Really strong attendance numbers

[tarheelhockey]

I just noticed that, having played roughly half the season's schedule so far, 12 different teams have had 100% sellouts this season. That's nearly half the league:

Blackhawks
Maple Leafs
Penguins
Flyers
Sharks
Canucks
Bruins
Flames
Oilers
Canadiens
Blues
Capitals

And another six teams -- the Rangers, Sabres, Kings, Wild, Sens and Wings -- are selling at least 96% of their tickets.

Finally, a surprise appearance by Nashville at 93.4% and roughly 16,000 fans per game.

Putting all our normal attendance arguments aside, these are really strong numbers in a recession. Considering the way people talk about the NHL as having secondhand status these days, fully two-thirds of the league is doing very very well at the gate. Congrats to those teams!

Click to read more...

 

[Mr Atoz*]

Except for the Penguins and Nashville, none of those other teams were ever in danger. The problem is the teams not on that list.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I didn't say they were ever in danger. They're doing well... good on them.

 

[Franck]

Except for the Penguins and Nashville, none of those other teams were ever in danger. The problem is the teams not on that list.

That depends on how far back you are willing to go.

The Flames and the Oilers were both seen as more or less "dead" and ready for re-location in the years prior to the lock-out.
In fact there was a lot of hockey people back then who thought that the Leafs and the Habs were the only Canadian teams that would have a long term future in the NHL.

 

[GreatCanadian]

With all the bad publicity the NHL got for teams that are struggling with attendance lately, it is nice to see that roughly 2/3rds of the league is running at very respectable capacities.

Good to see 5 of the 6 Canadian teams running at full capacity as well, and Ottawa at 96%. Not too shabby at all!!

 

[Jeffrey93]

This is indeed a good sign...and this is what Bettman depends on. So when asked about bad attendance he can say 'League attendance is up again this year!'

Not to detract from the kudos these markets deserve, but we all know they aren't the problem. There are a select few markets that are problematic. It is good to see Nashville up there in attendance...THAT is what is important.

 

[Seth Lake]

Tonight was Nashville's 6th sellout of the season. That sets an franchise record for the shortest time frame to reach 6 sellouts in a season even besting the expansion season!

The team is marketing very aggressively, but they are also really doing their best to use their marketing resources intelligently and get the most out of every dollar. Great interview with new Preds CEO Jeff Cogen in this past Sunday's paper...

http://www.tennessean.com/article/2...64/SPORTS02/Predators+Q&A+with+CEO+Jeff+Cogen

 

[Jeremy Hronek]

I have noticed the Lightning have had some great attendances lately.

 

[Ogopogo*]

That depends on how far back you are willing to go.

The Flames and the Oilers were both seen as more or less "dead" and ready for re-location in the years prior to the lock-out.
In fact there was a lot of hockey people back then who thought that the Leafs and the Habs were the only Canadian teams that would have a long term future in the NHL.

That's not exactly accurate but, it is true that, without a salary cap, Toronto and Montreal were the only Canadian cities that could compete with New York etc.

 

[BeachBolt]

don't be fooled by this statistical anomaly caused by human migration patterns.

hockey is not, and never will be, very popular in FL.

Doesn't mean it can't find it's niche in Florida (like most of the US), which I believe it has already successfully done in the Tampa community.

Old ownership pissed off a lot of fans, especially after the promising seasons surrounding the Stanley Cup season, when the Lightning were near the top in attendance for a handful of years. They really had a chance to do something awesome down here but turned the Stanley Cup champion into the worst team in the league within 3 seasons. Got us Stamkos and Hedman though, so it can't be all bad?

All that is in the past though and I am pretty happy with our fan base. It may not be the largest but we have a solid set of die hards here and a large number of casual fans as well, the hard part is turning those casual fans into season ticket holders or something of that sort but it will build over time. I am really looking forward to seeing what the new ownership and management have in store for us!

 

[Fourier]

Tonight was Nashville's 6th sellout of the season. That sets an franchise record for the shortest time frame to reach 6 sellouts in a season even besting the expansion season!

The team is marketing very aggressively, but they are also really doing their best to use their marketing resources intelligently and get the most out of every dollar. Great interview with new Preds CEO Jeff Cogen in this past Sunday's paper...

http://www.tennessean.com/article/2...64/SPORTS02/Predators+Q&A+with+CEO+Jeff+Cogen

I've got to say that I think Nashville has done things right. It looks to me like solid local ownership with a plan can make it work.

 

[krudmonk]

Nashville has leapfrogged Dallas in a big way.

 

[Rob]

Attendance is great but I wonder how much money they are making off ticket sales?

 

[leoleo3535]

Attendance is great but I wonder how much money they are making off ticket sales?

I agree in many markets you almost get 2 free tickets to the game with a car wash!

 

[Mayor Bee]

I was in Nashville for the last few days and was in attendance for the game on the 28th against Dallas.

It was a true sellout and the crowd was pretty loud and spirited. A great time was had, and the team/city did a commendable job with the parking situation being what it is (largely under construction or being dug up around the arena).

