MN Sioux broadcasts

[The Commodore]

I'm sick of watching the Gophers play Michigan Tech solely so that I can hear Frank and Doug update the Sioux score, which they do maybe twice a game. I don't want to spend weekend evenings camped out in front of my computer watching a 5 inch, fuzzy, choppy video feed. I say we start a petition and see how many signatures we can get.

In fact, I just started an online petition. Click on this link to sign and TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW in the potential viewing area to sign the petition!

http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/UND_hockey/

[YaneA]

I'm one of the lucky ones who lives in Grand Forks [wait! there's more to the claim of luck!] and holds a season ticket to Sioux Hockey at the Ralph. I tape all the games on WDAZ or the Sioux Sports Channel but I'd love it if the proposed package included some away games. I'd probably still mute the TV and listen to Tim Hennessey's play-by-play but it would be great to have some pictures to go with his colorful words. Any chance of adding feeds from TV coverage of away games?

[The Commodore]

Any chance of adding feeds from TV coverage of away games?

That's a different barrel of fish. I'm just trying to get whatever is broadcast for local Sioux fans here in the Twin Cities. I think there's more involved with NCAA regulations to obtain feeds from other games, but you'd think that they could make some sort of a deal with whomever broadcasts games for other WCHA teams at at least.

[ScottM]

I think a better approach might be to get Sensor's or somebody to fork over the money for a digital feed in return for the alumni association hosting Sioux hockey, and probably Sioux-Bison, games on a regular basis, provided the Bison rivalry continues beyond this season. Trying to get an additional network on cable or satellite takes a lot of $$$ and some serious heft.

Case in point: The Pohlad/Twins' Victory Sports Channel has yet to make it on to any of the major, local cable/satellite carriers, e.g., Time Warner, Comcast, Charter, etc. It's been signed to one or two smaller carriers, but that's about it right now. Victory will only pay X per subscriber, while the big carriers want Y. (Same crap that kept FSN off Time Warner for most of last hockey season .... ) That may change as baseball season looms, but it demonstrates the financial issues that under lie every decision programmers make.

[Marty]

For all you crazies out there that are willing to pay $20+ to get a Sioux hockey network here's some advice. Spend your money on a ticket and come to the game.

The past 4 seasons of Sioux hockey I had season tickets to the Sioux hockey games. I don't think I missed more than a couple of games those 4 seasons. Now, I'm in college down in southern Minnesota and I don't even get to watch the games on tv. I'm lucky if I find time to listen to them on the internet. Anyway, what I'm trying to get at is there is nothing like a Sioux hockey game when the Ralph is packed with the best fans in the world.

I went to both of the Twins home playoff games against the Yanks this year and I can honestly say the Ralph is probably fan for fan louder than the Metrodome (granted there wasn't much to cheer for at the Twins games). When you are at a Sioux game and they are playing a big game it is so loud and crazy in there, it's awesome.

There's nothing like Sioux hockey!!!

[The Commodore]

For all you crazies out there that are willing to pay $20+ to get a Sioux hockey network here's some advice. Spend your money on a ticket and come to the game.

The past 4 seasons of Sioux hockey I had season tickets to the Sioux hockey games. I don't think I missed more than a couple of games those 4 seasons. Now, I'm in college down in southern Minnesota and I don't even get to watch the games on tv. I'm lucky if I find time to listen to them on the internet. Anyway, what I'm trying to get at is there is nothing like a Sioux hockey game when the Ralph is packed with the best fans in the world.

I went to both of the Twins home playoff games against the Yanks this year and I can honestly say the Ralph is probably fan for fan louder than the Metrodome (granted there wasn't much to cheer for at the Twins games). When you are at a Sioux game and they are playing a big game it is so loud and crazy in there, it's awesome.

There's nothing like Sioux hockey!!!

As pertains to point one: It's a lot easier to drive up to Grand Forks every weekend when you're in college and have more free time. I go to games as often as I can but there's no way I'd be able to make it up there every weekend. I don't know if your point is to criticize us for not being "true fans" for not trucking up there or what... I've been to many games in GF. I just don't have as much free time as you do, apparently.

