Attendance woes at the dome?!

[GullFoss]

I tracked attendance for a bit in a thread last year as I wondered "will attendance be down - are we just a few years behind the Senators?" However, I lost interest pretty quick as attendance was fairly stable vs the year prior.

However, thus far this season, it certainly looks like attendance is going to be down considerably vs last season. Even more so when you consider each of the four games so far have been big draws (home opener, Boston, Nashville on Friday night, Crosby show). I imagine much of this was impact of the Gully Gong Show. It will be worth tracking!

Calgary Attendance Tracker by game (2018-19)
1) 18,866 (98%)
2) 17,641 (91%)
3) 18,725 (97%)
4) 17,834 (92%)
5) 17,832 (92%)
6) 17,317 (90%)
7) 18,035 (94%)

Calgary Attendance Tracker by Year (capacity is 19,289)
2013-14 - 19,302 (100%)
2014-15 - 19,097 (99%)
2015-16 - 19,145 (99%)
2016-17 - 18,727 (97%)
2017-18 - 18,905 (98%)
2018-19 - 18,180 (93%)

Ottawa Attendance Tracker by Year (capacity is 18,502)
2013-14 - 18,108 (98%)
2014-15 - 18,246 (99%)
2015-16 - 18,084 (98%)
2016-17 - 16,744 (90%)
2017-18 - 15,829 (86%)
2018-19 - 15,082 (82%)

[N-E-B]

I think they’re starting to price a lot of people out. $10.25 for a beer and I don’t even have a new rink? Yeah right.

[DynamRyan]

Winning teams also bring in crowds. If you unmitigatingly suck for years, people will stop coming. Pretty simple.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Esoteric]

I have a hard time spending over $100 for a pair of seats, when I have no guarantee that I'll be entertained.

It's easier to stomach a 9-1 game when you didn't drop a ton of cash, and aren't getting gouged by the concessions.

[442scotty]

I’d probably go to a few if the team was worth paying the big $$ watching live. Last year they weren’t. Was kinda waiting to see how this year progressed.... Not paying to see games like the $hit show last night.

[rage2]

Originally Posted by DynamRyan

Winning teams also bring in crowds. If you unmitigatingly suck for years, people will stop coming. Pretty simple.

Edmonton sells out every game.

Our market strength was disguised by O&G spending during the good times, and now we're seeing a clearer picture of how big our actual hockey market really is here.

[chedder]

Yup, said this last year. When you have trouble getting season ticket holder price for a game, the Flames are not a hot ticket. Some games were even tough to give away. I do believe the paint drying style of play of the last two years didn't help. At the end, I couldn't stand to go.

They better figure it out or it's going to be worse this season.

[DynamRyan]

Originally Posted by rage2

Edmonton sells out every game.

Our market strength was disguised by O&G spending during the good times, and now we're seeing a clearer picture of how big our actual hockey market really is here.

Fair enough, and that's very true. Was just commenting on the general correlation between teams being crap and attendance gradually waning. It's true there are some weird outliers in the NHL, like the Oilers and Leafs, who sell out no matter how terrible their teams were. The Canucks' NHL-record sellout streak came to an end when that team eventually went down the tubes, and some locations barely sell out even if their team is amazing, like Anaheim. But again, I think an outlier. I also remember our attendance dropping sharply post 1995, after the renovation of the 'Dome. I remember in 97-98 they closed what are now the fan zones, so they could reduce the capacity and get closer to sellout numbers. 17400, I believe? Then, in 2003-04, in time for the playoffs (and that clinching game against Phoenix) they opened it up so it would be 19289 again. Then those good years following absolutely did prop that number up. Just saying that the attendance, for the Flames, imho, is very much pegged to on-ice success, and vice-versa.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by rage2

Edmonton sells out every game.

Our market strength was disguised by O&G spending during the good times, and now we're seeing a clearer picture of how big our actual hockey market really is here.

Edmonton was also gifted the games top scorer

[Huntingwhale]

For myself I was cautiously optimistic about the team having success this season. But I went to 4 games last season and we lost every one of them. I usually go to about 5-6 games each season, but after last season I had enough. Not paying a ton of money to watch poor efforts. Even if a team sucks, you should have a winning home record at the very least. So I told myself it's not enough for the team to have a good winning streak to make me decide to go to a home game. I want sustained success, season after season.

As lame as it sounds, I think I'm personally done buying 'Dome tickets until the team proves they are for real. And I'm not saying this as a knee-jerk reaction to last night's debacle. I've felt this way for a couple seasons now, but still figured it was worth it to go cheer on the team. But hard to do that when the team can't figure their #### out on home ice.

I have a lot of friends and family who feel the same. I don't blame fans for not showing up and the 'Dome being like a library. A team like the Oilers at least have a decorated history to fall back on, and that's why they keep selling out game after game. Hate on the Oilers all you want, but they easily have the most loyal fans in the league. Outside of a couple great seasons in the 80s, the Flames don't have a storied history like that to fall back on.

Winning fixes everything. Put a winning product on the ice, and you'll see the attendance numbers shoot right back up.

[Weitz]

Its tough getting rid of corporate tickets these days. I got 4 calls after 3:30 (4!!) asking if I wanted to go to the game. But didn't take any of them cause I was busy.

