Attendance at Lynah

[Rosey]

I'm not disagreeing, but historically that hasn't been much of a problem with the Cowbell cheer at Lynah.

I take it you have never been in section G. Ever since my first stint there (probably ca. 2005) the cowbell cheer was in pointless speed-up mode after the first 2 or 3 seconds.

[andyw2100]

I'm not disagreeing, but historically that hasn't been much of a problem with the Cowbell cheer at Lynah.

I take it you have never been in section G. Ever since my first stint there (probably ca. 2005) the cowbell cheer was in pointless speed-up mode after the first 2 or 3 seconds.

You are correct.

I didn't realize it actually was a problem. Certainly in the past, (with the exception of this season) the students in D "got it", at least as I recall, and the speeding up wasn't a problem. Hopefully "D" will get it again soon, and perhaps the un-sped-up clapping will work its way around the rink.

[Josh '99]

I don't think it's losing per se, the program has just felt stuck in neutral the past few years, maybe the fourth or fifth best program in the conference since 2010.

So what you're saying is, the problem is the relative mediocrity?  ::uptosomething::

[TimV]

In 50 years college hockey may look like this again.

Nahhhhh.  We'll never go back to wooden sticks.  Or fedoras.::crazy::

[BearLover]

The fans have been getting worse every year for some time now.  Last year, A was always half-empty and D SAT DOWN.  There was a time in the past 10 years when the student section stretched all the way to G.  Losing has a bit to do with it, but the number one cause is ticket prices.

[Chris '03]

The fans have been getting worse every year for some time now.  Last year, A was always half-empty and D SAT DOWN.  There was a time in the past 10 years when the student section stretched all the way to G.  Losing has a bit to do with it, but the number one cause is ticket prices.

I'll take the bait. Prove that ticket prices and not a bevy of other things (technology, culture, style of play, basketball's run, etc.) is the number one cause of student attendance drop off.

[upprdeck]

I know that ticket prices are a huge reason many townies have given up their season tickets.  lack of winning and scoring is why they dont show up to every game even when having tickets. lack of demand also means you can watch any game you want now so why commit to a full season package . lack of CU making more flexable paying options doesnt help either.

[MattS]

I know that ticket prices are a huge reason many townies have given up their season tickets.  lack of winning and scoring is why they dont show up to every game even when having tickets. lack of demand also means you can watch any game you want now so why commit to a full season package . lack of CU making more flexable paying options doesnt help either.

I agree about the townies. I sit in M and there are 4 seats behind me that are not sold to season ticket holders. There are two seats on the row ahead of me that haven't had anyone in them all year. I suppose the ones in front could be season ticket holders that don't show up but I doubt it. The ones behind me are not season ticket holders because the people in them have said they walked up and purchased them.

[BearLover]

The fans have been getting worse every year for some time now.  Last year, A was always half-empty and D SAT DOWN.  There was a time in the past 10 years when the student section stretched all the way to G.  Losing has a bit to do with it, but the number one cause is ticket prices.

I'll take the bait. Prove that ticket prices and not a bevy of other things (technology, culture, style of play, basketball's run, etc.) is the number one cause of student attendance drop off.

Number one preventable cause*

Technology, culture, etc. have all changed for the worse as far as Cornell Hockey is concerned, but I've spoken to tons of students who would have bought season tickets if they didn't cost $250.

Someone posted awhile back that Cornell tickets were more expensive per game than every other program's for which we had data.

[kaelistus]

I can say with pretty good certainty that if season tickets cost $250 when I was in college (14 years ago), I would not have purchased them.

[jtwcornell91]

I know that ticket prices are a huge reason many townies have given up their season tickets.  lack of winning and scoring is why they dont show up to every game even when having tickets. lack of demand also means you can watch any game you want now so why commit to a full season package . lack of CU making more flexable paying options doesnt help either.

Lack of demand also makes it harder to sell off tickets when you can't make it to the game, which is another disincentive to buying season tickets. Especially since each unsold ticket costs a lot more these days.

[buttercup]

I read this thread, and agree with a lot of what has been said here.

However, there is one thing that hasn't been mentioned, and that was the mystique surrounding the hockey program.  That was lost when the Line was eliminated, starting in 2005.  Then the crackdown on loud behavior put the nails in the coffin.  

The program has had its ups and downs in the past, and that never impacted attendance and attitude from what I hear from people before my time.

I was at the Brown game last night - the old ways have been lost.  I saw a Brown player skate without a stick for 30+ seconds, and there was maybe four seconds of the "Stickless" chant.  I heard two "LGR" chants for all of ten seconds in total, maybe.  

No robot goalie, no other real chants to be heard of whatsoever.  I'm in Section C - I will say that Section B, while there are a couple little sparks, pales in comparison to what it was when I started going during my time at grad school from 03-05.  

It has been, frankly, pathetic.  The crowd at Lynah is now just like the crowd at any other arena - the crowd at Colgate in Hamilton is livelier than it has been at Lynah lately.

[Trotsky]

The program has had its ups and downs in the past, and that never impacted attendance and attitude from what I hear from people before my time.

In 94 and 95 attendance got pretty bad, and participation was weak.

Although people have made good arguments that probably apply around the edges, the bottom line is winning breeds excitement and losing saps it.

[Dafatone]

I read this thread, and agree with a lot of what has been said here.

However, there is one thing that hasn't been mentioned, and that was the mystique surrounding the hockey program.  That was lost when the Line was eliminated, starting in 2005.  Then the crackdown on loud behavior put the nails in the coffin.  

The program has had its ups and downs in the past, and that never impacted attendance and attitude from what I hear from people before my time.

I was at the Brown game last night - the old ways have been lost.  I saw a Brown player skate without a stick for 30+ seconds, and there was maybe four seconds of the "Stickless" chant.  I heard two "LGR" chants for all of ten seconds in total, maybe.  

No robot goalie, no other real chants to be heard of whatsoever.  I'm in Section C - I will say that Section B, while there are a couple little sparks, pales in comparison to what it was when I started going during my time at grad school from 03-05.  

It has been, frankly, pathetic.  The crowd at Lynah is now just like the crowd at any other arena - the crowd at Colgate in Hamilton is livelier than it has been at Lynah lately.

The crowd still seemed pretty good in 06 and 07, at least until ushers started going after any fan that stood out from the crowd in 07.  I don't think eliminating the line was as significant as ticket prices.

[BearLover]

The program has had its ups and downs in the past, and that never impacted attendance and attitude from what I hear from people before my time.

In 94 and 95 attendance got pretty bad, and participation was weak.

Although people have made good arguments that probably apply around the edges, the bottom line is winning breeds excitement and losing saps it.

Close to 100% of freshmen have absolutely no idea how good Cornell Hockey was the previous year.  They buy hockey tickets because it's a fun social outlet and it's supposed to be The Thing To Do (and I don't mean that it's on the 161-things-to-do list). The dying mystique comment above is spot-on, and greater fundamental changes have to take place in the long-run so the mystique is not lost altogether. In the short-run, though, decreasing student ticket prices would help fill up Lynah.