Location: it's an excellent product, easier, quicker, and even better than real mashed potatoes. Joined: 04.19.2013
Oct 21 @ 10:55 AM ET
Can't fin the Epic thread, so here you go.
As a Sens fan, I will give you a quick breakdown about the 11K fans.
There is no market in the NHL like Ottawa. People try to compare Ottawa to Winnipeg or other small markets but it just doesn't work.
Here's the deal. There are lots of rabid Sens fans in this city. There are also lots of rabid hockey fans in this city. Ottawa truly is 'hockey country'. There is no doubt about that.
The problem? All the rabid Sens fans are under 40. All the fans that live and breathe Sens hockey are young. There are very few 50 yr old diehards.
IF they are over 40 and are diehard hockey fans, they are fans of other teams. These are people who already had a favourite team when the Sens came to town and because they are such diehard fans, they didn't switch teams. There are fans of almost every single team in the NHL in Ottawa, with the vast majority of non-Sens fans being Leafs and Habs fans obviously.
So what are the Sens left with of the over 40 crowd?
Fair-weather fans. People who complain about traffic. People who complain about the building. People who won't go when it snows. People who won't go on a Tuesday when the Jays are playing, against Arizona. Just like fair-weather golfers, the vast majority of fans (over 40) in Ottawa will find any excuse they can not to go to the game.
It's very hard to have a fanbase that are all young and can't afford to go to as many games as they would like.
From 2000-2008, people came and the building was sold out, because Ottawa had an elite team. Hockey fans, not just Sens fans, wanted to go to the games cause the team was damn exciting. The fair-weather fans wanted to go all the time, cause the product was great, and like a sunny 25C day, they want to hit the course.
Now that there have been some lean years, those fair-weather fans, as well as hockey fans who are fans of other teams, aren't going as much. For 5 or so years after they started struggling, Melnyk was giving away freebees and 2 for 1s to keep the appearance that there was still great support. It was a sham. He stopped doing it three years ago and we can see the results in the stands.
To top it off, Ottawa is a gov't town. The #1 employer in Ottawa is the Federal gov't. They can't buy tickets. The corporate base is not as big as ANY other city in the NHL. That means less corporate tickets and suites bought. That means way less promotional season's tickets.
Anyone who says there aren't hockey fans in Ottawa is an idiot. Anyone who says there aren't diehard Sens fans in Ottawa is an idiot. The problem is the diehards are too young to spend that much money on their team and the hockey fans that are old enough to shell out the dough, are either fans of other teams or not really Sens fans at all (fair-weather). - Charliebox
Although this story is several weeks old she remains the one true love of my life. - dt99999
yeah, just heard about it .......... the left wing progressive liberal cheer leading mainstream media (in Canada) did not seem to cover this story well.
yeah, just heard about it .......... the left wing progressive liberal cheer leading mainstream media (in Canada) did not seem to cover this story well.
She has the courage of her convictions. - D0PPELGANGER