So is Fargo now officially a Hockey Town?

[star2city]

Kind of find these attendance averages contradicting the long-held view that Fargo is not a hockey town.

TOTAL GAMES AVERAGE

Fargo Force 57,860 17 3,403

NDSU Men's BB 32,613 10 3,261

Granted, the Urban Plains is new, so the arena itself is a draw, but the Force hardly has built fan allegiance yet. NDSU, with probably has the best team in their history and the favorite to win the Summit and take the NCAA bid, draws less. (Granted, I'd love for UND to attract that average - if it was physically even possible with the Betty now). The BSA has to be a major part of the problem - or is basketball in ND just not the attraction it formerly was?

[fightingsioux4life]

I think it's a little early to draw that conclusion. For starters, the Force and the Urban Plains Center are new and still a novelty in Fargo. People are going to go to games just to see what all the fuss is about. Once the novelty wears off and the focus turns to the team and the game of hockey, we'll find out how many of these people will continue coming to games.

Another factor is that NDSU is still finding their way in Division I. Yes, they've had a successful transition and they are now eligible for the postseason. But fans are still getting used to playing different teams from longer distances away. The Summit League is still unfamiliar for most Bison fans and it will take time for people to get fired up about games against teams most people still aren't all that familiar with.

Give it a couple of more years and we'll have our answer. One thing for sure: If anyone can make Fargo a hockey town, it's Dean Blais.

[redwing77]

I agree.

Just wait until the new Twins stadium opens. I'm sure they'll be right there among the top attendence teams in the majors during the first year (they'll still just barely squeak into the playoffs and lose in the first round). It has very little to do with the team on the field being any more popular than another in the local area (though I'm sure the Twins will claim that their system is what's making it possible).

Yeah, I dislike the Twins. Yeah I beat them down alot. I admit it.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

Somebody had better go post this on Bisonville and then watch the explosion start!!

In all seriousness, this, I would think, would have to be raising eye brows down there. And yes, it is early, but those are good crowds and the Force do not even have that great of a record (especially compared to the Bison hoops). Be interesting to see what the future holds.

[Ray77]

Somebody had better go post this on Bisonville and then watch the explosion start!!

In all seriousness, this, I would think, would have to be raising eye brows down there. And yes, it is early, but those are good crowds and the Force do not even have that great of a record (especially compared to the Bison hoops). Be interesting to see what the future holds.

I agree that it's early yet, and also when you look at it, their record does not seem that great (18-19-2). However, they are in 3rd place in the West division with 38 points (would be tied for 5th in the East division). 4 teams from each division make the playoffs. For a first year expansion team it is no small feat if they should make the playoffs. The arena and the "newness" of the team right now are a big draw, but playing well, having success on the ice and making the playoffs may go a long way to keep fans.

[Oxbow6]

A simple answer to the question is--NO!

This a FB town 1st, then baseball, then basketball and then hockey.

As a community, Fargo is what it is. At best, this town is a wannabe hockey town.

Minus the cream puff DAC teams that have rolled thru the BSA, the SU men's league attendance is much better than what the Force are drawing.

[ScottM]

Moorhead was/is more of a hockey town than Fargo ever was, or will be. And I grew up in Fargo, as well as played hockey on a few different teams in "my younger days".

[Oxbow6]

Moorhead was/is more of a hockey town than Fargo ever was, or will be. And I grew up in Fargo, as well as played hockey on a few different teams in "my younger days".

Meaning the one year of Mites you played and being traded 6 times in that one year!!

[MplsBison]

The BSA is not only ugly and has bad sight lines, but it's freakin cold in there. Horrible facility for all that use it with perhaps the exception of wrestling.

I wish they would bulldoze the damn thing and build something NDSU athletes deserve.

[MplsBison]

I'm also of the opinion that people will come watch a good show -- no matter what type of show it is -- if it's in a good facility.

The Fargodome is a good facility and the people of Fargo more or less come out for events in the Dome.

[Matt]

I wonder how many of the fans attending Force games have attended Bison BB in the past. Some maybe, but my guess is not many. The hockey parents in my sons' league that go to Force games have never attended a Bison BB game. The Force may simply be drawing on a previously untapped market, and have the advantage of a vastly superior facility. To add that many nights out spending money and not be drawing away from another event is impressive considering the national economy.

