For UMass Basketball, the long, early season trip is worth it

By Zachary Baru

It may be early season basketball, a non-conference game hosted at a neutral-site, but for UMass, the trip to Sunrise was worth it.  

Photo: Aaron Baru

The voyage to the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic not only gave UMass fans down in Florida a chance to see their favorite team, but also a spot on national television.  It may not be ABC or ESPN, but for a school trying to prove itself and their impressive 7-3 record, today's trip to South Florida has given UMass a spot on the ACC Network, one of many channels that can be found on the updated ESPN App. 

With the move to a new conference, the Mid-American Conference, and the absence of national contention for some time, UMass has a lot to prove.  The team has shot off to an early 8-3 start, and today's appearance in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic gives the team a chance to be shown on TV outside of the New England region.  

The ACC Network is part of the ESPN family of networks, and today's game can be viewed on linear TV or on the ESPN App.  This is important for a UMass team that wants to show the country what it is capable of, and it certainly is doing that here in Sunrise this afternoon.  UMass began the double-header topping Florida St. 103-95. 

Looking around the venue, plenty of UMass fans can be seen enjoying their team, and showing the other South Florida fans just what the UMass program has to offer this season.  The feeling in the venue is that of a bigger-event, with fans from each of the four schools very prevalent.  The crowd has been locked in, more so than most early afternoon starts.  

For UMass, getting back to the national stage will not be easy, but out-of-state early season events such as this is a step in the right direction.

UMass fans make their way down to the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic in Sunrise

By Zachary Baru

Sunrise, Florida, - It did not take long to find many UMass Basketball fans for their trip down to the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.  Within just minutes of the game, a conversation could easily be had with fellow fans regarding anything considering the 413 area code.  The game, however, is far from UMass' home of the Mullins Center, as UMass faces Florida State this afternoon at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

Photo: Aaron Baru

Located in the home of the National Hockey League champion Florida Panthers, the Amerant Bank Arena is 30 miles north of Miami.  The arena is adjacent to the Florida Everglades, with just an expressway separating the venue from the east-end of the Everglades.  Seating 19,250, the venue is large for college basketball, but a decent amount of fans have showed up for the early half of a double-header this afternoon.  And surprisingly, this early crowd is loud and engaged.

It took just minutes to meet fans from Western Mass., and groups of UMass fans can be spotted all around the venue.  The breakdown of UMass to Florida St. fans is about 80/20%, in favor of Florida St., of course. But there is plenty of UMass fans and media making the trip from UMass, making for a great day of college basketball just outside of Fort Lauderdale. While the arena is about a 45 minute drive from downtown Miami, the venue is only about a 20 minute trip west from Ft. Lauderdale. 

With an expansive alumni, and fellow Western Mass. natives who have made the move down south, it is not surprising that a decent following of UMass fans can be found so far from home.

Coverage of UMass in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic

For the first time Western Mass Sports Biz is proud to cover UMass Basketball's appearance in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, live from inside the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

After covering the Tip-Off Tournament at the Mohegan Sun Arena for many years, the MAAC Conference Tournament in Springfield, and the Hall of Fame Classic in Springfield, this marks the first time Western Mass Sports Biz will be covering an event outside of New England.

This event, held each year by the Orange Bowl Committee, further establishes the Orange Bowl's commitment to sports and the community of South Florida.  Unlike the Orange Bowl, held in Miami Gardens, the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic is hosted 20 miles north in Broward County in the city of Sunrise.  

The Classic brings top NCAA division 1 men's basketball teams each year to the tournament, this year hosting Florida St. vs. UMass in the first game, and the University of Florida vs. George Washington in the second game of the double-header.

Stay tuned to WesternMassSportsBiz.com all day for updates live from Sunrise, as we tap into the business-side of everything happening at the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.  Live tweets and photos will also be available on Twitter @zbaru.

Thunderbirds Sell Out with Lucic Debut, Another Off-Ice Win for Springfield Hockey

The Springfield Thunderbirds once again proved that hockey in Springfield is thriving, both on and off the ice, as the team sold out the MassMutual Center for Milan Lucic’s debut last night. 

The excitement surrounding Lucic’s return to professional hockey created quite the buzz in Downtown Springfield, with a packed arena and a noticeable buzz surrounding Springfield hockey both in-person and online. Springfield lost to the Bridgeport Islanders 6-2 last night, in front of yet another sold out crowd of 6,793 at the MassMutual Center.

Springfield continues to establish themselves as one of the premier business operations in the American Hockey League. From creative marketing campaigns to strong community engagement, the franchise has consistently used big moments to build momentum. The addition of Lucic, even temporarily, was a perfect example of the team’s ability to continue to draw large crowds inside the MassMutual Center.

For the Thunderbirds, the night was about more than ticket sales, it was about brand building. Every sold-out crowd strengthens Springfield as a noticeable minor league market, drawing fans downtown and driving economic activity for nearby restaurants, bars, and hotels. The organization’s ability to connect with the community and  create on-ice success is another example of their consistent growth since returning to the AHL in 2016.

The Thunderbirds continue to show how strong management and smart marketing can make professional hockey a powerful economic driver for Western Massachusetts.

Packing the MassMutual Center: Springfield ranks 12th out of 32 AHL teams in attendance

By Zachary Baru

In a league of growing markets, and in a time when the AHL is no longer an NHL side show, the Springfield Thunderbirds are entering the end of the season on a high note at the box office.

