Letter to Fellow Panther Fans

[PantherWhaler]

I am a Panther fan (and STH I was at the game last night) and a Hartford Whalers fan till they unfortunately left in 1997. So all this recent relocation talk about the Panthers hits home hard and some of the Panthers fan’s comments on here (and other sites) comments bothers me. If you are fan of the team then support the team by going to the games. I know you may say the team does not deserve your money, ownership sucks, etc but if you do not go to Panther games win or lose they will leave eventually. I know because that is a big reason why the Whalers left town. You will say well I will wait to go when they win, but I am sure that Whaler fans said the same thing but the winning only came after they left(2002 finals, 2006 stanley cup). My point is to support the team so they stay; there is NO worse sports experience than losing your favorite team, its worse than 2 decades of losing. 17 years later it still sucks and hurts that there are no Whalers. The irony with the Whalers was that attendance for their games increased when the threat of leaving increased, the team really did not get better on the ice but it was little too late as the damage was already done. The last game they played was in front of a sold out and raucous crowd(check it out on youtube). I would hate to see the Panthers end up with the same storyline……

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[SoupyFIN]

It doesn't make a difference if it's 7k attendance paid or 7k attendance paid + 10k walks in half free or worse. Sure it looks better to the media and people won't talk about it, but at the end of the day, the ownership will still know the real numbers regardless.

 

[Drugs Delaney]

Stadiums/Arenas will never sell out consistently for a losing squad in any sport. The masses down there won't support it. They never have and they never will. If you want a team to succeed in South Florida you have to win. Everybody in the world of sports knows this. That's why the fans are labeled Fair Weather.


If they want to sell a bad product then they should make the beer & liquor cheap so people can get enjoy it like roller derby or something.

Betta not brang yo kids!

 

[Mosby]

As a Coyotes fan, it kills me seeing what the Panthers and their fans are going through right now. As a Canadian, I'm embarrassed by our elitist hockey media. Stand strong and don't let the ******** get you down

 

[IM Clutcm]

As a Coyotes fan, it kills me seeing what the Panthers and their fans are going through right now. As a Canadian, I'm embarrassed by our elitist hockey media. Stand strong and don't let the ******** get you down

Thanks for your support. It's killing us down here to have to go through all this, and the results on the ice don't make it any easier...

 

[RogerRoger]

It doesn't make a difference if it's 7k attendance paid or 7k attendance paid + 10k walks in half free or worse. Sure it looks better to the media and people won't talk about it, but at the end of the day, the ownership will still know the real numbers regardless.

Yeah, but those 10K people will buy some concession food and or merch. It will also make the game more interesting and engaging for people watching on TV, the product will look more desirable.

 

[Vilam]

As a Coyotes fan, it kills me seeing what the Panthers and their fans are going through right now. As a Canadian, I'm embarrassed by our elitist hockey media. Stand strong and don't let the ******** get you down

Thanks dude. It makes me sad watching video clips of that last Whalers game... I really don't want to go through that here.

 

[ThrilloftheDream]

Hope you guys can pull through. Crappy seeing any team going through this.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Just keep in mind the recent history of relocation in the NHL. Other than 3 of the 4 former WHA teams(they all moved around the same time when player salaries exploded, and were treated like absorbed teams from a rival league from day 1), there have only been two franchises relocated in the last 30 years or so. The Thrashers, who were no longer wanted in the building by ownership, and the North Stars, who had merged with another franchise to stay afloat a decade earlier. Both unique situations.

Then there's the Flames, and the Devils. The Devils had been in two previous cities(and the NHL went back to one eventually). The Flames were just added to keep the WHA out, like the Islanders in NY. Unfortunately for the Flames, they had nowhere near the same success on the ice.

That's about it. The league is different now. It's not every franchise for itself.

I don't know what the master plan is down in Florida, but an actual relocation of a NHL originated franchise is rare. Plenty of talk all the time though. When it has happened, there's been a deeper reason than just because.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

Being a Chicagoan, I witnessed first-hand the woes that a team will face financially as well as on the ice. That's why I know that the Panthers will be okay in the end.

We got 79 games left in the season. This season is not lost, and neither is the franchise.

 

[IM Clutcm]

Being a Chicagoan, I witnessed first-hand the woes that a team will face financially as well as on the ice. That's why I know that the Panthers will be okay in the end.

We got 79 games left in the season. This season is not lost, and neither is the franchise.

I was there too, man. I remember growing up and hearing absolutely NOTHING about the Blackhawks until Kane and Toews were on the team. I remember when Patrick Sharp was traded to the Blackhawks he would pass out business cards to every person he met to try and get people into the arena. I never saw people wearing Blackhawks gear. There was zero buzz around the team. Now you can't go anywhere without seeing Blackhawks sweaters and memorabilia around town. Winning fixes everything.

