April 8 2000, last game of Grant Fuhr's career. Look at the crowd in Calgary.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I'm sorry, what?

Spent a couple months in prison for sending lewd texts to a 13 y.o.

[CliffFletcher]

The malaise of the fans wasn’t just a Calgary thing. By the late 90s it had become clear that small market Canadian teams couldn’t compete with the deep-pocketed franchises. Not in the absence of a salary cap, and a 63 cent CDN dollar. It looked like Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary were going to follow Winnipeg in relocation to the U.S.

Fans can be excused for disengaging when their teams are little more than farm systems for the upper-tier franchises.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It looked like Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary were going to follow Winnipeg in relocation to the U.S.

And almost certainly would have if Bettman didn't implement the The Canadian Assistance Plan (and probably if Sutter didn't get us Kiprusoff and the run).

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

And almost certainly would have if Bettman didn't implement the The Canadian Assistance Plan (and probably if Sutter didn't get us Kiprusoff and the run).

Bettman gets crapped on way too much by Canadian fans who have no clue how much he did to keep the game going up here.

[steveo]

I still remember the days in the school yard during elementary and junior high sporting my flames gear (be it touque, scarf, gloves, hats, shirts and what have you) and being teased for having it.

Good times haha. Also remember my dad taking me to games from clients giving him tickets - go inside and pretty much sit where you want.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I don't think people who came to Calgary post 2003/2004 or who are too young to remember prior to that realize how poorly supported the Flames were back then. Literally no one who I grew up with was a Flames fan in those days. Calgary was still hockey crazy like any Canadian city, but in the school yard and in the minor hockey rinks, the kids all were fans of different teams. Everyone who enjoys Flames hockey today need to be very thankful for Jarome Iginla and Darryl Sutter. The people started to come back when Iggy potted 50 and won gold for Team Canada in 2001-2002, and then making the playoffs in 2004 was the moment the franchise was fully revived.

Yep, growing up a lot of people I was in school with or played hockey with were fans of other teams, whether it was because of a specific player, or because they were winning, or both. Lots of Avs and Devils fans.

[Buff]

For a little bit there I was cheering for the Stars. They had my favorite Flame, Joe Nieuwendyk, and they beat the Oilers in the playoffs a bazjillion times.

[pylon]

https://www.capfriendly.com/career-earnings/grant-fuhr

I would like to remind everyone, he was paid $3,000,000 that season.

Jarome made $1,500,000.

Yup.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by pylon

https://www.capfriendly.com/career-earnings/grant-fuhr

I would like to remind everyone, he was paid $3,000,000 that season.

Jarome made $1,500,000.

Yup.

Back in those days it was common to be paid because of what you once brought to the table, not because of what you can or will bring to the table.

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by Buff

Back in those days it was common to be paid because of what you once brought to the table, not because of what you can or will bring to the table.

Is that not the case now still? Neal, Lucic.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by redmile04

Is that not the case now still? Neal, Lucic.

Well, yes. Maybe I was a bit backwards in saying that. Back in those days, a young player like Iginla was very cost controlled. RFAs never really struck it big until they reached UFA. No way Johnny and Monny would have received $6M+ contracts on their second contract if they played in the 90s. We have the no good Kevin Lowe and his no good Oilers to thank for that. They started giving out giant contracts to RFAs (offer sheets), and younger players started getting paid bigger money much earlier in their careers.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Buff

Back in those days it was common to be paid because of what you once brought to the table, not because of what you can or will bring to the table.

When you only became a free agent at 31, and most of your best days were behind you...

[CsInMyBlood]

I was also at this game and sitting 10 rows up behind Fuhrs net. He was horrible during his stint here, most of the time it was like he was totally just guessing where the shot was going. Couldnt stand he and Steve Smith with the Flames. It was like we were paying them for being part of that wonderful own goal when they were in Edmonton.

Yeah those days. It was NOT cool to be a Flames fan.

I remember wearing my Flames jersey on game one of the 2004 playoffs. I worked downtown and only saw one other person wearing the jersey that day which was crazy because we hadnt made the playoffs in 7 years.

Went to Melrose for game 1 and there were more Canucks fans in there than Flames fans. That changed pretty quickly as the series went on.

[Calgary4LIfe]

It was a tough time for the organization, as per the reasons that CliffFletcher pointed out.



I myself always knew that as soon as one of 'our' players became really good, Calgary wouldn't be able to afford him and he would eventually be traded, and usually for peanuts. It was really like watching a farm team for other teams, or a feeder team of sorts.



I also think that this team was mismanaged at the time as well. They could have done a better job in assembling decent talent that could compete a bit more.



When Darryl Sutter came to the organization, boy did he breathe a lot of positive air into it. Say what you will about 'meddling owners', but at least he got them excited for hockey again, and willing to spend to become a good team. That included a farm team and more scouts (Tod Button was basically it, along with a couple of part time scouts IIRC).


The counter argument was that it was bound to happen eventually with the way the Canadian dollar rebounded, 'so of course the owners would start spending'. I don't think that was a given.



I think a huge nod should also go to the late Ken King. I am sure he was a huge part of that change and showing the owners that the Flames could be run as a business and be profitable.


For all we know, the owners might have just sold the team somewhere else as soon as they could by that point, sick with the lack of support and how terrible the team was top to bottom.



It didn't just feel like the Flames were a farm team. It felt like at any time, they were going to up and leave for greener pastures.

[Press Level]

Deleted

[Redliner]

Originally Posted by Sandman

My brother and I used to get the company seats in that era for every pre-season game (nobody else wanted those tickets).We used to enjoy going to see the young guys and prospects play, and it was also fun because the players who weren't playing (usually half the regulars) would walk around the concourse with the public, so we would actually walk right up to them to converse and get autographs. Even players travelling with the opposing teams would just be walking around. This was possible due to the fact that only 3,000 to 5,000 fans would attend.

The company I worked for had season tickets too, and I would end up getting them almost every game. The boss would come out of his office and be like "who wants the seats tonight?" Crickets, except for I would put my hand up. He would be like, "Nah, you got them the last couple times. I'm going to find someone else." Then he would walk around the office for 20 min and come back to my desk with a dejected look on his face and hand me the tickets. I bet I went to 30 games that year. Our corporate seats were 2nd level but we moved down to the lower bowl almost every game.

I was at Fuhr's last game as well. It was disgusting how loud it was in there when the oilers scored. The guy was a legend but man he was just so done by that point that it was kind of pathetic. Man we had a couple seasons there where this team was an absolute goalie graveyard.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Press Level

Quebec City also lost their team in the 90's. To "hockey mad" Phoenix, of all places.

Ummm, Quebec moved to Denver.

[Press Level]

Originally Posted by DownhillGoat

Ummm, Quebec moved to Denver.

Damnit, I was 30 seconds too late on the deletion.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Yep, growing up a lot of people I was in school with or played hockey with were fans of other teams, whether it was because of a specific player, or because they were winning, or both. Lots of Avs and Devils fans.

This has always been true though, everywhere.

Kids want heroes. And they want their team to win. So they follow the current heroes on TV. For a lot of people, true fan loyalty doesn't settle in until later ages.

For me, growing up, it wasn't really about a particular team. I was a Bobby Orr and Frank Mahovlich fan. I settled into a lifetime of misery with my home team at around 16 or 17.

[Flame On]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I don't think people who came to Calgary post 2003/2004 or who are too young to remember prior to that realize how poorly supported the Flames were back then. Literally no one who I grew up with was a Flames fan in those days. Calgary was still hockey crazy like any Canadian city, but in the school yard and in the minor hockey rinks, the kids all were fans of different teams. Everyone who enjoys Flames hockey today need to be very thankful for Jarome Iginla and Darryl Sutter. The people started to come back when Iggy potted 50 and won gold for Team Canada in 2001-2002, and then making the playoffs in 2004 was the moment the franchise was fully revived.

Do you remember that Olympic Plaza plea from the Flames to fans? Seems bizarre now.