Section Venues

[szellman]

With 6AA moving to Ridder this year, are we closer to 2AA/6AA back at Mariucci on a Wednesday night? It was the best set up and way better than Braemer or BIG. Ridder is not the answer either. Heard BIG is doing a remodel and effectively flipping from "1" to "3" as the main rink, does this play into any of this? I just want to go back to 2 games at Mariucci.

[ryguyMN]

With 6AA moving to Ridder this year, are we closer to 2AA/6AA back at Mariucci on a Wednesday night?

Probably not because of costs. There's isn't enough ticket revenue to offset costs. Tony Scott mentioned on the YHH section preview podcast it's about $100,000 to rent out Mariucci. The 2AA/6AA finals didn't sell out in the final years like it did 10-15 years ago.

$100k at $17/adult ticket = Need about 5,900 adults to show up to break even. Then you would need student ticket sales to help put it in the black.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Whoa! I'll cop to being the dumbest guy I know, but I'd never have guessed the cost would be $100.

On the other hand, that reinforces my thought that the MSHSL is run by public school administrators who have no experience with market discipline. Think about it, $100K to hold the class A consolation semis there? I mean it's bad enough for AA.

[Doc Holliday]

$100,000 for each day/night???

[ryguyMN]

$100,000 for each day/night???

The podcast didn't elaborate on the time period. I'm assuming it's $100k for the entire 2AA/6AA Final event.

[Eagles93]

There is no way in the world it costs $100k to rent Mariucci for two games/one night. I'd be surprised if it was over $10k.

[ryguyMN]

There is no way in the world it costs $100k to rent Mariucci for two games/one night. I'd be surprised if it was over $10k.

They said Ridder was "tens of thousands of dollars" and that's a smaller venue.

It really doesn't take much in ticket sales to recoup $10k. At $17/adult ticket, it's about 600 adults in the building and you made back the $10k. For the one game, I'm guessing it's closer to $12/adult, so roughly 850 adults is $10k in ticket sales.

My 9 to 5 is accounting/finance, so I love this kind of stuff.

[ndirishfighting]

Mauricci is $260 for ice a hour so that plus whatever else they charge for can’t be that hard to make that money up if the right teams are playing

[Eagles93]

I'm not speculating what the sections can or can't afford, although I would question their financial decisions if they are paying "tens of thousands". The size of a venue does not change the cost of renting ice, Ridder should cost no less than Mariucci, and should be fairly similar to any other arena in town. If Mariucci is $260 an hour (sounds about right), arenas usually charge more for high school games as it requires more staff - people to help the zam driver, set the nets, clean up, etc. Let's overestimate and call it $400 an hour. For section 6AA at Ridder, they probably rent for 4 hours for warmups and potential overtime. Again, let's overestimate and call it 5 hours to be safe. That's $2,000. What else costs "tens of thousands"?

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

And the more I think about it, there's no way the MSHSL would pay $300k for Mariucci for three days of consolation games.

We're all convinced they only have those games at Mariucci so some season ticket holder doesn't take them to court for selling 12,000 tickets to Tria, where consolation should be played.

[Duluthguy]

I'm not speculating what the sections can or can't afford, although I would question their financial decisions if they are paying "tens of thousands". The size of a venue does not change the cost of renting ice, Ridder should cost no less than Mariucci, and should be fairly similar to any other arena in town. If Mariucci is $260 an hour (sounds about right), arenas usually charge more for high school games as it requires more staff - people to help the zam driver, set the nets, clean up, etc. Let's overestimate and call it $400 an hour. For section 6AA at Ridder, they probably rent for 4 hours for warmups and potential overtime. Again, let's overestimate and call it 5 hours to be safe. That's $2,000. What else costs "tens of thousands"?

It takes more than just a couple of extra folks to set the nets, clean up, etc. to host a section hockey game. They're opening ticket windows, taking tickets (scanning cell phones), opening concession stands, a few ushers, a few cops/security people...the penalty box guys, scoreboard operators, refs, PA announcers, music people--none of those folks work for free. it's more than $2k. But...none of those folks are being paid Elon Musk money.

(I'm not saying Mariucci is paying the refs, but that's still a budget item for the section).

I'm told here in Duluth, it used to cost like $6000 per section session to rent Amsoil. that was a few years ago...so like $12K for the 4 games of the 7A and 7AA Saturday semis, and then $6K for the 7A final and another $6K for the 7AA final. Let's assume it's more now ($7K? 8K? not sure.) But Amsoil also gets $10 per car in revenue in their lot, which Mariucci doesn't get. Let's say there are 1000 cars--that's another $10K in revenue for Amsoil--minus the minimal amount they're paying the parking lot attendants. Then there's the revenue from concessions, which both Amsoil and Mariucci would get.

Without parking revenue, I can see Mariucci maybe charging $20K....unless they don't want the hassle, and therefore don't want the business, in which case they'd charge a lot more. Maybe they have a hard time finding the necessary workers on a Wednesday night in February. I don't know.

[GopherHockey]

What does the Xcel charge for the girls state tournament? I get that it wouldn’t be fair to move just the girls, but what do they get, 1-2k fans a game? Looks like maybe 500 people for the Farmington/Edina game.

[CrimsonCakeEater]

What does the Xcel charge for the girls state tournament? I get that it wouldn’t be fair to move just the girls, but what do they get, 1-2k fans a game? Looks like maybe 500 people for the Farmington/Edina game.

I believe the MSHSL got sued (and lost) back in the early 2000s because they played the girls tournament at Ridder, so it will stay at the X no matter what.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

What does the Xcel charge for the girls state tournament? I get that it wouldn’t be fair to move just the girls, but what do they get, 1-2k fans a game? Looks like maybe 500 people for the Farmington/Edina game.

