Jets to play Heritage Classic in Regina

[Duke749]

Apparently there is a strong rumour in Calgary that the Flames will be wearing new retro whites at the Heritage Classic (and then switching to a full-time retro uniform set in the following season).

That would force the Jets to use a new retro Blue.

White Flames jersey with a big “A” on the front and a Blue Jets jersey with a “stupid little hurricane” on the front!

 

[Gm0ney]

The only hope for this game is if a lot of Flames fans are desperate to see their team play a regular season game outdoors in Regina. Winnipeg didn't even sell out the HC in 2016 - and that was right here in a brand new stadium, with a million other things going for it: we were still in the honeymoon phase; rookie sensation Patrik Laine vs. McJesus; the alumni game (look at the rosters for that! Gretzky! Hawerchuk! Selanne! AYFKM!?). Who the hell is going to this Regina game?

Maybe the people of Saskatchewan will rally around this thing - show the NHL world what great fans they are or whatever. But holy hell...this business plan seems pretty shaky.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

The only hope for this game is if a lot of Flames fans are desperate to see their team play a regular season game outdoors in Regina. Winnipeg didn't even sell out the HC in 2016 - and that was right here in a brand new stadium, with a million other things going for it: we were still in the honeymoon phase; rookie sensation Patrik Laine vs. McJesus; the alumni game (look at the rosters for that! Gretzky! Hawerchuk! Selanne! AYFKM!?). Who the hell is going to this Regina game?

Maybe the people of Saskatchewan will rally around this thing - show the NHL world what great fans they are or whatever. But holy hell...this business plan seems pretty shaky.

Tickets are a lot cheaper which may help, but yes they will be depending on people outside of Regina to sell tens of thousands of seats.

 

[jetsfan15]

The only hope for this game is if a lot of Flames fans are desperate to see their team play a regular season game outdoors in Regina. Winnipeg didn't even sell out the HC in 2016 - and that was right here in a brand new stadium, with a million other things going for it: we were still in the honeymoon phase; rookie sensation Patrik Laine vs. McJesus; the alumni game (look at the rosters for that! Gretzky! Hawerchuk! Selanne! AYFKM!?). Who the hell is going to this Regina game?

Maybe the people of Saskatchewan will rally around this thing - show the NHL world what great fans they are or whatever. But holy hell...this business plan seems pretty shaky.

Was the game actually not sold out? I was there and it looked packed, couldn’t really see any empty seats.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Tickets are a lot cheaper which may help, but yes they will be depending on people outside of Regina to sell tens of thousands of seats.

And why wouldn't they? Calgary and Winnipeg aren't that far away. I know some people in my ticket group are planning to get tickets. I expect the game to sell out, and sell out fast.

 

[dcypher]

Was the game actually not sold out? I was there and it looked packed, couldn’t really see any empty seats.

Can confirm, I was there all weekend. Not sold out. It looked packed, yes. Sold out? No.

TBH I felt like TNSE didn't even hype it up more back then. When we took a bus to the event, there were a ton of Jets and Oilers fans in the bus. Some people not dressed in a jersey was wondering what the hell was going on while going to the Stadium.

 

[jetsfan15]

Can confirm, I was there all weekend. Not sold out. It looked packed, yes. Sold out? No.

TBH I felt like TNSE didn't even hype it up more back then. When we took a bus to the event, there were a ton of Jets and Oilers fans in the bus. Some people not dressed in a jersey was wondering what the hell was going on while going to the Stadium.

I have a feeling the Heritage Classic in Regina game will sell out without any issues. Part of my reasoning is that there will be a decent amount of fans coming from both Calgary and Winnipeg, given the location of the game. Plus you add fans coming from the Regina region (and Saskatchewan generally speaking), and I think this game will sell out. Let’s say 12K from Winnipeg area, 12K from Calgary area, 12K from Saskatchewan. Not necessarily an exact split like that - might be more from one region than the other, but I don’t think they’ll have any issues packing the building.

 

[Cellee]

I have a feeling the Heritage Classic in Regina game will sell out without any issues. Part of my reasoning is that there will be a decent amount of fans coming from both Calgary and Winnipeg, given the location of the game. Plus you add fans coming from the Regina region (and Saskatchewan generally speaking), and I think this game will sell out. Let’s say 12K from Winnipeg area, 12K from Calgary area, 12K from Saskatchewan. Not necessarily an exact split like that - might be more from one region than the other, but I don’t think they’ll have any issues packing the building.

Regina doesn't have the hotel space for 24k out of towners

 

[Cellee]

The only hope for this game is if a lot of Flames fans are desperate to see their team play a regular season game outdoors in Regina. Winnipeg didn't even sell out the HC in 2016 - and that was right here in a brand new stadium, with a million other things going for it: we were still in the honeymoon phase; rookie sensation Patrik Laine vs. McJesus; the alumni game (look at the rosters for that! Gretzky! Hawerchuk! Selanne! AYFKM!?). Who the hell is going to this Regina game?

