Flames sellout streak quietly ends last night

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Freeway

If someone is giving the Flames money for all seats, used or not, it's hard to begrudge them for claiming sell-outs.

I don't think they were. Pretty sure they had started to do what southern teams have done and "distribute" them and then claim the sellout.

Sportcheck zone was an example of tickets paid for and then not bought from sportcheck. That one I get for claiming sold, as the flames were paid for them, but there's hundreds of tickets unsold in the lower tiers each game that I highly doubt are paid for by anyone, but were in the past claimed as part of sellouts.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by flameswin

I don't think they were. Pretty sure they had started to do what southern teams have done and "distribute" them and then claim the sellout.

Sportcheck zone was an example of tickets paid for and then not bought from sportcheck. That one I get for claiming sold, as the flames were paid for them, but there's hundreds of tickets unsold in the lower tiers each game that I highly doubt are paid for by anyone, but were in the past claimed as part of sellouts.

And this is, in truth, why none of Colorado, Vancouver or Calgary even came t 400 games for their streaks. It was known in all three markets that the numbers were complete BS for a long while.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

And this is, in truth, why none of Colorado, Vancouver or Calgary even came t 400 games for their streaks. It was known in all three markets that the numbers were complete BS for a long while.

I went to a Flames game in Denver in 2011. The arena was ridiculously empty. We were in row 10 in the lower bowl and I bought 4 tickets as part of a "special pack." I paid $100 and it included a free food item and a free beer. Only two of us ended up going down for the game and I couldn't even give the other two tickets away for free to people I know in the Denver area. I ended up donating them to the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization down there and I was rather pissed that they couldn't even find a kid that wanted to go to the game.

[Northendzone]

perhaps someone is controlling the media, and asked that the story not be reported

[Geeoff]

I'm surprised it didn't end when Iggy and crew were going through the motions, rather than now where our team is much more exciting.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I'm surprised it didn't end when Iggy and crew were going through the motions, rather than now where our team is much more exciting.

I'm not. As a STH I can say that while last year and this year are certainly more 'watchable' than the last couple of Iginla years, there's a large contingent of people in this city who will only pay with their own money for games that having meaning for the Flames in the standings.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I'm surprised it didn't end when Iggy and crew were going through the motions, rather than now where our team is much more exciting.

Yeah the average fan is typically behind the times though. It's kind of like the stock market....buy when everyone is selling! haha. Good time to pick up season tickets now, exciting hockey + the Flames should be really good in 3-5 years along with a new building. Then demand will be very high again.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I'm not. As a STH I can say that while last year and this year are certainly more 'watchable' than the last couple of Iginla years, there's a large contingent of people in this city who will only pay with their own money for games that having meaning for the Flames in the standings.

Yup, the casual fan/average Calgarian who only knows the team in terms of, are they good, or do they suck.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

perhaps someone is controlling the media, and asked that the story not be reported

Yeah, I don't think we're at Edmonton levels of media control, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's some relationships there and a little "hey guys, don't make a big deal of this."

I would imagine you'll hear mention of it somewhere in the next week or so.

[Iggy Snipe]

I have two season tickets in section 219. A couple of my friends came to the game last minute with me and my season ticket partner and bought press level tickets. We went up there (to press level) and had plenty of seats to pick from. There is no way the game was sold out Saturday. Usually its packed up there. I could have sat anywhere.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Iggy Snipe

I have two season tickets in section 219. A couple of my friends came to the game last minute with me and my season ticket partner and bought press level tickets. We went up there (to press level) and had plenty of seats to pick from. There is no way the game was sold out Saturday. Usually its packed up there. I could have sat anywhere.

It wasn't sold out Saturday, that's literally why the thread was started.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

perhaps someone is controlling the media, and asked that the story not be reported

Nah, media is too busy whipping up hysteria over ebola and ISIS for their overlords so that they can strip some more civil liberties form us.

Sad that fan interested is waning right when the on ice product is the best its been in years.

A lot of those empty seats are people in the building, they are just more interested in getting liquored up.

[djsFlames]

Well, for starter the Flames could do a better job with their ticket ads than that stupid radio ad that's playing right now. Just terrible.. Couldn't make the product sound less exciting.

"Wooow, what a goal... It's a great night to be at the dome..."

Come on. Use some legit clips and sound bites from the actual games. Mention the Monahans and Gaudreaus..the reasons to get people in the seats. That was a lazy effort on their part.

[Schraderbrau]

I contacted my ticket rep today to see about grabbing a couple extra for the Habs game tomorrow and they still had press level for sale. That's unheard of for there to be Habs tickets still up for grabs day before the game. Fingers crossed might move down a few rows next year and the seat swap!

[taffeyb]

I was thinking that the 19,095 vs. Washington may have been a typo. However, the official attendance last night vs. Nashville was 18,505.

I was curious as there were several pairs of tickets listed on our company classifieds. Lower bowl corners for $150 pair. Centre ice whites for $100 pair. Less than STH cost....I would have snapped up the lower bowl ones, but would have been stuck with my own 2nd bowl tickets to sell.

[Enoch Root]

I think two things are going to happen over the next while that are going to tilt things back in the favour of sellouts:

1) this team, if it continues to play the way it has been, will bring the energy back to the Dome. I would say the last two games (Habs and Preds) were as exciting as any regular, back to back home games have been in a long, long time.

2) the announcement of a new arena (I know) will rejuvenate ST sales. As has been pointed out, the only reason the Oilers continue to sell out is that STHs want to retain their seats for the new building. That is normal, and will happen here as well.

[J epworth]

Darren Haynes of Canadian Press blogged about this today:

http://flamesfrom80feet.blogspot.ca/...in-flames.html

It happened quietly and without any fanfare during this Calgary Flames five-game home-stand that just ended. It wasn't announced to fans at the games nor mentioned to media covering the games. But it seems a stretch of consecutive sell-out crowds at the Saddledome that dated back over 10 years is now over -- officially.

we've also reached a point where just expecting people to flock back to the rink would be a mistake for the club. It's time for the sales and marketing folks to get down to business and find creative ways to get people back in the seats at the Dome. As they say, an empty seat doesn't buy any drinks, food, or Flames apparel.

I have no doubt that enthusiasm around the hockey club is high -- the talent in the pipeline is terrific, but the cold reality is people's disposable income is rarely at that same level as their interest level.

As well, with every game on television now, the comforts of the couch at home can be pretty appealing. The attraction of not having to drive anywhere, or pay anything to park, the appeal of $2 beers from the nearby bar fridge and that huge 60-inch high-definition television, it makes for a pretty cozy way to watch Johnny Hockey do his thing -- and on nights when he's creating magic, just hit rewind and watch him over and over and over again.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by J epworth kendal

Darren Haynes of Canadian Press blogged about this today:

http://flamesfrom80feet.blogspot.ca/...in-flames.html

Its a good point. I go to a few games a year and that keeps the enthusiasm level up for me, but when I casually watch games I'm much happier to do it from my own home or my local pub.

[EldrickOnIce]

The other thing of note is a ticket price increase for this season from a club barely over the cap floor was, perhaps, unnecessary at this point

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

The other thing of note is a ticket price increase for this season from a club barely over the cap floor was, perhaps, unnecessary at this point

I agree that they pushed it a bit there.

And that is how it works - you push it until you find the elasticity. I think they have found it.

And speaking for myself now, I personally felt it this year. Starting to feel like, if it keeps going up at this rate, I may have to rethink the STs.

Having said all that, a new arena would definitely rejuvenate demand (and impact price elasticity)