Student Hockey Seats May Go

[PCM]

How to incorporate the "we're on the same team" them into REA is the big question here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You hit the nail on the head. Every time this issue comes up, people start pointing fingers at each other and coming up with rationalizations for their behavior and excuses for why nothing needs to change.

It's been clear to me for several seasons that something needs to change. Are we going to work together to change it or will we continue to attack each other?

[mikejm]

[airmail]

...My parents just told us after the game that it was not right and you should not act like that.  I remember feeling like the guy was an idiot.  I rarely, if ever, swear when I am at games, but when I was growing up I saw a lot of it first hand.  I guess my parents did a good job

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree 100%... that partially explains why I didn't think the "lingo" was that big of a concern in another post. It is up to the parents to bring a child into that environment, no argument here.

My most recent post was more to address the "standing" issue rather than the language concerns. Although I doubt that cleaning it up a bit would hardly be a hardship for anyone.

[PCM]

I remember being a little guy at a Vikings game and the guy in front of us was swearing the whole time and yelling.  My parents just told us after the game that it was not right and you should not act like that.  I remember feeling like the guy was an idiot. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's a big difference between individual people in the stands losing their heads and organized chants in which hundreds of people participate game after game. I doubt that Kupchella harbors any illusions about controlling the occasional hot-headed fan.

[HockeyMom]

How many current season ticket holders do you think never attended a game at the old REA?

I seriously think that may be a part of the problem.

[Sioux-cia]

[ESPNInsider]

Airmail, that is why I think the students should then also be moved to an area it won't bother as much, while still having good seats themselves, like the ends of the rinks.

On the other hand, Coach Gary Williams at Maryland made having students around the entire court a must when they got their new arena.

Here is a good read on the subject that may make you feel for the students, coaches, and players:

Up close and personal

[cfm567b27]

I'm not extremely wealthy but I'm an alum. I don't sit on my hands during the game but by the same token I enjoy partaking in a little "who's he he s....ks...s...t......Nothing wrong with that and it doesn't make me a bad guy nor an offensive person to sit next to either.

[MafiaMan]

How many current season ticket holders do you think never attended a game at the old REA?

I seriously think that may be a part of the problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nail on the head, Hockeymom. The real "battle," (if you will) shouldn't be between the students and old-timers. It should be the true fans trying to get the casual fan more involved.

I enjoy a drink now and then as much as the next guy, but does anyone else see a pattern between fans at REA drinking and then dozing off? I swear, the booze lulls people to sleep up there!

[cfm567b27]

[PCM]

How many current season ticket holders do you think never attended a game at the old REA?

I seriously think that may be a part of the problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, but I think it's a problem that will take care of itself with time. It's not really something that you can do anything about. Those "fans" who went to the games just for the novelty of it will slowly but surely be replaced by fans who really want to be there.

Some of the season ticket holders who had seats in the old REA for years and years told me that they looked at their sections as neighborhoods. Practically everyone in the sections knew each other and most were not only friends, but also good, solid Sioux hockey fans who knew how to cheer and when to show their enthusiasm.

A lot of that was lost in the move to the new REA. It will take time to rebuild, but it will happen.

[Sioux-cia]

Airmail, that is why I think the students should then also be moved to an area it won't bother as much, while still having good seats themselves, like the ends of the rinks.

On the other hand, Coach Gary Williams at Maryland made having students around the entire court a must when they got their new arena.

Here is a good read on the subject that may make you feel for the students, coaches, and players:

Up close and personal

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"A lot of places that can raise a lot of money pull back the student seats when they're building new arenas," Williams says. "But when you're going up against teams like Duke, what the (student fans) can do makes a tremendous amount of difference."

Great article, great coach. As I said in my post in the Dakota Student, getting rid of the concentrated student section, is like getting rid of an extra man on the ice.

[DLW4GOPHERS]

Upchuck needs to go play with the gophers and leave the students alone at UND! 

JFC!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not sure who upchuck is, but even a Sioux fan wounln't wish him on the Gophers, whould you.

[BringDeanBack]

I have a problem with students wanting to move behind the net the Sioux shoot at twice. I have had season tickets there for close to ten years and consider them to be better seats than those between the blue lines. The students real fight needs to be defending their rights sitting at center ice. Yes you should be able to stand during scuffles, close plays, goals, etc. However, you do not need to stand every second of the game. From my seat, it looks like the students have been doing a good job of this as of late but apparently people sitting next to them must still be whining.

