News Article: Predators Attendence Slowly Increasing

[LOUISVILLE ICE CARDS]

http://www.ontheforecheck.com/2014/...s-paid-attendance-2013-2014-bridgestone-arena

Good sign. What's your thoughts

Click to read more...

 

[NSH615]

http://www.ontheforecheck.com/2014/...s-paid-attendance-2013-2014-bridgestone-arena

Good sign. What's your thoughts

I don't see how this is true. The last several games I have been to seemed like the arena was at only 75% capacity

 

[jwhouk]

16,439 per game so far - the third highest attendance per game through 28 games in franchise history. Only better seasons through that many games were in 2000 and 2012. Yeah, it seems counter-intuitive, but we're in a place where attendance is well above the franchise average of 15,100.

 

[Predsboro]

Thoughts?

1. Wow ... a somewhat un-negative article by Dirk Hoag? Surprising ...

2. Normally Predators' attendance post Jan. 1 is better than pre-New Year's Day ... this year could be an anomaly however as the schedule has been compressed for the Olympic break and we will only have 2 home games in February. Combine this with the team's poor performance, and there may not be the bump normally seen in the New Year.

3. I would think the Predators benefited pre-January 1 this season because of the level of suck in which the Tennessee Titans are currently mired. Usually attendance increases after football season ends ... and for all intents and purposes, Nashville's NFL squad's season was done pretty early this year.

4. Fans like I (full STH since day one), while quite agitated by the state of things Predator currently, will keep coming. I love the sport and even though I am probably unhealthily too personally affected by the results/play, I will keep going to the games. However, Nashville is notoriously a front runner town (see the empty but sold seats at LP Field and the sudden throng of Vanderbilt fans when winning) ... if performances like the Edmonton game continue, the casual, new fans will stop coming ...

Until the next winning streak.

 

[Byrddog]

Thoughts?

1. Wow ... a somewhat un-negative article by Dirk Hoag? Surprising ...

2. Normally Predators' attendance post Jan. 1 is better than pre-New Year's Day ... this year could be an anomaly however as the schedule has been compressed for the Olympic break and we will only have 2 home games in February. Combine this with the team's poor performance, and there may not be the bump normally seen in the New Year.

3. I would think the Predators benefited pre-January 1 this season because of the level of suck in which the Tennessee Titans are currently mired. Usually attendance increases after football season ends ... and for all intents and purposes, Nashville's NFL squad's season was done pretty early this year.

4. Fans like I (full STH since day one), while quite agitated by the state of things Predator currently, will keep coming. I love the sport and even though I am probably unhealthily too personally affected by the results/play, I will keep going to the games. However, Nashville is notoriously a front runner town (see the empty but sold seats at LP Field and the sudden throng of Vanderbilt fans when winning) ... if performances like the Edmonton game continue, the casual, new fans will stop coming ...

Until the next winning streak.

#4 is absolutely right on. While there is a core base here it is not enough to fill the barn. Some will argue that the sport has gained a foothold that can't be turned. That's what we thought in 2000 also and two years later there was 7500 there for a weeknight game. There was no use back then paying the premium for lower bowl you could always see the lower bowl fill up in the second and third periods by people moving down. That was a hard time being a FST holder in 107 shelling out the bucks and watching that.

Tennessee sports fans are fickle I have said that before and if a team is not doing well they will not spend there money or time to attend. The loss in revenue lead to Liarpold bailing. Something none of thought would ever happen until it did. Owners are not into this to lose money. And if season ticket sales are not strong by years end all these arguments about spending millions to bring top players in will be simple fantasy. The next couple months will be critical. Im sure some here will not like it but the days of worrying about attendance can return quicker than many realize.

 

[Armourboy]

Kind of surprising because the last game I went too was rather empty. Even my wife who had never been to a game commented on how she thought there would be more.

I'm guessing the number of people that are buying packages has probably gone up so that may be insulating the numbers for what gets sold vs who is there.

 

[doug88]

Still lower than the SC Bern http://www.planetehockey.com/infos-club-hockey-sur-glace-cp-berne,31.html

 

[NoNecksCurse]

Kind of surprising because the last game I went too was rather empty. Even my wife who had never been to a game commented on how she thought there would be more.

I'm guessing the number of people that are buying packages has probably gone up so that may be insulating the numbers for what gets sold vs who is there.

no its called boosting attendance numbers with comps.

 

[101st_fan]

no its called boosting attendance numbers with comps.

That doesn't account for the paid numbers over 15k.

The paid numbers are good in a vacuum. Knowing little details such as average price per paid ticket would help put things in context. The final, and never reported, attendance number of tickets used would also be helpful here since that helps drive concession and merchandise sales.

And so begins the annual hand wringing over ticket numbers.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

im never one to stress over the numbers. aint nothing i can do about it. just replying to armour and giving my opinion on why it looks so empty with decent to good reported figures.

