2014-15 Official Rant Thread

[Benched]

George Richards @GeorgeRichards
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#FlaPanthers attendance of 11,419 sets franchise low for a home opener, including when they were home team in Helsinki in 2009 (11,526)

Thanks, ownership! Thanks for creating a hype around the team. Thanks for advertising it. Thanks for keeping the arena in good shape. Thanks for the awesome in game presentation. Thanks for giving us a good on ice product.

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[StrangeVision]

I had never really been concerned about the Panthers moving until Saturday night. This is not a fun time to be a Panthers fan.

 

[EnforceTheLaus]

Not gonna lie it's depressing to even watch this game.

 

[Aksu]

Oh so its confirmed that were moving? NO. Please stop the ******** relocation talk. Yes we barely have any fans attending our games. Why? Because we cant win games! Ill assure you that when we start winning games, more fans will come watch the games. It was the 3rd game of the season, we still have 79 more games to play and Ill say it again, when we start winning well have more people at our games.

And BTW:
John Vogl @BuffNewsVogl · 6h 6 hours ago
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says yet again: "We’re not looking at expansion or relocation."

Guys, just chill. I thought we played alright today (atleast better than the last game). We had the chances but we just couldnt finish them. Better luck next time. Ws will come.

 

[StrangeVision]

I'm not worried because people aren't coming to games, I'm worried because the new owner seems to be making absolutely no effort at attracting fans.

 

[ShootIt]

I'm not worried because people aren't coming to games, I'm worried because the new owner seems to be making absolutely no effort at attracting fans.

+1.

Yea he allowed Tallon to spend close to the cap. However, they have done nothing to attract people to the games.

 

[Android 16]

I'm depressed. I think we're going to see the end of Dale Tallon soon. Viola isn't going to put up with a guy who doesn't reach excellence.

 

[CHGoalie27]

The worst part about attending the first two games live wasn't on the ice. I'm not sure what it is but there's an air to the arena and the fans of detachment and apathy, I've never seen as a fan of the team over the last 15 years.

It's getting to the point where you can sense the fans (even the Pollyanna diehards) realize their is very little hope that someone/something is going to save this franchise.

We need a hero. A superstar, a GM, a owner, a coach. Someone to turn this ship around before it heads for Seattle or Quebec.

I feel like taking this post from the GDT.

We do need something. Something big. Blockbuster big. We have the goalie, and in my opinion we have the defense. We have ONE decent line though our fartbrain new coach refuses to reform it. Can we wait one more year to only possibly lose the lottery this year to risk having that one Forward to tie it all together? It really would be just our luck.

 

[oOwlCat]

I'm seriously depressed.

Ownership needs to learn that you can't charge these prices until we actually become good! I am a diehard fan, and with an arena that dead, I have no motivation to go. Rather watch it on my couch. I'm sure a lot of other fans feel the same way.

They need to lower these prices. There is no other option. It is simple economics.

If no changes are made, there is NO way this team is here to stay... I have never been one to stress about Panthers relocating, but it is a serious possibility. If you can't see that, you are ignorant.

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

From a personal perspective, the Panthers are just becoming less and less relevant to me. Of course, the brand still resonates with me as my #1 team, but the arbitary way i picked them as my team back as a child is now beginning to wear thin. I'm not an in-market fan ... i live thousands of miles away. I'm in my mid 20's now. Quality is becoming a much more important requirement to watch hockey. The rare times i have time to watch hockey, it's becoming harder and harder to justify watching the Panthers. At the end of the day, i watch hockey for enjoyment, and living thousands of miles away in a different time zone, that's important.

I hope things impove quickly, but it's difficult to see how.

 

[Obviously]

Rooting for things to start looking up for you guys. Throwing and watching all the rats getting thrown onto the ice is one of the best hockey memories I have as a child.

 

[Benched]

Oh so its confirmed that were moving? NO. Please stop the ******** relocation talk. Yes we barely have any fans attending our games. Why? Because we cant win games! Ill assure you that when we start winning games, more fans will come watch the games. It was the 3rd game of the season, we still have 79 more games to play and Ill say it again, when we start winning well have more people at our games.

