Frozen Diamond Face-off tOSU vs Michigan Fan Contingency

Submitted by WingsNWolverines on

With Ohio fans worried about their beloved basketball team facing Indiana tomorrow @ home I am wondering how many of Ohio's fans show up for this game tomorrow. At first I was thinking there might be a large number because it's in Ohio but then again there might not be as many as the Indians Organization is expecting. 1. It's on the day of the OSU Indiana bball game and to Ohio State fans this game is vital to them and they will care more about this then some college hockey game. 2. This game has not been advertised here in Columbus EVEN ONCE on cable or public tv. Even Bucknuts isn't talking about this game so that show's you the interest their fans have in their team which is actually pretty sad considering their ranking. 3. Ohio is not and I repeat this NOT A HOCKEY CARING STATE. I will be stunned if even 10,000 Ohio fans show up for this game tomorrow knowing their history of lack of interest in their hockey program. 4. Its on the day of my Packers and Giants game and also the Ravens vs Texans. To put it simple all signs point to this stadium being pretty much all maize and blue. Are there a lot of advertisements going out up in the great state up North or are you guys getting the same attention media wise for it that we have here? I can't imagine Michigan public cable stations aren't promoting this game.

lhglrkwg

January 15th, 2012 at 1:11 AM ^

1. A pretty empty stadium. Ohio doesn't care and I don't know how well we'll even travel for the game

2. At least 50% Michigan fans. Although, this whole event is part of a big winterfest thing in Cleveland so I wonder if there will be a lot of casual spectators who are just in there for the day. Considering OSU probably has like 500 actual hockey fans, I think Michigan fans will easily outnumber OSU fans

WingsNWolverines

January 15th, 2012 at 1:24 AM ^

 support. Shows you how narrow minded and un open Buckeye fans are when it comes to their other sports. I talked to a guy who's majoring in mechanical engineering at Ohio State and he told me Friday night was the 1st real sell out this team has had all year long. I was stunned and disappointed. Not because I want their fans to show up but because this team (like it or not) is in the top 10 and nobody cares. No wonder the Jackets suck so bad, they have little fan support for the game here! When the Chill were around that was a different story!

Roachgoblue

January 15th, 2012 at 1:21 AM ^

They suck and wear nuts around their neck. They literally proud that they wear nuts around they're neck. Why isn't there a second large college in ohio. We have western, eastern, and state. They have Cincinnati and that is it. That is so strange with their large population.

Bando Calrissian

January 15th, 2012 at 1:51 AM ^

I feel like, compared to the first Cold War, and especially the game in Camp Randall, there's been almost no discussion of this game, or even that much promotion to try to get Michigan folk to go.  There doesn't seem to be that much excitement.  And, of course, a lot of that has to do with the fact that Ohio has an almost nonexistent fanbase for hockey.  Not to mention it's coming on the coattails of the Big Chill.

I know these outdoor games are fun and exciting, and Red seems to be all about them when he's talking in the press, but I really wish these were saved for truly special occasions and unique, meaningful opponents, instead of a half-baked game in a (likely empty) baseball stadium against a school that doesn't exactly give a crap about hockey, and with whom we have almost no meaningful hockey rivalry (aside from the fact that, well, it's Ohio).

justingoblue

January 15th, 2012 at 3:18 AM ^

I was thinking about this today on my drive into Cleveland: it seems like this game was planned by their hockey program without a lot of AD input or long-term planning. They would have been much better of hosting the game I'm Columbus on a non-basketball day. I was at Kent State today and several people who are sports fans had no idea that an outdoor game was planned this weekend; I don't think they've done a good job with this at all, and even if it is Ohio, I don't want to see so few of their fans that it hurts perception of the sport.

