NHL Attendance Report - 2011-12

[savemedrzaius]

Why are the Islanders so low? Is their new arena in a really bad location?

[chockfullofgoodness]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Too true. I actually prefer the experience at home. No long lines to use the bathroom. Good priced beer and snacks. Play a little NHL 17 during the intermissions, rewind a play or check the forums to see what other people see.

Maybe I'm just an introvert, but between trying to find parking and overpaying for a drink, I don't care for it. Plus I like the commentary on TV because I don't memorize player's numbers.

I agree 100 percent. Even if tickets were 5 dollars, I would prefer to watch at home. No traffic or blizzards to deal with in the dead of winter. Plus I can have a few beers because I don't have to drive. Watching at home is fantastic.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

Why are the Islanders so low? Is their new arena in a really bad location?

It's the combination of playing in an arena that was designed for basketball, which has some awful sightlines for hockey and moving into an arena that is not convenient to get to for many people in their traditional fan base.

The Barclays Center only holds about 15,000 for hockey, and a significant percentage of those have at least a partially obstructed view of the ice. There's probably less than 13,000 seats in the building with a decent view. So, keeping that in mind, they're not doing too badly.

Long term, it's unacceptable, and they're already trying to find a location for a new arena. There have been rumours that they've had talks with the Mets to build something in the Citi Field parking lot where Shea Stadium used to stand. There's also the possibility of building something near the Belmont Park horse racing track, which is much closer to the old Coliseum than the Barclays Center.

[Mr.Coffee]

I have always been a lifelong diehard fan. The current product is boring as #### though.

I'll still watch it, because it's the only thing worth doing in the dead of winter, but I think you could forgive Americans who have 2,3 or 4 sports teams in their towns.

I think everyone else has summed up the combination of what appears to be falling interest this year (nothing a playoff birth can't fix).

Rising prices
TV quality and availability
Boring game
Lack of physicality for some fans
Lack of success for Canadian teams
Poor economic environment in Canada / Calgary

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

I think the league needs to fix the reffing, for one. I'm sick of humans subjectively flip flopping, missing calls, or trying to manage the game. With today's technology where a surveillance system in Vegas can tell if a player is cheating, you think they can make a fair system in every arena.

Reffing is terrible majority of the time yes. I find that over policing the game has taken so much out of it. I used to watch as much hockey as I could because it was hard hitting, blood and sweat. Now it seems to be all tears and diving. I really don't enjoy watching guys cry to the refs for every little non call. Watching Gaudreau constantly bitch gets old. I guess everybody making big money with guaranteed contracts doesn't help anything either.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

That's just a factor of bad ice.

The best way to fix the game would be to get rid of a point system that encourages teams to play for ties, and to follow up those ties with the most contrived, gimmicky system of tie breaking and point allocation possible.

Agreed. Stop rewarding losing. I hate this ####ty point system.

[curves2000]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Something that would improve the on-ice product miles, without changing a single rule, would be if someone could manufacture a puck that did not bounce/flip/roll. The game has no flow when passes keep getting bobbled, and the puck bounces away while a guy is handling it.

Engineers - please make a puck that stays flat to the ice.

This is an interesting and very valid point you bring up. I just finished reading Gordie Howes book and he went through some noticeable factors in today's game.

He made a point to emphasise that with many young players today playing hockey almost year round, most of the players today don't or haven't in the past, played much hockey with tennis balls and other ball type "pucks" He was adamant that playing "ball" hockey for years helps hockey players develop softer hands and better puck control just due to the nature of the low weight.

Ice quality today I suspect is better than it has been in NHL history due to the technology, newer rinks, air conditioning and uniform standards. There is also the commercial breaks where the ice crews sweep the snow off which is something that never occurred in the past. Given the higher quality of the ice, the higher quality sticks and the level of talent of today's players, its still interesting how often "stars" and "elite" players bobble the puck. I suspect some of it may be due to the speed of the game but still interesting to think about Mr. Howes theory.

[Coach]

I think expanding the width of the rink would do wonders for the game. Not to Olympic size, but somewhere in-between.

[Philly06Cup]

The other option would be to go to 4-for-4. Bunch of 3rd / 4th liners will lose jobs, so the NHLPA would hate it, but goshdarn I think it would work.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Something that would improve the on-ice product miles, without changing a single rule, would be if someone could manufacture a puck that did not bounce/flip/roll. The game has no flow when passes keep getting bobbled, and the puck bounces away while a guy is handling it.

Engineers - please make a puck that stays flat to the ice.

This is a good idea. I don;t know if it's global warming, or the amount the arenas are used, but the ice everywhere is terrible. So many scoring chances and passes are wasted because of the puck just bouncing over a stick.

It's funny, when you play NHL17, they added this in this year and while realistic, it really takes the fun factor out. That is what has happened in real life too.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I think expanding the width of the rink would do wonders for the game. Not to Olympic size, but somewhere in-between.

Based on the international hockey played on Olympic surfaces, this actually makes playing defense easier. I'm not sure if it's the slightly extra time defenses have to get back and defend if a player is going out wide, or just that they don;t even bother trying to cover the wide ice and just collapse, but it doesn't seem to work.

I like the idea of 4 on 4, but unless they expand by enough teams to virtually guarantee no job loss, this won't happen.

So, the solution is to get the goalies back into 80's goalie gear, or failing that, slightly smaller equipment and make the nets bigger. Make it so guys with good shots, like Wendel Clark and Mark Messier back in the day, can skate down the wing and actually have room to fire a laser over the goalies shoulder or into a corner of the net that they can actually see.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by zukes

or the amount the arenas are used, but the ice everywhere is terrible. So many scoring chances and passes are wasted because of the puck just bouncing over a stick.

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that NHL arenas are nearly room temperature. It's extremely difficult (impossible?) to have high quality ice, while also warm enough for Jimbo and his kids to attend the game wearing only t-shirts.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

I have always been a lifelong diehard fan. The current product is boring as #### though.

I'll still watch it, because it's the only thing worth doing in the dead of winter, but I think you could forgive Americans who have 2,3 or 4 sports teams in their towns.

I think everyone else has summed up the combination of what appears to be falling interest this year (nothing a playoff birth can't fix).

Rising prices
TV quality and availability
Boring game
Lack of physicality for some fans
Lack of success for Canadian teams
Poor economic environment in Canada / Calgary

Honestly, I would watch way less hockey if it took place on the summer.