Saw a Reddit post debating and most are saying it’s 1. UND 2. Minnesota. I think we have a bigger fan base than them though. I think they appear big because they travel better because there is nothing to do in ND / no other good sports. How does this list look?
Tier 1:
1. MN
2. UND
Tier 2:
1. Wisconsin
2. Michigan
Tier 3: UMD, BC, Omaha, Michigan State, Penn State, Denver, Michigan Tech
I think they ranked UND bigger by lbs.
That would be a Wisconsin by an landslide (literally)I think they ranked UND bigger by lbs.
Keep your stick on the ice...
How about spoiler that next time? 🤣
Saw a Reddit post debating and most are saying it’s 1. UND 2. Minnesota. I think we have a bigger fan base than them though. I think they appear big because they travel better because there is nothing to do in ND / no other good sports. How does this list look?
Tier 1:
1. MN
2. UND
Tier 2:
1. Wisconsin
2. Michigan
Tier 3: UMD, BC, Omaha, Michigan State, Penn State, Denver, Michigan Tech
@mnrouser your fav comment!!
If it comes down to most Loyal Fanbase is UND without a doubt.
If it comes down to most Loyal Fanbase is UND without a doubt.
One could argue MTU is there as well if you only count loyalty. No doubt though UND has great fans of their program. We just don't like them.
so next week with Boston University,Boston College,Michigan and Denver in the Frozen 4 from what I saw over the weekend Boston U will be winning it all
Aloha!
I think it depends on how you are defining fan bases. If a "good" fan base is based on love for the college game and their particular team, then I would say the only real schools that qualify are:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- UmD
Another way to think about this, is if your team isn't in the tourney, are you still likely to go to the games, just to watch some good college hockey.
Another definition is a fan base that LOVES their school and will travel to see them if only their team is in it. Those schools would be:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- Wisco
- BC
- BU
- Maine
- MSU
- SCSU
- Denver
- CC
- All Ivy schools
My sole rationale in these rankings are based on what jersey's I see at regional and FF tournaments over the last 35 years of attending the FF. One caveat about Michigan fans: if they lose on Thursday in the semi's, their casual fans that qualify under the 2nd list will all leave and try to sell their tickets. At least Wisco fans stay for the tourney if their team loses in the semis.
Have you seen cheezewhis fans? Easily the largest? 😎
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
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@joegopher not sure I agree with UMD being with that 4. They seem much smaller. Wouldn’t you argue Notre dame, BC, BU, even Denver over UMD?
I think it's possibly a toss-up. Again, I am mostly talking about what I see at the FF (30 of the past 35 years) or Regionals (When I can attend) and I see more UmD jerseys at events (primarily the FF) when their team isn't in it. Even more when the Dogs are in it.@joegopher not sure I agree with UMD being with that 4. They seem much smaller. Wouldn’t you argue Notre dame, BC, BU, even Denver over UMD?
From my experience, there just aren't that many fans of college hockey in general, and more of "I'm a fan of <school I attended> and support them come tourney time if they are in it, but other than that..."
Notre Dame supports when they are winning and in it (left them off List #2 in error) but rarely see them otherwise. Denver fans do show, but it's in VERY small numbers. So while there are a handful that are always at College Hockey games (FF) the numbers just aren't there. And I still think that BC and BU only show when their team is in it, hence why they are not on list 1.
Not saying my list is absolute at all, just based on my observations.
I think it depends on how you are defining fan bases. If a "good" fan base is based on love for the college game and their particular team, then I would say the only real schools that qualify are:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- UmD
Another way to think about this, is if your team isn't in the tourney, are you still likely to go to the games, just to watch some good college hockey.
Another definition is a fan base that LOVES their school and will travel to see them if only their team is in it. Those schools would be:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- Wisco
- BC
- BU
- Maine
- MSU
- SCSU
- Denver
- CC
- All Ivy schools
My sole rationale in these rankings are based on what jersey's I see at regional and FF tournaments over the last 35 years of attending the FF. One caveat about Michigan fans: if they lose on Thursday in the semi's, their casual fans that qualify under the 2nd list will all leave and try to sell their tickets. At least Wisco fans stay for the tourney if their team loses in the semis.
Gopher fans Travel? Talking with a person that goes to every home and away game, not sure if they should be #2 on that list.
I think it depends on how you are defining fan bases. If a "good" fan base is based on love for the college game and their particular team, then I would say the only real schools that qualify are:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- UmD
Another way to think about this, is if your team isn't in the tourney, are you still likely to go to the games, just to watch some good college hockey.
Another definition is a fan base that LOVES their school and will travel to see them if only their team is in it. Those schools would be:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- Wisco
- BC
- BU
- Maine
- MSU
- SCSU
- Denver
- CC
- All Ivy schools
My sole rationale in these rankings are based on what jersey's I see at regional and FF tournaments over the last 35 years of attending the FF. One caveat about Michigan fans: if they lose on Thursday in the semi's, their casual fans that qualify under the 2nd list will all leave and try to sell their tickets. At least Wisco fans stay for the tourney if their team loses in the semis.
