Motown sets world record for indoor hockey game with conclusion of Frozen Four

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

DETROIT — If a picture can say a thousand words, Mike Hoffman had quite the story for his friends and family when he got back to Milwaukee.

He was part of a dozen or so fans who created their own standing room section April 10 at Ford Field during the NCAA hockey national championship game. Armed with his digital camera, he was determined to capture every angle of this spectacle.

First he aimed forward, then to the side, then up, and once more at the view in front of him.

“This is pretty cool,” he said.  “I’ll never forget any of this.”

And with that, another picture was snapped, another piece of history recorded.

World record twice over
Hoffman certainly wasn’t alone setting off flashbulbs, nor was he in rare company holding one of those ticket stubs. By the time this game concluded — a 5-0 victory for Boston College over the University of Wisconsin — the official attendance of 37,592 at Ford Field would set a world indoor record for a hockey game, breaking the old record of 34,954 set two nights before.

The three-game attendance of 72,546 was the most for a Frozen Four, which was played in a non-hockey arena for the first time ever this season.

“I love how it looks and the atmosphere it creates,” said Hoffman, sporting a Wisconsin jacket, regarding the layout of the rink, which sat in the west end zone and ran from one sideline to the other. “I left Milwaukee around 5:30 a.m. (April 8) in order to beat Chicago traffic, and I’ve been down here ever since. It’s been great.”

Teddy McGourthy, also from Milwaukee, dealt with the interesting dilemma of traveling from Wisconsin but rooting for the Eagles.

“My father played football at Boston College,” he said, defending his allegiance. “My brother played baseball, my sister went there and my nephew is there now.”
When asked about the Frozen Four and the city of Detroit as a host, McGourthy was quick with his praise.

“I’ve been to a lot of sports towns, Boston and Chicago for example, but I learned very quickly the people of Detroit are very passionate about their sports,” McGourthy said.

“I’m not surprised at all at the turnout here. I mean, it’s Hockeytown after all, isn’t it?”

McGourthy considered going to the Tigers game on the afternoon of April 10, but instead took part in a Boston College pre-game party at one of the local establishments downtown.

“This whole experience, being down here and seeing this city and everything, has been great.”

Tournament organizers were equally pleased with the event.

“It was an incredible experience. I think things went as well, if not better, than we had hoped,” said Kelly Urquhart, vice president of major events at Ford Field.  “The NCAA was ecstatic with everything. The players, the coaches, the fans seemed to make the most of everything.”

Near perfect
While official numbers weren’t released at press time, organizers expected the Frozen Four to generate anywhere from $7million-10 million for the city.

Coupled with the Tigers home opener April 9, Detroit was buzzing with activity.

“We went to the Tigers game (April 10), stayed down here and then came to this,” Roseville resident Gary Fleming said while watching the championship. “I’m not surprised with the amount of people that have been down here, but the number of out-of-towners has been crazy. We saw a ton of Wisconsin and Boston College people at the (Tigers) game, and at the bars and everywhere we’ve been.”

And while most comments regarding to the Frozen Four were positive, some felt the size of the stadium took away from a typical hockey atmosphere.

Fleming, who was at the final with his brother, Paul, bought tickets more than a year ago. They said they spent $200 each to sit in the risers that were installed on the east side of the rink.

“We should have gotten the $40 package,” Gary Fleming said. “The seats in the risers were way too low. There was too much of the ice that you simply couldn’t see from where we were sitting. For the Final Four (2009), they had the court off the ground some. I wish there was a way they could have done the same here.”

Minnesota resident James Sterly added that while he enjoyed the downtown atmosphere, he felt the stadium was “too big for hockey.”

“Anytime you do something of this magnitude for the first time, in such a unique event like this, there’s going to be some things you learn along the way,” Urquhart said. “We heard from some fans that had trouble with where they were sitting, and we did the best to relocate them to a better seat.”

Frozen forever
But with nearly 40,000 attending the final — 30,000 tickets were sold prior to the teams even reaching the semifinals — most fans weren’t expecting the typical hockey atmosphere. 

“It was about the experience,” McGourthy said. “I think a lot of people are here to support the sport of hockey and the NCAA, and to be a part of history. After seeing this, I honestly believe Detroit should host more of these. It’s like the perfect city for things like this.”

Hoffman didn’t get the result he was looking for on the final night of his stay. Yet even with his beloved Badgers struggling to keep pace with Boston College, the picture-taking continued.

“I can’t be too upset,” he joked. “I’ve got friends at both schools.”

He’s also got a part of history, captured one photo after another, and a story he can tell over and over again without saying a single word.

You can reach Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1038.