NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

[GB Puck Fan]

I mean, another way to prevent St. Cloud losing yet again would have been, you know, their players scoring more goals then their opponents.

That’s just crazy talk there.

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

Back in the early 90s when on campus sites were used, I am wondering if those arenas were more readily available to remain open for a regional weekend and didn't have other commitments booked like newer multi purpose facilities do now.

I think you have answered your own question, at least partially. The arenas we see now are multi-purpose and are used for many things. Plus the costs associated with building these things nowadays almost dictate 365 day per year usage. The cost of building a modern arena of any size has so far outstripped inflation over the last few decades because the arenas are nothing like they used to be. Even something like the Compton Family Ice Arena on Notre Dame's campus doesn't sit idle for more than a day or two a year.

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

This has been covered ad nauseum before. "Super regionals" don't work in hockey because of practice/pregame ice time and locker room space. Four teams at a site is the optimum number.

"Ad nauseum?" I doubt it. You bring up practice and pre-game ice time. On practice, how long do teams get to practice at the Frozen Four? I think they get one hour on Wednesday, a total of four hours of ice occupancy as sit were. Assuming that first round games would be played at campus rinks, how would four teams per super regional be any different than four teams at the FF? And, continuing that logic, how would four teams occupying four locker rooms at a regional be any different than four teams occupying four locker rooms at a FF.

This is not out of the box thinking. Two regionals in decent sized arenas near metropolitan areas (Manchester, Worcester or Providence in the east, Twin Cities or Detroit in the west), emphasize geographical placement, and attendance would be better. Worth a try in my book because what we have now is not working.

[davyd83]

"Ad nauseum?" I doubt it. You bring up practice and pre-game ice time. On practice, how long do teams get to practice at the Frozen Four? I think they get one hour on Wednesday, a total of four hours of ice occupancy as sit were. Assuming that first round games would be played at campus rinks, how would four teams per super regional be any different than four teams at the FF? And, continuing that logic, how would four teams occupying four locker rooms at a regional be any different than four teams occupying four locker rooms at a FF.

This is not out of the box thinking. Two regionals in decent sized arenas near metropolitan areas (Manchester, Worcester or Providence in the east, Twin Cities or Detroit in the west), emphasize geographical placement, and attendance would be better. Worth a try in my book because what we have now is not working.

Four teams at a site works. Six or Eight teams does not.

[LtPowers]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

Would it consider bids in the same city as an institution, but not in the home rink, in order to satisfy the neutral ice requirement?

They frequently do this. Very frequently. This year alone, the NE regional was in Manchester, home to UNH; and the East regional was in Providence, home to Brown and Providence. And, hell, the Frozen Four was in Buffalo, home to Canisius.


Powers &8^]

[LTsatch]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

They frequently do this. Very frequently. This year alone, the NE regional was in Manchester, home to UNH; and the East regional was in Providence, home to Brown and Providence. And, hell, the Frozen Four was in Buffalo, home to Canisius.


Powers &8^]

Actually, UNH is in Durham NH.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Actually, UNH is in Durham NH.

At least the home rink is. Per Wikipedia, that’s a campus that’s split around a few cities in the area.

[Split-N]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

At least the home rink is. Per Wikipedia, that’s a campus that’s split around a few cities in the area.

Wikipedia is wrong on that count. I'm not a UNH grad but I've been there enough times to know that the UNH campus is in Durham. There may be things like associated farmland and the odd satellite facility that are in other jurisdictions but UNH itself is indeed in Durham. And depending how you measure, Manchester may actually be a few miles closer to UMass-Lowell than it is to UNH.

[LtPowers]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

Wikipedia is wrong on that count. I'm not a UNH grad but I've been there enough times to know that the UNH campus is in Durham. There may be things like associated farmland and the odd satellite facility that are in other jurisdictions but UNH itself is indeed in Durham. And depending how you measure, Manchester may actually be a few miles closer to UMass-Lowell than it is to UNH.

My bad; I skimmed the Wikipedia article. University of New Hampshire at Manchester is in Manchester, though. =)


Powers &8^]

[UMD21]

Sorry to have an opinion here folks - consider the source...
Two regionals is plenty. 2.00001 or more is too many.

That’s actually a really good point. We already have regionals on offsetting days, might as well just stick more together. If people are going to travel for the sole purpose of watching hockey, might as well give them a buffet of games. We might even see packed arenas that way.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

Subscribed because I guess we need another thread to discuss regionals.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

It’s the off-season, and I guess this is what we’re getting instead of “Syracuse/Iowa/USC should toooooootally start a program, guys and why don’t the Ivies break away from ECAC and kick PROVICED out of HOCKEY RAST” threads.

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

It’s the off-season, and I guess this is what we’re getting instead of “Syracuse/Iowa/USC should toooooootally start a program, guys and why don’t the Ivies break away from ECAC and kick PROVICED out of HOCKEY RAST” threads.

USCHO is going to publish my story on Monday with some more detail on these selections and the process. There's going to be nothing really earth-shattering in it, but some more info on what the committee looks for and confirmation of a couple of things.

[Jack McDonald]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

Thank You to all for such a spirited response to "Campus Sites" for the regionals. It clearly is something we all think about as we see many, many more "empty" seats, particularly at the regional finals.

Like all NCAA (except D-I MBBall) and Pro sports, the teams that do the best in the regular season have earned the right to host their playoffs rounds.

For years we hear the East does OK with attendance, while the West does not....hello???

I am looking forward to seeing more empty seats, more expenses, less revenue and more disrespect to the regular season games in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Let's keep this discussion going for one of the best NCAA Sports!

[Numbers]

Re: NCAA Regionals Must be on campus

Thank You to all for such a spirited response to "Campus Sites" for the regionals. It clearly is something we all think about as we see many, many more "empty" seats, particularly at the regional finals.

Like all NCAA (except D-I MBBall) and Pro sports, the teams that do the best in the regular season have earned the right to host their playoffs rounds.

For years we hear the East does OK with attendance, while the West does not....hello???

I am looking forward to seeing more empty seats, more expenses, less revenue and more disrespect to the regular season games in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Let's keep this discussion going for one of the best NCAA Sports!

Jack McDonald - Please offer more of your thoughts. Many different problems with "Home Sites for the Top 4 Seeds" have been brought up here, and you have not really addressed any of them. Please contribute more.

For my part, I have done some more calculations, and found this:
Let's suppose we do a different system:
We make the NCAAs 3 weekends.
Weekend 1: Home sites for the Top 8 in the PWR, or for the Conf Tourney Champs + however many at-large rinks you need to make 8 sites.
Weekend 2: 2 Regional Sites, each hosting 2 games. These would be Saturday, Sunday and would be bid for.
Weekend 3: Frozen Four
I'm not sure how to fit on the calendar, but this is what I found:

For the home sites week, this year's field would have had a home capacity average of 5250 for the top 8 seeds, and 5575 for the Conf Tourney Champs method.
The Regional Semis this year actually averaged: (5033, 4220, 7180, 3763) 5050.

I think it's safe to say that home sites would have done better. Most would have been full, I believe.