Sens reduce capacity at Canadian Tire Centre

[coladin]

You know, when you look down your nose at a group of people long enough, the only thing you succeed in doing is driving them further away. Liberals found out that part the hard way in the last US election.

You really want more people to Sens games? Find out why people aren't showing up, and do something to change the game experience to make it more attractive to fans. This thread is already littered with good suggestions on that matter.

We know why, we all know why. People just want to make excuses for the real reason. Some admit it, many, many don't.

Yeah, like I have driven people away. You are giving me way too much credit. I am just a fan. The people who don't go, they all have their reasons. To bring this back on topic, those tarped seats were empty, pretty much all season. And that, to m, is inexcusable. The cheapest seats should be sold, but they aren't. And then people complain that they are tarped?

Is hockey not the game experience? NHL hockey? I don't go to listen to music, or see new graphics. Or eat and drink, really. I just go to watch the games. There is a cost to that, both in time and money. If this city's "fans" continually make excuses about why they will not go, it is not a good sign.

Lebreton, will only mean higher prices, and suddenly people will be ok with that? They cannot stomach it now, it will only get worse because this is going to be financed, and moneys will have to be paid by fans downtown. AndMelnyk will still be the owner. And beer will cost even more.

When people make excuses, hundreds of different ones, it boils down to apathy. Maybe this market is done with NHL hockey, and what is left, will be what shows up regularly. People are tired of the owner, tired of paying parking, tired of the parking lot, tired of me (lol) , tired of beer prices, tired of the coaching, etc... maybe this market si reduced to whatever is left.

My worry is , and remains, aside from embarrassment compared to other Canadian markets, our ability to keep my favourite players when the owner is not getting the revenue required to retain those favourite players.

 

[coladin]

So you'd only excuse not attending games for a team that isn't winning, but thousands of the local fans not getting paid properly is just excuses? Don't fall off that pedestal of yours, it's mighty high and you might just get hurt.

You don't know that. That is just another excuse. Find me a list of Phoenix victims that are not buying tickets. It is no more verifiable than the Loch Ness monster. You see, excuse makers like to pull things out of mid air and make it reality. Fake news perhaps?

 

[BatherSeason]

We know why, we all know why. People just want to make excuses for the real reason. Some admit it, many, many don't.

Yeah, like I have driven people away. You are giving me way too much credit. I am just a fan. The people who don't go, they all have their reasons. To bring this back on topic, those tarped seats were empty, pretty much all season. And that, to m, is inexcusable. The cheapest seats should be sold, but they aren't. And then people complain that they are tarped?

Is hockey not the game experience? NHL hockey? I don't go to listen to music, or see new graphics. Or eat and drink, really. I just go to watch the games. There is a cost to that, both in time and money. If this city's "fans" continually make excuses about why they will not go, it is not a good sign.

Lebreton, will only mean higher prices, and suddenly people will be ok with that? They cannot stomach it now, it will only get worse because this is going to be financed, and moneys will have to be paid by fans downtown. AndMelnyk will still be the owner. And beer will cost even more.

When people make excuses, hundreds of different ones, it boils down to apathy. Maybe this market is done with NHL hockey, and what is left, will be what shows up regularly. People are tired of the owner, tired of paying parking, tired of the parking lot, tired of me (lol) , tired of beer prices, tired of the coaching, etc... maybe this market si reduced to whatever is left.

My worry is , and remains, aside from embarrassment compared to other Canadian markets, our ability to keep my favourite players when the owner is not getting the revenue required to retain those favourite players.

This organization has not done a good job at attracting new/younger fans, while it has done everything it can to drive us older fans away. No sense really getting into details, but I truly feel that this is the root of the problem.

 

[coladin]

This organization has not done a good job at attracting new/younger fans, while it has done everything it can to drive us older fans away. No sense really getting into details, but I truly feel that this is the root of the problem.

April and May 2017 were very attractive to all fans, but it didn't result in ticket sales.

 

[BatherSeason]

April and May 2017 were very attractive to all fans, but it didn't result in ticket sales.

