Red Wings Losing Fan Base??

HF fan*

Guest
Do you see a scenario where the Wings begin getting Phoenix type attendance numbers should these struggles continue? I noticed many empty seats on T.V and maybe fans no longer have the desire to cheer for this team anymore..
 

CloneHakanPlease*

Guest
Do you see a scenario where the Wings begin getting Phoenix type attendance numbers should these struggles continue? I noticed many empty seats on T.V and maybe fans no longer have the desire to cheer for this team anymore..


It's more possible than most people will want to admit.
 

WingedWheel1987

Registered User
Jan 11, 2011
13,324
903
GPP Michigan
Do you see a scenario where the Wings begin getting Phoenix type attendance numbers should these struggles continue? I noticed many empty seats on T.V and maybe fans no longer have the desire to cheer for this team anymore..

Phoenix numbers? No, because the arena is in a better area to attract fans.

I definitely see the Wings bringing in 15k a game when the **** really hits the fans and the fan base finally realizes Ken Holland is feeding them a bunch of garbage.
 

HF fan*

Guest
Personally, I will always be a fan regardless. It is in my blood and I could not imagine cheering for another team. Just hope we do not see the second version of the Dead Wings.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
It won't be that bad, plus they will get the new stadium bump shortly.

The interesting thing is they are still selling all those empty seats, people just aren't coming down as often.

Really the only team that is suck proof in terms of attendance is the Lions and U of M football, we know that.

The Pistons, Tigers, Red Wings, several of the MSU sports and U of M basketball have all had big problems when they have been bad in previous years. I don't think it will dip below them still turning a profit. Detroit is a sports town where quite frankly there isn't as much to do as other places.
 

detredWINgs

Registered User
Jan 1, 2004
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Michigan
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A fan base depletion of "Dead Wings" proportions is unlikely to ever happen again, at least in stable NHL markets. Hockey may still be a niche sport, but its not what it was 20-30 years ago. Also - parity.

But ever team loses some fans when a team isn't successful. Whats more important is how quickly the fans abandon ship.
 

BazDaSpaz

Registered User
Sep 7, 2011
293
0
I just got back from the game. Apparently it was a sellout of 20,066, making that the 76th consecutive home sellout. I know there was some empty seats and all, but those empty seats have already been bought up by the corprate suits who either don't show up, or, are chillin in the Legends Lounge getting tanked up. Needless to say though, that game was a pathetic piece of hockey tonight. Cleary and Quincey are just aweful out there, and need to be bencehed ASAP for a long period of time. I'd rather lose while trying to bring our young guys into form then lose with these two useless bodies out there.
 

Syckle78

Registered User
Nov 5, 2011
14,585
7,824
Redford, MI
Depends on how things go. If we get to the point where we draft in the lottery and draft an exciting young player while Pavs and Z are still around it will be enough to fill the seats till the new building and the team is in contention again.

If the team sits around fringe playoffs for a few years and it seems like they aren't investing in a contender fans will tell them to f off. There are going to be a lot of pissed off fans if it seems like wings are forgotten and the tigers keep getting all the illitch love.

The thing about Detroit fans is it doesn't take a lit to motivate and excite the fan base. Just look at the lions. Lion fans look for any reason to get excited and support the team. The tigers attendance only sucked toll the first night fa signing(pudge) smd they weren't completely dreadful anymore. Then there are the deadthings
Yea the attendance was bad but it turned around real Fn quick ay the first hint of am exciting team to cheer for.
 
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19 for president

Registered User
Apr 28, 2002
2,832
951
If the team continues to be this mess then yes I could see it hitting 15k because there is nothing enjoyable about watching this team atm. They don't check (outside of Tootoo), they don't score, and they don't have a dominating goalie. However if they change up the system to a more enjoyable system to watch and start incorporating youth then yes I could see people still paying to see them.

This team doesn't have an identity at the moment, and people will start to see that sooner or later.
 

RedWingsNow*

Guest
Being a fan who watches on TV is one thing.
Paying the ticket prices is another. I used to go to 5-6 games a year. Now I splurge on good seats for one or two big games a year.

I don't see Detroit ever being in danger of falling to pieces -- unless the runwaway economics keep running away.
 

