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Anyone hear the final attendance last night? The Star Tribune said it was a "large but late arriving crowd" but didn't print a number. If I had to guess I would say around 11,000? Not knowing what to expect, but remembering the fiascos at Mariucci the past several years, I got there around 45 minutes early and had no problem parking or buying our tickets - no lines. At Mariucci the past two years it took at least 45 minutes to get through the door. So kudos to the Target Center for having more than 2-3 people selling tickets! Parking and buying tickets were easy.

One negative I thought was that the ice didn't hold up very well, especially towards the middle/end of the 2nd game. The puck was bouncing around quite a bit, and each period the ice seemed to get slower. Still not too bad considering that these were the first hockey games played there in quite some time. But still no match compared to Mariucci, which has great ice.

The other negative I thought was the atmosphere wasn't as good. It's nice to have the extra seats to accommodate larger crowds, but maybe there are too many. The Target Center seems to absorb sound, and both the crowd and the bands aren't nearly as loud as in a packed Mariucci.

So there were pluses and minuses - overall I guess I would prefer Mariucci again next year IF they can get the ticket sales thing straightened out.

MNHockeyFan wrote:Anyone hear the final attendance last night? The Star Tribune said it was a "large but late arriving crowd" but didn't print a number. If I had to guess I would say around 11,000? Not knowing what to expect, but remembering the fiascos at Mariucci the past several years, I got there around 45 minutes early and had no problem parking or buying our tickets - no lines. At Mariucci the past two years it took at least 45 minutes to get through the door. So kudos to the Target Center for having more than 2-3 people selling tickets! Parking and buying tickets were easy.

One negative I thought was that the ice didn't hold up very well, especially towards the middle/end of the 2nd game. The puck was bouncing around quite a bit, and each period the ice seemed to get slower. Still not too bad considering that these were the first hockey games played there in quite some time. But still no match compared to Mariucci, which has great ice.

The other negative I thought was the atmosphere wasn't as good. It's nice to have the extra seats to accommodate larger crowds, but maybe there are too many. The Target Center seems to absorb sound, and both the crowd and the bands aren't nearly as loud as in a packed Mariucci.

So there were pluses and minuses - overall I guess I would prefer Mariucci again next year IF they can get the ticket sales thing straightened out.

Just image what it is like for the Class A tourney, or girls tourney at the X.

Observations:

Even with the larger venue, the fans of game #2 had trouble getting good lower level seats for the start of their game if they didn't arrive early.

Parking and ticket buying was a breeze compared to Mariucci.

Game #1 was fantastic play until the wind went out of the EP sails. I think it showed that even with excellent seniors, Tonka's youth are as important to their team this year, as EP's youth was to their team last year - AND - how much impact Leddy had on EP's team last year.

Game #2 wasn't bad, but both teams have looked better in other games.

I especially liked the Jeff moms with their fake blue hair on top of their fake blonde hair.

I think that the target center is a horrible venue to have a high school hockey game. It just doesn't have that up close and personal feel when watching the game yesterday. The ice and boards looked to need some work, ecspecially with the Gophs-Badgers game tomorrow night.

I can't even imagine what it sounds like for a Twolves game these days!

It definitely didn't have the section final doubleheader atmosphere like usual....I don't know if that was because of the Target Center being the venue or the games not really being in doubt at the 10 minute mark of the 3rd period in both games.

There were some plusses:
-As stated, parking & tickets were much easier.
-I was in a suite & had a blast...
-Scoreboard is better than at Mariucci

Despite it being easier to get tickets & stuff, I think it's best at Mariucci & dealing with the potential overcrowd....the parking will probably never be figured out at the U, but handling the tickets better will go a long way. Just keep the presale going at the 4 schools involved & open up the ticket windows at 4PM would probably help a ton.

Very quick lines and what not, otherwise, average atmosphere...

I believe Target Center was a fallback rink this year and that is why sectionals were played there. I agree, the games sort of felt like they were being played in a vacuum. Reminded me of the feel when you play a game at the Horse Show building at the State Fair Grounds.

Mariucci and Ridder are both booked solid - from 8:00am to midnight - for the 2010 US Synchronized Figure Skating Championships.

Don't ask me what that is....but I think it pays the bills better than a few sectional games and the rinks were not available.

Parking and tickets were great. Liked that they were playing on regulation ice sheet instead of olympic size. Would have liked to see better ice for these big games.

I loved the fact that I could just show up and grab almost any seat in the house, since I showed up early. Parking was a breeze and I bought tickets that day at the HS which was very nice.

As for the atmosphere? I was kind of waiting for the crowd to start rumbling. It never happened. But I think the reason why is that the games just weren't that good. The first game had that nervous energy like the underdog was just kind of hanging on, until they got blown out of the water. If EP had stayed in the game until late in the 3rd I think that place would have been screaming loud! The second game was a joke. Jefferson made so many early mistakes it was painful to watch. [/b]

wingmaster wrote:I think that the target center is a horrible venue to have a high school hockey game. It just doesn't have that up close and personal feel when watching the game yesterday. The ice and boards looked to need some work, ecspecially with the Gophs-Badgers game tomorrow night.

I can't even imagine what it sounds like for a Twolves game these days!

Only the devoted Wolves fans know..... so nobody

my2cents wrote:Observations:
I especially liked the Jeff moms with their fake blue hair on top of their fake blonde hair.

