Tempers cool for now between fans, business owners, MSU officials
By Shane Frederick
Free Press
MANKATO — You couldn't avoid the talk last week. When it came to conversation, there were just two topics people in this area seemed to be interested in:
Butter flowing down the streets of New Ulm.
Cash flowing out of the streets of Mankato.
The latter, of course, had to do with the moving of the Jan. 14 Mavericks-Gophers men's hockey game from Minnesota State's home rink, the Midwest Wireless Civic Center, to the Xcel Energy in St. Paul.
When MSU Director of Athletics Kevin Buisman announced the move a week ago, an emotional nerve was struck among ticket holders and business owners alike.
Interest in the hockey program hadn't been higher since the Mavericks qualified for the NCAA tournament two years ago.
It was hard to blame the people who own downtown bars and restaurants for being upset about losing out on one of the biggest hockey nights of the season.
While not a guaranteed sellout and not even the traditional top draw - that title goes to North Dakota - the Gophers are, in many Mankato minds, the WCHA's marquee program.
But it was also hard to blame Minnesota State for seeking a big payout, which, coach Troy Jutting wasn't afraid to admit, was the No. 1 reason for taking the game to the Minnesota Wild's rink during the NHL lockout.
If the school can make $100,000 or more on the deal - and Jutting and Buisman are confident that it can - the money will be a tremendous help to a cash-strapped athletic department that's trying to stay Title IX compliant while facing huge tuition hikes and rapidly rising scholarship budgets.
After only a few days of the controversy, though, everyone cooled down.
A meeting between MSU officials and downtown business owners last Thursday seemed to salve the situation.
Perhaps it calmed things too much.
By the time the puck dropped in Minnesota State's game against St. Cloud State, pretty much everything was back to normal.
The bars were busy, and the fans were late-arriving.
With the exception of one fan who scribbled "Fire Buisman" on a white T-shirt, there was no protest at the game.
At the end of the night, the Civic Center crowd was announced at 3,483, just 60 more than this year's regular-season average through nine games and 240 fewer than last year's program-best average.
Maybe some stayed away, boycotting the game as Mayor Jeff Kagermeier suggested they might.
Maybe they're waiting to see this weekend's games against Wisconsin.
Maybe they just couldn't get free tickets from the boss.
Shane Frederick is a Free Press staff writer. Call him at 344-6373 or e-mail