Fan support going forward - where do you stand?

[HighLifeMan]

Here through thick and thin. I can't help myself, but this trend of having "one good season" followed by "one terrible season" needs to stop though. It certainly takes a toll on you as a fan.

[CroFlames]

I like shooting the #### with you guys, so I'll watch when I can and I'll go to a handful of games next year.

[bugsy]

Flames fan, going on 40+ years, always hope for the best and cheer 'em on when I can. If they aren't doing so well, hey, life goes on. Not worth getting upset about. Will be an interesting off season. If i still lived in Calgary I'd probably go to a handful of games each season. GFG

[alan21]

30+ years of this, what's another 30?

[kermitology]

I'm losing my interest in the Flames. It started back when CalgaryNext was announced, then around the 2017 - 2018 season I gave up my share of season tickets because I was irked by their support of Bill Smith for mayor. I haven't paid for a ticket since then, I sold my season ticket share after a game in October 2017.

CSEC has been just pissing me off ever since. I detest the way they're handling the new building. Moving to BC in 2020 it's expensive for me to watch games. I liked NHL TV, it worked pretty well and I liked the presentation of the game, but this season's move to Sportsnet sucked. The app would often crash, same old serving of constant betting ads, much worse viewing experience especially for non Sportsnet games, so watching games was annoying.

Then you have this past season's performance which was infuriating pretty much all the time. Now, the only person who is guaranteed to be around is Darryl Sutter, and while I appreciated him last year and I often laughed at his media availability, this season he completely lost the thread. I think he lost the room, his player organization and utilization was beyond terrible, and he NEVER took any responsibility for the team being unprepared and failing to show up.

So.. at the end of the day I'm pretty much out of patience. I love this community, I've been a part of this site for over 20 years now, so I'll still be around, but my following of the Flames is definitely waning. This franchise is mired in mediocrity and we're facing another decade of that with anchor contracts for Huberdeau and Kadri. This is not going to be good. They're going to need to sell just to ice a cap compliant team, and they're dealing from a position of weakness for a long time. So with no one around to even tell us what the plan is, I'm dubious.

I think I'll spend more time with my family, reading, and basically doing anything other than watching Flames hockey.

[USflamesfan]

I never have seen such bad puck luck for the Flames this year. If some things went a little different in OT and in 1 goal games we would be talking playoffs right now. I will watch next season as I always do.

[Ashes]

Mediocre roster, mediocre results, mediocre draft pick coming up, mediocre prospects. What the hell am I supposed to look forward to? Maybe making the playoffs every other year for the next 20+ years without the talent to get over the hump? Yay.

I'm a Flames fan for life and have always dreamed about earning just enough money so that I could afford season tickets. I think I'm finally at that point now financially, however I have absolutely zero intention of spending that money on watching the Flames unless they were to prove to me they had an actual plan. Not a hope and a prayer, a PLAN.

I'm pretty much at the point of apathy, I'm sick of hearing that a rebuild is not going to happen. I'm sick of hearing that ownership cares only about making playoffs for revenue, I'm sick and tired of seeing superstars enter the league and go to other teams and then those same superstars take their teams to cup finals, etc.

I'm ready for big change, but expect nothing to happen because that's who have proven that we are. We are the most mediocre franchise in the NHL right now and I so badly want that to change.

We have a team full of second line players, a prospect cupboard full of 2nd, 3rd, 4th line players, and as a fan I'm supposed to believe we can compete with the Colorado, Edmonton, Tampa, NJ, Carolinas of the world? Give me a break. Haven't we suffered enough.

How about Tre and Ownership step up to the podium and just admit last summer didn't work, we are looking at making serious changes to give us a chance to compete for a cup in the next 3-5 years and then start selling off upcoming UFA's? What a frickin pipe dream.

Also, if Bedard gets drafted into the Western Conference and/or the Pacific what the hell are our chances of getting out of the West in the next 10 years with Mackinnon, McDavid, Bedard holding the line? Brutal.

[Cycling76er]

Not going anywhere. I think we have a lot of good pieces. I've never been super ultra emotionally invested. Not for a long time anyway. I'll continue to watch.

[Moneyhands23]

I'm going to watch games on TV next year.

Only tickets I plan on buying are the young stars tickets. And I won't get any merchandise this coming year either.

[JohnnyB]

The Johnny Gaudreau era had me really enjoying and looking forward to watching Flames games again for the first time since peak Iginla. With him gone, and the team boring as boring can be in the last year, I'm back to not really caring that much.

I enjoy watching sports for great players performing at the top, and I enjoy cheering for players who are not only good at the sport but also seem like great people, but teams themselves are just brands to me. Being a die-hard fan of one sports team over another isn't that different from just being a die-hard fan of Coke over Pepsi. They're just businesses.

Unless the Flames get another real star who makes the team exciting to watch, I'm not going to care that much what happens. I also think Connor Bedard seems like a good kid who will be easy to cheer for, so I'll probably take an interest in whichever team drafts him. I cheered for Pittsburgh as my second team after they got Crosby and that brought more fun in the playoffs than being a Flames fan since then. Bedard looks like he could be something similar.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

The Johnny Gaudreau era had me really enjoying and looking forward to watching Flames games again for the first time since peak Iginla. With him gone, and the team boring as boring can be in the last year, I'm back to not really caring that much.

Yup, me as well and have been that way early on, I even got slammed in my Dec thread on the subject because it wasn't a true letter but facts are facts, this team is boring as hell and hard to watch under Sutter. Even his LA teams were low scoring, boring as hell to watch and needed the stars to align to win those 2 cups.

