Last year, season tix started at $192. Sadly, I divided by 48, not 24. So fine, $8 a ticket, on par with an NLL game or Div. 3 college football game...and a free jersey.
- jmatchett383

Whatever, it works for the team. And they can't say hey, season seats start at $40 a game and we will probably only win half. Pick and choose your battles when you've sucked for as long as we have.

The only thing I can say is look at Chicago and Pittsburgh before Toews, Kane, Crosby, and Malkin. Buildings were empty. Heck, the Penguins were about to move. In some markets, it DOES take consistency.
- Panthers88

Of course. Crazy though how those markets essentially became band-wagon markets as soon as their stars arrived. Before that, they were jokes of the NHL...


I'd say this graph shows the true hockey fans of Pennsylvania:

http://imgur.com/a/5BImQ

Whatever, it works for the team. And they can't say hey, season seats start at $40 a game and we will probably only win half. Pick and choose your battles when you've sucked for as long as we have.
- Panthers88

I don't mean to dump on the Panthers, and I know that there are some die-hard fans. But when you've had 4 teams in existence for 20+ years (Tampa Bay, Florida, Ottawa, Anaheim) and only one (MAYBE two) have a really strong, solid fanbase, maybe it's time to move on.

FWIW, LA had some crazy scheme years ago (well, early 2000s). 4 tix, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas for $40 (or $44). It got people's butts in the seats. It just seems like, no matter what Florida does, people are not interested unless they can jump on a bandwagon.

Of course. Crazy though how those markets essentially became band-wagon markets as soon as their stars arrived. Before that, they were jokes of the NHL...


I'd say this graph shows the true hockey fans of Pennsylvania:

http://imgur.com/a/5BImQ
- Flyers_V88

That page has been bookmarked.

Of course. Crazy though how those markets essentially became band-wagon markets as soon as their stars arrived. Before that, they were jokes of the NHL...


I'd say this graph shows the true hockey fans of Pennsylvania:

http://imgur.com/a/5BImQ
- Flyers_V88

Oh, that link is gold, sir.

I don't mean to dump on the Panthers, and I know that there are some die-hard fans. But when you've had 4 teams in existence for 20+ years (Tampa Bay, Florida, Ottawa, Anaheim) and only one (MAYBE two) have a really strong, solid fanbase, maybe it's time to move on.
- jmatchett383

But they won't ever move. Sometimes I have gotten so frustrated and wouldn't have cared either way to be honest. But the arena draws in plenty, plus the team gets tax benefits from the county. But, again, there have been times where I just wanted the team gone. It gets that stressful sometimes. I see teams like the Ducks and Canes winning Cups and here we are struggling to kind of not suck that much. Hard sometimes.

If anyone hasn't read it. Paul Stewart's blog is some fantastic level-headed ripping of Milbury. Loved it.

I don't mean to dump on the Panthers, and I know that there are some die-hard fans. But when you've had 4 teams in existence for 20+ years (Tampa Bay, Florida, Ottawa, Anaheim) and only one (MAYBE two) have a really strong, solid fanbase, maybe it's time to move on.

FWIW, LA had some crazy scheme years ago (well, early 2000s). 4 tix, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas for $40 (or $44). It got people's butts in the seats. It just seems like, no matter what Florida does, people are not interested unless they can jump on a bandwagon.
- jmatchett383

It's funny... Tampa, Ottawa and Anaheim SUCKED when they first arrived, but have had success since.

Florida came into the league with a bang, Cup Finals, rats, and packed houses. It's been crickets since.

But they won't ever move. Sometimes I have gotten so frustrated and wouldn't have cared either way to be honest. But the arena draws in plenty, plus the team gets tax benefits from the county. But, again, there have been times where I just wanted the team gone. It gets that stressful sometimes. I see teams like the Ducks and Canes winning Cups and here we are struggling to kind of not suck that much. Hard sometimes.
- Panthers88

I know they won't, because, despite attendance numbers, they make the NHL money. And they should be good: UFAs should be falling over each other to play there, but the team's success/lack thereof and penny pinching owners have just made them unattractive. I wish they'd be more competitive, and hopefully new owners can make that happen. The game on a whole is better served when all teams are as equal as possible.

