To avoid conflicts with the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, and to improve the opportunity to sell tickets, the NCAA is moving the Division I men’s ice hockey championships a week later.
As reported last fall on U.S. College Hockey Online, starting next year, the hockey semifinals and finals will be played one week after the roundball Final Fours. In addition, starting in 2000, the schedule will include one week off between the regionals and the semifinals.
Specifically, the hockey finals, called the Frozen Four in some circles, will be played the 14th weekend after Jan. 1 each year.
According to the NCAA, the changes will “allow the host institution the ability to market the four semifinalists in its community.”
The schedule of future schedules and sites:
1998
West Regional March 27-28 Yost Arena, Ann Arbor, Mich.
East Regional March 28-29 Pepsi Arena, Albany, N.Y.
Finals April 2 and 4 FleetCenter, Boston, Mass.
1999
East Regional March 26-27 The Centrum, Worcester, Mass.
West Regional March 27-28 Dane County Coliseum, Madison, Wisc.
Finals April 1 and 3 Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
2000
Finals April 7 and 9 Providence Civic Center, Providence, R.I.
2001
Finals April 6 and 8 Pepsi Arena, Albany, N.Y.
2002
Finals April 5 and 7 St. Paul Civic Center, St. Paul, Minn.
2003
Finals April 4 and 6 Marine Midland Arena, Buffalo, N.Y.
