2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

[bigmrg74]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

The Research Triangle area is nice enough - I went to a convention in Raleigh last year. Definitely nice to have 70 degree weather in March. Not exactly hockey territory, but they managed to scrape together enough 'Canes fans for their run to the Cup... some from NC, some who came from the north as graduates of a hockey school and are there because of NCSU, UNC, Duke, etc.

You're probably right about passports - most of the players would have them. I still doubt the NCAA would go for a foreign tournament yet though, until they can make a statement about a major Canadian school joining the D-1 ranks. Maybe in the 2020s.

Yeah, with all of the major international tournements out there, I think you would be hard pressed to find a team out there where half of their current players don't currently hold a valid passport.

As a former resident of the city, the real value of a FF in Toronto is that it is the undisputed global capital of the sport of hockey. There is more hockey interest, hockey money and hockey media exposure possibilities there than any other city in the world. Everywhere you go in Toronto, hockey is dominant thing- your newspaper, your TV, your radio and the bartenders, barbers and office mates are all talking hockey.

If there are a few thousand Americans that won't get a passport to go there, you can be assured that those seats will be filled by someone else, either Americans with passports or curious Canadians.

The beer is better, too.

True, A FF in Toronto would make serious bank just from the locals showing up for Hockey. Personally, I doubt that the NCAA would want to put one there without a Toronto Area school joining the NCAA though. I still think that Vancouver would easily be in the mix there if UBC gets serious about joinining the NCAA in the near future. That would be a pretty awesome city to go to as well.

I almost wonder if the NCAA would like to test the waters a bit north of the border with a regional north of the border perhaps? Can't really think of a good sight in the western part of Canada for a regional, too hard to get too or too big perhaps, but there should be a great assortment of arena's that would be pretty good locations for a regional between Southern Onterio, Southern Quebec and the Maritimes. Get a league like Hockey East or the ECAC to back in perhaps, where their best team gets first dibs at going there.

[CHFAN222]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

If the NCAA wants to maximize profit while also keeping costs down they need to pick which city will give them the best deal. Chicago in terms of flights will give good deals the arena sits over 20K and it has a big hockey following. Indianapolis has hosted the final four and could potentially do a Frozen four with Notre dame leading the bid. Plus the hotels are cheaper in Indy than Chicago.

San Antonio is the most interesting. They have also hosted Final Four so they have a relationship with the NCAA. They flights and hotels are cheap in Texas as well.

[uwbadgers14]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

Yeah, with all of the major international tournements out there, I think you would be hard pressed to find a team out there where half of their current players don't currently hold a valid passport.

True, A FF in Toronto would make serious bank just from the locals showing up for Hockey. Personally, I doubt that the NCAA would want to put one there without a Toronto Area school joining the NCAA though. I still think that Vancouver would easily be in the mix there if UBC gets serious about joinining the NCAA in the near future. That would be a pretty awesome city to go to as well.

I almost wonder if the NCAA would like to test the waters a bit north of the border with a regional north of the border perhaps? Can't really think of a good sight in the western part of Canada for a regional, too hard to get too or too big perhaps, but there should be a great assortment of arena's that would be pretty good locations for a regional between Southern Onterio, Southern Quebec and the Maritimes. Get a league like Hockey East or the ECAC to back in perhaps, where their best team gets first dibs at going there.

I think a regional in Ontario would really be a good idea, there are a number of OHL arena's that seat around 10,000 or just under and would expose canadian kids to NCAA hockey, although i'm not sure how much the CHL would appreciate that. But you place the Midwest Regional just across the border in Windsor or London or even SArnia and it would be the most profitable regionals by far. Specially if there are some local kids playing in it that decided to go the NCAA route. I think it would be good for the NCAA to think outside the box like this but we all know that is not something the NCAA is very good at. just gotta look at NCAA football for your answer...

[moose97]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

Why aren't passports given out at birth?

You certainly could give them out at birth - adding a $100 government fee to the birth process, however, once children turn 10, what percentage of them would expire and not be renewed? 50% 75% Higher? You're still asking for $100 (repeted every ten years for the rest of their life) from every 10 year old in America for something that they may never use in their entire life! Now, it may make sense in Europe, where countries are the size of states (and sometimes smaller), but in this country, you can, in some cases, travel thousands of miles and never need a passport. What's the motivation to get one if you don't need it?

Indianapolis has hosted the final four and could potentially do a Frozen four with Notre dame leading the bid. Plus the hotels are cheaper in Indy than Chicago.

San Antonio is the most interesting. They have also hosted Final Four so they have a relationship with the NCAA. They flights and hotels are cheap in Texas as well.

Conseco Fieldhouse holds 14,400 for hockey, and the AT&T Center holds 13,400 - neither are gonna happen...

[UHall6]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

With respect to a regional or FF being held in Canada, from the US State Department website:

Anyone with a criminal record (including misdemeanors or Driving While Impaired (DWI) charges) may be barred from entering Canada and must obtain a special waiver well in advance of any planned travel.