I wonder what McDavid would do for this franchise. To draft the best player since Sidney Crosby in our own building would hopefully create a ton of buzz around town. But at that point the confidence of the current group of players may be destroyed beyond repair and drafting a player like McDavid may be something that is only helpful in a video game.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

I was there too, man. I remember growing up and hearing absolutely NOTHING about the Blackhawks until Kane and Toews were on the team. I remember when Patrick Sharp was traded to the Blackhawks he would pass out business cards to every person he met to try and get people into the arena. I never saw people wearing Blackhawks gear. There was zero buzz around the team. Now you can't go anywhere without seeing Blackhawks sweaters and memorabilia around town. Winning fixes everything.

I wonder what McDavid would do for this franchise. To draft the best player since Sidney Crosby in our own building would hopefully create a ton of buzz around town. But at that point the confidence of the current group of players may be destroyed beyond repair and drafting a player like McDavid may be something that is only helpful in a video game.

It's so crazy. Tallon did a great job bringing in vets to help guys like Toews and Kane fit in and get better. It's not like he's failing to bring in guys here, it's that the guys he brings in aren't playing to what they are worth.

To be honest, I think getting McDavid or Eichel would greatly help this team. LA got Gretzky, and Cali fell in love with hockey right away. Crosby went to Pittsburgh and saved the franchise. It would at least push our GM and owner to be more serious in regards to who they should surround the young guys with, especially if they get one of these highly regarded players.

With that said, I'd rather be better in the standings than another bottom finish.

 

[ColinM]

As a former expo fan I know how it feels to watch your team relocate after you had been loyal to a bad on field product. I hope to be a the Panther Game against the Senators at the end of November and hope I have more opportunities to go to such games in the future.

It also saddens me to note that the Senators aren't a better road draw.

 

[Panteras]

it's pretty simple really. Everything that can go wrong for a sports franchise, has gone wrong for the Panthers. Bust drafts, terrible trades, terrible owners, terrible gms, coaches, and so on and so on..and for almost 20 years..the only thing worse I could think of is being a fan of division 5 Mongolian soccer team

 

[Great8Cam]

The issue is that Scott Luce and company suck beyond what words can explain. He is the reason that we have average players at best.

Perhaps we will be saved like Pittsburgh when they rigged the Crosby draft behind closed doors. Perhaps Bettman and Daly see that the low numbers prove that they need to hand us the number 1 pick to keep the team here and luckily our players and management are helping them to keep it from being too obvious.

Keenan was a clown as GM and Jacques was as well when it came to picking players in the draft.

There have been strong rumblings for awhile now in So. FL that the team will move and what we are seeing with the attendance and not giving free seats gives Viola the evidence that he needs to break the lease for the Panthers and get out. He could always turn the arena into a Casino and honor the lease.

 

[RainingRats]

The issue is that Scott Luce and company suck beyond what words can explain. He is the reason that we have average players at best.

Perhaps we will be saved like Pittsburgh when they rigged the Crosby draft behind closed doors. Perhaps Bettman and Daly see that the low numbers prove that they need to hand us the number 1 pick to keep the team here and luckily our players and management are helping them to keep it from being too obvious.

Keenan was a clown as GM and Jacques was as well when it came to picking players in the draft.

There have been strong rumblings for awhile now in So. FL that the team will move and what we are seeing with the attendance and not giving free seats gives Viola the evidence that he needs to break the lease for the Panthers and get out. He could always turn the arena into a Casino and honor the lease.

You've always been a bit of an insider. Can you explain how Scott Luce has kept his job? If there is one good thing about this organization it's been that they're not afraid to fire people who aren't working out, except for Scott Luce.

 

[Great8Cam]

You've always been a bit of an insider. Can you explain how Scott Luce has kept his job? If there is one good thing about this organization it's been that they're not afraid to fire people who aren't working out, except for Scott Luce.

I cannot explain it. It absolutely blows my mind.

 

[Enjoy i24 Traffic]

Preds fan here.

We were very very close to losing the Preds in '07. That summer was awful.

Good luck

 

[I am not exposed]

Preds fan here.

We were very very close to losing the Preds in '07. That summer was awful.

