On Mon, 7 Feb 2000, Mike Patten wrote:
 
> How about getting rid of the regionals altogether.
> Lets go round 1 -  8 on campus best 2 of 3 .
> round 2 - super regional idea.  All 8 go to one site.  2 games each day.
> finals -  just like it is now...
 
Best 2 of three on campus sites?  Why bother.  The home team will win
probably 80% of the time.  That may underestimate the home advantage.
And let's see.  Four games in four days?  Who would pay to see four
consecutive days of hockey.  Who could attend them?  And what about that
little thing called classes.
 
 
> >Yep.  So would be OSU's palace.  There could be a rotation period around the
> >West as well as the East.  I just don't like to see half empty houses for
> >important games.  I still shudder thinking of the 1992 West Regional at the
> >Joe.
 
I have given up trying to understand the attendance problem at the West
Regionals.  I take it on faith from the Western Hockey-L people that
campus sites are the only thing that can work out West.
 
But in the East, Worcester and Albany work fine for the Regionals.  It
makes no sense to try anywhere else, with the possible exception of
Providence.
 
In general however I have strong doubts that four regionals sites is going
to work out.  There still is an adequate fan base to support four regional
sites, unless you cop out and go to campus sites.  For the ECAC campus
sites would be a disaster--there just are many arenas large enough to host
them.  HE would probably do OK with UMASS, UNH, BU, Providence and Lowell
all having suitable venues.  The only other place I could think of that
might work is Buffalo's Marine Midland, home of the 2003 Frozen Four.  But
I think college hockey has only played one tournament in the arena, and I
don't know the attendance.
 
All in all, a tough proposition.
******************************************************************************
Brian Morris                     RPI Engineers--A February to Remember?
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