Gopher fans Travel? Talking with a person that goes to every home and away game, not sure if they should be #2 on that list.
I have been to the Fargo and Sioux Falls regionals as well as St. Cloud and Duluth in the last year (and a half if you include St. Cloud) and I thought Gopher fans traveled pretty well. It's not what it probably was in the late 90s/early 2000's, but still pretty good. It's not easy to travel to games at Notre Dame, PSU, or the Michigan schools.
@bert If not UMN, then who else? This isn’t a sport with a lot of travelers. The bar really isn’t that high to be a good traveling fanbase. So even if UND is 1, there is still a strong case for UMN at 2.
I think it depends on how you are defining fan bases. If a "good" fan base is based on love for the college game and their particular team, then I would say the only real schools that qualify are:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- UmD
Another way to think about this, is if your team isn't in the tourney, are you still likely to go to the games, just to watch some good college hockey.
Another definition is a fan base that LOVES their school and will travel to see them if only their team is in it. Those schools would be:
- UND
- UM
- Mich
- Wisco
- BC
- BU
- Maine
- MSU
- SCSU
- Denver
- CC
- All Ivy schools
My sole rationale in these rankings are based on what jersey's I see at regional and FF tournaments over the last 35 years of attending the FF. One caveat about Michigan fans: if they lose on Thursday in the semi's, their casual fans that qualify under the 2nd list will all leave and try to sell their tickets. At least Wisco fans stay for the tourney if their team loses in the semis.
MTU would top DU and CC on that list. They crowdfunded a bus to get to the regionals this year. They travel well.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
@bert If not UMN, then who else? This isn’t a sport with a lot of travelers. The bar really isn’t that high to be a good traveling fanbase. So even if UND is 1, there is still a strong case for UMN at 2.
When it comes to Reg Season, Again just going by what this person said there are more fans of other teams at Mariucci than Gophers fans on road trips. Just going off what they are saying. Maybe they will comment in here. I am sure some of you know who I am talking about.
@bert If not UMN, then who else? This isn’t a sport with a lot of travelers. The bar really isn’t that high to be a good traveling fanbase. So even if UND is 1, there is still a strong case for UMN at 2.
When it comes to Reg Season, Again just going by what this person said there are more fans of other teams at Mariucci than Gophers fans on road trips. Just going off what they are saying. Maybe they will comment in here. I am sure some of you know who I am talking about.
Something else to keep in mind is, if talking about Wisconsin, Michigan, maybe others) because this is a large metro area with jobs, a lot of those fans in attendance actually live here. So they're not really traveling.
@bert If not UMN, then who else? This isn’t a sport with a lot of travelers. The bar really isn’t that high to be a good traveling fanbase. So even if UND is 1, there is still a strong case for UMN at 2.
When it comes to Reg Season, Again just going by what this person said there are more fans of other teams at Mariucci than Gophers fans on road trips. Just going off what they are saying. Maybe they will comment in here. I am sure some of you know who I am talking about.
Something else to keep in mind is, if talking about Wisconsin, Michigan, maybe others) because this is a large metro area with jobs, a lot of those fans in attendance actually live here. So they're not really traveling.
Do you know that for a fact that they live here and not traveling? Not trying to get into a pissing match. Back in the day yes Gopher Fans traveled. I remember days of the DECC, NCCC and hell even UW You needed to be online or in line to get tickets. Now you can get them next day of needed. This was the days of the WCHA. What happened to everyone. Were they more of a fan of the WCHA than the Gophers? Can we put a 1 UND then a large gap between 1 and 2/3
@bert If not UMN, then who else? This isn’t a sport with a lot of travelers. The bar really isn’t that high to be a good traveling fanbase. So even if UND is 1, there is still a strong case for UMN at 2.
When it comes to Reg Season, Again just going by what this person said there are more fans of other teams at Mariucci than Gophers fans on road trips. Just going off what they are saying. Maybe they will comment in here. I am sure some of you know who I am talking about.
Something else to keep in mind is, if talking about Wisconsin, Michigan, maybe others) because this is a large metro area with jobs, a lot of those fans in attendance actually live here. So they're not really traveling.
Do you know that for a fact that they live here and not traveling?
I've talked to quite a few from those fan bases at football games and the majority of those live here in my experience.
And with Wisconsin there are tons of their grads here. I have a few in my neighborhood and at my work.
Even all my experiencing going to Madison. 10-15 years ago there were tons of Gopher fans to where it would get loud, even more on a Sat night. Now You are lucky to have 100/200 there and that number is being very generous.
Even all my experiencing going to Madison. 10-15 years ago there were tons of Gopher fans to where it would get loud, even more on a Sat night. Now You are lucky to have 100/200 there and that number is being very generous.
My last 2 trips to UMD and St Cloud there were probably close to 1000 Gopher fans. In the old days probably would have been 2000.
Even all my experiencing going to Madison. 10-15 years ago there were tons of Gopher fans to where it would get loud, even more on a Sat night. Now You are lucky to have 100/200 there and that number is being very generous.