 

[htpwn]

I honestly don't know how much longer Toronto can keep doing this. This spring will be 6 seasons in which the team missed the playoffs and 7 years since a playoff game was last played in the city. That is the second longest drought in the league (behind the Panthers) and it is coupled with the longest cup drought lasting what will be 44 years. To add to the misery, the team finished 29th overall last year and is 28th this year with no signs of improvement in sight and no first round picks. Fans are frustrated and the question is whether tickets will stop being bought. The team has been booed regularly for the past three years, chants have started for Wilson's head, upper management is booed while walking down the street, and stuff is frequently thrown on the ice (the most famous of which has been waffles, although garbage and jerseys have also been reportedly been thrown as well). This is the worst the team has been since the 1980s, if not the worst it has been in its 93 year history, and whether us Leaf fans want to admit it or not, the team cannot sell out forever with these results.

 

[leoleo3535]

I honestly don't know how much longer Toronto can keep doing this. This spring will be 6 seasons in which the team missed the playoffs and 7 years since a playoff game was last played in the city. That is the second longest drought in the league (behind the Panthers) and it is coupled with the longest cup drought lasting what will be 44 years. To add to the misery, the team finished 29th overall last year and is 28th this year with no signs of improvement in sight and no first round picks. Fans are frustrated and the question is whether tickets will stop being bought. The team has been booed regularly for the past three years, chants have started for Wilson's head, upper management is booed while walking down the street, and stuff is frequently thrown on the ice (the most famous of which has been waffles, although garbage and jerseys have also been reportedly been thrown as well). This is the worst the team has been since the 1980s, if not the worst it has been in its 93 year history, and whether us Leaf fans want to admit it or not, the team cannot sell out forever with these results.

There is no issue re if tickets will continue being bought.
Every game is sold out.
You cannot buy seasons tickets.
You have to inherit/will seasons tickets.
The franchise is the most valuable in the league.

 

[Seth Lake]

Attendance is great but I wonder how much money they are making off ticket sales?

A look inside Nashville's numbers from the start of December...

When Josh Cooper of The Tennessean*reported yesterday*that the average paid attendance figure was 15,657, Preds fans were thrilled, because one of the realities of the hockey market here is that football dominates the scene from October to December. During these early months the Preds have often seen some meager crowds, only to draw much better after New Year's Day, thanks to the absence of football, and of course the drive to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Josh's report let us know at least that "comps" weren't actually a big factor here. But what about discounts?
The table below shows attendance data (as obtained from the Metro Sports Authority) from the first 9 home games this year as compared to the first 9 homes games from the last two:

**Season* *Avg. Total* *Avg. Paid* *Avg. Comps* *Sales/Seat*
*2008-09 13,833 12,918 915 $44.11
*2009-10 13,645 13,131 514 $36.14
*2010-11 16,427 15,657 770 $36.85

The big news here is that year-over-year, not only is paid attendance per game up more than 19%, but the Predators are actually getting 1.9% more per seat in ticket sales (after tax and user fees). Overall ticket sales revenue for these first 9 games, then, are up more than 21% compared to last year.

http://mobile.ontheforecheck.com/2010/12/3/1853136/nashville-predators-paid-attendance-surge

 

[htpwn]

There is no issue re if tickets will continue being bought.
Every game is sold out.
You cannot buy seasons tickets.
You have to inherit/will seasons tickets.
The franchise is the most valuable in the league.

I wasn't talking about the Leafs dropping down to Phoenix levels or anything like that, I was merely referring to their sell out streak ending. There are about 2000-3000 seats not owned by season ticket holders and at the highest ticket prices in the league, I think a non-sell out is definitely possible.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

A look inside Nashville's numbers from the start of December...



http://mobile.ontheforecheck.com/2010/12/3/1853136/nashville-predators-paid-attendance-surge

Because of the lower average price of ticket, even with the attendance increase, their revenue increase is only about $7k per game form ticket sales.

 

[berklon]

I wasn't talking about the Leafs dropping down to Phoenix levels or anything like that, I was merely referring to their sell out streak ending. There are about 2000-3000 seats not owned by season ticket holders and at the highest ticket prices in the league, I think a non-sell out is definitely possible.

A non-sellout is possible... but I think it'll be negligible.

That's what happens when you under-supply the biggest hockey market in the world (Southern Ontario) people will over-pay to watch a crappy team play... or drive 5 hours to Ottawa or an hour to Buffalo and deal with border delays.

 

[jb**]

the numbers may say a sellout. Some may be others they can spin the numbers anyway they want. A lot of these arena's are plenty empty though. Therefore they are not getting the concession money they need and want.

 

[frivolousz21]

the numbers may say a sellout. Some may be others they can spin the numbers anyway they want. A lot of these arena's are plenty empty though. Therefore they are not getting the concession money they need and want.

Out of the top 12?

who?

all of those teams play in front of packed houses nearly every night.

 

[KarlssonsGroin]

We'd be able to boost an average attendance rating of roughly 97% if it wasnt for Florida, New york Islanders, Atlanta (who've been doing better recently), Columbus and those damn Coyotes.

Just move the teams north already and see the surprise attendance records that are set

 

[29dryden29]

SLake i love the ticket prices damn I wish we could even get a snif of a game anywhere around here for those kinds of ticket prices. It costs me almost as much to go see the Knights play here in London as it did to go to see the HABS play in nashville last year.