Little Caesar’s Arena Changes Seat Colors,Due to Empty Seats

[Bonzo111]

You're right on. The model of pro sport attendance has moved very sharply away from the "pack 'em in" model of the past, and toward a "luxury experience" model where they'd rather let tickets go unsold than mark them down. The target audiences are the STH-scalper who buys an entire row at a time hoping to make bank on the secondary market, the corporation who buys a suite or block of seats to give away, and the wealthy patron who will shovel money into the organization without a blink.

The idea of an ordinary middle class person walking up to the gate and buying lower-bowl seats for the family is quickly becoming obsolete. Hell, in some markets it's already dead in the upper bowl as well. We are in a world where the packed house is no longer the goal.

makes sense, with the huge flat screen hi def tv's, lounge chairs, food delivery, NHL tv and internet packages etc. Gotta entice somebody to leave all the behind, pay a butt load of cash, drive in traffic, pay huge money for a slice of crappy pizza etc.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

You call that random? Try this for random:

Not a single person in those seats (if there is I'm sure his name's Waldo), yet it looks packed...

YET the ONLY acceptable solution is this one:



Sudden Death (1995 film) - Wikipedia

Those seats look like lego blocks.

 

[Whalers Fan]

Still doesn't change the fact that what matters is revenues.

And lots of "empty" seats in lots of arenas have been payed for, whether they are occupied or not.

In Florida, a lot of the club red seats have been paid for despite few people sitting in them.

Empty unpurchased seats a problem
Empty purchased seats not so much even if the optics are less than ideal.

Empty seats do not buy souvenirs, food and beer, nor pay for parking, even if the ticket was purchased but unused.

 

[iamjs]

It depends how it is done.

Say you have about 5000 unsold tickets each game. Take 3000 and give them to local schools. Take another 1000 and give them to a charity... the remaining, offer to season ticket holders (in pairs) as a thank you.... with each game you rotate schools, charitable organizations and season ticket holders.

so you take 5k tickets off the market, assuming that walkups aren't buying them?

 

[iamjs]

4. As for the HOCKEYTOWN logo, they re-branded the logo, made it bigger and are most likely trying to figure out if they want it at Center Ice or just leave the Winged Wheel.

It's still on the boards, located behind both nets.

 

[Whalers Fan]

makes sense, with the huge flat screen hi def tv's, lounge chairs, food delivery, NHL tv and internet packages etc. Gotta entice somebody to leave all the behind, pay a butt load of cash, drive in traffic, pay huge money for a slice of crappy pizza etc.

That's where I'm at in my life, but I'm older and have been to a lot of live sporting events in the past -- when tickets and parking were much more reasonably priced. Now, I am content to sit at home in the comfortable recliner watching on the big screen TV and not deal with the crowds and overpriced tickets, food and parking. For live hockey, I'm content with the local US NTDP games.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

That's where I'm at in my life, but I'm older and have been to a lot of live sporting events in the past -- when tickets and parking were much more reasonably priced. Now, I am content to sit at home in the comfortable recliner watching on the big screen TV and not deal with the crowds and overpriced tickets, food and parking. For live hockey, I'm content with the local US NTDP games.

Its a little bit sad that modern technology and convenience has made us such shut ins. I miss video rental stores and places that actually forced you to go out and interact with another human being, even if it was at such a simple superficial level.
.
I think older forms of entertainment mediums are really underestimating the shut ins and how its spreading to people that are generally quite social. The Ticket prices need to drop in order to compete with convenience or modernize the experience. I too hate large crowds, yet for some reason i remember being quite tolerant to them when i was younger, now i feel like i am overly sensitive to waiting in line for an extra 5 min, i get jittery and want to be served now.

I guess my brain is broken.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Its a little bit sad that modern technology and convenience has made us such shut ins. I miss video rental stores and places that actually forced you to go out and interact with another human being, even if it was at such a simple superficial level.
.
I think older forms of entertainment mediums are really underestimating the shut ins and how its spreading to people that are generally quite social. The Ticket prices need to drop in order to compete with convenience or modernize the experience. I too hate large crowds, yet for some reason i remember being quite tolerant to them when i was younger, now i feel like i am overly sensitive to waiting in line for an extra 5 min, i get jittery and want to be served now.

I guess my brain is broken.

And don't forget the hassles today. All the extra security entering the arena, not being able to go out for a smoke or some air. Increased traffic and congestion in most cities means longer commute times to and from games. Add in that people are putting an increasing percentage of their income into their homes these days...if you're going to put so much money into a man cave or big entertainment system at home you're going to use it.

All that makes pro sports less attractive overall to see in person.

 

[ThirdManIn]

Who’s going to donate this tarp? Melnyk won’t be paying for a tarp big enough to cover all the empty seats?

He'll force a trade of Duchene and a first for a second and a tarp.

 

[sandysan]

Empty seats do not buy souvenirs, food and beer, nor pay for parking, even if the ticket was purchased but unused.

neither do the people who get in for free.

the question is simple, is seeing the best players on the planet worth paying for ? If the answer is yes, then you get people to pay so as not to flip off the fans that are STH. papering the arena and hoipe they buy expensive concessions is a really poor business model.

no one ( despite what mt.molson thinks) goes to games for beer and hotdogs that can be had much much cheaper pretty much anywhere else.

