NCHC Frozen Faceoff - Xcel Energy Center

[southpaw]

23 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

They might have been talking about the differences in how the X runs an event vs. the Target Center. The X is heads and shoulders above the Target Center in that regard.

And now you're analyzing conversations you weren't there for.  Amazing skills you have to know what everyone thinks and means at the same time.

[fightingsioux4life]

Just now, southpaw said:

And now you're analyzing conversations you weren't there for.  Amazing skills you have to know what everyone thinks and means at the same time.

I said MIGHT. You (and Schlossman) are also pretending like you know what everyone thinks and means at the same time. People in glass houses.....well, you know the rest.

[southpaw]

10 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

I said MIGHT. You (and Schlossman) are also pretending like you know what everyone thinks and means at the same time. People in glass houses.....well, you know the rest.

Ah yes, just qualify your statement with the word MIGHT and you can say whatever you want.  Well, you MIGHT be a....

I don't pretend that I know what everyone thinks but I do know that there are other opinions out there.  And to think there aren't seems a little shortsighted.

[nodakvindy]

I don't know that it needs to be married to a single facility.   Even the X is only really travel convenient for 3 of the 8 league schools, so attendance is going to be a challenge.  The nchc could do like the ACC basketball tournament and have a primary site but also move around once in a while. Maybe every third or fourth year try the Pepsi Center or Cincinnati or maybe even Kansas City.  Throw a bone to some of the schools that aren't in the Twin Cities' backyard.

I'd like to see the league really embrace the N in NCHC. Playing the league tournament solely in MSP may be a parochial approach and does little to develop or grow the game.  There is creativity in the league office as evidenced by the college hockey showdown.  I think they will come up with a good solution. 

[Siouxperfan7]

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

1 hour ago, southpaw said:

Ah yes, just qualify your statement with the word MIGHT and you can say whatever you want.  Well, you MIGHT be a....

I don't pretend that I know what everyone thinks but I do know that there are other opinions out there.  And to think there aren't seems a little shortsighted.

I don't know, I wouldn't qualify FS4L as a smiley face. More of a depending on how the team is playing.

[MafiaMan]

2 hours ago, jdub27 said:

Again, he literally covers ever single angle you claim he doesn't. He lays it out objectively and highlights the benefits and downfalls of all three options. It seems like you are trying to push a narrative from his post that isn't there.

I've literally heard people I know who have said that they wish it was at the X because the Final Five was better. There are a lot of people who don't realize how big of an impact on losing UM/UW/Mankato/Bemidji will have on the atmosphere.

How many of the 13 Final Fives held at the X did those schools make or last for more than one game?  Not many.  Wisconsin missed a handful as well - or was a bye-bye after the Thursday game.  Even Wisconsin didn't send a ton of fans - they only came if UW got to the title game (2013).  Minnesota is far and away the biggest loss.  

[jdub27]

18 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

How many of the 13 Final Fives held at the X did those schools make or last for more than one game?  Not many.  Wisconsin missed a handful as well - or was a bye-bye after the Thursday game.  Even Wisconsin didn't send a ton of fans - they only came if UW got to the title game (2013).  Minnesota is far and away the biggest loss.  

No arguments there. But at least there were small subsections adding to the diversity. Right now it is has basically turned in to "Boy, really hope UND makes it". They obviously have worked on preparing for a worst-case scenario by building up a reserve but what happens if/when UND were to miss it back to back years or 2 out of 3?

 

2 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

They might have been talking about the differences in how the X runs an event vs. the Target Center. The X is heads and shoulders above the Target Center in that regard.

They weren't.

No one is saying the TC is better for watching hockey than the X, because it isn't. If that was literally the only other factor, it is a no-brainer. However there are a ton of other variables that come into play (cost, access, area, availability, etc, etc) and there are a lot of people who think returning to the X means the return of the Final Five when it isn't.

[MafiaMan]

14 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Right now it is has basically turned in to "Boy, really hope UND makes it". They obviously have worked on preparing for a worst-case scenario by building up a reserve but what happens if/when UND were to miss it back to back years or 2 out of 3?

Oh, I think the folks at the X also had panic attacks about UND not making the Final Five...a FF at the X minus UND and Minnesota would have been a disaster.  We just need to find that second team willing to attend every season religiously (cough, cough, St Cloud State fans, cough, cough, UMD Bulldog fans).  

[rivercitiesfan]

On 3/19/2017 at 10:06 PM, runaroundsioux said:

I think Target Center has improved alot since the first couple of years. This was our fourth year attending. We had no problems with the ushers. On the contrary, I thought they were all friendly and helpful. The usher in our section 138 spent alot of  time chatting with us and anyone who stopped by. He asked us about the Ralph,how many it seated,what we had for concessions etc. He was actually a character. We moved about the arena and would change ends during intermission to be on the end we were shooting. Sat in the padded chairs in handicapped on Saturday night, both ends, and nobody bothered us. My biggest complaint was and always has been the smell. They don't have adequate exhaust ventilation for their fryers and the smell of burnt grease is nauseating. Face it, it's a 30 some year old arena built for basketball. It was the NCHC's only option as the X was locked up by the WCHA at the time the new league was formed. During the Friday night game v. Denver the last thing on my mind was the arena I was watching it in. As someone stated earlier it could have been in an old cow barn and I would have been glad I didn't miss it. Besides ,where else can you get to pee in a trough anymore?

