OT: Idea's for increasing our dismal STH numbers

[Holdurbreathe]

Went to capital tickets to see how much a season ticket was. Err, not for sale there. Had to google, ended up at the official site. Links all busted, and not really showing the correct information.

Finally found this, http://senators.nhl.com/club/page.htm?bcid=Tic_seatingdiagram

So, lets see, 300s lower bowl
full season $2608.11 ($59.27/game)
half season $1304.05 ($59.27/game)

Technically the half season is cheaper per game, as they rounded the 11 down to 5 when dividing by two. However shouldn't there be an incentive to buy the full season? guaranteed income money up front that they can invest etc.

It's a lot of money for a couple, or family of four to invest. As well as a time investment going to all the games. Especially when you can get individual game tickets at reasonable prices.

For contrast, for $60 a game I can sit in the lower bowl sideline ($30 for an end) at a Panthers game, I think that includes free parking. For $7 I can sit in the nosebleeds. SEVEN BUCKS. ($31 @ CTC)

http://panthers.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=90978

Comparing Ottawa, a REAL hockey market, with a sunshine belt team says it all.

Your post is an indication of why people suggest the Sens could be moved at some point.

 

[Holdurbreathe]

I know they give them out as perks for season ticket holders and people who have bought ticket packages, etc..

I'm a STH and last year they game out an extra set of tickets for one of the weaker teams in an attempt to make amends for the lockout.

This year, nothing.

 

[Holdurbreathe]

Very good ideas above!

The location is a big pain for people, plus parking sucks. (Having some form of transportation would help)

For me it's not a big deal because I don't live close to Ottawa and it's cheaper for me to go to Ottawa for the night than buy tickets in Toronto (plus it's just as much a pain to get home from Toronto after a game).

Marketing needs to be done and the city needs to support the team more. With great marketing you can sell more expensive tickets.

Interestingly 19K-20K people show up for 41 home dates, so the arena location isn't really an issue at all.

Parking isn't a huge problem either, but it would definitely help if the city had any form of reasonable public transit.

 

[Holdurbreathe]

This is it right here. If a visitor can't tell we have a sports team, then why do we have one?

Where were you coming from if you don't mind me asking?

How many visitors are going to buy STHs or even attend a single game??

If the residents of Ottawa/Gatineau aren't aware the Sens exist then I would agree there is a problem, but I don't believe that is the case at all.

 

[Margaret Trudeau*]

The team is in the middle of nowhere with public transport there being horrid. Parking prices are ridiculous for anyone that actually wants to drive. They didn't even re-sign their "Yzerman/Sakic/Lemieux".

 

[pepty]

Maybe they should let more people know about this sort of thing.

Matt Carkner asked Kyle Turris to step in and work with the Condors when he left.

Shana Perkins ‏@condorsgm 7h
Check out our video gift to @kyleturris & @julieturris from the Condors!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tDXlM21Ox8 …

 

[Caseus]

The decision to put the arena in the ass end of nowhere (no offense to Kanata residents!) is the #1 reason we're no sold out every single game.

In my case I can afford season tickets. I only buy tickets to a couple of regular season games a year. I live in Orleans and the commute is brutal. During the work week going to see a game is not even an option.

 

[BonkTastic]

The decision to put the arena in the ass end of nowhere (no offense to Kanata residents!) is the #1 reason we're no sold out every single game.

In my case I can afford season tickets. I only buy tickets to a couple of regular season games a year. I live in Orleans and the commute is brutal. During the work week going to see a game is not even an option.

And yet, the decision to put the arena in the ass end of nowhere is the only reason we even have a team in the first place.

I swear, I'm going to post the link to that article in every single "the arena is too far!" thread this season. I have it bookmarked, and ready to go. It'll be like a little challenge to myself.

 

[Laoghaire]

And yet, the decision to put the arena in the ass end of nowhere is the only reason we even have a team in the first place.

I swear, I'm going to post the link to that article in every single "the arena is too far!" thread this season. I have it bookmarked, and ready to go. It'll be like a little challenge to myself.

No matter how many times I read it. I still dislike how far it is.

I would love to catch a game after work easier.

 

[BonkTastic]

No matter how many times I read it. I still dislike how far it is.

I would love to catch a game after work easier.

I would love to have a solid gold rocket car.




*In this analogy, "Solid Gold Rocket Car" = "Downtown Arena". One was as likely to happen as the other.

