Here's an idea to increase attendance, which has stunk this year and has been in gradual decline for over a decade: serve alcohol at the concession stands.
That's up there with jock jams.
By all means let's turn college hockey into that type of mouthbreather commodity. I'm sure there won't be any slide towards further enshittification.
It didn't help the Clarkson attendance Friday night and it hasn't helped Colgate attendance when we have gone to those games. One thing is becoming very obvious as we continue to tour the other ECAC arenas is that Lynah still has the best atmosphere even if it currently isn't what we each remember it once being.
Honestly, as I've older I am not totally against having any kind of extra room. Lynah is a much better rink to stand in than to sit in. (Are more people buying alcohol since they expanded who can? When it was more limited I never saw more than a couple people in line.)
Quote from: VIEWfromK on December 08, 2025, 08:01:16 AMIt didn't help the Clarkson attendance Friday night and it hasn't helped Colgate attendance when we have gone to those games. One thing is becoming very obvious as we continue to tour the other ECAC arenas is that Lynah still has the best atmosphere even if it currently isn't what we each remember it once being.
Well, those rinks might be even worse if not for their serving alcohol. Attendance and energy at Lynah has been weak lately, they've gotta find some way to get people to come and be rowdy. There are probably significant logistical issues with serving alcohol though. Anyone have any other ideas? (And please don't say "winning." It's been clear for a long time now that the correlation between team success and attendance is extremely weak.)
Quote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 01:10:23 PMQuote from: VIEWfromK on December 08, 2025, 08:01:16 AMIt didn't help the Clarkson attendance Friday night and it hasn't helped Colgate attendance when we have gone to those games. One thing is becoming very obvious as we continue to tour the other ECAC arenas is that Lynah still has the best atmosphere even if it currently isn't what we each remember it once being.
Well, those rinks might be even worse if not for their serving alcohol. Attendance and energy at Lynah has been weak lately, they've gotta find some way to get people to come and be rowdy. There are probably significant logistical issues with serving alcohol though. Anyone have any other ideas? (And please don't say "winning." It's been clear for a long time now that the correlation between team success and attendance is extremely weak.)
Get more kids to care about something that most kids don't really care about that much anymore, on weekend nights, in an era when an evening's entertainment doesn't remotely require leaving home.
You're welcome.
Quote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 01:25:12 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 01:10:23 PMQuote from: VIEWfromK on December 08, 2025, 08:01:16 AMIt didn't help the Clarkson attendance Friday night and it hasn't helped Colgate attendance when we have gone to those games. One thing is becoming very obvious as we continue to tour the other ECAC arenas is that Lynah still has the best atmosphere even if it currently isn't what we each remember it once being.
Well, those rinks might be even worse if not for their serving alcohol. Attendance and energy at Lynah has been weak lately, they've gotta find some way to get people to come and be rowdy. There are probably significant logistical issues with serving alcohol though. Anyone have any other ideas? (And please don't say "winning." It's been clear for a long time now that the correlation between team success and attendance is extremely weak.)
Get more kids to care about something that most kids don't really care about that much anymore, on weekend nights, in an era when an evening's entertainment doesn't remotely require leaving home.
You're welcome.
Yes, that's why I suggest selling alcohol.
Quote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 01:26:57 PMQuote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 01:25:12 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 01:10:23 PMQuote from: VIEWfromK on December 08, 2025, 08:01:16 AMIt didn't help the Clarkson attendance Friday night and it hasn't helped Colgate attendance when we have gone to those games. One thing is becoming very obvious as we continue to tour the other ECAC arenas is that Lynah still has the best atmosphere even if it currently isn't what we each remember it once being.
Well, those rinks might be even worse if not for their serving alcohol. Attendance and energy at Lynah has been weak lately, they've gotta find some way to get people to come and be rowdy. There are probably significant logistical issues with serving alcohol though. Anyone have any other ideas? (And please don't say "winning." It's been clear for a long time now that the correlation between team success and attendance is extremely weak.)
Get more kids to care about something that most kids don't really care about that much anymore, on weekend nights, in an era when an evening's entertainment doesn't remotely require leaving home.
You're welcome.
Yes, that's why I suggest selling alcohol.
Suggesting that they leave home and spend money to attend an event where they'll have the opportunity to spend additional money on booze is not a way to get anybody interested in anything in 2025. (Edit to add: Or 2026.)
Quote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 01:25:12 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 01:10:23 PMQuote from: VIEWfromK on December 08, 2025, 08:01:16 AMIt didn't help the Clarkson attendance Friday night and it hasn't helped Colgate attendance when we have gone to those games. One thing is becoming very obvious as we continue to tour the other ECAC arenas is that Lynah still has the best atmosphere even if it currently isn't what we each remember it once being.
Well, those rinks might be even worse if not for their serving alcohol. Attendance and energy at Lynah has been weak lately, they've gotta find some way to get people to come and be rowdy. There are probably significant logistical issues with serving alcohol though. Anyone have any other ideas? (And please don't say "winning." It's been clear for a long time now that the correlation between team success and attendance is extremely weak.)
Get more kids to care about something that most kids don't really care about that much anymore, on weekend nights, in an era when an evening's entertainment doesn't remotely require leaving home.
You're welcome.
Ban cell phones for all undergraduates.
The kids love free shit, and there were a ton of giveaways last year. You could be giving away the shittiest pair of socks or cowboy hat ever made and you bet you'll have a line out the door. Wouldn't be surprised to see more giveaways second semester.
Quote from: chimpfood on December 08, 2025, 03:05:48 PMThe kids love free shit, and there were a ton of giveaways last year. You could be giving away the shittiest pair of socks or cowboy hat ever made and you bet you'll have a line out the door. Wouldn't be surprised to see more giveaways second semester.
Oh my god that rodeo hat still lives in my closet.
But yeah, free mass-produced Crap™ helps. As I mentioned on the other thread, I can just as easily watch the game from home and save a lot of time going to/from the rink, especially during study season. You have to make the GOING THERE attractive enough.
Alcohol won't do it. Concessions struggles enough as is to sling out preprepped hot dogs and whatever the fuck they're calling nachos. Imagine them having to check IDs?
Not to bring up BU friend again, but over there, they do something where if you go to like, I think the number is 10 hockey games (M or W), you can get a free jersey. Which helps!
Their student section organization is also something to consider. I know the Lynah Faithful historically have relied on decentralization, but having a dedicated fan group who travels to games, gives recaps and opinions, and even has access to the players themselves for "exclusive content" and the like can do a lot to drum up support.
At the end of the day, Section B is fine. The core supporters are still here. It's everyone AROUND them that struggles to fill in seats. You have to flip the "marginal" attendees. Whether that's a giveaway or whatever else.
I always wondered why they don't make a limited set run of Cornell hockey cards. Give away two or three players' cards each home game. That way, to complete your collection you have to go to every home game, or at least enough of them so you get all the players. (You'd probably have some repeats, especially over intersession and the like, and maybe last home weekend is a "hey, if you're missing cards, show us your binder and we'll fill you up".) Hell, have the players sign 50 cards each randomly out of a run of 5000 or so.
Essentially, you want to "tie" people into going to MULTIPLE games, ideally to complete some sort of objective. People come for the Harvard game, always. Now get them to go to the Colgate one to get enough stamps to "redeem" a freebie.
FWIW the alcohol suggestion was really for the townies. Logistically they basically can't allow alcohol in the student sections because students will just pass it to their underage friends. Giveaways is a good idea, hopefully they bring those back. They also should only sell Harvard seats as part of a four-game package.
And yes, I have no issues with Section B, but we can't even fill A and C or get them to stand! It's basically a question of whether we can get 500-1000 marginal fans to come. If we can do that, we will have full attendance.
Quote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:17:18 PMThey also should only sell Harvard seats as part of a four-game package.
[insert legacy vomit emoji]
Quote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 05:34:31 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:17:18 PMThey also should only sell Harvard seats as part of a four-game package.
[insert legacy vomit emoji]
What's wrong
Quote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:57:26 PMQuote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 05:34:31 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:17:18 PMThey also should only sell Harvard seats as part of a four-game package.
[insert legacy vomit emoji]
What's wrong
My opinion is that such a thing would backfire. You want the Harvard game sold out and packed, rather than risking empty seats because some people (understandably) didn't want to spend $80 on the Harvard game and some games they might or might not even be able to attend, much less want to, instead of spending $20. It works for Harvard to sell the Cornell game only as part of a package because Cornell fans in the Boston area are vindictive and spiteful, and gleefully spend the extra money, then fill Bright with red and white and outshout the few Harvard fans in attendance at games that are relatively meaningless to Cornell. Harvard fans won't do the same at Lynah.
What about a truly random drawing for 2-4 tickets to a future game (excluding Harvard, obviously) at every game?
I bet that would draw more people in
Just my opinion
Quote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 06:12:48 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:57:26 PMQuote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 05:34:31 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:17:18 PMThey also should only sell Harvard seats as part of a four-game package.
[insert legacy vomit emoji]
What's wrong
My opinion is that such a thing would backfire. You want the Harvard game sold out and packed, rather than risking empty seats because some people (understandably) didn't want to spend $80 on the Harvard game and some games they might or might not even be able to attend, much less want to, instead of spending $20. It works for Harvard to sell the Cornell game only as part of a package because Cornell fans in the Boston area are vindictive and spiteful, and gleefully spend the extra money, then fill Bright with red and white and outshout the few Harvard fans in attendance at games that are relatively meaningless to Cornell. Harvard fans won't do the same at Lynah.