Tomas W

Registered User
Oct 23, 2007
7,097
489
Sweden
Havent there always been empty seats at the joe during a lot of regular games? Season/sponsor tickets?

If DRE start to lose a lot people can always cheer for even more lost games, for Seth Jones.
 

ProPAIN

I am the DANGER!
Nov 3, 2009
13,989
5
Paris
Havent there always been empty seats at the joe during a lot of regular games? Season/sponsor tickets?

If DRE start to lose a lot people can always cheer for even more lost games, for Seth Jones.

I believe they've had 70+ straight sellout crowds. I don't know if that's true, but all those empty seats are probably just corporate seats or season ticket holders who didn't go to the game.

I'll definitely want to catch a couple of games when I finally get plans together to visit Canada/US. If it wasn't for the lockout, I would've probably gone this year.
 

ARCTICCAT24

Registered User
Sep 7, 2011
1,094
0
Michigan
If the team continues to be this mess then yes I could see it hitting 15k because there is nothing enjoyable about watching this team atm. They don't check (outside of Tootoo), they don't score, and they don't have a dominating goalie. However if they change up the system to a more enjoyable system to watch and start incorporating youth then yes I could see people still paying to see them.

This team doesn't have an identity at the moment, and people will start to see that sooner or later.

Bingo. This team is boring to watch even with Tootoo in the line up. All you guys want these small Euros who don't do ****. We need more guys who play with energy and stand out, like Tootoo. We don't need anymore of these types of players. It gets old real quick. The passive, no hitting style isn't what people want to see anymore. And skill doesn't win you cups anymore. Why do you think the 90's Wings were so dominant? Because they had a combination of skill and toughness. We need another Shannahan. Too bad we keep drafting these small Euros, and say the same ********, "small but skilled". Why can't they be "big, tough, and skilled"?
 

icKx

Vanek 4 Prez
May 7, 2010
3,483
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Bingo. This team is boring to watch even with Tootoo in the line up. All you guys want these small Euros who don't do ****. We need more guys who play with energy and stand out, like Tootoo. We don't need anymore of these types of players. It gets old real quick. The passive, no hitting style isn't what people want to see anymore. And skill doesn't win you cups anymore. Why do you think the 90's Wings were so dominant? Because they had a combination of skill and toughness. We need another Shannahan. Too bad we keep drafting these small Euros, and say the same ********, "small but skilled". Why can't they be "big, tough, and skilled"?

Players with size and skill are drafted early. We only have so many picks to get guys like Smith, Jurco, Sheahan, Sproul, etc.
 

Whiskey In the Jar

Registered User
Jan 28, 2013
215
27
Haha, doesnt seem very likely at all that Phoenix scenario hits Wings. What I've learned is that the succes has very little correlation of the fan attendance etc... for example phoenix is a continous playoff team. In finland the attendance tends to go up the worse the team plays =D

You cant be always the top team in hockey. There are seasons things just dont go as planned. That is whats happening with wings. And btw, wings are in the middle of scoreboard so could be far worse. They are still a potentional high caliber playoff team with just some adjustments.
 

SoupNazi

Serenity now. Insanity later.
Feb 6, 2010
26,341
14,040
Bingo. This team is boring to watch even with Tootoo in the line up. All you guys want these small Euros who don't do ****. We need more guys who play with energy and stand out, like Tootoo. We don't need anymore of these types of players. It gets old real quick. The passive, no hitting style isn't what people want to see anymore. And skill doesn't win you cups anymore. Why do you think the 90's Wings were so dominant? Because they had a combination of skill and toughness. We need another Shannahan. Too bad we keep drafting these small Euros, and say the same ********, "small but skilled". Why can't they be "big, tough, and skilled"?

I'm not sure what game you watched but I usually see plenty of hits.

But you're only happy if they're dropping the glove every couple of minutes, right?
 
Jun 9, 2011
1,591
80
Detroit
If them having some mediocre or bad seasons happens it happens. I will still stand by my team no matter what. If it drives away the band wagon fans so be it. They will come and go and when the team is a contender they will be back most likely. Yea the game looked like it did have some empty seats however take into account that it was a tuesday, some people work early the next day, they played Calgary (some people might not have wanted to see that kind of a team) and the weather was supposed to be a bit sketchy in regards to snow. All of those are plausible causes for last nights empty seats. I've gone to two games so far and they were friday and satruday night games respectively and the place was freaking packed. So I don't think we will have to worry to much but at the end of the day I don't care if 10 people or 1000 people stop watching them for whatever reason because I'll still be there watching.
 

