Regardless of the excuses for lack of fans, facts are facts. Overall, the fan support for NHL hockey in Atlanta was poor. Some southern markets work (see Nashville and LA) and others don't (see Phoenix, Atlanta and Florida). There is nothing wrong with that either. It's like trying to make Cricket popular in Mongolia; it ain't ever gonna happen because there will never be a large enough fanbase to provide that support. That is just life, and some people need to accept that.
The irony behind this post is that Winnipeg had some of the same problems that Atlanta had, yet some people like to ignore facts of their situations and not look in the mirror.
The Thrashers had both their best season on the ice and in the stands under ASG ownership. They averaged under 14,000 twice under the prior ownership group. That ASG somehow conspired to suddenly tank the team to lose money and unload hte Thrashers is pretty far fetched imo.
The Thrashers had both their best season on the ice and in the stands under ASG ownership. They averaged under 14,000 twice under the prior ownership group. That ASG somehow conspired to suddenly tank the team to lose money and unload hte Thrashers is pretty far fetched imo.
The Thrashers attendance over the years:
2000- 2001: 15,262 - 22nd in the league
2001-2002: 13,668 - 28th in the league
2002-2003: 13,475 - 28th in the league
2003-2004: 15,121 - 22nd in the league
2004-2005: lockout
2005-2006: 15,550 - 22nd
2006-2007: 16,238 - 21st
2007-2008: 15,824 - 22nd
2008-2009: 14,408 - 29th
2009-2010: 13,607 - 28th
2010-2011: 13,212 - 28th
The Thrashers had both their best season on the ice and in the stands under ASG ownership. They averaged under 14,000 twice under the prior ownership group. That ASG somehow conspired to suddenly tank the team to lose money and unload hte Thrashers is pretty far fetched imo.
The Thrashers attendance over the years:
2000- 2001: 15,262 - 22nd in the league
2001-2002: 13,668 - 28th in the league
2002-2003: 13,475 - 28th in the league
2003-2004: 15,121 - 22nd in the league
2004-2005: lockout
2005-2006: 15,550 - 22nd
2006-2007: 16,238 - 21st
2007-2008: 15,824 - 22nd
2008-2009: 14,408 - 29th
2009-2010: 13,607 - 28th
2010-2011: 13,212 - 28th
The Thrashers attendance over the years:
2000- 2001: 15,262 - 22nd in the league
2001-2002: 13,668 - 28th in the league
2002-2003: 13,475 - 28th in the league
2003-2004: 15,121 - 22nd in the league
2004-2005: lockout
2005-2006: 15,550 - 22nd
2006-2007: 16,238 - 21st
2007-2008: 15,824 - 22nd
2008-2009: 14,408 - 29th
2009-2010: 13,607 - 28th
2010-2011: 13,212 - 28th
That ASG somehow conspired to suddenly tank the team to lose money and unload hte Thrashers is pretty far fetched imo.
That ASG somehow conspired to suddenly tank the team to lose money and unload the Thrashers is pretty far fetched imo.
The plan wasn't to lose buckets of money, but the plan from ASG was to always unload the Thrashers. I'm not digging up quotes and there are historical threads in the archives to go digging thru if you want, but ASG more or less "said" that they could make more money by having other events fill the dates that the Thrashers were taking up. ASG did not want a hockey team.
The plan wasn't to lose buckets of money, but the plan from ASG was to always unload the Thrashers. I'm not digging up quotes and there are historical threads in the archives to go digging thru if you want, but ASG more or less "said" that they could make more money by having other events fill the dates that the Thrashers were taking up. ASG did not want a hockey team.
Atlanta just doesn't seem to be a very good sports market, period.
The Hawks, despite playing out of a very large city loaded with some of the most affluent black families in the US, seem to lose a good chunk of cash.
The Braves made headlines a few years ago for struggling to sell out playoff games.
Attendance for the Thrashers was decent in the first year, but fell noticeably right after that despite a populous market, showing the city's tolerance of an expansion franchise's inevitably mediocre results to be extremely low.
The Atlanta Knights of the IHL seemed to draw pretty damn well for such a market, so it's sad that they couldn't transfer some of that good will to the major league model.
