ricojes Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Good stuff... http://buffalonews.com/2017/04/18/buffalo-frozen-four/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Sulky will make this all Pegulas fault either blaming them on costs or saying they should have got it sooner/longer/bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 And a new stadium in 2024? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 That might finally be a good time to head back for a visit. It's been a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Has Buffalo ever hosted the Sweet 16/Elite 8 version of the NCAA Basketball Tournament? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Has Buffalo ever hosted the Sweet 16/Elite 8 version of the NCAA Basketball Tournament? They often rotate with Auburns Hills to host the first weekend. Hockey sized stadiums aren't good enough for the next weekend. It's a crime to host hoops games in football domes, at least Cuse cuts off half the stadium and tells you distance seats in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 The Pegulas can't get playoff results on the ice or field...but they sure have been successful at getting big time events down there. and developing the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 Has Buffalo ever hosted the Sweet 16/Elite 8 version of the NCAA Basketball Tournament? They sell out for round 1, which is rare, so the NCAA doesn't feel the need to change that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 They sell out for round 1, which is rare, so the NCAA doesn't feel the need to change that. NCAA wants larger venues than NBA/NHL 15-20,000 seat arenas for the later rounds. A total ripoff for fans unless they are paying top $$$ in the risers for later rounds, you can't see much in the domes. Buffalo and Auburn Hills (Detroit next year) have been great to watch for most every other year for quite awhile for the first weekend. Syracuse hosted the 16/8 a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 NCAA wants larger venues than NBA/NHL 15-20,000 seat arenas for the later rounds. A total ripoff for fans unless they are paying top $$$ in the risers for later rounds, you can't see much in the domes. Buffalo and Auburn Hills (Detroit next year) have been great to watch for most every other year for quite awhile for the first weekend. Syracuse hosted the 16/8 a few years ago. Has anyone reading this been to any of these games in those larger venues? I can't imagine how difficult it is to watch when you're too far away. I was at the Detroit Frozen Four in Ford Field and it was a complete disaster. The building was way to big for hockey. It was also way too empty, which, I assume doesn't wind up being a problem for the basketball games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 They often rotate with Auburns Hills to host the first weekend. Hockey sized stadiums aren't good enough for the next weekend. It's a crime to host hoops games in football domes, at least Cuse cuts off half the stadium and tells you distance seats in advance. Here in San Jose, the SAP Center just had the Sweet 16/Elite 8, and that's a hockey sized stadium. Now if you're talking about the Final Four games, yes the NCAA wants the football stadiums. Which is ridiculous. They sell out for round 1, which is rare, so the NCAA doesn't feel the need to change that. You don't think they would sell out in Buffalo if they had the Sweet 16/Elite 8 games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 (edited) To clarify, they like Buffalo and Auburn Hills (and the new Wings arena shortly) for the first weekend, and that's going to be that. They will go to other cities with an 18,000 arena (and MSG) but Buffalo won't be in that discussion. They also like domes, they love domes... I attended the Thursday/Friday of the Sweet 16 and Saturday of the Final 4 at Ford Field the 2 straight years, like the Super Bowl you are there for anything but getting a good view of the game, unless you pay around $2,000. Never again for that. and Syracuse is eligible and has hosted 16/8, don't know if they did the usual cut-off of half the dome or let it rip so that every seat beyond risers is long distance, after Ford Field I didn't want to know. Edited April 19, 2017 by row_33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 You don't think they would sell out in Buffalo if they had the Sweet 16/Elite 8 games? Don't think you get my point...Sweet 16/Elite 8 games sell out just about wherever they are hosted. 1st and 2nd round generally do not, but in Buffalo they do sell out. Therefore the NCAA is happy with attendance for the 1st and 2nd round games being boosted in Buffalo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Buffalo is to be grateful for getting the first weekend every 2-3 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teef Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 don't you have to even go into a lottery to get first round tickets for basketball? i'm into the frozen 4 in the area as well. i went to a college that was big into hockey, and it was amazing how intense the games were. on top of that, it seems to be turning into a great feeder system into the pros, (or at least more than i was ever aware). