Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame
I don't know if this is going to work. If the playoffs couldn't bring in the big numbers, how will lower ticket prices?
It would be like the Oilers putting the Barons in Okotoks, and dropping the prices for Flames fans to come watch. I wouldn't even consider it just based on the team. Abbotsford is thick and through Canuck country.
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To be fair, AHL playoff attendance decreased up to 20% from regular season attendance. This trend applied to what we saw in Abbotsford as well. While it is concerning for Ryan Walter and the Heat organization, it's not a unique situation to the Heat.
In Ryan Walter's post-season presser he mentioned that this summer he'd be meeting with the other 29 AHL Presidents and will be discussing this odd playoff trend.
As for the Heat being in Canucks country, there's no doubt that it is the primary reason attendance is low. That, and Abbotsford's a pretty boring city in that there's very little, if any, night life unfortunately.
However, there are cases in which rival teams have been successful in other rival teams' regions. For example, the Chicago Wolves organization was worried about how being affiliated with the Canucks would affect attendance; it turns out it didn't. Hamilton (Montreal's farm team), on average, gathers around 4,800 per night and they're heavily in Maple Leafs country. I'm assuming St. John's is pretty traditionalist in their team preference, so I would guess the majority of the fans there are either Montreal or Toronto fans, yet they came out in droves to support a Winnipeg affiliated team.
Like Ryan Walter suggested, they need to build the team "brand" as a Fraser Valley team. IMO, they made a HUGE mistake by calling them the Abbotsford Heat. Rather, they should have been called the Fraser Valley Heat as it's more encompassing to area, not just one city. By establishing the Heat "brand," the goal is to make affiliation a non-factor to new Heat attendees.
Yet, it's easier said than done. That's why I'm pretty happy that Walter is the president.