Letter to Fellow Panther Fans

[FlaPnthrsPunk]

Why doesn't the new ownership create a bus shuttle for Panthers games?

They had one last season, but I haven't seen anything about it this season. I know it was mainly for people in Palm Beach County. My father-in-law lives in Boynton Beach and did it once to get to a game. It picked him up in Boca near Glades Road and The Turnpike, so it saved him about a 35-40 minute drive further southwest.

 

[I am not exposed]

Nice, I was at that game to. Hoping I can talk to wife into going again this year. It was nice listening to the Canucks fans rip their own team apart and take that 3-2 win in the shoot out.

Got nose bleeds and still cost us $350 ffs. I think that money should go to Florida, if you are wearing their jersey they get the money haha.

I got a sweet deal. Well my fiance did. Third row tickets for about that price. I was also getting into a drunken shouting match with a Canucks fan.

This year, I'll probably go with my fiance and a couple of friends. Doubt we get those type of tickets this year.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Pretty sad to see the attendance like that and the threat of the team leaving just seeming more and more realistic.

The chances of the team moving are literally 0% higher than they were in August.

 

[IM Clutcm]

Has anyone ever gone to a Panthers booster club meeting? They have one this coming Tuesday and I'm thinking of going.

 

[Surge101]

The chances of the team moving are literally 0% higher than they were in August.

I understand that that's the word from ownership, but IIRC the team loses 20 million a year, and attendance is worse rather than better. How long can they possibly deal with that before they decide it's time for a move?

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I understand that that's the word from ownership, but IIRC the team loses 20 million a year, and attendance is worse rather than better. How long can they possibly deal with that before they decide it's time for a move?

It's not word from ownership, it's fact. Last year you had 12k at the Sens game and 5k got in for free. This year you had 7k get in where all 7k paid. Were the 5k who won't go to games anymore because tickets aren't free or under 5 bucks likely to pay 20 bucks for a beer or hot dog? Doubt it.


The Panthers have lost 20-30 million a year for 14 of the past 15 seasons. They will not lose much more this year. New ownership has been here one year, implemented their changes for 2 games. If the Panthers are done after this year, it was decided ages ago. These changes are irrelevant to it.

 

[Surge101]

It's not word from ownership, it's fact. Last year you had 12k at the Sens game and 5k got in for free. This year you had 7k get in where all 7k paid. Were the 5k who won't go to games anymore because tickets aren't free or under 5 bucks likely to pay 20 bucks for a beer or hot dog? Doubt it.


The Panthers have lost 20-30 million a year for 14 of the past 15 seasons. They will not lose much more this year. New ownership has been here one year, implemented their changes for 2 games. If the Panthers are done after this year, it was decided ages ago. These changes are irrelevant to it.

I get that they aren't losing any more than they have been. It's just visually apparent now. But as you said they've lost 20million+ for 14 years. You don't think ownership will want to make a move if they aren't able to change that pattern here? I'm not saying after this year, but say another five years of 20 million annual losses.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I get that they aren't losing any more than they have been. It's just visually apparent now. But as you said they've lost 20million+ for 14 years. You don't think ownership will want to make a move if they aren't able to change that pattern here? I'm not saying after this year, but say another five years of 20 million annual losses.

I will gladly continue this discussion in the boh board, this isn't the place for it, but I very much do doubt the long term future of this team. I was assuming you like many were talking as though they were done after this year which I doubt and see little evidence of being the case (at this point in time, County consultant report in either May, June or late August may change that, good chance it might not though). I agree with you that 5 years is a reasonable amount of time, but it's only year 2. Again this is not the place for this type of discussion though.

 

[angry_treefrog]

I understand that that's the word from ownership, but IIRC the team loses 20 million a year, and attendance is worse rather than better. How long can they possibly deal with that before they decide it's time for a move?

The team loses money, but the organization makes money on concerts and other events that offsets that loss.

I'm sure they are losing money, but not to the degree that they publicly claim.

And if the team is still so bad in 5 years that they are still losing 20 million a year, I think most of us will have finally exceeded our breaking point. 20 years of hockey misery is quite enough.

Incidentally, please refer to the warning post in the stickies section. You seem a pleasant fellow with good intentions so I've allowed this conversation to go on, but be advised that the threshold for moderator intervention is low for this topic on this forum. Would be best to terminate the discussion at this time before it devolves.

 

[spacemanatee]

Has anyone ever gone to a Panthers booster club meeting? They have one this coming Tuesday and I'm thinking of going.

do it man!

 

[Rockaway Rob]

Has anyone ever gone to a Panthers booster club meeting? They have one this coming Tuesday and I'm thinking of going.

I have. Maybe this meeting will be different since ownership will be represented but my impressions of the booster club is a completely dysfunctional group. My experience was that there is a small clique that basically does what it wants and doesn't care what you think if you aren't part of their inner circle.

 

[IM Clutcm]

I have. Maybe this meeting will be different since ownership will be represented but my impressions of the booster club is a completely dysfunctional group. My experience was that there is a small clique that basically does what it wants and doesn't care what you think if you aren't part of their inner circle.

How long ago was it since you attended?

 

[Rockaway Rob]

How long ago was it since you attended?