Out of 32 American Hockey League franchises, the Springfield Thunderbirds rank 12th in attendance, averaging 6,272 fans per game, according to hockeydb.com, a website that collects attendance figures for all teams in the AHL.  For a relatively small AHL market, at a time when the league has expanded to larger cities in major arenas, the Thunderbirds are doing extremely well at the gate.

This is no surprise to Thunderbirds fans, as since the new franchise began in 2016-17, the team has seen a great deal of support in the stands.  Stemming from excellent marketing behind the scenes, an ownership group committed to the franchise, and experienced leadership, the Thunderbirds began their history with great momentum and never looked back.

This continued into last season, when the Thunderbirds played to 93.1 percent capacity during the 2023-24 season.  Ending that season, Springfield sold out 14 consecutive games at the 6,793-seat MassMutual Center.  This continued into the 2024-25 season, when the Thunderbirds sold out opening night as well, extending their sellout streak to 15 games across two seasons.  

This once again caused the team to add their live stream to linear TV, with opening night airing on Cozi TV in the Western Massachusetts television market.  The Thunderbirds have done this on a number of occasions throughout this current and previous seasons, making sold out games available on both streaming and linear TV.  This has been an effective strategy to make the games viewable to fans when tickets are no longer available, increasing fan engagement while also creating new ones.

The days of the AHL being mainly for medium-sized northeastern cities are long gone, but it is great to see Springfield keeping up with some of the larger markets in the league.  As the league continues to grow, the Thunderbirds have proved they aren't going anywhere, and they are alive and well continuing the rich tradition of hockey in Springfield.

Source: HockeyDB.com, American Hockey League

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.  Zach also writes SportsBusinessBoston.com and SportsBizAmerica.com.

Thunderbirds begin season extending sellout streak to 15

The Springfield Thunderbirds have begun their season in remarkable fashion, with their opening night officially selling out. This marks the 15th consecutive sellout at the MassMutual Center, continuing a trend that has seen the franchise sell out every Opening Night since its establishment in 2016. 

This consistency underscores the growing enthusiasm and support from the local community, setting an electrifying tone for the season ahead.  The franchise’s emphasis on community engagement highlights the Thunderbirds' commitment to enhancing the fan experience beyond just the on-ice action.  

In addition to their sellout success, the Thunderbirds are expanding their reach through local broadcasting. Seven games this season, including the highly anticipated Opening Night, will air on CoziTV, allowing more fans to connect with the team. 

This strategic move not only strengthens the franchise's presence in the region but also reflects their dedication to off-ice excellence, ensuring that the Springfield Thunderbirds remain a cornerstone of local sports culture.

The significance of the Thunderbirds' 14-straight season-ending sellouts

 By Zachary Baru   

Yes, that's right, our Springfield Thunderbirds did in fact sellout the final fourteen games of the 2023-24 season.  Skeptical?  Well, to be fair, anyone who studies sports business should be when it comes to attendance.  But no, the Thunderbirds' feat is in fact true, as verified by the franchise and the American Hockey League, but also multiple media outlets such as WGGB/WSHM, Masslive and Spectrum.  Does this mean that every seat was filled for every single game?  No, but I don't know any professional sports team that reports attendances directly from venue entrance records.  Nearly all franchises report tickets sold for official box scores.  The Thunderbirds did truly sellout their final fourteen games of the season, an accomplishment the franchise and its fans should be very proud of. 

In fact, the Thunderbirds' high attendance this season is part of a larger national trend, as the AHL set a new attendance record this season with more than 6.8 million fans attending games.  The previous record of 6.6 million fans was set in the 2015-16 season.  The league also reached it's third highest average game attendance this year with 5,920 fans per game.  This is quite an accomplishment, as the Springfield-based league has operated since 1936.

Back to the Thunderbirds, April 20th was a historic night for the franchise, as Springfield ended it's season with a 14th straight sellout in front of 6,793 fans at the MassMutual Center.  With this sellout, the Thunderbirds have played to 93.1 percent capacity this season in Downtown Springfield.  Shops, restaurants, hotels and of course, MGM Springfield are all major beneficiaries to this influx of patrons in and around the downtown area.  With the current state of the economy in 2024, the timing couldn't be better for a season full of large crowds in Downtown Springfield.

So bring on the, "they should still be in the Coliseum" arguments, or the "Springfield isn't a large enough market for the second best hockey league in our country" claims, but the data speaks for itself - this market is truly right for the AHL.  And Springfield hockey fans will come downtown to support their team.  In fact, the Thunderbirds average attendance is right around where it should be, at just over 400 fans higher than the league's average.  With all respect to the extremely special history of the AHL in Springfield, between the Indians, the Kings and Falcons (with major emphasis on extremely special), this franchise has in fact earned it's respect.  The days at the Eastern States Coliseum were one in which I can only wish I was ever able to attend.  And I am truly appreciative for being able to attend Shriners Circuses at the Coliseum growing up, allowing me to get some sort of glimpse of what it might have been like to attend Indians games at the Coliseum.  I can only imagine the magic of the atmosphere, the intimacy of the "barn", and the sights and sounds of a 4,500-seat venue that often had many more than its capacity inside.  As much as that history is special, the Thunderbirds are truly doing their part to continue the tradition of a very important AHL market.  

Right from the very first week this franchise began in 2016, it's front office and marketing department has acted anything but minor league, giving a big-league feel to a small market.  Their marketing efforts are a major, major reason why this franchise has been able to sellout its first-ever game, its final fourteen games this season, and many in-between.

Source: American Hockey League, Springfield Thunderbirds, WGGB/WSHM, Spectrum, Masslive

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.  Zach also writes SportsBusinessBoston.com and SportsBizAmerica.com