Confirmed with Link: Albany Devils moving to Binghamton, NY

[Devils Dominion]

Just name the team the Rangers.

But give it a unique spelling.

Raingerz

Anyone know if the press conference in Binghamton is today and at what time?

Here is the news report including a video:
http://www.wbng.com/story/34392023/why-the-devils-chose-binghamton

 

[New Jersey Devils]

But give it a unique spelling.

Raingerz

Anyone know if the press conference in Binghamton is today and at what time?

It's at 1 today.

 

[liquid1988]

Ill never understand why it is so hard for farm teams to play somewhat close to their big brother teams so their attendence can sky rocket. If the baby Devils were somewhere in NJ, I would consider going to games. Sadly they have always been atleast a 3 hours drive away and who the hell wants to do that drive for a minor league game. One day they will understand.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Ill never understand why it is so hard for farm teams to play somewhat close to their big brother teams so their attendence can sky rocket. If the baby Devils were somewhere in NJ, I would consider going to games. Sadly they have always been atleast a 3 hours drive away and who the hell wants to do that drive for a minor league game. One day they will understand.

attendance is not going to skyrocket whether they play 1 hour away or 4 hours away.

Binghamton is ~2 hours away from the border of NJ. thats really not that far.

 

[DatBoyJPP]

If the Devils move their AHL to Parsippany the NHL attendance would drop because people would choose the cheaper alternative over the garbage we are currently putting out on the ice

 

[Zippy316]

Ill never understand why it is so hard for farm teams to play somewhat close to their big brother teams so their attendence can sky rocket. If the baby Devils were somewhere in NJ, I would consider going to games. Sadly they have always been atleast a 3 hours drive away and who the hell wants to do that drive for a minor league game. One day they will understand.

Until there is an AHL-quality arena in a reasonable location, then there really isn't an option.

Trenton could be a possibility, but that seems to be out of the Devils core fan area. Atlantic City is far from a hockey town so I question how well they would support a team locally; AC is also trending downhill as well. When it comes down to it, the Pennsylvania, New York, and Northeast areas are bigger hockey communities than in New Jersey. New Jersey is a pro sports state where hockey is fourth in popularity behind football, basketball, and baseball.

It's a moot point though considering the team will be in Binghamton. Has there been anything about how long the Devils are committed there for?

 

[New Jersey Devils]

SIAP, Times Union reporter Pete Dougherty confirmed they're going to be called the Binghamton Devils.

 

[Cupcheck]

It is confirmed they are the Binghamton Devils. I think they whiffed on that one, but umtimately I don't think it will be a huge deal.

The agreement is for 5 years.

They're doing a pretty cool thing and including a ticket to a NJ Devils game in our season ticket package, it will include a meet and greet with some Devils people. They said the logos and such are done but won't be unveiled until after the current season.

 

[Cupcheck]

Season tickets went up slightly, $30 per seat, but that's not a big deal. We get 1 more home game since Ottawa took one of our home games away and played it in Ottawa. We also get free admission to a preseason game, Ottawa charged $10. And we get the NJ Devils ticket, so all in all it's a better value. I'm pleased.

www.binghamtondevils.com

 

[tenpinsplit]

Season tickets went up slightly, $30 per seat, but that's not a big deal. We get 1 more home game since Ottawa took one of our home games away and played it in Ottawa. We also get free admission to a preseason game, Ottawa charged $10. And we get the NJ Devils ticket, so all in all it's a better value. I'm pleased.

www.binghamtondevils.com

season tickets are less than $20 per seat

 

[devilsblood]

season tickets are less than $20 per seat

I think he's saying the overall price, not the per seat, went up $30.

But it still seems a little rich.

Imo a season ticket for a minor league team should be about $10.

It should be about getting the most people into the building, not squeezing every possible nickel out of the market.

 

[Cupcheck]

I think he's saying the overall price, not the per seat, went up $30.

But it still seems a little rich.

Imo a season ticket for a minor league team should be about $10.

It should be about getting the most people into the building, not squeezing every possible nickel out of the market.

This is correct. It went up $30 for the entire package per seat. And $10 is not a viable price. Our tickets at $20-$22 (day of game) are some of the cheapest in the league.

 

[devilsblood]

attendance is not going to skyrocket whether they play 1 hour away or 4 hours away.

Binghamton is ~2 hours away from the border of NJ. thats really not that far.

