Quote:
Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle
All fair, but I don't think my view point is short sighted. I think the business models for NFL and MLB make hard comparisons, and I'm not sure the Yankees play to full building most nights, pretty easy to get a ticket to a Yankees game when you go to New York, but that's not really fair for me to say either given just how large and how many games that team plays.
So I'll focus on the Leafs and the Canadians more. Montreal and Toronto (especially Toronto) have one very key difference that Calgary and almost any other market doesn't have going for them. They aren't subject to a true free market situation like other centers. What I mean by that, is if we were truly allowing NHL hockey supply and demand to dictate NHL strategy, there would be at least 2 other NHL franchises operating in the Toronto area to actually service the demand generated by that hockey loving population. This is what allows them to remain steady on attendance in ups and downs vs. say Calgary..........they are drawing from a fan base and population base that could actually support maybe even a total of 4 teams. This insulates them from what we experience in Calgary and other markets, not better branding, marketing, pricing strategy or otherwise. Running the TML must be the easiest thing in the world.........The biggest hockey market on the planet and to date you've been handed exclusive franchise rights.
If anything the Calgary has proven the Flames don't need to worry about brand damage or long term profitability when it comes to maybe over charging in some peoples mind during a down turn on the ice or off because its been proven the Fans will come back in droves when the team or the economy gets good again.
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It doesn't have to be a sold out venue but these places undoubtedly do a better job at drumming up passion. Toronto has much more competition for $$s (basketball, baseball, MLS, sabres, football, and other entertainment options) but you're right it's not really comparable.
Instead let's focus on Calgary. A great way to convert a fan from being a casual fan or a fan of another team is to have them attend games. When they watch from home they have many options that they do not need to watch the flames and when they do they do not get caught up in the excitement of a room full of people all cheering together. I grew up in Ontario and the Leafs are probably still my favourite team. However, since I have moved to Calgary six years ago; I have gone to many flames games since they have been more accessible and slowly see myself cheering for the flames more and more (Leaf tickets were impossible - especially as a young person who lived in the GTA). I don't think I will ever be more of a Flames than a Leaf's fan but who knows because I do follow the Flames news more than I do the Leafs because I live here. When you start pricing people who are not real flames fans (why pay more for a team that isn't really your favourite unless your favourite comes to town) out of the equation than you miss your chance at future revenue streams by converting new fans. The stronger the fan support, the more support you get from casual fans who get caught up in the hype and then things tend to snow ball. This is why it is short sighted to me.