Nsic 2020-2021

[Moorhead123]

I will predict a split between Msum and augie this weekend. I think both teams will ultimately be good this year. How they will look week 1 with no preseason...who knows?

[Purple Mav Man]

MSU has a very talented program, and a wonderful space to play in.

To me, the core of the issue is:

a) The primary market that MSU draws it's fan base from finds little-to-no value in college athletics below the D1 level.
b) A lot of the student body is there to party, get a cheap degree, and move on.

That's not entirely different from every other school in Minnesota not named the Johnnies, Tommies, or Gophers - but it just seems to me that Mankato folks dig their heels in a lot more than in Bemidji or Duluth does. It stings worse for MSU because of that arena, 500 fans at a game in the Gangelhoff Center and 500 fans at a game at Bresnan look a lot different in photos...

Just some random thoughts on the problem anyway. Many think the solution is to just "move-up," but I don't think that will help any outside of a honeymoon period.

[wscsuperfan]

Wayne State is only allowing immediate family members for the first two weeks and will re-visit after that two week period.

For the hometown fans, only season ticket holders will be allowed in if any fans at all, no single-game tickets sold this year.

[wscsuperfan]

The season finally gets underway this Saturday. Men and women are flipped on home/away. This will be the only weekend of cross-division matchups

Saturday, January 2 / Sunday, January 3

MEN
Augustana at Minnesota State-Moorhead
Concordia-St. Paul at Minnesota-Crookston
Bemidji State at Minnesota State-Mankato
St. Cloud State at Upper Iowa
Northern State at Wayne State
Mary at Sioux Falls
Winona State at Minnesota-Duluth
Southwest Minnesota State at Minot State

WOMEN
Minnesota State-Moorhead at Augustana
Minnesota-Crookston at Concordia-St. Paul
Minnesota State-Mankato at Bemidji State
Upper Iowa at St. Cloud State
Wayne State at Northern State
Sioux Falls at Mary
Minnesota-Duluth at Winona State
Minot State at Southwest Minnesota State

[SW_Mustang]

MSU has a very talented program, and a wonderful space to play in.

To me, the core of the issue is:

a) The primary market that MSU draws it's fan base from finds little-to-no value in college athletics below the D1 level.
b) A lot of the student body is there to party, get a cheap degree, and move on.

That's not entirely different from every other school in Minnesota not named the Johnnies, Tommies, or Gophers - but it just seems to me that Mankato folks dig their heels in a lot more than in Bemidji or Duluth does. It stings worse for MSU because of that arena, 500 fans at a game in the Gangelhoff Center and 500 fans at a game at Bresnan look a lot different in photos...

Just some random thoughts on the problem anyway. Many think the solution is to just "move-up," but I don't think that will help any outside of a honeymoon period.

[Purple Mav Man]

MSU MBB/MHKY shared 79% of their home games last season. Of the three remaining home games, two of them were split with other major events - the D2 FB Title game and the Section 1A hockey final. That left one game where they were "the show."

MBB had to take a back seat on 93% of their home games to someone else. That doesn't even include the weekend where FB played TAMUC and SOC played GVSU since MHKY was also playing. Keep in mind - all of these events were played at the same time - or at the very least overlapped significantly. With the exception of the D2 title game, all other events mentioned were played at home.

Augustana doesn't have to compete for attention like MSU has too. That's just the reality of it.

Again, I know that's not the core of the issue - but when your title contending D1 hockey team has a home game, and your title contending D2 FB team is well, contending for the title - your D2 MBB maybe-playoffs are going to take a backseat.

[SW_Mustang]

MSU MBB/MHKY shared 79% of their home games last season. Of the three remaining home games, two of them were split with other major events - the D2 FB Title game and the Section 1A hockey final. That left one game where they were "the show."

MBB had to take a back seat on 93% of their home games to someone else. That doesn't even include the weekend where FB played TAMUC and SOC played GVSU since MHKY was also playing. Keep in mind - all of these events were played at the same time - or at the very least overlapped significantly. With the exception of the D2 title game, all other events mentioned were played at home.

Augustana doesn't have to compete for attention like MSU has too. That's just the reality of it.

Again, I know that's not the core of the issue - but when your title contending D1 hockey team has a home game, and your title contending D2 FB team is well, contending for the title - your D2 MBB maybe-playoffs are going to take a backseat.

[SW_Mustang]

I would prefer Mankato's schedule to Augie's. Mankato has Bemidji on the road to start, which is better than Moorhead on the road like Augie got, and they get Augie, Winona and USF at home while Augie is at Mankato and USF this year.

Augustana doesn't have to compete with their own hockey team for attention, which was my point.

I know it's not the core of the issue, but it definitely still has a big effect. When all of the MBB home games are played at the exact same time as MHKY home games - MBB attendance doesn't stand a chance.

[MrAugustana]

We seem to have different opinions of what makes a schedule challenging. You're looking strictly at travel distance (which is basically a non-factor for the second night of each game since teams aren't getting on the bus and traveling to the Saturday night game immediately after their Friday night game).

I'm looking at (predicted) quality of opponents playing in a home vs. road venue. Yes, to some degree Augie doesn't have to travel as far, but if you're talking about who you'd rather play at home vs. who you'd rather play on the road, I think Augie's away games are tougher than Mankato's. And, like I said, the travel is really only a major issue for the first night of each weekend. The level/quality of the opponent is most likely going to be the same for both nights each weekend. To me personally, that's more significant than the length/distance of a road trip to get to an away game. Just different philosophies of what makes for a tough schedule.

Also, I was strictly comparing Mankato and Augie in my reply to SW_Mustang. I haven't even looked at Winona's schedule.

[vikingfaithful]

I was planning on going to Fayetteville this weekend to see my Huskies. Looks like I won't get to see them in person at all this season.

The closest Fayetteville I know of is in Arkansas.

[War Eyore]

I would prefer Mankato's schedule to Augie's. Mankato has Bemidji on the road to start, which is better than Moorhead on the road like Augie got, and they get Augie, Winona and USF at home while Augie is at Mankato and USF this year.

[MrAugustana]

To be fair, MSU MBB got screwed when it came to scheduling.

I asked Margenthaler about it on Instagram and he basically said there is nothing they can do.

I would prefer Mankato's schedule to Augie's. Mankato has Bemidji on the road to start, which is better than Moorhead on the road like Augie got, and they get Augie, Winona and USF at home while Augie is at Mankato and USF this year.

[simple as a $3 bill]

I was planning on going to Fayetteville this weekend to see my Huskies. Looks like I won't get to see them in person at all this season.

[laker]

I mean, it's not totally accurate. Poor Laker shows up every game with his popcorn and chocolate milk. :)

From the info that I got about a month ago I assume that I won't be able to see a game in person all season.

That reminds me- I need to buy some Nesquik the next time that I go to town.

[SW_Mustang]

If Mankato makes the same announcement, the press release could just be titled, "Mankato Maintains Same Fan Attendance Policy As Previous Years."

To be fair, MSU MBB got screwed when it came to scheduling.

I asked Margenthaler about it on Instagram and he basically said there is nothing they can do.