Cities Without Hockey That Would Do Better Than Elmira, Wheeling, and Brampton

[jason2020]

Agreed, i once went to a Marlies game but asked a guy in the crowd why the it was such low attendance. His answer was simple: There are no hockey fans in Toronto, just Leafs fans..

What drives me crazy is Leaf fans are so cocky they think all of there hockey teams get great support.

 

[MiamiHockey]

Agreed, i once went to a Marlies game but asked a guy in the crowd why the it was such low attendance. His answer was simple: There are no hockey fans in Toronto, just Leafs fans..

The problem is the location of the arena. The Marlies are supposed to be a family-friendly alternative, but the Ricoh Centre is located downtown. How many families live downtown? And I can't even imagine trying to get there for a weeknight game. Not a viable option for families.

 

[MiamiHockey]

Leafs fans aren't even that great. Watch a game. More suits than anything. Would also say MSG is the most overrated arena ever. Its never loud unless their team is winning a big game. They are only then into the games.

You're confusing Leafs fans with those who attend games at the ACC.

The ACC prices are outrageous, and far beyond the ability of regular Leafs fans to afford.

So, where do regular Leafs' fans go to see their team play? Buffalo, Florida, Tampa, and anywhere else the Leafs are traveling where the prices are below $200.

The Leafs have extremely loyal fans ... you just need to travel to Buffalo or Miami to see them at an actual Leafs game.

 

[jason2020]

You're confusing Leafs fans with those who attend games at the ACC.

The ACC prices are outrageous, and far beyond the ability of regular Leafs fans to afford.

So, where do regular Leafs' fans go to see their team play? Buffalo, Florida, Tampa, and anywhere else the Leafs are traveling where the prices are below $200.

The Leafs have extremely loyal fans ... you just need to travel to Buffalo or Miami to see them at an actual Leafs game.

The point is Toronto is not a hockey market.

 

[MiamiHockey]

The point is Toronto is not a hockey market.

As compared to what? What city is a hockey market, by your definition?

Do yourself a favour and Google "GTHL" - it's the world's largest hockey league, and it's in Toronto. Within the GTA you have over 30,000 kids participating in Minor Hockey, dozens of arenas and adult leagues, and multiple Jr A franchises and college teams. A conservative estimate would be that 100,000 to 200,000 Torontonians play hockey at some level. But, I suppose that's not enough to qualify as a "hockey market" ?

Perhaps it would be a "hockey market" if you include nearby cities like Guelph, Kitchener, Barrie, Hamilton, and Oshawa, all of which provide strong support for Major Junior / AHL teams.

The reality is this: Torontonians don't want to fight traffic and drive 40+ minutes to the Ricoh Centre to watch the Marlies play. That does not mean it's not a hockey market, it just means that they don't want to fight traffic to watch the Marlies play because the arena is not conveniently located for the target market: families who live in the suburbs.

 

[jason2020]

As compared to what? What city is a hockey market, by your definition?

Do yourself a favour and Google "GTHL" - it's the world's largest hockey league, and it's in Toronto. Within the GTA you have over 30,000 kids participating in Minor Hockey, dozens of arenas and adult leagues, and multiple Jr A franchises and college teams. A conservative estimate would be that 100,000 to 200,000 Torontonians play hockey at some level. But, I suppose that's not enough to qualify as a "hockey market" ?

Perhaps it would be a "hockey market" if you include nearby cities like Guelph, Kitchener, Barrie, Hamilton, and Oshawa, all of which provide strong support for Major Junior / AHL teams.

The reality is this: Torontonians don't want to fight traffic and drive 40+ minutes to the Ricoh Centre to watch the Marlies play. That does not mean it's not a hockey market, it just means that they don't want to fight traffic to watch the Marlies play because the arena is not conveniently located for the target market: families who live in the suburbs.

Awful support for major jr not great support for Ahl/Echl even the World juniors had issues for the first round games yet just because lots play hockey its the world best hockey market sorry that makes no sense.

 

[MiamiHockey]

Awful support for major jr not great support for Ahl/Echl even the World juniors had issues for the first round games yet just because lots play hockey its the world best hockey market sorry that makes no sense.

So, by your logic, it makes "no sense" to argue that that a metropolitan area that has (1) the most valuable franchise in the NHL, (2) the NHL team that has the league's highest ticket prices yet still sells out, fans that gather outdoors in the thousands to watch a 1st Round Leafs playoff game on a giant screen, and (3) the world's largest hockey league is a hockey market? What is your definition of a hockey market, then?

You can't answer that, can you?

 

[jason2020]

So, by your logic, it makes "no sense" to argue that that a metropolitan area that has (1) the most valuable franchise in the NHL, (2) the NHL team that has the league's highest ticket prices yet still sells out, fans that gather outdoors in the thousands to watch a 1st Round Leafs playoff game on a giant screen, and (3) the world's largest hockey league is a hockey market? What is your definition of a hockey market, then?

You can't answer that, can you?

There is no question Toronto is the worlds best Nhl market but when you have poor attendance for Ohl/Ahl/Echl and all non Leafs games that's not a hockey market to be that you support all level of hockey

 

[MiamiHockey]

There is no question Toronto is the worlds best Nhl market but when you have poor attendance for Ohl/Ahl/Echl and all non Leafs games that's not a hockey market to be that you support all level of hockey

It's drawing a pretty fine line to suggest that Toronto is not a market that supports all levels of hockey. The GTA really stretches to include Oshawa, Hamilton, Guelph, and arguably Barrie and Kitchener-Waterloo. Those markets have all demonstrated their strong support for OHL / AHL franchises.

And, the St Michael's Majors actually had good attendance at their arena in Toronto ... the problem was that it was a high school arena, not an OHL arena.

As for Brampton and Mississauga ... they have TERRIBLE arena locations that are nowhere remotely close to the city centres or public transit.