>As soon as they make the 50/50 announcement, people start to leave.  How
>would you like to see the 50/50 announcement made at the end of the game?
> This can be arranged..........if people think it can help!?!
 
I think that would be looked as insulting and would damage the 50-50
significantly.  I was impressed that Friday night the 50-50 was
announced with about 10 minutes left instead of what seems to be later
(about 5 min on clock?).  I thought U Maine looked good by the seemingly
early announcement because of the bad weather outside.
 
Let's do things to make people have the best time possible so they'll
want to return to Alfond.
 
People leave because it's time for them to go.
 
For the couple of thousand team supporters, they'll probably be there
until the end.  For the rest, the game is entertainment ...  recreation.
No need, IMHO, to chastise the people that have other things to do with
their time ...  they laid down their money, showed up, and (I hope) will
return in the future.  Maybe we'll even convert some to stay longer, but
they won't be converted thru "kidnapping".
 
That's not to say I don't scoff a little to myself or whoever I'm
chatting with about the early departures.  I had a negative feeling when
I saw the folks that I'd given some tickets to leave early.  So I
understand where Bill and Cathy are coming from!
 
Finally, we should realize that there is a 15-20 minute difference in
travel time from the Alfond when comparing the few minutes before end of
game to the several minutes afterwards.  Now, I always see the final
whistle, but I understand those that find other valuable uses for those
minutes.
 
cheers,
wayne
 
Wayne T. Smith                         Systems Group -- CAPS
[log in to unmask]                    University of Maine System
Co-owner of the College Hockey lists - Hockey-L/Info-Hockey-L/Hockey3