference what you want him to do, he can do it. When he was growing up he played in two leagues. He was a forward in one and played defense in the other. If he played defense he'd probably be the best defenseman in the league. "He's probably the most heavily recruited kid around here in quite a while," Doherty continued. "I had a Hockey East coach call me up two weeks ago and ask me if he could get in the Sean Collins sweepstakes and I told him 'I don't think so.' He just thought (UNH) would be the best fit for him." Collins, who shoots left-handed, said he had narrowed his choices to Boston College, Boston University, Maine and UNH. "If I had to say it came down to two, UNH and BU were the two I was considering the most intensely," Collins said. "It's the atmosphere. When I'm up there watching games I get chills."

Souza was a member of the USA Select 17 team, and committed the second day of the recruiting season (back when they had that)

'CATS' CAPTAIN WILD ABOUT MERRIMACK COACH SERINO BY KEVIN CONWAY EAGLE-TRIBUNE WRITER
For former University of New Hampshire assistant Chris Serino, add the recruitment of Wildcat senior captain Mike Souza. "I'll never forget the day he committed," the current Merrimack College coach says. "I think it was July 2 (1995) and we were in the back of Dynamic Sports. He was unpacking boxes of sneakers or something and told me he was coming to UNH. It was a special moment." Serino was a Saugus native who often frequented that Reading sports shop. Souza, meanwhile, lived one town over and was in the process of rewriting the Middlesex League record book with 206 career points for Wakefield High.

UMILE LANDS ANOTHER TOP HOCKEY RECRUIT AUGUST 3, 1999 BY JIM MCKENZIE
.... Longtime Reading High coach Peter Doherty has sent several players to major Division I colleges. He ranks Saviano with the best of them. "He’s a great — I mean GREAT — skater. He’s tough as anything. He’s strong. He’s dedicated," said Doherty, whose team finished 18-0-2 last regular season. "He’s like kids were 20 years ago: He loves going to the rink and playing." ...
The contact period for colleges began July 1. According to Doherty, Saviano immediately fielded calls from Boston University, Northeastern and Merrimack. "I had to tell them I had already committed," Saviano told The Daily Times Chronicle of Reading, Mass. "It really was my top choice. I went up there about four times last year with Mr. Doherty and fell in love with he place."

Boguniecki, who grew up in West Haven, Conn., was a highly touted recruit coming out of Westminster Academy, where he accumulated 59-64-123 totals in two seasons. He selected UNH, in part, because of the coaching staff. He said Boston University and Maine were among the schools that recruited him heavily. "I could have gone anywhere," he said. "I wanted to stay in the East so my parents could come watch me play. What sold me was Coach (Chris) Serino. He'd come to my hockey games, my lacrosse games, my football games _ he was at them all. I meshed well with Coach (Dick) Umile. We hit it off from the first visit. It was a real love-hate relationship, but we seemed to think alike.

Tom Nolan

Nolan, a 5-10, 175-pound center from Springfield, Mass., and Larochelle, a 6-1, 180-pound goaltender, selected UNH after visiting the campus last weekend. Nolan is considered the prize jewel of UNH’s recruiting class. A creative playmaker and scorer, the Avon Old Farms forward was among the top recruits in the country. He visited Maine, Boston College and St. Lawrence and was also being recruited by Michigan, Michigan State and Providence.

Tim Murray

Murray visited Kent State and was also being recruited by Michigan State, North Dakota, Clarkson, Notre Dame and Boston University.

Mark Mowers

Mowers, 19, selected UNH after visiting Minnesota-Duluth, Providence, North Dakota and Bowling Green. "I guess I just felt very comfortable (at UNH)," Mowers said Monday from his Whitesboro, NY home. I felt real comfortable with the players and the coaches." "I could see myself being at the university for four years," he added. "I felt right at home. They're going to be a good team down the road and I want to be a part of it."

Derek Bekar

Bekar, who is 6-3, 180 pounds, has 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 18 games for the Powell River Paper Kings of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League. “I think, no question, that they’ve got a great college prospect,” Powell River head coach Kent Lewis said of UNH. “Brian McCloskey, their assistant coach, doesn’t miss a beat out west recruiting. Brian knows what he’s doing and what he sees in Derek reminds him I guess of UNH senior co-captain Eric Flinton.” ..... Bekar who was also recruited by Denver, Michigan Tech, and Boston University