Another reason to consider the switch in venue is that Mariucci is olympic size ice. Only a handful of teams play and practice regularly on Olympic size sheet of ice. I don't think there is a team in either of one of the those sections that play on Olympic size ice during the course of the year on a regular basis. It does make a big difference playing on the bigger ice and can wreck havoc for goaltenders because their angles are different.

Personally i would like to see these games moved to Friday night. Tough to make a 6pm game on time on Tuesday. Even an extra half hour would have helped out a ton for most people!!

Terrible venue. Acoustics, concourse, atmosphere... all terrible there.

No playoff atmosphere at all. It didn't feel any different than if I were watching it at home on TV. However, getting tickets, parking, and finding a good seat was easy. Mariucci should take a lesson from the folks at Target Center on how to prepare for a sectional final doubleheader.

EREmpireStrikesBack wrote:Terrible venue. Acoustics, concourse, atmosphere... all terrible there.

Couldn't even hear student sections

greenway1969 wrote:No playoff atmosphere at all. It didn't feel any different than if I were watching it at home on TV. However, getting tickets, parking, and finding a good seat was easy. Mariucci should take a lesson from the folks at Target Center on how to prepare for a sectional final doubleheader.

You're right, worst atmosphere I could've imagined. I couldn't even get myself into either game because the game felt so distance. I would've rather watched on TV because I could have at least heard the action on the ice. It just felt so impersonal. It was hard to tell how intense either game was because of the lack of atmosphere and game sound. I hated it.

There was absolutely NO atmosphere in that building. Best answer: move them back to Mariucci, but on separate nights. True, you'd lose the double header, but the crowds would be accommodated, and there would enough fans at each game to make for a better atmosphere. SOme years it could be Thursday-Friday; when the Golden Rats are in town it would be Wed-Thur. Also, open the west entrance to Mariucci to presale ticket holders, and open all the ticket windows.

how about starting to sell tickets before 4 o clock at mariucci? There is someone there all day anyway, why wait to sell the tix?

didnt like the idea of having it at the Target Center. Its a basketball arena for christ sakes! the ice was not very good at all, really sloppy. and it took away from the atmosphere..

i say bring it back to Mariucci..

SWPrez wrote:I believe Target Center was a fallback rink this year and that is why sectionals were played there. I agree, the games sort of felt like they were being played in a vacuum. Reminded me of the feel when you play a game at the Horse Show building at the State Fair Grounds.

Mariucci and Ridder are both booked solid - from 8:00am to midnight - for the 2010 US Synchronized Figure Skating Championships.

Don't ask me what that is....but I think it pays the bills better than a few sectional games and the rinks were not available.

Having attended both these games and the White Bear-Hill final, I can tell you that the atmosphere at the Colliseum was miles ahead of the atmosphere at the Target Center, and that was with a 5-1 Hill blowout. Take the double overtime games last year between Hill/WBL and Hill/Still and you'll have a better atmoshpere at the Colliseum than at Mariucci, the Target Center, Aldrich, the DECC, the X, or any other rink in the state.

sachishi4 wrote:how about starting to sell tickets before 4 o clock at mariucci? There is someone there all day anyway, why wait to sell the tix?

Why? if you want a ticket more than 2 hours before a game go buy it at one the schools. or buy yout ticket at 4 and wait 2 hours at the rink.

wingmaster wrote:

sachishi4 wrote:how about starting to sell tickets before 4 o clock at mariucci? There is someone there all day anyway, why wait to sell the tix?

Why? if you want a ticket more than 2 hours before a game go buy it at one the schools. or buy yout ticket at 4 and wait 2 hours at the rink.

because this is what lead to the enormous lines. Plus I can buy a ticket early then and not have to wait 45min

BodyShots wrote:

MNHockeyFan wrote:Anyone hear the final attendance last night? The Star Tribune said it was a "large but late arriving crowd" but didn't print a number. If I had to guess I would say around 11,000? Not knowing what to expect, but remembering the fiascos at Mariucci the past several years, I got there around 45 minutes early and had no problem parking or buying our tickets - no lines. At Mariucci the past two years it took at least 45 minutes to get through the door. So kudos to the Target Center for having more than 2-3 people selling tickets! Parking and buying tickets were easy.

One negative I thought was that the ice didn't hold up very well, especially towards the middle/end of the 2nd game. The puck was bouncing around quite a bit, and each period the ice seemed to get slower. Still not too bad considering that these were the first hockey games played there in quite some time. But still no match compared to Mariucci, which has great ice.

The other negative I thought was the atmosphere wasn't as good. It's nice to have the extra seats to accommodate larger crowds, but maybe there are too many. The Target Center seems to absorb sound, and both the crowd and the bands aren't nearly as loud as in a packed Mariucci.

So there were pluses and minuses - overall I guess I would prefer Mariucci again next year IF they can get the ticket sales thing straightened out.

Just image what it is like for the Class A tourney, or girls tourney at the X.

The Girls tourney was at it's best when it was at Ridder. It wilts in the vastness of the X. Just MO.

Target Center was only for this year. It will be moved back to Mariucci next year.

If we make all these changes what will you all have to whine about? That is the American way. Get there early of pay someone to get there early for you.

EREmpireStrikesBack wrote:Terrible venue. Acoustics, concourse, atmosphere... all terrible there.

I agree, it just did not feel right. The sight lines were real bad for people sitting in the first ten rows.