Wait, I'm confused. Who said anything about Harvard fans? I'm talking about selling tickets to Cornell fans. They already do sell Harvard tickets as part of a package of 2 (alongside the Dartmouth game that weekend). The result has been a completely sold out Dartmouth game. My suggestion is that anyone who buys a Harvard game ticket must also buy Dartmouth (this is already in place) plus select one additional weekend set of games.
find a time machine, go back to 2019 and make sure the pandemic never happened. It's not the entire reason for people going out less, we've still got our cell phones, but the world is a fundamentally different place pre-and post pandemic.
Quote from: fastforward on December 08, 2025, 07:13:42 PMWhat about a truly random drawing for 2-4 tickets to a future game (excluding Harvard, obviously) at every game?
I bet that would draw more people in
Just my opinion
Fuck it,
include Harvard. That is a great idea.
Quote from: abmarks on December 09, 2025, 02:19:10 AMfind a time machine, go back to 2019 and make sure the pandemic never happened. It's not the entire reason for people going out less, we've still got our cell phones, but the world is a fundamentally different place pre-and post pandemic.
Not forever.
On a reasonable time scale, the pandemic has zero impact. It's a local perturbation.
Quote from: marty on December 08, 2025, 01:42:07 PMBan cell phones for all undergraduates.
Five minutes to change your life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8).
Quote from: stereax on December 08, 2025, 05:10:18 PMI always wondered why they don't make a limited set run of Cornell hockey cards. Give away two or three players' cards each home game. That way, to complete your collection you have to go to every home game, or at least enough of them so you get all the players. (You'd probably have some repeats, especially over intersession and the like, and maybe last home weekend is a "hey, if you're missing cards, show us your binder and we'll fill you up".) Hell, have the players sign 50 cards each randomly out of a run of 5000 or so.
Another great idea. And by someone actually within living memory of undergrad age.
The keeeds are fine. They're the same as we were. They want to have fun, be social, rub against whatever weird segment of the population they find erotically disquieting.
They are the same as humans 16-25 have been since 10,000 BC. Give them something to show up for. Turn off the fucking mall music and let the band off the chain.
And win.
Quote from: stereax on December 08, 2025, 05:10:18 PMNot to bring up BU friend again, but over there, they do something where if you go to like, I think the number is 10 hockey games (M or W), you can get a free jersey. Which helps!
Just to back up Stereax's comment. My daughter is a freshman at BU (I know, I failed as a parent). Tickets are free to students. They do give you a free jersey but I think you have to attend almost all of the home games. Her roommate is on track to get the jersey and never watched a game before she got to BU. The do t-shirt tosses, free face paint for kids (although they get more adults), and I think she mentioned random food giveaways. Maybe this is the way.
Quote from: jts15 on December 09, 2025, 09:11:32 AMQuote from: stereax on December 08, 2025, 05:10:18 PMNot to bring up BU friend again, but over there, they do something where if you go to like, I think the number is 10 hockey games (M or W), you can get a free jersey. Which helps!
Just to back up Stereax's comment. My daughter is a freshman at BU (I know, I failed as a parent). Tickets are free to students. They do give you a free jersey but I think you have to attend almost all of the home games. Her roommate is on track to get the jersey and never watched a game before she got to BU. The do t-shirt tosses, free face paint for kids (although they get more adults), and I think she mentioned random food giveaways. Maybe this is the way.
Wait, BU student tickets are free?
Quote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 08:38:02 PMQuote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 06:12:48 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:57:26 PMQuote from: Beeeej on December 08, 2025, 05:34:31 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 08, 2025, 05:17:18 PMThey also should only sell Harvard seats as part of a four-game package.
[insert legacy vomit emoji]
What's wrong
My opinion is that such a thing would backfire. You want the Harvard game sold out and packed, rather than risking empty seats because some people (understandably) didn't want to spend $80 on the Harvard game and some games they might or might not even be able to attend, much less want to, instead of spending $20. It works for Harvard to sell the Cornell game only as part of a package because Cornell fans in the Boston area are vindictive and spiteful, and gleefully spend the extra money, then fill Bright with red and white and outshout the few Harvard fans in attendance at games that are relatively meaningless to Cornell. Harvard fans won't do the same at Lynah.
Wait, I'm confused. Who said anything about Harvard fans? I'm talking about selling tickets to Cornell fans. They already do sell Harvard tickets as part of a package of 2 (alongside the Dartmouth game that weekend). The result has been a completely sold out Dartmouth game. My suggestion is that anyone who buys a Harvard game ticket must also buy Dartmouth (this is already in place) plus select one additional weekend set of games.
Do you imagine that a response to your post must address the exact things you said and only those exact things? My use of "some people" above was intended to address the suggestion that Cornell fans/townies would spend more to see games they may not care about, but I also thought it would be useful to point to a situation that is more successful at Harvard than a parallel solution would be at Cornell and explain why. Your point about Dartmouth is well-taken, but at the same time,
it's the same weekend as Harvard. Asking people to eschew other plans or make additional travel plans for a second weekend is a bigger lift, and I think it would backfire, resulting in fewer package purchases.
I was scrolling through tickets for the winter break games and did not realize they charge $50 for a single-game ticket for the box seats.
One fun idea that would never happen is to cancel classes on the Friday of the first home game and have the game at noon. Pretty much just make it a holiday for the purpose of the hockey game. Not really practical because it would hurt townie attendance but it would be fun as hell.
Quote from: chimpfood on December 09, 2025, 12:57:04 PMOne fun idea that would never happen is to cancel classes on the Friday of the first home game and have the game at noon. Pretty much just make it a holiday for the purpose of the hockey game. Not really practical because it would hurt townie attendance...
...and ESPN+ viewership.
I think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere. It's a shame our tickets are way more expensive than most other schools'. I like the one free voucher per student idea from the other thread.
Quote from: Beeeej on December 09, 2025, 12:58:50 PMQuote from: chimpfood on December 09, 2025, 12:57:04 PMOne fun idea that would never happen is to cancel classes on the Friday of the first home game and have the game at noon. Pretty much just make it a holiday for the purpose of the hockey game. Not really practical because it would hurt townie attendance...
...and ESPN+ viewership.
sounds like someone takes their job a little too seriously
Quote from: ugarte on December 09, 2025, 01:14:18 PMQuote from: Beeeej on December 09, 2025, 12:58:50 PMQuote from: chimpfood on December 09, 2025, 12:57:04 PMOne fun idea that would never happen is to cancel classes on the Friday of the first home game and have the game at noon. Pretty much just make it a holiday for the purpose of the hockey game. Not really practical because it would hurt townie attendance...
...and ESPN+ viewership.
sounds like someone takes their lunch a little too seriously
FYP.
I thought you said "launch." :o
Quote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 01:13:50 PMI think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.
Ding ding ding.
Quote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 01:38:43 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 01:13:50 PMI think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.
Ding ding ding.
There are fewer ads on the boards this season, although I would guess that they significantly increased the price for center-ice ads and are willing to let that space sit unused instead of selling slots at a lower rate. (Hey, sounds like retail landlords.)
When I make my first billion, I will buy up all the boards and all the ice and put nothing on them.
Quote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 01:38:43 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 01:13:50 PMI think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.
Ding ding ding.
I think this can be fixed. Cornell athletics isn't a for-profit company.
Quote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 03:16:07 PMQuote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 01:38:43 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 01:13:50 PMI think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.
Ding ding ding.
I think this can be fixed. Cornell athletics isn't a for-profit company.
If only this was still true. We have the same disease as the rest of the world. I am sure the time is coming when we will have to pay an annual subscription to keep our degrees.
The last banker strangled with the entrails of the last realtor. It's the only way.
Quote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 03:16:07 PMQuote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 01:38:43 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 01:13:50 PMI think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.
Ding ding ding.
I think this can be fixed. Cornell athletics isn't a for-profit company.
But it has expenses and has to do what it can to keep up with the Joneses (at least keep within earshot of the Joneses) if it wants any shot at competing for national championships. (Ben Robertson sure seemed smitten with Michigan's private jets for away games.) And I think none-to-very little money flows from the academic side/endowment of the university to athletics, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong about that.
Quote from: JasonN95 on December 09, 2025, 04:01:29 PMBut it has expenses and has to do what it can to keep up with the Joneses (at least keep within earshot of the Joneses) if it wants any shot at competing for national championships. (Ben Robertson sure seemed smitten with Michigan's private jets for away games.) And I think none-to-very little money flows from the academic side/endowment of the university to athletics, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong about that.
The endowment isn't purely academic, so your characterization isn't
quite apt. Casey is the "Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey" for a reason - Mr. Bloom's generosity in setting up an endowment that should generate salary, perhaps benefits, and possibly also travel budget for the head coach in perpetuity. That said, because of how endowments work, the endowment for the head coaching position can't "flow" to other parts of Athletics. There's an endowed "discretionary fund" for the Provost, who could doubtless send some money Athletics' way if they wanted, but I doubt that's a high priority when Athletics does some pretty decent fundraising of their own and has endowed funds like the Bloom Coach.
Didn't Ned have a private jet called "Above It All"?
Quote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 05:09:32 PMDidn't Ned have a private jet called "Above It All"?
Back in the 60s, Cornell had a DC3 named "The Far Above."