 

[Dave is a killer]

I imagine Preds games are approaching "Come to a game & stay for the food" status

 

[K3V1N]

This has always been a frustrating topic, in particular the mean attendance, because of the maximum capacity Bridgestone can hold. Some arenas are at liberty to have "nobody" show up because they can reach a higher maximum capacity for sell-outs, and thus "easily" keeping their avg. attendance above that revenue sharing mark. We can sell out one game and the next game with 12,887 and average 15,000. The Jets must sell out every game to average 15,000. The Sens can sell out one game and the next game with 10,847 and still average 15,000. If we reached maximum capacity and the next game at 10,847 then our average would be 13,980. The capacity average for all NHL arenas is 18,331 and we are "just a hair" of being one standard deviation below that mean. So the mystery to me is when we do reach maximum capacity, how many more above that mark could it have been? Saturday games are always popular in N'ville because of the travel that some of us do because of the crappy infrastructure we have around here due to everybody hating rail travel. I would love to hope on a train or light rail to see game and would indeed see more games if rail was available, but NOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooo! It's fly or drive.

 

[predfan98]

http://www.ontheforecheck.com/2014/...s-paid-attendance-2013-2014-bridgestone-arena

Good sign. What's your thoughts

This is kind of a bait and switch article. The headline is basically the opposite of everything else he says.

Our attendance is way down from the last full season. Look at the graph where he compares the first 26 games of each season and has comps listed separately. And yes, even when they are "paid" tickets ... it doesn't reflect the prices when they are practically giving them away.

Hoag isn't being positive about our attendance, people... He says it is way down from the last full season.

 

[predfan98]

This has always been a frustrating topic, in particular the mean attendance, because of the maximum capacity Bridgestone can hold. Some arenas are at liberty to have "nobody" show up because they can reach a higher maximum capacity for sell-outs, and thus "easily" keeping their avg. attendance above that revenue sharing mark. We can sell out one game and the next game with 12,887 and average 15,000. The Jets must sell out every game to average 15,000. The Sens can sell out one game and the next game with 10,847 and still average 15,000. If we reached maximum capacity and the next game at 10,847 then our average would be 13,980. The capacity average for all NHL arenas is 18,331 and we are "just a hair" of being one standard deviation below that mean. So the mystery to me is when we do reach maximum capacity, how many more above that mark could it have been? Saturday games are always popular in N'ville because of the travel that some of us do because of the crappy infrastructure we have around here due to everybody hating rail travel. I would love to hope on a train or light rail to see game and would indeed see more games if rail was available, but NOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooo! It's fly or drive.

okay, light rail works economically in a densely populated area with available room to build.
middle tennessee is not densely populated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
downtown is not densely populated.

People don't hate rail travel here.... It needs to make sense.

 

[MarkMM]

That doesn't account for the paid numbers over 15k.

The paid numbers are good in a vacuum. Knowing little details such as average price per paid ticket would help put things in context. The final, and never reported, attendance number of tickets used would also be helpful here since that helps drive concession and merchandise sales.

And so begins the annual hand wringing over ticket numbers.

On the price issue, the article at least mentioned that ticket prices are up, so that's (so far) not a worry, numbers are slowly climbing even with price increases and a struggling team.

Bit of an act of confidence for management to raise ticket prices in this environment, so for those in the know it indicates positive trends.

 

[101st_fan]

On the price issue, the article at least mentioned that ticket prices are up, so that's (so far) not a worry, numbers are slowly climbing even with price increases and a struggling team.

Bit of an act of confidence for management to raise ticket prices in this environment, so for those in the know it indicates positive trends.

Face prices are up, that doesn't mean effective prices are. Part of the ways the team can manipulate tickets sold includes 2 for 1 deals and issuing tickets in lieu of cash payment for services rendered.

 

[Enjoy i24 Traffic]

Glad some people around here are comparing 2000 preds attendance to 2013/14 attendance. EL O EL.

And like I've said before I can take the bus and be at the arena in about ~30 mins. Sorry for those that live outside of the greater Nashville area.

 

[jwhouk]

Attendance has been increasing since the lockout, too, so there's that.

Once upon a time, Nashville did have a rail connection through Amtrak. I believe the reason why service was stopped was because the rail line needed repair/replacement for newer equipment.

 

[Drake744]

I imagine Preds games are approaching "Come to a game & stay for the food" status

I'm a huge Preds fan, and have been since day one. With that said, my friends (some of whom are huge fans, some aren't) are always down to go to games with me when they can. It's turning into a social event for a lot of people in attendance, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing IMO. I've lived in other NHL markets, albeit non-traditional ones, and I can say that there's something about Preds games that makes it a social atmosphere. I don't really know what it is but it's way different than the others I've gotten a chance to experience on a somewhat-regular basis in LA, Anaheim and Florida. Their arenas are largely boring, quiet, and relatively uneventful. (Although I'll admit Anaheim and Florida are far worse offenders than LA, but still) None of that seems to be the case here. Even when the team isn't playing good consistent hockey it's still fun to go to games and have a good time getting out for the night.

And yeah, a lot of people that go to games aren't truly "fans", but that actually helps when the on-ice product is suffering. If people are going for a fun night out with friends, they won't be discouraged if we lose or don't play well. They'll just want to come back as long as they have fun. Which is easy to do at The Bridge.

 

[Enjoy i24 Traffic]

Attendance has been increasing since the lockout, too, so there's that.

Once upon a time, Nashville did have a rail connection through Amtrak. I believe the reason why service was stopped was because the rail line needed repair/replacement for newer equipment.

Yeah, either the actual train broke down or the tracks were in disrepair. And you know how Amtrak hates commuter lines, it will be near impossible to get them back, unfortunately.

It ran from Chicago to Miami IIRC.