Absolutely. Unfortunately, October to April were not and May to October of this year hasn't been much better. Management did nothing to try to improve the on ice product from last year and from all accounts the service to season ticket holders has been horrendous.

It doesn't help when our local media gets the green light to rip exciting star players like Mike Hoffman, but seems to go out of their way to praise guys like Boro. Its almost like they think this fanbase is stupid.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Absolutely. Unfortunately, October to April were not and May to October of this year hasn't been much better. Management did nothing to try to improve the on ice product from last year and from all accounts the service to season ticket holders has been horrendous.

It doesn't help when our local media gets the green light to rip exciting star players like Mike Hoffman, but seems to go out of their way to praise guys like Boro. Its almost like they think this fanbase is stupid.

I have season tickets and my service was just fine. I have not felt they are driving away the older fanbase at all.

Also this fanbase is stupid.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I have season tickets and my service was just fine. I have not felt they are driving away the older fanbase at all.

Also this fanbase is stupid.

You probably mean some fans in this fanbase, like other fanbases, are stupid.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

This organization has not done a good job at attracting new/younger fans, while it has done everything it can to drive us older fans away. No sense really getting into details, but I truly feel that this is the root of the problem.

Honestly, re: older fans, the game-day experience is and has always been "lame". Which was fine when I was young. But now I'm almost 30 and it rubs me the wrong way.

Everything from the horrible radio ads and other marketing, the music, the in-arena entertainment and cheesy and extremely easy triva & "ball under the cup" games geared towards children, our juvenile logo (thank god it's changing) boonies location = drive = no drinking, etc. Go to a Habs game one day. Now there's an NHL experience. There is a reason Redblacks games are sold out. It's a PARTY. I get that you can't replicate that hype 41 times a year, but it's still something to look at. That's why the move downtown has me excited.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Honestly, re: older fans, the game-day experience is and has always been "lame". Which was fine when I was young. But now I'm almost 30 and it rubs me the wrong way.

Everything from the horrible radio ads and other marketing, the music, the in-arena entertainment and cheesy and extremely easy triva & "ball under the cup" games geared towards children, boonies location = drive = no drinking, etc. Go to a Habs game one day. Now there's an NHL experience. There is a reason Redblacks games are sold out. It's a PARTY. I get that you can't replicate that hype 41 times a year, but it's still something to look at. That's why the move downtown has me excited.

Because it's outdoor, mainly in the summer, and the team was winning. If the team isn't winning in a year or two, sales will decline. There are also not that many seats to sell for one sell out every week or two.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

Because it's outdoor, mainly in the summer, and the team was winning. If the team isn't winning in a year or two, sales will decline. There are also not that many seats to sell for one sell out every week or two.

They were literally below .500 last year. And they aren't good again. I have no doubt that they will maintain strong numbers unless they go 1-19 or something for 5 years in a row.

"Outdoor" is a bullshit counterpoint, by the way.

 

[Smash88]

You don't know that. That is just another excuse. Find me a list of Phoenix victims that are not buying tickets. It is no more verifiable than the Loch Ness monster. You see, excuse makers like to pull things out of mid air and make it reality. Fake news perhaps?

I cancelled my season tickets, because of uncertainty over Phoenix. I wouldn't have kept them when they moved to Lebreton anyhow, but it caused me to cancel them early.

Either way, you keep ignoring that this isn't unique to the Ottawa market. This is happening all over the North American sports landscape.

Even the impenetrable NFL is starting to see problems this year.

 

[BatherSeason]

Honestly, re: older fans, the game-day experience is and has always been "lame". Which was fine when I was young. But now I'm almost 30 and it rubs me the wrong way.

Everything from the horrible radio ads and other marketing, the music, the in-arena entertainment and cheesy triva/"ball under the cup" games geared towards children, Boonies location = drive = no drinking, etc. Go to a Habs game one day. Now there's an NHL experience. There is a reason Redblacks games are sold out. It's a PARTY. I get that you can't replicate that hype 41 times a year, but it's still something to look at. That's why the move downtown has me excited.