Quote from: Al DeFlorio on December 09, 2025, 08:09:01 PMQuote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 05:09:32 PMDidn't Ned have a private jet called "Above It All"?
Back in the 60s, Cornell had a DC3 named "The Far Above."
https://alumni.cornell.edu/cornellians/written-in-stone/
QuoteIn 1961, [Leroy] Grumman gave Cornell a DC-3 airplane. Named the Far Above and used through 1970, it flew more than 250,000 miles and carried more than 30,000 total passengers—including staff and faculty, athletic squads, and student groups. Grumman served as a trustee from 1953–66 and was among the first alumni designated as a presidential councilor.
This has been an evergreen topic in all of college hockey for 20 years. Steady decline everywhere, except for a handful of places. And even those places are subject to decline when their team falls out of the top 20. Even Western Michigan - known for its "lunatics" and fresh off a national championship, had extremely meh attendance this past weekend against a good Duluth team.
I don't like it either - but it's not a Cornell problem - and there's likely very little anyone can do about it. Cornell has to be a consistent top 5 team for like half a season in order to fill Lynah like it used to.
Quote from: adamw on December 09, 2025, 11:45:01 PMThis has been an evergreen topic in all of college hockey for 20 years. Steady decline everywhere, except for a handful of places. And even those places are subject to decline when their team falls out of the top 20. Even Western Michigan - known for its "lunatics" and fresh off a national championship, had extremely meh attendance this past weekend against a good Duluth team.
I don't like it either - but it's not a Cornell problem - and there's likely very little anyone can do about it. Cornell has to be a consistent top 5 team for like half a season in order to fill Lynah like it used to.
Definitely the general trend. I'm a bit surprised regardless, because it seemed like Lynah had picked up in crowd size and intensity a little over the last two years.
Quote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 09:37:43 AMWait, BU student tickets are free?
Yes. According to her all she has to do is go the rink, show her ID, and if there is a ticket available she gets it no charge. My reaction to that was the same as yours.
Quote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 03:21:15 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 03:16:07 PMQuote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 01:38:43 PMQuote from: BearLover on December 09, 2025, 01:13:50 PMI think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.
Ding ding ding.
I think this can be fixed. Cornell athletics isn't a for-profit company.
If only this was still true. We have the same disease as the rest of the world. I am sure the time is coming when we will have to pay an annual subscription to keep our degrees.
The last banker strangled with the entrails of the last realtor. It's the only way.
Charlie Moore literally called himself the "CEO of Athletics" when he was AD.
When my son went to Clarkson University from 2016 - 2020 the hockey tickets were free for students with their ID. I think without student ID they were like $6.00
Quote from: Al DeFlorio on December 09, 2025, 08:09:01 PMQuote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 05:09:32 PMDidn't Ned have a private jet called "Above It All"?
Back in the 60s, Cornell had a DC3 named "The Far Above."
That was it.
Quote from: adamw on December 09, 2025, 11:45:01 PMThis has been an evergreen topic in all of college hockey for 20 years. Steady decline everywhere, except for a handful of places. And even those places are subject to decline when their team falls out of the top 20. Even Western Michigan - known for its "lunatics" and fresh off a national championship, had extremely meh attendance this past weekend against a good Duluth team.
I don't like it either - but it's not a Cornell problem - and there's likely very little anyone can do about it. Cornell has to be a consistent top 5 team for like half a season in order to fill Lynah like it used to.
Is top 5 significantly different from top 20? I don't know that the greater Cornell community is looking at USCHO.
Don't they just need to win, and in particular at home? I believe Bear's laudable goal of +500 per game is doable with an improvement of word of mouth and an improvement of marketing and atmosphere. This will however require the university to stop treating students like farm animals to slaughter for revenue. The sport has its own beautiful grassroots traditions. It doesn't need geegaws and gimmicks. Just let it bloom. Take everybody with a bright idea for monetizing it and throw them bodily off the roof of Bradfield. Monetize
that. I would pay good money to watch Flight of the Provosts.
Quote from: Trotsky on December 10, 2025, 01:54:52 PMQuote from: adamw on December 09, 2025, 11:45:01 PMThis has been an evergreen topic in all of college hockey for 20 years. Steady decline everywhere, except for a handful of places. And even those places are subject to decline when their team falls out of the top 20. Even Western Michigan - known for its "lunatics" and fresh off a national championship, had extremely meh attendance this past weekend against a good Duluth team.
I don't like it either - but it's not a Cornell problem - and there's likely very little anyone can do about it. Cornell has to be a consistent top 5 team for like half a season in order to fill Lynah like it used to.
Is top 5 significantly different from top 20? I don't know that the greater Cornell community is looking at USCHO.
Top 5 means the campus is buzzing about a possible national championship. Top 20 means we're 7-4 in December.
Quote from: ugarte on December 10, 2025, 03:14:17 PMQuote from: Trotsky on December 10, 2025, 01:54:52 PMQuote from: adamw on December 09, 2025, 11:45:01 PMThis has been an evergreen topic in all of college hockey for 20 years. Steady decline everywhere, except for a handful of places. And even those places are subject to decline when their team falls out of the top 20. Even Western Michigan - known for its "lunatics" and fresh off a national championship, had extremely meh attendance this past weekend against a good Duluth team.
I don't like it either - but it's not a Cornell problem - and there's likely very little anyone can do about it. Cornell has to be a consistent top 5 team for like half a season in order to fill Lynah like it used to.
Is top 5 significantly different from top 20? I don't know that the greater Cornell community is looking at USCHO.
Top 5 means the campus is buzzing about a possible national championship. Top 20 means we're 7-4 in December.
I honestly don't think it really matters. Sure, if we totally suck and are noncompetitive in most home games then that will hurt attendance. But the missing fans are the casuals who have absolutely no idea what our national ranking is. We're in a period of incredible sustained success, back to back ECAC champs, 7 NCAA appearances in the last 8 seasons, multiple 1-seeds, and yet in that time the slow decline of Lynah has continued unabated.
500 people per game is a small number so even if winning motivates a few more people to show up, then that's something. But I just haven't seen any correlation in practice.
Once again I want to clarify that despite the decline, we still have by far the best atmosphere in the league and one of the best in the country. It's just way worse than we had before.
Quote from: BearLover on December 10, 2025, 03:29:20 PM500 people per game is a small number so even if winning motivates a few more people to show up, then that's something. But I just haven't seen any correlation in practice.
Everybody loves a winner but, like, a WINNER. When I was in college, basketball games were a ghost town (within a couple of years of an Ivy title) but it was buzzing during the 2008-10 Ivy title years. *Columbia* has been selling out (or nearly so) some basketball games because they came
close to an ivy title. But the general fact is true: students don't arrive on campus and get inducted into a cult the way most of us probably did.
Quote from: Trotsky on December 10, 2025, 01:54:52 PMThe sport has its own beautiful grassroots traditions. It doesn't need geegaws and gimmicks. Just let it bloom.
Traditions mean nothing if you can't get new people in the door to help keep those traditions going. So, maybe a few gimmicks make for a necessary evil. Something less than what's happening currently, but not zero either.
Quote from: Trotsky on December 10, 2025, 01:54:52 PMIs top 5 significantly different from top 20? I don't know that the greater Cornell community is looking at USCHO.
Of course not. Cornellians are smarter than that.
Quote from: Trotsky on December 09, 2025, 05:00:41 AMQuote from: fastforward on December 08, 2025, 07:13:42 PMWhat about a truly random drawing for 2-4 tickets to a future game (excluding Harvard, obviously) at every game?
I bet that would draw more people in
Just my opinion
Fuck it, include Harvard. That is a great idea.
Looks like they somewhat took my idea and are giving away tickets!
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Quote from: Weder on December 08, 2025, 08:37:51 AMHonestly, as I've older I am not totally against having any kind of extra room. Lynah is a much better rink to stand in than to sit in. (Are more people buying alcohol since they expanded who can? When it was more limited I never saw more than a couple people in line.)
Yes! There is no shame in comfortable seats. Or less uncomfortable seats.
Quote from: ugarte on December 10, 2025, 03:45:29 PMBut the general fact is true: students don't arrive on campus and get inducted into a cult the way most of us probably did.
< Panhellenic joke here >
The problem: Lynah attendance and energy have been in gradual decline for two decades, but this year has been particularly bad, definitely the worst I've seen in 16+ years of attending games. This has a compounding effect where poor attendance and energy makes the games less fun, thus further depressing ticket sales. It also kills our biggest recruiting advantage.
The goal: Increase attendance by 500 tickets sold per game on average. Achieving this goal would result in a sellout or near-sellout most games and is a highly attainable goal given the size of the student body and surrounding population.
Possible ideas:
-lower ticket prices.
-package Harvard tickets together with Dartmouth (already happening) and two other games. I.e., to buy Harvard tix, you also have to buy ticket vs Dartmouth and two other games of your choice. People who get this package get first dibs on Harvard tix.
-similar package for Colgate game, which I assume is the second biggest ticket. Eg. to buy a Colgate ticket, also have to buy one other ticket.
-reach out to clubs, graduate programs, frats/sororities to promote group ticket sales. Eg. special deal for vet school if they buy 20 tickets together. Reserve parts of poorly attended sections (eg. F) for poorly attended games (which is most of them) for such ticket blocks.
-sell beer at the games. Bonus of creating rowdier atmosphere. Most other schools already do this.
