While this may be a bit premature, the comments generated by the regional
this year has me thinking about how to stage a 16 team event (hopefully next
year).  The general concessus seems to be that there are three possibilities.

1.  4 regional sites - 4 teams, three games, one team to Frozen Four.
Pluses:  Easy to do in the east, many possible venues with good attendance
likely (Albany, Worcester, Providence, Hartford, Boston to name a few).
Neutral ice sites.  Travel distances for eastern teams no different from
regular season weekends.  Minuses:  two western sites hard to find.
Attendance likely to be poor unless host team at site, which could lead to
unfair disadvantage to higher seeded team (i.e., DU in Ann Arbor).

2.  2 super regional - 8 teams, six games, 2 advance to FF.  Pluses:  Better
attendance likely, since a host, or near host team probable at each venue.
Few western sites could be rotated.  Minuses:  Tickets could be very hard to
get (especially in east), not likely to expand fan base.  Six games could
trash ice by the last game if done over two days.  Possibly too much(?)
hockey for one weekend?

3.  Campus sites for regional of 4 teams, three games, one advance.  Pluses:
Good attendance (sell outs) at campus sites.  Minuses:  Big advantage for top
seeds, upsets much less likely. (#4 vs #5 difference in seeds is huge).
Campus venues may be small.  Rink size could influence seeding of hosts, not
merit of team.  No advance notice of regional site.  Tickets impossible to
get for traveling fans.

All of these ideas have merit and problems.  My idea, is a combination of the
first two.
East-two neutral ice regional.
    Site A- 2 games Friday, 1 game Saturday
    Site B- 2 games Saturday, 1 game Sunday

West- one super-regional
    Friday- two 1st round games
    Saturday- two 1st round games
    Sunday- two QF games (Friday vs Friday, Saturday vs. Saturday)

This would maximize attendance without resorting to campus sites.  It takes
advantage of the eastern geography without compromising the western
attendance too much.  The larger super regional field still leaves the
problem of a host school/ lower seed home ice, but more teams should give
more attendance, ultimately allowing for more sites to bid on superregional.
Unfortunately, I cannot come up with a way to solve the Yost/Twin Cities site
problem as long as western attendance is so dependent on the host team.  That
said, Worcester's attendance this past weekend speaks volumes for the fan
base that travels for UNH, Maine, Cornell and BU (and even QU), while other
eastern teams such as RPI, BC, Clarkson and SLU are known for their large and
vocal crowds.  These fans should have the tickets available to them that two
regional would allow.

Submitted to generate some discussion, not to detract from the upcoming
Frozen Four, which should be very interesting, although I was hoping to have
had a reason to try and be in St. Paul.

William Sangrey
Cornell '87 & '94
Let's Go RED!!!!