Lynah Attendance

[Beeeej]

One fun idea that would never happen is to cancel classes on the Friday of the first home game and have the game at noon. Pretty much just make it a holiday for the purpose of the hockey game. Not really practical because it would hurt townie attendance...

...and ESPN+ viewership.

sounds like someone takes their lunch a little too seriously

FYP.

[Trotsky]

I thought you said "launch."   

[Trotsky]

I think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.

Ding ding ding.

[Weder]

I think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.

Ding ding ding.

There are fewer ads on the boards this season, although I would guess that they significantly increased the price for center-ice ads and are willing to let that space sit unused instead of selling slots at a lower rate. (Hey, sounds like retail landlords.)

[Trotsky]

When I make my first billion, I will buy up all the boards and all the ice and put nothing on them. 

[BearLover]

I think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.

Ding ding ding.

I think this can be fixed. Cornell athletics isn't a for-profit company.

[Trotsky]

I think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.

Ding ding ding.

I think this can be fixed. Cornell athletics isn't a for-profit company.

If only this was still true.  We have the same disease as the rest of the world.  I am sure the time is coming when we will have to pay an annual subscription to keep our degrees.

The last banker strangled with the entrails of the last realtor.  It's the only way.

[JasonN95]

I think maximizing revenue is at odds with maximizing atmosphere.

Ding ding ding.

I think this can be fixed. Cornell athletics isn't a for-profit company.

But it has expenses and has to do what it can to keep up with the Joneses (at least keep within earshot of the Joneses) if it wants any shot at competing for national championships. (Ben Robertson sure seemed smitten with Michigan's private jets for away games.) And I think none-to-very little money flows from the academic side/endowment of the university to athletics, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong about that.

[Beeeej]

But it has expenses and has to do what it can to keep up with the Joneses (at least keep within earshot of the Joneses) if it wants any shot at competing for national championships. (Ben Robertson sure seemed smitten with Michigan's private jets for away games.) And I think none-to-very little money flows from the academic side/endowment of the university to athletics, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong about that.

The endowment isn't purely academic, so your characterization isn't quite apt. Casey is the "Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey" for a reason - Mr. Bloom's generosity in setting up an endowment that should generate salary, perhaps benefits, and possibly also travel budget for the head coach in perpetuity. That said, because of how endowments work, the endowment for the head coaching position can't "flow" to other parts of Athletics. There's an endowed "discretionary fund" for the Provost, who could doubtless send some money Athletics' way if they wanted, but I doubt that's a high priority when Athletics does some pretty decent fundraising of their own and has endowed funds like the Bloom Coach.

[Trotsky]

Didn't Ned have a private jet called "Above It All"?

[Al DeFlorio]

Didn't Ned have a private jet called "Above It All"?

Back in the 60s, Cornell had a DC3 named "The Far Above."

[David Harding]

Didn't Ned have a private jet called "Above It All"?

Back in the 60s, Cornell had a DC3 named "The Far Above."

https://alumni.cornell.edu/cornellians/written-in-stone/

In 1961, [Leroy] Grumman gave Cornell a DC-3 airplane. Named the Far Above and used through 1970, it flew more than 250,000 miles and carried more than 30,000 total passengers—including staff and faculty, athletic squads, and student groups. Grumman served as a trustee from 1953–66 and was among the first alumni designated as a presidential councilor.

[adamw]

This has been an evergreen topic in all of college hockey for 20 years. Steady decline everywhere, except for a handful of places. And even those places are subject to decline when their team falls out of the top 20. Even Western Michigan - known for its "lunatics" and fresh off a national championship, had extremely meh attendance this past weekend against a good Duluth team.

I don't like it either - but it's not a Cornell problem - and there's likely very little anyone can do about it. Cornell has to be a consistent top 5 team for like half a season in order to fill Lynah like it used to.

[Dafatone]

This has been an evergreen topic in all of college hockey for 20 years. Steady decline everywhere, except for a handful of places. And even those places are subject to decline when their team falls out of the top 20. Even Western Michigan - known for its "lunatics" and fresh off a national championship, had extremely meh attendance this past weekend against a good Duluth team.

I don't like it either - but it's not a Cornell problem - and there's likely very little anyone can do about it. Cornell has to be a consistent top 5 team for like half a season in order to fill Lynah like it used to.

Definitely the general trend. I'm a bit surprised regardless, because it seemed like Lynah had picked up in crowd size and intensity a little over the last two years.

[jts15]

Wait, BU student tickets are free?

Yes.  According to her all she has to do is go the rink, show her ID, and if there is a ticket available she gets it no charge.  My reaction to that was the same as yours.