Season tickets

[Jim Hyla]

They'r getting desperate now by offering a split season ticket package.  Going to be awful difficult for the athletic department to handle the loss of revenue . Is this the result of high ticket prices and the atmosphere that has been created over the past few years or have people just lost interest in the program ?

They're all contributing factors.  Ultimately, they all feed on each other.  A winning team would result in rising demand for tickets, justifying the ticket prices and bringing back the traditional Lynah atmosphere.  But that atmosphere--when present--also usually contributes to the team's success.  (That "extra goal a game" that is sometimes attributed to the Lynah Faithful would have come in handy last season.)  How do we solve this problem?  Hopefully, we can meet the team and coaches halfway on this: we all stay upbeat at games, keep on cheering, hopefully get all the people around us to do the same, and hope the team can net a few more goals this season.

As for the atmosphere at Lynah, I find it rather immature to constantly be blaming these outside forces such as the gestapo ushers, poor team performance, etc....    The reality is, the atmosphere can be improved by simply changing from a reactive fanbase to a proactive fanbase...   Stop sitting on your hands waiting for the team to do something great, before you cheer....    Cheer to fire the team up.   I know that sounds overly simplistic...   But, that's the main difference between the Lynah today & the Lynah of yesteryear.    All of this other garbage is blaming outside forces for the current fanbase sitting on their hands far too much of the time....

Oh yes, get off their asses & get to the games on time!!    Another not-very-difficult thing to do.   But, takes a fanbase that cares.....

Totally agree. The quote "Cornell Fans Made the Timbers Tremble" was from 1970. We didn't have to use profanity, or anything like that, to have made an impression upon the Boston Globe writer. Sure in 1970 we went in undefeated, but we fans were also there in 1966, when we got shafted out of going to the NCAAs. Fans traveled to away games, and were imposing. It doesn't take much to do that, enthusiasm and a loud voice will do it. Complain as much as we want, but if the fans wanted to have a good time, they could. I'm just hopeful that a resurgent team will ignite some of that.

[underskill]

They'r getting desperate now by offering a split season ticket package.  Going to be awful difficult for the athletic department to handle the loss of revenue . Is this the result of high ticket prices and the atmosphere that has been created over the past few years or have people just lost interest in the program ?

They're all contributing factors.  Ultimately, they all feed on each other.  A winning team would result in rising demand for tickets, justifying the ticket prices and bringing back the traditional Lynah atmosphere.  But that atmosphere--when present--also usually contributes to the team's success.  (That "extra goal a game" that is sometimes attributed to the Lynah Faithful would have come in handy last season.)  How do we solve this problem?  Hopefully, we can meet the team and coaches halfway on this: we all stay upbeat at games, keep on cheering, hopefully get all the people around us to do the same, and hope the team can net a few more goals this season.

As for the atmosphere at Lynah, I find it rather immature to constantly be blaming these outside forces such as the gestapo ushers, poor team performance, etc....    The reality is, the atmosphere can be improved by simply changing from a reactive fanbase to a proactive fanbase...   Stop sitting on your hands waiting for the team to do something great, before you cheer....    Cheer to fire the team up.   I know that sounds overly simplistic...   But, that's the main difference between the Lynah today & the Lynah of yesteryear.    All of this other garbage is blaming outside forces for the current fanbase sitting on their hands far too much of the time....

Oh yes, get off their asses & get to the games on time!!    Another not-very-difficult thing to do.   But, takes a fanbase that cares.....

Totally agree. The quote "Cornell Fans Made the Timbers Tremble" was from 1970. We didn't have to use profanity, or anything like that, to have made an impression upon the Boston Globe writer. Sure in 1970 we went in undefeated, but we fans were also there in 1966, when we got shafted out of going to the NCAAs. Fans traveled to away games, and were imposing. It doesn't take much to do that, enthusiasm and a loud voice will do it. Complain as much as we want, but if the fans wanted to have a good time, they could. I'm just hopeful that a resurgent team will ignite some of that.

it's a  nice thought, but travel and entertainment options are just so different these days.  Look at pro sports crowds to and it's the same changes.