My last 2 trips to UMD and St Cloud there were probably close to 1000 Gopher fans. In the old days probably would have been 2000.
You think there were 1000 Gopher fans at Amsoil this season? I know I had a few beers that night but I don't remember that many Who knows.
I would love to go to more away games, but I am younger than most here and spending $60 on gas, over 100 for tickets for me and whoever goes with, couple hundred for a hotel just isn't in the budget. I don't know how it compares to "back in the day", but that monetary amount just isn't possible for us at this time.
Even all my experiencing going to Madison. 10-15 years ago there were tons of Gopher fans to where it would get loud, even more on a Sat night. Now You are lucky to have 100/200 there and that number is being very generous.
My last 2 trips to UMD and St Cloud there were probably close to 1000 Gopher fans. In the old days probably would have been 2000.
You think there were 1000 Gopher fans at Amsoil this season? I know I had a few beers that night but I don't remember that many Who knows.
Doing some rough math that would be about 25-30 Gopher fans per section. I know the crappy upper deck section I was in had at least 1/4 Gopher fans.
I would love to go to more away games, but I am younger than most here and spending $60 on gas, over 100 for tickets for me and whoever goes with, couple hundred for a hotel just isn't in the budget. I don't know how it compares to "back in the day", but that monetary amount just isn't possible for us at this time.
I remember some trips to UW on Homecoming weekend we had 6-7 people per hotel room since they made the hotel rates close to $300 a night at the University Inn. Rented a Mini van and went
You also have to take in to consideration that traveling to see road games was much easier in the WCHA days. The only arena's I didn't see a game in were Denver, CC and AA. Now, I have only been to Wisco for BiG teams. Money aside, it's just not as easy to take Friday's off to travel to make road series. So, instead I go to special events that make sense - I have been to Boston twice when the Gophs played BC and NE in Thanksgiving weekend games. Went to NYC when the Gophs played at MSG in the BiG challenge against MSU and will be going to the Ice Breake in Vegas this fall. Plus, since I no longer live in MSP, I have to pick my spots. That might change when I retire after this year, but that's a different story.
I plan on getting to all of the BiG arena's at some point, but it won't be all in one year. Hell, the FF always comes with a $2,500 - $3K price tag every year when you include tickets, airfare and hotel, etc...
@bert If not UMN, then who else? This isn’t a sport with a lot of travelers. The bar really isn’t that high to be a good traveling fanbase. So even if UND is 1, there is still a strong case for UMN at 2.
When it comes to Reg Season, Again just going by what this person said there are more fans of other teams at Mariucci than Gophers fans on road trips. Just going off what they are saying. Maybe they will comment in here. I am sure some of you know who I am talking about.
Something else to keep in mind is, if talking about Wisconsin, Michigan, maybe others) because this is a large metro area with jobs, a lot of those fans in attendance actually live here. So they're not really traveling.
I think you can use this theory though as a positive. Just because teams have fans in other cities and a bigger footprint doesn't mean it a negative, it should be a huge positive. I think this is a plus for the gophers how many fans spread out into UND, UMD, Wisconsin and further. Gopher fans are all over where most are very localized around the school. I hate to bring it up but look at Eiserman growing up a gopher fan in Boston. I think that should care a lot of weight not just how far you travel.
I agree with Bert on Gopher fans not traveling very well. This year up in Duluth there was maybe 300 -350 Gopher fans in the stands (no where near 1000). In the past, there was a lot more Gopher fans on the road especially in St. Cloud. Last year there was maybe 100 Gopher fans in St. Cloud where in years past it was closer to 1000 Gopher fans. I know there are factors that prevent Gopher fans from traveling ( Kids, Work, Budgets...) but in a metro area of 4 million people to choose from and there are only a few hundred Gopher fans on the road or in many cases less than 50 just shows you Gopher fans do not travel very well. I know there are many things to do in the metro area but the numbers speak for itself. However, in Fargo and Tampa last year along with Sioux Falls this year Gopher fans represented very well which was good to see. I do think this was contributed to what the game situation was ( Regional games and Frozen Four). But on a whole IMO Gopher fans do not travel very well on a regular basis.
Full Discloser, for the past 30 years my wife and I have missed only 20-25 home and away games all together. Since the Big 10 was formed 10 years ago we have missed a total of 2 home/away games. So, I have been in many away arenas and have witnessed first hand the lack of Gopher fans in the stands. I do not want to judge peoples fandom on if they go to the games or not because people, as I stated earlier, have lives outside of Gopher hockey that prevents them from traveling. In the end we are all Gopher fans regardless if we are on the road or at home watching the games.
Just another consideration for fans traveling to the games... It wasn't even 20 years ago that many of the road games weren't on TV of any sort. Now, you can basically watch every game from the comfort of your couch without much effort. It's a lot easier and cheaper to do that and save your shekels for the bigger events that require more travel and $$$.
I've attended maybe 5 or 6 Hockey East games over the last two seasons. Lots of empty seats. I'd take Boston College, Boston University and Maine off your list of big fanbases. The crowds out here are weak.
