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As the Flames sank in the standings, their attendance also sagged. For most of their first 16 years in Calgary, Flames tickets were among the toughest to get in the NHL. However, by 1999, attendance had fallen off so severely that the owners issued an ultimatum: buy more season tickets or the team would join its departed counterparts in Winnipeg and Quebec City in leaving for the United States. The fans responded by buying enough season tickets to keep the Flames in Calgary for the 1999–2000 season.[9] The Flames issued another appeal for more season tickets in the summer of 2000.[46] The campaign, aimed at increasing season ticket sales from a franchise low of 8,700 to 14,000, proved successful.[47] The increased sales did not halt the Flames' financial losses, however, as the team estimated it lost $14.5 million between 2001 and 2003
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Flames management and ownership know exactly whats up they just don't trust the fan base to get behind a 3 or 4/maybe longer year rebuild. they would rather battle for 8th place for eternity than to chance incurring losses or even maybe being in danger of losing the team again. I know that the Canadian Dollar had a lot to do with the franchise being in the red but you can kind of tell that the mandate isn't " Stanley Cup or Bust" its "sell hope to sell seasons tickets" and so far its been working.
The only one that can save us is Iginla, if he asks to move he could sacrifice himself for the sins of ownership like Jesus. The ownership won't change their mandate as long as they can still sell hope. Iginla leaving would be the only thing I think that could force their hand.