Tyson Teplitsky, a 6'1", 180 lb. LD from the Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL), has just committed to the University of New Hampshire. Teplitsky, who has good feet and puck skills, has been coming on strongly of late, as evidenced by his five points (2g,3a) in Tuesday night's 6-2 win over Powell River. His style of play is similar to current UNH sophomore Garrett Stafford. Other schools recruiting Teplitsky included Denver, Lake State, Colorado College, Maine, North Dakota, and several Ivies. Most BCHL observers feel that Teplitsky, after Michigan State recruit Duncan Keith, is the league's top recruit on defense.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Watcher,
I think you underestimate the talent of our defensemen coming in this year. I also think you are a bit tough on Charlie Kelleher as he has been between 8th and 13th top scorer in USHL for most of the season. Goumas was 40th and was on first line in his sophomore season. Kelleher has more points than Poturalski at same age group (I am not saying Kelleher is as good as Pots by any stretch of imagination) and has a reasonable chance of being on first line this fall. You seem to think MacAdams is the real deal and I hope he is Bobby Butler but I think Kelleher will be a better college player over the four years at UNH. I think that Gildon and Wyse will be first pairing and Maass and Marks will be the second pairing, my best guess is Miller and Chanter for third.

I wish I hadn't deleted my post. I am not underestimating the defense, as I said I like Maass, and Gildon will be an upgrade. Full marks to Souza on getting those two, Gildon as a late free agent, and Maass, as an underrecognized kid blossoming his senior year.

I don't think I said MacAdams will be better than Kelleher. Just the opposite, though I have them on the third line to start the season. Clearly Kelleher's bona fides exceed those of MacAdams. Couple of points, though, Goumas was a full year and a half younger than Kelleher, so stats not comparable. Limoges would have been a nice late add, like Gildon, and a nice signal to the recruiting world that UNH was ramping up. I wonder if his announcement on the day Umile hung on was related. Probably not

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

And Garrett Stafford

How little UNH became big-time hockey power
By Mike Recht, Associated Press, 4/7/2003 16:57
DURHAM, N.H. (AP) Garrett Stafford had helped guide Des Moines to the Junior A national hockey championship when Brian McCloskey of the University of New Hampshire came by to recruit him.
Michigan State, Minnesota, Colorado College and Michigan Tech also were after him, but Stafford chose UNH.
''I couldn't say no to this guy,'' Stafford said of McCloskey, citing the special attention he received and the relationship McCloskey built with him and his family.
He also saw New Hampshire come within one swipe of the puck from winning the national championship in 1999, losing to Maine 3-2 in overtime on national television.
''That was one of the big things,'' he said. ''I wanted to come to a winning team with a winning attitude.''

And Hemingway

McCloskey's contacts told him that this player, a skilled forward named Colin Hemingway, had made up his mind and was going to attend the University of North Dakota.
"I'd been told by some of the coaches in the league that (Hemingway) had some special talent, but I'd also been told that he was pretty much signed, sealed and delivered to North Dakota," McCloskey explained. "I went out to see him practice and I remember a North Dakota assistant was in the stands that day. Colin's coach told me I was welcome to talk to Colin, but North Dakota was in the picture and a lot of schools were backing out (of the recruiting process)."
McCloskey never did talk to Hemingway that day. After practice the North Dakota assistant coach got to Hemingway in the locker room first and did what he could to keep him away from McCloskey.
"I waited and waited and waited," McCloskey explained. " I think his plan was to keep Colin there all night so I wouldn't have a chance to talk to him. I finally said, 'The heck with it,' and went out to the lobby, got on the pay phone and called Colin's mom to set up a visit at their house to talk with them.
"I thought he was a real elite prospect. He wouldn't win points for style in a figure skating contest because Colin has his own unorthodox skating style, but he's very quick — deceivingly quick. I just thought he was a really complete prospect. He had good size, good hands, the ability to score, the ability to pass."
UNH won that recruiting battle with North Dakota, and Hemingway is one of the main reasons the Wildcats have a chance to win their first national championship this season. UNH (30-6-3) will play Maine (25-10-7) in Thursday's NCAA semifinals. Michigan (28-10-5) will meet Minnesota (30-8-4) in Thursday's other semifinal.

So, apart from nearly every All-American, UNH has not recruited top players.

And if you read the narratives, they want to win, and go to a winning team. I don't know how Souza sells UNH, but it seems to focus on the "neat little family, good University" aspect, which is important, but also kids want to hear some bravado about how winning is important, and to quote Mike Souza's hero, "you're going to be tired of all the winning."

