I find it funny that people want to criticize the public for not investing their money for a team that hasn't provided much beyond the 68 games for the past several seasons.
Not everyone goes to the hockey games just for the winning, though.
For hardcore fans who's first priority is the team, I agree most of them feel that way.Let me clarify - you want to see winning, but it shouldn't be the sole reason you go. There's much more involved than "they're winning so let's go watch."
True for a minority but most are looking for the team to win.
The average family isn't going to spend that kind of money on a night out without hoping the team wins.
At the same time the average fan isn't going to continue buying season tickets if they see one losing season after another.
Hardcore fans?
Sure, they will mostly be there through thick and thin unless the organization itself becomes an issue, looking at the previous one to see what happened there.
If team success is trumped by everything else then the team doesn't have a fanbase they have people who just want to be seen and once again, being seen at a game only carries significance if its a full building.
They see a franchise with the only success over the past 7 seasons a great week of hockey that culminated in a Memorial Cup.
Winning is a part of it; if you're winning 15-games a year and not caring to improve the product, you're going to lose even the hardcore fans. But that's not the case. I just don't believe winning is the sole reason people go, nor should it be.
There are multiple ways to look at that entire situation. One of them is this franchise does whatever it takes to win, and, if I'm a prospect, I appreciate that.
For hardcore fans who's first priority is the team, I agree most of them feel that way.
They don't make up the majority of the fanbase though.
Many people want the game day experience so to speak, what would those people have done back in the day when the game was the whole experience, but regardless of that how many people prioritize their kid maybe being on the jumbotron, spending another $100 or so on food and souvenirs, enjoy non stop ads and gimmicks between every whistle after spending around a $100 to get in the door over winning the game?
All of that is complimentary to the game itself, not the priority.
Long time friends who are also long time STH can just as easily get together on game night elsewhere if they become dissatisfied with the product and if numbers are dropping that is probably what's happening.
If team success is trumped by everything else then the team doesn't have a fanbase they have people who just want to be seen and once again, being seen at a game only carries significance if its a full building.
Hardcore fans as I said, they will always be there in good times and bad, they're great to have but there's not enough of them to pay the bills.
I think the lack of playoff success is a non factor when it comes to the attendance.
As mentioned before not 1 person at the rink has ever said anything about it, I am thinking very recent Mem Cup success has alot to with it.
If the narrative that is being presented is so true then explain to me why only 7 teams in the entire 20 team league increased their average attendance this season and only 3 were in the West.
Here are differences from this past year and 2016/17 season attendance numbers
London (-44)
Kitchener (-93)
Windsor (-260)
Erie(-600)
SSM (+223)
Sarnia (+135)
Owen Sound (+152)
Saginaw (-100)
Guelph (-92)
Flint (-85)
East
Kingston (-244)
Ottawa (-21)
Mississauga (+81)
Hamilton (+137)
Oshawa (-186)
North Bay (-216)
Sudbury (-284)
Niagara (+51)
Barrie (-208)
Peterborough (+525)
More then anything it's the style of play the league currently embraces along with ticket/ concession prices too high in many team locations.
Coming off a Mem Cup win,plus a hard working team last year,I heard zero talk of lack of playoff success as a reason for staying away.
Windsor7
You and Rayzor don't count as alot only 2
Cfaub doesn't go to games anymore.
Windsor can win 10 in a row and you will be negative,proof Spits win Cup and you say 1-2 positive things the rest negative, talk about a mind tightly shut.
Rayzor hasn't been to a game in awhile I believe...
It has been discussed many times on here on how the spits won the cup.
I thought u were moving forward n not living in the past?
Rayzor hasn't been to a game in awhile I believe...
I think the lack of playoff success is a non factor when it comes to the attendance.
As mentioned before not 1 person at the rink has ever said anything about it, I am thinking very recent Mem Cup success has alot to with it.
If the narrative that is being presented is so true then explain to me why only 7 teams in the entire 20 team league increased their average attendance this season and only 3 were in the West.
Here are differences from this past year and 2016/17 season attendance numbers
London (-44)
Kitchener (-93)
Windsor (-260)
Erie(-600)
SSM (+223)
Sarnia (+135)
Owen Sound (+152)
Saginaw (-100)
Guelph (-92)
Flint (-85)
East
Kingston (-244)
Ottawa (-21)
Mississauga (+81)
Hamilton (+137)
Oshawa (-186)
North Bay (-216)
Sudbury (-284)
Niagara (+51)
Barrie (-208)
Peterborough (+525)
More then anything it's the style of play the league currently embraces along with ticket/ concession prices too high in many team locations.
Coming off a Mem Cup win,plus a hard working team last year,I heard zero talk of lack of playoff success as a reason for staying away.
Let me clarify - you want to see winning, but it shouldn't be the sole reason you go. There's much more involved than "they're winning so let's go watch."