-better coordination with the band. I don't know how this works but I believe there used to be a considerably larger pep band contingent on average. They should be taking up the top half of A. As it is, A is at least half-empty most games.
-more theme nights (Taylor Swift night or whatever they did last year)
-any other ideas?
People will disagree with some of these, or some may be untenable, which is fine. I'm not suggesting we implement all of them; they're just ideas. But I believe
+500 per game is absolutely achievable if they actually tried.
Is Colgate really the 2nd biggest game at this point? Do they send a lot of visiting fans? I would have thought Quinnipiac at this point. I guess Colgate has the advantage of being the only home game on that weekend.
Quote from: CU2007 on January 17, 2026, 11:07:27 AMIs Colgate really the 2nd biggest game at this point? Do they send a lot of visiting fans? I would have thought Quinnipiac at this point. I guess Colgate has the advantage of being the only home game on that weekend.
I don't think any team sends many visiting fans other than maybe Clarkson (doubtful). But Colgate has the toothpaste throwing thing (and as you said is the only home game that weekend) so I think that attracts fans. The casual fan has pretty much no idea what Quinnipiac even is. In my experience the Ivy League games see better attendance than the non-Ivy games, probably because the casual fans are familiar with those schools.
Quote from: BearLover on January 17, 2026, 09:57:20 AM-any other ideas?
As for "other ideas", I had posted the following in a different thread a few weeks ago:
Quote from: andyw2100 on December 09, 2025, 12:15:08 PMI think it's all about getting the kids that have never been to a game into Lynah the first time.
I went to my first game as a freshman in 1982. (It may even have been the Harvard game because I definitely was at the Harvard game that season.) I probably went to only three or four games that entire season, but then bought season tickets for my last three years at Cornell and for every year since then, except for the few years I was out of Ithaca before moving back. I had never followed hockey at all. It was the Lynah atmosphere that hooked me. Like BearLover, (and I'm guessing nearly everyone here) I'd really like to see Lynah more like it was in "the old days." I doubt there's a simple answer. I doubt even more that any discussion here will have any impact at all.
That being said, I think one thing that would help, if we could somehow get the administration to buy in, would be giving every freshman a personalized voucher good for one free admission to any game. Vouchers have to be redeemed for tickets, and the freebies could be allocated based on anticipated sales. So perhaps only 50 or 100 of these freebies set aside for the Harvard game, and hundreds available for games unlikely to sell out.
I have to think that there are students out there who would be "hooked" if they experience a game, but may never go if they aren't given the one free ticket.
The "up-front" cost to Cornell would be negligible, since they would manage the inventory in such a way that it shouldn't really cannibalize sales.
I doubt anything like this will ever happen, but I think it would work if it were tried.
My offer is this, Senator. Win.
Win and keep winning. That has always been the bedrock of any team's fan support.
Go 35-5 for a few years and we will have sell outs for a decade.
Quote from: Trotsky on January 17, 2026, 12:17:39 PMMy offer is this, Senator. Win.
Win and keep winning. That has always been the bedrock of any team's fan support.
Go 35-5 for a few years and we will have sell outs for a decade.
This is going to sound harsh, but...
Every time this conversation comes up you make the same comment, and each time it gets more wrong. This is because, as time has gone on, it has gotten increasingly clear that winning is not correlated with increased attendance. This makes sense if you spend time with the casual Cornell hockey fans we are trying to attract. They have no idea how good the team is or how well they did the prior week or prior season. We are currently in the most successful stretch of Cornell hockey in decades and attendance is as bad as it's ever been.
Also, "going 35-5 for a few years" means "winning the national championship for a few years."
I feel that our schedule is the biggest factor in the attendance
The schedule sucks this year
The world is changing. People have less time and are less passionate about the things that they care about. Things like Halloweekend and leaving early for break take priority over hockey now, and there's not really anything to school can do to change that. To me it's all relative. We have the best environment in the ECAC (by far), and one of the best in the country. We're doing well, but it'll never be what it used to be.
Quote from: BearLover on January 17, 2026, 09:57:20 AMIt also kills our biggest recruiting advantage.
I have only asked a few of the guys over the years (during Skate with the Big Red; please bring it back!) and they always say the atmosphere is one of the tipping points. A lot of our recruits are weighing other ECAC school opportunities. While I haven't been to all of the other schools yet, none of the ones I have been to can even come close to matching the experience at Lynah. A game like last night was better than any other school. A game like last Saturday without most of the students still wowed those recruits that I was sitting next to. I would be surprised if those considering Cornell would know the difference now compared to what it was twenty years ago.
Quote from: chimpfood on January 17, 2026, 01:15:11 PMThe world is changing. People have less time and are less passionate about the things that they care about. Things like Halloweekend and leaving early for break take priority over hockey now, and there's not really anything to school can do to change that. To me it's all relative. We have the best environment in the ECAC (by far), and one of the best in the country. We're doing well, but it'll never be what it used to be.
Things like Halloweekend and leaving early for break took precedence over hockey 15 years ago too, FWIW.
I agree we still have one of the best environments in the country, but it could be much better. The environment is honestly far, far, far worse than it used to be. Throwing up our hands and blaming cell phones and kids these days doesn't get us anywhere. +500 per game is a very attainable goal if the people who make these decisions actually tried.
Quote from: chimpfood on January 17, 2026, 01:15:11 PMThe world is changing. People have less time and are less passionate about the things that they care about. Things like Halloweekend and leaving early for break take priority over hockey now, and there's not really anything to school can do to change that. To me it's all relative. We have the best environment in the ECAC (by far), and one of the best in the country. We're doing well, but it'll never be what it used to be.
Some get their jollies by whining about everything. Why ruin their fun?
Quote from: Al DeFlorio on January 17, 2026, 01:20:46 PMQuote from: chimpfood on January 17, 2026, 01:15:11 PMThe world is changing. People have less time and are less passionate about the things that they care about. Things like Halloweekend and leaving early for break take priority over hockey now, and there's not really anything to school can do to change that. To me it's all relative. We have the best environment in the ECAC (by far), and one of the best in the country. We're doing well, but it'll never be what it used to be.
Some get their jollies by whining about everything. Why ruin their fun?
You must get some incredible jollies whining about the playcalling on the football thread all game every game, but you don't see me going over there and bothering you about it.
Let's play hockey! (clap clap, clap clap clap!)
I'm on board with winning being the best way to sell tickets, but we're coming off two very good years.
It's harder to put people in the stands these days, but it's a little unfortunate that attendance this year is worse than the last two.
Quote from: fastforward on January 17, 2026, 01:05:44 PMI feel that our schedule is the biggest factor in the attendance
The schedule sucks this year
The schedule this year is ass. Homestand of 4 weeks during winter break is terrible for attendance. Great for me though, personally, as someone who enjoys having personal space LOL.
But yeah, we're all just rehashing the same five things over and over again, and in a post-Covid, highly digitalized world... iunno. This is the same issue hundreds and thousands of "community spaces" are reaching - that people prefer to be isolated.
It's difficult to sell out games, and it's also difficult to even know who has season tickets and just isn't going. (Which I suspect is a good portion of C. People migrate to C from the FGHJ sections all the time, it feels like.) I don't think we'll ever get to Harvard levels of "no fans", though. The townie side always shows up.
Again, I also think for most people, it's the tipping point of going to your FIRST game. Everyone who I've brought to a game, or guided around in some cases, has LOVED Cornell hockey. But if you don't have anyone to show you the ropes, and you don't already love hockey, are you going to take that plunge organically?
So - yeah. An athletics voucher for freshmen. Maybe exclude the Harvard game, just on principle. You could do something like "attend 1 MHKY game, 1 WHKY game, 1 MLAX game, [add whatever other sports you want to promote] for free, get virtual stamps at each game, and collect all the stamps for [X actually decent reward]".
...Reminds me I have emails to write.
The issue is that people need to feel like they're part and parcel of an organic and vibrant cultural experience, and not merely the inheritors of a tired 20th century tradition. "Make Cornell Hockey relevant again" is my slogan. What's the magic sauce there? I'm not sure. Ultimately, it's for the young people to decide how to spend their time. Goodness knows there are many important things for kiddos to be involved with.
Quote from: stereax on January 17, 2026, 04:20:39 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 17, 2026, 01:05:44 PMI feel that our schedule is the biggest factor in the attendance
The schedule sucks this year
The schedule this year is ass. Homestand of 4 weeks during winter break is terrible for attendance. Great for me though, personally, as someone who enjoys having personal space LOL.
But yeah, we're all just rehashing the same five things over and over again, and in a post-Covid, highly digitalized world... iunno. This is the same issue hundreds and thousands of "community spaces" are reaching - that people prefer to be isolated.
It's difficult to sell out games, and it's also difficult to even know who has season tickets and just isn't going. (Which I suspect is a good portion of C. People migrate to C from the FGHJ sections all the time, it feels like.) I don't think we'll ever get to Harvard levels of "no fans", though. The townie side always shows up.
Again, I also think for most people, it's the tipping point of going to your FIRST game. Everyone who I've brought to a game, or guided around in some cases, has LOVED Cornell hockey. But if you don't have anyone to show you the ropes, and you don't already love hockey, are you going to take that plunge organically?
So - yeah. An athletics voucher for freshmen. Maybe exclude the Harvard game, just on principle. You could do something like "attend 1 MHKY game, 1 WHKY game, 1 MLAX game, [add whatever other sports you want to promote] for free, get virtual stamps at each game, and collect all the stamps for [X actually decent reward]".
