NHL sets attendence Records for October and November

[Jaded-Fan]

Granted, I am not entirely sure if they are only going by numbers through the turnstiles or percentage, but either way, the 'new' NHL obviously is doing much better than some thought it would and is a hit with fans everywhere:


PENS LEAD NHL IN INCREASED ATTENDANCE DURING NOVEMBER
12/01/2005

Crowds at Mellon Arena Up 35 Percent Over November, 2003; NHL Sets November Attendance Record

The Pittsburgh Penguins drew an average crowd of 16,172 for six November home games, an increase of 35 percent over November, 2003 – the largest attendance increase of any team in the National Hockey League.

The NHL, rebounding dramatically from a work stoppage that wiped out the 2004-05 season, posted the best November attendance in its 88-year history, attracting 3,346,812 fans to 199 games and setting an attendance record for the second consecutive month. The average NHL crowd in November was 16,818, and league arenas were filled to 91.2 percent capacity.

http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com/team/press/arts/1497.0.php

Click to read more...

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Further numbers:

NHL NOVEMBER ATTENDANCE SINCE 1987

Year GP Avg. % Increase *

2005 199 16,818 -------
2003 206 16,244 +3.5%
2002 207 16,378 +2.7%
2001 200 16,490 +2.0%
2000 199 16,200 +3.8%
1999 172 15,880 +5.9%
1998 165 15,819 +6.3%
1997 176 15,951 +5.4%
1996 172 16,197 +3.8%
1995 172 15,297 +9.9%
1993 165 15,245 +10.3%
1992 155 14,789 +13.7%
1991 144 15,330 +9.7%
1990 141 15,270 +10.1%
1989 140 15,630 +7.6%
1988 142 15,142 +11.1%
1987 138 15,137 +11.1%

http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/12/245814.html

 

[Transported Upstater]

Further numbers:

NHL NOVEMBER ATTENDANCE SINCE 1987

Year GP Avg. % Increase *

2005 199 16,818 -------
2003 206 16,244 +3.5%
2002 207 16,378 +2.7%
2001 200 16,490 +2.0%
2000 199 16,200 +3.8%
1999 172 15,880 +5.9%
1998 165 15,819 +6.3%
1997 176 15,951 +5.4%
1996 172 16,197 +3.8%
1995 172 15,297 +9.9%
1993 165 15,245 +10.3%
1992 155 14,789 +13.7%
1991 144 15,330 +9.7%
1990 141 15,270 +10.1%
1989 140 15,630 +7.6%
1988 142 15,142 +11.1%
1987 138 15,137 +11.1%

http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/12/245814.html

Sidney Crosby may help a bit in attendance...I'm glad he's a Penguin.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Obviously this is announced attendance. Just more spin from NHL head office. There are tons of empty seats around the league.

 

[Timmy]

Obviously this is announced attendance. Just more spin from NHL head office. There are tons of empty seats around the league.

I agree, somebody oughtta phone the NHL to confirm all of this.

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

Obviously this is announced attendance. Just more spin from NHL head office. There are tons of empty seats around the league.

But doesn't this still mean that they're selling tickets? And if so, who cares. It means people care enough to spend the money even if they don't wind up going for some reason.

 

[rwilson99]

Obviously this is announced attendance. Just more spin from NHL head office. There are tons of empty seats around the league.

Every other year in the sample is announced attendance too.

 

[Troy McClure]

Obviously this is announced attendance. Just more spin from NHL head office. There are tons of empty seats around the league.

Like rwilson99 said, that's how the Stars have done it since they moved to Dallas. They don't have the time or money to hire someone to count ticket stubs of people actually there.

This isn't spin. This is how attendance numbers are calculated in every sport.

 

[Crazy_Ike]

I agree, somebody oughtta phone the NHL to confirm all of this.

I agree. The last thread on this subject was awesome.

 

[kdb209]

This isn't spin. This is how attendance numbers are calculated in every sport.

True now, but that wasn't always the case.

Up until 1992 in MLB, the National League reported attendance based on actual attendance (turnstile count) while the American League reported attendance based on tickets sold. Tht's why the AL always seemed to have higher attendance than the NL. After '92, the NL switched over to tickets sold, just like the AL.

