Are hockey fans the most loyal? (league, fan, Kings, Washington Capitals)
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I just got done with an analysis of average attendance in most NHL markets, measured as a percentage of arena capacity Here's how the "Original Six" compare to each other:
Largely, I think that analysis aligns with my post. However, I would question your percentage of capacity usage, as it doesn't necessarily take into account recent arena size changes - in particular, did you take into account the recent relocation of both Toronto(99-00) and Montreal (96-97) to arenas seating 3-4,000 more fans than previous arenas? It would appear at first glance that near sellouts preceded and followed expansion.
The Washington Capitals have sold out every game for 3+ seasons. It's not fair to leave them out as a mention.
I should add that I have also attended games this season in San Jose, Los Angeles, and Raleigh and none of those arena's are as loud as The Verizon Center is. It's not even close.
Across the 4 professional sports leagues, i'd give it to the NFL first. Then it might be a team by team thing based on each sport. I'm a Steeler fan in football and a Yankee fan in baseball. Both have tremendously loyal fans whether they win or lose. I hate to say it but the Red Sox also are like that as well.
We have to be a little careful with the "Original 6" statements; prior to last season, there were often several thousand empty seats at the TDGarden in Boston for Bruins games, and several years ago I attended a late-season Blackhawk game in Chicago, and virtually the entire balcony ( and much of the level below) was completely empty..
Don't assume that "original 6" means "sellout", all the time..
We have to be a little careful with the "Original 6" statements; prior to last season, there were often several thousand empty seats at the TDGarden in Boston for Bruins games, and several years ago I attended a late-season Blackhawk game in Chicago, and virtually the entire balcony ( and much of the level below) was completely empty..
Don't assume that "original 6" means "sellout", all the time..
Also non Original Six teams sell out. For instance my team, the Wild, sells out all the time. Then again Minnesota loves it some hockey, but regardless they haven't made the playoffs in 4 years and they still sell out.
We have to be a little careful with the "Original 6" statements; prior to last season, there were often several thousand empty seats at the TDGarden in Boston for Bruins games, and several years ago I attended a late-season Blackhawk game in Chicago, and virtually the entire balcony ( and much of the level below) was completely empty..
Don't assume that "original 6" means "sellout", all the time..
I know it doesn't, and my research illustrated that. I was just trying to make a point because I was getting really sick and tired of a) being labeled a bandwagoner simply for being a Penguins fan, and b) having the Penguins' bankruptcy in 1998 and relocation threat in 2007 blamed on a lack of fan support when it was bad financial decisions by prior ownership and an obsolete arena, respectively, that caused the problems. Common knowledge about the Penguins is very common, often permeating all other fan bases, but it sure as **** ain't real knowledge, and I've reached my wit's end with it. Anybody who thinks that the Penguins' problems in between their Stanley Cup eras had anything to do with a lack of fan support is ignorant, plain and simple.
We have to be a little careful with the "Original 6" statements; prior to last season, there were often several thousand empty seats at the TDGarden in Boston for Bruins games, and several years ago I attended a late-season Blackhawk game in Chicago, and virtually the entire balcony ( and much of the level below) was completely empty..
Don't assume that "original 6" means "sellout", all the time..
Yep. Went to a few BRuins games when they were cellar dwellers not too many years ago - if there were more than 4-5,000 at those games, I'd be surprised.
We have to be a little careful with the "Original 6" statements; prior to last season, there were often several thousand empty seats at the TDGarden in Boston for Bruins games, and several years ago I attended a late-season Blackhawk game in Chicago, and virtually the entire balcony ( and much of the level below) was completely empty..
Don't assume that "original 6" means "sellout", all the time..
Quote:
Originally Posted by cougfan
Yep. Went to a few BRuins games when they were cellar dwellers not too many years ago - if there were more than 4-5,000 at those games, I'd be surprised.
My Original six statement was made a little bit off the cuff, and it's true that a couple have struggled a little bit with attendance, though I'd argue that they still have a more dedicated fanbase than a lot of the sun belt teams.
From what I can tell of the Bruins, it doesn't look like actual sales dropped much below 14,000/game for the past 30 years or so. Of course, that doesn't mean that every ticket sold means somebody shows up. Yearly attendance for the Boston Bruins of the NHL at hockeydb.com
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