It's been a year or two but it still is being run by the same people.

 

[IM Clutcm]

It's been a year or two but it still is being run by the same people.

Interesting. I'd honestly never heard of the Booster Club until Laus723 posted the quote from Cifu about the team not moving. I'm going to go to check it out and see what it's like and I'm also interested to hear about the negotiations with the county. It'd be cool if we could get a couple people from these boards to go.

 

[adam graves]

I get that they aren't losing any more than they have been. It's just visually apparent now. But as you said they've lost 20million+ for 14 years. You don't think ownership will want to make a move if they aren't able to change that pattern here? I'm not saying after this year, but say another five years of 20 million annual losses.

Boston Chicago Pittsburgh Washington

All had serious attendance issues for many many years. No Canadian dared talk relocating them so please its a silly topic almost solely flamed by Canadian press. Bottom line if Canada gets another team, itll be thru expansion for the half billion new franchise price. We are going nowhere.Win and fans will come. Evidence? sold out arenas 1999-2002, 2012 playoff run. Or, see Tampa to dismiss the Florida doesn't like hockey myth. Or see the owners statement: "Doug Cifu, however, quoted to the Florida Panthers Booster Club, "But you should know and your members should know that we are not moving, we are not moving to Quebec and the Broward County Commission discussions are just noise.

As far as attendance, if ownership wants better attendance, put a damn winning product on the ice. This is not Winnipeg; people have other entertainment options. I may be stupid enough to go watch them lose but id never ask anyone else to.

 

[clap bomb 16]

lots of young talent in the system. this will be a fun team to watch within a few years.

 

[I am not exposed]

Boston Chicago Pittsburgh Washington

All had serious attendance issues for many many years. No Canadian dared talk relocating them so please its a silly topic almost solely flamed by Canadian press. Bottom line if Canada gets another team, itll be thru expansion for the half billion new franchise price. We are going nowhere.Win and fans will come. Evidence? sold out arenas 1999-2002, 2012 playoff run. Or, see Tampa to dismiss the Florida doesn't like hockey myth. Or see the owners statement: "Doug Cifu, however, quoted to the Florida Panthers Booster Club, "But you should know and your members should know that we are not moving, we are not moving to Quebec and the Broward County Commission discussions are just noise.

As far as attendance, if ownership wants better attendance, put a damn winning product on the ice. This is not Winnipeg; people have other entertainment options. I may be stupid enough to go watch them lose but id never ask anyone else to.

Well there are the Blue Bombers as well!

 

[jol]

The team loses money, but the organization makes money on concerts and other events that offsets that loss.

Remember there are two entities, Panthers, losing money, at least $20-30 million per, supposedly, that's private information. Then you have AOC (concerts and other events), their result is sort of like public, at least public would know if they make more than $12 million a year, which they haven't done, because then county would get their cut. So in essence you have Panthers -20 (maybe -30), then AOC, less than +12, so are their making money or not?

JOL

 

[Jefe302]

How can fans not in South Florida show support? Does NHL Game Center help? I'd hate for the Panthers to be moved. They are the reason I love Hockey!

 

[IamAnton]

Boston Chicago Pittsburgh Washington

All had serious attendance issues for many many years. No Canadian dared talk relocating them so please its a silly topic almost solely flamed by Canadian press. Bottom line if Canada gets another team, itll be thru expansion for the half billion new franchise price. We are going nowhere.Win and fans will come. Evidence? sold out arenas 1999-2002, 2012 playoff run. Or, see Tampa to dismiss the Florida doesn't like hockey myth. Or see the owners statement: "Doug Cifu, however, quoted to the Florida Panthers Booster Club, "But you should know and your members should know that we are not moving, we are not moving to Quebec and the Broward County Commission discussions are just noise.

As far as attendance, if ownership wants better attendance, put a damn winning product on the ice. This is not Winnipeg; people have other entertainment options. I may be stupid enough to go watch them lose but id never ask anyone else to.

Ironically Winnipeg's MTS Centre is still one of the busiest arena's in North America for non sporting related events . That being said we never thought our team would leave, so don't make the mistake we did, and support the heck out of the Panthers!

 

[adam graves]

Ironically Winnipeg's MTS Centre is still one of the busiest arena's in North America for non sporting related events . That being said we never thought our team would leave, so don't make the mistake we did, and support the heck out of the Panthers!

Im not surprised. Its a wealthy town and indoor arena entertainment im sure is huge!!

We all support the Panthers. But we cant expect fans here to continuously pay for a losing product. over and over again. for a decade. or 2.

I hope the product is good this year, like it was last night, and people come out not out of pity but to watch a good product.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

How can fans not in South Florida show support? Does NHL Game Center help? I'd hate for the Panthers to be moved. They are the reason I love Hockey!

Posting that no one supports the Panthers on HF Boards is the equivalent of saying not enough people donate blood...to donors at a blood drive. No one here is the problem.

 

[IM Clutcm]

Posting that no one supports the Panthers on HF Boards is the equivalent of saying not enough people donate blood...to donors at a blood drive. No one here is the problem.

I think you misunderstood him. He was asking how out of town fans can support the team, not criticizing Panther fans.