Colorado Avalanche

[Jag68Sid87]

And that is in a rink with over 21,000 capacity?? I'm not saying that Montreal was in trouble like Carolina, but there were a few years there where total capacity for the whole year was around 95% and dipped lower than that for a few years. Some in the media circles were starting to worry about waning support for the Canadiens when normally they were selling out the building. Some thought that the new rink was just too big.

To regularily have a 5% vacancy on seats in the Molson/Bell Centre for a team with so much history like the Habs, well I consider that to be a soft spot. Imagine the same happening in Detroit or Toronto, it would be a virtual disaster in these markets.

As a Montrealer, I would agree with you. But make no mistake, it WAS a disaster. The hiring of Bob Gainey was necessitated by the team's downward spiral, no question about it. And I don't think people felt the Molson/Bell Centre was too big, but rather that there are too many seats and not enough space inside the building.

As far as the Colorado Avalanche are concerned, I don't think they should be punished for being successful right out of the gate. After all, that's the goal of any professional sports franchise anywhere. And while they do appear headed towards leaner times, I think they have a few things going for them that others may lack: For one thing, this organization has had "star appeal" throughout its existence, whether it be Real Cloutier and Jacques Richard, or Marc Tardif, Peter Stastny or Michel Goulet, or Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin, Owen Nolan, Eric Lindros (ever-so briefly), Peter Forsberg, Patrick Roy, Rob Blake, Milan Hejduk, Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. Since Pierre Lacroix seems like a GM that recognizes the star factor, I don't think Avs fans have too much to worry about. Lacroix has never been afraid to make a move, so if Forsberg's done I am confident that Lacroix will be able to find Forsberg's heir apparent/support player for Sakic in the not-too-distant future.

The other advantage the Avs have is that they play an exciting brand of hockey. That helps the fans come back, and it also helps the team acquire more offensive players (see Kariya and Selanne). As long as they continue to go in this direction, I think Colorado attendance will be just fine.

IF, however, they decide that they no longer have the horses to play run-and-gun hockey, and instead try to win by playing a system under Joel Quenneville, then I could see a slight deterioration. But the two Stanley Cup wins buys them all kinds of time in my opinion.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Exactly.

No one really looks at the money that will be freed up once Sakic, Forsberg, and Blake retire.

Under Old System:
Forsberg=11 million
Sakic=9 million
Blake=9 million
Total=29 million dollars

While the value of not having those 3 on the books may change under a cap system(depending on how high or low it is set at) thats a ton of cash to play with, and just because PL has not gone after big name FA's(at least those who were not at his doorstep one morning like Selanne and Kariya) does not mean he will not in the future.

There are going to be a TON, a MASS , of UFA's this summer(or whenever a deal is reached). Who's to say the Avs will not find some of the future there?(or at least players who allow them to save some picks, rather than trade them). PL already started working on that with the Additions of Lappy, Dampy, and Lauky, all of whom the Avs would have traded for under the old Avalanche model.

Anyways... EVERY team in the league will be VERY different if/when next season starts up, regardless of talent.. Who's to say Sakic will not report with an extra 10 lb's and be a slug on ice? (it's not likely, but it could happen). Every "star" player who has not spent time playing in Europe will be a risk to flap come the new season...

 

[syc]

Dumb enough or loyal enough?

The only team in the NHL where fans are dumb enough to sellout a building for a team that sucks are the Maple Leafs and there's decades of proof there. If you're looking for "Cubs-like" fans, there's you're hockey analogy right there.

Yeah those Pejorative Sluredly loyal hockey fans, the should all just die!


Are the Cubs 2nd all time for world series championship wins?

I have no idea but I doubt it.

History builds loyalty and that's something most teams in the NHL can't take advantage of. Don't hate the fans for loving the game whether their team wins or looses because if more NHL fans were like Toronto Maple Leaf fans then the NHL wouldn't have the problems that it has.

 

[Roots73]

Yeah those Pejorative Sluredly loyal hockey fans, the should all just die!


Are the Cubs 2nd all time for world series championship wins?

I have no idea but I doubt it.

History builds loyalty and that's something most teams in the NHL can't take advantage of. Don't hate the fans for loving the game whether their team wins or looses because if more NHL fans were like Toronto Maple Leaf fans then the NHL wouldn't have the problems that it has.

I'm not saying that they're stupid for just being hockey fans... they were stupid for propping up a tyrant like Harold Ballard for almost 3 decades. He virtually destroyed the talent base of that team and the fans kept crowding MLG like a bunch of lemmings.

I still think there's a valid argument that you can compare the Maple Leafs to the Cubs. No matter how much they lose, the fans keep buying into it.

 

[ColoradoHockeyFan]

If you want to see a sport we don't give a damn about, check out local college basketball.

Indeed. The other night, I accidentally flipped the Mountain West tournament on TV, being hosted at the Pepsi Center. Talk about an empty building... I'm being serious... it was virtually empty. And this was with local teams, like Air Force (and CSU earlier in the day) playing!

Meanwhile, by way of contrast, if you wanted to see college hockey conference tournament action here this weekend, they were scalping tickets.

