Lake Placid Attendance

[Rosey]

I was frankly disappointed in the Cornell turnout.  There was one small group of students.  They were loud and active, but few in number.

The telephone cheer was a riot. Worth the price of admission alone.

[MattS]

I was frankly disappointed in the Cornell turnout.  There was one small group of students.  They were loud and active, but few in number.

People barely come to home games anymore.

[imafrshmn]

I was frankly disappointed in the Cornell turnout.  There was one small group of students.  They were loud and active, but few in number.

People barely come to home games anymore.

To me, it all comes down to the athletics department administration taking the loyalty and fervor of the Lynah Faithful for granted, and they can't seem to wrap their heads around the idea that fans care about (a) ticket prices and (b) how fun it is to go

[Dafatone]

I was frankly disappointed in the Cornell turnout.  There was one small group of students.  They were loud and active, but few in number.

People barely come to home games anymore.

To me, it all comes down to the athletics department administration taking the loyalty and fervor of the Lynah Faithful for granted, and they can't seem to wrap their heads around the idea that fans care about (a) ticket prices and (b) how fun it is to go

Here's a question for fans who have been around longer than I have:

Has this (empty seats at Lynah) happened before?  It's easy to think that fans have always been rabid, but I could definitely see empty seats during our darker ages.

[Trotsky]

I was frankly disappointed in the Cornell turnout.  There was one small group of students.  They were loud and active, but few in number.

The telephone cheer was a riot. Worth the price of admission alone.

Agreed.  Although there were relatively few the guys in the bottom rows of 22 were a classic exmaple of the Faithful at their best.  Now we just need to turn each one into 10.

[Beeeej]

Here's a question for fans who have been around longer than I have:

Has this (empty seats at Lynah) happened before?  It's easy to think that fans have always been rabid, but I could definitely see empty seats during our darker ages.

The last time I am certain there were significant numbers of empty seats in Lynah (besides quarterfinal rounds, which have had their own unique sales problems almost every year we've hosted them) were the dismally catastrophic 1993, 1994, and 1995 seasons. Granted, I've been going to games a lot less frequently in the last few years, so I can't speak to that, but from 1996 up until 2009 or so I don't remember attending a regular season game that wasn't basically packed.

[KeithK]

Here's a question for fans who have been around longer than I have:

Has this (empty seats at Lynah) happened before?  It's easy to think that fans have always been rabid, but I could definitely see empty seats during our darker ages.

The last time I am certain there were significant numbers of empty seats in Lynah (besides quarterfinal rounds, which have had their own unique sales problems almost every year we've hosted them) were the dismally catastrophic 1993, 1994, and 1995 seasons.

which, of course, is why one of Schafer's three goals in his first season as head coach was to pack Lynah Rink.

[upprdeck]

if they continue to raise prices every year and the demand stays low the empty seats will continue to grow.

[Trotsky]

The people who saw the Harvard and Clarkson overtime wins will be back next year.  Those are the experiences that turn people into lifelong fans.

[marty]

if they continue to raise prices every year and the demand stays low the empty seats will continue to grow.

Prices inside the arena for food were horribly high. I found a penny's worth of popcorn for five dollars. Were the hotdogs actually eight dollars? The Chief wanted a cup of coffee. It didn't exist inside the rink.

Overall I liked the experience if not the outcome for Cornell. But the rink is a third rate facility. And this includes the ludicrous three, count em, three urinals in the men's room behind section 24.

(The staff was polite and accommodating.)

[Trotsky]

The bathrooms were deficient, but I don't think the rink is third rate at all (or if so, what's Lynah -- eighth rate?).

It's a fun place to watch hockey.  It's not a contemporary NHL rink, and that's great.

[andyw2100]

The people who saw the Harvard and Clarkson overtime wins will be back next year.  Those are the experiences that turn people into lifelong fans.

My daughter, now a sophomore at Cornell, who has been going to games since she was three weeks old touched on this early in the season. Many of the students she was coming in contact with and trying to get interested in going to games early in the season were expressing interest in going to the Harvard game. These were people that we might call "Facetimers" who had heard about the Harvard game and wanted to go see what that was all about, but otherwise weren't all too interested. Bevi's point early in the season was that it was unfortunate that the Harvard game was the last game this year, because she thought that some of these facetimers would be hooked once they experienced Cornell hockey, but that they wouldn't experience it until the last game of the season.

It would be interesting to see if student attendance is better in years when the Harvard game is earlier in the season, but of course the data would also have to be adjusted for other factors like how well the team is doing, etc. But I could definitely see this being something that affects student attendance.

[Trotsky]

Bevi's point early in the season was that it was unfortunate that the Harvard game was the last game this year, because she thought that some of these facetimers would be hooked once they experienced Cornell hockey, but that they wouldn't experience it until the last game of the season.

Make the exhibition game free.

