Flames’ attendance

[CliffFletcher]

An article in the Athletic on NHL attendance this season has Calgary grouped in the bottom tier of teams, at 89.5 per cent capacity (one spot below Philadelphia and one above Anaheim).

More concerning is the year-over-year attendance change, with Calgary seeing the fourth worst drop in average attendance, behind only Washington, Winnipeg, and San Jose.

But with a new arena not coming until 2026-27, they might need to enjoy a lot more success on the ice to attract full houses to the Saddledome in the next couple of seasons.

https://theathletic.com/5107905/2023...ance-analysis/

What does this mean for the strategic direction of the team? Does is spur the team to retool, rejuvenate the roster, and build excitement towards the opening of the new arena in 2026-27? Or does the prospect of declining attendance make Edwards even more reluctant to rebuild?

[Toonage]

Flames keep playing like they have been and attendance will see a boost.

People want a competitive team, but they also want an exciting one. The Flames were neither to start this year.

[Incogneto]

It's absolutely unaffordable for a family to go to a game at this point. I would love to take my kids to a game, but it costs the same as a weekend in Banff.

Make it more affordable, and the people will come back.

[GioforPM]

90% of the Dome is 100% of some arenas.

[N-E-B]

The product sucks and it's too expensive. It's not worth the financial commitment, and perhaps even more damning is that it's not worth the time commitment. Simple as that.

I can drive down, invest 5 hours of my night and hundreds of dollars in -20 weather OR I can stay home on my warm couch for free, and if things go south I can change the channel or go play video games instead.

[Icantwhisper]

was at the game on Saturday, huge pain to get to the arena, wait till it's minus 20 and everyone has to walk 20 mins to the dome, going to see attendance go down before it goes up regardless of how team does, add to that the cost for a family of four to go and just have a snack. $6.50 for a 500ml bottle of pop looks a lot like gouging.
I only go if I get free tickets, can't justify the cost if I have to pay myself.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The product sucks and it's too expensive. It's not worth the financial commitment, and perhaps even more damning is that it's not worth the time commitment. Simple as that.

I can drive down, invest 5 hours of my night and hundreds of dollars in -20 weather OR I can stay home on my warm couch for free, and if things go south I can change the channel or go play video games instead.

Also this

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Incogneto

It's absolutely unaffordable for a family to go to a game at this point. I would love to take my kids to a game, but it costs the same as a weekend in Banff.

I'm generally of the same mind. It's mostly irrelevant if the team is a cup contender, or rebuilding, or tanking...either way, the experience is too expensive and a poor value for us as a family, so we just don't go.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

90% of the Dome is 100% of some arenas.

The Flames having one of the largest capacity arenas in the league will always skew their percent capacity number.

[Yeah_Baby]

Mixed results on the ice, four decade old building, high inflation, several things working against attendance.

But, I can see it being a data point used against a rebuild or a long retool. I know we'd all stick around for it. But Joe and Jill Calgarian (probably) won't.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by Incogneto

It's absolutely unaffordable for a family to go to a game at this point. I would love to take my kids to a game, but it costs the same as a weekend in Banff.

Make it more affordable, and the people will come back.

I'll echo this. It's 1,000% my full intention to bring my oldest son to a game at the Saddledome (youngest will be too young to form the memory before the new arena is built).

The cost to get to Calgary is insane.

January 18-21 is $1,760 round trip for the two of us. We'd get in at 10:45am Calgary time, be able to attend the game that night, and Saturday night. Flight out on Sunday at 2:00pm arrive half past one am.

Same dates from Halifax: $946 return, plus the 4 hour drive to Halifax, and 4 hour drive back. Throw in another $300 gas, plus $150 for parking, ($1,396) and we'd only get to the Saturday game due to flight times.

That assumes the weather cooperates for the drive up and back. Throw in a hotel if need be on the way back and that's an extra $200-300 and wipes out the savings of flying out of Halifax.

Then factor in tickets, concessions, and lets face it, we'd need new jerseys (I'm not gonna send him to a game at the Saddledome in a WHITE Flames jersey).

Hopefully over the next year or two WestJet returns to the smaller Atlantic Canada markets, and/or YQY gets a discount airline like Flair, Lynx, or even Porter would be nice.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Incogneto

It's absolutely unaffordable for a family to go to a game at this point. I would love to take my kids to a game, but it costs the same as a weekend in Banff.

Make it more affordable, and the people will come back.

Honestly...okay. To start with you are right. Its expensive. For two people that is easily a $500 night, and every once in a while I'm okay with that.

For a family its just outrageous. Especially if you have to feed a couple of kids and maybe mom and dad want a beer or two, after tickets? Thats a pricy night.

If 4 buds want to go and each take care of their own costs its still expensive but at least its broken up.

Personally, I prefer to skip the hassle of getting down there entirely and just watch at home or at my neighbourhood Pub.

[Jiri Hrdina]

They could do a lot to improve the in-game entertainment. A lot of other arenas do a lot of fun stuff, and the Flames constantly seem behind the times.

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The Flames having one of the largest capacity arenas in the league will always skew their percent capacity number.

But they would sell out before. They don't now and that should be something ownership should recognize.

[gvitaly]

Well at least Arizona sold out all its games so far. All 4600 sits.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by redmile04

But they would sell out before. They don't now and that should be something ownership should recognize.

Yeah, they would 'sell out' before, but I think we need to remember that a big part of that Corporate tickets.

So while those tickets would be deemed as 'sold' that does not equal 'asses in seats.'

And I think some of that Corporate discretionary spending evaporated post-COVID lockdowns.

[3rd liner]

You still deal with the some of the same parking/transport issues, but having the Wranglers here is a cheaper option- and good hockey. Some families may be choosing that. Cheaper tickets, cheaper food, especially certain days. We went to more wranglers games than flames games last year. Wranglers also do minor-hockey packages for teams, so that brings in families.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Incogneto

It's absolutely unaffordable for a family to go to a game at this point. I would love to take my kids to a game, but it costs the same as a weekend in Banff.

Make it more affordable, and the people will come back.

Agreed, I thought the Flames used to have a Family Section or was it Safeways section?

If they carved out a section for family pricing, it would get more kids in and enjoying NHL hockey in person.

Get them young.

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The Flames having one of the largest capacity arenas in the league will always skew their percent capacity number.

That’s why the more important number is the decline. Fourth worst decline in the league. Not sure how much of that is drop in season tickets and how much is walk-ons.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Incogneto

It's absolutely unaffordable for a family to go to a game at this point. I would love to take my kids to a game, but it costs the same as a weekend in Banff.

Make it more affordable, and the people will come back.

Although I totally agree and don't dare go to a game that I am personally paying for, I think its the product. There is an insane amount of money in this city and I think they would be full if they had anything compelling about them. Going on a bit of a run here but there is nothing that compels you to suffer vs watching at home.

I usually get a3-4 games offered per year and its been pretty much every game this year. Sales guys don't even want to go. The hassle is so not worth it.