 

[Biggest Canuck Fan]

Indeed. The other night, I accidentally flipped the Mountain West tournament on TV, being hosted at the Pepsi Center. Talk about an empty building... I'm being serious... it was virtually empty. And this was with local teams, like Air Force (and CSU earlier in the day) playing!

Meanwhile, by way of contrast, if you wanted to see college hockey conference tournament action here this weekend, they were scalping tickets.

Yeah this topic made he go HUHN!?!?!?! Never would I question the loyalty of the Avs fans. If they have a few losing seasons the team will still play host to 80-90% capacity.

I vote this topic as the worst thought out topic ever.

 

[ColoradoHockeyFan]

Yeah this topic made he go HUHN!?!?!?! Never would I question the loyalty of the Avs fans. If they have a few losing seasons the team will still play host to 80-90% capacity.

I vote this topic as the worst thought out topic ever.

I wonder if, when he started this thread, flamesforevah had any idea it would turn into such a long one.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

I wonder if, when he started this thread, flamesforevah had any idea it would turn into such a long one.

Just goes to show you how popular the Avalanche are..

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Just goes to show you how popular the Avalanche are..

there was a long thread about the state of the Alberta teams...does it show how popular the Oilers and Flames are?

 

[ScottyBowman]

I hate the Lanche with a passion but this thread is ridiculous.

 

[bleedgreen]

i moved to denver the year after they won the cup. i can tell you that they dont have the die hard following of educated fans the older teams have. im not saying they dont exist, im saying that the knowledgable fans are hard to find. i think that will improve in time though, as the kids who grew up fans of the avs become older.
aside from the broncos, i dont think any team in denver has a chance of major fan support in losing times. look at the rockies and nuggets, you can get a rockies ticket for basically free these days, ditto for the nuggets a few years ago. even now, as they are successful - its still not hard to get a cheap seat. denver is an active city, everyone goes to the mountains on the weekends, and most people i know dont spend all their time at home on tv, i think thats what makes it an indiffferent market. if the avs left town , i think the majority of the state would move on fairly quickly.

 

[andora]

Sakic had Roy and Blake around him, Roy had Blake and Sakic, Blake had Sakic and Roy. Yzerman had similar talent around him.

What will Hejduk have that is remotely similar?

jeez you're negative around here..

colorado can just sign a fellow czech or two and hejduk can have a couple buddies..

jeez

 

[Hasbro]

Indeed. The other night, I accidentally flipped the Mountain West tournament on TV, being hosted at the Pepsi Center. Talk about an empty building... I'm being serious... it was virtually empty. And this was with local teams, like Air Force (and CSU earlier in the day) playing!

Meanwhile, by way of contrast, if you wanted to see college hockey conference tournament action here this weekend, they were scalping tickets.

Last year's attendence figures:

Air Force-2316
Colorado-6858
CSU-3917
Denver-1457 (76th overall)
Wyoming-10,108 (42nd overall)

Hockey:
Air Force-1,481
CC-6,474 (6th overall)
DU-4,787 (12th overall)

CU's attendence scews high, because of the Conference opponents they can leach off of. For instance Texas Tech drew 10000 Kansas drew 11000 when they were in Boulder. Meanwhile CU-CSU 6000, College of Charleston 2300, Radford 1900

The only team I can see having a dramatic increase this year is Air Force, while DU and CC should have an average near capacity. The only time anyone got really excited about the Basketball Buffs was while Chauncy Billups was here. All the other great local talents went outside the state for school (Michael Ray Richardson, Joe Barry Carrol, Tom Chambers...)

This is another reason I think we're going to get more College hockey programs in the near future.

 

[ResidentAlien*]

I hate the Lanche with a passion but this thread is ridiculous.

I could'nt agree more Mr Bowman!
But i love this place http://www.divealanche.com/

:lol

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I could'nt agree more Mr Bowman!
But i love this place http://www.divealanche.com/

:lol

I love that site!
make sure to take that quiz!

 

[pei fan]

I love that site!
make sure to take that quiz!

Question 16 is my fav.
16.The crowd is chanting "Red Wings Suck" over and over.What team is visiting
Denver?
a)Dallas Stars
b)Kansas City Chiefs
c)Seattle Mariners
d)Any of the above
:lol

 

[ColoradoHockeyFan]

Last year's attendence figures:

Air Force-2316
Colorado-6858
CSU-3917
Denver-1457 (76th overall)
Wyoming-10,108 (42nd overall)

Hockey:
Air Force-1,481
CC-6,474 (6th overall)
DU-4,787 (12th overall)

CU's attendence scews high, because of the Conference opponents they can leach off of. For instance Texas Tech drew 10000 Kansas drew 11000 when they were in Boulder. Meanwhile CU-CSU 6000, College of Charleston 2300, Radford 1900

The only team I can see having a dramatic increase this year is Air Force, while DU and CC should have an average near capacity. The only time anyone got really excited about the Basketball Buffs was while Chauncy Billups was here. All the other great local talents went outside the state for school (Michael Ray Richardson, Joe Barry Carrol, Tom Chambers...)

This is another reason I think we're going to get more College hockey programs in the near future.

If you want to update this for the current year, DU (hockey) averaged 6067 (in a 6026-seat arena).

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~87~2762804,00.html