It all boils down to the strong anti-youth sentiment that exists in this community. Adults consume way more beer and do just as much swearing at UND games. However, when a student does it, it is a big deal and when an older guy does it, people turn their head the other way. When a student seat sits empty, it is interpreted as students not appreciating their ticket rights, while when adult season ticket seats sit empty, no one says anything. It goes on and on, basketball court at University Park taken away after people complain about it. Guess what, that BBall court was there longer than most of those people in the neighborhood. How about the frisbee disc course at Optimist Park? Gone after people in the neighborhood complain. What's next, will they shut down Ulland Softball course after the rich people at Deaconess Greens complain? There, I am done for now. And yes, I have a stomache ate from all the crow I ate regarding Hakstol.

[dakotadan]

As an alumni I think there needs to be one change. Kupchella needs to be removed from UND and sent to PCU (Politically Correct University). The guy is a joke and UND hasn't had a good President since Clifford.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AMEN!!!!

[PCM]

As I said in my post in the Dakota Student, getting rid of the concentrated student section, is like getting rid of an extra man on the ice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. And I think if you polled the non-students who regularly attend Sioux games, 90 percent or more of them would say that they want a strong student presence at the games for that very reason.

[DamStrait]

Folks, the Sioux fans in Columbus were praised by UND and the other fans there.

What are the characteristics of those fans?

- I didn't hear the "other team introductions" chant*

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You mean the one where the students chant 'VAHT?!!!' when a member of the opposition's starting lineup is announced?

[jimdahl]

I am not sure who upchuck is...

Isn't he the pirate who was always chasing Guybrush Threepwood?

[PCM]

It all boils down to the strong anti-youth sentiment that exists in this community.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You were wrong about Hakstol and you're wrong about this, too.

[PCM]

You mean the one where the students chant 'VAHT?!!!' when a member of the opposition's starting lineup is announced?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that would be funny!

[ESPNInsider]

I have a problem with students wanting to move behind the net the Sioux shoot at twice.  I have had season tickets there for close to ten years and consider them to be better seats than those between the blue lines.  The students real fight needs to be defending their rights sitting at center ice.  Yes you should be able to stand during scuffles, close plays, goals, etc.  However, you do not need to stand every second of the game.  From my seat, it looks like the students have been doing a good job of this as of late but apparently people sitting next to them must still be whining. 

It all boils down to the strong anti-youth sentiment that exists in this community.  Adults consume way more beer and do just as much swearing at UND games.  However, when a student does it, it is a big deal and when an older guy does it, people turn their head the other way.  When a student seat sits empty, it is interpreted as students not appreciating their ticket rights, while when adult season ticket seats sit empty, no one says anything.  It goes on and on, basketball court at University Park taken away after people complain about it.  Guess what, that BBall court was there longer than most of those people in the neighborhood.  How about the frisbee disc course at Optimist Park?  Gone after people in the neighborhood complain.  What's next, will they shut down Ulland Softball course after the rich people at Deaconess Greens complain?  There, I am done for now.  And yes, I have a stomache ate from all the crow I ate regarding Hakstol.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with most of this post. I hate when people come into a new situation, knowing what is there and then start complaining and want it changed. The bball court at Univ. park still baffles my mind. People were saying that their property values were going to go down. YOU BOUGHT A HOUSE NEXT TO UNIVERSITY PARK! What did they expect, young lads in their knickers and suspenders playing crochet, then turning in for the night at 7:30?

[PCM]

The bball court at Univ. park still baffles my mind.  People were saying that their property values were going to go down.  YOU BOUGHT A HOUSE NEXT TO UNIVERSITY PARK! What did they expect, young lads in their knickers and suspenders playing crochet, then turning in for the night at 7:30?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You obviously don't live near University Park. I do. That being said, I disagree with how that situation was handled. It obviously had absolutely nothing to do with any "anti-youth sentiment" because the people who lost the most were the kids who played basketball there and obeyed the rules.

[AZSIOUX]

at the pep rally in columbus before saturdays game kupchella actually said the word SIOUX.he said something like go sioux or something close...i said to myself holy shi$ he must have made a mistake and it slipped out..

was that kupchella who started the "UND" chants at the frozen 4

AMEN!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[ESPNInsider]

[HockeyMom]

Nail on the head, Hockeymom. The real "battle," (if you will) shouldn't be between the students and old-timers. It should be the true fans trying to get the casual fan more involved.

I enjoy a drink now and then as much as the next guy, but does anyone else see a pattern between fans at REA drinking and then dozing off? I swear, the booze lulls people to sleep up there!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm the kind of fan who gets to the REA 45 minutes to a half hour early and stay til most of the people have cleared the building. I dunno, I guess I just enjoy the atmosphere that much and I just wanna soak it up. What always makes me wonder is what fun is it to show up five minutes late and leave when there is still time on the clock? IMO those of us who want to stay til the final whistle blows should complain about the stampede of people that leave early.