[Kidder]

I’m a lifelong diehard Flames fan, who is on team tank.

I’m not one to attend many games in person, so not exactly their target personnel. That said I do know some more casual Flames fans ( ie, just want to watch hockey/wins) who buy tickets and attend the games.

This “need to be competitive” for the new stadium opening to sell tickets never made sense to me.

In actuality you have a built in window right now that’s perfect for the tank.

People I know have purchased or retained season tickets because they want to ensure they have rights to tickets in the new arena. That is the shiny new object. And regardless of the Flames record the organization will sell tickets to that first season as people are eager to get in the door.

So you have two years (this season and next) where fans are going to hold on to their tickets, and an additional year when the new arena opens fans will pay the bigger bucks to attend and check it out.

If you still suck after that inaugural arena season. Then you might struggle to fill the barn.

So sell off now! If you are showing promise and on the rise for the first season in the new barn, you will keep interest in the fanbase and tickets flowing. And no matter how low you finish fans will keep their season tickets so not to lose out on the new arena opening.

And personally I’d be a lot more likely to open the wallet to see the second season of McKenna and other exciting prospects then going to watch 37 year old Kadri putter around the ice.