This is bang on. Nothing to do with Phoenix, nothing to do with smoking or not smoking, nothing about location, just a horrible in-game experience. Seems like the whole in game experience caters to very old people or young kids, both of whom won't go to multiple games (unless they are season ticket holders of course). Its the middle ground that's missing. Make the in game experience enjoyable for people in their 20s and early thirties. It needs to be a PARTY and that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone needs to be drunk.

Erik Karlsson should be the guy selling this team. Post him on every billboard around the city. Have him in every commercial

Stop insulting your fanbase by making comments about the team having 8 more talented Dman than Chabot.

Get the owner to stop insulting his team's fans on Toronto radio every few months.

Stop signing 4th liners to long term contracts with NMCs

And please, no one is paying money to see Tom Pyatt shoot in the shootout.

I could go on forever....lol

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

This is bang on. Nothing to do with Phoenix, nothing to do with smoking or not smoking, nothing about location, just a horrible in-game experience. Seems like the whole in game experience caters to very old people or young kids, both of whom won't go to multiple games (unless they are season ticket holders of course). Its the middle ground that's missing. Make the in game experience enjoyable for people in their 20s and early thirties. It needs to be a PARTY and that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone needs to be drunk.

Erik Karlsson should be the guy selling this team. Post him on every billboard around the city. Have him in every commercial

Stop insulting your fanbase by making comments about the team having 8 more talented Dman than Chabot.

Get the owner to stop insulting his team's fans on Toronto radio every few months.

Stop signing 4th liners to long term contracts with NMCs

And please, no one is paying money to see Tom Pyatt shoot in the shootout.

I could go on forever....lol

In one post you say they don't do a good job in attracting young fans and in this post you say all they do is cater to them.

 

[Smash88]

They were literally below .500 last year. And they aren't good again. I have no doubt that they will maintain strong numbers unless they go 1-19 or something for 5 years in a row.

"Outdoor" is a bull**** counterpoint, by the way.

Last year you couldn't buy a ticket anywhere near game day from the box office.

This year you can, so it's definitely slowing down. I believe they have had a couple of games that weren't sold out this year.

I definitely agree, the atmosphere is way better at the Redblacks games though, sens can't really compete with that.

 

[BatherSeason]

In one post you say they don't do a good job in attracting young fans and in this post you say all they do is cater to them.

Young fans = people in their early 20s. I didn't mean children.

 

[BatherSeason]

This is bang on. Nothing to do with Phoenix, nothing to do with smoking or not smoking, nothing about location, just a horrible in-game experience. Seems like the whole in game experience caters to very old people or young kids, both of whom won't go to multiple games (unless they are season ticket holders of course). Its the middle ground that's missing. Make the in game experience enjoyable for people in their 20s and early thirties. It needs to be a PARTY and that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone needs to be drunk.

Erik Karlsson should be the guy selling this team. Post him on every billboard around the city. Have him in every commercial

Stop insulting your fanbase by making comments about the team having 8 more talented Dman than Chabot.

Get the owner to stop insulting his team's fans on Toronto radio every few months.

Stop signing 4th liners to long term contracts with NMCs

And please, no one is paying money to see Tom Pyatt shoot in the shootout.



I could go on forever....lol

I am not in the entertainment business, so I don't know exactly what the organization can do to make the ingame experience better, but I know for sure that "a house band" isn't the answer.

 

[Micklebot]

You don't know that. That is just another excuse. Find me a list of Phoenix victims that are not buying tickets. It is no more verifiable than the Loch Ness monster. You see, excuse makers like to pull things out of mid air and make it reality. Fake news perhaps?

What I know is that Phoenix is affecting nearly half of public servants by last count. That's a negative pressure on their disposable income, which is going to impact ticket sales. I've also noticed anecdotally, that confidence in the pay system is very low (not surprising) and that's resulting in many people I know putting off luxury expenses.

There are numerous other factors influencing peoples decisions to purchase or not purchase tickets, which have been discussed ad nauseam, and while I can't directly tie that to individual buying habits, you similarly can't prove that these same fans aren't buying tickets because they aren't true fans. You'd rather lay blame than figure out the root of the symptoms, fitting that you blurt out fake news when you hear something you don't like.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Young fans = people in their early 20s. I didn't mean children.