As pertains to point two: The Ralph, at its loudest, is not louder than the Metrodome at its loudest. Not even close. Fan for fan, you may have a point, but in that respect, the Xcel during playoffs last year had the REA beat. I've been at all three places numerous times when it was really loud (and don't get me wrong, I'd much rather be at the REA watching hockey than the dome watching baseball or football), and the Ralph is not what one would call a "loud" arena. You'd have to show me decibel readings to prove otherwise. The REA absorbs sound... must be all the leather seats.

The OLD Ralph was loud. Concrete and aluminum. LOUD.

[CoteauRinkRat]

Good Luck

It would be great for people wanting to watch the Sioux to get the opportunity to do so.

I think all the money will be stuck into the webcast thing, so it might be a long road.

[redwing77]

I would be willing to pay just for the knowledge that when I graduate and leave ND, I'll be able to watch Sioux hockey. I know that I will not be in driving range of GF to see the games at all where I end up (most likely Illinois at this time). If I can get it on TV, then I'll pay. If I were iin driving range, I'd buy a ticket and come

[Marty]

As pertains to point one: It's a lot easier to drive up to Grand Forks every weekend when you're in college and have more free time. I go to games as often as I can but there's no way I'd be able to make it up there every weekend. I don't know if your point is to criticize us for not being "true fans" for not trucking up there or what... I've been to many games in GF. I just don't have as much free time as you do, apparently.

As pertains to point two: The Ralph, at its loudest, is not louder than the Metrodome at its loudest. Not even close. Fan for fan, you may have a point, but in that respect, the Xcel during playoffs last year had the REA beat. I've been at all three places numerous times when it was really loud (and don't get me wrong, I'd much rather be at the REA watching hockey than the dome watching baseball or football), and the Ralph is not what one would call a "loud" arena. You'd have to show me decibel readings to prove otherwise. The REA absorbs sound... must be all the leather seats.

The OLD Ralph was loud. Concrete and aluminum. LOUD.

I'm not critizing anyone. I'm just saying that the Ralph could have been filled more at times last year.

Fan for fan the Ralph is louder than the Metrodome. End of story. The Metrodome may be louder than the Ralph but it probably has 20,000+ more fans.

[The Commodore]

Fan for fan the Ralph is louder than the Metrodome. End of story. The Metrodome may be louder than the Ralph but it probably has 20,000+ more fans.

The Metrodome also never hosts hockey, so you're comparing two totally different fan mentalities. Baseball is a slow-moving sport with lots of downtime. During a hockey game, there are multiple things to cheer for or yell about simultaneously. All else being equal, a hockey fan will be more vocal than a baseball fan just by the nature of the game. What you should be comparing is relative noise in a place like the Xcel center or Mariucci Arena.

My point here is not to slam you personally or Sioux hockey or the REA necessarily, but one thing I noticed once the new arena opened is that the crowd is much quieter and less of a factor in the game than it was in the old place. Part of that is due to the acoustics of the arena (more space and sound-absorbing materials), part is probably due to the mindset of the average fan in the new place compared to the old.

And now we're off the subject of the thread, but to reinforce my point-- go to a game in the REA one night and a game in the National Hockey Center the next. St. Cloud is much, much louder... and they have less fans in the stands.

If the purpose of your comments is to incite people to fill the seats in the REA, you're preaching to the choir. I don't think there's many people who read this board who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to see Sioux hockey live every chance we get. It's a testament to the program that the fan base stretches to so many places and it's a testament to the fan base that people want to be able to see the games to the point where they'd pay a fair amount of dough to do so.

[Sioux Fan]

Trust me, if I didn't live 1000 miles away from REA, I'd be there in a heartbeat! I even consider Mpls. close, at least you can go for the weekend for a good series. Gotta take what you can get. There's more coverage now than there's ever been with Direct TV and now CSTV. I've scouted out the whole Denver/Colo. Sprgs. area looking for a place that can pick up the games. This switching from analog to digital stuff isn't leaving me very optimistic though. Anyone know of any places? Oh well, all else fails, there's always the internet.