BF3

Boom Roasted.
Dec 30, 2011
1,595
117
Cbus
1) It's happened before (Dead Wings Era)
2) They are still selling out, alot of lower bowl seats are corporate.
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
14,718
8,241
You can see the Joe from Canada and Southwestern Ontario has a tonne of fans. For that reason alone the wings will never end up like Phoenix
 

JPE123

Registered User
Jan 23, 2013
3,153
10
We had corporate seats for years. When things are going well I could always find customers that want to go. Sometimes last minute trips out of town and they go empty.
 

CloneHakanPlease*

Guest
I'm not sure what game you watched but I usually see plenty of hits.

But you're only happy if they're dropping the glove every couple of minutes, right?

Oh my god, do you ever stop *****ing/putting words in other people's mouths? I don't think I've ever seen you not make an attack on another poster. We get it. You're annoyed that people nag on this team, and that in your eyes you are a "true fan". Want to know what's more annoying than people complaining about this team? People who complain constantly about those aforementioned people.

Watch the physicality of our team compared to almost any in the league. We are easily bottom 10, if not bottom 5 in terms of excitable physicality. Kronwall is good for one "Kronwall" once every 30 games, and while Abdelkader pads our hit stats, they very rarely are anything special. Aside from Datsyuk and Zetterberg, we really don't have much offensive creativity, and as an overall team we are easily one of the slowest teams in the league. There isn't that much youth on this team with room for improvement, and when the rare player does come around, Babcock plays Cleary over him. We are a slightly above average skilled, top-heavy, slow and old team, who does not play with much vigor or physicality. The Wings play boring hockey, and that isn't going to improve in the foreseeable future. It really isn't very debatable to those who watch the NHL outside of the Wing's broadcasts.
 
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crashman

Guest
As soon as the general fair-weather fans finally realize that the Red Wings aren't a special team anymore, then yes, I expect attendance to drop pretty significantly.

The new arena should bring them back into the mix for a bit, but that won't last if the team continues to be average. I think this is all part of why the Ilitch family is pushing to get this new arena built right now, they know some dark days are coming for this team.
 

BF3

Boom Roasted.
Dec 30, 2011
1,595
117
Cbus
Oh my god, do you ever stop *****ing/putting words in other people's mouths? I don't think I've ever seen you not make an attack on another poster. We get it. You're annoyed that people nag on this team, and that in your eyes you are a "true fan". Want to know what's more annoying than people complaining about this team? People who complain constantly about those aforementioned people

Actually, ARCTICCAT24 has a pretty good reputation of hating Euro's and liking enforcers.

In other words, what he said is pretty much what ARCTICCAT24 was saying, hence the "small Euros who don't do ****" and comparing the post lockout era of hockey to other eras as if they are the same.
 

Syckle78

Registered User
Nov 5, 2011
14,585
7,824
Redford, MI
Oh my god, do you ever stop *****ing/putting words in other people's mouths? I don't think I've ever seen you not make an attack on another poster. We get it. You're annoyed that people nag on this team, and that in your eyes you are a "true fan". Want to know what's more annoying than people complaining about this team? People who complain constantly about those aforementioned people.

Watch the physicality of our team compared to almost any in the league. We are easily bottom 10, if not bottom 5 in terms of excitable physicality. Kronwall is good for one "Kronwall" once every 30 games, and while Abdelkader pads our hit stats, they very rarely are anything special. Aside from Datsyuk and Zetterberg, we really don't have much offensive creativity, and as an overall team we are easily one of the slowest teams in the league. There isn't that much youth on this team with room for improvement, and when the rare player does come around, Babcock plays Cleary over him. We are a slightly above average skilled, top-heavy, slow and old team, who does not play with much vigor or physicality. The Wings play boring hockey, and that isn't going to improve in the foreseeable future. It really isn't very debatable to those who watch the NHL outside of the Wing's broadcasts.

Yessir' I agree with all of this to the letter.
 

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