Regional Attendance

[umhockey91]

Re: Regional Attendance

Everything in this world is eventually ruined by greed. That is all.

[fightingsiouxfan16]

Re: Regional Attendance

Everything in this world is eventually ruined by greed. That is all.

Yep yep. Cant agree with you more.

[J.D.]

Re: Regional Attendance

45 mins from Newton to Worcester. BC just doesn't bring fans

This is a popular thing to say but it isn't true (for hockey). However, when you play the night before Easter at 9 PM, no students etc...easy to explain. Let's not pretend like PC would have had a huge crowd.

[purpleinnebraska]

Re: Regional Attendance

There's only one way to fix this, if you think it needs fixing, and that's home team hosts. For most of us, we just paid money for a conference tournament, and may be paying again for Frozen Four tickets (and if you don't live in the same town as your school, you also shelled out extra money for the first round of your conference tournament). Then you find out on Sunday where you are playing the following weekend, and if you're a fan of a western school, you probably have to make short-notice flight and hotel arrangements. Add in that it's Easter weekend, and I don't know why anyone would be surprised that there's low attendance at the regionals.

Offsetting this, neutral site regionals at least offer a more level playing field, particularly given how razor-thin differences can be in the Pairwise (If we went to all home ice matchups in the first round, can you really say that a #7 "earned" home ice over a #10, for instance?). Decide which we think is more important, and move forward, but don't expect you'll ever increase attendance much with the current setup.

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Regional Attendance

If you go to an NHL game itll cost you over 100 bucks for one game. They were asking for 45 bucks. I dont see anything wrong with that at all. Its so cheap i wish every game was 40 bucks

It isn't just the cost of the ticket. Travel, lodging, food, parking... it all adds up. The fact that you can't leave the arena between games means you're forced to pay those ridiculous concession prices. Two of us spent over well $400.00 for the weekend in Albany and we didn't stay there. That's a lot of money for 3 hockey games.

Of course, my team won it all so it was worth every penny, but that doesn't lessen the impact of the high cost.

[ticapnews]

Re: Regional Attendance

So how far is the trip from Worcester to Newton? Idk so im asking. But what im saying is the kids get drafted and get assigned to an AHL team they very well may come to your area no?

But remember, 99% of all students who play Division I athletics will be turning pro in something else.

I assume the game times were set as they were due to broadcast considerations.


Powers &8^]

That was my assumption as well. The NCAA can tell ESPN to go suck an egg. Put the freaking lacrosse games on ESPN3 and get with the playoff hockey already.

I suppose we should thank our stars no spring football games are played April 9 at 7PM or we'd be preempted for a glorified exhibition.

[fightingsiouxfan16]

Re: Regional Attendance

But remember, 99% of all students who play Division I athletics will be turning pro in something else.


That was my assumption as well. The NCAA can tell ESPN to go suck an egg. Put the freaking lacrosse games on ESPN3 and get with the playoff hockey already.

I suppose we should thank our stars no spring football games are played April 9 at 7PM or we'd be preempted for a glorified exhibition.

We all know lacrosse is more popular then hockey. I believe its the fastest growing sport in america.

[fightingsiouxfan16]

Re: Regional Attendance

It isn't just the cost of the ticket. Travel, lodging, food, parking... it all adds up. The fact that you can't leave the arena between games means you're forced to pay those ridiculous concession prices. Two of us spent over well $400.00 for the weekend in Albany and we didn't stay there. That's a lot of money for 3 hockey games.

Of course, my team won it all so it was worth every penny, but that doesn't lessen the impact of the high cost.

For my tickets and hotel i spent 200 bucks. Then i brought 200 in spending money and didnt even spend all of it. I would say i spent like 350 for everything for the weekend tickets hotel gas drinking and eating.

[cplinford]

Re: Regional Attendance

I thought the Albany regional was attended very well by both Q and RIT fans for the 4 pm game. The lower bowl looked mostly full. The upper bowl was empty but someone told me they weren't even selling seats there. Having the 730 game on Sunday night would be hard for many people whether it was easter or not.

I will agree that the ticket price is too high. When compared to home RIT games or AHL games they were way higher. I was not going to pay 80 dollars for a weekend pass even if RIT made it to the 2nd game.

