>Matt Glaccum writes:
>>After drawing 6700+ on Friday, the game on Saturday was 7000+ and sold out,
>>standing room only. ( For a club team, this is really amazing, at least to me)
>>I listened to part of Saturday's game on the radio and the announcers talked
>>about how the IceCat games are the third most attended event in Tucson (behind
>>Div I Football and Basketball).
Mike Machnik writes:
>I have heard about this before, but I still think it is remarkable.  I
>think if you ranked all US college teams by average attendance,
>regardless of affiliation (NC$$, ACHA, etc.), Arizona would come out
>at least in the top 5.  That a club team can draw that many fans is
>simply amazing to me.  I hope we will hear more about the IceCats on
>HOCKEY-L; thanks, Matt.
 
According to an article that appeared in College Hockey Magazine issue dated
January 2, 1993:
 
   Arizona ranked fourth nationally [in attendance] last season [1991-92]
   with an average home attendance of 5,551.  The Icecat faithful packed the
   Tucson Convention Center for 18 home games last year, including 7,062 at
   the "Madhouse on Main Street" to witness a 7-3 win over local rival
   Arizona State.
 
This has also astounded me.  This is higher than some rinks even have seats
on the Div. I level.  Even if you expanded arenas and sold them out on the
Div. I level, this is still amazing considering where it is and what level it
is at.
 
>A question for anyone close to the scene: would Arizona continue to
>draw well with an NC$$-level team?  Alabama-Huntsville used to
>routinely get 6,000 for games with club teams from Auburn, etc., but
>when they stepped up they could not attract the fans as well, even
>though they were playing much better hockey.  However, since the
>Chargers are off to a roaring start this season in DivII, I wonder if
>the fans are responding.
 
I would suspect not Mike, for the simple reason that you lose the natural
rivals either locally or from other sports.  Moving up does not necessarily mean
an improvement, though many of us would think it does from our perspective of
college hockey.  Sure it would be great for the game, but places like Arizona
have found a niche that works best exactly where that niche exists.
 
However, that does show that ice hockey can be sold in non-northern areas of the
country.  Never listen to the critics; hockey and college hockey is exciting
enough to be sold on its own at any level.  Market it right, and persuade the
people to come out the first time, and let the game sell itself after that.
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