 

[Timmy]

Every other year in the sample is announced attendance too.

W-w-w-w-well, now just hold on a second, there, son. W-w-w-what you're sayin' here is that attendance figgers announced now are done the same way they were done before this whole gosh-darned fiasco.

I'm not, you know, much a star in the, you know, brain area there, but doesn't this, I mean, doesn't this mean that there were empty seats in the barns before the lockout that may have counted as attendees?

I-I-I-Well, I'm just sorry to say, sir that that's just - well, that's just perposterous, is what that is. If what you're sayin' is right, well, maybe we haven't been bamboozled after all!

Hey, waddaya know, maybe those guys in New York didn't lie to us after all!

Maybe they're okay fellas!

I think we all have to go home to our families and just, you know, just, think about this for awhile before we say anything else.

All I want to say is, Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

W-w-w-w-well, now just hold on a second, there, son. W-w-w-what you're sayin' here is that attendance figgers announced now are done the same way they were done before this whole gosh-darned fiasco.

I'm not, you know, much a star in the, you know, brain area there, but doesn't this, I mean, doesn't this mean that there were empty seats in the barns before the lockout that may have counted as attendees?

I-I-I-Well, I'm just sorry to say, sir that that's just - well, that's just perposterous, is what that is. If what you're sayin' is right, well, maybe we haven't been bamboozled after all!

Hey, waddaya know, maybe those guys in New York didn't lie to us after all!

Maybe they're okay fellas!

I think we all have to go home to our families and just, you know, just, think about this for awhile before we say anything else.

All I want to say is, Merry Christmas everyone!

had me laughing ... ;-)

 

[Timmy]

had me laughing ... ;-)

You do know that I support the NHL over the NHLPA, right?

 

[GSC2k2*]

W-w-w-w-well, now just hold on a second, there, son. W-w-w-what you're sayin' here is that attendance figgers announced now are done the same way they were done before this whole gosh-darned fiasco.

I'm not, you know, much a star in the, you know, brain area there, but doesn't this, I mean, doesn't this mean that there were empty seats in the barns before the lockout that may have counted as attendees?

I-I-I-Well, I'm just sorry to say, sir that that's just - well, that's just perposterous, is what that is. If what you're sayin' is right, well, maybe we haven't been bamboozled after all!

Hey, waddaya know, maybe those guys in New York didn't lie to us after all!

Maybe they're okay fellas!

I think we all have to go home to our families and just, you know, just, think about this for awhile before we say anything else.

All I want to say is, Merry Christmas everyone!

More ruleage from the Timmenheimer ...

 

[Fugu]

Well let's not break the champagne out just yet! It is awesome that fans overall have returned and that the league overall is setting attendance records.

Unfortunately if we look at the distribution, there are 11 teams that are between 65-80% of capacity. There are at least 2-3 teams that have no business being on that list either:

ESPN Attendance Figures - Cumulative '05

 

[GSC2k2*]

Well let's not break the champagne out just yet! It is awesome that fans overall have returned and that the league overall is setting attendance records.

Unfortunately if we look at the distribution, there are 11 teams that are between 65-80% of capacity. There are at least 2-3 teams that have no business being on that list either:

ESPN Attendance Figures - Cumulative '05

I am not sure how you figure 11. I count 7 teams between 65-80%.

... As opposed to 10 with 100% or better attendance.

 

[NJD Jester]

Yeah! HOCKEY RULES!!!!!!!!

(especially when you unbalance the schedule to add more geographic rivalry games in the first two months of the season, and several teams offer severely discounted tickets to bring the fans back. But don't worry -- this'll still be attributed to the success of the new rules by Bettman and the boys.)

 

[Gnashville]

Well let's not break the champagne out just yet! It is awesome that fans overall have returned and that the league overall is setting attendance records.

Unfortunately if we look at the distribution, there are 11 teams that are between 65-80% of capacity. There are at least 2-3 teams that have no business being on that list either:

ESPN Attendance Figures - Cumulative '05

Attendance is up in most markets. What are the 2-3 teams that don't belong?

