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Post by excanucksfan on Oct 5, 2007 0:26:26 GMT -5
After an opening game sell-out, attendance has slipped a little and seems stuck in the 2000-2500 range. Is this good for a first year team?
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Post by back2back on Oct 5, 2007 11:18:57 GMT -5
Considering that the team did not even set up shop until June, I think it is pretty good. Remember, you can't compare Niagara to most other OHL teams since they all have nice modern rinks while the Dogs play in a barn. 2000 people in the Jack is pretty good.
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Post by zeus on Oct 5, 2007 15:07:57 GMT -5
After an opening game sell-out, attendance has slipped a little and seems stuck in the 2000-2500 range. Is this good for a first year team? I agree with back2back, for a first year team with only 3 months or so to prepare and an old arena, 3,150, 2,359 and 2,441 are relatively good numbers. Also compromising attendance is good weather, NFL (Bills), Wine festival etc and talking to Bill Burke, he seems satisfied. Other arena venues all have larger, newer arenas (except Kingston) and our attendance is competitive. |
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Post by groulxisright on Oct 5, 2007 16:23:16 GMT -5
They only have to draw enough people to convince the city, regional and probably provincial politians to help fund a new arena. The question is, what majic number is that?
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Post by hockey123 on Oct 5, 2007 20:29:11 GMT -5
It's been going up a little every game not counting the first one. Hopefully they keep winning and that trend continues.
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Post by puckhound on Oct 6, 2007 10:58:46 GMT -5
Personally I haven't been to a Sunday game yet. Weather is too nice. Don't want to be sitting inside while we can enjoy the nice fall weekends. As winter kicks in I think more people will go to the games.
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Post by charger on Oct 6, 2007 13:15:33 GMT -5
i think the attdance has been good considering the nice weather and going up against the n.f.l the grape and wine and the leafs game on thursday night. The ice dogs are out dwaing kingston ,brampton and owen sound and seem on par with windsor and belleville the other teams have larger arenas so it hard to compare with the likes of london,ottawa kitchener and oshawa and quite a few other teams. I am sure if the team keeps on winning tickets will be hard to get after christmas.
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Post by groulxisright on Oct 6, 2007 15:31:42 GMT -5
Full price tickets for seniors and children are definitely not helping the attendance numbers.
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Post by dogman on Oct 6, 2007 21:42:38 GMT -5
Your right, full price for Seniors and Children isn't good. I guess there is nothing that can be done until we get a new arena. When you look at it, the IceDogs are in a hard spot. They have an old rink with limited parking and limited seats. The seats they do have are small, uncomfortable and some are even broken. The walkway and lobby is small and cramped. It is one of the few arenas where the box office is outside the arena (standing in line to get a ticket in the cold will not be fun) With all these problems you would think that the ticket prices would be one of the lowest in the league. However, we are in the upper range of ticket prices since there are so few seats. The Dogs can't afford to offer half price kids tickets when they only have 2800 seats and most OHL rinks have 4500 - 6000 seats. For all these reasons, I would expect attendance to be on the low side when looking at the league average.
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Post by groulxisright on Oct 6, 2007 21:57:49 GMT -5
No-one says that kids tickets have to be cheaper all season. Look where they are the last 2 games, 500 to 600 empty seats. Advertise a limited number of family packs available from the downtown office for the next 5 or so home games. When the snow flys hopefully focus will turn to hockey and they will sell all the tickets for full price. But right now why not use these empty seats to their advantage and try to expose some people to the team that otherwise might not come?
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Post by groulxisright on Oct 7, 2007 16:46:48 GMT -5
Sunday's attendance dipped to 2,119. This is a perfect example why hockey at this level shouldn't be shown on "live" local TV. People have previously posted that the nice weather and NFL and such were keeping people away early in the season. Well today the weather wasn't a factor but having the option of staying home and watching the game "live" and flipping back and forth to the NFL probably did keep some fans away.
I understand you want the team shown on local TV for exposure but it can hurt attendance if it is done live. Rebroadcast most games and people that want to take a look at the team through their TV will find them.
If you are going to broadcast live games make sure it is on a big promotion night where you expect the building to be, or be close to, sold out. This way the people that watch the game on TV will see a great crowd and hopefully see a good game that will best help sell the product to the fans. Turning on your TV and seeing a half empty arena doesn't make the casual fan want to run down to the Jack.
