Ultimately is comes down to cost/value, but anecdotally, the Flames and NHL have lost the next generation of fans.
Mark my words. The Flames will get 2-3 years of a new arena bump in fan interest. By 2030, the attendance will be clinging around the 12k mark, regardless of team success. It is not just a Flames issue. This is short term profit over long term community fan building failure. The CFL will fold in a decade because of a similar short term business focus. The NHL will be fine, but we've hit the high water mark of what fans will pay.
1997
-Flames tickets for a Leafs game, section 219, row 22 are $22.50 ($39.39 in 2023 dollars)
-My boomer dad was in his 30s. Good paying job, live a good upper-middle class life.
-Housing cost to disposable income is 29.4%. Household debt to income ratio is 101%
-Most of his boomer friends that are sports fans are Flames fans and Stamps fans (limited other options, business culture, etc)
-Entertainment options for the night are dialup internet, watch Melrose Place on tv, play with his kids, or go to a Flames game
2023
-Flames ticket for a Leafs game, section 217, row 23 are $188.
-Millennial me is in my 30s. Good paying job, live a good upper-middle class life.
-Housing cost to disposable income is 50.2%. Household debt to income ratio is 171%.
-My friends that are sports fans are into hockey, NBA, cricket, NFL, F1, soccer, E-sports (all very accessible on streaming, social media, still some degree of hockey/golf business culture)
-Entertainment options for the night are Netflix, any other team/sport, HD Flames hockey, Tinder, Youtube, video games
This is not sustainable
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