Ford Field Rink Installation

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

I just looked at the box score for the 1st game and the attendance is reported as 0.

Its always been this way. Anytime a single ticket is stubbed or scanned for two games the first game attendance is either listed as 0 or n/a. I'm guessing since the NCAA and the FF organizing committees are already on record as claiming an advance sale in the neighborhood of 30,000 you can bet that will be about the number they release. I think the sheer size of the venue (even with it partitioned) is why it seems somewhat empty, but I am willing to bet this is still the most butts in seats for any FF semi-final ever. I'm not saying one way or another if that makes this a success (and no matter how many tickets were sold that is only one small factor to consider before this is declared a success or failure), I'm just saying...

[blockski]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

They're playing on a slurpee inside an aircraft hanger, hard to get excited about the concept being repeated. I can see the reasoning behind the idea, I see no reason for it to be done again.

"Nice catch, Hayes. Don't ever *******in do it again."

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[slurpees]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

It's easy to call it a failure if you are not here to experience it.

This

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

Looks like the ice is getting better as game 2 goes along. Everyone in standard seats is praising the views. Everyone in risers is complaining. I think at this point things are wait and see. It's easy to call it a failure if you are not here to experience it. Right now i'm at 50/50 on my opinion.

Its way easier to call it what it is when you step away from your own personal beliefs about your home town and stop being defensive about the location itself. I don't blame Detroit for bidding on the Frozen Four this way because maybe the NCAA has repeatedly rejected Joe Louis Arena since 1990 and Detroit found a way to change it up and the NCAA saw nothing but benjamins.

[STATEdude3]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

Its way easier to call it what it is when you step away from your own personal beliefs about your home town and stop being defensive about the location itself. I don't blame Detroit for bidding on the Frozen Four this way because maybe the NCAA has repeatedly rejected Joe Louis Arena since 1990 and Detroit found a way to change it up and the NCAA saw nothing but benjamins.

I get defensive about the city itself...I'm calling the venue choice and ice quality as it is. I am actually here to judge those things...unlike many of you sitting back and making judgments from a thousand miles away.

As I said before part of my job is evaluating the experience that out of towners have for events like this one. I have talked to probably 50 people to gauge their opinions tonight. As I stated before, almost all of them sitting in permanent seats were pleased with their view and the experience as a whole. Almost everyone in the risers was displeased with their experience from the length of walk to get to the seats, to the view itself.

I called it as it is...I had a great time, and a great view from section 243. The block and a half walk home saw lots of people smiling and saying things like "awesome" and "cant wait until Saturday". I'm sure there are people that feel the other way about it too...but like I said, you cant judge something accurately from a thousand miles away.

My opinion is that it is not great, but not terrible. I will see how the rest of the weekend plays out before making my final judgment.

[Eaglefan06]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

We loved our seats. We had a great time tonight watching both games, even though they were blowouts.

Sure a hockey arena would be better, but those of you who aren't there calling it a complete failure should keep quite. Your opinions can and will be accepted if you attend on Saturday and still feel the same way.

[The Rube]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

And as a tv viewer this year, horrible. The ice lines were distracting, the stadium had little life, the camera shots had to be altered in such a way that it took a bit from the game, I know for a fact that many bought tix only to keep their priority, and sorta un-related the research/announcing was subpar (that last one is to be expected, though).

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

I get defensive about the city itself...I'm calling the venue choice and ice quality as it is. I am actually here to judge those things...unlike many of you sitting back and making judgments from a thousand miles away.

As I said before part of my job is evaluating the experience that out of towners have for events like this one. I have talked to probably 50 people to gauge their opinions tonight. As I stated before, almost all of them sitting in permanent seats were pleased with their view and the experience as a whole. Almost everyone in the risers was displeased with their experience from the length of walk to get to the seats, to the view itself.

I called it as it is...I had a great time, and a great view from section 243. The block and a half walk home saw lots of people smiling and saying things like "awesome" and "cant wait until Saturday". I'm sure there are people that feel the other way about it too...but like I said, you cant judge something accurately from a thousand miles away.

My opinion is that it is not great, but not terrible. I will see how the rest of the weekend plays out before making my final judgment.

Have you talked to many people in 103-105 and 128-130. Are you seeing complaints from R1-R5 AND R36-R39?

From everything the players have said when interviewed the ice sounds good even though it looks funny on TV so that is better than I expected...it just looks really weird on tv being able to see the freon tubing under the ice...

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

From what I've heard, from people there, is that it was as quiet as a funeral in there. Great atmosphere.

