Florida hockey classic (Estero) FAQ

billhoward · November 19, 2006, 10:26:57 PM

We've been a couple times to the Florida Classic, nee Everblades Classic. It's great. I see a couple questions pop up year after year. Feel free to add other FAQ stuff as needed.

Q: What is it? When? Where? Who?
A: Four-team college holiday hockey tournament. Cornell always plays because Craig Brush '70 is a key exec at the facility and put the event together.
A: Friday Dec. 29 and Saturday Dec. 30 games at 4 and 7:35 (approx)
A: Germain Arena (formerly TECO Arena), Estero, Florida, on the west coast, about as far south as Miami. http://www.germainarena.com 239-948-7825 x1000
A: Maine and Western Michigan; Cornell and New Hampshire. Those are the afternoon and evening pairings for day one.

Q: Where do I fly into? Can I drive?
A: Fort Myers, Fla. which is RSW
A: Ithaca-Estero is 1400 miles.

Q: Does it sell out?
A: The rink holds 7,000 or so and they list about that many tickets sold in the box score. So far there have always been seats available at the gate. This should especially be the case since many of the game one fans bail out.

Q: Where do I get tickets?
A: From Cornel or the rink or TicketMaster or just walk up and buy.

Q: Is it warm in late December?
A: Not always Caribbean warm / bathing suit warm but virtually always shorts and T-shirt warm

Q: What else to do?
A: Huge shopping mall right at the facility (quarter mile away). Beaches. Drinking. Visit your retired grandparents and see how small a one- or two-bedroom retirement condo can be.

Q: What's nearby?
A: Naples 20 miles south. Nice Ritz-Carlton (if you're an alum)
A: Marco Island 40 mile south
A: Miami 140 miles east across I-75 (Alligator Alley)
A: Fort Myers 15 miles north.
A: Tampa (alternate airport) 150 miles north
A: Orlando / Disney World 200 miles northeast

Q: Can I stay home and watch on TV?
A: Last couple years, yes. Apparently not this year. It's not listed. When it has been on TV, both first games are televised plus the championship but not the consolation.

Q: Can I fly cheap?
A: Probably not but if you want to try, consider flying down on Christmas day. That part, tickets are pretty available. Getting back (cheaply) may be tougher.

Q: Will Cornell win?
A: Cornell's record is better in odd years and its two titles were 2005 and 2003. This is 2006.

Q: Lot of Cornellians there?
A: A couple hundred. It's a big event for the Florida Cornell Club. Plus some player parents. (I mean, if you're in Alberta and want to see your kid play twice, would you choose Ithaca-Ithaca, or Florida-Ithaca?)

Q: Is this cool for the players or what?
A: They may get to go home for Christmas for a day or two but if they do, they often wind up flying back on Christmas Day or the day after, and there are no non-stops Vancouver-to-Fort Myers. They get like one day at the beach after the tournament before heading north.

French Rage · November 19, 2006, 10:30:40 PM

What is Florida?

Jim Hyla · November 19, 2006, 11:09:25 PM

[quote French Rage]What is Florida?[/quote]Ask Gore.

jtwcornell91 · November 20, 2006, 07:07:35 AM

You should also mention the sports bar inside the arena as an option for pregame lunch but note that the tables with a view of the ice are reserved for season table-ticket holders during the game. And the proximity of Bonita Springs (Beach?) as a place to stay. Sorry for not phrasing my answers in the form of a question.

Liz '05 · November 20, 2006, 07:33:55 AM

[quote billhoward]Q: Is this cool for the players or what?
A: They may get to go home for Christmas for a day or two but if they do, they often wind up flying back on Christmas Day or the day after, and there are no non-stops Vancouver-to-Fort Myers. They get like one day at the beach after the tournament before heading north.[/quote]

A few families just have Christmas in Florida.

schoaff · November 20, 2006, 09:31:24 AM

[quote billhoward]Q: What else to do?
A: Huge shopping mall right at the facility (quarter mile away). Beaches. Drinking. Visit your retired grandparents and see how small a one- or two-bedroom retirement condo can be.
[/quote]

There's also a surfeit of high quality golf courses in the area. I do an "8 rounds in 4 days" trip there every year a couple weeks after the tournament. It can be very cold for a 8AM tee time, but almost always warms up before midday.

For people flying themselves I've used both Marco Island and FMY and both are nice. I generally use FMY because it's towered and the rental car prices tend to be cheaper. No tie down fees if you buy fuel and there's self serve if you want to save some money.

If you have time on the way down stop at Venice airport about 50 miles up the coast. There's a nice beach walking distance from the airport (< 1 mile) with a good seafood restaurant. We stop there for lunch every year on the way down.

