The Maple Leafs home opener was this past Monday and MLSE said "This game is on us". They gave away 1,000 free tickets to those die hard fans that really wanted them. They told their season ticket holders that the first game would be free. Now, I was expecting the place to be BOOMING all game. Loud on rushes, chants of Go Leafs Go, noise, anything. But I got the opposite, it was quiet, dead, and the atmosphere seemed to be missing. Granted, I watched it from home on TV, so maybe it was worse than it was. But when you watched the Habs home opener this past weekend, that place was CRAZY.
Now, a couple of reasons why the place wasn't crazy are the following:
1) Season ticket holders are all corporate.
2) Leafs had not put a team on the ice worth cheering for.
3) Leafs did not give them a reason to cheer until the last couple of minutes.
So what realistic ideas do you have that can change this around? And I say realistic because, taking away the season ticket holders tickets and giving them to fans that care is not realistic from a business point of view.
Should they do more shirt tosses? Better in between game segments? Better Music? Cheaper Beer on weeknight games? Better Promotional Days?
Another idea is to take over one section of the arena at a time. You have to figure this isn't going to happen overnight. Lets say make section 120, the "loud" section, much like the TFC Supporter section. Always standing, always cheering on rushes, chanting "Defence", heckling the opposing goaltender, etc. Hopefully that will translate into sections 121 and 119 getting loud throughout the game too.
I am sick and tired of hearing how excited players like John Tavares, Tyler Seguin, Steven Stamkos all have family visiting them and watching. Lets turn this arena back into our building. Where the noise is deafening and where the Leafs want to score to hear their fans go CRAZY. Lets be the 7th man on the ice for them. Lets be a city where free agents or top talent will want to come to because we SUPPORT our team instead of analyzing every little mistake that they do.
I really want to get this place on the same noise level as Winnipeg, Montreal, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Vancouver.
Thoughts/Suggestions?
Heaven forbid that a team have a fanbase of civilized members of society rather than a bunch of drunken rowdies fresh from the Tar Sands.
Would be so nice to have one game a season where the tickets are not part of the season-ticket package. Could be a combination of a lottery, giveaways to Big Brothers/Big Sisters and other groups who help kids who would otherwise likely never get to a Leaf game. Also some element of a throwback to the '50s and '60s when there was a "Young Canada Night" at the Gardens and there were tons of kids in attendance. With a combination of the above, the place could be rocking...
How does your own d*** taste?
And apparently the guys that make 200k in the tar sands are unworthy of such a blessing
Heaven forbid that a team have a fanbase of civilized members of society rather than a bunch of drunken rowdies fresh from the Tar Sands.
Probably a good 30% of the posters on here have never even seen a Leafs playoff game on TV.
Go across the border and watch the leafs play in Buffalo...
in years past its been close to 40/60 leafs fans to sabres
Other then the losing record in Buffalo, its a great atmosphere
Actual fans going to the game and spending their own money on the tickets.Half the suits at the ACC are there with complimentory tickets from corps.No doubt alot of them aren't even fans.
It's pretty simple really... win and start playing meaningful games. The ACC has been extremely loud in the past. There is also this illusion that other rinks are louder (Bell Centre for example) when in reality it again comes down to being successful and playing meaningful games.
The team that plays in the Bell Centre strikes you as "successful"?
Well they have won many more games than the Leafs in the past 8 years. Including a Conference Final playoff run and only missing the playoffs twice since the last lockout.
Personally I think they have more real fans at the rink.
Well they have won many more games than the Leafs in the past 8 years. Including a Conference Final playoff run and only missing the playoffs twice since the last lockout.
Personally I think they have more real fans at the rink.
Seriously, is there anything blue and white you cheer for or do you just go into everything thread and **** in it?