News Article: Why Sens Fans Should Convert To OHL Fans

[stempniaksen]

Ok. That is a valid way to look at it, of course. But at the prices the 67s are offering their top notch, winning, and well run business, the excuses sure do dwindle.

Look, why is is so hard to state what is plainly obvious? You and I are from Ottawa, right? And at some point, you just have to be honest about things, as hard as it is at times. This is not a great sports town. But it is good or great in other facets. Ottawa is what it is. I can accept that some want to be in the middle, but with all the factors that are going for the 67s, it does seem black and white to me, unfortunately.

I am part of the problem, if you will. I don't go to 67s games.

I don't think the price is the be all end of for people, as much as it about (some) people hoarding all their disposable income in case they start missing paychecks. This is anecdotal, but I have friends who work in the government who have stopped 95% of their extra-curricular activities, from sporting events to something as simple as checking out a movie at the theatres (which is cheaper than the 67's).

I'm not here to try and claim that Ottawa is some great sports town, we're obviously not. I just think there are significant market factors at play that limit us in the way other cities don't (and will never) have to deal with.

I just think your stance is a little too hard line. I don't even blame you for seeing things this way as it's easy to see a lack of sellouts and equate it to X (crappy fans in this case) and much harder to constantly list the myriad of issues holding all of our locals teams back.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

So what's the whole point of this besides to stroke a fragile ego? The message is "I don't go to 67s games, and neither should you but you're all human trash for not handing over your money to Eugene Melnyk." Am I getting that right?

Honestly, just sounds like someone who never leaves the west end.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

The 67s used to have one of the top attendances in the OHL, competing with London who doesn’t have an NHL team, too. Unfortunately the attendance and attention to the team seems to have dipped once they moved to Kanata and never came back.

I’ve been following them a little this season due to the success of the team. Haven’t really been following much since the 2004-05 lockout which was a great year for them. Will the playoffs be streamed online, and when do they start?

 

[coladin]

I don't think the price is the be all end of for people, as much as it about (some) people hoarding all their disposable income in case they start missing paychecks. This is anecdotal, but I have friends who work in the government who have stopped 95% of their extra-curricular activities, from sporting events to something as simple as checking out a movie at the theatres (which is cheaper than the 67's).

I'm not here to try and claim that Ottawa is some great sports town, we're obviously not. I just think there are significant market factors at play that limit us in the way other cities don't (and will never) have to deal with.

I just think your stance is a little too hard line. I don't even blame you for seeing things this way as it's easy to see a lack of sellouts and equate it to X (crappy fans in this case) and much harder to constantly list the myriad of issues holding all of our locals teams back.

It's not even about lack of sellouts, we are talking an average of 3500 per game, down from last year's 3800.

I actually have no stance on this because I don't go to games. Just pointing out that it is confusing to me that with this phenomenal season that they are struggling worse thatn last season. it just doesn't make sense.

 

[JD1]

It's not up to you to decide where other people spend their money or what ownership group they support.
I don't care about the 67s and their attendance numbers either, it's just a fact that YOU don't decide where and how WE spend our money.

I see your join date is some years ago but your post total is quite low and i've only recently noticed you posting.

This particular debate goes back to last summer when it became a thing on this board to declare that you'd never spend money on the Sens again with some guys identifying the 67s as a viable place to get your hockey fix. The well run OSEG operation and the respectable people unvolved were cited as reasons to spend there.

In the here and now, Sens attendance has caved. Obvious reasons why. Meanwhile, in a record setting year the 67s attendance is down too, to a paltry 3k plus per game.

I dont think Coladin has told you or anyone else how to spend your money. He has identified the market as being weak. Many other posters say strong market, bad ownership.

Well the 67s have allegedly great ownership, are having a terrific year, yet attendance is in the shitter.

I guess you can decide for yourself why.

 

[Lenny the Lynx]

The thing with following the CHL closely is you get attached to the players, watch them grow, and inevitably they move on after 4 years.
Unlike the Senators where its basically the same thing but more like 5-6 years

 

[RaMai]

I see your join date is some years ago but your post total is quite low and i've only recently noticed you posting.

