1) Lakehead hockey is unique: it was founded as an independent non-profit corporation, They followed the (wildly successful) model of Laval football, a model more recently used to reinstate Carleton football:
If it failed once before, how do we know it won’t fail again? That’s a question Carleton Ravens football head coach Steve Sumarah was asked more than once by prospective players and their parents over the last several months. Can you blame them? University administration canned the football...
charlatan.ca
2) Sorry, but kids should not get in free. (I have three children). $11 is a STEAL for that calibre of hockey, and a kid would have to spend $100 on food for Lakehead to profit $11.
3) Most university sports lost fan momentum during COVID because students got used to not attending in-person. Students will return.
4) The irony of your post is that you simultaneously want the games to be (1) more energetic (costs the program $$), (2) a party atmosphere with a lively student section, so it needs to be at night, and (3) free for kids, who are unlikely to attend games at 7:00 PM Friday and Saturday.
I do agree that the Christmas tournament was perfect. I am not sure why they have not brought that back. Seems like a cash cow to me.