[KeithK]

Stop sitting on your hands waiting for the team to do something great, before you cheer....    Cheer to fire the team up.   I know that sounds overly simplistic...   But, that's the main difference between the Lynah today & the Lynah of yesteryear.

This is important.  In Lynah at its best the noise often precedes the action.  Every game has dead spots in the action on the ice, and it was during these that the Faithful were unique, starting chants spontaneously, many of them original and clever.

I don't agree with most of the criticisms leveled at the current students, but the one thing that's true is our crowd now is far more reactive.  Their intensity is determined by the team; the point is to do the opposite.

I feel like it's a lot easier to be proactive when you're not worried about being singled out by the ushers for being obnoxious or breaking poorly designed rules. It's all well and good to say that the fans should just cheer positively but it's easier when someone starts a chant that is at least a bit obnoxious.

That said, I agree with underskill.  when half the fans have their faces buried in their phones half the time (seen this clip yet? http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2015/10/01/14-416010-2015-09-30/web_cut/mlbtv_511523483_1200K.mp4) it's hard to proactively be loud at a sporting event.

[Dafatone]

Stop sitting on your hands waiting for the team to do something great, before you cheer....    Cheer to fire the team up.   I know that sounds overly simplistic...   But, that's the main difference between the Lynah today & the Lynah of yesteryear.

This is important.  In Lynah at its best the noise often precedes the action.  Every game has dead spots in the action on the ice, and it was during these that the Faithful were unique, starting chants spontaneously, many of them original and clever.

I don't agree with most of the criticisms leveled at the current students, but the one thing that's true is our crowd now is far more reactive.  Their intensity is determined by the team; the point is to do the opposite.

I feel like it's a lot easier to be proactive when you're not worried about being singled out by the ushers for being obnoxious or breaking poorly designed rules. It's all well and good to say that the fans should just cheer positively but it's easier when someone starts a chant that is at least a bit obnoxious.

That said, I agree with underskill.  when half the fans have their faces buried in their phones half the time (seen this clip yet? http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2015/10/01/14-416010-2015-09-30/web_cut/mlbtv_511523483_1200K.mp4) it's hard to proactively be loud at a sporting event.

I've lamented this repeatedly here, but a friend of mine got threatened by an usher for being too loud/obnoxious back in 2007.  He wasn't swearing, but had moved from section B to D to yell at the opposing goalie (one of us in D swapped with him so it's not like we had overstuffed the section).  Started up a "hey, sieve, remember me!" routine and the usher came right over.

Certainly, there are a lot of factors.  Phones are a problem.  Too many other options for a Friday/Saturday night is a problem.  A crowd that waits for something to happen is a problem.

But the efforts to reduce the Lynah atmosphere really bother me.  We've got a storied hockey history, but we're really not THAT special.  Sure, a player coming to Cornell will get a better education and a better-looking resume than a player going to, say, Colorado College.  But plenty of other great schools play hockey.  The one thing we have that's most unique is Lynah.

Lack of team success also hurts.  But we were loud back in other dull stretches, right?  Correct me if I'm wrong since I only started attending games in 2004.

[redice]

Stop sitting on your hands waiting for the team to do something great, before you cheer....    Cheer to fire the team up.   I know that sounds overly simplistic...   But, that's the main difference between the Lynah today & the Lynah of yesteryear.

This is important.  In Lynah at its best the noise often precedes the action.  Every game has dead spots in the action on the ice, and it was during these that the Faithful were unique, starting chants spontaneously, many of them original and clever.

I don't agree with most of the criticisms leveled at the current students, but the one thing that's true is our crowd now is far more reactive.  Their intensity is determined by the team; the point is to do the opposite.

I feel like it's a lot easier to be proactive when you're not worried about being singled out by the ushers for being obnoxious or breaking poorly designed rules. It's all well and good to say that the fans should just cheer positively but it's easier when someone starts a chant that is at least a bit obnoxious.

