[News] Update: NHL green lights season-ticket drive for Las Vegas - Page 14 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Phanuthier · 10-27-2014, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

Unless you are a die hard hockey fan, are you going to want NHL tickets, or party on the strip?

I agree here. Vegas pertty much gives away tier 2 show tickets, that can barely seat 200 people. Its really hard to get people off the strip. Let alone 10k to watch the Florida Pathers or Edmonton Oilers. You go there on a weekday, its almost as dead as Reno.... I swear more than half of LV is weekend warriors from LA or somewhere else that has cheap Southwest flights there. Of the LA crowd, I think the majority are there to go partying and drinking and probably not to go to a hockey game. The other majority (ha) is there to zombie out in front of a slot machine. And this is pretty much best case scenario for weekend games, how about those Wednesday weekday games?

Maybe I'm wrong.... A system where you are trying to give away tickets in a market with heavy competition and entertainment is probably 3rd on the list, in a city that will be tough to have any base support.... I just have my doubts.

mikephoen · 10-27-2014, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

Unless you are a die hard hockey fan, are you going to want NHL tickets, or party on the strip?

People go see all sorts of crap 'entertainment' in Vegas. Could an NHL hockey game really be a less interesting thing to try out than Donny and Marie or Carrot Top? I bet tons of tourists would be interested in seeing a game, as long as the arena is on the strip. Go to the game, have a few beers and then you're hitting the strip at exactly the right time, 10:00 to 11:00ish.

nik- · 10-27-2014, 11:30 AM

At least at a hockey game you can drink and be rowdy. Not so much at Wayne Newton.

Oling_Roachinen · 10-27-2014, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Its really hard to get people off the strip.

The new MGM - AEG under construction is on the strip though.

Phanuthier · 10-27-2014, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikephoen

People go see all sorts of crap 'entertainment' in Vegas. Could an NHL hockey game really be a less interesting thing to try out than Donny and Marie or Carrot Top? I bet tons of tourists would be interested in seeing a game, as long as the arena is on the strip. Go to the game, have a few beers and then you're hitting the strip at exactly the right time, 10:00 to 11:00ish.

Here is a post from a few minutes ago, on one of the regular visitors to Las Vegas (ok not nearly as close as So Cal, or even Nor Cal even) :

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

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.

and this is for free..... I think Carrot Top cheap ($50?) and they actually give away tickets to taht show regularly.

Is it really a successful sports team business model to base it on the idea that people might show up if you give away tickets for free?

Phanuthier · 10-27-2014, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

The new MGM - AEG under construction is on the strip though.

isn't that on the other side of the I-15?

Oling_Roachinen · 10-27-2014, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

isn't that on the other side of the I-15?

Edit: might be looking at wrong arena.

FlamesAddiction · 10-27-2014, 11:50 AM

I think the main reason why some guys want a hockey team in Vegas is that it makes for a plausible ulterior motive for a group of guys to go to Vegas without the wives. We're just going for the game, honestly. Then 5 minutes after landing, they are doing lines off a strippers rear.

Phanuthier · 10-27-2014, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Edit: might be looking at wrong arena.

ok i found a pic here

basically kind of the ackward backstreets where shipping and employee parking is...... ha didn't think there was enough room there to fit a hockey arena. Its like 1 block.

GoJetsGo · 10-27-2014, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

Unless you are a die hard hockey fan, are you going to want NHL tickets, or party on the strip?

GoJetsGo · 10-27-2014, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Here is a post from a few minutes ago, on one of the regular visitors to Las Vegas (ok not nearly as close as So Cal, or even Nor Cal even) :

and this is for free..... I think Carrot Top cheap ($50?) and they actually give away tickets to taht show regularly.

Is it really a successful sports team business model to base it on the idea that people might show up if you give away tickets for free?

You seem to be missing the point. It's not "free" if the seats were bought and paid for by the casinos.

Really don't see why you're having such a difficult time with this. There are franchises all over the US that struggle to sell seats for the majority of their games. Between the Casino comps and tourists, I think it easily makes this market more viable than some of the other American models. Regardless of your doubts, people with a lot of money seem to think it's a good idea and that the ball is in motion.

DownhillGoat · 10-27-2014, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

There are franchises all over the US that struggle to sell seats for the majority of their games.

Well if others can do it why not create one more!

Chill Cosby · 10-27-2014, 01:23 PM

Did someone just compare the NHL to "Carrot Top"?

Phanuthier · 10-27-2014, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chill Cosby

Did someone just compare the NHL to "Carrot Top"?

oilers, not NHL

(maybe Jets too)

Samuelsson · 10-27-2014, 01:31 PM

Hope it happens.

868904 · 10-27-2014, 01:32 PM

One of the reasons why the NFL is so popular is because of the gambling.

I think the NHL wants to raise the gambling profile of hockey and what better way to do that then to put a team right in Vegas.

I don't think they even needs seats really. It's all about the tv dollars and exposure. They might as well just make this an open attraction on the strip like the old Pirate show at TI.

Instead of seats, just put restaurants and bars all along the concourses where the seats would be. Every diner or patron has a view of the game. Just one giant sports bar with live sports.

Jay Random · 10-28-2014, 02:10 PM

I remain skeptical.

If you want to gamble (and not just play stupid VLTs), you go to Nevada (or New Jersey). Can't do that in most parts of the U.S.

If you want to see big glitzy floor shows on the strip every night of the week, you go to Vegas. They haven't got that back home in Podunk, either.

If you want to do lines off a stripper's rear (as FlamesAddiction suggested), you definitely go to Vegas. That'll get you arrested most places.

If you want to go to a hockey game, there are 23 other arenas all over the United States where you can do that. Why would you watch hockey during your limited time in Vegas when you can do it anytime?

cKy · 10-28-2014, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I remain skeptical.

If you want to gamble (and not just play stupid VLTs), you go to Nevada (or New Jersey). Can't do that in most parts of the U.S.

If you want to see big glitzy floor shows on the strip every night of the week, you go to Vegas. They haven't got that back home in Podunk, either.

If you want to do lines off a stripper's rear (as FlamesAddiction suggested), you definitely go to Vegas. That'll get you arrested most places.

If you want to go to a hockey game, there are 23 other arenas all over the United States where you can do that. Why would you watch hockey during your limited time in Vegas when you can do it anytime?

People go to Vegas more than once. Maybe to mix it up, people will go to a game instead of a show. Besides, a game lasts 2.5 hours in a 48 hour window - you can do most things you want too. If you sleep in Vegas you are doing it wrong.

automaton 3 · 10-28-2014, 02:25 PM

I might consider catching a game if a) was the Flames or b) was free or basically free, not out of my way and cheap beer.

Doesn't exactly look like a recipe for success if the team were a stand-alone entity, but I suspect MGM-AEG is counting on you spending money in their hotel, casino and bars before and after the games.

Phanuthier · 10-28-2014, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cKy

People go to Vegas more than once. Maybe to mix it up, people will go to a game instead of a show. Besides, a game lasts 2.5 hours in a 48 hour window - you can do most things you want too. If you sleep in Vegas you are doing it wrong.

So you're going to Vegas and not going to sleep for 48 hours, but you are going to spend 3 hours to go watch a hockey game, something you do at home anyways? (or see a Cirque show?)