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!
CORNELL ATHLETICS | TIX-MAS 2025
Day 2 of 12 Days of Tix-Mas is almost wrapped, but there's still time to play!
🎁 Today's Prize:
Enter now for your chance to win two balcony tickets to a Cornell Hockey game.
With less than 7 hours remaining, don't miss your shot. It only takes a moment to enter - and remember, you can play every day for a new prize.
Plus, each play brings you one step closer to the Grand Prize - two tickets to the Cornell Men's Ice Hockey vs. Harvard game! Be sure to check back daily as we continue unwrapping new surprises throughout the 12 Days of Big Red Tix-Mas.
Hurry - enter Day 2 of Tix-Mas before the contest closes!
See you tomorrow for a brand-new prize! 🎁
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 >