Union v UMass-Lowell -----------------– East Final – 5,238
Ferris State v Cornell –-------------- Midwest Final – 3,108
Minn-Duluth v Boston College –-- Northeast Final – 4,470
North Dakota v Minnesota –------------------- West--10,974
That’s a TOTAL of 23,880 fans that watched a regional final. I’m stunned, again at the lack of attendance at these fine arenas. I wonder what causes this, is it a lack of interest? Are fans watching basketball instead of hockey (I hope that isn’t the case)? Are the college kids broke, because they spent all their (or Mom and Dad’s) money on spring break a week or two ago? Is it a combination of things?
Looking at the numbers for conference tournament championship games and we have the following info:
Atlantic ----– Air Force v RIT ------–---- 2,433
ECAC –----- Union v Harvard –---------- 4,131
CCHA –----- Michigan v W. Mich ----– 10,421
Hockey East --–---- BC v Maine –------ 13,079
WCHA –----- N.Dakota v Denver –---- 16,838
That’s a TOTAL of 46,902 fans watching conference championship games. More fans attend conference tournament games than NCAA regionals.
I have an idea that would/should boost attendance at NCAA regionals. How about we don’t pick regional locations years in advance, but we have the top seeds host them? That would have meant last weekend that BC (7,549 – 96%), Union (2,009 – 90%), Michigan (5,997 – 90%), and UND (11,155 – 96%), would have hosted the games at their home rinks. The numbers behind each team was their average home attendance and percent capacity this season.
I know, many will say that by doing that the top seeds have an unfair advantage. I say they’re right, but it is also gives them that reward of earning a top seed. I also firmly believe that attendance would improve. Honestly, attendance couldn’t get any worse, could it?
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