Bob Motzko hoped Tuesday's press release announcing the end of the North Star College Cup could be avoided.
The St. Cloud State coach said after his team won last year's tournament, "What's going to make it go, and that's what we have to have patience with, is the buy-in from the fans. I think there is some things that we have to pay with and let the thing continue, so we can continue to come down here."
The Gophers announced Tuesday the tournament, created to keep the Minnesota rivalries intact after conference realignment, would end after its fourth year this weekend at Xcel Energy Center.
Fans showed little interest in the event despite the regular Top 20 matchups and competitive games it produced, and the empty seats at Xcel Energy Center were too many to ignore.
Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore also lobbied for tournament organizers to be patient and give the event a chance to resonate with the fans the same way the WCHA Final Five eventually did.
"Remember the old Final Five wasn't that way in the beginning, and then it ended up being a destination weekend," Serratore said. "I just don't think you can snap your fingers and it's there in one, two or three years."
Tuesday's press release said the decision was based on the lack of interest from fans.
Attendance numbers dropped significantly at last year's tournament. The final day of the tournament featuring the championship and consolation games attracted a paid attendance of 10,993. The actual number of fans in the stands appeared to be much less.
