[CliffFletcher]

The financial foundation of the team is based on box seats and season tickets. Most of those are owned by companies with deep pockets, who use them as schmoozing opportunities. They're not going to cancel their tickets because the team on the ice sucks. The team on the ice matters only insofar as it's NHL hockey.

All that will happen if the team sits in the basement of the conference for a few years is those tickets find their way into the hands of receptionists and lower level employees, rather than the executives and clients. This panic about the fanbase is completely unfounded.

If the Flames ownership do have any interest in the immediate competitiveness of the team and the opinion of casual fans, it's because in a year or two they'll be going to the city hat in hand asking for public money for a new arena. And the public will probably be more compliant if the Flames have recently played in the playoffs - or better yet, gone on a miracle run. Ideally (from ownership's point of few) with Iginla flashing that aw-shucks smile on the TV.