Good luck

Thanks. Appreciate fans from other teams showing their support. We need it

 

[flapanthersfan]

I am a Panther fan (and STH I was at the game last night) and a Hartford Whalers fan till they unfortunately left in 1997. So all this recent relocation talk about the Panthers hits home hard and some of the Panthers fan’s comments on here (and other sites) comments bothers me. If you are fan of the team then support the team by going to the games. I know you may say the team does not deserve your money, ownership sucks, etc but if you do not go to Panther games win or lose they will leave eventually. I know because that is a big reason why the Whalers left town. You will say well I will wait to go when they win, but I am sure that Whaler fans said the same thing but the winning only came after they left(2002 finals, 2006 stanley cup). My point is to support the team so they stay; there is NO worse sports experience than losing your favorite team, its worse than 2 decades of losing. 17 years later it still sucks and hurts that there are no Whalers. The irony with the Whalers was that attendance for their games increased when the threat of leaving increased, the team really did not get better on the ice but it was little too late as the damage was already done. The last game they played was in front of a sold out and raucous crowd(check it out on youtube). I would hate to see the Panthers end up with the same storyline……

amen.

atlanta fans, too, tried to rally and started "protests/rallies" to keep the team in ATL. but obviously, too little, too late.

if you truly care about this team, you'll support them NOW, when it matters. it's not too late...yet. but if the diehards aren't attending, it's not a good sign.

we used to have over 10,000 season ticket holders just a few years ago. that number has obviously dwindled down....

now's your time to speak up and show your worth.

 

[spacemanatee]

it pisses me off that people don't attend games. i mean, people who writes on GDT who lives in So.Fla, just get yo ***** to the game plz. if i was living somewhat near the area i wouldn't even dare posting **** during games.

you don't understand how lucky you are.. man, i live tons of miles away from from the florida panthers and right now i'm trying to save money to go to Fort Lauderdale with my gf in late mars/early april to catch some games. it's not cheap either. AT ALL. hotel, flighttickets, gametickets, food etcetc cost a fortune. i don't even think i'll have time to save that money but i'm doing the best i can right now.
but as i said. you don't know how lucky you are that you have the panthers near you. plz start attending games, bring your family, talk to your friends, spread the word. WE can save the franschise if we start going to the games. i know it's not much but for 3-4 games me and my gf will be there even tho we literally lives on the other side of the world. people who lives just a couple of miles away just go, plz just go.

 

[Olax]

I am a Panther fan (and STH I was at the game last night) and a Hartford Whalers fan till they unfortunately left in 1997. So all this recent relocation talk about the Panthers hits home hard and some of the Panthers fan’s comments on here (and other sites) comments bothers me. If you are fan of the team then support the team by going to the games. I know you may say the team does not deserve your money, ownership sucks, etc but if you do not go to Panther games win or lose they will leave eventually. I know because that is a big reason why the Whalers left town. You will say well I will wait to go when they win, but I am sure that Whaler fans said the same thing but the winning only came after they left(2002 finals, 2006 stanley cup). My point is to support the team so they stay; there is NO worse sports experience than losing your favorite team, its worse than 2 decades of losing. 17 years later it still sucks and hurts that there are no Whalers. The irony with the Whalers was that attendance for their games increased when the threat of leaving increased, the team really did not get better on the ice but it was little too late as the damage was already done. The last game they played was in front of a sold out and raucous crowd(check it out on youtube). I would hate to see the Panthers end up with the same storyline……

it pisses me off that people don't attend games. i mean, people who writes on GDT who lives in So.Fla, just get yo ***** to the game plz. if i was living somewhat near the area i wouldn't even dare posting **** during games.

you don't understand how lucky you are.. man, i live tons of miles away from from the florida panthers and right now i'm trying to save money to go to Fort Lauderdale with my gf in late mars/early april to catch some games. it's not cheap either. AT ALL. hotel, flighttickets, gametickets, food etcetc cost a fortune. i don't even think i'll have time to save that money but i'm doing the best i can right now.
but as i said. you don't know how lucky you are that you have the panthers near you. plz start attending games, bring your family, talk to your friends, spread the word. WE can save the franschise if we start going to the games. i know it's not much but for 3-4 games me and my gf will be there even tho we literally lives on the other side of the world. people who lives just a couple of miles away just go, plz just go.

These are two posts I totally agree on. I live in Finland and thus I don't even have the chance to attend Panthers games on a regular basis. I understand that not everyone can afford going to games financially but I just don't understand people who call themselves fans and won't go to games because the team is playing below expectations or even plain sucks. If you cheer for your team only when the team is winning and playing well, I categorize you as a glory hunter. We as fans have chosen to be Panthers fans. It's not like the Panthers have made us choose them as "our team". So why do yoy call yourself a fan if you're not ready and willing to stand by your team even through the darkest of days and lowest lows? Because if you (and we) don't, we most likely won't be seeing the better days because no team can last forever with these attendance rates. Just like PantherWhaler and flapanthersfan said, you have to support the team NOW.