And BTW:
John Vogl @BuffNewsVogl · 6h 6 hours ago
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says yet again: "We’re not looking at expansion or relocation."

Guys, just chill. I thought we played alright today (atleast better than the last game). We had the chances but we just couldnt finish them. Better luck next time. Ws will come.

It's not just that we cannot win. It's that our new ownership doesn't seem to care about the few fans that are left and has no interest in attracting new ones. If this **** continues, Bettman will have no choice but to budge off of his stance that we aren't relocating. Not when more money and more success for his product is staring him in the face. Right now there is absolutely no reason to keep the team here and every reason to move it from a business standpoint. That's why we are worried.

 

[jacobhockey13]

Just an Arizona fan here to say we support you guys and know you'll get through these rumors. If anything you guys have an even longer track record of suffering than us and Florida is an important market for the NHL to be in. If all else fails just be really nice to Gary Bettman. It worked for us.

 

[Benched]

I'm not worried because people aren't coming to games, I'm worried because the new owner seems to be making absolutely no effort at attracting fans.

Summed up perfectly.

 

[Big Bjugs]

Oh so its confirmed that were moving? NO. Please stop the ******** relocation talk. Yes we barely have any fans attending our games. Why? Because we cant win games! Ill assure you that when we start winning games, more fans will come watch the games. It was the 3rd game of the season, we still have 79 more games to play and Ill say it again, when we start winning well have more people at our games.

And BTW:
John Vogl @BuffNewsVogl · 6h 6 hours ago
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says yet again: "We’re not looking at expansion or relocation."

Guys, just chill. I thought we played alright today (atleast better than the last game). We had the chances but we just couldnt finish them. Better luck next time. Ws will come.

Ownership is doing this for a reason. No more freebies. I have no doubts Viola and co. Know what they are doing.

That being said, the Rampage could beat this team... Not that Gallant or Tallon can get a clue.

 

[XX]

Coyote fan here. I feel for you guys.

Bettman will explore all options that keep the Panthers in Florida before he actually goes ahead with relocation. He had no options with Atlanta, as the only building in town was controlled by a group that wanted nothing to do with the Thrashers.

He fought a bitter court battle for the Coyotes, and even called in a favor with some hedge fund buddies (as well as using the NHL's line of credit) to fund the Coyotes purchase to a ragtag bunch of investors that really had no business buying a team. That has worked out so far.

As long as there is interest in owning the team in Florida and a facility that will have them, I think you guys will be just fine. It sucks to go through this. Bettman hates losing face, and moving a sunbelt team is exactly that. Start to worry when there are no more local options.

 

[IM Clutcm]

I'll be honest, you guys have made me depressed. It's three games into the season with a new coach, new players, and a new system and everyone is hitting the panic button. The team struggles to score goals so Pirri is going to get his chance, and I have a feeling Tallon is going to make a move soon, too. But the level of panic and frustration here is ridiculous. I'm tired of it. It's bad enough that our fanbase and team is attacked on a nightly basis by the relocation trolls, we don't need our own fans turning on each other.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Last year's thread was already at 600 posts and since it's a new season, let the ranting resume here. I'll move some recent posts from the old thread here. To quote ATF:

Time to return the traditional yearly rant thread.

Rather than start a new thread every time the Panthers disappoint you, please post your displeasure here.

Hopefully the team surprises us and this thread becomes a ghost town.

If negativity bothers you and you'd rather look at the bright side of things - just ignore this thread.

 

[ShootIt]

3 goals in 3 games. Amazing we actually have a point with a goal per game ratio.

 

[Jumptheshark]

as an oiler fan (I do come in peace)--from what I have gathered from a few sources is that this attendance drop was expected and projected due to the Panthers severely cutting back their freebees to get a better idea of just how many "fans" there are in Ft Lauderdale and area.

I am not panicing as this year will be used as a guide to future plans for the panthers in how they market the team---I am not saying at some point in time a discussion will need to be had on a topic that if I mention will get me infracted and banned from this board. But Panther fans should not panic and other fan bases should not jump on a certain bandwagon becuase the team knew it was going to happen when they cut back on their freebees.