Maybe the people of Saskatchewan will rally around this thing - show the NHL world what great fans they are or whatever. But holy hell...this business plan seems pretty shaky.

It was a sell out. Not sure what game you are referring to.

 

[Gm0ney]

It was a sell out. Not sure what game you are referring to.

I was at both the Alumni game and the HC game itself. They were hocking tickets right up to the last minute. Shortly after the initial ticket offer to STHs, there were subsequent offers for more tickets right up to the end. And there were definitely some empty seats visible from where I was sitting. Not the odd one here and there, but empty blocks of seats. Maybe they were paid for and unused sponsor seats or something? A technical sellout, perhaps?

 

[buggs]

I was at both the Alumni game and the HC game itself. They were hocking tickets right up to the last minute. Shortly after the initial ticket offer to STHs, there were subsequent offers for more tickets right up to the end. And there were definitely some empty seats visible from where I was sitting. Not the odd one here and there, but empty blocks of seats. Maybe they were paid for and unused sponsor seats or something? A technical sellout, perhaps?

So a "Florida" sellout then?

 

[Cellee]

I was at both the Alumni game and the HC game itself. They were hocking tickets right up to the last minute. Shortly after the initial ticket offer to STHs, there were subsequent offers for more tickets right up to the end. And there were definitely some empty seats visible from where I was sitting. Not the odd one here and there, but empty blocks of seats. Maybe they were paid for and unused sponsor seats or something? A technical sellout, perhaps?

It is possible I guess.

 

[Gm0ney]

So a "Florida" sellout then?

Anything over 50% capacity is a Florida sellout, I believe...

It is possible I guess.

Whatever the case, I thought they had to push pretty hard to get the stadium full and that was with all the benefits I mentioned...although I'm sure some Winnipeggers might consider driving to new Mosaic in Regina is less of a hassle than getting to IGF.

 

[Cellee]

Anything over 50% capacity is a Florida sellout, I believe...

Whatever the case, I thought they had to push pretty hard to get the stadium full and that was with all the benefits I mentioned...although I'm sure some Winnipeggers might consider driving to new Mosaic in Regina is less of a hassle than getting to IGF.

True.

Big events in Regina are a nightmare, it is hard to get hotels on Labour Day.

They will need the locals to carry the day.

 

[DowntownBooster]

I have a feeling the Heritage Classic in Regina game will sell out without any issues. Part of my reasoning is that there will be a decent amount of fans coming from both Calgary and Winnipeg, given the location of the game. Plus you add fans coming from the Regina region (and Saskatchewan generally speaking), and I think this game will sell out. Let’s say 12K from Winnipeg area, 12K from Calgary area, 12K from Saskatchewan. Not necessarily an exact split like that - might be more from one region than the other, but I don’t think they’ll have any issues packing the building.

I would imagine the majority of fans will be from Saskatchewan for this game. No doubt there will be a number from Winnipeg and Calgary but this will be an opportunity for the local population to attend an NHL game in their own back yard. Although there may have been NHL pre-season games played in Saskatoon or Regina in previous years, this will be a regular season game between 2 very good teams. A sellout for this game should not be a problem with all the hockey fans in the region.

 

[DowntownBooster]

Fair enough.

To me, the white outline doesn't do enough to solve the muddled blob logo with dark on dark. The puck with Jet gets lost already on the white (it is my favourite Jets logo BTW).

I would drop the word mark jersey, use that colour another way down the road.Technically we already use 4 logos, because the word mark logo is our helmet logo just white.

I want them to do the HC home version in the hope we go back to them full time (they won't) but I have a feeling they will be Hawerchuk or Selanne blues.

Maybe they should have used the white Jet plane inside the puck on the logo like they did in the last WHA season in 1978-79. The white Jet plane was first introduced one year earlier during the 1977-78 season but only a portion of the jerseys had them while the majority still had the blue Jet plane.

 

[DannyGallivan]

I have a feeling the Heritage Classic in Regina game will sell out without any issues. Part of my reasoning is that there will be a decent amount of fans coming from both Calgary and Winnipeg, given the location of the game. Plus you add fans coming from the Regina region (and Saskatchewan generally speaking), and I think this game will sell out. Let’s say 12K from Winnipeg area, 12K from Calgary area, 12K from Saskatchewan. Not necessarily an exact split like that - might be more from one region than the other, but I don’t think they’ll have any issues packing the building.

