Feelings? Excel VS Ridder Good or bad ???

ItsNEBG · Post by **ItsNEBG** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:47 am

We may think the Ridder was built for the women but the Gopher men were very happy to have it built. Why? So they could practice on "small" ice as opposed to Olympic size ice in Mariucci. Not everyone has "big" ice so they really have the best of both worlds. Of course the women practice in Mariucci when their next game is on big ice too. It's no coincidence that it was built where it is, with a Zamboni tunnel connecting both rinks! As for Ridder being so great for fans - have you ever had to sit near one of the bands in there? The ears really take a beating. In the X (or Mariucci for that matter) at least one can put some distance between the bands and one's ears!

Johnnie15 · Post by **Johnnie15** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:57 am

Yeah and some distance between any other fan there<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/roll.gif ALT=":rollin">

xk1 · Post by **xk1** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:52 am

Does anyone know if the rink will remain setup using the NHL format or will they move the lines to the traditional measurements?

FightCadetsFight · Post by **FightCadetsFight** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:55 pm

A couple thoughts about the move to the X. First, the best "atmosphere" to date of any of the state tournaments was at the first one at Aldrich Arena. The games were sold out, standing room only affairs. It had a great hockey atmosphere. Apple Valley won the championship. Aldrich has the same capacity as Ridder. But I don't think the event ever sold out at Ridder. Second, I think a big factor in the tournament not selling out is that every year many of the top teams will not be there. The result is that many fans will not attend because several of the top teams will not be there. This year is no exception: NSP or Stillwater will be eliminated. Both teams have great players that won't be there... Thunstrom, Hogan, Jones. BSM, Wayzata, EP, Edina all are great teams. Only one will be there. The result of these teams not being at state is that there are fewer interesting games. Years ago the boys tournament had a "back-door" section that allowed another northern team to play in the tournament. This was because many of the best teams were up north. It made for a more competitive field at state. And lastly, I'm not sure that once the puck drops, the players will notice how many people are not there; regardless of where the games are played.

Johnnie15 · Post by **Johnnie15** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:00 pm

The thing with the X though, is if there are empty seats in the lower bowl you cannot see the puck. The dark green seats make it nearly impossible to see the puck. So it actually will be noticable by the teams, unless they push everyone down as low as possible.

maroonhockey · Post by **maroonhockey** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:17 pm

Only the lower bowl of seats will be open, the upper part of the arena will be closed off.

Johnnie15 · Post by **Johnnie15** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:19 pm

I assumed that, i meant that they force everyone to fill all the seats in the on the glass seats, then a row up, a row up, filling each row sequentially. The empty seats would make it very difficult to see the puck once it got above the boards.

ARM · Post by **ARM** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:09 pm

SSP and NSP met in an evening quarterfinal the first year that the event was held at Ridder. I thought that game had excellent atmosphere, because both teams had large cheering sections and the arena was nearly full. If we can get 5,000 people in the crowd at Xcel, I'd imagine that would be nearly comparable in energy. Hopefully, that can be achieved, although it would require an increase of more than 2/3 over the typical crowd from last season. I'll do my part (but that won't provide any increase.)

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:10 pm

ttt & ghshockeyfan Registered Member Posts: 4561 (2/24/06 11:07 am) Reply | Edit Re: TV coverage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Years ago (2000-1) my team won the first girls HS game played in the X. We couldn't even fill one section had we wanted to. The experience was amazing for the kids, but after the awe wore off it was a little empty. Now, that was a HS regular season game for a St. Paul City Conf. serioes played by the teams (boys & girls)... The State tourney must be 100x better, and there's no way we even had 1000 in there let alone 3-4000. The experience of this being a state tournament too adds to this, and I hope the atmosphere is wonderful! I've heard mixed reviews so far, and while I personally was for this move in 2000, but against it more recently, I agree that I need to reserve judgement for now... I do believe that a seeded tourney may have heped the attendance, and contrary to popular opinion I believe that televising the games would help get more people out as some just don't know about how much the game has improved. I also think the importance of TV is more about mainstreaming the game in the minds of the general public. The more that we show that this game is an exciting, safe, and normal choice for young girls, the better we grow the sport.

studhckyplyr · Post by **studhckyplyr** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:49 pm

stay at ridder. everyone would rather watch bots section games, and its just a ghost town at the X, waste of time, saw the crowd on the news...<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/tired.gif ALT="|I">

mnhockeygal · Post by **mnhockeygal** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:01 pm

