Time to Move the Team?

[ShanahanMan]

Yeah, I said it.

The Joe was half empty tonight......opening freaking night. As much as some of the management decisions have pissed me off in recent days, the team is not getting the level of respect they deserve from it's fans. We made the biggest splash in the off season within the last 6 or 7 years AND we moved to the east.......yet still that isn't enough to have a full house on opening night? Then to top it off, another 50% start heading for the exit with 2 minutes to go in a 2-1 game? Absolutely pathetic.

Honestly, it's embarrassing to have such an amazing francise yet not have the fans to support them, especially when bottom tier teams like Edmonton sell out game after game despite their location in the standings.

And yes, I get the economy is s*** and Detroit is in the toilet, but so is New Jersey and yet even when they were tanking last season, their arena looked full night after night...

If this keeps up, I'm personally fine with new owner Chris Illitch moving the team to an area that can show the team the respect it deserves.

What do you guys think?

Click to read more...

 

[SoupNazi]

Hopefully a new arena will help.

 

[hot dog]

looooool

and that's the extent of my thoughts on the subject

 

[chances14]

looooool

and that's the extent of my thoughts on the subject

Yea the op is so ridiculous it doesn't even merit a response

 

[ShanahanMan]

looooool

and that's the extent of my thoughts on the subject

Glad you think it's funny mate. I'm sure other teams' fans are laughing too.

 

[ShanahanMan]

Yea the op is so ridiculous it doesn't even merit a response

How does it not warrant a response?

I'm not trying to start a flame war. I'm simply illustrating my frustration of seeing a half empty arena housing one of the top franchises in sports.

How can you think it's not a problem?

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

as we win the fans will show up

 

[KJoe88]

I have a better chance at owning multiple Ferraris and being with Jessica Alba in my life than the Wings being moved.

The Joe was full half way through the first, through the second, and through the third. They sellout, some people just don't always show up. Plus fans leave early because of traffic.

I don't get the point in this topic. The fans support this team. Always will.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

ShanahanMan?

MOD, can we get a ShanahanBan for that post?

But seriously it was pretty embarrassing to see the crowd never fill up.

I think a lot of fans like myself don't really care for regular season games against a team like Buffalo anymore. Call it spoiled by success, but I only buy tickets to the playoffs the past 4-5 years now. I'll go to a regular season game when free tickets show up, but otherwise I'd rather just watch and analyze from the man cave.

 

[hot dog]

How does it not warrant a response?

I'm not trying to start a flame war. I'm simply illustrating my frustration of seeing a half empty arena housing one of the top franchises in sports.

How can you think it's not a problem?

Filling the stadium is an issue. I'm not disputing that. Apparently you're not from the area.. the following is massive throughout the entire state (dwarfs the Pistons, on par with the Tigers, behind the Lions). I don't know why we're struggling to fill the stadium specifically, but relocation is far from even being put on the table, let alone being a realistic option.

 

[ShanahanMan]

I have a better chance at owning multiple Ferraris and being with Jessica Alba in my life than the Wings being moved.

The Joe was full half way through the first, through the second, and through the third. They sellout, some people just don't slways show up. Plus fans leave early because of traffic.

I don't the point in this topic. The fans support this team. Always will.

I'm not sure what broadcast feed you were watching, but where I was sitting, there was an embarrassing plethora of empty seats abound, and it seemed to get worse as the game went on.

And again, this after a huge off season splash and a move to the east!

 

[chances14]

How does it not warrant a response?

I'm not trying to start a flame war. I'm simply illustrating my frustration of seeing a half empty arena housing one of the top franchises in sports.

How can you think it's not a problem?

Because the wings constantly rank top 5 in attendance year after year. Just because some season ticket holders don't show up every game doesn't mean that they don't care about the wings or that they should be relocated

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I'm not sure what broadcast feed you were watching, but where I was sitting, there was an embarrassing plethora of empty seats abound, and it seemed to get worse as the game went on.

And again, this after a huge off season splash and a move to the east!

Obviously nobody cares about hockey and the Wings need to move immediately.

Please. They are still a ridiculously popular team and make a ridiculous amount of money, so the fact there wasn't a full house on game 1 of 82 on a Wednesday doesn't bother me.

 

[WesNichols14]

this is..... well not even worth a respo....

