Hockey Exposure Good or Bad for UND DI Transition

[BobIwabuchiFan]

After watching the Sioux stomp the gophers in their home rink last night, I was wondering how many people in the twin cities area and the region were watching the game. I would suppose the Bison fans still want to believe that only the Big City Bison football program are the real attention getter in North Dakota, but I wouldn't be suprised to find that the viewers for last night game were probably 2-3 times greater than the Bison-Gophers football game. Considering tonights matchup will be televised nationally, I would bet we are looking at 5-10 times the viewership of the 'grand' football rematch between ndsu and U of M. I know, I know...UND fans are really living in our own little world and no one would even consider this exposure in a say a possible conference affiliation. Again, sorry for the crazy thinking bison fans!

PS Before you start yapping about how big fargo is and how much more exciting your sports team is, realize that we are being televised nationally...not regionally tonight! How do you like those apples?

http://www.uscho.com/recaps/20062007/m/01/26/UND-umn.php

BobIwabuchiFan

[Bison Dan]

After watching the Sioux stomp the gophers in their home rink last night, I was wondering how many people in the twin cities area and the region were watching the game. I would suppose the Bison fans still want to believe that only the Big City Bison football program are the real attention getter in North Dakota, but I wouldn't be suprised to find that the viewers for last night game were probably 2-3 times greater than the Bison-Gophers football game. Considering tonights matchup will be televised nationally, I would bet we are looking at 5-10 times the viewership of the 'grand' football rematch between ndsu and U of M. I know, I know...UND fans are really living in our own little world and no one would even consider this exposure in a say a possible conference affiliation. Again, sorry for the crazy thinking bison fans!

PS Before you start yapping about how big fargo is and how much more exciting your sports team is, realize that we are being televised nationally...not regionally tonight! How do you like those apples?

http://www.uscho.com/recaps/20062007/m/01/26/UND-umn.php

BobIwabuchiFan

I see your still jealous about the Bison/Gopher fb game. Why don't you come to the next one Oct. 21st and join the fun.

[Supertrex]

I see your still jealous about the Bison/Gopher fb game. Why don't you come to the next one Oct. 21st and join the fun.

I see they still don't require proper spelling or grammar at NDSU...

[PCM]

I can see how this is going to go.

[siouxforeverbaby]

Back on topic, I don't think that the exposure is bad for UND because people know who we are because of our hockey program. Quick question though, during the transition period can hockey play in playoffs since they were already DI or am I just loony?

[proudsioux]

loony

[siouxforeverbaby]

loony

ok, that explains a lot.

[bincitysioux]

...... during the transition period can hockey play in playoffs since they were already DI or am I just loony?

Hockey will still be eligible for the playoffs.

[Gothmog]

After watching the Sioux stomp the gophers in their home rink last night, I was wondering how many people in the twin cities area and the region were watching the game. I would suppose the Bison fans still want to believe that only the Big City Bison football program are the real attention getter in North Dakota, but I wouldn't be suprised to find that the viewers for last night game were probably 2-3 times greater than the Bison-Gophers football game. Considering tonights matchup will be televised nationally, I would bet we are looking at 5-10 times the viewership of the 'grand' football rematch between ndsu and U of M. I know, I know...UND fans are really living in our own little world and no one would even consider this exposure in a say a possible conference affiliation. Again, sorry for the crazy thinking bison fans!

PS Before you start yapping about how big fargo is and how much more exciting your sports team is, realize that we are being televised nationally...not regionally tonight! How do you like those apples?

http://www.uscho.com/recaps/20062007/m/01/26/UND-umn.php

BobIwabuchiFan

Well, having lived in the Twin Cities for 20 years, I gotta believe that you're radically wrong about the viewership of Gopher football games vs Gopher hockey games. I don't have any TV ratings to back that up, but my recollection is that there was a great deal more buzz about the NDSU football game around town last fall than there was about last night's hockey game. Some of that buzz was undoubtly driven by speculation about Glen Mason's future. But so what? Publicity is publicity.