Flyers had 3 lines that were doing well and then Berube started to mess with them.

Raffl - G - Voracek
Hartnell - Schenn - Simmonds
Downie - Coots - Read

Those lines worked! Throw Vinny on the 4th line

I know they won't, because, despite attendance numbers, they make the NHL money. And they should be good: UFAs should be falling over each other to play there, but the team's success/lack thereof and penny pinching owners have just made them unattractive. I wish they'd be more competitive, and hopefully new owners can make that happen. The game on a whole is better served when all teams are as equal as possible.
- jmatchett383

This. I like our new owner. He's at every game and talks to the team in the locker room after every loss. He wants to win now and has given Tallon the money and permission to make the moves needed. We'll see.

It's funny... Tampa, Ottawa and Anaheim SUCKED when they first arrived, but have had success since.

Florida came into the league with a bang, Cup Finals, rats, and packed houses. It's been crickets since.
- Tomahawk

God damn crickets!

Flyers had 3 lines that were doing well and then Berube started to mess with them.

Raffl - G - Voracek
Hartnell - Schenn - Simmonds
Downie - Coots - Read

Those lines worked! Throw Vinny on the 4th line
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Part of the problem was the injury to Downie which forced a rework of that line, and he hasn't exactly been the same since coming back. I think Read and Raffl were also out for stretches which forced different line combos. And as good as Raffl has been all season, he's been very cold offensively as of late.

Oh, that link is gold, sir.
- johndewar

Haha yeah, basically sums up what Pens fans are - bandwagoners to the core!

God damn crickets!
- Panthers88

Haha yeah, basically sums up what Pens fans are - bandwagoners to the core!
- Flyers_V88

I'd be interested in seeing the same chart for the Capitals. I'm guessing there's a sharp peak in 97/98, then a quick drop that levels off, and a steep rise again in 07/08.

I'd be interested in seeing the same chart for the Capitals. I'm guessing there's a sharp peak in 97/98, then a quick drop that levels off, and a steep rise again in 07/08.
- jmatchett383

Oh yeah I forgot about the Caps. Where were they for 12 years before Ovi?

I'd be interested in seeing the same chart for the Capitals. I'm guessing there's a sharp peak in 97/98, then a quick drop that levels off, and a steep rise again in 07/08.
- jmatchett383

I think the best thing that franchise did was to get that arena downtown.

The old Cap Centre sucked bad in every possible way.

Oh yeah I forgot about the Caps. Where were they for 12 years before Ovi?
- Panthers88

My guess? Doing drugs and committing crimes while the teams from the North East filled their stadium.

I think the best thing that franchise did was to get that arena downtown.

The old Cap Centre sucked bad in every possible way.
- johndewar

Kinda like Nassau?

To me, this team, as constructed, can at the very least hang with any team in the NHL. However, to do that, they need to be prepared to outwork the other team every night, and play smart. Which they can. They just haven't recently.
- jmatchett383

They can hang with many teams sure but if Chicago, Boston, Anaheim, St Louis, San Jose, LA or Pittsburgh bring their "A" game, they are simply better.

My guess? Doing drugs and committing crimes while the teams from the North East filled their stadium.
- jmatchett383

Kinda like Nassau?
- jmatchett383

Bad lighting, out in the middle of nowhere.

Blech.

They can hang with many teams sure but if Chicago, Boston, Anaheim, St Louis, San Jose, LA or Pittsburgh bring their "A" game, they are simply better.
- BiggE

Which is fine with me, right now. If they give their best effort and lose, then you can't blame the players or coach. But when they're not giving 100% every night, then they need to absorb a large portion of the blame. In the NHL, if you give 95%, you will lose 95% of the time.

I'd be interested in seeing the same chart for the Capitals. I'm guessing there's a sharp peak in 97/98, then a quick drop that levels off, and a steep rise again in 07/08.
- jmatchett383

Yeah, it'd really be cool to see all of the bigger market teams, and how they've done historically with their attendance?