Basically correct, but note also that while the West and Mid-West have
large-capacity venues with strong fan bases, travel distance is an issue.

-- Erik

> Well, maybe not Orono, but how about the Black Bears hosting at Cumberland
> County (Portland) Civic Center, which seats about 6500 (about 1000 more
> than Alfond, but probably still too small for an eastern regional)? Of
> course, UNH hosted the regionals at Manchester's Verizon Center last year
> (seats about 10,500), which did them little good, as the Wolverines did
> not seem to have many problems adapting far away from home (hey, maybe it
> was the small ice vs big ice thing for the Cats?). The Gophers? They, like
> the Black Bears, also seem to pull things together in time for the NCAA
> tournament most years, wherever they are sent. I think that the real
> problem with bracketing, which has been discussed at length on this list
> over the years, is the smaller number of large-capacity venues with strong
> fan bases in the West and Mid-West compared to the East, and the dollar
> still rules.
>
> Thom Davis
> UNH'71 Go Cats!!