Reasons this game will sell out:
1. It's in a hockey-mad, non-NHL city. The citizens of Regina and surrounding areas would sell this out without the help of fans driving in from Manitoba or Alberta. It's a high event game that counts in the standings.
2. There will still be a fair amount of fans driving in from Manitoba and Alberta anyways.
3. Related to point number one... it's in a sports-mad city where there's not much to do outside of Rider season (sorry Regina folks, but it is what it is).

Personally, I find these spectacles much better to watch on television. The site lines at the games are horrible, it's not comfortable whatsoever, and the costs are absolutely outrageous for what you get. Maybe that's why it's in a non-NHL city... fans in Regina would be far less jaded.

 

[Cellee]

Maybe they should have used the white Jet plane inside the puck on the logo like they did in the last WHA season in 1978-79. The white Jet plane was first introduced one year earlier during the 1977-78 season but only a portion of the jerseys had them while the majority still had the blue Jet plane.

I like it

 

[GNP]

The only hope for this game is if a lot of Flames fans are desperate to see their team play a regular season game outdoors in Regina. Winnipeg didn't even sell out the HC in 2016 - and that was right here in a brand new stadium, with a million other things going for it: we were still in the honeymoon phase; rookie sensation Patrik Laine vs. McJesus; the alumni game (look at the rosters for that! Gretzky! Hawerchuk! Selanne! AYFKM!?). Who the hell is going to this Regina game?

Maybe the people of Saskatchewan will rally around this thing - show the NHL world what great fans they are or whatever. But holy hell...this business plan seems pretty shaky.

_________________________________________________________

Saskatchewan fans are very supportive of sports in general. I'd say they draw the highest per capita attendance for their CFL Riders. My guess is that this game sells out.

 

[Cellee]

Reasons this game will sell out:
1. It's in a hockey-mad, non-NHL city. The citizens of Regina and surrounding areas would sell this out without the help of fans driving in from Manitoba or Alberta. It's a high event game that counts in the standings.
2. There will still be a fair amount of fans driving in from Manitoba and Alberta anyways.
3. Related to point number one... it's in a sports-mad city where there's not much to do outside of Rider season (sorry Regina folks, but it is what it is).

Personally, I find these spectacles much better to watch on television. The site lines at the games are horrible, it's not comfortable whatsoever, and the costs are absolutely outrageous for what you get. Maybe that's why it's in a non-NHL city... fans in Regina would be far less jaded.

The Riders don't regularly sell out, and it is far cheaper than this event.The Pats are averaging 5201 in a 6484 seat building at sub Moose level prices.

 

[Cellee]

_________________________________________________________

Saskatchewan fans are very supportive of sports in general. I'd say they draw the highest per capita attendance for their CFL Riders. My guess is that this game sells out.

Are they? They didn't come close to selling out their first playoff game at their new stadium.

 

[tacogeoff]

Are they? They didn't come close to selling out their first playoff game at their new stadium.

that is correct. they were 2700 away from their capacity of 33,350. To play devils advocate and just for fun.. the bombers were over 5000 away to capacity of 33,022 in their first playoff game in their new stadium.

regardless I'm sure the seats will fill but wont be a sell out. I agree with you that finding lodging is going to be a struggle.

 

[Cellee]

that is correct. they were 2700 away from their capacity of 33,350. To play devils advocate and just for fun.. the bombers were over 5000 away to capacity of 33,022 in their first playoff game in their new stadium.

regardless I'm sure the seats will fill but wont be a sell out. I agree with you that finding lodging is going to be a struggle.

We aren't talking about the Bombers though, you said they were the best fans.

They didn't sell out for their own team in a much cheaper event, I am not so sure they sell this one out.

Out of towners will definitely be a struggle.

 

[tacogeoff]

We aren't talking about the Bombers though, you said they were the best fans.

They didn't sell out for their own team in a much cheaper event, I am not so sure they sell this one out.

Out of towners will definitely be a struggle.

I said no such thing.

I was using it as a comparison for population base.

I think they will be ok if there are people traveling to watch the game as well.

 

[Daximus]

We aren't talking about the Bombers though, you said they were the best fans.

They didn't sell out for their own team in a much cheaper event, I am not so sure they sell this one out.

Out of towners will definitely be a struggle.

Me and my family just bought 6 tickets on the pre-sale. I know about a dozen others people who are planning on going just from Moose Jaw alone. Wife's family from Saskatoon and Calgary are coming out about 12 in total. Damn near using the game as an excuse for a family reunion. My uncle from Humbolt is planning on getting 6 tickets for his family. The purolator guy that delivers my packages is taking his wife and kids as a flames fan. The guy that rvices my Jeep is a Jets fan and is planning on taking his family. You'd be surprised what region that doesn't get many NHL games in a central location will bring. Especially teams that both have a large following.