At 10:54 AM 3/20/96 -0500, Mike Machnik wrote:
 
>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.
 
*liberally snipped*
 
>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.
 
Point well taken.  In support of your assertion, I thought it was
interesting that the MSU/UM game last weekend drew better than the final
between LSSU and Michigan which, IMO, was the far better game.  Even then,
though, neither was a sellout.  Perhaps there were other factors affecting
attendance.  (Perhaps, like me, they watched it on Prime.)
 
Also, your scenario of poor attendence in potential championship games
between small fan base teams (not Michigan or State) will always be skewed
so long as games are always held in Detroit.  This is not to say that the
tourney site should move from year to year.  But if it did, (say to Ohio or
Indiana) the Michigan influence might be diminished.  Maybe not...
 
Mark J. Sonnier, C.P.M.
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UAF '90
 
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