News Article: Leblanc: Reboot, not rebuild

[The Feckless Puck]

From Kevin Allen at USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...leblanc-roster-moves-trade-deadline/23199043/

"We are not selling out a building every night, but we have a pretty good following here. We are averaging 14,000 per game," LeBlanc said. "We have a good solid corps of fans, and that's a corps that has been to hell and back."

I have to be honest, I thought our average attendance was lower than that. Considering the building seats 17,125, 14,000 average a game is a big improvement over the past couple of years.

Click to read more...

 

[CC96]

Not to mention, there's been significantly less ticket giveaways/cheap promos the past 2 years. ^^

 

[awfulwaffle]

ESPN attendance has us at just over 13k a game. But still, that's an improvement if you ask me. Over 75% capacity. But then again, people not in Arizona wouldn't be satisfied with selling out every game. They would claim half the tickets are free, etc.

But I do like the progress. Stability seems to have helped a bit, hope to see it improve over time.

 

[CC96]

IMO, a 2-3 year rebuild would be ideal for the franchise as opposed to a quick offseason retool. Then again, LeBlanc could just be sugar coating management's actual intent, so as not to upset the casual fan. Guess there's really no way of telling until we actually see what happens at the TDL and free agent frenzy.

 

[XX]

"Realistically, we think we will put together what we thought we had this season, which is a playoff-caliber team."

tl;dr It wasn't the plan, they are that dumb

 

[The Feckless Puck]

ESPN attendance has us at just over 13k a game. But still, that's an improvement if you ask me. Over 75% capacity. But then again, people not in Arizona wouldn't be satisfied with selling out every game. They would claim half the tickets are free, etc.

But I do like the progress. Stability seems to have helped a bit, hope to see it improve over time.

The eye test, for me, shows significant growth in fans per game. The lower bowl is much more full than it has been in the past few years, even on traditionally "weak" nights. It still takes a while for everyone to filter in on weeknight games. But there aren't the giant blank sections that I remember from even the WCF year, and certainly not as bad as the Balsillie years when a game against, say, Carolina, looked lighter than this year's preseason crowd.

You're right, nobody outside of our board is going to buy it but it's been a pleasant surprise for me this year.

 

[CC96]

tl;dr It wasn't the plan, they are that dumb

This is what I've been saying all season.

 

[SniperHF]

Reboot/Rebuild? Parsing. One can turn into the other real quick, mostly outside your control, with either good fortune or crap luck.

The eye test, for me, shows significant growth in fans per game.

Agreed, and there was a healthy ticket price increase too. My 13 game package was 350ish more this season. Much larger increase than before.

 

[KG]

What explains this? Better economy, more disposable income?

 

[XX]

What explains this? Better economy, more disposable income?

Leblanc is probably throwing out the early part of the year. Maybe only using this calendar year. It's 13k otherwise. The economy is coming back and the valley is slowly recovering.

I reiterate that McDavid could probably move two to three thousand season tickets on his own, and if these guys had a lick of hockey sense they'd be all in on him.

Instead, they're busy blathering on about how they thought a team with Moss and Chipchura as key 3rd liners was a playoff team.

 

[awfulwaffle]

What explains this? Better economy, more disposable income?

http://www.deptofnumbers.com/unemployment/arizona/

Looks like more people are working. I know you can't trust these numbers too much because it doesn't include the people that have stopped looking for jobs. But more people working is always a good sign, and I'd say that people less worried about their investments in the stock market currently, and worry about possibly losing their job as the unemployment rate was increasing also helps.

Long story short, I would say there are just a combination of economic factors at hand that is helping. I would have to believe that stable ownership has also helped, especially in the fact that they seem to care about the team being here in Arizona.

 

[BlazingBlueAnt]

Its also possible ESPN is counted butts in the seats while Leblanc is counting tickets sold

 

[Sinurgy]

The eye test, for me, shows significant growth in fans per game. The lower bowl is much more full than it has been in the past few years, even on traditionally "weak" nights. It still takes a while for everyone to filter in on weeknight games. But there aren't the giant blank sections that I remember from even the WCF year, and certainly not as bad as the Balsillie years when a game against, say, Carolina, looked lighter than this year's preseason crowd.

You're right, nobody outside of our board is going to buy it but it's been a pleasant surprise for me this year.

You also rarely see the crazy deals on sites like stubhub anymore. I remember there was a time when you could pickup lower bowl seats, attack twice side for$20 for damn near any game. There are still deals to be had of course but no where near that low as well as further and fewer in between. It's anecdotal but attendance seems to be much improved which honestly is amazing given the rough season the Coyotes are having.