You're also forgetting that there were 5-6 times as many people in attendance at the Metrodome for the NDSU football game last fall than there were for last night's hockey game.

[proudsioux]

metrodome also seats 5-6 times more peopel though too. Im not syaing the hockey game would attract atract that but i am willing to bet it owuld be in the low 20'r or high teens.

[willistonsioux]

Hockey will still be eligible for the playoffs.

This is a little off topic actually really off-topic. If during the transition period the hockey team couldn't play in the playoffs would you still do it?

[mksioux]

Well, having lived in the Twin Cities for 20 years, I gotta believe that you're radically wrong about the viewership of Gopher football games vs Gopher hockey games. I don't have any TV ratings to back that up, but my recollection is that there was a great deal more buzz about the NDSU football game around town last fall than there was about last night's hockey game. Some of that buzz was undoubtly driven by speculation about Glen Mason's future. But so what? Publicity is publicity.

Most of the reason for the buzz in the Twin Cities for the Gopher-Bison football game was attributable to excited Bison fans who had never experienced their favorite team playing the Gophers. Sioux-Gopher hockey goes back decades and happens every year so it logically did not create the same kind of buzz.

I don't know about ratings, but I highly doubt the Gopher-Bison football game pulled in great numbers. I believe it was only available on local cable. On the other hand, Gopher hockey is FSSN's crown jewel. I've heard that Gopher hockey ratings are consistently much better than Wild or Wolves ratings.

You're also forgetting that there were 5-6 times as many people in attendance at the Metrodome for the NDSU football game last fall than there were for last night's hockey game.

True. But it's always misleading to compare football attendance versus hockey/basketball. Football has larger venues and much fewer games.

Having said that, there is absoultely no denying that the Gopher-Bison football game was huge for NDSU. Anyone who attended could not in good faith deny the great showing and enthusiasm of the NDSU fans. It was very impressive.

[jimdahl]

I think the comparison to NDSU is unnecessary and distracting -- it changes the discussion from an interesting "how does hockey affect UND's transition?" to just another UND hockey vs. NDSU football debate that fits better on a Bison board than here.

Sticking to the question in the thread title -- there's no question that UND's 50 years of D-I hockey exposure has the potential to help UND's transition to D-I in other sports:

• UND's athletic department rolodex already contains a lot of D-I AD's. Those relationships can help in all sorts of subtle ways. See Maturi's recent attempts to get additional permission to play UND in other sports; there's little doubt Minnesota and Wisconsin would be getting UND on their schedules in the big sports on the first possible day if they were allowed to. While they're not on the table for now, there are quite a few other I's and I-AA's with whom we have similar relationships.
  
• The fans of a lot of schools we may want to play in other sports are already familiar with the UND Fighting Sioux from hockey. That will help build excitement for those games among fans of both teams.
  
• The media contracts and production capabilities that we built for UND hockey will be enticing to conferences. Though most subtle to fans, this has the biggest short-term impact potential.
  

[Gothmog]

Most of the reason for the buzz in the Twin Cities for the Gopher-Bison football game was attributable to excited Bison fans who had never experienced their favorite team playing the Gophers. Sioux-Gopher hockey goes back decades and happens every year so it logically did not create the same kind of buzz.

I don't know about ratings, but I highly doubt the Gopher-Bison football game pulled in great numbers. I believe it was only available on local cable. On the other hand, Gopher hockey is FSSN's crown jewel. I've heard that Gopher hockey ratings are consistently much better than Wild or Wolves ratings.

True. But it's always misleading to compare football attendance versus hockey/basketball. Football has larger venues and much fewer games.

Having said that, there is absoultely no denying that the Gopher-Bison football game was huge for NDSU. Anyone who attended could not in good faith deny the great showing and enthusiasm of the NDSU fans. It was very impressive.

I agree that the NDSU probably did not draw great TV ratings. Most Gopher fans expected the game to be a blowout, and it was available only on FSN North. My point was that media attention does not end with the final buzzer. There is no doubt in my mind that the Twin Cities media, and Twin Cities residents, spent a great deal more time discussing the NDSU football game last year than they did, or will, spend discussing this weekend's hockey games. I suspect that the same situation exists in the the rest of Minnesota, and most of North Dakota.