I like to think that being a true fan of a team is a lot like being in a relationship. If your partner gets seriously ill or is having a very bad phase in life in some other way, do you seriously think that abandoning him/her helps in any way? If you love your team or your partner you stand by him/her until the end. It's too late to cry and start "caring" when the team is already gone or leaving. Attending games doesn't guarantee success at least right away but not attending and supporting pretty much guarantees that the fun will end sooner or later.

I say again, I don't have the priviledge to attend NHL/Panther games on a regular basis. I pay my money to be able to watch the games with Viaplay. I'd be unbelievably happy to be able to go watch Panthers games live reagularly and support my team as much as I can. I don't know if people in Florida just take their own local team as granted or simply don't care enough. All I know is that I'm frustrated all the way here in Finland about this situation and it shouldn't even matter to me because I can only watch games online. It shouldn't be that big of a difference whether we are the Florida Panthers or Seattle Panthers BUT IT IS! This team has been my one and only team in the NHL since I first played with Florida Panthers in NHL 94 and fell in love with the logo. I would be incredibly mad if the team would be relocated.

Casual "fans" who attend games just to watch hockey are a different story. This post is directed to people who call themselves true Panthers fans. These are all my opinions and feel free to disagree.

-L-

 

[FlaPanthers11]

it pisses me off that people don't attend games. i mean, people who writes on GDT who lives in So.Fla, just get yo ***** to the game plz. if i was living somewhat near the area i wouldn't even dare posting **** during games.

you don't understand how lucky you are.. man, i live tons of miles away from from the florida panthers and right now i'm trying to save money to go to Fort Lauderdale with my gf in late mars/early april to catch some games. it's not cheap either. AT ALL. hotel, flighttickets, gametickets, food etcetc cost a fortune. i don't even think i'll have time to save that money but i'm doing the best i can right now.
but as i said. you don't know how lucky you are that you have the panthers near you. plz start attending games, bring your family, talk to your friends, spread the word. WE can save the franschise if we start going to the games. i know it's not much but for 3-4 games me and my gf will be there even tho we literally lives on the other side of the world. people who lives just a couple of miles away just go, plz just go.

It's not as simple as posts in the GDT means not at the game. I post in almost every GDT but I post on my phone from the games. I'm a SSO and I went to 40 last year and plan on being at 38 this year. I'm sure I'm not the only one posting from the game either.

 

[iam76]

I am a Panther fan (and STH I was at the game last night) and a Hartford Whalers fan till they unfortunately left in 1997. So all this recent relocation talk about the Panthers hits home hard and some of the Panthers fan’s comments on here (and other sites) comments bothers me. If you are fan of the team then support the team by going to the games. I know you may say the team does not deserve your money, ownership sucks, etc but if you do not go to Panther games win or lose they will leave eventually. I know because that is a big reason why the Whalers left town. You will say well I will wait to go when they win, but I am sure that Whaler fans said the same thing but the winning only came after they left(2002 finals, 2006 stanley cup). My point is to support the team so they stay; there is NO worse sports experience than losing your favorite team, its worse than 2 decades of losing. 17 years later it still sucks and hurts that there are no Whalers. The irony with the Whalers was that attendance for their games increased when the threat of leaving increased, the team really did not get better on the ice but it was little too late as the damage was already done. The last game they played was in front of a sold out and raucous crowd(check it out on youtube). I would hate to see the Panthers end up with the same storyline……

WAIT HOLD the phone .... I thought i was the only panther fan that was a former whaler fan?!??!?!? ****!!!

 

[Haj]

I live in Alexandria, VA. I go to the games up here when FL plays the Caps. I usually get one or two home games in when I'm back in FL visiting family.

Its just not as simple as saying: "If you live in South Florida, just go to the games."
If you are raising a family and live more than half an hour away from the arena its probably too much of a hassle to go to every single game. People want value for their money. If the Panthers don't provide that value then no one will buy their product.

Lets face it, the Panthers have been one of the worst franchise in pro sports for the past 20 years. I hate to throw out the r-word, but blaming the fans for relocation is easy for ownership and management to do because it absolves of them of any responsibility for failure. Its easy for the media and the rest of the hockey community because it fits into the false narrative that hockey doesn't belong in the South.

The Panthers have been a big part of my life since 1996, but ultimately there is nothing I can do personally to make the franchise successful....short of earning billions of dollars and buying the team.

It would hurt powerfully to lose the Panthers, but realistically we are merely along for the ride. Even if the tread is wearing thin.