Canadian teams attendance...

[PepsiMayWest]

Overpriced in all Canadian markets, poor product in some Canadian markets, poor arena location in some markets, and people like myself who have vowed to never spend 1 dollar more on the NHL since the second lockout.
Biggest issue of all of those I listed has to be pricing tho. Totally absurd to pay 75$ minimum for the cruddiest of seats when you can sit front row at CHL games for 25$ and have a vastly more enjoyable product presented to you.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

I went to my first Canucks game in Vancouver since 2003 in October vs Winnipeg, and the atmosphere was pathetic. Half empty building and no energy whatsoever - basically the polar opposite of what it was like my first game. Food and beer prices were ridiculous as well. Although I've also visited the ACC before and the atmosphere wasn't impressive either.

Yes, the tickets are too expensive through the official channels, but on the resale websites you can pick them up relatively cheap. I'd love to see a section dedicated to those fans who actually want to create an atmosphere. It would go a long way towards improving things.

 

[PepsiMayWest]

"Only game in town?"

Winnipeg has two pro hockey teams, a CFL team, and a baseball team. We're on par with most Canadian NHL cities.

Those are very loose definitions of 'pro' level teams. By those standards I think the Montreal area has nearly a dozen pro teams. One has to admit a certain drop off in appeal from the Jets to everything else to the non-hardcore sports fan in ﹰWinnipeg.

 

[StreetHawk]

Agreed. Still puzzles me that the NHL and Rogers wouldn't want to have mcdavid vs Mathews on Saturday rather than the leafs and Canucks.

Is it cause Toronto wants the 7pm est start which would make it 5pm in Edmonton? And Toronto doesn't want to do the 7pst start?

Seems like a missed opportunity to showcase the games two elite superstars.

 

[LeafFever]

Agreed. Still puzzles me that the NHL and Rogers wouldn't want to have mcdavid vs Mathews on Saturday rather than the leafs and Canucks.

Is it cause Toronto wants the 7pm est start which would make it 5pm in Edmonton? And Toronto doesn't want to do the 7pst start?

Seems like a missed opportunity to showcase the games two elite superstars.

Leafs and Canucks always play Saturday. Edmonton and Calgary during the week. It really doesn't matter between a 4 Pm or 5 PM start time on a Saturday. Toronto doesn't "want This". This is the NHls decision.

 

[LeafFever]

Any bragging related to Leaf attendance and selling out isn't complete without an understanding of how Personal Seat Licenses work.

You pay 5, sometimes 6 figures for the right to your seat and then have to buy seasons on top of that.

If you ever don't buy seasons, you lose your PSL.

It's effectively "boycott insurance"

Leafs would sell-out without that rule.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

How many games have you attended at each Canadian city?

Hard to say, at least three each in recent years ever since I got promoted, I usually went to the games because I was either away on business for over a month or was visiting family. Also, have season tickets for the Jets.

 

[Iapyi]

the nhl has made it clear they are willing to sell out to the casual fan who has no clue about the game and come up with the stupidest ideas about changes to the game.

they will reap what they sow.

i know more and more real fans like me are fed up with their BS and having to pay over $700 for a ticket to the game just so some guy who can't skate in florida can get a free ticket if he buys a large poppa johns pizza.

more and more of us are refusing to get sucked in any more. i have boycotted spending any more money on anything nhl related.

good luck.

 

[Pookie]

Leafs would sell-out without that rule.

When the Leafs were losing, they were dropped from the CBC main game because of poor ratings.

Your statement is unprovable. But we know that all major Toronto teams have had attendance issues that ebb and flow with performance and/or fan treatment. Jays, Argos, Raptors and even TFC.

I can only offer that your statement is steeped in a sense of entitlement and overconfidence that befuddled the other franchises who treated their fans poorly and/or had losing records.

 

[StreetHawk]

Leafs and Canucks always play Saturday. Edmonton and Calgary during the week. It really doesn't matter between a 4 Pm or 5 PM start time on a Saturday. Toronto doesn't "want This". This is the NHls decision.

Don't get that strategy. Wouldn't showcasing mcdavid against Toronto draw better than having a weaker team in a larger market like Vancouver on a Saturday against the leafs.

It is what it is.

I don't think that Canadians are going to show up just because it's a hockey game. Has to be value. Saw it in the world cup.

 

[Atrusai]

"Only game in town?"

Winnipeg has two pro hockey teams, a CFL team, and a baseball team. We're on par with most Canadian NHL cities.

Sorry, only major team in town.

 

[Atrusai]

How does this help the Flames with a new arena?

"If we don't have a new arena we miiiiiight leave."

 

[Frosty415]

I’m pretty sure it’s actually number 1 this year. It supplanted New York for that dubious honour.

Last I checked SF surpassed NY.

Vancouver is 3rd I believe

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Last I checked SF surpassed NY.

Vancouver is 3rd I believe

You are correct the study I was looking at wasn’t just housing prices but average income. Vancouver is the most unaffordable place to live but not the most expensive.

Yay I guess?

 

[Classicnamesup]

I just don't find it worth the price to go very often. The cost is too high, the seats are too small, the beer is too expensive and I have been watching less and less hockey the last few years.

 

[CanCHI]

It's as if the NHL's goal of making every team even in talent in skill makes for a boring product to pay for.