Wave83

January 15th, 2012 at 7:34 AM ^

There are a lot of Ohio State fans in Cleveland and it has recently received some local news coverage.  I think there will be plenty of OSU fans here, although they may not exceed the Michigan fans.  I do agree that the average Michigan fan at the game will be more into hockey than the average Ohio State fan attending.  But I think it is wrong to assume that OSU won't show up.  My experience is that OSU shows up.

mGrowOld

January 15th, 2012 at 8:04 AM ^

I live just south of Cleveland and I can tell you that if there has been any serious media promotion of the game I've managed to miss it.  I concur with Bluetell who predicts a largely empty stadium.  Putting the game outside in Cleveland "seemed like a good idea at the time" but in retrospect I'll bet both teams would reconsider the decision.

mfan_in_ohio

January 15th, 2012 at 10:23 AM ^

I have heard a couple of commercials on the radio, and a couple crappily-produced ads on tv.  They made it look like one step below minor-league hockey.  Maybe Cleveland State basketball would be a good comparison.  Just a bad job by the Indians organization, which, as an Indians fan, doesn't surprise me.

bronxblue

January 15th, 2012 at 8:24 AM ^

I don't expect it to exceed the Big Chill or anything, but OSU's fans should make the crowd reasonable, even though UM will likely fill at least half of the stadium. 

mfan_in_ohio

January 15th, 2012 at 10:02 AM ^

With the bleachers not available, the stadium capacity is probably a little under 40,000.  The lower bowl is pretty much full,as are the club seats and view boxes (first 6 rows or so of upper deck), according to ticketmaster.  The main part of the upper deck will be empty in left field, but they sold maybe a quarter of the seats around home plate and a lot of upper deck seats near center ice, along the first base line.  Judging by what ticketmaster says is available, there are about 12,000 seats unsold, so there could be over 25,000 people there.

I think it will be a lean-Michigan crowd.  I'm hoping the M fans start up the Blues Brothers during the second intermission. 

ColsBlue

January 15th, 2012 at 12:04 PM ^

Columbus is a football town. They'll pay attention to basketball if in the top 10, hockey if they're playing Michigan. This game has been minimally promoted, a side note to the Ohio v Indiana hoops game (both in the top 10, for now). The AD does this to themselves by pumping up only revenue sports. Maybe someday the other athletes will realize their school don't give a shit about them.

MasonBilderberg

January 15th, 2012 at 1:01 PM ^

There are maybe 5-6 states that actually care about hockey. Ohio may not be one of them, but at least a small percentage of the people there acknowledge the sport even exists, unlike the vast majority of the U.S.

snarling wolverine

January 15th, 2012 at 1:56 PM ^

With Ohio fans worried about their beloved basketball team facing Indiana tomorrow @ home I am wondering how many of Ohio's fans show up for this game tomorrow.
Ohio played Indiana yesterday, not today. Also, the game was in Bloomington.

Wolverine Devotee

January 15th, 2012 at 2:23 PM ^

I said this a couple of times in other threads. Michigan has the superior program and fanbse. Even in 2009-10, when things were going bad Yost was filled. ohio is in a Top-10 basketball matchup today around the time the faceoff starts, so I think there will be more Michigan fans.

 

mtlcarcajou

January 15th, 2012 at 3:15 PM ^

then that state truly couldn't care less about hockey. BJ's are surely the biggest joke in pro hockey on almost every level.

Didn't even know this was happening unitl 2 days ago. Chumps who scarcely care about their own. Why don't they just sell off their equipment to fund their football players' tattoo funds, now that Rife is no longer part of that equasion?

But it's all good, love to see UM fans outnumber them, drown them out & cheer our team on to victory.

Bigasshammm

January 15th, 2012 at 3:41 PM ^

The tickets to this game were outrageously priced. Good seats were in the 40-50$ range. Instead if the 15$ range he big chill was. I'm a die hard M an stuck in Ohio and we were going to go but the tickets talked us out of it. My friend told me theres tickets available now for 5 all over the stadium. Tells me no one wants to go and it will be half full.
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<br>Also there has been no local coverage of the game. (I'm a half hour south of Cleveland) and the only place I can fid the game on tv live is the BTN's alternate station. Not sure that will even be available when it comes on but I hope. The 4-0 shutout Friday night may keep people away as well. The weather is perfect though.