This particular debate goes back to last summer when it became a thing on this board to declare that you'd never spend money on the Sens again with some guys identifying the 67s as a viable place to get your hockey fix. The well run OSEG operation and the respectable people unvolved were cited as reasons to spend there.

In the here and now, Sens attendance has caved. Obvious reasons why. Meanwhile, in a record setting year the 67s attendance is down too, to a paltry 3k plus per game.

I dont think Coladin has told you or anyone else how to spend your money. He has identified the market as being weak. Many other posters say strong market, bad ownership.

Well the 67s have allegedly great ownership, are having a terrific year, yet attendance is in the ****ter.

I guess you can decide for yourself why.

All good, to be quite honest if the option is what Melnyk is doing or no team I hope it's the later.
I've stated exactly this multiple times already, it would make it easier to leave this mess behind. Once I decide to do something, in this case being a Sens Fan, I stick to it no matter what. If they play in Quebec or wherever that's my way out.

Yes my join date is quite some time back and I kept to reading, only this bs lately and lot's of very contrary opinions (Count, Coladin, mysens) made me post a bit more. I once was proud of this organisation, even under Melnyk, because they managed to ice a very competitive team with a budget way below the league average.

 

[coladin]

All good, to be quite honest if the option is what Melnyk is doing or no team I hope it's the later.
I've stated exactly this multiple times already, it would make it easier to leave this mess behind. Once I decide to do something, in this case being a Sens Fan, I stick to it no matter what. If they play in Quebec or wherever that's my way out.

Yes my join date is quite some time back and I kept to reading, only this bs lately and lot's of very contrary opinions (Count, Coladin, mysens) made me post a bit more. I once was proud of this organisation, even under Melnyk, because they managed to ice a very competitive team with a budget way below the league average.

Contrary opinions help break up the circle jerk around here. I am not a contrarian. I just have my own opinion. 67s facts speak for themselves. Maybe it never occurred to you that sometimes, excuses are just that? If there ever was a case for that, it would be the 67s. They have done literally nothing wrong. And they are poorly supported.

 

[RaMai]

Contrary opinions help break up the circle jerk around here. I am not a contrarian. I just have my own opinion. 67s facts speak for themselves. Maybe it never occurred to you that sometimes, excuses are just that? If there ever was a case for that, it would be the 67s. They have done literally nothing wrong. And they are poorly supported.

Again, I don't care about them.
Our discussions, where we have very different opinions, are about the Senators. I think EM is the sole reason for this mess, you look for excuses for him PD, GB.
Before you now point out I said EM is the sole reason only to mention PD and GB as well...I mean it exactly like this, GB should have been fired during the season last year. PD should have been fired at the end of last season. Both of these things didn't happen because of EM.

 

[stempniaksen]

Contrary opinions help break up the circle jerk around here. I am not a contrarian. I just have my own opinion. 67s facts speak for themselves. Maybe it never occurred to you that sometimes, excuses are just that? If there ever was a case for that, it would be the 67s. They have done literally nothing wrong. And they are poorly supported.

They didn't "do anything wrong" per say, but the move to Kanata during the redevelopment of Lansdowne did a ton of long-term damage. I'm honestly not sure what is keeping most people from coming back, but leaving their downtown fan base really did a number on the them. I understand that they couldn't play at Lansdowne and that they're aren't many (any) alternatives to the CTC for them to play out of during that stretch, but they seemingly have never recovered.

I know that doesn't address your year over year numbers, and that's obviously a disappointment, but it provides a bit of context why the numbers are down in the grand scheme. Still 9th in attendance, which isn't terrible in the grand scheme of things, but a far cry from the old days consistently being in top-2.

 

[coladin]

They didn't "do anything wrong" per say, but the move to Kanata during the redevelopment of Lansdowne did a ton of long-term damage. I'm honestly not sure what is keeping most people from coming back, but leaving their downtown fan base really did a number on the them. I understand that they couldn't play at Lansdowne and that they're aren't many (any) alternatives to the CTC for them to play out of during that stretch, but they seemingly have never recovered.

I know that doesn't address your year over year numbers, and that's obviously a disappointment, but it provides a bit of context why the numbers are down in the grand scheme. Still 9th in attendance, which isn't terrible in the grand scheme of things, but a far cry from the old days consistently being in top-2.

