greenie <[log in to unmask]> writes:
> Friends of mine that attended Northeastern tell similar stories of Reggie
> Lewis' last two seasons there, and that it was nearly impossible to get a
> ticket.
> ...
> Put simply, BC and Northeastern (as well as the aforementioned basketball
> powerhouses above) have had basketball seasons where EVERY game is a
> sellout ...
 
I don't know what your friends are remembering, but it isn't entirely the
truth. :-)  Northeastern basketball did draw better than hockey when Reggie
was there, but rarely did they ever come anywhere close to selling out.  It
was usually very easy to get a ticket.  I went to a number of games while I
was there, and other times, I remember the (hockey) bus returning from a
road game cross town and we walked in to find the place half empty during a
hoop game.
 
The only game that I recall that did come close to a sellout was the 1987
North Atlantic championship game against BU.  In fact the same concerns
that the school had about not drawing for hockey (despite having a Hockey
East champion in 1988) extended to basketball as well -- and to today too,
although hockey attendance has improved of late.  According to Hockey East,
NU averaged 1,870 for home games this year -- up from 1,437 last year.
 
But regardless, I'm not sure it is true that Boston is a "college hockey
town" to the exclusion of other sports.  My perception is that if you take
into account all of the colleges within an hour or so radius as you pointed
out, you will find that at many places basketball and hockey are both well
attended and have a solid fan base.  Boston certainly has more interest in
college hockey than some places, but I would not say college hockey rules.
 
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