2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

[PuckLuck81]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

Got yet another e-mail today from NCAA about more opportunities for ticket purchases. Not sure if the sales are that bad, or they are just trying harder to fill all seats this year than they have in the past. I have definitely gotten more contact from both the NCAA and UMN than I have in the past about buying tickets.

The NCAA blew it scheduling this event the same weekend as The Masters. This is the most watched golf event on the calendar every year and where most of the viewing public will be tuning in on Thursday and Saturday. Why they don't schedule the Frozen Four on the same weekend as the men's basketball tourney is beyond me. Schedule the semi's on Friday night and the Championship game on Sunday afternoon. Make it an NCAA Championship weekend and capitalize on the basketball interest vs trying to run away from it!!! Trying to create a "hockey weekend" will never work because there is just not as much interest in Men's college hockey as there is in Men's college basketball or football. Embrace the NCAA basketball Final Four - don't hide from it!!!

[Patman]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

A few of us had Oxford University jerseys last year; a friend went there to get his MBA and played on the team.

I think my favorite ones I've seen were the University of Phoenix jerseys.

The rarer the better, especially if you want to meet people.

[LTsatch]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

The rarer the better, especially if you want to meet people.

I may have to grab a green Guinness jersey, makes you look like a north Dakota fan on a bender.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-5280510..._2261_13837659

[melmac]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

I may have to grab a green Guinness jersey, makes you look like a north Dakota fan on a bender.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-5280510..._2261_13837659

Hello. This is the Department of Redundancy Department. Hello!

[BobF]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

The NCAA blew it scheduling this event the same weekend as The Masters. This is the most watched golf event on the calendar every year and where most of the viewing public will be tuning in on Thursday and Saturday. Why they don't schedule the Frozen Four on the same weekend as the men's basketball tourney is beyond me. Schedule the semi's on Friday night and the Championship game on Sunday afternoon. Make it an NCAA Championship weekend and capitalize on the basketball interest vs trying to run away from it!!! Trying to create a "hockey weekend" will never work because there is just not as much interest in Men's college hockey as there is in Men's college basketball or football. Embrace the NCAA basketball Final Four - don't hide from it!!!

Well I am a huge golfer and the Masters is my favorite tournament. But these days we have DVR and these things called smartphones that keep us up to the minute on the golf tournament. Back in the day when we were the same weekend as hoops (and FYI the women's hoop games are this Sunday) Hockey got totally rolled over. Remember watching hockey games with up to the minute scores of the final four game in progress being scrolled. Plus back then it was also baseball's opening weekend. The hockey games were an aside. I like having our own weekend, and with only 9 posts not sure when you joined the party, but these tournaments are hugely successful these days, even if there is a late push for selling remaining tickets. My first Frozen/Final Four was in Lake Placid in '88, and now every one is in an NHL venue. Makes for a great take.

My biggest complaint stems from the fact that we are no longer able to grab a bite outside the arena between games. That would be the one change I would bring back, two separate admissions, I know concessions are hurt inside, but city certainly benefits. Long day with the back-to-back games, especially on a day when many people have traveled.

Looking forward to getting to Philly, been awhile and know there is much to do. Anyone comment on the Rittenhouse Square area for bars? Staying right next to City Hall and just looking for a good pub crawl before the games.

[mookie1995]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

I watched the tournament last yr on the iPhone attached to my windshield driving home

[Patman]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

Well I am a huge golfer and the Masters is my favorite tournament. But these days we have DVR and these things called smartphones that keep us up to the minute on the golf tournament. Back in the day when we were the same weekend as hoops (and FYI the women's hoop games are this Sunday) Hockey got totally rolled over. Remember watching hockey games with up to the minute scores of the final four game in progress being scrolled. Plus back then it was also baseball's opening weekend. The hockey games were an aside. I like having our own weekend, and with only 9 posts not sure when you joined the party, but these tournaments are hugely successful these days, even if there is a late push for selling remaining tickets. My first Frozen/Final Four was in Lake Placid in '88, and now every one is in an NHL venue. Makes for a great take.

My biggest complaint stems from the fact that we are no longer able to grab a bite outside the arena between games. That would be the one change I would bring back, two separate admissions, I know concessions are hurt inside, but city certainly benefits. Long day with the back-to-back games, especially on a day when many people have traveled.

Looking forward to getting to Philly, been awhile and know there is much to do. Anyone comment on the Rittenhouse Square area for bars? Staying right next to City Hall and just looking for a good pub crawl before the games.

Rittenhouse is ok... when I was looking at the slight possibility of moving there a coworker and I did a barcrawl of sorts. Rittenhouse was certainly one of the ones we do.

[manurespreader]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

I recommend the Morning Glory cafe for breakfast, it's walking distance from downtown and Positano Coast for good italian food, in the gas light district.

I'm sure if tickets prices are an issue, there will be cheap scalper tickets, and btw the masters ticket sales are down 30% this year.

[gopher wes]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

I'll be hitting up the Reading Terminal Market (potentially multiple times with all the good choices), and the "Best Sandwich in America" will be consumed at least once.

For the newbie here, which place at Reading Terminal Market has this "Best Sandwich in America"?

[dxmnkd316]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

Wait, you can't leave between games!?!

[mookie1995]

Wait, you can't leave between games!?!

No, you can get out Friday and stroll around!!

[mookie1995]

For the newbie here, which place at Reading Terminal Market has this "Best Sandwich in America"?

Mookie is guessing this joint is like Lexington mkt in Baltimore??? Love that place

[hobeydog]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

A quick update on Philly's prep for the FF...I was is town today to drop off my wife at 30th Street station for a trek to Boston. There were plenty of attractive NCAA FF banners near many major Center City hotels and huge banners on the Wells Fargo Center clearly visible to the very-heavily traveled I95 and on the Center City side.

I stopped at McFadden's at CBP (Phillies), Chickie's and Pete's and XFINITY LIVE. XFINITY LIVE has booked both BC and Union for parties and McFadden's several alumni parties. I didn't have a chance to talk to anyone of authority at C&P's because the place was very busy with a lively happy hour crowd. I did learn that XFINITY LIVE does have a $20 cover after 9:00. Even though the weather today is damp and cool, they are opening their outdoor bars so I expect they'll be open during the FF with the Phillies also in town.

I can't get a sense whether or not the FF has become a hot ticket although I expect sellouts. Penn State-Vermont sold out twice at Wells Fargo in the last two years(19,000+).

Comcast, owner of NBC, the Flyers, the Wells Fargo Center, a 56-story sky scraper in Philly with a second planned, and soon an acquisition of Time-Warner Cable doesn't like to be embarrassed.

[CLS]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

Got an email from NCAA.com advertising "additional options available".

When I followed the links, I found:

Thursday games only (upper level) $110
Saturday game only (upper level) $ 99

Two day packages (upper level) $205 (only a $4 discount from the single session price?!)
Two day packages (lower level) $230

So it looks like there are still plenty of seats available, including lower level seats, but they're not willing to sell the lower level seats as single day tickets (yet). This was a Wells Fargo Center website, so they're either reselling seats (though I thought the NCAA was the only sanctioned way of doing that) or they're selling unsold seats, or both.

[melmac]

Re: 2014 Frozen Four Info Thread

Wait, you can't leave between games!?!

And they don't serve alcohol at the event. Well, unless you pony up the dough for the VIP deal thing.