Mark Sonnier writes:
>As for the playoffs, I can't wait for the AK squads to have to worry about
>the travel time during March!  And, contrary to Mr. Machnik's assertion, I'm
>sure a lot of us Alaskans would make the trip South for the big show, no
>matter where it was held.  Fairbanks averages attendance better than 3000
>with a metro area population of just 60000 (that's 5%, for you stats types).
>I don't know how to quantify fan support but if that ain't it, I don't know
>what is.  Besides, we're not afraid of a little airplane ride now and again.
>Check out the AK jerseys in Anaheim  a couple of years from now.  And while
>I can't speak for Ferris and UIC, I suspect their fans would support them in
>the tourney as well.
 
My original comment was,
 
+And I can't imagine what the FC might wind up with if there was ever
+a HE Final Four consisting of, say, Merrimack, PC, Northeastern, and Lowell
+(Lowell having the best fan base of the four).
+
+I suppose this is the case with the other conferences too (imagine UAF,
+Ferris, UIC, and OSU making the Joe).
 
I didn't say these schools' fans wouldn't support them if they made
the CCHA finals.  My point was that I did not believe a CCHA Final
Four consisting of these teams would draw as well as one that
involves, say, Michigan, MSU, LSSU, and BG.  They do not seem to have
as large a fan base, going by actual numbers.
 
But unless this happens, we'll never know.
 
Actually, maybe we could look at how many people from Anchorage made a
similar trip to the Lower 48 when UAA was in the NCAA tournament from
1990-92.  In 1990 they were at LSSU, 1991 at BC (and NMU), and 1992 at
the Joe.
 
In 1992, first round games were LSSU-UAA and NMU-Clarkson.  Attendance
was 3,827 combined (4 teams competing).  In 1991, UAA played and won
at BC in the first round (attendance was low, I was there).  It will
have to be left to someone more familiar with the two Alaska schools
to say whether this is typical of the support that would be expected
if UAF made it to the Joe.  But again, as I said, we will not *really*
know unless it happens.
 
However, the point is not that the fans that some teams have will not
support them.  It is that they do not have as many fans as some of the
other teams, like Michigan, MSU, etc. and that may well account for a
difference in attendance at the Joe.
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                 [log in to unmask]           [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93
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