2,838 in San Francisco? What's going on?

[JB51Hockey]

ECHL's San Francisco draws 2,838. It was a Sunday but for a brand new expansion in a huge market you should be drawing at least 5,000. They are only averaging a little more than 4,000. What's the deal in San Fran?

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[LadyStanley]

http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/c...lls-hockey-team-struggling-at-gate?source=rss

Sharks are back.

 

[HansH]

ECHL's San Francisco draws 2,838. It was a Sunday but for a brand new expansion in a huge market you should be drawing at least 5,000. They are only averaging a little more than 4,000. What's the deal in San Fran?

The huge market actually works AGAINST the Bulls, as they're a mid-minors team in a sprawling metropolis, thus aren't really deemed worth as much coverage and reporting -- and the advertising media costs are significantly higher in the Bay Area than they would be in, say, Dayton or Rapid City.

Also, while the team may be a new expansion, the facility in which they play is old old old, and not ideally suited for hockey sightlines (as I understand it, having never actually attended a game there myself).

Add in the return of the NHL just down the 101, and yeah, I'm not surprised one bit at their numbers this year.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.gacklereport.com/2013/03/curcio-says-bulls-have-exceeded.html

Part owner/president/GM/coach Curcio: team has exceeded attendance expectations

 

[Kmshrkx]

I have attended every weeknight game this season. The crowds are around 2,000 but the atmosphere is fun.

Pro's: Low ticket prices, $10 parking, close to home, promotions at every game, good competitive hockey, get to see a lot of good young players working hard to make it to a higher league.

Con's: The Cow Palace, it's old and cold. The Bulls have done a few things to improve the old barn ( new center ice scoreboard) good sound system, a beer garden behind the goal. The sight lines aren't great, the higher up you sit the better you can see. Being the bottom team in the Sharks system, we lose guys once they start to play well.

 

[SemireliableSource]

$10 parking is a pro? Must be a mid-level team in a major market. Other markets $10 parking would stop people from attending.

 

[LadyStanley]

$10 parking is a pro? Must be a mid-level team in a major market. Other markets $10 parking would stop people from attending.

Compared to Sharks parking @ $25, it is. (Or $50 for NFL, etc.)

 

[alko]

Compared to Sharks parking @ $25, it is. (Or $50 for NFL, etc.)

compare it to parking for free.

In regard to parkin i want to ask, if there isnt any option to visit the stadium lets say with bus or something like this?
Yeah, im a lazy Slovak, who is acustomed to drive everywhere in the city with bus.

 

[LadyStanley]

compare it to parking for free.

In regard to parkin i want to ask, if there isnt any option to visit the stadium lets say with bus or something like this?
Yeah, im a lazy Slovak, who is acustomed to drive everywhere in the city with bus.

First, Cow Palace is in a not-very-nice part of town.

There are buses that service the area (but really only for local folks).

The Bulls offer a (free) shuttle service from BART to arena. (But not CalTrain which would be how folks from Santa Clara county, where the Sharks play, would do regional transit.)