First Home Playoff Game Doesnt Sell-out

[Bill Bumface]

Has this ever happened before?

Seats on Ticketmaster flipped from regular seats to resale at a lower price instantly and people were moved from the upper bleeds to the 2nd bowl by Flames staff.

I was curious if game 4 against Chicago didn't sell out as we were facing a sweep, but this seems like it's the first time the first playoff home game wasn't sold out.

Prices were high and times are tough. The Flames tried to get blood from a stone.

It really emphasizes the fact a new arena isn't about the good of the city, but just more revenue.

They made a decision that kept empty seats in the dome tonight while tens of thousands couldn't afford the price of admission.

Given the result, lucky those that decided they couldn't afford it.

[jg13]

Unfortunately we have to play Anaheim in game 4. Not Chicago.

[dino7c]

has more to do with the rigged results than the price...people are thinking whats the ####ing point

pay money to watch the league #### your favorite team

[calgaryjohn87]

That's what happens when you have wishy washy fans. Look at how many people on here will "wait and see" if prices come down instead of just buying the tickets.

I wouldn't be surprised if the team moved, no joke, the fan support here is a joke. It's disheartening to see for sure, definitely has an effect on the guys knowing they make the playoffs and 19,000 people out of 1.4 million can't be bothered to show up and support them. And this is all based on some sort of "principal" .

Mark my words, if the team does not do substancially better next year this is the end of the franchise in Calgary. Argue or don't argue, I don't care, just remember I am saying it for future reference.

People here just do not care enough about the team to put up the money to watch them which is very bad for business

[Hockey Fan #751]

In 1996, the Flames had a pathetic attendance for each of its two home playoff games.

Game 3 was 15,229 -- http://scores.espn.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=160421003

Game 4 was 16,629 -- http://scores.espn.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=160423003

[FireGilbert]

I was at Game 4 in 1996. Lots of empty seats and a library like atmosphere.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by jg13

Unfortunately we have to play Anaheim in game 4. Not Chicago.

I was referring to 1996. The most apathetic I remember the city during the playoffs.

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

In 1996, the Flames had a pathetic attendance for each of its two home playoff games.

Game 3 was 15,229 -- http://scores.espn.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=160421003

Game 4 was 16,629 -- http://scores.espn.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=160423003

And there is our answer. I remembered game 4 being bad, but wow game 3 was embarrassing it turns out.

[browna]

Game 1 and 2 SJ 1995 weren't sellouts either, I was at 3 games that series. Tonight seemed full...moreso than most regular season games which isn't saying much.

Game 3 Chicago 1996 was the Iginla debut...Sunday afternoon 2pm start IIRC, didn't help that number.

[dino7c]

tonight was basically full...player holds ect. were released today and the team was down 2-0

its not like the 90s

results, price, BS NHL are the main reasons

that 96 game 3 was much like this game 3

[robaur]

#### the flames. ####ing losers.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by calgaryjohn87

That's what happens when you have wishy washy fans. Look at how many people on here will "wait and see" if prices come down instead of just buying the tickets.

I wouldn't be surprised if the team moved, no joke, the fan support here is a joke. It's disheartening to see for sure, definitely has an effect on the guys knowing they make the playoffs and 19,000 people out of 1.4 million can't be bothered to show up and support them. And this is all based on some sort of "principal" .

Mark my words, if the team does not do substancially better next year this is the end of the franchise in Calgary. Argue or don't argue, I don't care, just remember I am saying it for future reference.

People here just do not care enough about the team to put up the money to watch them which is very bad for business

Sorry, you have no idea what you're talking about. You don't move a team that has this kind of support during an economic downturn so you can send the franchise to Houston, Portland, Kansas or whatever franchise that won't support their team anywhere close to how Calgary does.

Look at how hard Gary Bettman worked to keep the Coyotes in Arizona, he'll deny a relocation all day, any day. Vancouver didn't sell out their 2015 series either and they have twice the population as Calgary. You're literally just mad at economics right now, that's all.

[Dion]

Not surprised given the shocking prices they were asking for bowl seats. It was a calculated risk by the Flames testing how much fans were willing to pay. In this case they guessed too high and ended up with empty seats.

In a struggling economy fans don't always have the extra income for events such as NHL hockey. The optics of the prices left me wondering if the ownership group is really in touch with what the average Albertan is dealing with. They could have priced the tickets at a more reasonable level and filled the building. Any lost revenue in ticket prices could have been made up in concession and alcohol sales.

[Itse]

It seems the prices of playoff tickets really were too damned high.

[FireGilbert]

The Flames in the 90s had some pathetic playoff support. Fans were sick of the first round losses and were waiting for the team to win a series before showing up.

Game 3 against Chicago was an afternoon game after the Flames were not even close going down 2-0. The Flames were so bad in those first two games they made the desperate move of bringing up Iginla. It was also Trevor Kidd's last Flames playoff game and the worst Flames goalie performance since Elliot tonight. He let in 5 goals on 14 shots.

I still don't believe the Game 4 crowd was over 16k. That number had to be inflated, the nosebleeds and second level were half full and it looked more like 13k. I got taken to the game because fans were giving tickets away.

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by dino7c

has more to do with the rigged results than the price...people are thinking whats the ####ing point

pay money to watch the league #### your favorite team

Nobody has an agenda against the Flames. Not the refs, not the league.

The Flames are not good enough. They're not skilled enough, not tough enough, not smart enough, not mentally strong enough. Period.

Just accept it, and for the love of God, stop with the conspiracy theories. There's no conspiracy against the Flames.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

Nobody has an agenda against the Flames. Not the refs, not the league.

The Flames are not good enough. They're not skilled enough, not tough enough, not smart enough, not mentally strong enough. Period.

Just accept it, and for the love of God, stop with the conspiracy theories. There's no conspiracy against the Flames.

Cursed then? What spell was cast on this franchise after winning the cup in 1989?

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Cursed then? What spell was cast on this franchise after winning the cup in 1989?

I don't believe in curses.

Just simply wrong people running the franchise. Mismanagement, if you will.

[Resolute 14]

Attendance: 19,289.

Now, one could suggest not taking the Flames at their word. But at the same time, I don't take OP at his word either. He's made claims with no evidence to support them.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by dino7c

has more to do with the rigged results than the price...people are thinking whats the ####ing point

pay money to watch the league #### your favorite team

This is going to become a bigger issue. It is so tough to tell if flames are getting legged over. But there are enough suspect calls to make you think about it.

People don't like to be taken for patsies. I don't live in Calgary anymore, so it doesn't effect me. But how can you buy season's tickets until the team addresses this?

And to suddenly get ALL the calls tilted our way last night, tells me something was said.

It just smells.

[Vinny01]

The building looked completely full to me last night and the crowd was incredible.