[DI IN FARGO]

The BSA is not only ugly and has bad sight lines, but it's freakin cold in there. Horrible facility for all that use it with perhaps the exception of wrestling.

I wish they would bulldoze the damn thing and build something NDSU athletes deserve.

This just goes to show how clueless you really are. The BSA needs to be replaced but I've been to every game there this season and the place gets to be like a damned sauna. The BSA maybe many things but cold is not one of them. Unfreaking believable MNPLS, you have again shown to all just how little you know.

[DI IN FARGO]

One more thing, I've never been to a hockey game but I will agree with the poster who said MHD is more of a Hockey town and still you combine both FM and overall the answer is still a resounding NO. Build the addition to the dome for basketball and watch the fans fill the place. The BSA is not a comfortable place for most to sit and watch. Site lines are not as bad as some have made them out to be about the only issue is the West side upper seating on the ends you have issues but the rest of the seating is not bad at all. But I do agree the BSA has outlived its usefulness for Basketball.

[Hammersmith]

This just goes to show how clueless you really are. The BSA needs to be replaced but I've been to every game there this season and the place gets to be like a damned sauna. The BSA maybe many things but cold is not one of them. Unfreaking believable MNPLS, you have again shown to all just how little you know.

They did something drastic to the heating this year. In the past, the BSA was an icebox on cold winter nights. Apparently the thermostat has two settings: 1 and 11. (Either that. or they installed some new air handlers or something.)

MBB will probably average between 3300-3500 this season. A renovated BSA with new seating would add an immediate 500-1000 to that, and a new facility would add 1000-1500. It would be nice if the numbers were growing faster on their own, but it takes a long time to change the culture of a fanbase. Once the change gets going, however, it snowballs into capacity crowds(or sellouts at least) very quickly. I think this season has been the tipping point. Unless we absolutely flop without the fab-four, the attendance growth should continue as NDSU completes its transition from a football school to a football/basketball school.

[MplsBison]

As weird as this may sound initially, this may be NDSU's best chance all time to join the WCHA.

Consider:

- NDSU has leverage over UND to get their vote

- WCHA is now expanding and will probably take someone else with Bemidji

- New Fargodome arena will likely be built to host ice events

If the NDSU admin haven't at least had a 2 hr discussion on the pros/cons since the WCHA has opened the doors for expansion, then they haven't been doing their job IMO.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

As weird as this may sound initially, this may be NDSU's best chance all time to join the WCHA.

Consider:

- NDSU has leverage over UND to get their vote

- WCHA is now expanding and will probably take someone else with Bemidji

- New Fargodome arena will likely be built to host ice events

If the NDSU admin haven't at least had a 2 hr discussion on the pros/cons since the WCHA has opened the doors for expansion, then they haven't been doing their job IMO.

Somebody had better email those guys down there. Can't ever tell what they're thinkin....

But that is an interesting thought. Highly doubt 'SU would ad hockey though.

[Big A HG]

Why do UND fans/alumni/whomever want NDSU to get hockey...?

I never understood it.

It's like saying Milwaukee should add an NFL team along with the Packers in Wisconsin. Hockey fans from ND will/should always be drawn to Sioux hockey. Yeah, there'll be NDSU hockey fans, but it won't ever be Sioux hockey. The only reason to want them to have hockey is when we play them in Fargo, it gives a close rivalry game for Sioux fans to attend.

If they did add it....what would happen if/when NDSU wins their first title? All hell would break loose. Grand Forks would hate Fargo even more...by about tenfold. Who wants that?

NDSU...stay away from hockey, please.

[Hammersmith]

If (and this is an if so large it blots out the sun) NDSU were to add hockey in the near future, it would start by putting a couple million into the Fargo Colosseum to make it an adequate DI practice facility, play games there for one or two years until the program gets on its feet, and then move the games down to the Urban Plains Arena(practices still at the Colosseum). NDSU would also probably pay a modest chunk of money to the UPC to help get the four sheets of practice ice finished as stated in the original UP proposal. If attendance were to ever push the UP's capacity(say in 7-10 years), then NDSU and the city would invest a couple million into the north end of the Fargodome to allow for quick ice turnarounds. That would give NDSU hockey a possible 10,000-12,000 attendance in the long term and have all the facilities on or near campus. All put together, that's like a 5% chance of a 5% chance of a 5% chance. In other words, not bloody likely. What's even less likely? The Fargodome arena ending up with ice capabilities.

