The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(03-27-2024 12:13 PM)Bronco88Oxford Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 09:01 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 08:39 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  Bartholomae said he has a couple of other issues with the NCAA hockey tournament. For starters, it gets underway in the middle of the NCAA's most popular event, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and the first- and second-round games air on ESPNU, a channel that's no given on cable packages and isn't part of ESPN+ subscriptions.

Bartholomae said the city of Kalamazoo plans to bid in the future, once its $300-million arena, which will host WMU's basketball and hockey teams, is completed, in 2027 or 2029. That arena will seat 6,500 for hockey.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...101838007/

For years I have said the NCAA shoots themselves in their own foot. Just start the hockey season 3 weeks later, say first weekend of November, In doing so, the hockey championship play (conference tournaments, regionals and Frozen Four) won't conflict with NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. This will get more fans in attendance, more eyes on screens and more $$. Also, most schools Spring break would be over, getting better attendance from students during hockey championship play. I'm just really surprised the money grubbing NCAA hasn't figured this out...

I still have not seen specifics, but I question the 6,500 "hockey" number Dan threw out. Basketball would be able to seat approx. 1,500 more than hockey and concerts approx. 3,000 more than hockey. I think it is closer to a 5,000/6,500/8,000 breakdown. Of this, approx. 1,500 in suites. I don't think it is a 6,500/8,000/9,500 breakdown.

Why would you not make it a little bigger? i'm sure the overhead costs don't change much. Go Big or go home. WMU has always been "dinky thinky"

Because you'll create an empty arena w/ no ticket demand or atmosphere.

We don't fill up our 3500 seat jewel of an arena. But, I'm sure they'll almost double capacity and be just fine.

(03-27-2024 08:39 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  Bartholomae said he has a couple of other issues with the NCAA hockey tournament. For starters, it gets underway in the middle of the NCAA's most popular event, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and the first- and second-round games air on ESPNU, a channel that's no given on cable packages and isn't part of ESPN+ subscriptions.

Bartholomae said the city of Kalamazoo plans to bid in the future, once its $300-million arena, which will host WMU's basketball and hockey teams, is completed, in 2027 or 2029. That arena will seat 6,500 for hockey.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...101838007/

As current NCAA rules stand, I don't think Kalamazoo can be chosen if the new arena is the home of Bronco hockey. It's why North Dakota bids Sioux Falls and Denver Loveland.

(03-27-2024 03:46 PM)bronconick Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 08:39 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  Bartholomae said he has a couple of other issues with the NCAA hockey tournament. For starters, it gets underway in the middle of the NCAA's most popular event, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and the first- and second-round games air on ESPNU, a channel that's no given on cable packages and isn't part of ESPN+ subscriptions.

Bartholomae said the city of Kalamazoo plans to bid in the future, once its $300-million arena, which will host WMU's basketball and hockey teams, is completed, in 2027 or 2029. That arena will seat 6,500 for hockey.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...101838007/

As current NCAA rules stand, I don't think Kalamazoo can be chosen if the new arena is the home of Bronco hockey. It's why North Dakota bids Sioux Falls and Denver Loveland.

Actually they can host NCAA events because the new arena is not on the University Campus nor is it run by the University. It's a separate entity from the University. Kazoo would bid it and WMU would be the host school.

(03-28-2024 09:08 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 03:46 PM)bronconick Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 08:39 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  Bartholomae said he has a couple of other issues with the NCAA hockey tournament. For starters, it gets underway in the middle of the NCAA's most popular event, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and the first- and second-round games air on ESPNU, a channel that's no given on cable packages and isn't part of ESPN+ subscriptions.

Bartholomae said the city of Kalamazoo plans to bid in the future, once its $300-million arena, which will host WMU's basketball and hockey teams, is completed, in 2027 or 2029. That arena will seat 6,500 for hockey.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...101838007/

As current NCAA rules stand, I don't think Kalamazoo can be chosen if the new arena is the home of Bronco hockey. It's why North Dakota bids Sioux Falls and Denver Loveland.

Actually they can host NCAA events because the new arena is not on the University Campus nor is it run by the University. It's a separate entity from the University. Kazoo would bid it and WMU would be the host school.

Same as us playing at Lindenwoods arena this weekend.


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Some of you may have seen this already but a few days ago, the Detroit News ran an article about why are they playing in such a small arena.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...101838007/

Quote:Responding to an inquiry from The Detroit News, an NCAA spokesman said the building was awarded the regional because there was a lack of bids for the west regional. The bids were considered in 2020, during COVID, when the future of in-person sports was uncertain. That might have been a factor in a lack of bids, but the NCAA couldn't confirm that.

"The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee evaluated all bids for the 2024 regional sites in the winter of 2020," the NCAA spokesman said in a statement to The News. "However, only a few venues in the western part of the country submitted bids for the four-year cycle. Given the limited number of sites in the geographical area, the committee chose the best options to enhance the experience of the student-athletes and coaches.”

Quote:The Centene Community Ice Center also was awarded the bid, in part, as a package deal for St. Louis, which will host the Frozen Four in 2025. The NCAA hopes that a regional in the area this year will help spark some interest for the Frozen Four next year.

(03-28-2024 09:08 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 03:46 PM)bronconick Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 08:39 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  Bartholomae said he has a couple of other issues with the NCAA hockey tournament. For starters, it gets underway in the middle of the NCAA's most popular event, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and the first- and second-round games air on ESPNU, a channel that's no given on cable packages and isn't part of ESPN+ subscriptions.

Bartholomae said the city of Kalamazoo plans to bid in the future, once its $300-million arena, which will host WMU's basketball and hockey teams, is completed, in 2027 or 2029. That arena will seat 6,500 for hockey.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...101838007/

As current NCAA rules stand, I don't think Kalamazoo can be chosen if the new arena is the home of Bronco hockey. It's why North Dakota bids Sioux Falls and Denver Loveland.

Actually they can host NCAA events because the new arena is not on the University Campus nor is it run by the University. It's a separate entity from the University. Kazoo would bid it and WMU would be the host school.

In that case, it'd be worth it just to rub it in Michigan's face given that Yost hosting regionals as a 2-3 seed (out of 6) that got the neutral site nonsense started

(03-28-2024 03:22 PM)bronconick Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 09:08 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 03:46 PM)bronconick Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 08:39 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  Bartholomae said he has a couple of other issues with the NCAA hockey tournament. For starters, it gets underway in the middle of the NCAA's most popular event, the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and the first- and second-round games air on ESPNU, a channel that's no given on cable packages and isn't part of ESPN+ subscriptions.

Bartholomae said the city of Kalamazoo plans to bid in the future, once its $300-million arena, which will host WMU's basketball and hockey teams, is completed, in 2027 or 2029. That arena will seat 6,500 for hockey.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...101838007/

As current NCAA rules stand, I don't think Kalamazoo can be chosen if the new arena is the home of Bronco hockey. It's why North Dakota bids Sioux Falls and Denver Loveland.

Actually they can host NCAA events because the new arena is not on the University Campus nor is it run by the University. It's a separate entity from the University. Kazoo would bid it and WMU would be the host school.

In that case, it'd be worth it just to rub it in Michigan's face given that Yost hosting regionals as a 2-3 seed (out of 6) that got the neutral site nonsense started

The wolverines getting all the preferential treatment for the kalamazoo regional will go over real well.