[RichH]

The people who saw the Harvard and Clarkson overtime wins will be back next year.  Those are the experiences that turn people into lifelong fans.

My daughter, now a sophomore at Cornell, who has been going to games since she was three weeks old touched on this early in the season. Many of the students she was coming in contact with and trying to get interested in going to games early in the season were expressing interest in going to the Harvard game. These were people that we might call "Facetimers" who had heard about the Harvard game and wanted to go see what that was all about, but otherwise weren't all too interested. Bevi's point early in the season was that it was unfortunate that the Harvard game was the last game this year, because she thought that some of these facetimers would be hooked once they experienced Cornell hockey, but that they wouldn't experience it until the last game of the season.

It would be interesting to see if student attendance is better in years when the Harvard game is earlier in the season, but of course the data would also have to be adjusted for other factors like how well the team is doing, etc. But I could definitely see this being something that affects student attendance.

As a resident of southern New England, where seven league opponents are within a two-hour drive (read: I attend a lot of road games), I'd like to offer the observation that undergrads simply don't travel in the numbers that they once did. Through the mid-00s, there was always a good amount of easily identifiable students who would insist on bring the Lynah energy to the road games.  That's not really the case anymore, as all the CU sections seems to be comprised of a set of traveling alumni, local Cornell Club members, and the band.  I would love to know how many current students actually made the trip this weekend. The group of fans standing by the glass seemed to be in the "recent alumni" category to me, but I'm old enough now to not know the difference by sight.  Either way, kudos to them.

As Greg said, that '96-'97 stretch had so much excitement, it was enough to hook a big chunk of us for life. There was a line that formed at the ticket office before it opened when the Lake Placid tickets went on sale.  That corner of Herb Brooks Arena was practically filled with students each time we made it to Lake Placid. (Insert appropriate Fuzzy Memory disclaimer).

I know that technology has made it wonderfully easy to watch road games without going through the hassle/expense of driving, lodging, etc. etc. But if students aren't in the habit of even thinking about attending any road games, that's another thing I'm sad to see go, along with having the student section show up in time for warmups the puck drop at home.  And if they aren't in the habit of going on regular season roadtrips, then the inertia to resist organizing tournament roadtrip is that much greater.

Yeah, yeah. Yet another "in my day" post from me.

[Jim Hyla]

The people who saw the Harvard and Clarkson overtime wins will be back next year.  Those are the experiences that turn people into lifelong fans.

My daughter, now a sophomore at Cornell, who has been going to games since she was three weeks old touched on this early in the season. Many of the students she was coming in contact with and trying to get interested in going to games early in the season were expressing interest in going to the Harvard game. These were people that we might call "Facetimers" who had heard about the Harvard game and wanted to go see what that was all about, but otherwise weren't all too interested. Bevi's point early in the season was that it was unfortunate that the Harvard game was the last game this year, because she thought that some of these facetimers would be hooked once they experienced Cornell hockey, but that they wouldn't experience it until the last game of the season.

It would be interesting to see if student attendance is better in years when the Harvard game is earlier in the season, but of course the data would also have to be adjusted for other factors like how well the team is doing, etc. But I could definitely see this being something that affects student attendance.

As a resident of southern New England, where seven league opponents are within a two-hour drive (read: I attend a lot of road games), I'd like to offer the observation that undergrads simply don't travel in the numbers that they once did. Through the mid-00s, there was always a good amount of easily identifiable students who would insist on bring the Lynah energy to the road games.  That's not really the case anymore, as all the CU sections seems to be comprised of a set of traveling alumni, local Cornell Club members, and the band.  I would love to know how many current students actually made the trip this weekend. The group of fans standing by the glass seemed to be in the "recent alumni" category to me, but I'm old enough now to not know the difference by sight.  Either way, kudos to them.

As Greg said, that '96-'97 stretch had so much excitement, it was enough to hook a big chunk of us for life. There was a line that formed at the ticket office before it opened when the Lake Placid tickets went on sale.  That corner of Herb Brooks Arena was practically filled with students each time we made it to Lake Placid. (Insert appropriate Fuzzy Memory disclaimer).

I know that technology has made it wonderfully easy to watch road games without going through the hassle/expense of driving, lodging, etc. etc. But if students aren't in the habit of even thinking about attending any road games, that's another thing I'm sad to see go, along with having the student section show up in time for warmups the puck drop at home.  And if they aren't in the habit of going on regular season roadtrips, then the inertia to resist organizing tournament roadtrip is that much greater.

Yeah, yeah. Yet another "in my day" post from me.

Some of us a lot earlier than that. I just think that today's students just aren't into it, for multiple reasons, most of which are good reasons. It's too bad, as it can be a lot of fun. Spending a few hours with Ed Ambis '72 this past weekend was almost worth the price of admission alone. Throw in the fact that one alum came by and told me that her 12 year old son said, when he grows up, he wanted to be the one throwing candy; I went home satisfied.