All that being said, I think this would be a terrible time for NDSU to add hockey. It's taken the best team in NDSU men's basketball history and a chance at March Madness to start getting our fanbase thinking football/basketball rather than just football. Throwing hockey into the mix before that attitude can set could be disastrous to the long term health of the men's basketball program. Personally, I don't see NDSU ready for hockey until we exceed 16,000 enrollment, sellout almost every MBB game, and have a reasonable waiting list(>500-1000) for season tickets. None of that will happen for at least 7-10 years. I'm not even sure it could happen while NDSU is part of the Summit; I think we'd have to be in a better basketball conference(like the Valley) before adding hockey wouldn't hurt the MBB program to any significant degree.

[MplsBison]

Having hockey at the UP would not be worth it. Gotta be in the dome or in the new dome arena if we're going to do it.

I only bring it up because the arena is going to be built in the next few years so if it's going to have hockey we need to plan for that now and the fact that this opportunity to get into the WCHA is probably not going to be around that long. WCHA membership will be pretty stable after they add Bemidji. Unless the Big 10 gets hockey.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

Pretty sure the Big 10 won't happen anytime soon, but if it does, I sure would want NDSU in the WCHA with us.

[Herd]

One more thing, I've never been to a hockey game but I will agree with the poster who said MHD is more of a Hockey town and still you combine both FM and overall the answer is still a resounding NO. Build the addition to the dome for basketball and watch the fans fill the place. The BSA is not a comfortable place for most to sit and watch. Site lines are not as bad as some have made them out to be about the only issue is the West side upper seating on the ends you have issues but the rest of the seating is not bad at all. But I do agree the BSA has outlived its usefulness for Basketball.

The BSA sightlines aren't so bad. Have you ever rolled the dice on a ticket in the back of the lower deck at Williams? After hunching down for the first 5 minutes, I look the liberty of improving my seat. Now that was bad sight lines. I don't think I could find sight lines tht bad at the BSA.

It's the seats (lack thereof) that are terrible at the BSA. Bison BB needs some quality seating.

[BobIwabuchiFan]

Given the ridiculous path of this discussion, I now know why Chapman needs a bodygaurd...Its to keep away the NDSU fans!!!! They are freakin crazy!!!

BobIwabuchi Fan

[BudLight]

Given the ridiculous path of this discussion, I now know why Chapman needs a bodygaurd...Its to keep away the NDSU fans!!!! They are freakin crazy!!!

BobIwabuchi Fan

Thank you for humoring me! I really needed that!

[Yote 53]

This is an outsider's perspective, but one of a hockey fan. Why should NDSU, or USD, or SDSU, or any other school add hockey? Because as a passionate fan of the game I want the sport to expand into as many schools as possible to expose more and more people to this great game. That said, if NDSU adds hockey before USD (if USD ever does) I will be jeolous, just like I'm jeolous UND has hockey and USD doesn't.

That may not fly on this board, and this also may not be well received, but my buddy and I have tix to the Gopher/Badger game Saturday night in the Cities and I can't wait for the puck to drop. Road trip!

[Big A HG]

This is an outsider's perspective, but one of a hockey fan. Why should NDSU, or USD, or SDSU, or any other school add hockey? Because as a passionate fan of the game I want the sport to expand into as many schools as possible to expose more and more people to this great game. That said, if NDSU adds hockey before USD (if USD ever does) I will be jeolous, just like I'm jeolous UND has hockey and USD doesn't.

That may not fly on this board, and this also may not be well received, but my buddy and I have tix to the Gopher/Badger game Saturday night in the Cities and I can't wait for the puck to drop. Road trip!

That reason actually made more sense than any I've heard....but if you're living in Fargo, or anywhere in the region, you already know what Sioux/college hockey is about. USD or SDSU would be a better place to try and grow the game for sure.