Group of 9? Sit together for tonights Detroit Red Wings playoff game!

[Ties5o11]

You can still buy groups of up to 9 tickets in a row to tonights Red Wings game. Hockeytown my ass, they have not sold out multiple playoff games in the last few years now. Despite legions of bandwagoners, the Detroit is simply not that good of a market. And you know if Phoenix comes even 1 seat short of a sellout everybody on this board will be screaming bloody murder.

This is exactly why the NHL should not compartmentalize itself into a few isolated regions. The simply are not enough good hockey markets for the NHL to abandon anything south of Denver.

 

[pixburgher66]

It's hard to pick on Detroit knowing that while the economy may be on the rise a bit for them, they're still hurting. That and a lot of people had to leave town to find a job. Their capacity is a bit too big for the market I think. 20,066 is good for bigger places, but if they cut that down by about 2,000 it'd be better for them.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

there is a phenomenon known as success induced apathy

 

[Slimpikins]

Detroit is far and away a better hockey market (and one of the most profitable franchises in the league)

BUT

I hate the poor economy excuse. Phoenix got hit HARD by the housing bubble but they are not allowed to use that as an excuse (and rightfully so) to explain their poor attendance. I do not think that Detroit should be able to use a bad economy as an excuse either. Sports are one of the things that people will always spend on, even if they don't have the money and it means not paying their other bills that month.

I do accept that they have a larger arena than most US teams. I think San Jose only holds a little under 17K. If they don't sell out but they sell 17K+ tickets, they are doing just fine.

 

[postmaster]

You can still buy groups of up to 9 tickets in a row to tonights Red Wings game. Hockeytown my ass, they have not sold out multiple playoff games in the last few years now. Despite legions of bandwagoners, the Detroit is simply not that good of a market. And you know if Phoenix comes even 1 seat short of a sellout everybody on this board will be screaming bloody murder.

This is exactly why the NHL should not compartmentalize itself into a few isolated regions. The simply are not enough good hockey markets for the NHL to abandon anything south of Denver.

I am sure that region usually has one of the highest TV viewing audiences.

 

[dash]

Doesn't Illitch raise playoff ticket prices to astronomical levels? That coupled with a very tough economy in Detroit and I'm not surprised to hear that there are tickets available.

 

[postmaster]

Doesn't Illitch raise ticket prices to astronomical levels? That coupled with a very tough economy in Detroit and I'm not surprised to hear that there are tickets available.

The ticket prices do spike a lot for the playoffs and go up round by round as well.

This will be the first year in 5 years I won't be at the home opener

 

[pixburgher66]

there is a phenomenon known as success induced apathy

I do kind of believe this. I mean, when your team is consistantly great and in the postseason, almost always a serious threat for the Cup, you always have the thought in the back of your mind "if I can't go this season, there's always next season"

And is there something in the water this year? I for a fact the Pens hadn't sold out yet. In fact there were 100 left over (all singles) that they're doing Student Rush for. Still though, $35 for a Rush ticket, and under $20 for a regular ticket in Tampa.

 

[KillerVee]

What are you picking on Detroit for? You have to rub their noses in the fact that they're poor? Who are you...Charlie Sheen!?

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I am sure that region usually has one of the highest TV viewing audiences.

regional tv #'s for the NHL:

per game average number of households watching

Detroit (on FS Detroit): 76,000

Phoenix (on FS Arizona): 9,000

 

[Ties5o11]

How come everone is so ready to make excuses for Detroit?

"Their ticket prices are expensive!" "the auto industry outsourced!" "they win too much!"

Come on, there are conditions in any market that makes a market good or bad. Everybody instantly negates the conditions in Phoenix as excuses- yet are willing to look past conditions in other markets.

Is Phoenix a good market? No. Did Phoenix outdraw Chicago 5 out of the last 10 yeras? yes. Did Phoenix outdraw Pittsburgh 4 out of the last 10 years? yes. I don't want to get into another huge debate on this, but Detroit has a home playoff game tonight and they are not even close to selling it out. That fact stands on its own.