[ST20]

Attendance is definitely down. I took a look at TM before the game last night and there were a ton of unsold seats. Then out of interest I also took a look at the Toronto and MTL games and there are still many unsold seats which never happens.

I see a few reasons for this:
1. To Rage2's point I think the biggest factor is the economy. Although oil prices are up there is very little investment going on in Calgary/AB so although there are no layoffs there are also no new jobs.
2. The hockey team hasn't been good and GG hockey was horrendous to watch last year. It looked good at the beginning of the year but the last 3 games don't paint a rosy picture.
3. Ticket prices are way too high. Taking a look at Stubhub/TM many of the tickets are being sold under face value and even STH pricing (at least until they add their fees in) and they still aren't being bought. I can't imagine it'll be sustainable for STH holders to continually subsidize tickets for others when they can't attend so we may see a hit in STH participation (In another STH thread last year I believe the wait list is almost non-existent now).
4. The stadium situation - neither side is happy. The owners put a bad taste in people's mouth by messing with the election and the arena experience (long lines, poor selection, same old in game music/entertainment) is not very good.
5. There seems to be a downturn in attendance for many other sports leagues. Between pricing (tickets, beer, food) and getting to and from the venue it's just much better to watch from home on your HDTV.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Last game I went to was game 6 vs Vancouver in 2015. Haven't had the desire to spend money to see the Flames since with how boring they became to watch under GG, and so far nothing has improved under Peters

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by ST20

Attendance is definitely down. I took a look at TM before the game last night and there were a ton of unsold seats. Then out of interest I also took a look at the Toronto and MTL games and there are still many unsold seats which never happens.

I see a few reasons for this:
1. To Rage2's point I think the biggest factor is the economy. Although oil prices are up there is very little investment going on in Calgary/AB so although there are no layoffs there are also no new jobs.
2. The hockey team hasn't been good and GG hockey was horrendous to watch last year. It looked good at the beginning of the year but the last 3 games don't paint a rosy picture.
3. Ticket prices are way too high. Taking a look at Stubhub/TM many of the tickets are being sold under face value and even STH pricing (at least until they add their fees in) and they still aren't being bought. I can't imagine it'll be sustainable for STH holders to continually subsidize tickets for others when they can't attend so we may see a hit in STH participation (In another STH thread last year I believe the wait list is almost non-existent now).
4. The stadium situation - neither side is happy. The owners put a bad taste in people's mouth by messing with the election and the arena experience (long lines, poor selection, same old in game music/entertainment) is not very good.
5. There seems to be a downturn in attendance for many other sports leagues. Between pricing (tickets, beer, food) and getting to and from the venue it's just much better to watch from home on your HDTV.

Also the NHL is boring as crap now.

[Ozy_Flame]

Why do I feel like the Flames franchise is unraveling before our eyes, given all the things that are happening (arena, declining sales, "Have not" team, on-ice performance, etc....)

[DeluxeMoustache]

I declined to renew my season tix last year as
1) two of the 4 guys I split with bailed
2) for the games I could go to but needed someone to join me, often it took checking with a few people - there were many declines
3) when I couldn’t go, the tickets didn’t generally bear more than STH cost on the market
4) when I felt like going to a game and didn’t have the tickets, I could find other STH who would sell at cost or near cost
5) once the hassle of the economics and ticket management was done, the on ice product under Ol’ Gul was bad

The Flames contacted me with offers for half season tickets and game packs. They are trying to get creative with ticket packaging. Too many years have passed since the good will generated by 2004, and even the glimmer of life and potential shown from the one Hartley year that was subsequently squandered.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Why do I feel like the Flames franchise is unraveling before our eyes, given all the things that are happening (arena, declining sales, "Have not" team, on-ice performance, etc....)

I think once the arena deal gets signed and sealed. That lack of uncertainty will brings some fans back. The whole threatening to move, Houston talk really put a wedge in between the fans and the Flames.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

I think once the arena deal gets signed and sealed. That lack of uncertainty will brings some fans back. The whole threatening to move, Houston talk really put a wedge in between the fans and the Flames.

For a year or 2 perhaps, but even in Edmonton there has been a drop off in season tickets and after market selling due to the much higher prices.

[Slava]

I don't feel like it's only the Flames, or only Calgary, but the atmosphere is just terrible. There is literally nothing going on for the fans and it's just not worth the inconvenience of going all the way there, paying too much for a beer and then standing in line forever to use a washroom. No singing or chanting (and no..."go flames go" and Harvey banging a drum doesn't cut it), and just no real reason to be there as opposed to being at home or in a pub.

Honestly, the Flames should look across the pond at the European fans and experiences there for some inspiration. Start a supporters club, get some excitement around the game as an event as opposed to just game number 17 out of 41 other cold winter nights. If you want to charge top dollar for seats, you need to put in the effort to make it a top dollar experience for the people paying.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

I think once the arena deal gets signed and sealed. That lack of uncertainty will brings some fans back. The whole threatening to move, Houston talk really put a wedge in between the fans and the Flames.

100%

I mean, they threatened to move the night of their charity golf tournament.

Think about that for a second. How much good will was damaged from that move? Just a horrible decision on their part.

And then we were treated to GG hockey for that season and missed the playoffs.