** Reply to note from AVROM LITIN <[log in to unmask]> 03/26/96 7:26pm CST
> Could they possibly be as
> >successful monetarily with a top notch hockey program as they would
> >be with a middle-of-the-pack basketball team?
> What is worse, Chicago is a great Hockey town and a lowsy basketball
> town. For the past 2 years their was a CBA team that played in the
> same facility as UIC. They are leaving town because they could not
> atract a crowd.
Ever hear of the BULLS? How about DePaul, Loyola, North Central College (I think
that's the correct name). Chicago is a basketball town, especially college
basketball. DePaul use to sell out the Horizon. Why'd the CBA do poorly? Its not
much better than average college ball, and you can see that in many places in
Chicago (TV too).
Contrary to popular belief, Chicago is not a great hockey town. I'm a native and
UIC alum.
> On the other hand hockey does do well in chicago. Even when the
> blackhawks were loosing they filled the stadium.
Not true. Were you in Chicago in the mid to late 70's? You could buy mezzanine
seats minutes before the games. Until Orval Tessier had that one good year, in the
early 80's, the stadium was generally half empty.
>The IHL team from day1
>did a good job filling the rosemont horizon, capacity ~15,000.
Why are the Wolves doing well? Exciting sport, decent team and cheap, cheap
tickets. I don't know how many sell outs they've had, but ticket prices and a
decent quality team helped attendance. Watch attendance drop when the quality of
the play decreases.
> Although the statistics that were posted don't show it hockey almost allways
> outdraws basketball.
At UIC? When I was there in the early 80's, that's when the team was at its best,
basketball regularly outdrew hockey. I've been to both. It's unfortunate because
the Pavillion is one of the nicer college hockey arenas I've been in. Some of the
games were even broadcast on local cable.
> No matter what they do, basketball will not fill the pavilion unless they
> can solve the student appathy problem.
> Avrom Litin
They won't have to fill it to turn a decent profit. Because you can charge more
for a basketball ticket than a hockey ticket, they won't need to sell out to make
a profit, like they would if they stuck with hockey.
The one problem I saw with hockey at UIC and student participation was the
Friday/Saturday night games. Since UIC is a commuter school it's hard to get
students to return to campus on Friday and Saturday nights. Although the Pavillion
isn't in a terribly bad neighborhood and it's accessable by public transportation
(BUS), the reputation of that part of town and the fact that you can't step off
the "L" and walk to games, is an impediment to attendance.
Finally, the student population at UIC doesn't come from the segment of society
that typically includes hockey fans (at least in this area of the country). Most
of the students at UIC are, like myself, from the city not the burbs. In Chicago
public schools, from where most UIC students come, basketball is BIG and hockey is
nearly non-existant. My high school had a hockey team, but they played mostly
catholic and suburban teams. I don't even think there's a public school hockey
league in Chicago.
Larmer, to Secord, to Larmer. He scores! Oh, the Hawks are on fire! - P. Foley
Mike Smar ([log in to unmask])
Win95 - Where do you want to go today? To your nearest OS/2 retailer!
Michael Smar, Ph. D., R.Ph.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
College of Pharmacy
South Dakota State University
([log in to unmask])
Medicines are nothing in themselves,
if not properly used,
but the very hands of the gods,
if used with reason and prudence
(and by a pharmacist).
With apologies to Herophilus
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