Quote:
Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary
just shows how idiotic the talk is about the Flames being the team most likely to move to Seattle/Houston...
how a team is still in Florida is mindboggling
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So if I may...
The building is often more full than that, especially on a weekend game. Being an out of conference opponent with almost nobody from Calgary living down here, it's not the strongest draw.
But that being said, the section that you always see on tv looking so empty is the Club Lexus section. The seats come with access to a private lounge for the entire game with comfortable seating, waiter service, incredible food buffets, full bar, and lots of TVs to watch the game everywhere you sit. It's basically like having a really big shared private box. If you looked yesterday for tickets in that section, there were about 4 or 5 available. The entire section was pretty much sold out, yet most people hang out in the lounge for large sections of the game. Some people never make it out of there at all, preferring the comfortable seating.
I know it looks bad on t.v., but it wasn't really that bad. It's still a LOT more full than Arizona or some other arenas around the league. People will still go to the games as long as the Panthers have a shot at the playoffs. They tend to lose interest when they're out of it (and most fan bases are like that too). The year that they were over 100 points, games were regularly sold out and there was a healthy buzz around the team.
It's just a situation that requires some sustained success, which the Panthers have never really had. I honestly don't believe that the team is going anywhere. They can't spend to the cap every year, but it's not unsustainable either.