I just cant get over how completely silly moving to the X was. SSP is going to a 4th title game in 5 years and it was like a reg season game vs Tartan. That literally is no exaggeration. Between periods several pockets of people in concourse were in some way shape or form commenting on the following (all I heard other people say): "Seems like a reg season game". "No measure of excitement". "By FAR the most people SSP has had at a game and yet is no crowd noise". "No pulse, no charge from crowd. Seems so empty". "Very boring, sterile atmosphere". "Why is it so quiet"? "Sectional final was far more "playoff atmosphere". "Most uninterested, wierdest experince I have ever had at any state tourney." "Feels like a exhibition game" My own opinion? I have been to all but 3 of SSP games this year and yesterday for atmosphere and excitement would rank somewhere in the middle of the 25 games I have seen? How sad is that? The game to go to State Title!! Thanks a lot for ruining a great great thing we had at Ridder. What a total and wasteful shame. Its pathetic and sad people have to whine and cry their way to "improve" something (or should we say ruin it?). I saw 4 section semi final games at fricken Parade ice arena and there is NO DOUBT every single one of them was 3 times the electricity, crowd noise, playoff atmosphere than the 4 games I have seen at X. Totally sickening. Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ckeygal</A> at: 2/25/06 6:22 am

xk1 · Post by **xk1** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:24 am

Seeding is a good thing on it's own merits but has nothing to do with attendence. The best crowd was RM-CR. Then was AHA-RV followed by CR-RV. EP played the #2 seed Thursday and #3 seed Friday and yet were among the poorest crowds (CEC-MHD was worst). It has nothing to do with seeding and everything to do with school support. CR is WAY ahead of everyone in this regard. It can be argued that afternoon games with Metro teams are a bigger draw for students becasue they get out of school but last night CR proved that isn't always the case. When you have the bands and the students even an oversized venue like Xcel can provide an adequate atmosphere but when the students don't show, it doesn't matter where the game is. With increased media coverage and a venue like Xcel there is a chance more people will be introduced to girls HS hockey and the sport will gain more of a following. That may never happen but it most certainly won't at Ridder.

elliott70 · Post by **elliott70** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:30 am

I turned on the game to watch with my 7 year old granddaughter last night. She is a hockey player. After a bit, she asked me, "If this is a tournament where are all the people?" And the color annonuncers were bad. Being from northern MN it is hard not to resent the metro having to listen to their comments. Seeding the section finals so North St Paul, Wayzata, and all the other good metro teams had a better chance to play at the state tournament. Turn the volume off and watch the action.

mnhockeygal · Post by **mnhockeygal** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:37 am

From the mouths of babes!!! Has to agree on the color commentating also - wow I agree, just terrible!!!

nutz4puck · Post by **nutz4puck** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:54 am

Go ask any girl or even coach if they have enjoyed playing at the Xcel and they'll tell you yes. Everyone will remember playing there, walking by the Wild's locker room, etc. While the crowds have been just over 2000 everyone can now say they've played at the Xcel. EVERYONE has played at Ridder, I went and saw my U10 play at Ridder...sitting in those locker rooms, walking out of that tunnel means nothing. It's about the student-athletes that will remember playing at the Xcel that are important. Would we all like to see bigger crowds, more noise, a better atmosphere? Of course! But every team in the tourney has played at least one game (or should have) in some packed rinky dink area and got some sense of atmosphere. I don't think you'd see anyone running out to the players' bench before the game, with their cameras, taking pictures of everything imaginable if the games were at Ridder or Marriucci...you see that at the Xcel. This means a lot to the kids that are playing...isn't that the point? Everyone needs to stop being so selfish, demeaning/sexist, whatever...everyone in this tourney has realized how awesome the Xcel is and has plenty of memories of playing in the best rink the US has to offer.

keepitreal · Post by **keepitreal** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:07 am

I have no problem with the X. No battle for parking with UM students, more comfortable seating and better concessions. I think the players like it too. While the atmosphere isn't as good as it could be at a smaller venue, I don't think that's the real problem. Go back to a single class (16 teams maybe?) for boys and girls and once again you'd have a great environment and a tournament that is the envy of USHS hockey. Two classes takes away all the drama and dilutes the meaning of "champion"-- no wonder no one wants to watch.

