Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Looks like we're not alone and Barry & Co. are even ****ing up football games by fixing what wasn't broken:

http://host.madison.com/sports/colle...a4bcf887a.html


This was taken from the comments section and it's spot on...

"This athletic department is supposed to be so market savvy and adept at Alvarez refers to as the "fan experience". Why weren't they monitoring what was going on during the game? Oh, they're all too busy lounging in those fancy boxes upstairs, away from and far above all of the "little" people who pay their salaries."


I'm so ****ing tired of hearing about the "fan experience," especially from people who have probably never actually been fans.

It's so great that they put in a new jumbo scoreboard so they can fill it with sponsors. Even my mom (72 yo) was complaining that they didn't have the stats up there but she knew that Alliant and BMO were sponsors.

**** you Barry, you clown.

I had a different experience, though it doesn't contradict those thoughts.

First, having ads and no stats doesn't really have to do with the ads. Those aren't even video boards. Where there are scoreboard ads, there always were scoreboard ads. What's different is they had the live video feed and replays taking up the entire new scoreboard, half of which used to be full of stats. It's something I'd like to see change, but I'm not about to hop aboard the "you just care about money and are plastering the board with ads where there used to be stats" train.

I didn't buy or attempt to buy concessions, so I have nothing to add on that.

Here are the only changes I noticed, besides the scoreboard - They showed evacuation routes out of the stadium for emergencies before the game, which they hadn't before. They also reminded us to check our cups for bees. (I hope that means they realize that bees occasionally fly into sugary beverages when you're not looking, not that the new vendors have a bunch of bees flying around. That way, I can give them some "attention to detail" points.) Nothing big, but it was more positive than negative in my mind, considering I didn't even come close to the concessions debacle. Lastly, and I'm sure pretty much everyone is fairly indifferent towards this, the fog machines at the player's tunnel were really refreshing (I got a nice, cool blast from them).

My favorite change was all Gary Andersen's doing (with cooperation from the band, which should be expected). The players stayed on the field, and the band lined up by the student section and sang "On, Wisconsin" before playing it at full volume with the instruments, as the players exited the field. Yeah, that has nothing to do with the athletic department's higher-ups.

It stinks to find out about all the nonsense that went down.

[EasternBadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

I love Twitter, it's great for all sorts of things. But I honestly cannot remember a single time it's added anything of value to my experience up on a scoreboard or ribbon.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

The bit with stats... should we be surprised? Like every other stadium in the country, the "gameday experience" is increasingly having less and less to do with how fans watch/interact with the game they paid to see and more to do with other bull****.

While its no surprise to see Barry and company doing stuff like that, lets keep in mind that team owners and ADs across the country and leagues of all sports show the same disdain for their fans, so we can hardly blame just them.

My favorite change was all Gary Andersen's doing (with cooperation from the band, which should be expected). The players stayed on the field, and the band lined up by the student section and sang "On, Wisconsin" before playing it at full volume with the instruments, as the players exited the field. Yeah, that has nothing to do with the athletic department's higher-ups.

Good on Andersen and Leckrone. A huge check mark in the plus column. It's always nice when there's somebody who gets it.

[Scottyp]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Someone mentioned on another board that the program/service that runs the stats was down, and that they couldn't fix it during the game. They assured everyone the stats would be back next week.

Football seems to be where hockey was three or four years ago...everyone complaining about their experience at the game. Lets hope the athletic department starts listening to fans.

[D3 Phan]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Football season ticket holder for 20 years. I wrote BA a letter about my "game day experience" last Saturday. I was not happy. I will see if I get a response.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

He'll probably respond by playing "Big Girls Don't Cry" over the PA during a TV timeout at the next home game.

[NMH]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Bought my five game pack today - couple of things to note.

First, it's been $75 for a few years now. Was $100 for upstairs seating this year.

Also, I may be wrong on this, but I'm pretty certain I've never been able to "upgrade" to sitting in the lower bowl before. I think maybe it was possible in the past, but it went in to the whole "giving" structure. Like I may have had to do the $25 a seat donation?

Anyway, this time I was able to choose upstairs or downstairs and downstairs was just $20 more for the whole 5-game package. Seat locations are pretty primo for most games picked - section 122 or 121 for almost all games, which is center ice. Rows E and H.

I guess lower attendance does have a perk or two?

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Are the Badgers national championship good? I don't know, but I took a look at reasons why they could be. LINK

[burd]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Bought my five game pack today - couple of things to note.

First, it's been $75 for a few years now. Was $100 for upstairs seating this year.

Also, I may be wrong on this, but I'm pretty certain I've never been able to "upgrade" to sitting in the lower bowl before. I think maybe it was possible in the past, but it went in to the whole "giving" structure. Like I may have had to do the $25 a seat donation?

Anyway, this time I was able to choose upstairs or downstairs and downstairs was just $20 more for the whole 5-game package. Seat locations are pretty primo for most games picked - section 122 or 121 for almost all games, which is center ice. Rows E and H.

I guess lower attendance does have a perk or two?

I see only a couple of games each year, but seats at the bottom of the second level on the turn have been my favorites. Great vision and you still feel close enough to all the fun in the lower bowl.

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Are the Badgers national championship good? I don't know, but I took a look at reasons why they could be. LINK

Nice article as usual Andy. I am starting to get excited for the season to start. Let's hope the PP is much improved....

[Innova]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Man....could you imagine what it would have been like to have J.J. Watt in a Badger Hockey Sweater?

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Good lord, that would've been amazing.

[Gandalf the Red]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Man....could you imagine what it would have been like to have J.J. Watt in a Badger Hockey Sweater?

Would have made Ryan McDonagh look weak.

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Not particularly noteworthy as it's just a prediction, but it's an outside opinion - College Hockey News put Wisconsin at number 3 in its preseason top 10.

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXVI: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Tolerate The BTHC

Not particularly noteworthy as it's just a prediction, but it's an outside opinion - College Hockey News put Wisconsin at number 3 in its preseason top 10.

I think that's a little low.