...Reminds me I have emails to write.
Super anecdotal but I agree about making it to a first game. I didn't go to a game until late my sophomore year, and it was an immediate "why the hell haven't I been doing this since day one."
Quote from: Dafatone on January 17, 2026, 04:47:43 PMQuote from: stereax on January 17, 2026, 04:20:39 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 17, 2026, 01:05:44 PMI feel that our schedule is the biggest factor in the attendance
The schedule sucks this year
The schedule this year is ass. Homestand of 4 weeks during winter break is terrible for attendance. Great for me though, personally, as someone who enjoys having personal space LOL.
But yeah, we're all just rehashing the same five things over and over again, and in a post-Covid, highly digitalized world... iunno. This is the same issue hundreds and thousands of "community spaces" are reaching - that people prefer to be isolated.
It's difficult to sell out games, and it's also difficult to even know who has season tickets and just isn't going. (Which I suspect is a good portion of C. People migrate to C from the FGHJ sections all the time, it feels like.) I don't think we'll ever get to Harvard levels of "no fans", though. The townie side always shows up.
Again, I also think for most people, it's the tipping point of going to your FIRST game. Everyone who I've brought to a game, or guided around in some cases, has LOVED Cornell hockey. But if you don't have anyone to show you the ropes, and you don't already love hockey, are you going to take that plunge organically?
So - yeah. An athletics voucher for freshmen. Maybe exclude the Harvard game, just on principle. You could do something like "attend 1 MHKY game, 1 WHKY game, 1 MLAX game, [add whatever other sports you want to promote] for free, get virtual stamps at each game, and collect all the stamps for [X actually decent reward]".
...Reminds me I have emails to write.
Super anecdotal but I agree about making it to a first game. I didn't go to a game until late my sophomore year, and it was an immediate "why the hell haven't I been doing this since day one."
Absolutely! One of my friends (from Switzerland), after her first game, was like "if I get to the Fall Ball an hour late I can still come to hockey with you next week right"? And apparently she's now watching hockey back home, LOL.
I used Cornell hockey as a first date for years and even if the relationships did not survive the fandom of each victim seems to have.
I wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
Quote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:20:11 PMI wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
I mean, they definitely didn't mention it during law school orientation, LOL
Quote from: stereax on January 17, 2026, 05:21:41 PMQuote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:20:11 PMI wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
I mean, they definitely didn't mention it during law school orientation, LOL
you're not even supposed to know there's a hockey team
Quote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:20:11 PMI wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
From the early 80s: these plus the fancy pants 2x a year Cornell Dining thingy (edit: Cross-Country Gourmet!) and the SCA banquet at Risley.
Quote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:24:36 PMQuote from: stereax on January 17, 2026, 05:21:41 PMQuote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:20:11 PMI wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
I mean, they definitely didn't mention it during law school orientation, LOL
you're not even supposed to know there's a hockey team
I wish this was a joke
Quote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:20:11 PMI wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
How about giving every RA one or two tickets to an early season game? Or, if the appointments are decided early enough, a late season game in the year before they start. https://scl.cornell.edu/residential-life/housing/contact-us/student-employment/resident-advisor-ra-selection/resident-advisor-position-description
Quote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:20:11 PMI wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
I don't recall sports mentioned very much at all during orientation week, as the focus was very much on getting us to meet people and getting acclimated to being in college (this was early 2010's). In fact, I only went to my first hockey game because some people in my dorm asked me to come along. Unfortunately, it was this one (https://cornellbigred.com/news/2011/2/18/MICE_0218112930.aspx), but I went to several games afterwards the next few years.
Quote from: Iceberg on January 17, 2026, 06:20:09 PMQuote from: ugarte on January 17, 2026, 05:20:11 PMI wonder how hard they sell it during orientation these days. It sounded to me like back in the 90s it was pitched as THE thing that defined campus culture up there with traying on the slope, the rate of suicide being overstated and dragon day.
I don't recall sports mentioned very much at all during orientation week, as the focus was very much on getting us to meet people and getting acclimated to being in college (this was early 2010's). In fact, I only went to my first hockey game because some people in my dorm asked me to come along. Unfortunately, it was this one (https://cornellbigred.com/news/2011/2/18/MICE_0218112930.aspx), but I went to several games afterwards the next few years.
We got a penalty that game for a fan throwing a fish on the ice
Unfortunately, it's a sign of the times. Back in the 70s and 80s, tickets were like gold and the only way you could get in to any game was with season tickets. I was fortunate to have a friend as a freshman who knew about the Lynah experience and a few of us were lucky to get season tickets. We sat in H behind the goal. I was hooked. I had season tickets in Section D the next three years with my fraternity. I don't think I ever missed a game. Every game was an event and the social calendar revolved around the games.Part of it was also that there was a hockey culture at Cornell then. Lynah was used for intramural hockey, free skate, and many fraternities rented ice time and played pick up hockey. I played hockey in Lynah 2-3 times a week with my fraternity and I could barely skate before I got there.
My sons attended Cornell in the early to mid 2010s and one was a hockey player. I told them to make sure they got hockey tickets. By then, it was easy to get tickets and the games were no longer a big deal. And there was not any intramural ice hockey or ice times anymore. I went to a few games with them and it wasn't the same. The son who played hockey in high school never skated at Lynah Rink once in his 4 years there. I probably was on the ice close to 100 times.
I think the decline of fraternities at Cornell is a big factor. Back in the 80s and 90s, there were 50 fraternities. Fraternity ticket blocks were a big deal and attending hockey games was part of the culture. My guess is that fraternities made up a significant portion of the student sections. Fraternities are barely surviving at Cornell for many reasons today.
This is happening with all sports. Lacrosse games filled the crescent in the late 70s. Cornell is a national power now and averages about 1500 a game. The Jets and Giants used to have long wait lists for season tickets. I had season tickets to the Jets for decades and the people around me in my section were always there. Now you can buy tickets for any game you want for peanuts and stadiums are filled with fans from visiting teams. With the advent of big screen tvs and the internet and Stub Hub and streaming, live attendance at sporting events is not a big deal anymore.
The student attendance looks pitiful on the stream. A and D both look nearly empty.
Athletics puts zero effort into trying to create attendance. Other than trying to bump ticket sales for Harvard weekend nothing else is done.
Probably right to say that Lynah is now of finally dead. The smartphone always reigns supreme
Dear god some of you are insufferable.
Quote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 12:48:41 PMDear god some of you are insufferable.
🙄
And when it's sold out I hear a few griping it's packed too tight and too loud
Can't please everybody
Quote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 01:54:50 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 12:48:41 PMDear god some of you are insufferable.
🙄
And when it's sold out I hear a few griping it's packed too tight and too loud
Can't please everybody
Personal space is a myth on Harvard night...
Quote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 01:55:26 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 01:54:50 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 12:48:41 PMDear god some of you are insufferable.
🙄
And when it's sold out I hear a few griping it's packed too tight and too loud
Can't please everybody
Personal space is a myth on Harvard night...
Can't wait
Quote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 03:26:38 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 01:55:26 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 01:54:50 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 12:48:41 PMDear god some of you are insufferable.
🙄
And when it's sold out I hear a few griping it's packed too tight and too loud
Can't please everybody
Personal space is a myth on Harvard night...
Can't wait
I can! (No, for real I can't wait, I just hate having people pressed up against me haha)
Quote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 03:27:32 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 03:26:38 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 01:55:26 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 01:54:50 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 12:48:41 PMDear god some of you are insufferable.
🙄
And when it's sold out I hear a few griping it's packed too tight and too loud
Can't please everybody
Personal space is a myth on Harvard night...
Can't wait
I can! (No, for real I can't wait, I just hate having people pressed up against me haha)
Put a day old fish in each pocket-that should give you plenty of space
Quote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 04:56:56 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 03:27:32 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 03:26:38 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 01:55:26 PMQuote from: fastforward on January 18, 2026, 01:54:50 PMQuote from: stereax on January 18, 2026, 12:48:41 PMDear god some of you are insufferable.
🙄
And when it's sold out I hear a few griping it's packed too tight and too loud
Can't please everybody
Personal space is a myth on Harvard night...
Can't wait
I can! (No, for real I can't wait, I just hate having people pressed up against me haha)
Put a day old fish in each pocket-that should give you plenty of space
HAHAHAHAHAH I MEAN IT COULD WORK
Quote from: BearLover on January 17, 2026, 01:19:45 PMQuote from: chimpfood on January 17, 2026, 01:15:11 PMThe world is changing. People have less time and are less passionate about the things that they care about. Things like Halloweekend and leaving early for break take priority over hockey now, and there's not really anything to school can do to change that. To me it's all relative. We have the best environment in the ECAC (by far), and one of the best in the country. We're doing well, but it'll never be what it used to be.
Things like Halloweekend and leaving early for break took precedence over hockey 15 years ago too, FWIW.
I agree we still have one of the best environments in the country, but it could be much better. The environment is honestly far, far, far worse than it used to be. Throwing up our hands and blaming cell phones and kids these days doesn't get us anywhere. +500 per game is a very attainable goal if the people who make these decisions actually tried.
You accused Trotsky of being repetitive, but everyone here is repetitive, including yourself, and I will be as well.