Also nearby are Sanibel and Captiva Islands for some of the best sea shell beaches in the world. The public lots for the beaches charge by the hour but it's some reasonable amount (a buck or two an hour if I remember correctly).

The Henry Ford & Thomas Edison winter estates are right in Fort Myers and are fun to visit.

The Seminoles have a casino nearby, but I think it's just slots and poker. We could really use a destination casino in Florida.

Josh '99 · November 20, 2006, 11:37:26 AM

To add a bit to what Bill said...

[quote billhoward]Q: Where do I fly into? Can I drive?
A: Fort Myers, Fla. which is RSW
A: Ithaca-Estero is 1400 miles. [/quote]You might find more affordable flights if you consider flying to Tampa or Orlando instead.

QuoteQ: Does it sell out?
A: The rink holds 7,000 or so and they list about that many tickets sold in the box score. So far there have always been seats available at the gate. This should especially be the case since many of the game one fans bail out.

The games are never close to full. If I'm not mistaken it's part of the Everblades' season ticket package, but not all of the fans show up. You'll be able to sit pretty much wherever you want.

QuoteQ: Is it warm in late December?
A: Not always Caribbean warm / bathing suit warm but virtually always shorts and T-shirt warm

I disagree with this. You will be cold inside the rink if you're wearing shorts. TECO Arena isn't Princeton cold, but it's not warm.

billhoward · November 20, 2006, 11:41:18 AM

The two days of college hockey are part of the Everblades season package but I believe for these games the season ticket holders get relocated to a ring of seats at the very top of the facility and if my recall is correct they don't steal any of the 7,000 individual (un-Lynah-like) seats.

My recall was the rink was most crowded the year Notre Dame played. There are a lot of ND alums with an urge to travel for sports events and more who've retired down there.

Larry72 · November 20, 2006, 07:45:19 PM

We usually fly into Naples (APF) and will do so this year. Lower fuel prices than RSW and we'll be staying in Naples. 1020nm ITH-APF via Jacksonville (CRG).

A-ron · November 20, 2006, 07:57:06 PM

If I recall correctly there is a bird sanctuary or some sort of nature preserve not too far from the rink (it's off some sketchy road which I'm sure has inspired some "car breaks down" horror movies). I remember strolling on the boardwalk nature path with my old man and bumping into a few other Cornell fans with high powered cameras.

All in all it's a nice two hour break from the minimall and highway fabric that his been laid over most of the atomobile accessible parts of florida.

jkahn · November 20, 2006, 08:01:21 PM

[quote billhoward]Craig Brush '70 [/quote]
Craig is '72. He was on that '70 team. Played 4th line center on that squad, although in the NCAAs, he's moved up to 3rd line right wing, with Westner moving up to 2nd line right wing, since Dick Bertrand was ineligible.
P.S. Why can I remember this and have no clue where I left my car keys?

jkahn · November 20, 2006, 08:11:38 PM

If you're with a spouse or significant other who will have little interest in seeing Maine-W. Mich., have him/her drop you off at the rink, hand him/her a ticket and send him/her off to the mall for three hours, while you enjoy the first game (unless you also prefer the mall to watching Maine-WMU).

Beeeej · November 20, 2006, 08:20:26 PM

[quote jkahn][quote billhoward]Craig Brush '70 [/quote]
Craig is '72. He was on that '70 team. Played 4th line center on that squad, although in the NCAAs, he's moved up to 3rd line right wing, with Westner moving up to 2nd line right wing, since Dick Bertrand was ineligible.
P.S. Why can I remember this and have no clue where I left my car keys?[/quote]

Your keys are a healthy scratch.

judy · November 20, 2006, 09:20:27 PM

[quote Josh '99]

QuoteQ: Is it warm in late December?
A: Not always Caribbean warm / bathing suit warm but virtually always shorts and T-shirt warm

I disagree with this. You will be cold inside the rink if you're wearing shorts. TECO Arena isn't Princeton cold, but it's not warm.[/quote]

A couple of years ago, I wore jeans, t shirt, and flipflops. By the end of the second game each day, I was freezing wearing my fleece jacket and my feet were frozen. Maybe it will be better this year.

Are we doing a roll call yet?

Rich S · November 20, 2006, 09:49:19 PM

[quote jkahn][quote billhoward]Craig Brush '70 [/quote]
Craig is '72. He was on that '70 team. Played 4th line center on that squad, although in the NCAAs, he's moved up to 3rd line right wing, with Westner moving up to 2nd line right wing, since Dick Bertrand was ineligible.
P.S. Why can I remember this and have no clue where I left my car keys?[/quote]

Let's see if the following helps or at least lets you feel better.

I remember Brush from the '71 team. And I misplaced my second set of car keys yesterday and still can't locate them. ::panic::