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I got an email from a reader in Scotland who has just recently discovered, as he put it, “the great game of ice hockey and the NHL.” He posed some very good questions, so I thought I’d take this off day blog to answer them.
What's it like being a Nashville fan? Would you say they are a good team to follow? (obviously your answered will be slightly biased, but just your general experience as a fan)
Being a Nashville fan is unique. From my own experience, I grew up a Flyers fan in the Philadelphia area, my family has held season tickets for the Flyers since their inception. I have lived in Nashville for over 20 years and when it was announced that we were getting a team, I immediately got season tickets and held them until I got the PA Announcer gig six years ago. Being a hockey fan in a non-traditional market has its challenges. A lot of people in the area have had to be taught the sport, they need to be shown the nuances. The good part is that once they get it… they love it. The action, the speed, the hitting, the grace… all part of becoming a Nashville hockey fan. The best part is watching the second generation come up. The kids that came to the games with their parents now becoming season ticket holders, watching the market mature and grow. There is nothing better than being a fan of a team from the very beginning; I’ve been blessed to have that experience twice.
What would you say the fan base is like in Nashville for the Predators? Do they get good attendance at games, are they battling with another football/soccer/basketball team for fans and struggle?
The Predators fan base in one word… passionate! They are loud, they are proud of their team, and they will fire back when anyone disparages their team or their town. Attendance has been on a steady uptick since local businessmen bought the team in 2007, however, the Nashville is still primarily a football market and there is a significant portion of the Predators fan base that also hold tickets for the Tennessee Titans. While the Preds fan base is passionate, they are also respectful. Nashville fans are used to seeing celebrities and they don’t normally bother them as they attempt to live their lives. That courtesy is extended to hockey players, it is one of the things a lot of players mention as to why the like playing in Nashville.
Why are this team so close to the salary floor? Is the owner reluctant to put money into the team? Or are they biding their time with regards to the right free agents etc?
Nashville is a smaller market and doesn’t have the revenue streams that a lot of larger or more established markets have yet. However, new operational leadership in the front office has driven a dramatic increase in corporate dollars coming into the team. That being said, the team has chosen the philosophy of growing players from the draft and choosing to pay those that continue to develop. The ownership is not reluctant to put money into the team, they simply won’t wildly throw money at an issue. Overpaying for superstars is not a path this team will take. That being said, the ownership is not afraid to add payroll dollars for the right player that gets the team to the next level.
Do you think they will manage to keep Suter and Weber having just signed Rinne to a massive extension? Or do you think one of them will be traded? Would you prefer to see them signed or traded?
I prefer to see them signed. Ryan Suter and Shea Weber are the backbone of this team, they are the rare combination of defensemen, two stars that make each other better. Their games compliment each other’s skill set. Both players have clearly indicated they want to stay in Nashville. I fully expect both of these players to be signed. Suter is the priority right now because he is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. Weber will still be a restricted free agent and can’t be signed until after January 1.
Is this franchise safe? Or am I going to be hearing rumours surrounding it like you do Florida, Columbus and of course Phoenix in a couple of years?
Talk about the jackpot question. It was only a few years ago that Nashville was listed among the franchises most likely to be relocated. A lot of that was the mainstream hockey media’s bias against non-traditional markets. Since new (local) ownership took over, the team has seen steady revenue growth, steady attendance growth and steady growth in corporate support. There are many other franchises more at risk than the Nashville Predators, but this team is still in the transition between expansion franchise and established franchise. As the second generation of hockey fans matures and becomes season ticket holders, you now have a generation of hockey fans that do not remember a time when Nashville wasn’t a part of the NHL. That is a key milestone for a franchise.
Greg… I appreciate your questions and welcome to the fraternity of hockey fans! I hope you got the answers you were looking for. I also hope you continue to follow the Preds!
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Random Notes
- San Jose’s OT loss to Chicago last night allowed them to leap frog Nashville in the Western Conference standing because they have two games in hand.
- A critical week in Pred Nation gets started tomorrow night as the Preds host the Flames, then things turn deadly serious as the Red Wings hit town Thursday, then the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
- Buddy Oakes calls out the fact that Francis Bouillon’s presence has been key to the Predators success… and his absence key to their lack thereof… check his blog
here.
- Mike Fisher has really been strong over the last few games, doing a lot of the grunt work, winning faceoffs, putting the puck on net and generally showing the way through action.
- Preds are back in action tomorrow night against the Calgary Flames.
- Only one game on the NHL schedule tonight. Devils / Lightning.
- Joe Sacco is doing everything he can to get his team’s attention… that includes a couple of bag skates over the past few weeks. Doesn’t seem to be working.
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