Maybe an AHL farm team of the Preds could work. Apparently they are showing select Preds games in ATL.
ASG did not want a hockey team.
Ok Vancouver, Ottawa & Winnipeg 2 teams in Alberta, GTA & Quebec, where does that last team go?
But Winnipeg's attendance was awful for much of the early 90's. Why did should the NHL be back in Winnipeg and not Atlanta?
1) Winnipeg attendence awful because it had a horrible arena with many obstructed views.
2) Winnipeg tanked once. Atlanta has failed twice. If Jets2 doesn't work than there won't be Jets 3.
3) Save the Jets rally drew thousands of people. Save the Thrashers had how many people?
Let me quash a couple of oft-repeated lines:
1) Atlanta has 5.5 million and growing by whatever a year. Yeah so? Follow that logic and we should have 3 teams in Mexico City. As much as we love hockey its not mainstream
2) Atlanta had horrible ownership if they had good ownership it would be fine. Viable markets attract owners. When Time Warner put the Hawks/Thrashers/Arena Rights up for sale they got $270 million. If you look at other NBA deals around that time they basically got $0 for the team. ASG's legal issues were well documented. Their need for capital was also well known. No one came with the interest to buy both teams. Given that they almost sold 80% of the Hawks a few months later shows they weren't adamant about keeping the Hawks so someone could have bought both teams. If the market was good for hockey someone would have bought it.
1) Winnipeg attendence awful because it had a horrible arena with many obstructed views.
2) Winnipeg tanked once. Atlanta has failed twice. If Jets2 doesn't work than there won't be Jets 3.
3) Save the Jets rally drew thousands of people. Save the Thrashers had how many people?
Let me quash a couple of oft-repeated lines:
1) Atlanta has 5.5 million and growing by whatever a year. Yeah so? Follow that logic and we should have 3 teams in Mexico City. As much as we love hockey its not mainstream
2) Atlanta had horrible ownership if they had good ownership it would be fine. Viable markets attract owners. When Time Warner put the Hawks/Thrashers/Arena Rights up for sale they got $270 million. If you look at other NBA deals around that time they basically got $0 for the team. ASG's legal issues were well documented. Their need for capital was also well known. No one came with the interest to buy both teams. Given that they almost sold 80% of the Hawks a few months later shows they weren't adamant about keeping the Hawks so someone could have bought both teams. If the market was good for hockey someone would have bought it.
1) Winnipeg attendence awful because it had a horrible arena with many obstructed views.
2) Winnipeg tanked once. Atlanta has failed twice. If Jets2 doesn't work than there won't be Jets 3.
3) Save the Jets rally drew thousands of people. Save the Thrashers had how many people?
Let me quash a couple of oft-repeated lines:
1) Atlanta has 5.5 million and growing by whatever a year. Yeah so? Follow that logic and we should have 3 teams in Mexico City. As much as we love hockey its not mainstream
2) Atlanta had horrible ownership if they had good ownership it would be fine. Viable markets attract owners. When Time Warner put the Hawks/Thrashers/Arena Rights up for sale they got $270 million. If you look at other NBA deals around that time they basically got $0 for the team. ASG's legal issues were well documented. Their need for capital was also well known. No one came with the interest to buy both teams. Given that they almost sold 80% of the Hawks a few months later shows they weren't adamant about keeping the Hawks so someone could have bought both teams. If the market was good for hockey someone would have bought it.
Pigs have a better chance at flying. Quebec City, Seattle, Kansas City, Houston & Markham are all viable options with potential parties who have expressed interest in the NHL. When only 400 folks appeared at a rally to show support for the Thrashers, it pretty much signaled that there are not enough fans in Atlanta to support an NHL team in both good times and bad times.
MLG was pretty ugly too, didn't affect attendance.
Maple Leaf Gardens "ugly"? I beg to differ MM. Grand old building. Fabulous. Loved it.
All of the old buildings in fact & miss the character, the nuances & charm of all of them.
...and who could forget the fog in Boston Garden, amplified by rats running over your feet and the smell of stale urine emanating from points unknown?
To be fair, I think if any nontraditional market fan offered this reason, it would be immediately laughed off and labeled as an excuse.