Well said.

[nodakvindy]

1 hour ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

I think this is definitely worth exploring. One downside would be access for the 2 eastern schools but I think it's a solid idea for an occasional tournament and I think the community might embrace it in ways the larger cities dont.

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

1 hour ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

We should bid it for the next NCAA regional that we have a crack at as being the host, our traveling fan base (mainly ND through to the MN and Twins cities area) is outgrowing most rinks. we'd open up some eyes in SD with a regional with ND in it in Sioux Falls.

[KoolGuy2K]

2 hours ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

I'm hoping this would happen, I'm moving down there this summer. 

[cberkas]

2 hours ago, BarnWinterSportsEngelstad said:

We should bid it for the next NCAA regional that we have a crack at as being the host, our traveling fan base (mainly ND through to the MN and Twins cities area) is outgrowing most rinks. we'd open up some eyes in SD with a regional with ND in it in Sioux Falls.

They already did.

[southpaw]

Sioux Falls is definitely top 50 places I would want to see UND hockey in MN/ND/SD. 

I don't see a lot of people wanting to go there. You may get more Omaha fans but fewer (is it possible?) Fans from other schools. 

[farce poobah]

I view the fundamental "must have" is a playing surface that is standard or better.   On this, Target Center still fails.   The ice is substandard, resulting in poor quality of play and random puck bounces then start to dictate games.  Or worse yet, dictate how teams play because the ice is so bad.   Boards and glass are 1980's quality, not modern at all.   Get some seamless glass and modern boards.    I worry about injuries at an obsolete arena like that.

Also, the Excel is hosting NCAA Frozen Fours.  And regionals.   Familiarity with that arena becomes a competitive advantage.

This is a no brainer.   Move it 15 miles east.

[dagies]

I think the new scoreboard and video boards  and new lighting have really improved the in game visual experience.  I'm with farce poobah about the ice surface.  If the Target Center could put good ice on the concrete then I'd be fine with it staying at the TC.  I love the X and it's a great facility, but I don't see that many more people attending just because it's at the X if the playing surface was good and the boards/glass was up to snuff.  Perhaps that will happen in the future but I'd be fine if they moved it to the X. 

 

[Wildfan]

6 hours ago, BarnWinterSportsEngelstad said:

We should bid it for the next NCAA regional that we have a crack at as being the host, our traveling fan base (mainly ND through to the MN and Twins cities area) is outgrowing most rinks. we'd open up some eyes in SD with a regional with ND in it in Sioux Falls.

Last I heard UND bid on 2018 in Sioux Falls.

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

31 minutes ago, Wildfan said:

Last I heard UND bid on 2018 in Sioux Falls.

That's great, I missed hearing that, anyone know, when do they decide on these regional locations?

[cberkas]

5 minutes ago, BarnWinterSportsEngelstad said:

That's great, I missed hearing that, anyone know, when do they decide on these regional locations?

After the Frozen Four.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Best I believe, there is nothing that stops North Dakota from bidding on a regional and using one of the Twin Cities arenas as the venue . . . .   This said,  nothing wrong with with Scheel's or especially The Denny.    UNO would be smart to bid on one using the big arena in Omaha.  

 

[MafiaMan]

1 hour ago, NorthDakotaHockey said:

Best I believe, there is nothing that stops North Dakota from bidding on a regional and using one of the Twin Cities arenas as the venue . . . .   This said,  nothing wrong with with Scheel's or especially The Denny.    UNO would be smart to bid on one using the big arena in Omaha.  

I don't care if it's Bloomington Ice Gardens or Dickinson's hockey arena - just keep bidding on regionals and play in front of friendly fans!

[tnt]

2 hours ago, NorthDakotaHockey said:

Best I believe, there is nothing that stops North Dakota from bidding on a regional and using one of the Twin Cities arenas as the venue . . . .   This said,  nothing wrong with with Scheel's or especially The Denny.    UNO would be smart to bid on one using the big arena in Omaha.  

 

I'm not sure a bigger arenas like Sioux Falls or Omaha would get as many tickets sold ahead of time as Scheels Arena, where people just want to make sure they could get tickets should UND get in.  Plus Omaha hasn't made the tournament every year, so they would be taking a chance that they would get in, or if they didn't get in, the committee would place another team that draws well there. 

[cberkas]

3 hours ago, NorthDakotaHockey said:

Best I believe, there is nothing that stops North Dakota from bidding on a regional and using one of the Twin Cities arenas as the venue . . . .   This said,  nothing wrong with with Scheel's or especially The Denny.    UNO would be smart to bid on one using the big arena in Omaha.  

 

They have 3 arenas to choose from that aren't Baxter Arena. 

[crb1]

I for one would not like to see this event go to places like Sioux Falls. I don't want to get in my car and drive that far to go to Sioux Falls. I would much rather go to the Twin Cities or Denver. Don't think I would want to go to Omaha either.