 

[XX]

You also rarely see the crazy deals on sites like stubhub anymore. I remember there was a time when you could pickup lower bowl seats, attack twice side for$20 for damn near any game. There are still deals to be had of course but no where near that low as well as further and fewer in between. It's anecdotal but attendance seems to be much improved which honestly is amazing given the rough season the Coyotes are having.

Marketing is still little to nonexistent. Is that director job still open? I've only seen FSAZ promos this year.

 

[Guest]

I know this is my policy on things: It doesn't matter what they say, it's what they do.

They can say anything, but if they don't back it up with their actions then it was just PR. I personally don't believe that a reset is enough to turn this team around, but I do think they've lost their chance at McEichel. Since they are on the outside of that prize it's likely more important to try to win for the home crowd to maintain the fan base, which is basically what they are doing.

I still think that all of our pending UFA's should be gone at the deadline, with no exceptions. I'm on the fence about trading Yandle. I think Yandle should only go if we get a core guy in exchange that makes this team better. There are a number of ways that can play out.

I'm just for the best asset management, and the way that DM and DT have managed assets the past couple of seasons has me on the side of moving a new direction on both fronts.

 

[Jakey53]

The eye test, for me, shows significant growth in fans per game. The lower bowl is much more full than it has been in the past few years, even on traditionally "weak" nights. It still takes a while for everyone to filter in on weeknight games. But there aren't the giant blank sections that I remember from even the WCF year, and certainly not as bad as the Balsillie years when a game against, say, Carolina, looked lighter than this year's preseason crowd.

You're right, nobody outside of our board is going to buy it but it's been a pleasant surprise for me this year.

Wait until this team starts winning consistently. I still think it will end up being a rebuild, not a reboot. I could see a team like LA reboot this year if they miss the playoffs, but us, I still call it a rebuild.

 

[_Del_]

You can "reboot" when you've suddenly lost consistent success. When you've missed the playoffs three yrs running and THEN decide to change things up, you're rebuilding (and stubborn). Again the most damning thing is that they thought they had a playoff team after last year's complete collapse and losing two of their top scorers. I could forgive some or all of the other mismanagement by blaming it on external factors behind the scenes, but they honestly thought this roster was going places and that the opening roster was our best chance for success after the preseason showings.
Start with a clean slate in June or July, top to bottom.

 

[The Grocery Stick]

Practical Needs: Rebuild of centers, rebuild of wingers, rebuild of goaltending and a reset of defensemen.

Marketing Needs: Call on ice changes a reset.

 

[Rink Rage]

That's still terrible attendance.

And no, it's a rebuild. That's a standard PR move for team not to call it anything else but a rebuild.

 

[Rink Rage]

Its also possible ESPN is counted butts in the seats while Leblanc is counting tickets sold

For PR reasons, the team may release the amount sold.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

That's still terrible attendance.

It's really not, in context.

For instance, last season and the season before I'd say average attendance was 10,000.

The seasons before THAT... well, except for the Wings and Blackhawks games, we were lucky to draw 7,000.

If you're asking me why it's getting better, it's because people don't see the moving vans parked out at the River waiting to cart the team to Portland or QC anymore.

 

[Mosby]

I like how Allen mentions that Moss could be moved. I wouldn't be surprised. Someone will throw a late pick at veteran depth for the playoffs. Like NJ trading us their 7th for Steve Sullivan a few years back.

 

[IPreferPi]

I like how Allen mentions that Moss could be moved. I wouldn't be surprised. Someone will throw a late pick at veteran depth for the playoffs. Like NJ trading us their 7th for Steve Sullivan a few years back.

I'll believe it when I see it, otherwise I'm thinking "Over Tippett's dead body."

 

[Thor Savage]

I like how Allen mentions that Moss could be moved. I wouldn't be surprised. Someone will throw a late pick at veteran depth for the playoffs. Like NJ trading us their 7th for Steve Sullivan a few years back.

I'd take anything at this point to lose Moss.

 

[letowskie]

That's still terrible attendance.

And no, it's a rebuild. That's a standard PR move for team not to call it anything else but a rebuild.

Yeah;

It's more or less semantics to try to cast something as "rebuild", "reboot", "retool". I don't think the casual fan base would be happy if everyone knows that we are going into multi-season door-mat status. Maybe that works for Edmon/Buff, I doubt too many non-hockey hotbeds in N. Amer.