"One of the points that is often made is that having the Frozen Four in
nontradtional areas of the country (1) exposes more people to the game, and
(2) therefore expands interest in college hockey."
 
(1) and (2) above are more impacted by having the games live on ESPN and ESPN2
then having the Frozen Four in some particular location. These are actually
BAD reasons to have the games at some cite -- equally bad to having them
located somewhere because of "tradition" (why not have it alternate ONLY
between Minnesota and Massachusetts -- or have it ALWAYS at the
Broadmore/Colorado Springs, CO).
 
Instead the location "should" (if I were King) be chosen because there is
something for the college hockey fans to do when they are NOT at the games.
The games are GREAT and that is the main reason we go, but there is at least a
whole day's worth of time to be spent. It is the other things that appeal to me:
Milwaukee -- brewery tours and team hotels
Boston -- the aquarium, history tours
Anaheim -- Disneyland, Santa Catalina Island
St. Paul -- Casetta's restaurant, downtown Mpls, Mississippi River
These are fun places to spend some time. however, I can never figure out who
either the professional or semipro local teams DO NOT schedule games the
Friday of the Frozen Four (Long Beach Ice Dogs are the only exception I've
seen).
 
Some places just plain stink:
Providence -- nothing to do, nowhere to go (at least in '95, I heard they
improved the entertainment this year if you call burning tubs of wood entertainment)
Cincinnati -- even the chili was unimpressive, to say nothing of the ice.
Albany -- had to drive to Cooperstown and Oneonta to see the baseball and
soccer hall of fames. However, the architecture is impressive.
I drink enough beer in hotel rooms during my kid's tournaments and by the time
the Frozen Four comes around, I want something more.
 
Of course, thinking the NCAA picks its sites out of concern for (1) current
hockey fans or (2) future-prospective hockey fans is just ridiculous if not
stupid. The NCAA chooses the site based upon the highest bidder. As an
economist I will not say the choice of site based on money is bad -- I am sure
the NCAA uses that money wisely to support all its sports that do not make a
profit on its tournaments -- but to think it is based on ANY CONSIDERATION
other than money is wrong.
 
Nathan Hampton
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.