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 don't you have to even go into a lottery to get first round tickets for basketball? i'm into the frozen 4 in the area as well. i went to a college that was big into hockey, and it was amazing how intense the games were. on top of that, it seems to be turning into a great feeder system into the pros, (or at least more than i was ever aware). Yup... public goes to the lottery But..... I've always purchased in the top 2 rows at Buffalo for a doubleheader on the Saturday/Sunday for at most $150 on Stubhub, which I'm fine with. The seats downstairs between the baselines are reserved for the 4 teams. The whole kit and caboodble of the teams that lose the Thurs/Fri haul butt out of Buffalo immediately, NOBODY sticks around for the next round. So you can pick up good cheap seats in person as they leave the arena or off Stubhub. A friend grabbed a seat for the Seattle final game for $5 from exiting losing fans, I think it was the UNC/Ewing Hoyas final. It's not so complicated if you want to get in... If you haven't gone, there are 3 doubleheaders, afternoon/night on the Thurs/Fri and whenever on the Sat/Sun. So you buy the tickets for the 3 packages separately or all 3 in a pass. Have only done the weekend games for Buffalo. Went to all 4 games in Pittsburgh a few years ago, that was too much in a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teef Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Yup... public goes to the lottery But..... I've always purchased in the top 2 rows at Buffalo for a doubleheader on the Saturday/Sunday for at most $150 on Stubhub, which I'm fine with. The seats downstairs between the baselines are reserved for the 4 teams. The whole kit and caboodble of the teams that lose the Thurs/Fri haul butt out of Buffalo immediately, NOBODY sticks around for the next round. So you can pick up good cheap seats in person as they leave the arena or off Stubhub. A friend grabbed a seat for the Seattle final game for $5 from exiting losing fans, I think it was the UNC/Ewing Hoyas final. It's not so complicated if you want to get in... If you haven't gone, there are 3 doubleheaders, afternoon/night on the Thurs/Fri and whenever on the Sat/Sun. So you buy the tickets for the 3 packages separately or all 3 in a pass. Have only done the weekend games for Buffalo. Went to all 4 games in Pittsburgh a few years ago, that was too much in a day. that's some good info. it would definitely be something fun to do as a change up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 (edited) Has Buffalo ever hosted the Sweet 16/Elite 8 version of the NCAA Basketball Tournament?Buffalo hosted the frozen four in '05 I think. The year Thomas Vanek led Minnesota to the title. I was there and let me tell you it was embarrassing how desolate it was outside the arena. People walking out after games wondering where they could just get a bite to eat. Next time it will so much better. Edited April 20, 2017 by PromoTheRobot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Buffalo hosted the frozen four in '05 I think. The year Thomas Vanek led Minnesota to the title. I was there and let me tell you it was embarrassing how desolate it was outside the arena. People walking out after games wondering where they could just get a bite to eat. Next time it will so much better. 2003. I haven't gone to one of these since 2010, but what you described fit a bunch of them, especially when it's played in a non-college hockey hotbed. Those might actually be the best ones though for the people who really want to see the games. You've got fans practically giving the tickets away outside, those who got 4 seats in the lottery but only needed two. Even with all the improvements in Buffalo, it could very well happen again at this one. If you don't get the traveling fanbase in the game (North Dakota), attendance will be lacking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 that's some good info. it would definitely be something fun to do as a change up. I'm very happy to be an hour drive from Buffalo and 3 from Detroit to see the first weekend games best memory was the only Thu/Fri doubleheader I saw in Buffalo and Virginia Commonwealth took out Duke in OT, the crowd turned heavily on Duke as soon as they realized VCU was for real the problem is that if the big team loses the first game you have a huge amount of empty seats in the lower tier as the Kansas/Duke/Nova entourage is long gone. one year Butler (before it erupted) and Northwestern State (in Louisiana???) were the hi-lite of the Sat/Sun games in Auburn Hills I'd like to see Buffalo host the MAAC hoop tournies more than once a decade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 NCAA wants larger venues than NBA/NHL 15-20,000 seat arenas for the later rounds. A total ripoff for fans unless they are paying top $$$ in the risers for later rounds, you can't see much in the domes. Buffalo and Auburn Hills (Detroit next year) have been great to watch for most every other year for quite awhile for the first weekend. Syracuse hosted