At 04:21 PM 2/4/97 EST, Wayne Smith wrote:
>(Warning!  Approaching personal opinion zone)
 
I'll say that this is also a personal opinion zone, and I do disagree with
Wayne and Dan.  This is something I feel very strongly about, and my
comments are not directed at Wayne, or Dan, or any other individual person
on this list.
 
>Kicking long-time supporters out of the balcony will cause a loss of
>season ticket holders, bad feelings and thus a loss of important income.
>(Trust me).
 
There is a 1200 person waiting list for season tickets.  If a person becomes
upset because the UM administration wants to further student participation
and choose to cancel their season tickets, I would consider that petty and
someone else is better served with their slot.
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-season ticket holders.  But I think that
many times a lot of people forget that UMaine is a university made up of
students who pay 10-17,000 a year to go to school here.  People from the
administration down to the community forget this.  I'm not suggesting Wayne
or Dan believe this.  What I am saying is that the university needs to do a
better job at catering to the students (i.e. better distribution policy, and
empower the student participation by sticking them together).
 
Recent posts suggest that the students will be put together, thus some
season ticket holders will be displaced, whether that is in the balcony or
in sections U-X, or whatnot.
 
In addition, some season ticket holders are going to be upset and leave,
again regardless of where they put the students, since they will be put
somewhere.
 
I don't view this as a bad situation.  The current crop of fans may be
loyal, long-time supporters, but they are also part of the problem.  If a
small fraction of the 3000 season ticket holders leave, the new blood cannot
be bad for Maine hockey.
 
It may seem overly simplistic, but the key to me is what is better for Maine
hockey.  If a person chooses not to attend Maine hockey simply because their
section has become a student section, are they really a "real" fan?
 
A real fan is one who supports Maine hockey, regardless of whether they are
18-10-1, 42-1-2, never win a game, or on NCAA sanction.
 
There are 1200 people, or more, who would love to simply have a seat,
regardless of where it is.  You tell me, which fan is better?
 
I say give all season ticket holders the option.  Tell them that section
will be a student section, and they are welcome to keep their seat or change
to another one.  I know that there are season ticket holders in the balcony
who would love to have the students there and would participate with them.
I've seen season ticket holders start student cheers in the balcony before.
 
That is a fair way to go, give them the option, don't kick them out.  Just
inform them of what is happening and let each individual ticket holder make
up their decision.
 
That is why we all have to be careful in our generalizations here.  There
are people, like Cathy, who enjoy student participation and wouldn't mind
being in that section.
 
>Why do you think FoMH membership is down to 500, a small fraction of
>what it once was?  (There are probably many reasons, including...) Once,
>one could be proud to be openly supporting the program and there were
>numerous well-publicized benefits.  Mainers are embarrassed to be thought
>of as cheaters and so have put themselves at arms length.  The hockey
>may still be great, but the supporters and fans have been betrayed.
>Some are trying to stay;  please don't drive them away.  Of lesser
>importance, I don't recall a single announcement or sign last weekend
>that would tell me that a "Skate with the Bears" is coming up, let alone
>tell a new person what it's all about.
 
There were multiple announcements, that is how I heard it.  But I agree that
it wasn't promoted that well.
 
I understand what you are saying here.  But I pose this question:  why do we
want the fans who are just "trying to stay"?
 
These people are part of the problem, a large part.  Why should we cater to
them?  It's not like Maine has 3000 season tickets and no interest beyond
that.  I bet 95-100% of any vacated season tickets would be picked up by
people who want to be there.  There is a 1200+ person waiting list, DESPITE
the NCAA troubles of recent years.  With the late turnaround this year, a
good recruiting class coming in, and the fact Maine will be eligible for
postseason competition and the rebuilding (reloading) process beginning..
Maine will sell all their season tickets again next year, no question.
 
I would rather have only 4000 fans a game who are loud, and into the action,
than the 5000 we have now who are quiet, reserved and complain.  Sometimes
you need new blood, and perhaps this is one of those times.
 
Interest in the program remains solid, but I'll say again.  If someone is
willing to stop supporting Maine hockey just because they have to change
seats -- in attempt to improve the quality of Alfond, and the home ice
advantage for UM -- we are better off without them.
 
 
---
Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask])