I'm becoming a fair weather Flames fan. Am I alone?

[4X4]

I typed out a post about not giving a crap anymore, but I didn't like it, and I don't give enough of a crap to modify it. Thanks, Flames.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I typed out a post about not giving a crap anymore, but I didn't like it, and I don't give enough of a crap to modify it. Thanks, Flames.

So you could care less.

[wired]

I just got a pair of tickets for my birthday to see the Minnesota game on Dec 2. I am heading down to spend time with my daughter and see the game with her.
Presently I am finding it difficult to take the time to watch this team play.
I just told my wife that I really don't want to go to Calgary to watch the Flames play.
But, I will spend time with my kid, and that will ease the pain of the game.

[flamesfan1297]

Wrong thread

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by shermanator

I'm becoming a fair weather Flames fan. Am I alone?

Apparently not.

[Jojado]

Originally Posted by wireframe

I spend much more time reading CP than watching hockey.

Scouts are paid to watch hockey.

There's a sizeable, possibly even growing audience that prefers to be informed over the internet about pro hockey rather than watch it for three hours straight on a regular basis. That could explain declining TV ratings and attendance.

And simply more competition now for entertainment dollars, as many here have mentioned.

[Hackey]

I still follow the team closely and visit this site daily but I have definitely watched very little of the actual games this year. When it came to choosing between Flames and UFC 205 it was an easy decision and I'm not even a big UFC fan. Its tough to devote 2-3 hours of time when things are not going well. I started the season off with the intention of watching entire games and did that every chance I got but that quickly changed and I've maybe watched a couple periods total in the last couple weeks.

[Slanter]

Originally Posted by Jojado

There's a sizeable, possibly even growing audience that prefers to be informed over the internet about pro hockey rather than watch it for three hours straight on a regular basis. That could explain declining TV ratings and attendance.

This is an interesting thought. Anything to back it up (e.g. anything you've read), or just a hunch you have? I may personally fall into this category to some extent.

One thing I've been doing a lot recently is listening to the flames on the radio while I work on other things. I don't pay that much attention to the play-by-play, but by the end I have a pretty good idea of how the game went based on the commentary.

[GullFoss]

I've talked to quite a few season ticket holders who are planning on giving up their seats next year. Can't even give seats away, and its only November. And if you can't sell the 10-20 games you can't go to at anywhere near cost...it becomes too expensive to keep the seats.

The flames better watch out; I wouldn't be suprised to see season ticket holder numbers drop by 10-20% next year.

[FireGilbert]

My gameday routine used to be the following:
1. Get out of bed and log into GameCentre
2. Open the Flames game and turn off the scores
3. Go to work ignoring any hockey sites or FB for the day
4. Get home and immediately watch the game

Now it is the following:
1. Get out of bed and go to work
2. Check the score at lunch
3. Watch the highlights when I get home

[Alpine Fisher]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

I've talked to quite a few season ticket holders who are planning on giving up their seats next year. Can't even give seats away, and its only November. And if you can't sell the 10-20 games you can't go to at anywhere near cost...it becomes too expensive to keep the seats.

The flames better watch out; I wouldn't be suprised to see season ticket holder numbers drop by 10-20% next year.

i aint renewing

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

I've talked to quite a few season ticket holders who are planning on giving up their seats next year. Can't even give seats away, and its only November. And if you can't sell the 10-20 games you can't go to at anywhere near cost...it becomes too expensive to keep the seats.

The flames better watch out; I wouldn't be suprised to see season ticket holder numbers drop by 10-20% next year.

The renewals will drop, but there's a long waiting list. They won't be hurting for season ticket holders any time soon.

[Envitro]

I'm a long time season-ticket holder, and have never left a game early, not even a minute or two before the buzzer. We always stay for the 3 stars too.

I have to admit, I left the game vs. the Rangers at the end of the 2nd period. My wife both looked at one another and we basically said "F*** this!". It was boring and uninspired, and it's the way most of the season has gone so far.

I've had Season's for over 12 years now, and this is the first time I've gone home early. I don't think I'm becoming a fair-weather fan. I listen to the Fan960 in the morning on the drive to work, every day with my wife. We listen on the way home, we text each other news and info and what's going on in the league. We used to plan our entire lives around the Flames schedule, home or away, and we still do for the most part. But...this year it's becoming harder and harder to get up for the games. I just don't have any passion for this team so far. I don't know what it is. I've been through good times and bad with this franchise but I've never felt this way in particular.

The funny thing it's the both of us feeling this way, and it appears we're not alone...