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Enjoying the history lesson tonight! I'm too lazy to do this homework...but what year did we lose McCloskey to the women's team? Sounds like he was one heck of a recruiter...he seemed to go the extra mile and didn't give up. I wonder with this day and age of technology if recruiters still go to the mat like that. You guys in the know can enlighten on what it takes to recruit the top dog.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Enjoying the history lesson tonight! I'm too lazy to do this homework...but what year did we lose McCloskey to the women's team? Sounds like he was one heck of a recruiter...he seemed to go the extra mile and didn't give up. I wonder with this day and age of technology if recruiters still go to the mat like that. You guys in the know can enlighten on what it takes to recruit the top dog.

McCloskey moved from the Men's program to HC of the Women's program after the '01/'02 season. In his first 7 seasons behind the bench for the UNH Women, he won six straight HE RS titles, and four straight HE Tourney titles.

I'm sure the successful recruiters these days are just as creative and competitive as they were in the old days.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

1932 - id be really interested in hearing UNH's response to your sage advice that they lower ticket prices. This seems obvious to me. Do they not believe this will increase attendance? Do they refuse to part with their cozy margins? I can't understand why they would exploit supply and demand when demand was high and ignore the economics when demand is low...

When I go to DU games - I almost never pay more than 15$, to see the number one team in the country. Last cyber Monday, I bought tickets for the rest of the season at eight dollars a pop. What does DU see that UNH does not?

I understand that the marketing and SID offices are doing some things - I just don't see it as nearly enough.

I remember them handing out extra student tickets for the Maine game last season. Why did it take them so long to come to this idea? Why did they ignore the result and skip making this effort even once more this season? At this point, IMO, 1500 tix isn't enough for students. Expecting students to come pick them up is a fools errand. Make it 2000 and deliver them every week! Kids will be much more likely to go if the ticket is in their hand - AND if their group is all getting them at once and instantly has Friday night plans.

Now, if they hand deliver 2000 tickets - they may only get clos to 2000 students occasionally, but maybe they average 1000 instead of 600 or whatever they draw now.

As far as youth hockey teams - again, more. Take an organization and bring every team and age group. Maybe you give every kid two free tickets and hope they buy extras for a second parent or siblings. If you can't get an entire org bring as many different teas as you can. Bring entire HS, Prep or USPHL teams up and comp them the allowable NCAA passes. Two birds - attendance and recruiting.

Host other sorts of organizations - first responders night, with free tickets for as many area police, fire and medical personnel as you can find. Boys and girls clubs. Big brothers, big sisters. Etc.

Giving extra tickets to students and inviting youth teams occasionally just isn't enough. The goal should be to get every single ticket used one way or another - no matter how long it takes - every week. For the good of the program and for the good of long term attendance and revenue.

As for corporate or unused season tickets - create some kind of secondary market. If someone isn't using their tickets - give them an outlet to resell or donate. Check in with the corporate ticket holders. If they're not using their tickets that week, maybe they'd like to donate them to the local after school program.

I think my idea about giving tickets away to alienated and ex-season ticket holders is genius. Maybe they fall back in love. Maybe they left in the first place because they were taken advantage of and would appreciate some good will.

Back to the students - maybe you give a bunch of tickets to a the greeks. Friday the frat with the biggest attendance wins X amount of money for their philanthropy Saturday the sororities do the same.

None of this stuff is rocket science - it just takes effort. And continued effort. And extra effort on non-Maine game days that will still draw fairly well on their own. It also takes sacrificing some revenue now for long term gains and success. But you have to decide once in for all, if you're willing to work an extra hours for limited returns - and the idea that a bunch of limited returns will add up! I just don't see it now - I hope I will soon.

Everyone knows the old saying, "whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."

I think there are a lot of people at UNH right now that just think UNH can't.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

That old saying goes double for UNHs recent recruiting efforts. I think it goes without saying that I lean more towards Watcher and the idea that UNH (with the right recruiter) can compete for any dang kid they choose...

I KNOW they can, because they Have.

I was down on the Souza hire - I am more hopeful now that commits like Commesso and Gildon are an indication he truly believes UNH can. But I agree that the message needs to be more of a determined, "We are going to win. Period. Come be the kid who puts us back on top. This trains leaving, get on board!"

Recruits love that - hearing about how they'll be used and how they will make notable impacts.

I need to see a lot more before I buy in completely...

---

As for next season - I hope you're right, but they will need an unusual amount of players to make immediate impacts or big jumps to get to 20. I think it's more likely some leaps happen, but not enough. UNHs top talent levels have been so unbalanced lately. They've had plenty of good players lately, but the next wave was too far behind. I think UNHs path back takes a little more time and requires more grabs like Gildon to ensure a talent balance...

To win 20 next year they'll need Salvaggio and McNicholas to not miss a beat without TK. They'll need Vela and Nazarian to join them. Blackburn and Grasso will have to make Trevor Smith type sophomore jumps. All of this just to match the offensive output they turned in the past two seasons.