You're both right and wrong. Of course winning more would help attendance. It's ALSO true that things are worse than they "used to be." ... My repetition involves me reminding you that this is NOT unique to Cornell. It's like this everywhere, and will continue to be. Things can be improved on the margins. But the old world is not coming back. It was less rabid in the 2000s than the 1970s as well. Another 20 years later, and it's less rabid than that. Concert goers are less attentive too. And don't get me started about movies.
Look at the attendance numbers around the league... abysmal, compared to Lynah. No, they probably wont sell out every game, but, a Natty might change that. Kinda nice to be able to pick up a pair of tickets when we roll to town. That would have been much harder years ago.
Even if winning materially helped attendance (unlikely), good luck winning any more than we currently are: back to back ECAC champs, on track to make ECACs for the 8th time in 9 seasons, just one or two "bad" seasons in the past 30+ years.
Either the folks were listening or had it planned all along but there have been a lot of changes since the start of the season in terms of game day experience. They continue to hold intermission participation challenges. The radio music is increasingly less prominent (thank you pep band!). They added back in the merchandise stand. They are adding new items to the concessions. They continue to have ice resurfacer riders. There is a lot less scoreboard videos or audience prompts. They have continued to do giveaways (free shirts last Friday. Sure they were old ones but they were from seasons where they didn't hand them out to season ticket holders). They keep asking for youth team participation so that will be fun if that comes into existence. The hockey is all that I need to attend a game but they are trying new things that are pretty harmless to what we think of as the institution. I don't know if any of it will create more fans but it has made things more interesting.
Quote from: VIEWfromK on January 27, 2026, 05:42:37 PMEither the folks were listening or had it planned all along but there have been a lot of changes since the start of the season in terms of game day experience. They continue to hold intermission participation challenges. The radio music is increasingly less prominent (thank you pep band!). They added back in the merchandise stand. They are adding new items to the concessions. They continue to have ice resurfacer riders. There is a lot less scoreboard videos or audience prompts. They have continued to do giveaways (free shirts last Friday. Sure they were old ones but they were from seasons where they didn't hand them out to season ticket holders). They keep asking for youth team participation so that will be fun if that comes into existence. The hockey is all that I need to attend a game but they are trying new things that are pretty harmless to what we think of as the institution. I don't know if any of it will create more fans but it has made things more interesting.
They're experimenting. I enjoy that. And thank fuck that stupid Tompkins Trust Shuffle is out.
Quote from: VIEWfromK on January 27, 2026, 05:42:37 PMEither the folks were listening or had it planned all along but there have been a lot of changes since the start of the season in terms of game day experience. They continue to hold intermission participation challenges. The radio music is increasingly less prominent (thank you pep band!). They added back in the merchandise stand. They are adding new items to the concessions. They continue to have ice resurfacer riders. There is a lot less scoreboard videos or audience prompts. They have continued to do giveaways (free shirts last Friday. Sure they were old ones but they were from seasons where they didn't hand them out to season ticket holders). They keep asking for youth team participation so that will be fun if that comes into existence. The hockey is all that I need to attend a game but they are trying new things that are pretty harmless to what we think of as the institution. I don't know if any of it will create more fans but it has made things more interesting.
Sports are full on theater now. The Oregon State football games are tightly choreographed with the marching band, cheerleaders, firework launchers, announcers/scoreboard video (thankfully air guitar cam instead of kiss cam) and announcements of other sports teams acheivements during tv ad breaks.
The Seattle Kraken put on a big show as the team comes out. It's got to be at least two minutes of video (on both scoreboards, plus projections on two big banners and the ice itself), music, and a big Kraken shaped arch that comes down from the ceiling that the guys skate under as they take the ice. There are stages at the top level on both ends that lead out to bars. The DJ is stationed at one, and they sometimes have a band at the other. And there's the usual intermission games on the ice for a few lucky fans and the tshirt tosses.
Even our high school wrestling coach is thinking of drawing people in with getting special singlets for a blacklight match.
When I was attending a science fiction writing workshop 25 years ago, we were at Greg Bear's house, and he brought us down to his home theater, popped a copy of the movie Contact in the dvd player, and said "Always remember, this is what you have to compete with when you're writing science fiction."
The same is now true for sports.
Quote from: pjd8 on January 28, 2026, 12:10:37 AMQuote from: VIEWfromK on January 27, 2026, 05:42:37 PMEither the folks were listening or had it planned all along but there have been a lot of changes since the start of the season in terms of game day experience. They continue to hold intermission participation challenges. The radio music is increasingly less prominent (thank you pep band!). They added back in the merchandise stand. They are adding new items to the concessions. They continue to have ice resurfacer riders. There is a lot less scoreboard videos or audience prompts. They have continued to do giveaways (free shirts last Friday. Sure they were old ones but they were from seasons where they didn't hand them out to season ticket holders). They keep asking for youth team participation so that will be fun if that comes into existence. The hockey is all that I need to attend a game but they are trying new things that are pretty harmless to what we think of as the institution. I don't know if any of it will create more fans but it has made things more interesting.
Sports are full on theater now. The Oregon State football games are tightly choreographed with the marching band, cheerleaders, firework launchers, announcers/scoreboard video (thankfully air guitar cam instead of kiss cam) and announcements of other sports teams acheivements during tv ad breaks.
The Seattle Kraken put on a big show as the team comes out. It's got to be at least two minutes of video (on both scoreboards, plus projections on two big banners and the ice itself), music, and a big Kraken shaped arch that comes down from the ceiling that the guys skate under as they take the ice. There are stages at the top level on both ends that lead out to bars. The DJ is stationed at one, and they sometimes have a band at the other. And there's the usual intermission games on the ice for a few lucky fans and the tshirt tosses.
Even our high school wrestling coach is thinking of drawing people in with getting special singlets for a blacklight match.
When I was attending a science fiction writing workshop 25 years ago, we were at Greg Bear's house, and he brought us down to his home theater, popped a copy of the movie Contact in the dvd player, and said "Always remember, this is what you have to compete with when you're writing science fiction."
The same is now true for sports.
Yes, to the theater part I agree... which is why Cornell has to encourage the traditions, old and (begrudgingly) new. As we are all aware, the pure spectacle, the participation, the calamity that is the Lynah Rink Hockey Experience is what sets it apart and is in it's self entertaining, beyond the on ice product.
Keep the cheers loud. The band louder. The student seats full. Make it analog and interactive and special and different than all those other shows.
Incoming rant.
The enshittification is driven by old people (so ancient, they are merely a decade younger than I) in positions where spending and deployment decisions are made. They regard students condescendingly as desensitized consumers who can only be detached from their iPacifiers by LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMMMMMBLE!
It's the usual category error: uninteresting and uncreative people are deaf to creativity and have no experience with the creative process, therefore they substitute their own ersatz equivalent. We see this everywhere from committee-chosen art to libertarianism to pink pussy hat marches. It is the illusion of doing work via time- or cash-consuming performative nothingness.
If I were given the university reins of the Lynah experience, I would rip everything top-down out. No piped in music. No images on scoreboards. No "content" of any kind. Burn the field. Force the students and the band to fill the space. The band would dominate the space between whistles. They are great however, as we know from their endless masturbatorial Jeopardy drone, the band only cares about the band. That leaves the time during play, when the students need to shine. That is when old cheers are lovingly recapitulated. It's when the Darwinian combat to launch new cheers is fought.
If I could hammer two messages into the skulls of the Tracy Flicks who try to remake Lynah over as a familiar profit-generating mall, they would be: (1) Stop. You're an idiot and you don't know what you are doing. Go to business school and find your level. (2) Less is more. Take all the obstacles away from the little no-necked monsters in A and B. Make them live or die by their own merits.
The Lynah Expereince is the crowd. Make that crowd rise to the challenge or sink into the comfort of their indolence. The crowd is a second Cornell team playing that night in a game against their own laziness. The creative people scattered through it will know what to do. They always do. The rest will follow along. They always do.
It will be okay if you just leave them the fuck alone.
Some sports you have the X that come to every game and the Y who come on occasion.
Cornell has the 50-60% townie side who come all the time, The 20% students who show up half the time and then the rest is filler. Harvard everyone shows up. BU if they play here.
Pro arenas are all over in how many STs they sell but they have so many more games that many people sell off 25-50% of the STs. That means many people its that once a yr or once ever thing and people want to get wowed.
I dont think a better experience draws more casuals to a Cornell game. Better score board work and music would make it more fun for those of us there all the time though
It would be helpful to know, of the ~4,300 seats at Lynah:
How many are townies
How many are students
Of these townie/student subgroups, how many are season ticket holders
I'll add one thing to this convo, which is that the video quality on ESPN+ is really poor. The lighting and sight lines are so bad that no matter what size screen I use to watch, it's difficult to tell where the puck is. Often I track the puck by implication, i.e. I can figure out where the puck is because the skaters are moving in a direction, or they're battling in the corner, or the goalie just put his glove up and the whistle blew—but rarely can I actually make out the puck. When a player takes a shot, I usually have no idea where it ended up. All that is to say, the experience of catching a game at Lynah is so much superior to watching on ESPN+ that I have a hard time believing the existence of streaming has any material effect on attendance. (Plus the fact that the only people streaming are the crazy fans who wouldn't miss a game if they're in town.)
Quote from: Trotsky on January 28, 2026, 12:43:04 PMIf I were given the university reins of the Lynah experience, I would rip everything top-down out. No piped in music. No images on scoreboards. No "content" of any kind. Burn the field. Force the students and the band to fill the space. The band would dominate the space between whistles. They are great however, as we know from their endless masturbatorial Jeopardy drone, the band only cares about the band. That leaves the time during play, when the students need to shine. That is when old cheers are lovingly recapitulated. It's when the Darwinian combat to launch new cheers is fought.
