TheFlop

It's an unwatchable product right now.

It appears that the students are leading the way in poor attendance because they fill the lower bowl and the center of the upper bowl, but all of the empty seats are concentrated on the edges of their upper bowl seats. Still unacceptable. This weekend take a look at the "expensive" seats behind the team benches and the lower bowl in general. Lots of empty seats but they are spread out and not all in 2 sections like the students empties are. It's not a crisis but it's also not trending in the right direction.

Actually, there has been a pretty consistent move up over the years, not drastic, but definitely consistent. It is also important to note that this move up hasn't been from 1950's throwback pricing.....the Ralph started out expensive. The increase has not always been in the ticket price.....but between rises in the ticket price, club donation requirements, parking fees, concession fees, decreasing the size of the beers, etc, it is getting spendy. Also, while student attendance has definitely been soft, it would be insincere to ignore that arena wide the non-student attendance has been just as soft. Concessions aren't a must? True, but sitting still for 2.5-3 hours of a 2-1 game without even a soda? So people are supposed to pay $200+ for a family of 4 to get into the building but then your advice is that they should just be happy sitting with cotton mouth the rest of the night? That is precisely the attitude that is hurting attendance at the Ralph (you work there?). There are about 1/4 of the fans in the Ralph on any given night that actually understand the rules and are hockey diehards. Then about 1/4 students whose interest comes and goes. The rest of the arena are socialites and people that are bringing their family for the total experience (which includes concessions, souveniers, the game, the intermission games, etc). My opinion is it's getting too expensive for the last category (which is a big category) and that is why you are seeing alot of empty seats. Even in Grand Forks, there are only so many true diehard fans.....and they are nowhere near enough to fill up the Ralph.

The Deboer ship has sailed. UND had a chance to hire a young fast riser and instead went with a legacy retread. Perpetual mediocrity has been the result.

Not surprised at the underdog part but that seems a little extreme.

I believe cheap Micholob light bottles all day too

$3.99 footlong hot dogs in back food court of Casino Royale. Add cheese.....saurkaut....chili....etc. One of the last "dive" casinos on the strip that hasn't been tore down and had an expensive new casino put up in its place.

Senden isn't fast.....he isn't big.....but he seems to have the knack for being in the right place at the right time.

This is wrong. They were expensive almost right away. Allegiant knew what was going on and flights departing from anywhere in ND for them have had premium pricing for months.

UND caught a break but nothing wrong with that. A win was sorely needed. Will be interesting to see opposition going forward. Seemed like UNDs overall team speed was a notch below Mankato all weekend.

Actually it's up to 4 now......unless you don't want to count the OT and multiple PPs that were needed to take down Manitoba in the exhibition. (And one could argue it's now 1 full season + 4)

Hak could never win with Hak guys....so Berry winning with Hak guys is a step up. Starting to have some questions about Berry but if you think about it, aren't most of the upperclassmen busts on the team still Hak recruits?

UND really needs at least a win and a tie this weekend to keep people engaged. Another weekend of uninspired play and 1 goal performances would be disasterous.

Gardner is not a top line center on a good team. Januitenen must have something on Berry. Adams and Kawagoochi are small, without great speed (bad combo) and get knocked off pucks easily. Yon and Hoff are upperclassmen that can't consistently stay in the lineup. At this point play Hain, Senden and Weatherby every game to see what you got

Dan Senkbill would have never had to transfer if he was on this team.

The same iniury that didn't prevent him from immediately making an impact in the NHL the second the college season ended.........

In all fairness Brock mailed it in his Sophomore year saving himself for the pros....don't blame him as it worked

At this pace the arena will be half empty by Christmas. 3 games in and the trend that started last year has continued it's downward march.

Ballgame.

Brutal

Another season like last year and you'll start to see the money from hockey pull back some too. Towards the end of last season sell outs were being announced but it was clear that actual attendance (butts in the seats) was down. The fringe fans (which many at the Ralph are) aren't gonna keep shelling out $$$ to see 1-2 goals a game that is lacking of excitement.

Your buddy nailed it.

Because he's not a coach's kid.

Actual butts in seats maybe 3/4 full.

Pete Haga could always find time in his extremely busy city of Grand Forks schedule to open up another food truck?