 

[Fugu]

I'm not sure what broadcast feed you were watching, but where I was sitting, there was an embarrassing plethora of empty seats abound, and it seemed to get worse as the game went on.

And again, this after a huge off season splash and a move to the east!

We hear this after every single game where out-of-market fans watch the game on TV.

Wings have 60-65% if Season Ticket Holders as corporations, and most of those are in the lower bowl. That's too bad for Joe Fan who might actually show up. Some of the tix go unused, but the Wings pocket the money. They're in the top ten of revenue earners in the NHL, probably only outpaced by bigger US cities-- NY and Chicago, maybe Philly.

They're not going anywhere.

 

[Fugu]

Obviously nobody cares about hockey and the Wings need to move immediately.

Please. They are still a ridiculously popular team and make a ridiculous amount of money, so the fact there wasn't a full house on game 1 of 82 on a Wednesday doesn't bother me.

Was there an announced sellout?

 

[ShanahanMan]

Filling the stadium is an issue. I'm not disputing that. Apparently you're not from the area.. the following is massive throughout the entire state (dwarfs the Pistons, on par with the Tigers, behind the Lions). I don't know why we're struggling to fill the stadium specifically, but relocation is far from even being put on the table, let alone being a realistic option.

Originally from Metro Detroit, been idolizing the Wings since I was a kid, and continue to do so, even from Tokyo, Japan.

Regardless of the state wide following, It just absolutely pains me to see the Joe this empty. I honestly can't think of another arena that fails to fill seats as much as the Joe, which houses the Red Wings! I really really thought this season would be different, but it looks worse than ever.

 

[KJoe88]

I'm not sure what broadcast feed you were watching, but where I was sitting, there was an embarrassing plethora of empty seats abound, and it seemed to get worse as the game went on.

And again, this after a huge off season splash and a move to the east!

NBCSN HD.

FINE. Maybe not full, but close to it imo. Some sporadic empty seats, but you're way off base I think. Have you seen some of the other team's arenas at times?

It's not a big deal even for a home opener. The Wings have such a huge following in others states and parts of michigan that they can't access a way into the Joe. Economy, jobs, school are all a factor too.

Did you see the arena in last years playoffs? Wings Nation is fine.

 

[ShanahanMan]

Because the wings constantly rank top 5 in attendance year after year. Just because some season ticket holders don't show up every game doesn't mean that they don't care about the wings or that they should be relocated

If it's not "buying tickets" issue and people are simply not showing up, then there's absolutely no reason these people should have season tickets and I think even more so reinforces my point that the team isn't getting the respect from their fanbase.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

If it's not "buying tickets" issue and people are simply not showing up, then there's absolutely no reason these people should have season tickets and I think even more so reinforces my point that the team isn't getting the respect from their fanbase.

What do you want corporations to do, stop buying tickets?

 

[Vatican Roulette]

I have a better chance at owning multiple Ferraris and being with Jessica Alba in my life than the Wings being moved.

Loaded response...what do you do for a living?

-----

Also, remember, a lot of the tickets in seats that you can see on TV are bought up by corporations and if those seats are not filled, I'm not worried.

I worked for a company that had several season ticket packages and gave them out as incentives to sell jobs. Those people were in town for a couple nights, and usually the tickets were comp'ed, but the drinks/extras weren't. Therefore, a lot of these buyers would just take the tickets, throw them on the nightstand and go to the Hotel bar. Even if they did show up to the game, they would usually leave to go out somewhere else.

As long as these tickets are actually paid for, I don't care if they're butts in the seats. They still pay the salaries.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

If it's not "buying tickets" issue and people are simply not showing up, then there's absolutely no reason these people should have season tickets and I think even more so reinforces my point that the team isn't getting the respect from their fanbase.

I agree with this point.

 

[Frk It]

Maybe people just looked at the expected line-up for the Wings and decided not to show up

 

[SoupNazi]

If it's not "buying tickets" issue and people are simply not showing up, then there's absolutely no reason these people should have season tickets and I think even more so reinforces my point that the team isn't getting the respect from their fanbase.

Many of those seats are owned by corporations and they just don't give them away, for whatever reason.

 

[Dats13DET]

"Daniel Alfredsson made is #RedWings debut tonight in front of a sold out Joe Louis Arena. #stickflex…"

That's from the Red Wings twitter.