Yes, we as a society are terrified of "being bored". Yet that is where the greatest creativity comes from.
The band does care mostly about the band. I think there's room to sync better with the crowd, but given that the conductor position has the potential to turn over every semester, it's unlikely that better synergy will ever develop.
And it can be worse for a band that has a staff director. It can lend stability and opportunity for a longer learning curve, but there's often little room for spontaneity that comes from student energy, and that's where the magic is.
Crowds respond better to live bands. Universities know this. Some colleges give band members stipends. Cornell loves having the marching band/pep band play at non-sporting events. Why schools then won't get out of the band's way is beyond me.
Our band is great at what they do. You gotta set the tone and coming into the building with the band playing is thrilling. Davey after a goal is joyous. The Dragnet theme for an opp penalty is essentially another crowd cheer.
I love the band, but they are an igniter. The real fuel is the crowd itself. That is where the fire either starts or doesn't. We've all been to enough games that we can feel the difference, and generations of players have said they can too. When that fire is truly burning, it helps the team. When the team is playing well it builds the fire. It is a wonderful symbiosis.
There is a reason every opponent loves to come into Lynah, and why generations of star opposing athletes have said they felt most spectacular when competing against the Lynah crowd because to be the best you have to beat the best.
Coming into the building only a few times a decade, now, it still always feels like going to my church with my congregation. Lynah is sacred and hellfire consume anyone who harms it either through deliberate action or ineptitude.
Quote from: BearLover on January 28, 2026, 06:41:54 PMIt would be helpful to know, of the ~4,300 seats at Lynah:
How many are townies
How many are students
Of these townie/student subgroups, how many are season ticket holders
Pretty sure A through E are student only sections, and sell student only season tickets at the beginning of the year. I believe ABC are assigned seats, DEF are general admission?
I know students who like to catch games from O (seriously?), I know of many others who buy tickets in FGHJ and just clamber over to C.
As per the bigredtix site, B and C are entirely sold out. I truly doubt that's the case for C, or, if so, a bunch of STMs are not showing up. Either is likely tbh.
So my guess is probably like...
2500 townies
1800 students
Probably like 800 student STM? Mostly in B and some spots in A and C. Idk if anyone is buying season tickets for E.
Townies probably more around 1500 or so. Feels like there are a LOT of townie STMs.
Quote from: pjd8 on January 28, 2026, 06:56:14 PMYes, we as a society are terrified of "being bored". Yet that is where the greatest creativity comes from.
Harvard sucks and Business School is Clown College, but:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8
Quote from: Trotsky on January 28, 2026, 07:30:43 PMQuote from: pjd8 on January 28, 2026, 06:56:14 PMYes, we as a society are terrified of "being bored". Yet that is where the greatest creativity comes from.
Harvard sucks and Business School is Clown College, but:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8
The exact video I was thinking of, though it was a lesson life had already taught me.
Quote from: stereax on January 28, 2026, 07:15:51 PMQuote from: BearLover on January 28, 2026, 06:41:54 PMIt would be helpful to know, of the ~4,300 seats at Lynah:
How many are townies
How many are students
Of these townie/student subgroups, how many are season ticket holders
Pretty sure A through E are student only sections, and sell student only season tickets at the beginning of the year. I believe ABC are assigned seats, DEF are general admission?
I know students who like to catch games from O (seriously?), I know of many others who buy tickets in FGHJ and just clamber over to C.
As per the bigredtix site, B and C are entirely sold out. I truly doubt that's the case for C, or, if so, a bunch of STMs are not showing up. Either is likely tbh.
So my guess is probably like...
2500 townies
1800 students
Probably like 800 student STM? Mostly in B and some spots in A and C. Idk if anyone is buying season tickets for E.
Townies probably more around 1500 or so. Feels like there are a LOT of townie STMs.
I am surprised that over 40 % of the Cornell attendance is townies as this does not appear to me to be reflected in the postings here at eLynah. RPI threads on USCHO have a much larger percentage of townie posts, not that I know how it compares with the HFH attendance percentage.
Quote from: ursusminor on January 29, 2026, 01:17:19 PMQuote from: stereax on January 28, 2026, 07:15:51 PMQuote from: BearLover on January 28, 2026, 06:41:54 PMIt would be helpful to know, of the ~4,300 seats at Lynah:
How many are townies
How many are students
Of these townie/student subgroups, how many are season ticket holders
Pretty sure A through E are student only sections, and sell student only season tickets at the beginning of the year. I believe ABC are assigned seats, DEF are general admission?
I know students who like to catch games from O (seriously?), I know of many others who buy tickets in FGHJ and just clamber over to C.
As per the bigredtix site, B and C are entirely sold out. I truly doubt that's the case for C, or, if so, a bunch of STMs are not showing up. Either is likely tbh.
So my guess is probably like...
2500 townies
1800 students
Probably like 800 student STM? Mostly in B and some spots in A and C. Idk if anyone is buying season tickets for E.
Townies probably more around 1500 or so. Feels like there are a LOT of townie STMs.
I am surprised that over 40 % of the Cornell attendance is townies as this does not appear to me to be reflected in the postings here at eLynah. RPI threads on USCHO have a much larger percentage of townie posts, not that I know how it compares with the HFH attendance percentage.
Eyeballing the Houston crowd this year makes me think the townie are the majority.
Quote from: marty on January 29, 2026, 01:27:15 PMQuote from: ursusminor on January 29, 2026, 01:17:19 PMQuote from: stereax on January 28, 2026, 07:15:51 PMQuote from: BearLover on January 28, 2026, 06:41:54 PMIt would be helpful to know, of the ~4,300 seats at Lynah:
How many are townies
How many are students
Of these townie/student subgroups, how many are season ticket holders
I suspected that, but since I have not attended myself since shortly before COVID started, I was not certain.
Pretty sure A through E are student only sections, and sell student only season tickets at the beginning of the year. I believe ABC are assigned seats, DEF are general admission?
I know students who like to catch games from O (seriously?), I know of many others who buy tickets in FGHJ and just clamber over to C.
As per the bigredtix site, B and C are entirely sold out. I truly doubt that's the case for C, or, if so, a bunch of STMs are not showing up. Either is likely tbh.
So my guess is probably like...
2500 townies
1800 students
Probably like 800 student STM? Mostly in B and some spots in A and C. Idk if anyone is buying season tickets for E.
Townies probably more around 1500 or so. Feels like there are a LOT of townie STMs.
I am surprised that over 40 % of the Cornell attendance is townies as this does not appear to me to be reflected in the postings here at eLynah. RPI threads on USCHO have a much larger percentage of townie posts, not that I know how it compares with the HFH attendance percentage.
Eyeballing the Houston crowd this year makes me think the townie are the majority.
Quote from: marty on January 29, 2026, 01:27:15 PMQuote from: ursusminor on January 29, 2026, 01:17:19 PMQuote from: stereax on January 28, 2026, 07:15:51 PMQuote from: BearLover on January 28, 2026, 06:41:54 PMIt would be helpful to know, of the ~4,300 seats at Lynah:
How many are townies
How many are students
Of these townie/student subgroups, how many are season ticket holders
Pretty sure A through E are student only sections, and sell student only season tickets at the beginning of the year. I believe ABC are assigned seats, DEF are general admission?
I know students who like to catch games from O (seriously?), I know of many others who buy tickets in FGHJ and just clamber over to C.
As per the bigredtix site, B and C are entirely sold out. I truly doubt that's the case for C, or, if so, a bunch of STMs are not showing up. Either is likely tbh.
So my guess is probably like...
2500 townies
1800 students
Probably like 800 student STM? Mostly in B and some spots in A and C. Idk if anyone is buying season tickets for E.
Townies probably more around 1500 or so. Feels like there are a LOT of townie STMs.
I am surprised that over 40 % of the Cornell attendance is townies as this does not appear to me to be reflected in the postings here at eLynah. RPI threads on USCHO have a much larger percentage of townie posts, not that I know how it compares with the HFH attendance percentage.
Eyeballing the Houston crowd this year makes me think the townie are the majority.
I suspected that, but since I have not attended myself since shortly before COVID started, I was not certain.
The appearance of scarcity is enough to create scarcity.
The only way to forever boost up student ticket buys is to bring back the line and the outdoor campout. Everyone on campus would hear that it's almost time for that annual ritual. And it's safe to assume that anyone new to campus who heard students were camping out overnight for tickets to something would ask what was going on.
If people are willing to camp out in line for tickets, they must be something really worthwhile right?
I arrived in fall of 1985, and though the procedure changed several times during my years on campus, the student tickets generally sold out from the line. If you thought you might even want tickets at all you really needed to get in line for fear of being locked out. It's a self perpetuating cycle.
Realistically, I don't think there's a snowballs chance of that tradition coming back.
But I'll ask this: If Duke banned the season ticket campout for hoops and switched to some form of electronic lottery or something like that, don't you think that 10 years down the line there would be a significant reduction in "on campus craziness"?
Quote from: abmarks on January 29, 2026, 02:48:24 PMThe appearance of scarcity is enough to create scarcity.
The only way to forever boost up student ticket buys is to bring back the line and the outdoor campout. Everyone on campus would hear that it's almost time for that annual ritual. And it's safe to assume that anyone new to campus who heard students were camping out overnight for tickets to something would ask what was going on.