 

[Whalers Fan]

neither do the people who get in for free.

the question is simple, is seeing the best players on the planet worth paying for ? If the answer is yes, then you get people to pay so as not to flip off the fans that are STH. papering the arena and hoipe they buy expensive concessions is a really poor business model.

no one ( despite what mt.molson thinks) goes to games for beer and hotdogs that can be had much much cheaper pretty much anywhere else.

Of course they do -- at least I do. Actually, when I get in for free, I am more likely to spend money on an overpriced beer than if I had to pay $100 for a ticket. And people with free tickets still need to park their cars, too.

 

[Whalers Fan]

Its a little bit sad that modern technology and convenience has made us such shut ins. I miss video rental stores and places that actually forced you to go out and interact with another human being, even if it was at such a simple superficial level.
.
I think older forms of entertainment mediums are really underestimating the shut ins and how its spreading to people that are generally quite social. The Ticket prices need to drop in order to compete with convenience or modernize the experience. I too hate large crowds, yet for some reason i remember being quite tolerant to them when i was younger, now i feel like i am overly sensitive to waiting in line for an extra 5 min, i get jittery and want to be served now.

I guess my brain is broken.

I am far from being a shut in. It's just that I am spending those discretionary entertainment dollars elsewhere than on increasingly overpriced major league sporting events with all their inconveniences -- congested traffic, waiting in line to use the restroom, etc . We still travel, go out to dinner, and in our case take in more than 35 NTDP hockey games a year (we have season tickets).

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Lol, first they drop "Hockeytown" and now this.

Guess this proves their fans were just a buncha bandwagoners all along.

 

[ronduguayshair]

Hockey town?

I never got over their arrogance calling themselves Hockeytown. Totally ridiculous.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

I never got over their arrogance calling themselves Hockeytown. Totally ridiculous.

Simple concept. Hockey has been a huge staple of Detroit for decades. It was the number one show in town during Gordie's time and even casual sports fans in Detroit know who Yzerman and Chelios are. Being such a close proximity to Canada and the complimentary weather during fall and winter months makes it a perfect slogan for the town.

Michigan in general is a big hockey state. I would argue more so than Minnesota.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I never got over their arrogance calling themselves Hockeytown. Totally ridiculous.

The full name, Hockeytown USA, makes it a little easier to swallow.

 

[Dont Toews Me Bro]

Are the seats normally empty or has attendance dropped significantly since moving arenas?

Red wings games are typically littered with empty seats whether it's LCA or the Joe. It's been this way for the past 6-7 years, maybe even longer. Hockeytown my ass.

 

[Hockeyfan2390]

neither do the people who get in for free.

the question is simple, is seeing the best players on the planet worth paying for ? If the answer is yes, then you get people to pay so as not to flip off the fans that are STH. papering the arena and hoipe they buy expensive concessions is a really poor business model.

This sounds like the reasoning that Dollar Bill Wirtz used when he refused to allow Blackhawks games to be on television.

 

[Hockeyfan2390]

Red wings games are typically littered with empty seats whether it's LCA or the Joe. It's been this way for the past 6-7 years, maybe even longer. Hockeytown my ass.

Every game has been sold out, and the Red Wings are the NHL's biggest draw on the road.

Do you need some reminding of what the United Center used to look like before the Kane/Toews era?

I never got over their arrogance calling themselves Hockeytown. Totally ridiculous.

It isn't arrogance if it's true. Again, the Red Wings are arguably the most popular US based team and have the biggest road following of any US based team. Every game has been sold out the past 15 years with a smattering of 90-95% capacity filled games here and there.

 

[Dont Toews Me Bro]

Every game has been sold out, and the Red Wings are the NHL's biggest draw on the road.

Do you need some reminding of what the United Center used to look like before the Kane/Toews era?



It isn't arrogance if it's true. Again, the Red Wings are arguably the most popular US based team and have the biggest road following of any US based team. Every game has been sold out the past 15 years with a smattering of 90-95% capacity filled games here and there.

Did I say they weren't? They may have been sellouts but the stands were and still are half empty. Kinda pathetic for "Hockeytown". Even more so when the stands were half empty a few years ago when they were still a decent team that was making the playoffs every year.

 

[Hockeyfan2390]

Did I say they weren't? They may have been sellouts but the stands were and still are half empty. Kinda pathetic for "Hockeytown". Even more so when the stands were half empty a few years ago when they were still a decent team that was making the playoffs every year.

The Maple Leafs have the same issue at the ACC (or whatever its called now). The lower bowl is mostly sold to corporations and are filled with suits who aren't interested in what's happening on the ice. Does that make them any less of a hockey city?

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Dislike this because it shows the Detroit Red Wings spirit with red seats around the arena.

 

[Riptide]

They should change the name too. Call it Mike Ilitch Arena.

MI (or his family) isn't going to be paying the millions of dollars a year that Little Caesar's is.

 

[Cellee]

MI (or his family) isn't going to be paying the millions of dollars a year that Little Caesar's is.

Don't they own LC?

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Red wings games are typically littered with empty seats whether it's LCA or the Joe. It's been this way for the past 6-7 years, maybe even longer. Hockeytown my ass.

Dude, it is just a marketing moniker. Who cares?

MI (or his family) isn't going to be paying the millions of dollars a year that Little Caesar's is.

The Ilitch family owns Little Caesars, though.