[Gothmog]

I think the comparison to NDSU is unnecessary and distracting -- it changes the discussion from an interesting "how does hockey affect UND's transition?" to just another UND hockey vs. NDSU football debate that fits better on a Bison board than here.

Sticking to the question in the thread title -- there's no question that UND's 50 years of D-I hockey exposure has the potential to help UND's transition to D-I in other sports:

• UND's athletic department rolodex already contains a lot of D-I AD's. Those relationships can help in all sorts of subtle ways. See Maturi's recent attempts to get additional permission to play UND in other sports; there's little doubt Minnesota and Wisconsin would be getting UND on their schedules in the big sports on the first possible day if they were allowed to. While they're not on the table for now, there are quite a few other I's and I-AA's with whom we have similar relationships.
  
• The fans of a lot of schools we may want to play in other sports are already familiar with the UND Fighting Sioux from hockey. That will help build excitement for those games among fans of both teams.
  
• The media contracts and production capabilities that we built for UND hockey will be enticing to conferences. Though most subtle to fans, this has the biggest short-term impact potential.
  

I suspect you're overating it a bit, but there can be little doubt that UND's hockey success will help with the transition to DI in other sports.

However, NDSU has already shown an ability to bring 20-25 thousand fans to the Metrodome, and has given both Wisconsin and Minnesota a legitmate game - one in basketball, the other in football. That will certainly aid their transition at least as much.

[GeauxSioux]

I think the comparison to NDSU is unnecessary and distracting -- it changes the discussion from an interesting "how does hockey affect UND's transition?" to just another UND hockey vs. NDSU football debate that fits better on a Bison board than here.

Sticking to the question in the thread title -- there's no question that UND's 50 years of D-I hockey exposure has the potential to help UND's transition to D-I in other sports:

• UND's athletic department rolodex already contains a lot of D-I AD's. Those relationships can help in all sorts of subtle ways. See Maturi's recent attempts to get additional permission to play UND in other sports; there's little doubt Minnesota and Wisconsin would be getting UND on their schedules in the big sports on the first possible day if they were allowed to. While they're not on the table for now, there are quite a few other I's and I-AA's with whom we have similar relationships.
  
• The fans of a lot of schools we may want to play in other sports are already familiar with the UND Fighting Sioux from hockey. That will help build excitement for those games among fans of both teams.
  
• The media contracts and production capabilities that we built for UND hockey will be enticing to conferences. Though most subtle to fans, this has the biggest short-term impact potential.
  

We already had a thread similar to what you are stating.

Find a Division I Conference, Does UND Hockey Help or Hurt

[Corella]

I suspect you're overating it a bit, but there can be little doubt that UND's hockey success will help with the transition to DI in other sports.

However, NDSU has already shown an ability to bring 20-25 thousand fans to the Metrodome, and has given both Wisconsin and Minnesota a legitmate game - one in basketball, the other in football. That will certainly aid their transition at least as much.

So now there were 20-25 thousand NDSU fans at the Metrodome? The total was reported to be around 15,000 in the Forum. It seems that since the game itself, the actual Bison fan attendence has become an urban legend of sorts that gets more exaggerated by the week. The figure you and others are throwing around is a complete misrepresentation of the facts. Don't flatter yourselves.

[PartTime]

In regards to UND's DI transition, I have a question............In the last couple of weeks, I have heard a couple of times (once by Pat Sweeney) that UND's exploratory year was 2008. My question is this, last year when UND announced it's intention to move up to DI, wasn't it said that 2007 was going to be the exploratory year? Or are they referring to the 07/08 sports seasons? Or am I totally missing something here?

[Gothmog]

So now there were 20-25 thousand NDSU fans at the Metrodome? The total was reported to be around 15,000 in the Forum. It seems that since the game itself, the actual Bison fan attendence has become an urban legend of sorts that gets more exaggerated by the week. The figure you and others are throwing around is a complete misrepresentation of the facts. Don't flatter yourselves.