The outlier last year was Gaudreau and Tkachuk saying screw you Sutter.. we're playing our way for our careers and contracts, plus Markstrom having his best season ever by a significant margin.

NHL hockey is expensive entertainment and this team isn't entertaining, Sutter can go, Treliving can go and Edwards should sell the team and watch soccer in the UK.

[N-E-B]

All I really ask for is clarity. I want to see a plan and a future. Had Gaudreau and Tkachuk stayed I see no reason why this team wouldn't have been a perennial playoff team for the next 6-7 years. Aside from that wonky half-season in the Canadian division they looked to be that.

Now that's gone. I want the team to be back where I can see them being a perennial playoff team. I want to know going into a season that making the playoffs won't be an issue. So how will you get back to that point? That's what I want to know.

And if the answer is a rebuild and some tough seasons ahead, I'm all for it. Just be up front with your fans and tell them the direction you're going and how you plan to get there. It's not a big ask.

This "we finished 9th this year, might hope for a bounce back next year, might blow it up, might trade UFA's, might keep them for a push at getting in" crap has to stop. The "make the playoffs at all costs" mentality needs to end. It's done. It hasn't worked.

The Flyers were open with their fans this year. The Rangers did it a few seasons ago. I want that kind of transparency from the team.

Either go into the season knowing 100% your team is going to make the playoffs or rebuild to get to that point. Tell us what your plan is. I don't think the Flames are being honest with themselves if they think playoffs are a slam dunk next year. They might make it, but that's not a good plan.

I think Canadian owners often underestimate how patient a fanbase is willing to be with their young team. Ottawa made the same mistake Calgary did a few years ago and went all in 1-2 years too early. That team isn't going anywhere. I don't want to be Ottawa West anymore. Commit to winning and if that means we suck big time then so be it. Just be open about it.

[Flame On]

Even though I dislike a lot about this year and the org and I seem to be at odds with several views on the Puck, I'm here for it all. For my sins.

[GullFoss]

I'm pretty optimistic for next season.

Sutter = good.
Tre = good.
Huby = rough season, but still good.
Kadri = rough season, but still good.
Markstom = rough season, but still good.
Mangiapane = rough season, but still good.

Kylington will be back
We get some talented youth injected into line up(pelletier, coronato, wolf)

Assuming the core players players turn it around. Get some puck luck. It's gonna be a great season.

[bc-chris]

i bleed RED!

i've been a huge flames fan for 35+ years - nothing is changing there!

the biggest difference i find now is that even though i'm still ticked off after a loss (or a disappointing season) it's no longer the end of the world - i've got bigger issues in life to worry about than if my team has a bad game/season

GO FLAMES GO!

[taxbuster]

My interest is waning...and has been with the lack of success over the time since 2004, with only brief resurgences. Did I watch almost every game this year? Yes...although I've become SO disgusted with Sportsnet that mostly I've streamed the "other team" feed with Mario...even if I do have to be from some other country to do so. I don't see myself continuing with my TV accounts I don't think, but haven't fully decided. Between the gambling ads, the constant McDingleberry crap from talking heads, and the sh*tty play of this team, there just isn't much there for me.

OTOH, it wouldn't surprise me if next October I sit down to watch....again, like a dummy. 34 years since a Cup win, 40 years a fan....oof.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

All I really ask for is clarity. I want to see a plan and a future. Had Gaudreau and Tkachuk stayed I see no reason why this team wouldn't have been a perennial playoff team for the next 6-7 years. Aside from that wonky half-season in the Canadian division they looked to be that.

Now that's gone. I want the team to be back where I can see them being a perennial playoff team. I want to know going into a season that making the playoffs won't be an issue. So how will you get back to that point? That's what I want to know.

And if the answer is a rebuild and some tough seasons ahead, I'm all for it. Just be up front with your fans and tell them the direction you're going and how you plan to get there. It's not a big ask.

This "we finished 9th this year, might hope for a bounce back next year, might blow it up, might trade UFA's, might keep them for a push at getting in" crap has to stop. The "make the playoffs at all costs" mentality needs to end. It's done. It hasn't worked.

The Flyers were open with their fans this year. The Rangers did it a few seasons ago. I want that kind of transparency from the team.

Either go into the season knowing 100% your team is going to make the playoffs or rebuild to get to that point. Tell us what your plan is. I don't think the Flames are being honest with themselves if they think playoffs are a slam dunk next year. They might make it, but that's not a good plan.

I think Canadian owners often underestimate how patient a fanbase is willing to be with their young team. Ottawa made the same mistake Calgary did a few years ago and went all in 1-2 years too early. That team isn't going anywhere. I don't want to be Ottawa West anymore. Commit to winning and if that means we suck big time then so be it. Just be open about it.

I'm not sure they do. They go full rebuild, and I expect the Saddledome, which is already experiencing continual attendance declines and one of the worst crowds for noise / excitement in the NHL, to decline severely.

I think Calgary vastly overestimates itself as a market, actually. They go full rebuild and you think this place will be sold out? Nah.

[midniteowl]

I have supported them in the Young Gun era, this season is nothing comparing to those years. So, I'll continue to support them, watching every game. I'll support them 'till eternity, even after I'm 6' under, my spirit / ghost will still lurk around and support them. Even better when I become a ghost, I can go haunt the opposition in the visiting dressing room.

[memphusk]

Dumb diehard fan I am. Can't change that. I will be there for every single move they make that I hate.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Dumb diehard fan I am. Can't change that. I will be there for every single move they make that I hate.

I am basically in an abusive relationship with the Flames as well lol