[fightingsiouxfan16]

Re: Regional Attendance

I am odd man out in this discussion lol. Spending 80 bucks should be a no brainer. But hey whatever floats your boat.

[SJHovey]

Re: Regional Attendance

It isn't just the cost of the ticket. Travel, lodging, food, parking... it all adds up. The fact that you can't leave the arena between games means you're forced to pay those ridiculous concession prices. Two of us spent over well $400.00 for the weekend in Albany and we didn't stay there. That's a lot of money for 3 hockey games.

Of course, my team won it all so it was worth every penny, but that doesn't lessen the impact of the high cost.

Exactly. As has been pointed out in years past, the problem with regional attendance is exacerbated by the fact that fans really don't know where there team is going to be playing until the Sunday before the regional. Try to book an airline flight from Grand Forks to Cincinnati on a Sunday night or Monday morning, for a departure that coming Thursday or Friday. Minimum $700 is my guess.

Very few "random" fans come in off the street or from the hosting city if they have no team in the fight. They might if the ticket prices were extremely low, but not at $50/person, plus all the parking, food, etc..., costs built in.

[fightingsiouxfan16]

Re: Regional Attendance

Exactly. As has been pointed out in years past, the problem with regional attendance is exacerbated by the fact that fans really don't know where there team is going to be playing until the Sunday before the regional. Try to book an airline flight from Grand Forks to Cincinnati on a Sunday night or Monday morning, for a departure that coming Thursday or Friday. Minimum $700 is my guess.

Very few "random" fans come in off the street or from the hosting city if they have no team in the fight. They might if the ticket prices were extremely low, but not at $50/person, plus all the parking, food, etc..., costs built in.

yes in this aspect im lucky. Im only 2 hours out of albany. Very easy drive. My team wasnt in albany but it didnt matter. Just wanted to watch hockey. Parking in Albany was 5 bucks.

[ticapnews]

Re: Regional Attendance

There's only one way to fix this, if you think it needs fixing, and that's home team hosts. For most of us, we just paid money for a conference tournament, and may be paying again for Frozen Four tickets (and if you don't live in the same town as your school, you also shelled out extra money for the first round of your conference tournament). Then you find out on Sunday where you are playing the following weekend, and if you're a fan of a western school, you probably have to make short-notice flight and hotel arrangements. Add in that it's Easter weekend, and I don't know why anyone would be surprised that there's low attendance at the regionals.

Offsetting this, neutral site regionals at least offer a more level playing field, particularly given how razor-thin differences can be in the Pairwise (If we went to all home ice matchups in the first round, can you really say that a #7 "earned" home ice over a #10, for instance?). Decide which we think is more important, and move forward, but don't expect you'll ever increase attendance much with the current setup.

The case against the #1 seeds hosting is Quinnipiac. 3100 capacity is a problem especially considering Albany's Saturday attendance of 5326. Heaven forbid Union ever getting a #1 seed again.

[Sean Pickett]

Re: Regional Attendance

I think the real problem is most fans who attend college hockey games are not college hockey fans. Yes, they are fans of their school and team,, but they have no interest in watching college hockey if their team isn't playing. The lower attendance for all four regional finals supports this. Furthermore, as has been mentioned before, with the regionals between the league tournaments and the Frozen Four, which most fans likely consider more important, they are like a bastard child no one really cares about. The Debacle in Detroit showed that the college hockey fanbase has a clear upper limit and there are just so many games that fanbase can support.

So, instead of coming up with ways to fix the NCAA regionals, how about coming up with ways to turn more fans of each team into college hockey fans?

Sean

[J.D.]

Re: Regional Attendance

People on this board are diehards. Most of us will fork over the money for these tickets. A lot of people who aren't on this board won't. When you also see a 9 PM game night before Easter and the game is on TV, pretty easy decision for the casual fan to stay home and watch on TV. Especially if you have young kids etc.

Also, while attendance in St. Paul was a disgrace, why are we having regionals in NHL arenas?

It's not just one factor. It's collective stupidity across the board. The bottom line if if the people in charge really cared about atmosphere, changes would have been made by now.