That said, I agree with underskill.  when half the fans have their faces buried in their phones half the time (seen this clip yet? http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2015/10/01/14-416010-2015-09-30/web_cut/mlbtv_511523483_1200K.mp4) it's hard to proactively be loud at a sporting event.

I've lamented this repeatedly here, but a friend of mine got threatened by an usher for being too loud/obnoxious back in 2007.  He wasn't swearing, but had moved from section B to D to yell at the opposing goalie (one of us in D swapped with him so it's not like we had overstuffed the section).  Started up a "hey, sieve, remember me!" routine and the usher came right over.

Certainly, there are a lot of factors.  Phones are a problem.  Too many other options for a Friday/Saturday night is a problem.  A crowd that waits for something to happen is a problem.

But the efforts to reduce the Lynah atmosphere really bother me.  We've got a storied hockey history, but we're really not THAT special.  Sure, a player coming to Cornell will get a better education and a better-looking resume than a player going to, say, Colorado College.  But plenty of other great schools play hockey.  The one thing we have that's most unique is Lynah.

Lack of team success also hurts.  But we were loud back in other dull stretches, right?  Correct me if I'm wrong since I only started attending games in 2004.

I guess the first question I would ask is why is there a presumption that fans HAVE to be obnoxious to be loud?    I have been attending Cornell Hockey for almost 50 years....    I don't remember when the obnoxious part began...   But, I can tell you that it was NOT always that way...   And, without obnoxious, Lynah could & did ROCK!!    And, we rocked proactively!!     Bottom line:   the crowd, students & townies alike, have become more passive in how they watch & cheer on their Cornell Hockey team.   I dont think that's going to change.   If the team scores more goals, Lynah will get a bit louder because there will be more (reactive) cheering for those goals.  After the goal, the crowd will go back to whatever they were doing (not cheering)....  

It IS what it is!!!

[Towerroad]

Ask yourself the following question:

You are a wet behind the ears Freshman, you have heard about Lynah and the faithful and are intreagued. But, being a Cornell student you decide to do a little research before plunking down what amounts to all your winter entertianment budget (plus that Chem book you don't really want to buy). You hear about elynah and visit these pages and see it is a bunch of cranky townies and alumnae bitching about what loosers the current crop of students are. Do you plunk down your money for tickets or take your business elsewhere?

If you actually wanted to help with the lack of ticket sales the true Faithful would be out extolling the virtues of becoming a member of this exclusive order of the rubber bisquit. If you want to hurt the program just keep up insulting the programs customers, they have a choice.

[Beeeej]

Ask yourself the following question:

You are a wet behind the ears Freshman, you have heard about Lynah and the faithful and are intreagued. But, being a Cornell student you decide to do a little research before plunking down what amounts to all your winter entertianment budget (plus that Chem book you don't really want to buy). You hear about elynah and visit these pages and see it is a bunch of cranky townies and alumnae bitching about what loosers the current crop of students are. Do you plunk down your money for tickets or take your business elsewhere?

If you actually wanted to help with the lack of ticket sales the true Faithful would be out extolling the virtues of becoming a member of this exclusive order of the rubber bisquit. If you want to hurt the program just keep up insulting the programs customers, they have a choice.

First of all, I never do this anymore, but - "intreagued"? That may be the most awesome (and, admittedly, understandable) misspelling I've seen in years.

I haven't seen any alumni or townies complain that the current crop of students are losers. I've seen the current crop of students complain that they're not allowed to support their team by being loud and obnoxious. The alumni and townies responding are saying you don't have to be obnoxious to be loud or effective as fans.

We've done something much, much better than go out to extol the Faithful's virtues. We've epitomized them. We've kept spending hundreds of dollars on season tickets, getting our butts into the seats, and supporting our team loudly, vigorously, creatively, and without getting thrown out by cogs in the totalitarian Athletics machine, for decades. You really think that a bunch of middle aged white men posting on this forum that Cornell hockey is the bee's knees is going to get freshman butts in the seats better than modeling the behavior for them?