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Post by hockeydude0424 on Oct 7, 2007 18:33:59 GMT -5
Are you kidding the attendance was 300 people less then the other night and your bitching!!! Why dont you talk about the possitives with this team instead of finding every little excuse to bash the team.
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Post by groulxisright on Oct 7, 2007 18:59:15 GMT -5
Are you kidding the attendance was 300 people less then the other night and your bitching!!! Why dont you talk about the possitives with this team instead of finding every little excuse to bash the team. Bitching??? really bitching! I said the attendance dipped, quote "dipped" meaning slightly less than last game. I hardly think pointing out a few mistakes is "bashing". I've stated that not broadcasting games "live" and having kids and seniors prices would help attendance. If you disagree please explain to me where I'm wrong on these issues. |
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Post by fishfan51 on Oct 7, 2007 20:09:06 GMT -5
I would disagree, and say that weather was a factor today. It wasn't balmy but it certainly wasn't cold.
Add the fact that there is a little thing called Thanksgiving going on this weekend that might have been the biggest factor.
The OHL website says that there was only 1,241 in Mississauga today. That makes us look like Hockeytown.
Going up against NFL football, nice weather on a holiday weekend is a recipe for low attendance.
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Post by Kevin on Oct 7, 2007 22:15:59 GMT -5
This is the IceDogs first year and I'm sure things will be evaluted after the season ends. If Sunday afternoon games don't start drawing better, I'm sure they will change it to Saturday or Sunday night games instead for next season.
As for showing the games live, it probably does hurt attendance a little. However, 25 of the IceDogs 34 away games are being broadcasted live so it would appear that many teams broadcast the games live.
As for this afternoon's game, I didn't expect a big crowd being that so many people celebrate Thanksgiving on the Sunday instead of Monday.
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Post by dogfan on Oct 8, 2007 9:19:32 GMT -5
Actually the IceDogs attendance hasn't been bad by league standards. Everyone is having a hard time getting people out. The Dogs are averaging 2300 and that was after Sunday's slow showing on a Holiday weekend. In Mississauga they drew 1200 and in Ottawa, a team that normally gets around 7500 they drew 5000. I have said it before, if the team can get an average of 2500 in that building, with all the complaints about parking and all, they are doing awesome.
As for the live broadcasts, that has got to be the lamest excuse I have every heard. If that was a real concern I think teams like Ottawa, London and Kitchener would not be selling out 9000 seat facilities. The people that are lazy and say I'll watch it on TV are the same people that would be to lazy to buy a ticket for another reason if the games weren't on live.
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Post by groulxisright on Oct 8, 2007 9:53:08 GMT -5
Your comparing live broadcast in established cities where the OHL rink is the place to be compared to a brand new team in a sub-standard building. Yeah, that's fair.
Somebody here, maybe even you, posted that the guy sitting beside them at the home opener said he had a great time and would be coming to every game if they get a new arena. You don't think that guy might choose to stay at home and watch the game live on TV instead of going down to the old barn?
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Post by zeus on Oct 8, 2007 10:11:39 GMT -5
Actually the IceDogs attendance hasn't been bad by league standards. Everyone is having a hard time getting people out. The Dogs are averaging 2300 and that was after Sunday's slow showing on a Holiday weekend. In Mississauga they drew 1200 and in Ottawa, a team that normally gets around 7500 they drew 5000. I have said it before, if the team can get an average of 2500 in that building, with all the complaints about parking and all, they are doing awesome. As for the live broadcasts, that has got to be the lamest excuse I have every heard. If that was a real concern I think teams like Ottawa, London and Kitchener would not be selling out 9000 seat facilities. The people that are lazy and say I'll watch it on TV are the same people that would be to lazy to buy a ticket for another reason if the games weren't on live. I agree, good points! Having games broadcast live may have some negative impact but on the flip side, it's good business to expose your product and I'm sure as the team progresses, more fans will show. Also, COGECO/ROGERS and being part of the "Sports Pac", I'm sure that this generates additional revenue for the league to be shared by the teams involved. I think the positives far outweigh the negatives. I heard a rule of thumb is for every season ticket sold there is one additional walk-up and if this is true, at a minimum the team will draw at least 2,100/game, based on 1,050 season tickets sold. I don't think this is bad for a team just arrived in an area with only 3 months preparation. Also, Bill Burke told me that Group Sales have not as yet started to kick-in. I asked Mike Kelly and he told me that his first year in Windsor they sold only 600 season tickets and by the time he left 3 years later that number increased to 2,000. He thought that 1,000 was an excellent start for a new just arrived team. I think that at year end, Niagara has a good chance of being in the middle of the pack as far as attendance and this is all we can expect considering the old arena with only 2,800 seats and with a limited venue. |
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Post by Schtick on Oct 8, 2007 10:13:34 GMT -5
Watching the game on TV does not give it any justice, being in barn LIVE is a great atmosphere and a way better game experience, I have been to all of the IceDogs home games starting with exhibition and there is no way in heck I will ever stay home o watch a game on tv when the game is 100 times better when you are actually there.