The FR defenseman will need to play like upperclassmen and recognize their talent immediately. Team defense and goaltending will need to improve dramatically.

It's possible, but would be a pleasant surprise. I think Souza needs to really hammer home culture and process next year. In grain doing things the right way, even if it leads to losses. When UNH does have that mature balance of talent, hopefully that culture and belief is instilled. Then the team is ready. Assuming they have the outside support...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

That old saying goes double for UNHs recent recruiting efforts. I think it goes without saying that I lean more towards Watcher and the idea that UNH (with the right recruiter) can compete for any dang kid they choose...

I KNOW they can, because they Have.

I was down on the Souza hire - I am more hopeful now that commits like Commesso and Gildon are an indication he truly believes UNH can. But I agree that the message needs to be more of a determined, "We are going to win. Period. Come be the kid who puts us back on top. This trains leaving, get on board!"

Recruits love that - hearing about how they'll be used and how they will make notable impacts.

I need to see a lot more before I buy in completely...

...how do you know that's not the message? I've heard MS say "UNH will win the National Championship" at a FOH meeting. If he's saying that (and I realize in front of a booster club you want to come off as positive as possible and I've got no truck with that) I imagine that is exactly what he's saying to recruits...that THEY can be part of this new era and make a difference right now. Of course his recruiting tells the tale of the tape...and I think (as you mentioned with Gildon and Commesso) we are starting to see that. I'd be very disappointed to think they (he and Stewie) aren't going after every big fish out there, and I'm under no illusion that every top skater they talk to is going to come to UNH. (Although I wouldn't mind that one bit of course!! ) Time will tell. I truly believe MS is chomping at the bit to get this resurgence going and I cannot wait to see it unfold.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Dan - you are right on the mark.

A hockey ticket is a perishable resource. There are only so many home games and so many tickets and each needs to be treated as precious... not just for its face value. Each one is an opportunity to: bundle another ticket, to sell concessions, to sell merchandise, to reestablish a connection, to make some good will in the community, to bring the university together, to...

Every unused ticket is an opportunity lost. When times are good you make money - hay when the sun is shining. When times are bad you build good will - sow your seeds for the next harvest (to continue the farming analogy). Empty seats are wasted opportunities for something better in the future.

The goal is to fill every seat every game. The result is making money when you can, the profit is always the result it is never the reason.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

That old saying goes double for UNHs recent recruiting efforts. I think it goes without saying that I lean more towards Watcher and the idea that UNH (with the right recruiter) can compete for any dang kid they choose...

UNH needs to look at Lowell and understand if Lowell can compete in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 there is no reason UNH can't be competing at a very high level. That UNH has fallen so far is shameful. Lowell isn't chasing a pile of 1st round picks. They are not crazy for the most talented they are looking for the right players. If a 1st rounder that fits the system comes along sure they will take him in a blink. I just don't see Bazin going the BU route even if he could, it isn't the style he clearly wants. Yes Lowell started uber defensive (like paint drying) now they are big, fast, defensive, aggressive and scoring.

[Dan]

...how do you know that's not the message? I've heard MS say "UNH will win the National Championship" at a FOH meeting. If he's saying that (and I realize in front of a booster club you want to come off as positive as possible and I've got no truck with that) I imagine that is exactly what he's saying to recruits...that THEY can be part of this new era and make a difference right now. Of course his recruiting tells the tale of the tape...and I think (as you mentioned with Gildon and Commesso) we are starting to see that.

You have the advantage over me I'm seeing him say these words, but it's one thing to say it. Everyone wants to win. Like Watcher, I have questions whether this is HIS sales pitch because of what I see him say on video and in print, as well as what recruits say about their commitments and what I hear from other sources...

When I start hearing media outlets, recruit nicks and UNH verbals expressing excitement about Souza's passion and determination and belief about turning UNH around immediately I'll start buying that his pitch matches what mine would be.

I'd imagine as a teacher and coach - you've notice that when kids buy in they'll start repeating things theyve heard that resonate with them. That's why I feel the recruit quotes are such valuable clues.

I shouldn't have said his approach 'needs' to be anything. It's what I would like to see. I have a strong opinion that approach would work tremendously well. Still, I am certain other pitches can work every bit as well.

From recruit quotes, it does seem that HIS pitch is more about connection, family, tradition, culture etc and believing these things will lead to winning and reaching team goals. That's fine. There are many ways to recruit. He needs to be himself and pitch his vision. It just needs to keep working at a Max Gildon level. Whether that means top-end prospects (like Gildon) or as JB says, the right kids who bring top-end production.