Filling the Ralph

[gfhockey]

Win and they will come 

[Goon]

5 hours ago, tnt said:

The place I see the most sparse at the hockey games is the student section.  I would think the Ralph would be interested in selling some of those seats.   By the way, I would pay more money to get seats in the lower bowl, as would others, so maybe take away a section from students in the lower bowl and give them more seats up top where the empty seats are, and sell them to those who are willing to be at another Champions Club level. 

Students aren't coming to games like they used to. 

[Sioux>Bison]

2 hours ago, Goon said:

Students aren't coming to games like they used to. 

Maybe the students are tired of the nanny state rules. I don’t blame them.

[Goon]

5 minutes ago, Sioux>Bison said:

Maybe the students are tired of the nanny state rules. I don’t blame them.

 Nanny State rules? 

[SiouxFan100]

Ticket price is too high

arena is too big

games are somewhat boring

band is great

pregame is great

Parking is a bother 

games are long

winning is more fun

lots of other things going on

add: all games on tv

[Smoggy]

Going to throw out that there are too many home games.  I've been to every game and could really use a weekend off.  Football last weekend as well.

If I was a student, I know I wouldn't be going to every game.

Prices have gotten stupid.  I loved the idea of refillable popcorn.  Until I saw it's $8.  But the small box is $5.  Easy choice I guess.  Just don't eat it.  Heck I've been buying less beer because of price. Wish teams would realize that lowering price actually sells more and creates same or better profits.  Case in point Atlanta Falcons...they wouldn't have kept the $2 prices if weren't making same money.

[UNDBIZ]

17 minutes ago, Goon said:

 Nanny State rules? 

No alcohol, no standing, no yelling, no chanting, no rowdiness. 

[Wildfan]

6 hours ago, tnt said:

I believe they are on Thursday, but when you have a chance to sell them as season tickets and assure the seats will be paid for and used, why not go that direction.  I don't know if they sell them for the same price as they do at the door, but perhaps they might want to lower those prices a bit, as they seem kind of high for last second people to change their mind on what they want to do on the weekend.  

As far as i know they no longer do this the last few years. I believe it was around 2013 they stopped. Was a section taken away around then? I know some students leave a period in bc parties.......dumb. i know others who want to try to get lower level and discouraged due to the same people skipping class and line jumpers. Others are just to cheap or lazy to walk a few blocks to games. 

[Wilbur]

15 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

Ticket price is too high

arena is too big

games are somewhat boring

band is great

pregame is great

Parking is a bother 

games are long

winning is more fun

lots of other things going on

add: all games on tv

1. Yes

2. Yes and no.

3. Stop scheduling BSU, and Manitoba.

4. Yup

5. Gives me chills

6. Disgraceful 

7. Too many TV timeouts.

8. Member Tampa?

9. Cell phones.....argh.....

10. Alex and Jake are my guys on weekends.

To me its cost.  Family of 5....a UND hockey weekend ends up costing around 1,000 bucks with hotels, meals, tickets, beer(s).....etc.  

[Vegas_Sioux]

34 minutes ago, Goon said:

 Nanny State rules? 

There is a reason students call the Ralph St. Ralph’s Cathedral...remember it’s the social scene not the game that matters. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Games are boring & too long?? I've been to some snoozer games(happens in every sport) but in no way do I get bored at UND hockey games. It's consistently 2.5 hours, longer if OT is involved. Sounds like you guys may need to try a new sport.  Apparently no one here was at the most recent overtime game vs Wisco.

[GDPritch]

4 hours ago, gfhockey said:

Win and they will come 

Great point, agree.   To even contend for the conf title this season UND most likely needs to sweep W Mich, CC, Omaha & Miami when they play them at home (not sure they play all four of them this season at home?).  Denver, Min-Duluth & St Clown would be tough to sweep even at home but UND probably needs to do that against at least one of those three at the Ralph I would think cus they more than likely ain't going to sweep any of those three on the road (split at best and that's no given).  Finishing in 4th place in the NCHC will likely be a dogfight this season for UND.  Odd, for many seasons/year after year we were always contending for conf titles or top two or three but that certainly hasn't been the case these past few season.  Hmm...

[darell1976]

8 hours ago, Smoggy said:

 

Prices have gotten stupid.  

Me and my dad have been saying this for years. Every year it seems the price goes up until they price themselves out of the market. For me, my dad, and my son for one game could be 200-300 bucks with concessions, and gas added in. Thats ridiculous. If the Hawks don't make the playoffs for the second year in a row more and more people will stop showing up. 

[tnt]

56 minutes ago, darell1976 said:

Me and my dad have been saying this for years. Every year it seems the price goes up until they price themselves out of the market. For me, my dad, and my son for one game could be 200-300 bucks with concessions, and gas added in. Thats ridiculous. If the Hawks don't make the playoffs for the second year in a row more and more people will stop showing up. 

Season tickets haven't gone up much over the years, and if you truly cared about going, I don't think concessions are a must.  By the way, does gas cost the same for going to football games?

[darell1976]

39 minutes ago, tnt said:

Season tickets haven't gone up much over the years, and if you truly cared about going, I don't think concessions are a must.  By the way, does gas cost the same for going to football games?