Big Red · Post by **Big Red** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:08 pm

Well, now having experienced the Excel, I think it went lukewarmly ok. Everyone enjoyed the facility...Hey, what's not to enjoy a place like that. It's a first class joint. Good parking. The actual experience of watching the games was just a little lukewarm for the interaction with the players as far as cheering in that huge complex. Overall, I think until the crowds are larger it might be better at the Ridder. But our girls are now done with H.S. hockey. We'll be watching on tv next year probably. Unless they make another appearance.... <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/glasses.gif ALT="8)">

Renegade Ram · Post by **Renegade Ram** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:52 am

I hope the C-E-C coach/history teacher that started the lawsuit as a Civics lesson that led to this is finally happy. One of the most liberal newspapers in the nation wrote not one but two articles with tongue in cheek about this farce.<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/embarassed.gif ALT=":o"> As for equality why do the girl's get the X for free when the boys have to pay over $44,000 in rent for it. That's REAL equal.<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/grin.gif ALT=" >D"> Say what you want about the player experience. You have to walk before you run and this was a huge trip for Girl's hockey. Last years Boy's attendance over 123,000 - Girl's attendance @ 13,500 now that's equal.<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"> The picture in the Trib of the crowd said it all.<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/laugh.gif ALT=":lol"> ....<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smokin.gif ALT=":smokin">

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:26 pm

Personally, I have to try to keep the emotional vs logical arguments seperate here - and that's tough. I don't know all the details to the agreement with the X, etc. - but I know that some of this had to do with the new TV contract, etc. too... Also, I think the ultimate question becomes do the amenities/"building" features/"wow" factor of the facilitiy outweigh the desire to have the crowd noise/feeling of a packed game/etc.? Both of these are "atmosphere" items... I think we have to remove the economic considerations from this discussion as they are not relevant any longer. What we really need is to hear from the kids that played at the old packed Ridder, as well as the new fancy X, and ask if the fancy X beats a packed Ridder...

Rocketwrister · Post by **Rocketwrister** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:21 pm

I was at the X for the EP vs. CR game and both teams I would say had a fairly descent crowd...I don't think if you put them side by side it would of filled up 2/3rds of the bottom level of the X. I was never at Ridder; but I personally would think a packed arena is better then playing in a 3/4 empty arena. www.rebelhockey.com

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:27 pm

I would agree as a coach, but I have no idea what the players think... My fear is that some don't know what they have to compare the X to as not all of them played at a packed ridder...

sghfan · Post by **sghfan** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:41 pm

According to today's Strib the tournament this year set an attendance record. The previous record was set before the tournament was moved to Ridder. So I will suggest that Ridder was inhibiting attendance growth. I, of course, could be wrong. But I hope all who read this believe that attendance growth is GOOD. I hope the growth continues.

GophyFan18 · Post by **GophyFan18** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:49 pm

In the latest issue of Minnesota Hockey Journal, there's a letter to the editor or a letter from the editor that says there were 17,500 empty seats in the X at this years tournament. I don't know if that is true because I wasn't there or don't know the official numbers, but it probably couldn't be too far off. In that letter he also talks about how Ridder was built for womens hockey etc etc. we've all heard it. I just found it interesting that there were/might have been 17,500 empty seats in the place. I think it would be weird to play in an absolute empty building. But I guess that's just my opinion, and apparently the opinion of the person who wrote that letter.

keepitreal · Post by **keepitreal** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:25 pm

GophyFan18 wrote:In the latest issue of Minnesota Hockey Journal, there's a letter to the editor or a letter from the editor that says there were 17,500 empty seats in the X at this years tournament. I don't know if that is true because I wasn't there or don't know the official numbers, but it probably couldn't be too far off. In that letter he also talks about how Ridder was built for womens hockey etc etc. we've all heard it. I just found it interesting that there were/might have been 17,500 empty seats in the place. I think it would be weird to play in an absolute empty building. But I guess that's just my opinion, and apparently the opinion of the person who wrote that letter.

Considering the capacity of the X is 18,064 I seriously doubt that. Some of the day games, especially those whose schools let their students out to attend were pretty raucous, you could see that on TV, but I wouldn't expect too many fans from outstate areas midweek. Friday night had a nice crowd even with deteriorating weather conditions, but Saturday was seriously hampered by the snowstorm. In all, what would one expect for a girls tournament in midweek? It would be just fine at Ridder, but I wasn't complaining when I could move seats at will for a better sightline, watch the jumbotron, easily find underground attached parking or go to a restaurant through the skyway when there was a foot of snow falling outside. I'm sure the teams enjoyed the pro atmosphere and had better hotels and facilities too.

What's the big deal? I get my share of crowds, atmosphere and bad arena food at sectionals.

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:20 pm

Bottom line is that the move was too soon for the crowd sizes, but we're enthused about the building and amenities. I guess as long as the kids enjoy it that's all that matters. The building & amenities continue to impress the kids, and is just enough other "atmosphere" created by fans that I guess it's acceptible by the players.

I think many would agree that the natural progression was from Ridder to Mariucci, to the X based on fans in the stands.

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