Right, those sales figures count season tickets and any sort of luxury box in the attendance figures. If there were 13,000 people actually at that game, they showed up awful late.
I wasn't there, but I know quite a few people who were there and when they heard what Jack Edwards said, well, they were pissed. And to address your (and later yerfatma's) very good point, we have very few no-shows as the fanbase here in Raleigh is not corportate. Rather, it is Joe and Jane Sixpack off the street. When they drop a couple of hundred bucks on tickets for the whole family, they go. When you see the box score for our home games, you can believe the attendance figures. Warts and all. Another thing to realize here is that most tickets sold are those that face the same way as the cameras do. For some reason (me included), we prefer the seats that face the benches rather than the penalty box. Look, I'm not claiming that we're setting the world on fire when it comes to attendance figures, it's just that I hate, hate, hate it when people spread BS figures around. Our attendance is up over 20% so far this season which is a lot better than I had thought since this team is coming off two really lousy years and a lock-out that erased an entire season. I really thought that all of that meant that nobody was going to go to games this year, but that is obviously wrong. In fact, the Canes are outdrawing Chicago, New Jersey, the Islanders and a few other "traditional" hockey markets so far. We're number 22 in attendance right now. Again, not setting the world on fire, but certainly no reason to use them as an example of evidence contrary to league-wide record attendance numbers.
Yeah, I've been to a game this year too. Stars blew a 4-3 lead with less than a minute left (thank you to Brendan Morrow for his penalty and the resulting 6 on 4 play by the Sharks) and then lost it in overtime. I gotta admit, I was kind of hoping for a shootout. Probably go to 3-4 more this season, depending on when some tickets land in my lap.
"corportate"? Duh. And to clarify the team's corporate support: the luxury boxes are always sold out for the entire season (and have been since day one of the RBC Center's opening), but that's about it.
Garfield, nice story about your mom. You'll remember that for the rest of your life whenever you watch a game. The power of the puck!
In preparation for the Leafs' games against Carolina, TB, and Washington this week, The Star had a hockey blog round-up with quotes and everything. I didn't know Carolina Hurricanes fan-blogs existed, but hell, here they are. Don't let the cameras fool you, kids—many people sit on the same side of the arena as the cameras, and they sit upstairs (where the cameras generally don't pan). Attendance is creeping up, in dribs and drabs—and they like what they're seeing. — Sweet Tea, Barbeque, and Bodychecks Fortunately for the packed house home team crowd, the Canes had a mega-explosion of their own, for eight goals and the win. It marked the most goals the team has scored since the franchise moved to North Carolina in 1997. — Red and Black Hockey Mario dropped a couple of F-bombs on our boy, but it looked like Staal just glared back...Whatever grampa. — CasonBlog
I live on Long Island and I must say this is a great place for Hockey. Even when the Islanders sucked they still had a decent turn out. The Rangers always have a great crowd. The one team that does not thrive in this area are the Dev's. They couldn't even sell out Stanley Cup finals games. People in North Jersey like the Rangers. People in south Jersey like the Flyers. I really think it is a shame a team that puts out a good product can't love in there home town. PS if you get a chance to see a game at the Spectrum/First Union/Wachovia center go it is a crazy expierence. No fans like Philly fans.
I know quite a few people who were there and when they heard what Jack Edwards said, well, they were pissed. That's fine and I have nothing against Southern hockey, but when he said that, it looked (admittedly a rough estimate based on TV shots) like 90% of seats were empty. Announcers are all company guys; for one to say something about attendance is out of the ordinary. Just curious: how did folks in Raleigh hear what a NESN announcer had to say? I realize NESN is available on satellite, but what are the odds multiple folks you know who attended the game also found out what the road announcer said on a broadcast they couldn't have seen personally?
hater, you have a point with the rangers/flyers fans populating new jersey. but while my preference will always be a rangers game at the garden, i'm usually up for seeing anyone play. and i know others that feel the same way. i think part of the problem with the devils is the location and condition of the arena. it's one thing to drive to the meadowlands for a football game on a sunday. but for people that don't live in the area, it's not the most convenient place to get to for a tuesday night game during rush hour. especially with no mass transit. hopefully the newark arena will help. it'll be a nicer facility and easier to get to. maybe they will get more hockey fans as well as devils fans.
Just curious: how did folks in Raleigh hear what a NESN announcer had to say? Out-of-market Canes fans watching the NESN feed on Center Ice informed us on our FanHome message board. There's also a Bruins message board on FanHome and the Bruins fans were saying the same stuff about attendance for the game. So, we all found out later on that night or the next morning. I didn't mean to make it sound like they heard this tidbit when they were actually in the arena, watching the game. Sorry if I gave that impression.
Did anyone see the fight last night in the Blackhawks-Blues game between Vandermeer and Downey? Helluva brawl.