 

[SaxPlayer]

And yet, the decision to put the arena in the ass end of nowhere is the only reason we even have a team in the first place.

I swear, I'm going to post the link to that article in every single "the arena is too far!" thread this season. I have it bookmarked, and ready to go. It'll be like a little challenge to myself.

I have to discount the whole article, when one of the arguments is about how quickly the fans can get out after losing to the Leafs in overtime

 

[FuriousSenator]

I would love to have a solid gold rocket car.




*In this analogy, "Solid Gold Rocket Car" = "Downtown Arena". One was as likely to happen as the other.

So basically "Ottawa sux" for everything that isn't concrete government buildings or ****** transit. Soooo we had to have the team in Kanata?

 

[Flamingo]

Pageau on roster means more Olympiques fans become Sens STH?

 

[alfierulestheworld]

The decision to put the arena in the ass end of nowhere (no offense to Kanata residents!) is the #1 reason we're no sold out every single game.

In my case I can afford season tickets. I only buy tickets to a couple of regular season games a year. I live in Orleans and the commute is brutal. During the work week going to see a game is not even an option.

I live in orleans and have a 20 pack, your reasoning is simply an excuse.

 

[Qward]

Last two seasons we have sold out every game.

Less season ticket holders, the more available for purchase, less chances I have to overpay on stubhub to get a ticket last minute.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

And yet, the decision to put the arena in the ass end of nowhere is the only reason we even have a team in the first place.

I swear, I'm going to post the link to that article in every single "the arena is too far!" thread this season. I have it bookmarked, and ready to go. It'll be like a little challenge to myself.

The thing is, a ton of people work in the downtown core. It's a bit of a pain to get in the car, go straight there (if you're not changing) and then on the Queensway. If you're not taking the back roads you might get in a traffic snarl, which is another reason people leave early.

As for the location, well I'll counter with Welcome To Your Karlsson Years' latest, where they point out the Canadian Tire Centre is nearing 30 years of existence, and will either need a big refurb or a move to a new location. The new location might not happen (there really aren't a lot of spots here for something that big) but it would have been awesome if the Senators and 67s could have shared a rink...downtown.
The new 67s arena probably doesn't have 20,000 seats and suites though.

 

[Qward]

If they want to build an arena downtown in the next 25-30 years they better start trying to convince NCC now.

 

[BonkTastic]

The thing is, a ton of people work in the downtown core. It's a bit of a pain to get in the car, go straight there (if you're not changing) and then on the Queensway. If you're not taking the back roads you might get in a traffic snarl, which is another reason people leave early.

As for the location, well I'll counter with Welcome To Your Karlsson Years' latest, where they point out the Canadian Tire Centre is nearing 30 years of existence, and will either need a big refurb or a move to a new location. The new location might not happen (there really aren't a lot of spots here for something that big) but it would have been awesome if the Senators and 67s could have shared a rink...downtown.
The new 67s arena probably doesn't have 20,000 seats and suites though.

I'm not saying it's not a pain for people to commute from the east end/ east of downtown, I'm just saying it's silly to question why they built the arena where they did.

We had two options:
1) NHL Hockey in Kanata, or
2) no NHL Hockey at all.

Honestly, It's a no-brainer to me.

As for the "it would have been awesome if the Senators and 67s could have shared a rink...downtown" thing, just wanting an arena downtown doesn't solve the traffic issues. Civic Center/ Lansdowne just does not have the parking space nor the exit infrastructure to accommodate 20k fans 41+ times/ year. That problem was not going too be solved any time soon, we barely got construction started for the football stadium. Adding NHL hockey to the complex would have required massive civic re-design in the area to accommodate the extra traffic, which was just never going to happen with all the Gleeb-ites raising a stink.

Also, SBP isn't yet 20 years old, let alone approaching 30 years... we're probably not getting a new arena until like 2035. How many NHL arenas get replaced before ~35-40 years of use? None of them.

 

[BonkTastic]

If they want to build an arena downtown in the next 25-30 years they better start trying to convince NCC now.

This.

That Hurdman field is probably the best spot left in the Downtown(ish) core. If we're going to have a downtown arena in 20 years (without knocking down a ton of other buildings), that's the best spot.

We need a long term plan. 20 years seems like a long time, but considering how long it takes to get things done in this city, we need to start thinking long-term NOW.