When does Calgary start getting excited about this team?

[burn_baby_burn]

First of all, I know that the members here for the most part are excited about the Flames regardless of what their record is. That being said, I find the "buzz" or support for this team to be kind of underwhelming this season. Look at the Saturday night game versus the Oilers. I don't think I have seen so many Oilers fans at a game in Calgary before. This is just based on a personal observation, but out of the dozens of BOA games I have attended in the Dome over the years I have never seen so many opposing teams fans.

The team is competitive this season and the third period comebacks have been nothing short of amazing.

Are the typical casual fans just sick of attending games at the Dome because of the poor concessions and the line up for food and the bath rooms? Or does this team need to qualify for the playoffs or even win a round to bring back those types of fans?

Now I know, Calgary for the most part is a great hockey market. And that a lot of NHL teams would be envious for the kind of support the Flames receive here in Calgary. It just seems that not everyone in the city is as excited about the current play of the team as the typical die hard fans are this season.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Or does this team need to qualify for the playoffs or even win a round to bring back those types of fans?

Nailed it.

Making the playoffs brings back the casual fans. Winning a round brings in the bandwagoners.

[Coach]

Some fans won't return until the team is in the playoffs, that's the way some people are.

But I will say that even among casual hockey fans in Calgary, most people I talk to are aware of the teams surprising success this year and of the exciting up-tempo game. Ticket prices are still tough to swallow though.

Also, some others mentioned that Saturday's game had the LEAST amount of Oiler's fans they've seen in a while. Wasn't there so can't say myself, and it's anecdotal, but there it is. BOA games are always going to float around the 60-40 or 70-30 mark due to the proximity of the teams.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Nailed it.

Making the playoffs brings back the casual fans. Winning a round brings in the bandwagoners.

Yep, dusting off your Iginla jersey and expecting him to be playing with us still.

There are bandwagon fans everywhere unfortunately. Arizona barely has any fans, but had miraculous turnouts to the playoff games.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

It just seems that not everyone in the city is as excited about the current play of the team as the typical die hard fans are this season.

Every city has its bandwagoners. IF we make the playoffs and the Flames are back to headline news, all those fans will come out in droves. But that's the thing about being a hardcore fan like most of CP is vs bandwagoners: it will make the sweet taste of victory that much sweeter. To know you followed the team through heartache and pain. To see all those 4th rounders come to fruition. The transition from the Iggy/Kipper era to the Gaudreau/Monahan era. Bandwagoners care less about those things. IMO they are the type of fan where it's "playoffs or bust". They only see that we haven't made the playoffs in 5 seasons. They probably don't care about the youth movement. I doubt most of them even know who Poirier or Bennett is and probably only got whiff of Gaudreau this season. Everyone has friends like that here. Just like my friend who doesn't give a crap during the season and it's all "oh man the Flames suck" because we haven't made the playoffs in half a decade. He doesn't care about how the team puts forth 100% ffort and makes crazy 3rd period comebacks. But come playoff time he'll be the first guy putting on his knockoff jersey and strolling down 17th

[N-E-B]

This has the same vibe as 04. There wasn't really a lot of buzz until they clinched a playoff spot. I think a lot of people don't want to get too excited just to see them fall out of the race.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

This has the same vibe as 04. There wasn't really a lot of buzz until they clinched a playoff spot. I think a lot of people don't want to get too excited just to see them fall out of the race.

We also faced Vancouver that year in the first round, so the city was extra hyped up because there was a lot of back-and-forth with local Canucks fans driving up hype.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

First of all, I know that the members here for the most part are excited about the Flames regardless of what their record is. That being said, I find the "buzz" or support for this team to be kind of underwhelming this season. Look at the Saturday night game versus the Oilers. I don't think I have seen so many Oilers fans at a game in Calgary before. This is just based on a personal observation, but out of the dozens of BOA games I have attended in the Dome over the years I have never seen so many opposing teams fans.

The team is competitive this season and the third period comebacks have been nothing short of amazing.

Are the typical casual fans just sick of attending games at the Dome because of the poor concessions and the line up for food and the bath rooms? Or does this team need to qualify for the playoffs or even win a round to bring back those types of fans?

Now I know, Calgary for the most part is a great hockey market. And that a lot of NHL teams would be envious for the kind of support the Flames receive here in Calgary. It just seems that not everyone in the city is as excited about the current play of the team as the typical die hard fans are this season.

To the bolded part, I'm in the same boat as you in regards to attendance, I've been at every single BOA since 06, and I thought there were less Oilers fans then in the past few years on Saturday. Regardless, there is always a lot of opposition fans when any Canadian team rolls in except Ottawa.

As for the point of your post though, I think right now the team hasn't made it in 6 years, so your hardcore fans are still loving this team, and I think I can sense momentum starting to build, but it will take the playoffs to bring back the more casual fan.