2 hours away from the border but 3 hrs away from any town with a fairly large population. People are just not going to drive 2 hrs, let alone 3, to see minor league hockey.

If the Devils move their AHL to Parsippany the NHL attendance would drop because people would choose the cheaper alternative over the garbage we are currently putting out on the ice

But they'd still be watching devil's hockey. And this to me is the short sighted nature of the argument. We have a relatively small footprint from which we can expect to draw a fan base. And within that footprint, not only do we have to battle against the draw of non hockey related entertainment, of which there is many, but we also have to battle against the Rangers(and Philly to the south).

Plant that flag, have the cheap family option to which families can go to a hockey game, and kids can become Devils fans from an early age.

I think that especially comes into play when the Big Devils stink. When relatively few fans are going to games anyway. Keep that fanbase growing.

Until there is an AHL-quality arena in a reasonable location, then there really isn't an option.

This is the clear issue.

Now would it be worth the investment to build such an arena themselves? They clearly have deep enough pockets to pull it off.

 

[tenpinsplit]

This is correct. It went up $30 for the entire package per seat. And $10 is not a viable price. Our tickets at $20-$22 (day of game) are some of the cheapest in the league.

assuming you bought them before 5/1, otherwise it went up $10. except if you sit on the home end, it didn't go up at all.

 

[devilsblood]

This is correct. It went up $30 for the entire package per seat. And $10 is not a viable price. Our tickets at $20-$22 (day of game) are some of the cheapest in the league.

Maybe I'm just really cheap, but $20 sounds like a lot for a minor league game.

That's about the price I typically pay to see the big Devils. And that's only if I didn't get them for free.

 

[tenpinsplit]

Maybe I'm just really cheap, but $20 sounds like a lot for a minor league game.

That's about the price I typically pay to see the big Devils. And that's only if I didn't get them for free.

are tickets to nj really that cheap or is that resellers?

 

[devilsblood]

are tickets to nj really that cheap or is that resellers?

Resellers mostly, but there are various promotions where tickets can be had cheap.

Though we are typically talking a tuesday night game vs some west coast, ie non rival, team.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Maybe I'm just really cheap, but $20 sounds like a lot for a minor league game.

That's about the price I typically pay to see the big Devils. And that's only if I didn't get them for free.

Yeah, you're being cheap.

$20 is on the low end for AHL Hockey.
Remember, the seating is all quite close to the ice in AHL rinks.

It's more than fair to expect to pay $25-$30 for the bulk of AHL seats.
I've been to a lot of AHL rinks in the Northeast and it's the standard.

Albany fans seemed to have complained the most on pricing and they are last in attendance.

NJD pricing on the secondary market hasn't gone too low for most of this season's games, so far.

If you're getting $20 you're up in the balconies or 200 level.

In Binghamton, all of the seats would be considered lower level at The Rock.
https://bsens.formstack.com/forms/devils

 

[DatBoyJPP]

But they'd still be watching devil's hockey. And this to me is the short sighted nature of the argument. We have a relatively small footprint from which we can expect to draw a fan base. And within that footprint, not only do we have to battle against the draw of non hockey related entertainment, of which there is many, but we also have to battle against the Rangers(and Philly to the south).

Plant that flag, have the cheap family option to which families can go to a hockey game, and kids can become Devils fans from an early age.

I think that especially comes into play when the Big Devils stink. When relatively few fans are going to games anyway. Keep that fanbase growing.

I'm glad you think that way but the owners don't or shouldn't. The owners don't want $100 NHL seats being left empty because a family of 4 went to the $20 AHL game instead. Until we have a fanbase that can sell out every game without effort a local AHL team would cannibalize profits

 

[devilsblood]

I'm glad you think that way but the owners don't or shouldn't. The owners don't want $100 NHL seats being left empty because a family of 4 went to the $20 AHL game instead. Until we have a fanbase that can sell out every game without effort a local AHL team would cannibalize profits

1)Your assuming that anyone who would go to an AHL game at $20 per would have otherwise went to the NHL game at $100 per.

2)There was a time when the Devils were on sports channel, a pay channel, while Rag's were on a regular cable channel. I know many a Ranger fan who became such because the Rag's were more accessible. Does the Devils being more accessible on MSG hurt attendance because fans now have the option of staying home and watching, or does it help grow the fan base? IMO it's clearly the latter.