I don't think the NCAA would want to take a chance a player could get barred from traveling with his team. Or they could try to clear every player in the NCAA months ahead of the tournament.

[bigmrg74]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

I think a regional in Ontario would really be a good idea, there are a number of OHL arena's that seat around 10,000 or just under and would expose canadian kids to NCAA hockey, although i'm not sure how much the CHL would appreciate that. But you place the Midwest Regional just across the border in Windsor or London or even SArnia and it would be the most profitable regionals by far. Specially if there are some local kids playing in it that decided to go the NCAA route. I think it would be good for the NCAA to think outside the box like this but we all know that is not something the NCAA is very good at. just gotta look at NCAA football for your answer...

Hamilton wouldn't be that bad of a pick either for a regional either. And, if the NCAA really clamps down on no home arena's, North Dakota could probably host one in Winnipeg, but thats bit of a stretch I think.

You certainly could give them out at birth - adding a $100 government fee to the birth process, however, once children turn 10, what percentage of them would expire and not be renewed? 50% 75% Higher? You're still asking for $100 (every ten years) from every 10 year old in America for something that they may never use in their entire life! Now, it may make sense in Europe, where countries are the size of states (and sometimes smaller), but in this country, you can, in some cases, travel thousands of miles and never need a passport. What's the motivation to get one if you don't need it?


Conseco Fieldhouse holds 14,400 for hockey, and the AT&T Center holds 13,400 - neither are gonna happen...

Not too big for a regional for those, and there's always Lucas Oil in Indy too. *ducks!*

[UHall6]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

You certainly could give them out at birth - adding a $100 government fee to the birth process

The ACLU and/or the Democratic Party would kill that in a second because it smells like a mandatory national ID card.

[Puck Swami]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

With respect to a regional or FF being held in Canada, from the US State Department website:

Anyone with a criminal record (including misdemeanors or Driving While Impaired (DWI) charges) may be barred from entering Canada and must obtain a special waiver well in advance of any planned travel.

I don't think the NCAA would want to take a chance a player could get barred from traveling with his team. Or they could try to clear every player in the NCAA months ahead of the tournament.

The NCAA already allows a D-I college bowl game in Toronto, so I don't think hockey players would be an issue...

http://www.internationalbowl.org/

[UHall6]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

The NCAA already allows a D-I college bowl game in Toronto, so I don't think hockey players would be an issue...

http://www.internationalbowl.org/

True, but the International Bowl has no impact on deciding a National Championship. I doubt Canada would bar someone with a misdemeanor from playing in a tournament but if there is even the possibility I wonder if the NCAA would take the chance when there are plenty of options in the US.

[CHFAN222]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

True, but the International Bowl has no impact on deciding a National Championship. I doubt Canada would bar someone with a misdemeanor from playing in a tournament but if there is even the possibility I wonder if the NCAA would take the chance when there are plenty of options in the US.

I don't think they would deny anyone entry. Canada has hosted NFL games and has franchises in the NHL, NBA, and MLB. I can't think of anytime a player was denied entry. If anything Canada would not make such a stupid move and jeopardize chances at hosting future events.

[ScottK]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

I don't think they would deny anyone entry. Canada has hosted NFL games and has franchises in the NHL, NBA, and MLB. I can't think of anytime a player was denied entry. If anything Canada would not make such a stupid move and jeopardize chances at hosting future events.

Bob Probert wasn't allowed to travel into Canada with the Wings for a year or two in the early 90s after his cocaine bust.

[Larch]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

Bob Probert wasn't allowed to travel into Canada with the Wings for a year or two in the early 90s after his cocaine bust.

They don't even allow their own in?

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

Quebec City should be a non-starter. The Colisee Pepsi is a hole, the population is predominantly (like 98 percent) francophone (and unlike Montreal there isn't a large bilingual population or any kind of anglophone media), and its a much further trip for fans than several other Canadian cities and much less accessible by air.

[UHall6]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

I don't think they would deny anyone entry. Canada has hosted NFL games and has franchises in the NHL, NBA, and MLB. I can't think of anytime a player was denied entry. If anything Canada would not make such a stupid move and jeopardize chances at hosting future events.

A professional athlete would have his or her travel schedule months in advance and if they did have a criminal record they would have plenty of time to apply for the waiver. There is less than a week between the end of college hockey league tournaments and the start of the NCAA tournament regionals or two weeks between regionals and the Frozen Four. And visiting athletes have to pay income tax on the prorated portion of their salary earned while playing in Canada so there is plenty of incentive to let them in.

[dggoddard]

Re: 2013, '14, '15 Frozen Four Sites

Anyone with a criminal record (including misdemeanors or Driving While Impaired (DWI) charges) may be barred from entering Canada and must obtain a special waiver well in advance of any planned travel..

That rules out Clarkson & North Dakota making the Frozen Four.