A major reach there, but whatever. Bottom line is it is disappointing. I think everyone can agree with that

 

[coladin]

Again, I don't care about them.
Our discussions, where we have very different opinions, are about the Senators. I think EM is the sole reason for this mess, you look for excuses for him PD, GB.
Before you now point out I said EM is the sole reason only to mention PD and GB as well...I mean it exactly like this, GB should have been fired during the season last year. PD should have been fired at the end of last season. Both of these things didn't happen because of EM.

Everyone is to blame.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

A major reach there, but whatever. Bottom line is it is disappointing. I think everyone can agree with that

For someone who's so big on facts, I'm sure one look at the attendance numbers will convince you that the moves hurt the team. Or do facts only matter when they're convenient?

 

[Samsquanch]

Already a fan, and thank god my Wolves have came through for me in the biggest possible way this year.

If there is anything harder than being a Sens fan, its being a Sudbury Wolves fan.. Eerily similar circumstances to Ottawa in that we are a smaller, colder city (in comparison to the rest of the league) thats not exactly a hot spot for premier players. And we were wearing handcuffs in the form of a owner that was as controlling and crazy and the Euge.

BUT we finally turned the page after what felt like an eternity of misery and ended the nightmare.

We got a new owner, finalized a deal for a brand new state of the art arena and sports complex, and best of all, we did the unthinkable and convinced Quinton Byfield to come up here and be the hero that we needed to lead our team back to respectability. God bless that kids soul.

Side note: we need to draft this kid..hes gonna be incredible. He has all the tools and a perfect attitude to be the cornerstone of a franchise.

 

[coladin]

For someone who's so big on facts, I'm sure one look at the attendance numbers will convince you that the moves hurt the team. Or do facts only matter when they're convenient?

The moves while renovating? Oh is it a fact or a factor?

No one truly gives a shit with 6 games remaining in the season. Attendance down. Team phenomenal. OSEG everyone's sweethearts. You lose this one. Live to fight another day pal.

 

[coladin]

Already a fan, and thank god my Wolves have came through for me in the biggest possible way this year.

If there is anything harder than being a Sens fan, its being a Sudbury Wolves fan.. Eerily similar circumstances to Ottawa in that we are a smaller, colder city (in comparison to the rest of the league) thats not exactly a hot spot for premier players. And we were wearing handcuffs in the form of a owner that was as controlling and crazy and the Euge.

BUT we finally turned the page after what felt like an eternity of misery and ended the nightmare.

We got a new owner, finalized a deal for a brand new state of the art arena and sports complex, and best of all, we did the unthinkable and convinced Quinton Byfield to come up here and be the hero that we needed to lead our team back to respectability. God bless that kids soul.

Side note: we need to draft this kid..hes gonna be incredible. He has all the tools and a perfect attitude to be the cornerstone of a franchise.

I know he isn't a factor, but I coached Jonny Lemaire in soccer. Kid is a great athlete. Good for the wolves. That Finnish keeper is a surefire star.

 

[stempniaksen]

The moves while renovating? Oh is it a fact or a factor?

Both. It's a fact that attendance is down from the time they left Lansdowne for the CTC in the first place and it's a factor in attendance being lower now than it could be (maybe not THE factor, there's no real way to quantify that).

 

[coladin]

Both. It's a fact that attendance is down from the time they left Lansdowne for the CTC in the first place and it's a factor in attendance being lower now than it could be (maybe not THE factor, there's no real way to quantify that).

You are right. There is no way to quantify it and easily dismissed, compared to the facts.

Ottawans have memories like elephants or simply can't deal or get over anything. Sadly , for the dozens of OHL beans that were inconvenienced during the renos, like, get over it.

 

[Samsquanch]

I know he isn't a factor, but I coached Jonny Lemaire in soccer. Kid is a great athlete. Good for the wolves. That Finnish keeper is a surefire star.

Right on! He should get a good opportunity next year when Luukkonen graduates. But ya agreed on Luuk, hes an amazing goalie prospect.

 

[coladin]

Right on! He should get a good opportunity next year when Luukkonen graduates. But ya agreed on Luuk, hes an amazing goalie prospect.

Sad thing about Lemaire is Marshall Frappier is a kid I’ve known all his life. Hopefully he gets another chance

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

5,900 at today's game.