3)Where you put the team would be important. IMO it should be on the periphery of the footprint. So that it would help expand the footprint, while not offering much concern of cannibilization. Say a fan could travel 20 minutes(or less) to see the AHL game or 1hr 20 to see the NHL devils. I'm not suggesting putting it in close proximity to Newark.

 

[DatBoyJPP]

1)Your assuming that anyone who would go to an AHL game at $20 per would have otherwise went to the NHL game at $100 per.

2)There was a time when the Devils were on sports channel, a pay channel, while Rag's were on a regular cable channel. I know many a Ranger fan who became such because the Rag's were more accessible. Does the Devils being more accessible on MSG hurt attendance because fans now have the option of staying home and watching, or does it help grow the fan base? IMO it's clearly the latter.

3)Where you put the team would be important. IMO it should be on the periphery of the footprint. So that it would help expand the footprint, while not offering much concern of cannibilization. Say a fan could travel 20 minutes(or less) to see the AHL game or 1hr 20 to see the NHL devils. I'm not suggesting putting it in close proximity to Newark.

1) If you are to assume that the fan wouldn't go to the NHL game then you yourself are assuming they're fans of a different NHL team. North Jersey is a major league sports community. The only reason a majority would attend an AHL game would be as a cheaper alternative. Also home games on the same night would cause attendance for both to be poor

2) You're talking about something from a long time ago that's no longer relevant

3) If you move the team an hour from Newark in any direction besides west you're leaving the Devils footprint and I don't think an AHL team in Warren County survives.

 

[devilsblood]

1) If you are to assume that the fan wouldn't go to the NHL game then you yourself are assuming they're fans of a different NHL team. North Jersey is a major league sports community. The only reason a majority would attend an AHL game would be as a cheaper alternative. Also home games on the same night would cause attendance for both to be poor

2) You're talking about something from a long time ago that's no longer relevant

3) If you move the team an hour from Newark in any direction besides west you're leaving the Devils footprint and I don't think an AHL team in Warren County survives.

1)not to sure what the bold is saying. But if it is doubting that there are numerous rangers fans within our midst then I think you are doubting the obvious.

2)It's an example of how accessibility helps grow a fan base, and thus is relevant.

3)I'm in Middletown, door to door it is at least a 45 minute trip by car. Over an hour if I take the train. Am I at the furthest reaches of the Devils footprint? I don't think I am.

 

[DatBoyJPP]

1)not to sure what the bold is saying. But if it is doubting that there are numerous rangers fans within our midst then I think you are doubting the obvious.

2)It's an example of how accessibility helps grow a fan base, and thus is relevant.

3)I'm in Middletown, door to door it is at least a 45 minute trip by car. Over an hour if I take the train. Am I at the furthest reaches of the Devils footprint? I don't think I am.

I'm not doubting there are Ranger fans but why do you think they're going to attend our AHL games? Devils fans aren't packing the Prudential Center right now. Give the fans a cheaper option, and an option that is currently much more successful on the ice no less, and NHL games will be a ghost town except when the Rangers come to town.

Times have changed. All games are on tv and the internet is readily available to everyone. Having a local AHL team isn't going to change how young people pick their team. Even the Flyers figured that out and moved the Phantoms out of Philly

Pick a place south of Middletown that can host and support an AHL franchise. I'll be waiting

 

[Devils Dominion]

The only place in NJ that may make sense down the road for a Devils minor league team is to build a new arena in the area between Red Bank & Neptune, East of the GSP.

There is a large population shift from North Jersey down that way in recent years and it should continue.

New Brunswick is too close to Newark for it to make sense.

 

[devilsblood]

I'm not doubting there are Ranger fans but why do you think they're going to attend our AHL games? Devils fans aren't packing the Prudential Center right now. Give the fans a cheaper option, and an option that is currently much more successful on the ice no less, and NHL games will be a ghost town except when the Rangers come to town.

Times have changed. All games are on tv and the internet is readily available to everyone. Having a local AHL team isn't going to change how young people pick their team. Even the Flyers figured that out and moved the Phantoms out of Philly

Pick a place south of Middletown that can host and support an AHL franchise. I'll be waiting

Well Lakewood drew 350k+ plus fans this past season. Average attendance 5350. They have led the south atlantic league every year of their existence. Stands at 16 years and counting.