Also why not count tickets sold it not like anyone who has bought a ticket and not used it ever got their money back. If you sell 20K seats and 10K show up are you gonna give the 10K that didn't come a refund?

Hockey is the only sport where the fans whine and complain about attendance to this degree. I see empty seats in Football, Baseball and NBA (winning and losing teams) yet no one gripes and rants on a daily basis about it like hockey fans do. I would hate to see what would happen if attendance was down.

 

[Fugu]

I am not sure how you figure 11. I count 7 teams between 65-80%.

... As opposed to 10 with 100% or better attendance.

No one is criticizing the fact that there are 10 with 100% or better. I think I stated that upfront.

So if I allow myself a 1.2% error, I still see 11...so re-phrase my statement to say, "there are 11 teams in the 65-81.2% range....

1. Florida 81.2 %
2 & 3 Isles & Nashville 80.8%
4. Atlanta 80%
5. Buffalo 79.35
6. Carolina 78.4%
7 Anaheim 79.2%
8. New Jersey 73.2%
9. St. Louis 72.7%
10. Chicago 71.8%
11. Washington 65.6%

Clearly in the case of St. Louis and Chicago, we have gone backwards over their historical "ability" to draw. Buffalo, the Isles and the Devils have regressed as well, although their situation is perhaps a bit tougher given ownership history and/or arena issues, may be some other things of which I'm not aware. I am old enough to remember the better years the Isles and Sabres have had though.

Now, I'm not on some kick to beat the NHL down, all I am saying is that there are some places where things don't look quite as rosy...

 

[Fugu]

Attendance is up in most markets. What are the 2-3 teams that don't belong?

Also why not count tickets sold it not like anyone who has bought a ticket and not used it ever got their money back. If you sell 20K seats and 10K show up are you gonna give the 10K that didn't come a refund?

Hockey is the only sport where the fans whine and complain about attendance to this degree. I see empty seats in Football, Baseball and NBA (winning and losing teams) yet no one gripes and rants on a daily basis about it like hockey fans do. I would hate to see what would happen if attendance was down.

I can only address the first part of this post since it quotes me. I just responded to gscarpenter, so I do address the teams that should be doing better if history is an indicator of their drawing ability.

I don't have the numbers as to who has increased and how much. Do I want to see all of them at 100%? Of course I do, but if you grow attendance by 3% or 30%, you can still make the statement that attendance is up. Instead of playing with words like that, I'd rather start with...here are the attendance numbers, ask where the % capacity needs to be so a team doesn't suffer, and look at growth rates...will those get you to the viability number any time soon.


On the other point you raise from what others have posted here -counting the stubs or paid tix - hey, the team has the money in the bank, and that's all that counts. I could care less how many seats are empty as long as they are paid for...

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Hockey is the only sport where the fans whine and complain about attendance to this degree. I see empty seats in Football, Baseball and NBA (winning and losing teams) yet no one gripes and rants on a daily basis about it like hockey fans do. I would hate to see what would happen if attendance was down.

I would agree with yo on that. I'm watching the Raptors/Hawks game on TSN and and I don't think I've ever seen so many empty seats at any NHL game,There must be less than 5k there.

 

[hockeytown9321]

Sounds like Mr. Bettman is once again misleading people:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051203/SHOALTS03/TPSports/Hockey

 

[Timmy]

Sounds like Mr. Bettman is once again misleading people:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051203/SHOALTS03/TPSports/Hockey

When will the NHL stop treating its fans like sheep, like cattle, like mutton, like beef?

When will we ever get the real numbers we seek?

When can we sleep with no visions of evil,

Whilst the slave-driven players serve up their drivel?

Are we dead?

Are we lost?

Have we no shame?

How can we continue our support for this game?

It's time to turn our attention to more pressing matters,

Football, soccer, and baseball's great batters.

Let's not continue to support this regime,

That continues to penetrate regions obscene.

I hope the gods of hockey are watching, high from above,

As they've turned the sport from a tiger, to a dove.




RIP NHL


Hockeytown

 

[Pens1566]

Sounds like Mr. Bettman is once again misleading people:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051203/SHOALTS03/TPSports/Hockey

We really need a broken record smiley.

 

[Transported Upstater]

We really need a broken record smiley.

This works just fine: