Could Cornell be a host team?

Germ · March 16, 2009, 09:07:47 PM

Don't know if this was ever discussed or not but is there a possible scenario where we would be a host? I know it wouldn't be at Lynah but would that rule us out? Wait..I've got it...convert the Carrier Dome to a hockey rink for a weekend and we'll host it! Then, if we barely made it in (#3 or #4 seed) we still could get the chance to play a CCHA or WCHA #1 or #2 in OUR neck of the woods.

I'm just sick and tired of Minny, Denver, BU, UNH, Michigan, Wisc, etc, getting "home cooking" all the time. And now Yale is in the mix? I know, I know the NC$$ does it this way to hopefully fill seats but they need to change the critera. If you're a one seed then fine stay at home. Any seed worse than that and all bets are off.

RatushnyFan · March 16, 2009, 09:19:13 PM

How about Broome County Arena in Binghamton? I haven't been there but it seats 6,800 and is home to an AHL team. Probably still too small? Hey, they had the AHL all-star game there so it must be big enough.

Winnabago · March 16, 2009, 09:27:18 PM

More importantly, what can a small group of highly interested alums with no connection to the athletic department do to encourage Cornell to put together a bid?

Is it a money thing? If we made it and the regional was in Syracuse, Binghamton, etc., attendance would be no issue and you'd pretty much guarantee a break even, if not an overall profit.

Given that playing in familiar territory is such a major boost to the chances of winning a national championship, I can't think of any reason that we haven't hosted in the last few decades. It's our most visible sport, and like someone else mentioned, Yale can pull it off. Hell, Canisius hosted the Frozen Four.

Who can I call to make it happen?

Jim Hyla · March 16, 2009, 09:39:03 PM

The closest place would be Rochester and they've had a Regional before. It requires a lot of organization and some risk. What if like the last couple of years CU doesn't make it. How many others want to come to Rochester? You could look up numbers for those games, but it wasn't a sellout and you're not going to get the casual HE or other fan to drive to Roch.

Beeeej · March 16, 2009, 10:03:46 PM

Yeah, it gets discussed almost every year right about this time. Quite the coincidence, I know. If only the forum were searchable...

JasonN95 · March 17, 2009, 12:27:47 AM

Seems like the better site for Cornell to perhaps gain an advantage would be Albany. It hosts regionals and any year that Cornell makes it into the NCAAs probably means they at least made it to Albany. So that would give them two recent games played there to have some familiarity with rink conditions. And Cornell fans will clearly travel there and perhaps some other ECAC fans will turn out (RPI and Union) that might root for a League representative.

Jeff Hopkins '82 · March 17, 2009, 08:14:35 AM

I think the only way would be for Cornell to host in Buffalo. Rochester and Syracuse aren't really big enough for the NCAA's taste anymore.

And like Albany, there are other schools which can more easily host in Buffalo than us.

Trotsky · March 17, 2009, 09:29:53 AM

[quote JasonN95]Seems like the better site for Cornell to perhaps gain an advantage would be Albany. It hosts regionals and any year that Cornell makes it into the NCAAs probably means they at least made it to Albany. So that would give them two recent games played there to have some familiarity with rink conditions. And Cornell fans will clearly travel there and perhaps some other ECAC fans will turn out (RPI and Union) that might root for a League representative.[/quote]

Strongly agree. Also, regionals have been co-hosted in the past (IIRC, Albany was hosted by RPI and Union), so putting together a co-hosting package with, say, Clarkson could spread the expense and risk.

billhoward · March 17, 2009, 09:35:09 AM

Eventually college hockey tournaments need to come back to Madison Square Garden. It could be hosted by the Medical College.

Trotsky · March 17, 2009, 09:36:20 AM

[quote billhoward]Eventually college hockey tournaments need to come back to Madison Square Garden. It could be hosted by the Medical College.[/quote]

And the business school can host if it's ever played at a federal prison.

Rita · March 17, 2009, 10:28:05 AM

[quote Trotsky][quote billhoward]Eventually college hockey tournaments need to come back to Madison Square Garden. It could be hosted by the Medical College.[/quote]

And the business school can host if it's ever played at a federal prison.[/quote]

::laugh:: Thank you. :-)

upperdeck · March 17, 2009, 10:51:15 AM

they would be better off co-hosting with RIT/niagara. union/rpi very little chance they both get in and stuck in the same regional.. CU/Clark decent chance in past history. CU/RIT-Nia diff conf so it doesnt really matter.

and I wonder just how much cost we are talking about.. some organizational/promotional costs and what else? most costs are NCAAs to pick up.

ursusminor · March 17, 2009, 10:57:17 AM

I don't recall Union ever co-hosting with RPI at Albany. I think that the league has been a co-host.

Robb · March 17, 2009, 10:58:12 AM

[quote upperdeck]they would be better off co-hosting with RIT/niagara. union/rpi very little chance they both get in and stuck in the same regional.. CU/Clark decent chance in past history. CU/RIT-Nia diff conf so it doesnt really matter.

and I wonder just how much cost we are talking about.. some organizational/promotional costs and what else? most costs are NCAAs to pick up.[/quote]
Actually, as I understand it, most of the costs are the host's to "pick up" - the host rents the arena, does the promotion, etc, etc. Then the host collects the ticket revenue to (hopefully) cover their costs and (definitely) write a check to the NCAA for the agreed-upon amount per their bid to host the regional. Pretty much all the NCAA does is collect the check from the host.

I could be wrong, and I'm certainly over-simplifying, but to first order, I think that's correct.

Beeeej · March 17, 2009, 10:59:37 AM

[quote Robb]Actually, as I understand it, most of the costs are the host's to "pick up" - the host rents the arena, does the promotion, etc, etc. Then the host collects the ticket revenue to (hopefully) cover their costs and (definitely) write a check to the NCAA for the agreed-upon amount per their bid to host the regional. Pretty much all the NCAA does is collect the check from the host.

I could be wrong, and I'm certainly over-simplifying, but to first order, I think that's correct.[/quote]

No, the NCAA also callously and arbitrarily enforces their arcane and poorly publicized rules concerning the staging of tournament events.

Happy to help.