I have no shortage of tax clients in your position and can thoroughly empathize. This is a tough economy and cycle for younger people, and it's kyitty for all of you.
OTOH, from the lofty perspective of Gary and the Billionaire Owners Club ("BOC"), the gate is a bit of a bonus. The REAL money is in the revenue sharing from ads, licensed sales, TV and all that crap. And, of course, the free cash from the sale of new franchises. Those owners feeling the pinch can always sell to upmarket their investments. Murray ain't suffering any and most of the members of the BOC aren't either. Yes, the gate affects them, but if even the wonks in Arizona can survive (or CBJ or other small-market teams) then Calgary can, too.
There are a myriad of entertainment options and one of the cheapest is hockey on "free" ($100+/mo) TV. Live hockey? Different story unless you go downmarket from the NHL...because going to the 'Dome is not a cheap proposition.
One of the bigger problem for the NHL is the generally crappy on-ice and in-arena product almost everywhere, especially in the 'Dome. Building lousier cars doesn't make more people want to buy them...and putting a crappy product in front of paying customers doesn't help...so yes...viewership is WAY down from where it was. Ballet on ice doesn't cut it.
Hopefully sometime you can get to a game live, as it's still an (occasionally) worthwhile experience for those who can't go regularly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
There seems to be this romantic notion that a rebuild will only take 2 to 3 years when they're more likely to be closer to 8. I do think the team needs to disrupt what they do and break the cycle. But I'm not so sure the Calgary of today will support a team that loses that long.
I'd need to do some research, but it wouldn't surprise me if hockey is not as popular on a per capita basis as it was 25 years ago. I have two kids aged 13 and 8 and neither one has much of an interest in the game. If I offer to take my 13 year old son to a game he'll say no. As a "poor" family that qualifies for Danielle Smiths you suck at life so here's $100 for each kid money...them not wanting to play isn't exactly breaking my heart. But I wonder how many other middle class lowlife's like myself are the same. I have not been to a NHL game that I paid for tickets in about 8 years now and have resigned myself to the fact that unless I can double my income...I'm never going again type of thing. So if it's a bad team who's been bad for 3 years and the tickets are not discounted...it could be a tough sell.
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