2015 State Tournament Cost

itsfoilcoach · Post by **itsfoilcoach** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 8:27 pm

Okay I know this might not be the most interesting topic. But am I the only one that think a $17.00 ticket and $11.00 ticket for a student is outrages. The student price is reducules. Just because its a little less than the obnoxious adult price its not aforadable for most kids. We went to the 3rd place game and you would think for $17.00 you could get replays on that fancy big screen. Well at least I can watch on Prep45....no wait you pay for that too. I long for the good old days when you flipped on channel 9 and enjoy. Yes I know it's per session. Buy a book for a $100.00 now there a bargain ! I calmed down after a $7.00 pop thank god...

JohnnyBuck · Post by **JohnnyBuck** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 10:47 am

Agree! One cannot afford to take their family to the games at the price they charge!! In the spirit of getting some more fans to the X, don't you think the MSHL could reduce the cost of the tickets? This way you could get some of us fans to the game. For someone that had no skin in this year's tournament, I was not going to pay over $100 to enjoy a day of girl's hockey. Heck, I can go watch D1 women's hockey for much cheaper.

sinbin · Post by **sinbin** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:06 am

I would agree and we have this discussion every year. I imagine it's required that MSHSL must set the cost of girl's games the same as the boy's games - some rule somewhere, I would guess. The tournament set an attendance record this year, so MSHSL might hang their hat on that and say "see, it's working". But, 15,000+ empty seats each game, so plenty of room to grow.

We had a poster a few weeks ago with some great ideas, get youth teams involved, change timing of youth tournaments, lower fees, etc. I've attended almost all games for about 7 years now, most of it to watch my daughter, her HS team, or others we know, play. In a few years, if none of these intersect with the X, I admit it would be much tougher to make the trek to St. Paul. Although the local watering holes have plenty of elbow room and the HS tournament atmosphere is still a fun one, particularly in close games. And there is something about sitting close to the action and hearing the sounds of the game in addition to seeing it play out. I will admit that the lack of replays on anything resembling a controversial call is very annoying, though.

jg2112 · Post by **jg2112** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:17 am

I agree that if the state tournament time was a "game blackout" time for youth assocations and regional tournaments, attendance would be increased by a fair amount.

All of my daughter's friends were playing association games or in the Regional tournaments Thursday - Saturday night. We were lucky in that her weekly game was Saturday morning. They've got to work together better to let the girls who dream to play at the X actually see games there!

gopher14 · Post by **gopher14** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:24 am

I have never understood this....if it has to be at the xcel why not get as many people in there as possible? The mshsl is already losing a ton of money on this venture. Why not have a deal if your high school team makes it to the tourney all youth teams in the respective association can buy group tickets at a discounted price? Let the youth kids in for 3-5 dollars and make the adult tickets around 10.00. Edina, Tonka, Buffalo, lakeville, blaine have some pretty large youth programs. I bet that lower bowl would get closer to full. Yes the private schools woudl be SOL in this model but their students could buy at this rate as well and they are chosing to be a private school so this is just one of the COB for them. Or do a deal where if you buy tickets ahead of time you get a discount?

I used to coach in a large eastside youth association and when our high school team made it to the dance, I tried to take my U12 team to the tourney and I had parents decline because they couldn't afford to send their kid. I did the math and it was about 60.00 for a family of 4 to go to one game, that is without concessions! That is just too expensive, so even if you have a daughter that plays hockey you won't bring her brother along at those prices and that is how you fill the lower bowl you need to make it easy for people to buy.

I bought my neice frozen four tickets and I got 4 tickets for all sessions plus a ten dollar food voucher for 80.00. That is to the Womens frozen four! 3 hockey games for 6.00 per ticket per game! What a great deal. She is so excited to take 2 friends to the game along with her aunt. I didn't have to break the bank to do it.

I understand why they keep it at Xcel but lets get as many people in there as possible and create a memorable atmostphere for the kids as well!

mulefarm · Post by **mulefarm** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:36 am

Some good ideas for increasing attendance, but what would they do to make it equal for the boys tournament? I don't believe they would open that can of worms with all the money that the boys bring in.

Gov78 · Post by **Gov78** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:54 pm

jg2112 wrote:I agree that if the state tournament time was a "game blackout" time for youth assocations and regional tournaments, attendance would be increased by a fair amount.

All of my daughter's friends were playing association games or in the Regional tournaments Thursday - Saturday night. We were lucky in that her weekly game was Saturday morning. They've got to work together better to let the girls who dream to play at the X actually see games there!

While it would be great to get the youth teams more involved adding another blackout date on weekend to calendar would be a tough sell as there are already quite a few that make scheduling a challenge.

As for the cost, we can easily afford it but when I consider a trip across town + $34 for 2 tickets + parking + dinner/beverages we chose to watch at home and invite friends over and we paid for pizza and beverages and saved the trip.

Next weekend I'll pay way too much for family to attend multiple sessions for boys as it's a decades old tradition for our family and friends from the east side so my difference in attitude is probably part of the problem.

MNHockeyFan · Post by **MNHockeyFan** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 3:07 pm

I wonder how much playing at Xcel figures into the cost? Maybe that's just what it has to be if that's where it's going to held, indefinitely. Holding it there may also mean that it has to match the admission costs of the boys, as part of the equal treatment thing.

I suspect costs would be less if the event were to be moved to Ridder, but that opens up a whole new set of issues, and may not even be possible any more.