the 16/8 a few years ago. You were right at one time, but that's changed in recent years. Sweet Sixteen/Elite Eight has been going to less domes every year. And, now this year it was 4 arenas, no domes - Memphis, MSG, KC and San Jose. 2003. I haven't gone to one of these since 2010, but what you described fit a bunch of them, especially when it's played in a non-college hockey hotbed. Those might actually be the best ones though for the people who really want to see the games. You've got fans practically giving the tickets away outside, those who got 4 seats in the lottery but only needed two. Even with all the improvements in Buffalo, it could very well happen again at this one. If you don't get the traveling fanbase in the game (North Dakota), attendance will be lacking. I was wondering what teams travel for hockey. So many of the schools seem so small that I don't think they would have a big traveling fan base - UMass-Lowell, Denver, UM-Duluth, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 thanks bbb, the NCAA has used cities where there was no recourse to a dome, and MSG will always get more than the others in capacity. With Syracuse so close as a useful option I just don't see Buffalo getting anything more than it does. that's good news for fans, Domes are horrible unless you are a VIP... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 thanks bbb, the NCAA has used cities where there was no recourse to a dome, and MSG will always get more than the others in capacity. With Syracuse so close as a useful option I just don't see Buffalo getting anything more than it does. that's good news for fans, Domes are horrible unless you are a VIP... I think you're right about Syracuse getting the 16/8 over Buffalo. The Carrier Dome has been in the regional rotation since the 80s, before they started using domes for every Final Four and a lot of the regionals, so I think they'll still be in that rotation. LIke you said, they at least cut the dome in half............There was discussion a few years ago about Buffalo going after the regional, but some people think it's better to have the sub-regional - you have 8 fan bases that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 I think you're right about Syracuse getting the 16/8 over Buffalo. The Carrier Dome has been in the regional rotation since the 80s, before they started using domes for every Final Four and a lot of the regionals, so I think they'll still be in that rotation. LIke you said, they at least cut the dome in half............There was discussion a few years ago about Buffalo going after the regional, but some people think it's better to have the sub-regional - you have 8 fan bases that way. Missed out on Buffalo this year due to workload, missed it horribly.... Will go to Little Caesar's or whatever it is next year in Detroit for these games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Yeah, that should be good - in the new arena. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Yeah, that should be good - in the new arena. Saves a half hour's drive north of Detroit to Auburn Hills, and driving through the rurals of Michigan always seems a bit strange to me, looking for tumbleweeds.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 I was wondering what teams travel for hockey. So many of the schools seem so small that I don't think they would have a big traveling fan base - UMass-Lowell, Denver, UM-Duluth, etc. No one travels quite like the west does. North Dakota blows everyone out of the water though. The Big Ten schools generally do too, I've seen very good showings from Michigan State, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin (granted that one was in Milwaukee). Maine, of all places, used to travel really well. Unfortunately their program has fallen off the face of the earth over the past 10 years. If you want to see a big time program that travels ridiculously poorly, it's BC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 No one travels quite like the west does. North Dakota blows everyone out of the water though. The Big Ten schools generally do too, I've seen very good showings from Michigan State, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin (granted that one was in Milwaukee). Maine, of all places, used to travel really well. Unfortunately their program has fallen off the face of the earth over the past 10 years. If you want to see a big time program that travels ridiculously poorly, it's BC. Wow, I would have figured that BC would have been one of the best!.............So, Denver travels well, I take it? Were there more Denver or Notre Dame fans in their meeting in the FF in Chicago?.................How do you think Penn State will be now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 No one travels quite like the west does. North Dakota blows everyone out of the water though. The Big Ten schools generally do too, I've seen very good showings from Michigan State, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin (granted that one was in Milwaukee). Maine, of all places, used to travel really well. Unfortunately their program has fallen off the face of the earth over