Why the 80's was the best era. Large differences between teams but when the top teams played each other it was insane

 

[Pyrophorus]

Don't get that strategy. Wouldn't showcasing mcdavid against Toronto draw better than having a weaker team in a larger market like Vancouver on a Saturday against the leafs.

It is what it is.

I don't think that Canadians are going to show up just because it's a hockey game. Has to be value. Saw it in the world cup.

No.
Vancouver>Edmonton in terms of market. Market is money, eyes on ads.

 

[LeafFever]

When the Leafs were losing, they were dropped from the CBC main game because of poor ratings.

Your statement is unprovable. But we know that all major Toronto teams have had attendance issues that ebb and flow with performance and/or fan treatment. Jays, Argos, Raptors and even TFC.

I can only offer that your statement is steeped in a sense of entitlement and overconfidence that befuddled the other franchises who treated their fans poorly and/or had losing records.

Basically all of this post is incorrect. The Leafs were never dropped for bad ratings. If a team is dead-last you can't justify showing them over other Canadaian team,s, especially when the season is in the later stages. Their ratings were fine.
And remind me when the Raptors and TFC had attendance issues? Both have been very strong in support since they entered the league. The Raptors in fact have never been in the bottom of NBA attendance ever.
The Jays struggled, but without seeing the playoffs for 20 years. Everytime they've been decent, they set records or led the league in attendance (Even this year they were bad and led the AL in attendance).

 

[Pookie]

Basically all of this post is incorrect. The Leafs were never dropped for bad ratings. If a team is dead-last you can't justify showing them over other Canadaian team,s, especially when the season is in the later stages. Their ratings were fine.

"...ratings have dropped to the point where the Leafs were removed from CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada"

Toronto Maple Leafs finally get hit where it hurts the most — fan attendance

And remind me when the Raptors and TFC had attendance issues? Both have been very strong in support since they entered the league. The Raptors in fact have never been in the bottom of NBA attendance ever.

TFC had to roll back pricing in response to fan boycotts and protests. Attendance dropped as did the number of people that showed up for games.

Don't insult those of us who lived it. I was a season ticket holder and very involved in that issue.

Toronto FC Down to 10th in MLS Attendance - Waking The Red

The Jays struggled, but without seeing the playoffs for 20 years. Everytime they've been decent, they set records or led the league in attendance (Even this year they were bad and led the AL in attendance).

Seriously?

Ironic for a guy that claims that every counter opinion is incorrect.

Toronto isn't a special place just because you want it to be. The bandwagon runs through town here too.

 

[Korpse]

"If we don't have a new arena we miiiiiight leave."

Next step is touring an arena in a different city.

 

[Eat The Rich]

Is anybody in Ottawa even receiving a paycheque to go to these games?

 

[Field of Dreams]

Agreed. Still puzzles me that the NHL and Rogers wouldn't want to have mcdavid vs Mathews on Saturday rather than the leafs and Canucks.

Is it cause Toronto wants the 7pm est start which would make it 5pm in Edmonton? And Toronto doesn't want to do the 7pst start?

Seems like a missed opportunity to showcase the games two elite superstars.

I think Vancouver is a better decision because both are young, up and coming teams.

 

[Silencio]

Why the 80's was the best era. Large differences between teams but when the top teams played each other it was insane

So basically the NBA model.

 

[Digital Kid]

Because of the war against fossil fuels in Canada, Calgary's downtown has been hollowed out with 30% vacancy in many skyscrapers. The so-called recovery here has been in the service industry and not in the oil & gas and engineering sectors. Small dip in attendance has coincided with the latest oil/gas downturn. And having gone to several games, it is clear that there are paid tickets in the elite area not being used.

I am also somewhat worried that because of the massively changing demographic and cultural changes in the population in Canada, with under-20s preferring online and video events rather than live real ones, and people from elsewhere in the world who traditionally do not spend money on entertainment or sports, that it will be a slow battle in Canada to maintain attendance levels in arenas.

But we are talking a couple more decades until my generation dies off and is not replaced, but the change has slowly started.

 

[Quares27]

"...ratings have dropped to the point where the Leafs were removed from CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada"

Toronto Maple Leafs finally get hit where it hurts the most — fan attendance



TFC had to roll back pricing in response to fan boycotts and protests. Attendance dropped as did the number of people that showed up for games.

Don't insult those of us who lived it. I was a season ticket holder and very involved in that issue.

Toronto FC Down to 10th in MLS Attendance - Waking The Red



Seriously?

Ironic for a guy that claims that every counter opinion is incorrect.

Toronto isn't a special place just because you want it to be. The bandwagon runs through town here too.

1st one means just about nothing when it's March of an obvious tanking team. I watch every Leafs game possible and skipped out on watching by the end. If it was an extended trend then sure. But fans getting bored of a team when their season is over means absolutely 0.

Toronto FC's lowest ever attendance was above 18k, and that was with the team having no good players and not making the playoffs for nearly a decade. That's more than what half the NHL is currently bringing in.

Comparing the attendance in extreme circumstances with teams that havent made the playoffs in 20 years, 9 years and once in 10 years to teams who made the playoffs last season is an obviously invalid comparison. It's not bandwagoning to start to lose interest in a team in the last month of the season when they're bottom of the standings or when they haven't made the playoffs in 9 years, or even in 20 years in the Jays case.. The same thing happens for any fanbase in any sport. Not drawing at the beginning of a season, especially when your team just made the playoffs, is a completely different story.