Jared Crozier: Senators down Rangers 2-1 in series opener

Go Sens Go!

Gotta give Queenie some props for a great performance but still happy to see an Original 4 team prevail.

This is not a troll, interested in finding out from locals - how did you not sell out the arena?

Jared Crozier: Senators down Rangers 2-1 in series opener
- JaredCrozier

Eklund picked us to win the series. This one is already over. Just let the Sens move forward now

Jared Crozier: Senators down Rangers 2-1 in series opener
- JaredCrozier

Excellent match last night gentlemen. How about that goal shot by #65 Karlsson, Erik. What a beam of laser!

If the Sens can score 1 more goal than the Rangers every game, it will be a short series.

good game last night fellas

i thought sens had majority of the chances with the rangers having some as well and just not being able to convert

I expect the games to get a little tighter after what was pretty wide open hockey last night. EK's goal was your typical playoff style goal

This is not a troll, interested in finding out from locals - how did you not sell out the arena?
- redmonsters

Nope.
only 16000 out of 19000.
Pathetic

Karlsson though eh....so good.

Very exciting game for both teams, I think this entire series is going to be close, last 5 minute or OT one goal games

This is not a troll, interested in finding out from locals - how did you not sell out the arena?
- redmonsters

This will sound stupid...

I have tickets to all the games... I ended up selling mine for last night and watching from home... One key reason was that my wife was out of town and I love going to games with her... This weekend we are both out of town so sold those ones as well.. I sold them all at cost...

But, we are going to game 5 (if it goes that far)...

Also, I can't afford to go to 3 games per round for 4 rounds!!!!

I went to two games in the 1st round (games 2 and 5)...

Nope.
only 16000 out of 19000.
Pathetic

Karlsson though eh....so good.
- Fakepartofme

I'd like to see you drive out to Pickering for a hockey game on a Thursday night when you have a pub down the street showing it with cheaper beer and still a great atmosphere. It strait up wouldn't happen. People watched the game on TV. This is a city of public servant. Hit the links bud.

I'd like to see you drive out to Pickering for a hockey game on a Thursday night when you have a pub down the street showing it with cheaper beer and still a great atmosphere. It strait up wouldn't happen. People watched the game on TV. This is a city of public servant. Hit the links bud.

- nohtingbutnet

pathetic..no excuse.
2nd round of the playoffs that you are lucky to be in.
tickets are under $100 for the most part

If you cant fill the arena during the playoffs....move to a city that will.
its 20 mins outside the downtown core.

This will sound stupid...

I have tickets to all the games... I ended up selling mine for last night and watching from home... One key reason was that my wife was out of town and I love going to games with her... This weekend we are both out of town so sold those ones as well.. I sold them all at cost...

But, we are going to game 5 (if it goes that far)...

Also, I can't afford to go to 3 games per round for 4 rounds!!!!

I went to two games in the 1st round (games 2 and 5)...
- riceroni

At least you sold them and someone went in your place.

Just posted this in EK's thread, but relevant here:

Bud, half the city doesn't even cheer for the Sens.

In the early 90's, they plopped a hockey team in between the two biggest hockey markets in the world. They tried to steal fans from the two most storied franchises in hockey history.

It didn't work.

The Sens are going to have to grow organically.

Right now, anyone who is a diehard hockey fan in Ottawa who is over 45 is likely not a Sens fan. Anyone over that age was a fan of another team before Ottawa came to town and they weren't going to switch. The Sens were left picking up the scraps (fair weather fans - people who didn't cheer for anyone in particular, or didn't even follow hockey) and marketing to kids.

Everyone in Ottawa who are in their prime money making years are either:
1. Fans of other teams
2. Not hockey fans
3. Fairweather Sens fans (the types who complain about driving or weather or prices).

The only true fanbase the Sens have are people under 40 and unfortunately, people that age don't have money to spend on going to multiple playoff games.

I was there last night, and I went to round 1. I am done. I'm tapped financially on Sens games for now. Those two games cost me almost a grand, combined for me and my wife. It's tough as a 35 yr old with a young family to afford to go to a bunch of these games.

It's easy to sit in Toronto or Montreal and say "why aren't they selling out". You just don't get it. Until you live here and realize we have the YOUNGEST fan base in the league, and anyone over 40 looks for excuses NOT to go to games, you'll never get it.