the past 10 years. If you want to see a big time program that travels ridiculously poorly, it's BC. Bostonites are known for being poor supporters unless team is guaranteed a win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 i just love that the dipheads in the ncaa got off their high horse to do whats right about giving back nc what it should have never lost to begin with. gboro is one of the largest venues in the country, only 2 are larger iirc. and it's very convenient for travel. right along 40, 85 and just off 77, and not far from 95. it's centrally located to schools in the area, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Maybe they were trying to do the players a favor and get them an all expenses trip out of state and it has been ruined now. They were probably afraid like Cuba athletes they would bail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Wow, I would have figured that BC would have been one of the best!.............So, Denver travels well, I take it? Were there more Denver or Notre Dame fans in their meeting in the FF in Chicago?.................How do you think Penn State will be now? I've never been to one where Denver played, so I can't really say. They were always a bit more of a vocal fanbase online, but that's my only encounter with them. I'd imagine there were more Notre Dame fans in Chicago thanks to the location, but that's a pure guess. I've had no encounters with Penn State hockey. They didn't exist when I was going to games. With their quick build, I bet they'll have a very good following. I used to play beer league hockey with a guy who went to school there and I know he was very excited when they decided to go D1. Bostonites are known for being poor supporters unless team is guaranteed a win. Don't get me wrong, I love taking shots at Boston, but I think this one is more about the school than the city itself. They've won 4 national championships over the last 17 years and are in the frozen four essentially every year. If that can't draw the attention of their student base, nothing will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 I was surprised how fast Penn State was to get good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 I was surprised how fast Penn State was to get good. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'd imagine that they've been an older team than most so far. Bring in those older guys who are guaranteed to use their full four years of eligibility and may not have gotten a shot somewhere else and you're going to have a physical edge over the teams with younger high draft picks. I may dig into their roster later when I have some free time to see if that's the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teef Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 No one travels quite like the west does. North Dakota blows everyone out of the water though. The Big Ten schools generally do too, I've seen very good showings from Michigan State, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin (granted that one was in Milwaukee). Maine, of all places, used to travel really well. Unfortunately their program has fallen off the face of the earth over the past 10 years. If you want to see a big time program that travels ridiculously poorly, it's BC. Wow, I would have figured that BC would have been one of the best!.............So, Denver travels well, I take it? Were there more Denver or Notre Dame fans in their meeting in the FF in Chicago?.................How do you think Penn State will be now? i went to bc, and unfortunately it's true. they love their hockey program, but they've been so good of so long under jerry york, that i think everyone has become spoiled. on top of that, the general athletics atmosphere is pretty tame. people enjoy the games, but it seems to be more background. even the football games don't tend to fill up until the second quarter. people just hang outside of the stadium and eat/drink. add in that the major programs are total garbage right now, and you won't see anyone travel too much outside of mass to see anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'd imagine that they've been an older team than most so far. Bring in those older guys who are guaranteed to use their full four years of eligibility and may not have gotten a shot somewhere else and you're going to have a physical edge over the teams with younger high draft picks. I may dig into their roster later when I have some free time to see if that's the case. Interesting info. i went to bc, and unfortunately it's true. they love their hockey program, but they've been so good of so long under jerry york, that i think everyone has become spoiled. on top of that, the general athletics atmosphere is pretty tame. people enjoy the games, but it seems to be more background. even the football games don't tend to fill up until the second quarter. people just hang outside of the stadium and eat/drink. add in that the major programs are total garbage right now, and you won't see anyone travel too much outside of mass to see anything. Somebody told me, and I don't know how true it is, that BC is trying to deemphasize athletics