I purchased the OHL action pack for my digital TV so I can watch all of the IceDogs away games and I am now finding myself watching alot of the NON IceDogs games thought the week on the action pack and judging by what I see on TV, the IceDogs are right there with everyone else in attendance.
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Post by charger on Oct 8, 2007 21:13:08 GMT -5
the icedogs crowd on par with other venues 2,119 on a holiday sunday is not bad i know lot of people were out of town closing cottages trailors or visiting family. I notice they had a shade over 2,000 today in brampton a city with a nicer arena then us and a city that has a larger population base then niagara.I am sure if the team is still winning the crowd will come out and pack the place esp. after chistmas.
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Post by hockeyobserver on Oct 8, 2007 23:05:58 GMT -5
mississauga only got just over 2500 for their home opener.. also a historic night and such...
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Post by groulxisright on Oct 11, 2007 18:12:37 GMT -5
Watching the game on TV does not give it any justice, being in barn LIVE is a great atmosphere and a way better game experience, I have been to all of the IceDogs home games starting with exhibition and there is no way in heck I will ever stay home o watch a game on tv when the game is 100 times better when you are actually there. I purchased the OHL action pack for my digital TV so I can watch all of the IceDogs away games and I am now finding myself watching alot of the NON IceDogs games thought the week on the action pack and judging by what I see on TV, the IceDogs are right there with everyone else in attendance. ...and you're right the game is way better live.... to me and you.. diehard hockey fans. The thing is, your not trying to market a team to the diehard fans, they're coming regardless. You have to try to think what would attract the casual fan to the game. I know the diehard fans here don't believe me but the casual fan might just stay home when he sees the game is available on the tube. I believe the IceDogs are in a unique situation. They will have to produce an attendance that is better than comparable markets in the OHL. They will have to produce an attendance that might sway politicians to help fund a new arena.One that is desperately needed, one that so far several groups have failed to do. |
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Post by 2manystripes on Oct 11, 2007 18:21:34 GMT -5
Is there still a chance that new arena will be built in Niagara Falls ? I heard that St. Catharines is just the temp fix. The new arena will be in the falls.
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Post by dogman on Oct 11, 2007 22:44:11 GMT -5
I doubt this. Niagara Falls council has rejected OHL proposals from 3 groups now. If you check the program, their are letters from the mayor of St. Catharines and Welland but nothing from Salci. The only way anything will get built in Niagara Falls is if a new mayor and mostly new council are elected.
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Post by dogman on Oct 11, 2007 22:46:16 GMT -5
I heard that St. Catharines is just the temp fix. The arena is a temp fix, not the city. Although if St. Catharines does not build a new rink, the team could end up anywhere in the region. |
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Post by Schtick on Oct 11, 2007 22:50:18 GMT -5
I heard that St. Catharines is just the temp fix. The arena is a temp fix, not the city. Although if St. Catharines does not build a new rink, the team could end up anywhere in the region. Welland has lots of room   |
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Post by chooch on Oct 12, 2007 9:14:24 GMT -5
Just like everywhere else around Niagara, the only way it might work in the Welland area is if the arena is located along a major highway, in this case the 406 for easy access from the other parts of the region. Lots of empty land out that way.
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Post by charger on Oct 12, 2007 15:15:55 GMT -5
the cowds are still above the 2,000 mark i am sure it will get better has the season goes on
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Post by slamr on Oct 12, 2007 16:02:28 GMT -5
the cowds are still above the 2,000 mark i am sure it will get better has the season goes on I sure hope so. I think that was the smallest crowd of the season (so far) and it sure looked like it. Tons of empty seats. |
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Post by dogman on Oct 13, 2007 0:23:20 GMT -5
Once the cold weather hits, attendance may go down. Many people won't want to take the 10 min walk from the low level lot to the arena. They better get a shuttle service once the cold weather hits.
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