Badger Showdown
The Badger Showdown was a college Division I men's ice hockey tournament usually played before New Years at first the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then the Kohl Center in Madison. Wisconsin served as the tournament's host for the entirety of its run.[1] The tournament was first held in 1989 and was played during the final week of December every year but twice: in 2005 and 2010. Wisconsin competed in the tournament every year and won more than half of the total championships (11 out of 21).
| Sport | College ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1989 |
| Ceased | 2010 |
| No. of teams | 4 |
| Venue(s) | Bradley Center 1989–2002 Kohl Center 2003–2010 |
| Last champion(s) | Wisconsin |
| Most titles | Wisconsin (11) |
The tournament was conceived by Jeff Sauer and Joel Maturi and was initially a huge success, drawing over 30,000 fans for its first iteration. By the 21st century, however, its audience had dwindled to less than half that number and its main sponsor dropped the showcase in 2002. A move to the Badger's home venue in 2003 kept the tournament alive for several more years but it was ultimately cancelled as a cost-cutting measure, with the final championship held in January 2010.[2]
The tournament champion received the Pettit Cup, named in honor of Lloyd and Jane Bradley Pettit.[3]
Yearly results
Team records
| Team | # of times participated | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 21 | 11 |
| Boston University | 3 | 2 |
| Ferris State | 3 | 2 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 2 |
| Bowling Green | 4 | 1 |
| North Dakota | 3 | 1 |
| Clarkson | 2 | 1 |
| Northeastern | 2 | 1 |
| Northern Michigan | 4 | 0 |
| Yale | 4 | 0 |
| Boston College | 3 | 0 |
| Harvard | 3 | 0 |
| Lake Superior State | 3 | 0 |
| Colgate | 2 | 0 |
| Colorado College | 2 | 0 |
| Miami | 2 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 2 | 0 |
| Princeton | 2 | 0 |
| Providence | 2 | 0 |
| Alabama-Huntsville | 1 | 0 |
| Alaska-Fairbanks | 1 | 0 |
| Brown | 1 | 0 |
| Cornell | 1 | 0 |
| Maine | 1 | 0 |
| Massachusetts–Lowell | 1 | 0 |
| Merrimack | 1 | 0 |
| Minnesota-Duluth | 1 | 0 |
| Nebraska-Omaha | 1 | 0 |
| St. Lawrence | 1 | 0 |
| Toronto | 1 | 0 |
| Union | 1 | 0 |
| Vermont | 1 | 0 |
| Western Michigan | 1 | 0 |
| Wayne State | 1 | 0 |
References
- "Badger Showdown". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
- "Baggot: Sadly, it's time to say goodbye to Showdown". Madison.com. 2010-01-01. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
- "Final Badger Hockey Showdown takes place this weekend". Madison.com. 2010-01-01. Retrieved 2017-09-04.