in order to be looked at as even more academic than they are now.............It was in a discussion of our Bonnies hoops coach, a BC grad, always seeming to have that job out there, and it might be the only one he would take..........But, this person said that's no longer the case because of this downgrading of athletics. In terms of hockey, it sounds like they are like Bama football fans. Too spoiled now - so they're not traveling like they did at the beginning of Saban's tenure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teef Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Interesting info. Somebody told me, and I don't know how true it is, that BC is trying to deemphasize athletics in order to be looked at as even more academic than they are now.............It was in a discussion of our Bonnies hoops coach, a BC grad, always seeming to have that job out there, and it might be the only one he would take..........But, this person said that's no longer the case because of this downgrading of athletics. In terms of hockey, it sounds like they are like Bama football fans. Too spoiled now - so they're not traveling like they did at the beginning of Saban's tenure. i don't think they're deepmhasizing it, but it's never been a large concern. years ago there was a falling out between the president and the basketball coach over some recruits. the president didn't want them there because he felt they weren't up to the academic standard of the school. these were top notch guys, so the coach left and went to OSU. that's when it all became public. bc just won't invest much into the programs. they are trying though, as a few years ago they upped their allowance for a head football coach from $750k to $1.2mill. with numbers like that it's tough to get high end coaches. they just hired the deputy athletic director of OSU as the new AD, so we'll see if he can right the ship. ultimately i just have come to terms that bc is the ultimate stepping stone program for coaches. if you can show results at bc, you tend to get the big boy jobs right after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 i don't think they're deepmhasizing it, but it's never been a large concern. years ago there was a falling out between the president and the basketball coach over some recruits. the president didn't want them there because he felt they weren't up to the academic standard of the school. these were top notch guys, so the coach left and went to OSU. that's when it all became public. bc just won't invest much into the programs. they are trying though, as a few years ago they upped their allowance for a head football coach from $750k to $1.2mill. with numbers like that it's tough to get high end coaches. they just hired the deputy athletic director of OSU as the new AD, so we'll see if he can right the ship. ultimately i just have come to terms that bc is the ultimate stepping stone program for coaches. if you can show results at bc, you tend to get the big boy jobs right after. Funny that you think of BC as the stepping stone, because that coach that went from BC to OSU is Jim O'Brien, who coached at Bonnies when I was there, and the word was that he was using it as a stepping stone to BC, his alma mater...........Which is where he went. And, now, like I said - we have another BC grad who is a good coach and the worry is him going to his alma mater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teef Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 (edited) Funny that you think of BC as the stepping stone, because that coach that went from BC to OSU is Jim O'Brien, who coached at Bonnies when I was there, and the word was that he was using it as a stepping stone to BC, his alma mater...........Which is where he went. And, now, like I said - we have another BC grad who is a good coach and the worry is him going to his alma mater. it was jim o'brien! the break up was pretty nasty. he even took some of his best players with him. that was seen as the big step in the friction between the athletic and academic dept. skinner was the next coach who was from URI. he was great. they've recently hired the coach of Cornell who took his team to the sweet 16...didn't work out. if i'm not mistaken, the newest coach is from miami of ohio, where he had a fantastic record. for bc, he's won 2 conference games in 2 years. the bonnies coach sound exactly like a coach they would take. i'd give the current coach another year before he's outed. then it's next man up. edit: great info about o'brien. i had no idea he ever coached at bonnies. (my wife is a bonnies alum as well) Edited April 27, 2017 by teef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 it was jim o'brien! the break up was pretty nasty. he even took some of his best players with him. that was seen as the big step in the friction between the athletic and academic dept. skinner was the next coach who was from URI. he was great. Wasn't there some kind of scandal with Skinner? That's a sport I never pay attention to but I remember hearing talk somewhere around that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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