Again, all the diehard hockey fans in this city who are over 40-45 are Leafs or Habs or even Bruins fans. Those are the fans a franchise relies on to buy tickets.

Just posted this in EK's thread, but relevant here:

Bud, half the city doesn't even cheer for the Sens.

In the early 90's, they plopped a hockey team in between the two biggest hockey markets in the world. They tried to steal fans from the two most storied franchises in hockey history.

It didn't work.

The Sens are going to have to grow organically.

Right now, anyone who is a diehard hockey fan in Ottawa who is over 45 is likely not a Sens fan. Anyone over that age was a fan of another team before Ottawa came to town and they weren't going to switch. The Sens were left picking up the scraps (fair weather fans - people who didn't cheer for anyone in particular, or didn't even follow hockey) and marketing to kids.

Everyone in Ottawa who are in their prime money making years are either:
1. Fans of other teams
2. Not hockey fans
3. Fairweather Sens fans (the types who complain about driving or weather or prices).

The only true fanbase the Sens have are people under 40 and unfortunately, people that age don't have money to spend on going to multiple playoff games.

I was there last night, and I went to round 1. I am done. I'm tapped financially on Sens games for now. Those two games cost me almost a grand, combined for me and my wife. It's tough as a 35 yr old with a young family to afford to go to a bunch of these games.

It's easy to sit in Toronto or Montreal and say "why aren't they selling out". You just don't get it. Until you live here and realize we have the YOUNGEST fan base in the league, and anyone over 40 looks for excuses NOT to go to games, you'll never get it.

Again, all the diehard hockey fans in this city who are over 40-45 are Leafs or Habs or even Bruins fans. Those are the fans a franchise relies on to buy tickets.
- Charliebox

nicely put, i had no idea that was the case and it makes perfect sense

nicely put, i had no idea that was the case and it makes perfect sense
- mrn22

Ya know, it sucks. I hate having to defend our fans. I was at the game last night, and I had a pit in my stomach seeing all those empty seats at the top. It actually killed the mood for me for the entire 1st period. It really got to me.

I will never defend the fair weather Sens fans who make excuses.

I will say though, that the Sens fans in this city who are under 40 are as good, if not more loyal than fans of any other team. The problem is they don't have the money (or time..being young parents) to go to a bunch of games. I always try to get to 5-10 a year, but after last night, I'm priced out.

I maintain that in 20 years, when the leading edge of the true Sens fans get into their 50's, this will be a very different market.

pathetic..no excuse.
2nd round of the playoffs that you are lucky to be in.
tickets are under $100 for the most part

If you cant fill the arena during the playoffs....move to a city that will.
its 20 mins outside the downtown core.
- Fakepartofme

did you go to a playoff game in TO? Did you go to a regular season game?

I've been to Montreal and Toronto for Sens games this past year...

You can get tickets when they go on sale in August... they are available for the 1st few hours of their on sale...

I'd like to see you drive out to Pickering for a hockey game on a Thursday night when you have a pub down the street showing it with cheaper beer and still a great atmosphere. It strait up wouldn't happen. People watched the game on TV. This is a city of public servant. Hit the links bud.

- nohtingbutnet

what a bad excuse, you're gonna spend $ in a pub for food and drinks anyways, why not fork out the extra cash and go see the game? Tickets aren't even half as expensive as Leaf playoff tickets and you can't beat the experience of being at an NHL playoff game live

Just posted this in EK's thread, but relevant here:

Bud, half the city doesn't even cheer for the Sens.

In the early 90's, they plopped a hockey team in between the two biggest hockey markets in the world. They tried to steal fans from the two most storied franchises in hockey history.

It didn't work.

The Sens are going to have to grow organically.

Right now, anyone who is a diehard hockey fan in Ottawa who is over 45 is likely not a Sens fan. Anyone over that age was a fan of another team before Ottawa came to town and they weren't going to switch. The Sens were left picking up the scraps (fair weather fans - people who didn't cheer for anyone in particular, or didn't even follow hockey) and marketing to kids.

Everyone in Ottawa who are in their prime money making years are either:
1. Fans of other teams
2. Not hockey fans
3. Fairweather Sens fans (the types who complain about driving or weather or prices).

The only true fanbase the Sens have are people under 40 and unfortunately, people that age don't have money to spend on going to multiple playoff games.