If people are willing to camp out in line for tickets, they must be something really worthwhile right?
I arrived in fall of 1985, and though the procedure changed several times during my years on campus, the student tickets generally sold out from the line. If you thought you might even want tickets at all you really needed to get in line for fear of being locked out. It's a self perpetuating cycle.
Realistically, I don't think there's a snowballs chance of that tradition coming back.
But I'll ask this: If Duke banned the season ticket campout for hoops and switched to some form of electronic lottery or something like that, don't you think that 10 years down the line there would be a significant reduction in "on campus craziness"?
Hot Truck started taking phone orders and was gone within two years.
Rituals matter.
Quote from: RichH on January 29, 2026, 03:01:19 PMQuote from: abmarks on January 29, 2026, 02:48:24 PMThe appearance of scarcity is enough to create scarcity.
The only way to forever boost up student ticket buys is to bring back the line and the outdoor campout. Everyone on campus would hear that it's almost time for that annual ritual. And it's safe to assume that anyone new to campus who heard students were camping out overnight for tickets to something would ask what was going on.
If people are willing to camp out in line for tickets, they must be something really worthwhile right?
I arrived in fall of 1985, and though the procedure changed several times during my years on campus, the student tickets generally sold out from the line. If you thought you might even want tickets at all you really needed to get in line for fear of being locked out. It's a self perpetuating cycle.
Realistically, I don't think there's a snowballs chance of that tradition coming back.
But I'll ask this: If Duke banned the season ticket campout for hoops and switched to some form of electronic lottery or something like that, don't you think that 10 years down the line there would be a significant reduction in "on campus craziness"?
Hot Truck started taking phone orders and was gone within two years.
Rituals matter.
Agreed. But it's not just the ritual. It's the effort required.
Quote from: RichH on January 29, 2026, 03:01:19 PMHot Truck started taking phone orders and was gone within two years.
Rituals matter.
More like 15 years (after 40+ years without a phone), but nonetheless I agree with your point.
Random thought I just had: being a couple seats under capacity for the men's games is a heck of a lot better than the attendance the women get.
Just looking at the official numbers, and I can't find the last women's game to have attendance over 1000.
Probably last year.
Quote from: abmarks on January 29, 2026, 03:11:30 PMQuote from: RichH on January 29, 2026, 03:01:19 PMQuote from: abmarks on January 29, 2026, 02:48:24 PMThe appearance of scarcity is enough to create scarcity.
The only way to forever boost up student ticket buys is to bring back the line and the outdoor campout. Everyone on campus would hear that it's almost time for that annual ritual. And it's safe to assume that anyone new to campus who heard students were camping out overnight for tickets to something would ask what was going on.
If people are willing to camp out in line for tickets, they must be something really worthwhile right?
I arrived in fall of 1985, and though the procedure changed several times during my years on campus, the student tickets generally sold out from the line. If you thought you might even want tickets at all you really needed to get in line for fear of being locked out. It's a self perpetuating cycle.
Realistically, I don't think there's a snowballs chance of that tradition coming back.
But I'll ask this: If Duke banned the season ticket campout for hoops and switched to some form of electronic lottery or something like that, don't you think that 10 years down the line there would be a significant reduction in "on campus craziness"?
Hot Truck started taking phone orders and was gone within two years.
Rituals matter.
Agreed. But it's not just the ritual. It's the effort required.
That's the psychology behind fraternity pledging. It works.
Quote from: Trotsky on January 28, 2026, 07:12:24 PMOur band is great at what they do. You gotta set the tone and coming into the building with the band playing is thrilling. Davey after a goal is joyous. The Dragnet theme for an opp penalty is essentially another crowd cheer.
I love the band, but they are an igniter. The real fuel is the crowd itself. That is where the fire either starts or doesn't. We've all been to enough games that we can feel the difference, and generations of players have said they can too. When that fire is truly burning, it helps the team. When the team is playing well it builds the fire. It is a wonderful symbiosis.
There is a reason every opponent loves to come into Lynah, and why generations of star opposing athletes have said they felt most spectacular when competing against the Lynah crowd because to be the best you have to beat the best.
Coming into the building only a few times a decade, now, it still always feels like going to my church with my congregation. Lynah is sacred and hellfire consume anyone who harms it either through deliberate action or ineptitude.
My 18 yo son always wanted to go to Cornell but he wanted to do it as a hockey player. That's not happening - though he applied early from prep school and got in so is Class of 2030 - but 2 summers ago we were at Ryan Vesce's college showcase in Florida which is one of the top recruiting showcases. So my kid pops one in and there's a band there and they start playing Davey. And so later I run into them and it turns out Ryan actually has members of the Cornell band come down for this every summer. I mean, cooler than cool.
I did of course skip chanting it's all your fault at the goalie.
Quote from: RichH on January 29, 2026, 03:01:19 PMQuote from: abmarks on January 29, 2026, 02:48:24 PMThe appearance of scarcity is enough to create scarcity.
The only way to forever boost up student ticket buys is to bring back the line and the outdoor campout. Everyone on campus would hear that it's almost time for that annual ritual. And it's safe to assume that anyone new to campus who heard students were camping out overnight for tickets to something would ask what was going on.
If people are willing to camp out in line for tickets, they must be something really worthwhile right?
I arrived in fall of 1985, and though the procedure changed several times during my years on campus, the student tickets generally sold out from the line. If you thought you might even want tickets at all you really needed to get in line for fear of being locked out. It's a self perpetuating cycle.
Realistically, I don't think there's a snowballs chance of that tradition coming back.
But I'll ask this: If Duke banned the season ticket campout for hoops and switched to some form of electronic lottery or something like that, don't you think that 10 years down the line there would be a significant reduction in "on campus craziness"?
Hot Truck started taking phone orders and was gone within two years.
Rituals matter.
I agree, but hot truck sold out to Shortstop Deli. I'm not sure it was out of desperation. But I could be wrong. But I can zip over to SS in a Sunday afternoon and woof down a little Sicilian
Quote from: Will on January 30, 2026, 01:21:01 PMQuote from: RichH on January 29, 2026, 03:01:19 PMHot Truck started taking phone orders and was gone within two years.
Rituals matter.
More like 15 years (after 40+ years without a phone), but nonetheless I agree with your point.
Thanks for the correction, Will! Time has no meaning.
And yes, the point is that sacrifice and a certain amount of suffering are important to institutions like 2am Hot Truck and Lynah season tickets. Even the band once had a priority point system to determine who could get in the hockey band. Those who would commit to play for lightweight football and women's volleyball would have a better shot at getting one of the band hockey tickets.
Quote from: pjd8 on January 30, 2026, 05:46:18 PMQuote from: abmarks on January 29, 2026, 03:11:30 PMQuote from: RichH on January 29, 2026, 03:01:19 PMQuote from: abmarks on January 29, 2026, 02:48:24 PMThe appearance of scarcity is enough to create scarcity.
The only way to forever boost up student ticket buys is to bring back the line and the outdoor campout. Everyone on campus would hear that it's almost time for that annual ritual. And it's safe to assume that anyone new to campus who heard students were camping out overnight for tickets to something would ask what was going on.
If people are willing to camp out in line for tickets, they must be something really worthwhile right?
I arrived in fall of 1985, and though the procedure changed several times during my years on campus, the student tickets generally sold out from the line. If you thought you might even want tickets at all you really needed to get in line for fear of being locked out. It's a self perpetuating cycle.
Realistically, I don't think there's a snowballs chance of that tradition coming back.
But I'll ask this: If Duke banned the season ticket campout for hoops and switched to some form of electronic lottery or something like that, don't you think that 10 years down the line there would be a significant reduction in "on campus craziness"?
Hot Truck started taking phone orders and was gone within two years.
Rituals matter.
Agreed. But it's not just the ritual. It's the effort required.
That's the psychology behind fraternity pledging. It works.
Maybe for some.
Colgate game is sold out. The kids love throwing shit, that's for sure.
Quote from: chimpfood on February 03, 2026, 10:49:58 AMColgate game is sold out. The kids love throwing shit, that's for sure.
First I thought you were talking about the next game, @ Colgate and I thought "You got to be kidding."
Then realized you meant @ Lynah.
Maybe all that has been said about attendance may come down to:
JUST WIN!
And I guess that means again lugging in 2 tote bags of papers.
This may be the season where accumulating Syracuse Post-Standard, Ithaca Journal, New York Times and whatever else I can grab for a year, may not be enough.
So try bringing some of your own and grab some extra Sun's and IJ's if you can.
Quote from: Jim Hyla on February 03, 2026, 11:16:38 AMSo try bringing some of your own and grab some extra Sun's and IJ's if you can.
Copy that. I'm usually at trivia on Thursday nights at Ithaca Bakery, so I think I can nick a good stack from there, plus the law school tends to have a bunch of Suns floating around that nobody uses...
Quote from: stereax on February 03, 2026, 11:38:41 AMQuote from: Jim Hyla on February 03, 2026, 11:16:38 AMSo try bringing some of your own and grab some extra Sun's and IJ's if you can.
Copy that. I'm usually at trivia on Thursday nights at Ithaca Bakery, so I think I can nick a good stack from there, plus the law school tends to have a bunch of Suns floating around that nobody uses...
Reminds me - for anyone on campus, I'm fairly sure the Dairy Bar has a bunch of newspapers too.