OK, I'll take 15,000. That's just fine.

[bincitysioux]

In regards to UND's DI transition, I have a question............In the last couple of weeks, I have heard a couple of times (once by Pat Sweeney) that UND's exploratory year was 2008. My question is this, last year when UND announced it's intention to move up to DI, wasn't it said that 2007 was going to be the exploratory year? Or are they referring to the 07/08 sports seasons? Or am I totally missing something here?

The exploratory year will we the 2007-08 school year. UND will still compete for DII and NCC championships during the exploratory year.

[BobIwabuchiFan]

The simple fact is UND vs Minnesota in Hockey is a national game...See tonights viewership/exposure range and try and tell me its not. I travel all around the US and anywhere we have Hockey or NHL, people know the Fighting Sioux. The key fact is that we have had a DI caliber sport at UND for over 50 years and that has considerably more drawing power than the soon to be DIAA UND Football team and the already present NDSU team. If you don't believe me, see where the Hockey game results/articles are located in the major papers in the Twin Cities and the Dakota's vs the Bison's loss (e.g. Front page vs mid or last page sports section). In addition, the Football game was only picked up by the Fox Sports North Network. Tonights hockey game is going on Fox Sports North, The Fighting Sioux Network, and CSTV (National). By the way, the reason for the high attendance at the Bison/Gpher game was related to the fact that if you bought the Iowa game you got NDSU tickets for free! Given all of the above, Hockey has to be a great asset for UND and I would say it far outweighs the NDSU 'once and a while' basketball win or football notoriety.

BobIwabuchiFan

[bincitysioux]

OK, I'll take 15,000. That's just fine.

How much more are you willing to negotiate?

[bincitysioux]

This latest reincarnation of this argument is as pointless as the thousands of others that have come before it, of which I have participated in many, although lately I try to refrain. But I can't help jumping in after this comment:

.........the reason for the high attendance at the Bison/Gpher game was related to the fact that if you bought the Iowa game you got NDSU tickets for free!

That is not entirely correct BobIwabuchiFan. Actually, if one wanted to go to the UM/Iowa game, they were forced to purchase a ticket to the NDSU game.

[Gothmog]

The simple fact is UND vs Minnesota in Hockey is a national game...See tonights viewership/exposure range and try and tell me its not. I travel all around the US and anywhere we have Hockey or NHL, people know the Fighting Sioux. The key fact is that we have had a DI caliber sport at UND for over 50 years and that has considerably more drawing power than the soon to be DIAA UND Football team and the already present NDSU team. If you don't believe me, see where the Hockey game results/articles are located in the major papers in the Twin Cities and the Dakota's vs the Bison's loss (e.g. Front page vs mid or last page sports section). In addition, the Football game was only picked up by the Fox Sports North Network. Tonights hockey game is going on Fox Sports North, The Fighting Sioux Network, and CSTV (National). By the way, the reason for the high attendance at the Bison/Gpher game was related to the fact that if you bought the Iowa game you got NDSU tickets for free! Given all of the above, Hockey has to be a great asset for UND and I would say it far outweighs the NDSU 'once and a while' basketball win or football notoriety.

BobIwabuchiFan

Well, take a look at today's Star Tribune. UND sweeps the Gophers in Minnesota for the first time in 26 years and where is the story? Buried on page four of the sports section!

Hockey doesn't even get page one coverage in Minneapolis/St Paul, the hockey hotbed of the country.

BTW, your comment about Iowa fans buying tickets is completely irrelevent.

[BobIwabuchiFan]

This latest reincarnation of this argument is as pointless as the thousands of others that have come before it, of which I have participated in many, although lately I try to refrain. But I can't help jumping in after this comment:

That is not entirely correct BobIwabuchiFan. Actually, if one wanted to go to the UM/Iowa game, they were forced to purchase a ticket to the NDSU game.

BincitySioux,

I happily stand corrected on the ticket purchase point!

BobIwabuchiFan