I believe the MSHSL got sued (and lost) back in the early 2000s because they played the girls tournament at Ridder, so it will stay at the X no matter what.

My recollection is that some girls hockey Dads retainiled an attorney and threatened or perhaps actually did file a law suit, but the mshsl caved right away, as did the Fuse Box, which may or may not have been a party to the law suit.

[CrimsonCakeEater]

What does the Xcel charge for the girls state tournament? I get that it wouldn’t be fair to move just the girls, but what do they get, 1-2k fans a game? Looks like maybe 500 people for the Farmington/Edina game.

I believe the MSHSL got sued (and lost) back in the early 2000s because they played the girls tournament at Ridder, so it will stay at the X no matter what.

My recollection is that some girls hockey Dads retainiled an attorney and threatened or perhaps actually did file a law suit, but the mshsl caved right away, as did the Fuse Box, which may or may not have been a party to the law suit.

The case actually went to trial and the judge ruled that the facilities for boys and girls competitions have to be “substantially equal.” I suspect that’s why the MSHSL gets away with playing the girls basketball tournament at Williams Arena and the boys at Target Center but since there isn’t a similar venue to the X (and they’re not going to downsize the boys tournament) the girls will stay at the X.

[BP]

Prior to Covid when 2AA and 6AA were at Mariucci - they were charging $12K per game to the sections and the sections wouldn't get gate fees, concessions, etc. So - it was quite spendy and didn't get the ticket sales to pay for it. That is why they aren't back there anymore. So, for 5 games combined - that was $60K. I'm sure the price has increased since then.

[BSUBeaver]

Prior to Covid when 2AA and 6AA were at Mariucci - they were charging $12K per game to the sections and the sections wouldn't get gate fees, concessions, etc. So - it was quite spendy and didn't get the ticket sales to pay for it. That is why they aren't back there anymore. So, for 5 games combined - that was $60K. I'm sure the price has increased since then.

Wow, financial suicide!

[WarmUpTheBus]

What does the Xcel charge for the girls state tournament? I get that it wouldn’t be fair to move just the girls, but what do they get, 1-2k fans a game? Looks like maybe 500 people for the Farmington/Edina game.

I believe the MSHSL got sued (and lost) back in the early 2000s because they played the girls tournament at Ridder, so it will stay at the X no matter what.

My recollection is that some girls hockey Dads retainiled an attorney and threatened or perhaps actually did file a law suit, but the mshsl caved right away, as did the Fuse Box, which may or may not have been a party to the law suit.

My daughter was playing at that time and played in multiple State Tournaments at the Colosseum. An Edina parent led movement to get the girls tourney at the X. Ironically his daughter’s team never made it to the state tournament.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I believe the MSHSL got sued (and lost) back in the early 2000s because they played the girls tournament at Ridder, so it will stay at the X no matter what.

My recollection is that some girls hockey Dads retainiled an attorney and threatened or perhaps actually did file a law suit, but the mshsl caved right away, as did the Fuse Box, which may or may not have been a party to the law suit.

My daughter was playing at that time and played in multiple State Tournaments at the Colosseum. An Edina parent led movement to get the girls tourney at the X. Ironically his daughter’s team never made it to the state tournament.

Every Day I Need Attention

[Doc Holliday]

I thought I remembered it being a Blake parent, but I think the point remains.

I used to think it was ridiculous with the empty building & thought it should be at Ridder, but it doesn't bother me anymore. Xcel is the pinnacle arena to play at in the state, so I got no problem with it being the ultimate location for the tournament. I know baseball has done CHS & then moved to Target Field for the championship, but may as well keep it at the same place throughout.

[CrimsonCakeEater]

I thought I remembered it being a Blake parent, but I think the point remains.

I used to think it was ridiculous with the empty building & thought it should be at Ridder, but it doesn't bother me anymore. Xcel is the pinnacle arena to play at in the state, so I got no problem with it being the ultimate location for the tournament. I know baseball has done CHS & then moved to Target Field for the championship, but may as well keep it at the same place throughout.

The X is fine for the girls, they fill up the lower bowl pretty well on Friday and Saturday.

[inthetwine]

It’s called title nine.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

I thought I remembered it being a Blake parent, but I think the point remains.

I used to think it was ridiculous with the empty building & thought it should be at Ridder, but it doesn't bother me anymore. Xcel is the pinnacle arena to play at in the state, so I got no problem with it being the ultimate location for the tournament. I know baseball has done CHS & then moved to Target Field for the championship, but may as well keep it at the same place throughout.

The X is fine for the girls, they fill up the lower bowl pretty well on Friday and Saturday.

As a supporter of the women's game, I've been to the semifinals and finals probably a dozen times, I've never seen the lower bowl close to half full.

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

It’s called title nine.

Tile IX does not require the same type of facility. Title IX also applies to college athletics. The Mens D1 B-Ball final four is held in major league stadiums, like when it was at the Metro Dome. The Womens final four is held in arenas, like when it was at the Target Center.

[CrimsonCakeEater]

I thought I remembered it being a Blake parent, but I think the point remains.

I used to think it was ridiculous with the empty building & thought it should be at Ridder, but it doesn't bother me anymore. Xcel is the pinnacle arena to play at in the state, so I got no problem with it being the ultimate location for the tournament. I know baseball has done CHS & then moved to Target Field for the championship, but may as well keep it at the same place throughout.

The X is fine for the girls, they fill up the lower bowl pretty well on Friday and Saturday.

As a supporter of the women's game, I've been to the semifinals and finals probably a dozen times, I've never seen the lower bowl close to half full.

I suppose it may have felt fuller than it was sitting in the student section