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The renewals will drop, but there's a long waiting list. They won't be hurting for season ticket holders any time soon.

I wouldn't be so confident in what you hear from the Flames. There's always a wait list, and it's always long if you ask them. From a business standpoint they need that wait list.

What the waitlist really is is a few people that decline most season ticket opportunities because they're waiting for specific seats/sections to come up. But what you're referring to is the overall demand for season tickets, there's not a legitimate wait list just to get seasons in the building.

You join a list today, you'll be getting a call very quickly. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if part of their selling strategy is "don't just give people season tickets, make them join the "waitlist" and then announce that tickets have become available after a couple months".

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Envitro

I'm a long time season-ticket holder, and have never left a game early, not even a minute or two before the buzzer. We always stay for the 3 stars too.

I have to admit, I left the game vs. the Rangers at the end of the 2nd period. My wife both looked at one another and we basically said "F*** this!". It was boring and uninspired, and it's the way most of the season has gone so far.

I've had Season's for over 12 years now, and this is the first time I've gone home early. I don't think I'm becoming a fair-weather fan. I listen to the Fan960 in the morning on the drive to work, every day with my wife. We listen on the way home, we text each other news and info and what's going on in the league. We used to plan our entire lives around the Flames schedule, home or away, and we still do for the most part. But...this year it's becoming harder and harder to get up for the games. I just don't have any passion for this team so far. I don't know what it is. I've been through good times and bad with this franchise but I've never felt this way in particular.

The funny thing it's the both of us feeling this way, and it appears we're not alone...

The Glue Gun Effect™

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Envitro

I'm a long time season-ticket holder, and have never left a game early, not even a minute or two before the buzzer. We always stay for the 3 stars too.

I have to admit, I left the game vs. the Rangers at the end of the 2nd period. My wife both looked at one another and we basically said "F*** this!". It was boring and uninspired, and it's the way most of the season has gone so far.

I've had Season's for over 12 years now, and this is the first time I've gone home early. I don't think I'm becoming a fair-weather fan. I listen to the Fan960 in the morning on the drive to work, every day with my wife. We listen on the way home, we text each other news and info and what's going on in the league. We used to plan our entire lives around the Flames schedule, home or away, and we still do for the most part. But...this year it's becoming harder and harder to get up for the games. I just don't have any passion for this team so far. I don't know what it is. I've been through good times and bad with this franchise but I've never felt this way in particular.

The funny thing it's the both of us feeling this way, and it appears we're not alone...

Brad Treliving... committed to turning us into Phoenix Coyotes North.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Envitro

I'm a long time season-ticket holder, and have never left a game early, not even a minute or two before the buzzer. We always stay for the 3 stars too.

I have to admit, I left the game vs. the Rangers at the end of the 2nd period. My wife both looked at one another and we basically said "F*** this!". It was boring and uninspired, and it's the way most of the season has gone so far.

I've had Season's for over 12 years now, and this is the first time I've gone home early. I don't think I'm becoming a fair-weather fan. I listen to the Fan960 in the morning on the drive to work, every day with my wife. We listen on the way home, we text each other news and info and what's going on in the league. We used to plan our entire lives around the Flames schedule, home or away, and we still do for the most part. But...this year it's becoming harder and harder to get up for the games. I just don't have any passion for this team so far. I don't know what it is. I've been through good times and bad with this franchise but I've never felt this way in particular.

The funny thing it's the both of us feeling this way, and it appears we're not alone...

On the plus side - it sounds like you have a great wife!

[AltaGuy]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Brad Treliving... committed to turning us into Phoenix Coyotes North.

Except GG is no Tippett as much as he wishes to be!

[CliffFletcher]

Tippet was given increased responsibilities when Chayka was hired. He's the only coach/executive in the NHL. He's not going anywhere.

[GullFoss]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The renewals will drop, but there's a long waiting list. They won't be hurting for season ticket holders any time soon.

How do you reconcile that long waiting list with the fact that games aren't selling out. The flames can spin it how they will, but I would wager that its because season ticket demand is already dropping off.

My bet is that because the Hot House waiting list lets you defer for a year when you're at the front of the line, a lot of people have done just that. And what happens the next year? You either take season tickets or you drop off the list.

I would bet that most people on the list at this point have deferred for a year, and given the way the team is playing, they won't be signing up next year.

I actually think that its very hard for attendance to fall below a sell-out, because of pent-up demand, like the waitlists that you've mentioned. But as soon as a team stops selling out, its a canary in the coal mine.