I was there last night, and I went to round 1. I am done. I'm tapped financially on Sens games for now. Those two games cost me almost a grand, combined for me and my wife. It's tough as a 35 yr old with a young family to afford to go to a bunch of these games.

It's easy to sit in Toronto or Montreal and say "why aren't they selling out". You just don't get it. Until you live here and realize we have the YOUNGEST fan base in the league, and anyone over 40 looks for excuses NOT to go to games, you'll never get it.

Again, all the diehard hockey fans in this city who are over 40-45 are Leafs or Habs or even Bruins fans. Those are the fans a franchise relies on to buy tickets.
- Charliebox

Nice read and some of it makes sense. However, is it factual? How do you know you have the youngest fan base in the league? What studied showed that? Also, having a younger fan base of 20 - 40 should help the sens fill the arena, that demographic spends the most money....those are the people that NHL clubs rely on.

Go Sens Go!

Gotta give Queenie some props for a great performance but still happy to see an Original 4 team prevail.
- Queenie_5_hole

The senators are not an original 4 team. entirely different franchise.

Ya know, it sucks. I hate having to defend our fans. I was at the game last night, and I had a pit in my stomach seeing all those empty seats at the top. It actually killed the mood for me for the entire 1st period. It really got to me.

I will never defend the fair weather Sens fans who make excuses.

I will say though, that the Sens fans in this city who are under 40 are as good, if not more loyal than fans of any other team. The problem is they don't have the money (or time..being young parents) to go to a bunch of games. I always try to get to 5-10 a year, but after last night, I'm priced out.

I maintain that in 20 years, when the leading edge of the true Sens fans get into their 50's, this will be a very different market.
- Charliebox

As a Sens fan who lives in the maritimes I can remember when my brother and I were the only local Sens fans I knew. I now know at least 20 to 30 other sens fans who are all under 40. This teams popularity is growing and alot of it has to do with 65.

did you go to a playoff game in TO? Did you go to a regular season game?

I've been to Montreal and Toronto for Sens games this past year...

You can get tickets when they go on sale in August... they are available for the 1st few hours of their on sale...
- riceroni

Yes I went to three leaf games this year.
Playoff tickets run a minimum of $300 for one...so no I didnt go to a game...plus the place was SOLD OUT in seconds.

Now...if playoffs tickets were $50 -$100 (like in Ottawa for a lot of tickets).....I along with even more people would have scooped them up. Heck at that price, the leafs would fill the Rogers center.

Ya know, it sucks. I hate having to defend our fans. I was at the game last night, and I had a pit in my stomach seeing all those empty seats at the top. It actually killed the mood for me for the entire 1st period. It really got to me.

I will never defend the fair weather Sens fans who make excuses.

I will say though, that the Sens fans in this city who are under 40 are as good, if not more loyal than fans of any other team. The problem is they don't have the money (or time..being young parents) to go to a bunch of games. I always try to get to 5-10 a year, but after last night, I'm priced out.

I maintain that in 20 years, when the leading edge of the true Sens fans get into their 50's, this will be a very different market.
- Charliebox

As a Sens fan in my mid-20s, I can pretty much confirm that, even as a die-hard for the past 15 years, I wouldn't be able to budget for more than one playoff game a year even if I lived in Ottawa. It's just not feasible for most younger folks. Hopefully when I'm a geezer I'll have the dough to fly in and watch a couple playoff games a year

Nice read and some of it makes sense. However, is it factual? How do you know you have the youngest fan base in the league? What studied showed that? Also, having a younger fan base of 20 - 40 should help the sens fill the arena, that demographic spends the most money....those are the people that NHL clubs rely on.
- Fakepartofme

Okay.. I'm going to try to say this without coming across as an bumhole.....but.. are you (frank)ing well?

In what world do the 20-40 year olds spend the most money on sports tickets?

How many 30 year olds are dropping 15K on a pair of season tickets?

The 20-40 yr olds buy the cheap seats when there are deals. The 20-40 yr olds find a way to the building without paying for parking. The 20-40 yr olds sneak their own booze into games instead of paying $10 for a beer. The 20-40 yr old avoid the concessions at all costs.

Honestly, that was the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

This team and it's captain are playing great and exciting hockey and all the talk is about attendance. Kind of a bummer