ECAC back to Lake Placid 2014

[Jordan 04]

Steve Hagwell will be on Ken Schott's radio program, "Slap Schotts", Thursday AM to discuss the ECAC move. If I remember from last year, there is a online or podcast replay afterward. I plan on asking about the hotel situation. Maybe someone wants to ask about official date for coaches practices.

Mr. Hagwell said he's going to LP this week and will bring up the cancelation policy. In a later email to me, he agreed that before the quarterfinals was not how it should be.

So the league didn't address it at all before signing up for LP?

Unclear what sway the arena schedulers / bookers have over the individual hotels.

Indeed. But it's quite clear what sway the league has over determining where their own tournament is held. As in, "Hey LP organizers, if this hotel thing continues to be a problem, I'm not sure this location is the best one for our fans."

[Trotsky]

Indeed. But it's quite clear what sway the league has over determining where their own tournament is held. As in, "Hey LP organizers, if this hotel thing continues to be a problem, I'm not sure this location is the best one for our fans."

I think you may be overestimating the amount of business the ECACs bring in.  My impression of LP is that it's fed in winter by skiing and other weekend warrior activities.  The kind of weather-related things where the hotels want the one week cancellation insurance policy.

No harm trying, of course, but I doubt the ECAC really matters in their balance sheets.

[Al DeFlorio]

Indeed. But it's quite clear what sway the league has over determining where their own tournament is held. As in, "Hey LP organizers, if this hotel thing continues to be a problem, I'm not sure this location is the best one for our fans."

I think you may be overestimating the amount of business the ECACs bring in.  My impression of LP is that it's fed in winter by skiing and other weekend warrior activities.  The kind of weather-related things where the hotels want the one week cancellation insurance policy.

No harm trying, of course, but I doubt the ECAC really matters in their balance sheets.

I think you missed the point.  If the LP organizers can't deliver an appropriate hotel cancellation policy, the ECACH shouldn't hold its tournament there.  That's a matter of deciding, not "trying," on the part of the ECACH.

[Jordan 04]

Indeed. But it's quite clear what sway the league has over determining where their own tournament is held. As in, "Hey LP organizers, if this hotel thing continues to be a problem, I'm not sure this location is the best one for our fans."

I think you may be overestimating the amount of business the ECACs bring in.  My impression of LP is that it's fed in winter by skiing and other weekend warrior activities.  The kind of weather-related things where the hotels want the one week cancellation insurance policy.

No harm trying, of course, but I doubt the ECAC really matters in their balance sheets.

Presumably they were the highest bidder for the tournament, so apparently they see some value in bringing the business to their town that weekend.

[Trotsky]

Presumably they were the highest bidder for the tournament, so apparently they see some value in bringing the business to their town that weekend.

There's a difference between the building's management group and the hotel community.  The hotels need commitments -- why should they risk having thousands of late cancellations if the big fan bases lose in the QF?  What enticement can the rink offer them to swallow that risk?  Short of insuring late cancellation fees at the hotels, what can they do?

[Trotsky]

If the LP organizers can't deliver an appropriate hotel cancellation policy, the ECACH shouldn't hold its tournament there.  That's a matter of deciding, not "trying," on the part of the ECACH.

OK, I can see it as a show stopper criterion.  I don't see how the rink could ever make it happen, but sure, the ECAC could impose any restriction it wanted on the qualification of a bid.

[Al DeFlorio]

Presumably they were the highest bidder for the tournament, so apparently they see some value in bringing the business to their town that weekend.

I can't vouch for the accuracy or credibility of this, but the Albany organizers claim they were the high bidder.

[Jim Hyla]

Presumably they were the highest bidder for the tournament, so apparently they see some value in bringing the business to their town that weekend.

There's a difference between the building's management group and the hotel community.  The hotels need commitments -- why should they risk having thousands of late cancellations if the big fan bases lose in the QF?  What enticement can the rink offer them to swallow that risk?  Short of insuring late cancellation fees at the hotels, what can they do?

What I suggested to Mr. Hagwell was something like cancellation some time Sunday, or Monday AM. That way there would be plenty of time for them to get their rooms filled by fans of other schools. And, although I didn't mention it, it could be only for those that are close in. If places in Saranac Lake didn't want to, OK. I can't believe that a hotel, in town and close enough to walk to the rink, is ever going to have to worry about not having someone pick up an empty room. OK, maybe one empty room, but not like thousands.

[css228]

Presumably they were the highest bidder for the tournament, so apparently they see some value in bringing the business to their town that weekend.

There's a difference between the building's management group and the hotel community.  The hotels need commitments -- why should they risk having thousands of late cancellations if the big fan bases lose in the QF?  What enticement can the rink offer them to swallow that risk?  Short of insuring late cancellation fees at the hotels, what can they do?

What I suggested to Mr. Hagwell was something like cancellation some time Sunday, or Monday AM. That way there would be plenty of time for them to get their rooms filled by fans of other schools. And, although I didn't mention it, it could be only for those that are close in. If places in Saranac Lake didn't want to, OK. I can't believe that a hotel, in town and close enough to walk to the rink, is ever going to have to worry about not having someone pick up an empty room. OK, maybe one empty room, but not like thousands.

Just wait for the Colgate, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth ECAC Final Weekend

[Jordan 04]

Presumably they were the highest bidder for the tournament, so apparently they see some value in bringing the business to their town that weekend.

There's a difference between the building's management group and the hotel community.  The hotels need commitments -- why should they risk having thousands of late cancellations if the big fan bases lose in the QF?  What enticement can the rink offer them to swallow that risk?  Short of insuring late cancellation fees at the hotels, what can they do?

I was not saying the onus is on the arena's management to ensure that there are ECAC fan-friendly hotel policies.  Rather, ensuring that the location, venue, and surrounding accommodations are as fan-friendly as they can be are the responsibility, IMO, of the league as part of their site selection process. Hence my confusion that Hagwell would look to address this after they committed to the location.

(As to your comment, there's a reason CVB's exist.  It's routine for a city's biggest tourism draws to work with local accommodations to ensure the market is doing what they can to make the destination the strongest draw possible for discretionary spending. And maybe in Lake Placid's case they have done this, and continue to conclude that stringent cancellation policies are the best course of action. Or maybe the tourist attractions wish the hotel's were more lenient. Who knows.)

[RichH]

Hence my confusion that Hagwell would look to address this after they committed to the location.

How aware do you think Hagwell and the league were that this was a concern?

[Jordan 04]

Hence my confusion that Hagwell would look to address this after they committed to the location.

How aware do you think Hagwell and the league were that this was a concern?

I don't know. I have no way of knowing (or even estimating) that.

[nyc94]

Maybe the hurricane could make Boardwalk Hall unusable.

[Rosey]

Maybe the hurricane could make Boardwalk Hall unusable.

I was not the only one thinking it. My fantasy was:

"Boardwalk hall collapsed!"
--"Was anyone injured?"
"Thank God, no!"
--"Ok, in that case... good."

[munchkin]

Maybe the hurricane could make Boardwalk Hall unusable.

I was not the only one thinking it. My fantasy was:

"Boardwalk hall collapsed!"
--"Was anyone injured?"
"Thank God, no!"
--"Ok, in that case... good."

I was just thinking that, too, after looking at this: In Memoriam: Atlantic City Boardwalk