Early 20s isn't the first thing I think of when someone says young fans lol

 

[Micklebot]

I am not in the entertainment business, so I don't know exactly what the organization can do to make the ingame experience better, but I know for sure that "a house band" isn't the answer.

no one thing is the answer, but little things add up to the overall experience. I haven't been to a game since they introduced the in house band, so I can't speak to whether it's a good addition or not, but when you start adding things like improving the concessions food, adding live music, ect, it has the potential to add up to a better experience. One alone is negligible though. I'd agree with you they aren't doing enough, but don't throw away the small good things they are doing.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

This is bang on. Nothing to do with Phoenix, nothing to do with smoking or not smoking, nothing about location, just a horrible in-game experience. Seems like the whole in game experience caters to very old people or young kids, both of whom won't go to multiple games (unless they are season ticket holders of course). Its the middle ground that's missing. Make the in game experience enjoyable for people in their 20s and early thirties. It needs to be a PARTY and that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone needs to be drunk.

Erik Karlsson should be the guy selling this team. Post him on every billboard around the city. Have him in every commercial

Stop insulting your fanbase by making comments about the team having 8 more talented Dman than Chabot.

Get the owner to stop insulting his team's fans on Toronto radio every few months.

Stop signing 4th liners to long term contracts with NMCs

And please, no one is paying money to see Tom Pyatt shoot in the shootout.

I could go on forever....lol

This is just ignorant on your part. At no point has anyone on the team ever said this. Being sent to the minors doesn't think they mean 8 D men are more talented.

A lot of your points are just plain silly and wrong. WHy do we need to see Erik Karlsson on bilboards? They're not competing with other sports in this city and everyone knows who he is. It's not going to increase ticket sales.

I'm in in my late 20s and I don't go for a party or a social event, I go to watch the game. People who go to talk over the play are annoying.

 

[Sens]

I don't go to games because the home experience is mind blowingly better... 60 inch TV in HD... food much cheaper and better... much more comfortable chair... no lines, no commute

Going to sporting events is becoming outdated.

 

[Upgrayedd]

STH here, haven't had any issues with the org and could care less about "game day experience", the focus for me is on the ice and frankly I would prefer less distractions.

More and more im believing what Coladin wrote about earlier to be true, the die hard hockey fans are decreasing and the average fan doesn't really care as much anymore for many reasons.

 

[Micklebot]

STH here, haven't had any issues with the org and could care less about "game day experience", the focus for me is on the ice and frankly I would prefer less distractions.

More and more im believing what Coladin wrote about earlier to be true, the die hard hockey fans are decreasing and the average fan doesn't really care as much anymore for many reasons.

But here's the thing; if you're right, and there are less die hard fans, why is that?

I'm not convinced there are less die hard fans, but maybe your right. Or, it could be the in arena experience is less desirable to the die hard fans thanks to advances in the in home experience. 4k HD, 60+ in screens, instant replay at your fingertips; none of that was affordably available 5 to 10 years ago. Maybe the die hard fans are just viewing games from venues that better meet their needs. That's a failing on by the team, not the fan. It's the teams job to make the experience as desirable as possible.

 

[ottawah]

I would say a lot of people won't go to Redblacks games if they continue to be a bad team, because the novelty will have worn off, and also I bet the attendance drops off in the colder months.

Maybe, but I love the RedBlacks games. Sat/Sun party atmosphere, go down early hit the bars.

I just cannot have the same energy for an 7:30 Tuesday in February ....

I've had/has season tickets to both. I'd describe it as the RedBlacks are an event, the Sens are a game. Yes they are both "sports", but with the weather, venue and number of games its an entirely different experience.

 

[ottawah]

IMO once the arena is downtown, you will see more people flock to to Sens games. The CFL is not a big league sport, NHL is still king in Canada by a long shot.

Do you think they will flock? The sens once had a downtown arena and the attendance was not good, worst in the league in the last 35 years and that includes Pheonix .....

It will help, but flocking to the game? I do not think so.