And btw I looked up the Red Wings ticket prices and they are cheaper than LA and SJ (and probably most others). Tickets range from $36-$150, which is about half the range for Kings playoff tickets.

 

[dash]

I think people are mainly willing to look the other way due to the fact that Detroit is still a revenue generating team for the league instead of a revenue drainer like the Coyotes.

 

[KillerVee]

 

[puckhead]

excuses????

Redwings = 19,680 avg home attendance this year.
Coyotes = 12,208.

no excuses needed.
as Dash said, Wings are an economic benefit to the league, not a CONSTANT drain on it.

 

[Ties5o11]

I think people are mainly willing to look the other way due to the fact that Detroit is still a revenue generating team for the league instead of a revenue drainer like the Coyotes.

Is this really THAT big of a concern? Does it really matter to people on this board that the average NHL salary might drop from 1.6 to 1.5 million?

 

[Ties5o11]

true, no point in trying to rationalize with Coyotes haters.

 

[KillerVee]

true, no point in trying to rationalize with Coyotes haters.

Oh. OH! That is not what the gif was for.

 

[dash]

Is this really THAT big of a concern? Does it really matter to people on this board that the average NHL salary might drop from 1.6 to 1.5 million?

No, but at times it grinds my gears that the Flames are hitting the links and money that they've made this season (and previous seasons) has been funnelled to a market that is in the playoffs in a city where hockey is probably 7th or 8th in popularity as far as sports are concerned. You have to think that some of that money has been used to re-sign players that have helped the Coyotes make the playoffs this season.

The 6 Canadian teams generate 1/3 of league revenue and as the Canadian dollar remains strong, expect that to remain true for the foreseeable future.

 

[Comeds]

I do not think I can get to Detroit in time for tonights game. Damn.

I'd say if a team has to be propped up by the league for years then its probably not in a great location. poor location for the new arena didn't help either.

However I did read an article recently wondering if the Nordiques moved to Phoenix with their sustained success that followed if the Coyotes would have developed a much bigger fan base. Maybe, but while I feel bad for the fans that are in Phoenix, I thing its time to pull the plug on this franchise.

 

[postmaster]

Dug back on the board and found this post:

2010 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6 highest rated NHL game since 1974
Thu Jun 10,2010 11:41 AM ETBy Brandon Worley

You knew the numbers would be big, but I don't think anyone thought they'd be this big. As the Flyers tied the game and sent Game 6 into overtime, the call went out across the nation: there's a Stanley Cup finals game in overtime, you have to watch this.

The ratings peaked in the third period and overtime, as everyone across the nation tuned in to see the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup. Here's the press release:

NEW YORK - June 10, 2010 - Last night's series-clinching Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers registered a 5.8/10 overnight rating (8:15-11:15 p.m. ET), the best overnight for any Stanley Cup Final game in 36 years (7.6/27, Boston-Philadelphia, Game 6, 1974 on NBC).

The rating peaked for the final 15 minutes of the game (11-11:15 p.m. ET) with an 8.0 rating and 14 share. The 5.8 overnight is up 41 percent vs. last year's 4.1/7 overnight for Game 6 between the then-defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, featuring Sidney Crosby.

In last night's game, the Blackhawks defeated the Flyers, 4-3, on a goal by Patrick Kane 4:06 into overtime to give Chicago its first Stanley Cup since 1961, ending the NHL's longest championship drought.

TOP 10 MARKETS

1. Chicago 32.8/50

2. Philadelphia 26.8/38

3. Buffalo 13.5/20

4. Pittsburgh 9.7/14

T5. Detroit 6.3/10

T5. Indianapolis 6.3/10

7. Fort Myers 6.1/10

8. Minneapolis 5.9/11

9. Las Vegas 5.7/9

10. Boston 5.1/9



2010 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6 highest rated NHL game since 1974 - ProHockeyTalk - Hockey - NBC Sports

Detroit is such a crap market.