Panther ownership needed to find out how loyal, large and diverse their fan base is and this is how they do it--attendance drop is due to the end of many previous freebees options

 

[IM Clutcm]

as an oiler fan (I do come in peace)--from what I have gathered from a few sources is that this attendance drop was expected and projected due to the Panthers severely cutting back their freebees to get a better idea of just how many "fans" there are in Ft Lauderdale and area.

I am not panicing as this year will be used as a guide to future plans for the panthers in how they market the team---I am not saying at some point in time a discussion will need to be had on a topic that if I mention will get me infracted and banned from this board. But Panther fans should not panic and other fan bases should not jump on a certain bandwagon becuase the team knew it was going to happen when they cut back on their freebees.

Panther ownership needed to find out how loyal, large and diverse their fan base is and this is how they do it--attendance drop is due to the end of many previous freebees options

You're 100% right, and I appreciate that you're logical and not jumping on the relocation bandwagon. It's frustrating for us because everyone knew this was coming, but the relocation trolls are constantly being fed by THN, The Score, and other Canadian publications that are so desperate to have another team in Canada that they'll go out of their way to exaggerate any struggle the Panthers have. I love this team and I know a lot of other people down here do too. It's just getting hard to support when this fanbase is beaten down by fans of other teams on top of getting beaten down by on-ice performance.

 

[Beezeral]

This team sucks.

 

[CoolburnIsGone]

Ownership is doing this for a reason. No more freebies. I have no doubts Viola and co. Know what they are doing.

That being said, the Rampage could beat this team... Not that Gallant or Tallon can get a clue.

I think its fine to have doubts though about them. Keep in mind (and this has been said by others in the media, not related to us) that running a business is very different than running a sports franchise. If you treat a team like a typical business, you're going to fail 10 times out of 10. It seems thats what Viola & co. are doing or at least no one really knows what they're trying to do with the lack of marketing, expecting fewer fans, and seemingly purposely losing money.

Coyote fan here. I feel for you guys.

Bettman will explore all options that keep the Panthers in Florida before he actually goes ahead with relocation. He had no options with Atlanta, as the only building in town was controlled by a group that wanted nothing to do with the Thrashers.

He fought a bitter court battle for the Coyotes, and even called in a favor with some hedge fund buddies (as well as using the NHL's line of credit) to fund the Coyotes purchase to a ragtag bunch of investors that really had no business buying a team. That has worked out so far.

As long as there is interest in owning the team in Florida and a facility that will have them, I think you guys will be just fine. It sucks to go through this. Bettman hates losing face, and moving a sunbelt team is exactly that. Start to worry when there are no more local options.

The bolded part seems to be a new issue though. The county (which owns the arena while the team collects all the revenue) is investigating whether the arena could handle not having the hockey team there as the main tenant. They've hired consultants to determine the viability and to compare with other markets as well. There's an article in the local paper about it as well (made the front page of it on Sunday). So if the facility is no longer interested in having them there, then the league is back in a situation like Atlanta, right?

 

[Jumptheshark]

I think its fine to have doubts though about them. Keep in mind (and this has been said by others in the media, not related to us) that running a business is very different than running a sports franchise. If you treat a team like a typical business, you're going to fail 10 times out of 10. It seems thats what Viola & co. are doing or at least no one really knows what they're trying to do with the lack of marketing, expecting fewer fans, and seemingly purposely losing money.The bolded part seems to be a new issue though. The county (which owns the arena while the team collects all the revenue) is investigating whether the arena could handle not having the hockey team there as the main tenant. They've hired consultants to determine the viability and to compare with other markets as well. There's an article in the local paper about it as well (made the front page of it on Sunday). So if the facility is no longer interested in having them there, then the league is back in a situation like Atlanta, right?

that is the one thing that has me worried. looking at the previously released data from the Arena during the 1/2 lost season--the arena made more money off of non hockey events.

But Viola and Co is working with the county to get a better working relationship and this year is being used as a gauge to see what is what with the team

 

[ShootIt]

I think one thing that VV and Cifu were betting on with the Panthers was the casino.

If they can get that, then I think the Panthers stay. If the county says no to that, the Panthers losses will be too much for the Owners to bear.