I agree goddam my first hockey game was at Contiental Airlines Arena, I have gone to several Rock shows there and I always ask myself what am I doing in this fucking dump. Its in a totally inconvient spot (under 10 miles for midtown NYC but it takes like 40 minutes to get there from NYC) the building isn't so hot (still beats the colliseum) I think Newark is a great idea.
At center ice? For like 2.5 minutes? Yeah, best fight of the year, so far
Well, the Meadowlands rocks if you live in Jersey City Heights. 15 minutes to get there, and no traffic when you leave, heading East on Rt.3. But Jersey City Heights isn't who should be catered to when building a hockey arena.
Hey all, I've been reading SpoFi for months but this is my first post... I'm a mighty ducks season ticket holder this year for the first time because the team offered a buy 2 get 2 deal on season tickets in the upper level ends. The deal includes a price freeze that allows us to get the same deal next season as well. Without this deal my husband and I would never have been able to afford season seats for a family of four. After reading this article I was curious if anyone knows of other clubs giving similar offers.
I know of several that did not offer any kind of discount but kudos to the Ducks managment they really seem comitted to keeping a good fan base and putting a good product on the ice. Could the hockey capital be shifting from the great white north to cali?
I guarantee you each member of the Toronto Maple Leafs' board of directors would suffer a catastrophic stroke if someone in the boardroom even thought too hard about making such an offer.
Welcome, captaincavegirl. (Please post more often; we don't have nearly enough west coast hockey people in here!) I believe the Islanders have some sort of discount plan (I have the Center Ice TV package as well, and I've seen ticket-discount ads for Phoenix and Nashville as well, and there have to be more), but what fabulon7 said about the Leafs would hold true for the Rangers as well. When the season ticket waiting list gets below ten years or so, then they'll maybe think about it. I'd guess that'll hold true for all the original six teams (any info on Chicago?), and you might want to throw Philly on that list too. Seriously, if this is as bad as the NHL will have it, then everything's gonna be alright.
'zactly, garf. i'm a stone's throw away in clifton, which is great for me. but there's no way for my friend in the city to make it here on time tonight. my dad, who lives in ocean grove, is going instead, but he has to leave at around 4pm to get here. from what i understand the devils had some tickets offers (free jersey/free tickets to individual games) but nothing as good as what the captain described.
After reading this article I was curious if anyone knows of other clubs giving similar offers. Don't know about the season ticket offers, but here in Dallas, the cheap seats are $10 all season. This is why I'll be able to afford to go to 4 or 5 games (most of my ticket money goes to my Mavs 10-game plan). And indeed, welcome. Just don't get cocky if the Ducks take the lead in the Pacific. Kidding...sorta
attendance was pretty pathetic tonight. they said it was 14,596, but it sure didn't seem like that many.
Great photos, goddam. It's made me realize I'd almost be willing to pay $100 for a ticket to a Leaf game...or go out and buy NHL 2006 for my PC.
re: photos - Isn't that the Rangers' first fight of the year?
yup. think it was the Devils' first as well.
thanks for the nice welcome. Fabulon7's comment made me wonder... I guarantee you each member of the Toronto Maple Leafs' board of directors would suffer a catastrophic stroke if someone in the boardroom even thought too hard about making such an offer. What do the cheap seats in Toronto go for? I can't even imagine living in an area where there was that kind of demand for hockey tickets, or any demand at all really. What I wouldn't give to see a hockey game in Canada!
Actually, Canadians are a kind and generous folk. No limbs or first borns need be handed over to see a hockey game in the GWN.
Last time I went to a Leafs game (2001 or so) I think the cheapest tickets were about $33 (plus tax and service charges and all that jazz). The ticketmaster website suggests that the current cheapest ticket is $42.
Could the hockey capital be shifting from the great white north to cali? Considering that Leaf games sell out even when the team on the ice is garbage, for $100 a pop or more, I think not. And the thing about the Leaf "cheap seats" is that even at just less than $50, they are impossible to get. Seriously. Unless you know someone or some company with season's tickets, attending a game is hard. If you want to go to a sudden game, the only real option is a scalper. Try paying $150 for "average" seats.
You might be able to get a single seat at a Leaf game for $42. But you have to wait until the very last minute and hope that the ACC releases a batch of tickets that they previously withheld (for players families, etc). If it's a team that has ANY sort of history with the Maple Leafs (an original 6 team, Philadelphia, Ottawa, NJ), one of the other western Canadian teams (Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver), or a team with a marquee star (Pittsburgh, Nashville, Phoenix (for the coach), Columbus (before Nash's injury woes)), then you can forget about getting a regular priced ticket. They stopped being available 30 seconds after they went on sale back in July/August. The last time I got scalpers tickets was when they were still at MLG and I had to miss the first 5 minutes of the game...and still paid $10 over the price of each ticket. And the scalper was furious he had to sell them that low. Any lower and he said it would be "bad for business, and I'd rather go to the game myself".