[STATEdude3]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

Have you talked to many people in 103-105 and 128-130. Are you seeing complaints from R1-R5 AND R36-R39?

From everything the players have said when interviewed the ice sounds good even though it looks funny on TV so that is better than I expected...it just looks really weird on tv being able to see the freon tubing under the ice...

Like I said...people in the risers have had bad experiences. That is something that I expected, and I wish would have been addressed in a better way. I think the simple fix would have been to only put risers on the one side, and make sure they were at a more viewer friendly incline. The NCAA acknowledged from the start that the # of "excellent views" would be reduced but the number of "quality views" would increase. I am getting the impression that this is correct.

How often is an event of this scale pulled off without issues the first time around? The first super bowl was a nightmare for crying out loud! My point is that for an experiment it has gone off pretty well. With refining I'm sure more people could be pleased.

As for the view from TV i'm about to turn on the DVR now and check it out. But the complaint was that not many people watch college hockey on ESPN so who cares what that is like.

[STATEdude3]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

From what I've heard, from people there, is that it was as quiet as a funeral in there. Great atmosphere.

Well half the fans there had nothing to cheer for by the start of the 2nd period...it's not like the games were at all exciting. It was plenty loud during introductions and early in the 2nd game when there was action at both ends.

[The Rube]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

How often is an event of this scale pulled off without issues the first time around? The first super bowl was a nightmare for crying out loud! My point is that for an experiment it has gone off pretty well. With refining I'm sure more people could be pleased.

As for the view from TV i'm about to turn on the DVR now and check it out. But the complaint was that not many people watch college hockey on ESPN so who cares what that is like.

They could have taken pointers from the NHL, which apparently they didn't.

[davyd83]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

Lets face it. Those who had already decided months ago that the venue would suck,will not likely have their minds changed not matter what. The ice was far from a slush bucket that some "experts" had forecast. But there will be those who have never been within 100 miles of Ford Field who will be glad to tell you how bad it sucked. I have talked to people who were there that said it was pretty good. From what I saw on TV, I've definitely seen choppuer, sloppier ice in plenty of venues this year and have seen poorer ice at the FF on more than one occasion as well, not including the Cincinnati debacle. Did the risers suck? It sure looks like they did. Was the fixed seatung good? From the view from the 200 and 300 levels and the behind the goal seats that I got when I toured the facility during the CCHA tourney, those views looked pretty decent, and if the 300 level was a bit far away, please...of you were in those seats (A) you got what you paid for and (B) you likely wouldnt have been in the building were the tourney at the Joe.

[The Rube]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

Lets face it. Those who had already decided months ago that the venue would suck,will not likely have their minds changed not matter what. The ice was far from a slush bucket that some "experts" had forecast. But there will be those who have never been within 100 miles of Ford Field who will be glad to tell you how bad it sucked. I have talked to people who were there that said it was pretty good. From what I saw on TV, I've definitely seen choppuer, sloppier ice in plenty of venues this year and have seen poorer ice at the FF on more than one occasion as well, not including the Cincinnati debacle. Did the risers suck? It sure looks like they did. Was the fixed seatung good? From the view from the 200 and 300 levels and the behind the goal seats that I got when I toured the facility during the CCHA tourney, those views looked pretty decent, and if the 300 level was a bit far away, please...of you were in those seats (A) you got what you paid for and (B) you likely wouldnt have been in the building were the tourney at the Joe.

I hadn't decided that, as well as others. We waited to decide. And right now? Blech.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Ford Field Rink Installation

Lets face it. Those who had already decided months ago that the venue would suck,will not likely have their minds changed not matter what. The ice was far from a slush bucket that some "experts" had forecast. But there will be those who have never been within 100 miles of Ford Field who will be glad to tell you how bad it sucked. I have talked to people who were there that said it was pretty good. From what I saw on TV, I've definitely seen choppuer, sloppier ice in plenty of venues this year and have seen poorer ice at the FF on more than one occasion as well, not including the Cincinnati debacle. Did the risers suck? It sure looks like they did. Was the fixed seatung good? From the view from the 200 and 300 levels and the behind the goal seats that I got when I toured the facility during the CCHA tourney, those views looked pretty decent, and if the 300 level was a bit far away, please...of you were in those seats (A) you got what you paid for and (B) you likely wouldnt have been in the building were the tourney at the Joe.

I just admitted that ice based on what the players have said during interviews is way better than I expected...sounds like Detroit got lucky to get that weather and humidity out of the way yesterday.