[Muta]

If this team manages to make the playoffs and still pulls out the repeated third period comebacks, this city is going to go on an emotional roller coaster every game that will involve the copious consumption of beer, drugs and a steady stream of rock 'n' roll.

Well, that's my plan anyways.

[Mony]

Every hockey city has its casual fans and people who don't even like hockey but will watch the playoffs once they get wind that we make it. Heard some Flames suck remarks over the years but you just know these people will be the first ones to chant Go Flames Go the minute we clinch a spot.

Then they'll be asking what offside is. Of course we will be glad to teach them!

[burn_baby_burn]

One thing that surprised me was on Tuesday night. Five minutes into the second intermission, and there wasn't a single person in line for the concession in the 300 level. I don't think I have ever seen that before. However, I don't attend every home game.

[heep223]

The casual fan is typically 2 years behind hardcore fans. Hence people still think that the Flames generally suck and it's still easy to get tickets/season tickets. Little do they know the last year has been the best / most exciting time to be a Flames fan in a long time. We're starting to see small flickerings of recognition from casual fans "oh yeah that Gaudreau guy, he's going to be pretty good right?"

[BigFlameDog]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Yep, dusting off your Iginla jersey and expecting him to be playing with us still.

There are bandwagon fans everywhere unfortunately. Arizona barely has any fans, but had miraculous turnouts to the playoff games.

I get what you're saying but bandwagoners help grow the fan base as well....For every x bandwagon fans y will stay on board, and in the case of one of my buddies he brought his 2 kids with him....pretty big Flames fans now.

[Weitz]

Ticket costs + uncertain economy could be coming into play at this time.

[Mony]

Also didn't mention this, but when I was in my senior year of high school (not that long ago... last year ), you can tell who's a casual fan and who follows the team. We had a Jersey Day (theme for a particular week - one day would be Twin Day where you wore matching outfits, Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, etc) - casual fans wear the knockoffs at Walmart, actual fans wear the real one.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Ticket costs + uncertain economy could be coming into play at this time.

I had no interest in Rangers tickets for $40 for the pair back in December. That really surprised me. That being said, I have had a pretty easy time selling the rest of my extra tickets so far this season.

[howard_the_duck]

This is something I've struggled with. Because the results for the past few years mattered so much less, I found myself not living and dying by wins and losses, and sort of letting go of the emotional part of being a fan. The smart fan in me knew that losing in the short term could mean more success in the long term, so getting emotionally invested in wins and losses was counter-intuitive.

Now that this rebuild is evidently expedited, I've struggled to latch on and care as much as I did before. Not to mention, the beloved players we watched for so long are no longer part of the team and it all felt sudden. I agree with the sentiment of this thread; when the team gets back to the playoffs you'll see a whole new following and the current players will develop into the cult heroes that Iginla, Kipper, etc were of the 2004-2014 era.

[dino7c]

honestly I think most people are happy with the progress but still assume the season will end with either missing the playoffs or getting pounded in the first round.

The fact that the ticket prices increased with a bargain basement payroll rubbed some the wrong way...myself included

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by dino7c

honestly I think most people are happy with the progress but still assume the season will end with either missing the playoffs or getting pounded in the first round.

The fact that the ticket prices increased with a bargain basement payroll rubbed some the wrong way...myself included

But the quality of the on ice product is vastly improved, despite paying less for the players.

[smalltownref]

I have my own personal take on this. Now take it for what it's worth... I only have a quarter share of seasons tickets to the Flames, so I make it to roughly 10 games a season, and not all the games by any stretch, but I have noticed something.

IMO, over the last few years what I have noticed is that unless it's a real exciting game or the boys are going on a good winning stretch, the dome doesn't seem electric. It takes Harvey to bang on his drum to get a 'Go Flames Go' chant from the whole crowd, and even then it typically only lasts for a few seconds. You hear the 'GFG' chant from the crowd and it dies out very quickly, which is kind of sad. The same thing goes for the Stamps games too... it takes an extremely close finish against a bitter rival to get the fans on their feet at a game and cheering loud against the opposition.

Why is this? Feel free to agrue with me on this one, but I attribute it to one reason. Corporations purchasing the Flames tickets. After the economy took off, it seems like companies really started coming in and purchasing tickets up. With excess cash to spend, they want to be able to treat their employees and customers as thanks for doing business with them. The problem? More often than not, these are not avid Flames fans. Or, even if they are avid flames fans, they are most likely at the game talking business instead of really enjoying the game. So there just coincidently doesn't seem to be a buzz at the dome these days. It has turned more into a 'corporate party' if anything. This is why the prices have stayed up, and a lot of the ticket advertising you see are for the 'top shelf experience' or to 'see hockey differently', all of which is definitely targeted towards the upper echelon of incomes. Only once the Flames make the playoffs do I think the Dome will get back to being an unbelievable exciting environement, but until then, I can't see it happening.