Quote:
Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop
Yeah, maybe that was urban myth. The Wolves did thrive at the Hawk's nadir though.
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I heard that myth too and believed it, so I looked up the numbers and can verify that it is just a myth. But it is true to the Wolves did (and continue to) do well for a minor league team, especially considering they are competing for butts with an NHL team in the same market.
The Wolves attendance peaked at just under 11,000 in 1995-96 (not including an NHL lockout year). The low mark for the Hawks was just under 13,000 in 2006-07. In 1995-96, the Hawks averaged more than 20,000.
I do recall some Hawks games looked pretty bare back then, so I imagine actual butts in seats was less than the reported attendance figures many time, but I also assume the same could be true for the Wolves reported numbers.
It's a shame for Avs fans. They have a very entertaining team and they should be marketing the heck out of it right now.