[LGR14]

Current students don't know about this forum. Students are reading blogs and listening to podcasts -- the apex of message board popularity was 6-7 years ago, and there has been a decline ever since - all over the Internet. Needless to say, this forum does not make or break the Lynah atmosphere.

What is more likely a factor is that students go to their first game - on time - and they realize that no one else is doing that. They also see how empty it is for the first period. Then, given that most new students are sitting in section D, they don't hear or learn any of the cheers. This means they stop coming - until the Harvard game, which thankfully has yet to disappoint.

If Athletics really wants to bring people back to Lynah, they should make the Exhibition games completely free: honor the season ticket holders and their seats (refund the money, too), but then let anyone else walk in and grab a spot in the stands - assuming they get there by 7 - to see what a game is all about. I guarantee that, if the game were to be pitched as an introduction to Cornell's hockey culture, you'd have the true devotees from B show up and lead the way.

[Trotsky]

First of all, I never do this anymore, but - "intreagued"?

We're the best in the Ivy Ligue.

[Trotsky]

You really think that a bunch of middle aged white men posting on this forum that Cornell hockey is the bee's knees is going to get freshman butts in the seats better than modeling the behavior for them?

I don't know about you, but my milkshake brings all the boys to the barn.

[marty]

First of all, I never do this anymore, but - "intreagued"?

We're the best in the Ivy Ligue.

Not me,  I'm a looser.

[dbilmes]

The hockey hotbed of Notre Dame is joining the list of schools giving students free hockey tickets.

[Towerroad]

Ask yourself the following question:

You are a wet behind the ears Freshman, you have heard about Lynah and the faithful and are intreagued. But, being a Cornell student you decide to do a little research before plunking down what amounts to all your winter entertianment budget (plus that Chem book you don't really want to buy). You hear about elynah and visit these pages and see it is a bunch of cranky townies and alumnae bitching about what loosers the current crop of students are. Do you plunk down your money for tickets or take your business elsewhere?

If you actually wanted to help with the lack of ticket sales the true Faithful would be out extolling the virtues of becoming a member of this exclusive order of the rubber bisquit. If you want to hurt the program just keep up insulting the programs customers, they have a choice.

First of all, I never do this anymore, but - "intreagued"? That may be the most awesome (and, admittedly, understandable) misspelling I've seen in years.

I haven't seen any alumni or townies complain that the current crop of students are losers. I've seen the current crop of students complain that they're not allowed to support their team by being loud and obnoxious. The alumni and townies responding are saying you don't have to be obnoxious to be loud or effective as fans.

We've done something much, much better than go out to extol the Faithful's virtues. We've epitomized them. We've kept spending hundreds of dollars on season tickets, getting our butts into the seats, and supporting our team loudly, vigorously, creatively, and without getting thrown out by cogs in the totalitarian Athletics machine, for decades. You really think that a bunch of middle aged white men posting on this forum that Cornell hockey is the bee's knees is going to get freshman butts in the seats better than modeling the behavior for them?

Cleary I should not post until AFTER I have finished my first cup of coffee.

[Give My Regards]

Cleary I should not post until AFTER I have finished my first cup of coffee.

Dear god.  That one is inexcusable. ::barf::

[cuhockey93]

Our style of game is not helping as well. The NHL made a decision to increase scoring to increase fanbase. As much as I liked the Devils-Flyers games in the late 90's, that isn't how most young fans are accustomed to watching hockey. The fast offensive style that many of our rivals employ has captured the excitement that was formerly created by fighting and headshots on players staring at the puck.(RIP Eric Lindros) Not that I want to get into another argument about the effectiveness of "the system", but scoring 1 goal a game doesn't excite the fanbase, especially when you are losing. I am interested to see the expectations of the new class of students. The current students were not there to see the frustration that was the development of the freshman class of 2011.