Quote:
Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle
I've been to Florida quit a bit (Coastal), and the general impression I get from the locals is that they simply don't really care all that much about professional sports. They'll watch it, but it doesn't really get them going that much. Would go to a game or two as casual fans, would rather be outdoors doing something or playing a sport and casually watch a game from home now and then. Seemed to be the complete opposite to me from most other US states i've visited. I guess I would describe it as indifference.
When your NFL teams have to put tarps over the top rows of their stadiums in the US, you know a hockey team is likely going to be in trouble. The Lightning benefit greatly from the amount of Canadians which winter in the St. Petersburg area.
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Yes, I'm not really contesting that point. My post was intended to illustrate a reason why that is the case. With such a limited sporting history, most people have found other things to fill their time here.
You have to think about what age range typically buys tickets, or are financially able to. Pretty much mid-late 20s to 50s. When your franchises have been around 20-30 years, you're just starting to establish your identity with an entire generation of kids that grew up with the team. Other than that, people typically revert to older alliances, and that's even more the case in Florida with so many transplanted people (many from northeast USA) and few original locals.
Also, there are a ton of Canadians down here in the winter too, but nobody wants to pay to see a losing team unless they're playing their favorite Canadian team. If Tampa had been losing as much as the Panthers, they'd be in the exact same situation. The markets don't differ much at all.