Penguins ticket sales hit the roof

[Mothra]

Good to see Crosby has been rewarding a well-deserved team.

Hopefully Kessel goes to Buffalo and Frolik goes to Toronto

Thats a funny way to spell Washington

 

[Jaded-Fan]

A pair of tickets eh? Is this you inviting me up for a game?

If your real name is Christina Ricci . . . hell yes.

 

[tom_servo]

No it wasn't a joke there is a lot of truht to that statement whether you agree or disagree. Just having some fun if it offended you sorry. Just wondering where all the fans were before , you should suport your team good/bad times.

There are probably only two or three true hockey cities (that is, cities with high attendance regardless of team performance) in the US, and they are Detroit, Philadelphia, and possibly New York City.

Pittsburgh, I think, is very squarely in the second tier, with a substantial, sometimes rabid fanbase, that nonetheless doesn't have much time for a non-competitive team. Other cities I put into this group are Buffalo, and maybe St. Louis (who have had good numbers for a long time, but also hasn't missed the playoffs in a quarter century).

Pittsburgh's latest attendance number of roughly 11,000 looks pretty bad, but you'd have to go back about 20 years in Penguins history to find a comparable rough spot. However, that's the kind of thing that keeps Pittsburgh from being a true hockey city. You can find worse numbers in Long Island, which drew 11,000 as recently as '01, and under 10,000 in '96.

 

[Donnie D]

Evidence, once again, that the cap may not drop next year as many predict and that hockey revenues, even with the reduction in ticket prices you mention, may approach the pre strike level. And if that occurs, the cap may rise.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Thats a funny way to spell Washington

He said well deserved team.

 

[Mothra]

There are probably only two or three true hockey cities (that is, cities with high attendance regardless of team performance) in the US, and they are Detroit, Philadelphia, and possibly New York City.

Pittsburgh, I think, is very squarely in the second tier, with a substantial, sometimes rabid fanbase, that nonetheless doesn't have much time for a non-competitive team. Other cities I put into this group are Buffalo, and maybe St. Louis (who have had good numbers for a long time, but also hasn't missed the playoffs in a quarter century).

Pittsburgh's latest attendance number of roughly 11,000 looks pretty bad, but you'd have to go back about 20 years in Penguins history to find a comparable rough spot. However, that's the kind of thing that keeps Pittsburgh from being a true hockey city. You can find worse numbers in Long Island, which drew 11,000 as recently as '01, and under 10,000 in '96.

I dont think Pitt falls in some sort of second tier....unless all but one or two cities is in that tier. You point to the last 20 years for the Pens, but this is a team that for a few of those seasons was the best and most star packed team.....between 66 and 68 they had the best or arguably the best player in the game for much of that stretch. Its a pefect example of winning brings in the fans....8,408 and 6,839 the two years before Mario (the first two with him were 10,018 and 12,576). Last season they were at 11,877. I know that you are agreeing that its takes a winning team to bring in fans.....but these are big drop offs

I think there are a few cities that you left off that top group, or at the least seem to bring in fans regardless

Chicago
St. Louis (Pit does not belong in the same group)
maybe even San Jose

http://www.hockeyresearch.com/mfoster/business/nhl_attn.html

 

[Mothra]

He said well deserved team.

well its obvious that his idea of "well deserved" is skewed...he said Pit was "well deserved"

 

[Original6]

We are going to kick Miami and Florida State's tails!

Syd knows B-Ball.

I think he meant Air Canada Centre.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I think he meant Air Canada Centre.

 

[tom_servo]

I dont think Pitt falls in some sort of second tier....unless all but one or two cities is in that tier. You point to the last 20 years for the Pens, but this is a team that for a few of those seasons was the best and most star packed team.....between 66 and 68 they had the best or arguably the best player in the game for much of that stretch. Its a pefect example of winning brings in the fans....8,408 and 6,839 the two years before Mario (the first two with him were 10,018 and 12,576). Last season they were at 11,877. I know that you are agreeing that its takes a winning team to bring in fans.....but these are big drop offs

I think there are a few cities that you left off that top group, or at the least seem to bring in fans regardless

Chicago
St. Louis (Pit does not belong in the same group)
maybe even San Jose

http://www.hockeyresearch.com/mfoster/business/nhl_attn.html

As for the top group, I would also add Boston. I was only speculating with St. Louis, as they've been in the playoffs forever, but I should put them in the top tier as well.

I guess my point was that Pittsburgh isn't much different from any other smaller market city. They tend get a bad rep for being the latest low-draw team in the league, even though it hasn't always been that way.

While that attendance number is a big dropoff from what the Pens were used to throughout the '90s, it's not very often that a team's roster sees that kind of dissolution. Fans knew going into the '04 season who would finish last, and they responded.

 

[OLDPENS_FAN]

JB you are full of IT!!!!

It is amazing that there are that many fairweather/bandwagon jumpers in the Burgh. Kick your team when it is down, show no support, then when the team appears to be good, come out of the woodwork, that is amazing.

As one of the orginal Penguin fans, and I have seen both the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY Penguin teams in the Burgh. I will tell you this MR. JB, yes their are some fairweather fans in the Burgh, which team dosen't have them, but I have never seen more loyal fans for a hockey team in the world. The true fans of the Pens and their are thousands may not millions of us will always be Penguins fans NO MATTER WHAT!!!. Like I say about my wife to other people, "Only I get to call her a *****" any one else I am going to KICK their Butt. Until you live in the Burgh and feel its pride do me and the reast of the hockey world and shut up. We the fans of the PENS have earned the right to say anything we want about the Pens, no matter how GOOD, BAd or Ugly it might be. For the recod I have seen at least one Pens game every year since they came into the NHL in 1967!!! That makes me an OLD PENS FAN!!!

 

[tom_servo]

Let's take it down a notch, chief.

 

[jb**]

As one of the orginal Penguin fans, and I have seen both the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY Penguin teams in the Burgh. I will tell you this MR. JB, yes their are some fairweather fans in the Burgh, which team dosen't have them, but I have never seen more loyal fans for a hockey team in the world. The true fans of the Pens and their are thousands may not millions of us will always be Penguins fans NO MATTER WHAT!!!. Like I say about my wife to other people, "Only I get to call her a *****" any one else I am going to KICK their Butt. Until you live in the Burgh and feel its pride do me and the reast of the hockey world and shut up. We the fans of the PENS have earned the right to say anything we want about the Pens, no matter how GOOD, BAd or Ugly it might be. For the recod I have seen at least one Pens game every year since they came into the NHL in 1967!!! That makes me an OLD PENS FAN!!!

Have another Stoney's my man. For the record I have lived in the Burgh so can I now open my mouth? I guess not since I haven't felt it's pride. Since I will assume you haven't lived anywhere else, no the trailer community doesn't count, you are not qualified to say they are the most loyal fans. That is your opinion which is fine.
Keep watching and going to the games they need fans like yourself.