Two more notes on attendance:

- We are just coming out of a pandemic and I think that people got used to staying home. I am a homebody naturally so I don't count, but when I do go out I don't see nearly as many people at restaurants as I used to.

- We are still in the midst of a global inflation crisis (please don't turn this into a political post). People have less money.
- Slump Buster

First point is well taken.

Second point I don't buy, personally. The Sabres are very affordable. If you choose not to consume alcohol at the game, they're cheap.

- We are still in the midst of a global inflation crisis (please don't turn this into a political post). People have less money.
- Slump Buster

this


most people have a fraction of the money to spend on entertainment and the sabres play over the last 10 years has probably slid them down many people's list

Two more notes on attendance:

- We are just coming out of a pandemic and I think that people got used to staying home. I am a homebody naturally so I don't count, but when I do go out I don't see nearly as many people at restaurants as I used to.

- We are still in the midst of a global inflation crisis (please don't turn this into a political post). People have less money.
- Slump Buster

Thank God it didn't affect Terry Pegula.

First point is well taken.

Second point I don't buy, personally. The Sabres are very affordable. If you choose not to consume alcohol at the game, they're cheap.
- lacaprup

bars and restaurants are down 20 percent down here in florida due to economy

hell even the legion is down a bit and it's cheap to drink there

First point is well taken.

Second point I don't buy, personally. The Sabres are very affordable. If you choose not to consume alcohol at the game, they're cheap.
- lacaprup

You think spending $200 to take a family of 4 is a bargain? Again, this is where you lose the casual fans. It is a bargain compared to the rest of the league but that is a ton of money for most people.

hell even the legion is down a bit and it's cheap to drink there
- homiedclown

If you can't afford to drink at the legion I feel real bad for you.

You think spending $200 to take a family of 4 is a bargain? Again, this is where you lose the casual fans. It is a bargain compared to the rest of the league but that is a ton of money most people.
- Slump Buster

esp when groceries are up 25 percent
gas up 50 percent
etc
wait til the electric bills come out this winter

You think spending $200 to take a family of 4 is a bargain? Again, this is where you lose the casual fans. It is a bargain compared to the rest of the league but that is a ton of money most people.
- Slump Buster

In my day no self respecting 20 year old male and his date would miss this team. We have the families there honestly.

If you can't afford to drink at the legion I feel real bad for you.
- lacaprup

they raised their price down here

3 bucks a can now

6 bucks for a crown and sprite

bars and restaurants are down 20 percent down here in florida due to economy

hell even the legion is down a bit and it's cheap to drink there
- homiedclown

I hate to say it but it really did make me like staying home even more. If I can watch the game on a 120" screen in the comfort of my home and not have to sit through long commercial breaks in the arena or bad weather outside....

they raised their price down here

3 bucks a can now

6 bucks for a crown and sprite
- homiedclown

Geesh, that's highway robbery. I hope it comes with bullpoop story or two.

In my day no self respecting 20 year old male and his date would miss this team. We have the families there honestly.
- lacaprup

Mine as well. As a college kid I had a mini pack in the oranges for less than $100 per seat for the whole pack.

I hate to say it but it really did make me like staying home even more. If I can watch the game on a 120" screen in the comfort of my home and not have to sit through long commercial breaks in the arena or bad weather outside....
- Slump Buster

TV is a real part of the problem. Now the NFL is a distant 4th sport for me, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to watch a live NFL game ither than the tailgate. That sport is built for TV.

Mine as well. As a college kid I had a mini pack in the oranges for less than $100 per seat for the whole pack.
- Slump Buster

Yep.

Canisius college always had $15 seats for undergrads when I was there too.

TV is a real part of the problem. Now the NFL is a distant 4th sport for me, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to watch a live NFL game ither than the tailgate. That sport is built for TV.
- lacaprup

I think what is really baffling is why in the year of our Lord 2022 we don't have games in 4k. I've been able to watch Notre Dame Football in 4k for years but not a single freaking NFL game.

There is good news that we can all agree on:

https://twitter.com/NHLNe...tatus/1587666964209713152

Mine as well. As a college kid I had a mini pack in the oranges for less than $100 per seat for the whole pack.
- Slump Buster

I spent thousands of dollars in my late teens early twenties at the arena for games and swag.