My trip to the potato Bowl would be a lot cheaper than a trip to a hockey game, concessions is a must when my dad needs a snack (diabetic) and my son needs a drink. I’ve gone to plenty of UND games growing up without concessions and going 3 hours with no food or drink sucks. I could shell out 200 bucks on one hockey game or save the money and watch it on tv. Oh and as for gas, it’s cheaper in early fall without the heat, and the use of cruise control compared to winter time with the heat blasting 140 total miles, and not using cruise while watching for ice on the roads.

[iluvdebbies]

11 minutes ago, darell1976 said:

My trip to the potato Bowl would be a lot cheaper than a trip to a hockey game, concessions is a must when my dad needs a snack (diabetic) and my son needs a drink. I’ve gone to plenty of UND games growing up without concessions and going 3 hours with no food or drink sucks. I could shell out 200 bucks on one hockey game or save the money and watch it on tv. Oh and as for gas, it’s cheaper in early fall without the heat, and the use of cruise control compared to winter time with the heat blasting 140 total miles, and not using cruise while watching for ice on the roads.

Good lord. You've posted a lot of stupid !@#$ on here before, but that has to be the dumbest post I have ever read.

 

[tnt]

1 minute ago, iluvdebbies said:

Good lord. You've posted a lot of stupid !@#$ on here before, but that has to be the dumbest post I have ever read.

 

You just beat me to it.  Now I have heard everything!

[darell1976]

15 minutes ago, iluvdebbies said:

Good lord. You've posted a lot of stupid !@#$ on here before, but that has to be the dumbest post I have ever read.

 

You’ve been a total tool about my posts so why would I expect anything more from you.

[siouxforcefans]

I have to say, the period break activities are boring as heck.  Nothing goes on during timeouts (TV or called) either, and I think the students need to be allowed to be students = stand, sing, yell, etc.  There are arenas for any college sport where the student sections have nick-names, because they are so loud and rowdy.  If you want a great atmosphere, it starts with the students.  You can keep people engaged, or let them slip away.  Right now, the Ralph is content to run ads and let the people slip.

Cost is another issue.  Single game ticket prices have gotten silly.  $49 for Western Michigan?  I know it's conference, but wow.  I bought a couple additional tickets for my daughter and a friend of hers a couple weeks ago, and if I hadn't connected with another season ticket holder who wasn't looking to gouge people, it just wouldn't have happened.  Mind you, I'll almost never miss a game (even though we drive back and forth from Fargo every night), but I can definitely see why people complain about cost.

[darell1976]

14 minutes ago, tnt said:

You just beat me to it.  Now I have heard everything!

Got a problem with what I said? I have money for a football game in the fall, a family tradition my dad has with me since 1985, and it costs a hell of a lot less than a random hockey game in the winter. 

[tnt]

1 minute ago, darell1976 said:

Got a problem with what I said? I have money for a football game in the fall, a family tradition my dad has with me since 1985, and it costs a hell of a lot less than a random hockey game in the winter. 

For someone who talks about the "hockey only" crowd, you sure come up with a lot of lame reasons for not attending hockey.  No big deal if that isn't your thing, but don't get up in arms at other people who have different interests as well. 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

26 minutes ago, iluvdebbies said:

Good lord. You've posted a lot of stupid !@#$ on here before, but that has to be the dumbest post I have ever read.

 

Takes quite a bit to beat the "Is Fargo the New Detroit?" posts.

[darell1976]

11 minutes ago, tnt said:

For someone who talks about the "hockey only" crowd, you sure come up with a lot of lame reasons for not attending hockey.  No big deal if that isn't your thing, but don't get up in arms at other people who have different interests as well. 

Do you have a family? Money is not a lame excuse. My 3 kids is priority over a hockey game. Medical bills come up, Christmas is coming, plus saving extra when my boy attends UND in the fall. I have priorities and seeing hockey tickets increase puts me going to a game lower on the list. Sorry Scrooge McDuck we all can’t take a dive into the money bin like you and TeleDebbie. 

[TheFlop]

1 hour ago, tnt said:

Season tickets haven't gone up much over the years, and if you truly cared about going, I don't think concessions are a must.  By the way, does gas cost the same for going to football games?

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. 

[SWSiouxMN]

24 minutes ago, siouxforcefans said:

I have to say, the period break activities are boring as heck.  Nothing goes on during timeouts (TV or called) either, and I think the students need to be allowed to be students = stand, sing, yell, etc.  There are arenas for any college sport where the student sections have nick-names, because they are so loud and rowdy.  If you want a great atmosphere, it starts with the students.  You can keep people engaged, or let them slip away.  Right now, the Ralph is content to run ads and let the people slip.

Cost is another issue.  Single game ticket prices have gotten silly.  $49 for Western Michigan?  I know it's conference, but wow.  I bought a couple additional tickets for my daughter and a friend of hers a couple weeks ago, and if I hadn't connected with another season ticket holder who wasn't looking to gouge people, it just wouldn't have happened.  Mind you, I'll almost never miss a game (even though we drive back and forth from Fargo every night), but I can definitely see why people complain about cost.

UND should have one the rowdiest student sections in the nation... but they don't. For a variety of factors.