Granted the team was also very good at the time, I had seasons the two tank years before I moved down here. After having another child there is no way I would have been able to keep those tickets and I wouldn't even want to up until this year.

I think what is really baffling is why in the year of our Lord 2022 we don't have games in 4k. I've been able to watch Notre Dame Football in 4k for years but not a single freaking NFL game.
- Slump Buster

Once they FINALLY fix the viewing experience from home for casual fans I think more would come watch in person.

I think what is really baffling is why in the year of our Lord 2022 we don't have games in 4k. I've been able to watch Notre Dame Football in 4k for years but not a single freaking NFL game.
- Slump Buster

Kyrie Irving could tell you.

Sorry, didn't see the date question.

The average Sabre home game became embarrassing for me this season based upon number of empty seats. The only game I was embarrassed by last year was Edmonton, which was shameful.

The water is now long under the bridge. Who's left to be mad at? Yes, I wanted Cat this offseason, but all I ever demanded was a goalie. Ours is working out spectacularly thus far, and we're scoring goals aplenty without Cat.

The thing that pisses me off is we have the youngest team in the league. These type of players feed off the crowd like it has palpable energy. We're missing out, as a fanbase, on pushing with them over the hill. Shame.
- lacaprup

As you alluded to in an earlier post, and least you don’t have to put up with the, “nobody there gives a poop about hockey dur da dur!” BS.
(Pegula’s) Sabres are the new Panthers
The frenzy over the Bills may delay things, but fans will be back when they believe they aren’t wasting their time and money.
It’s Buffalo, the town that creates hockey maniacs, after all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J41AXq3-Mc0

I want my nice season tickets too, but the man did get the Bills a stadium and personally liked both Josh Allen and Tage Thompson. He deserves forgivness.
- lacaprup

He's been a piss poor custodian of the Sabres.

And the proposed stadium is a joke. 50% more than the one in Minneapolis cost and it doesn't even get a roof.

“ It's time to figure it out. Myself, I've been absolutely horrible. I'm not really doing anything, got to fight to stay in this league. I've got to do a lot more leadership-wise ... my own play. If I can do that, that will make a big difference.”

“ Doug's message was clear. This is unacceptable, what's going on, and he's absolutely right. We all have to look inside and find our own way out of what's going on. But yeah, for myself especially, it's pretty pathetic.”

Name that former depressed Sabre…..

If the Sabres make it through November and the tough schedule that they have and they're still holding where they are in the standings then I would expect more fans to come.

Once the NFL season is over and they're still good, then I would expect attendance to rise as well.

The Bills being as good as they have been the last 3-4 years, the Sabres being as bad as they have been for over a decade, the border issues with Covid etc. and the completely mismanagement of the team up until last year has lost the fan base.
- Stripes77

Exactly this.

Fans have had the "Lucy pulling away the football from Charlie Brown" December crash several times over the past 12 years, most notably with the 10-game win streak.

Fans are skeptical, and rightfully so. It's up to the organization to prove they deserve fans' time and money through sustained success, or at the very least, relevance in the standings later than Christmas.

You can't undo 12 years of damage in one month

“ It's time to figure it out. Myself, I've been absolutely horrible. I'm not really doing anything, got to fight to stay in this league. I've got to do a lot more leadership-wise ... my own play. If I can do that, that will make a big difference.”

“ Doug's message was clear. This is unacceptable, what's going on, and he's absolutely right. We all have to look inside and find our own way out of what's going on. But yeah, for myself especially, it's pretty pathetic.”

Name that former depressed Sabre…..
- sbroads24

Gratton?

this


most people have a fraction of the money to spend on entertainment and the sabres play over the last 10 years has probably slid them down many people's list
- homiedclown

Two more things on the attendance point that I've heard recently relative to the difference between Bills fans supporting the Bills through the drought versus Sabres fans through their drought:

The Bills were usually #InTheHunt with 7-9 teams and were at no point the worst team in the league versus the Sabres who have finished worst in the league 4 times in the past 8 years.

There is also a time commitment to going to 41 games versus 8 (or 9) games a year.

It's going to take more time to build trust