Location: Matt Ellis is my patronus, NY Joined: 06.28.2011
Apr 4 @ 11:05 AM ET
That's what professional sports is nowadays. The game isn't enough. You have to put on a show. The sad part is, the Sabres were pretty good at that before and just after the lockout. Then Golisano started cutting costs, and the Pegulas still are lacking in bringing it back. It comes with the territory of being in a big time league. - buffalofan19
One thing I will agree with is that long term season ticket holders used to get all kinds of nice things. I remember my dad getting a nice bag after i think 15 or 20 years, you would get all kinds of things. Now all they do is hey heres some money back so you can spend it right back. It would be nice to take care of some loyalty for a change
Location: Matt Ellis is my patronus, NY Joined: 06.28.2011
Apr 4 @ 11:06 AM ET
Philadelphia, Washington, and Pittsburgh also blow Buffalo's out of the water. Buffalo's atmosphere isn't the worst in the league, but it's also far from the best. - buffalofan19
Name a great atmosphere of one of the non playoff teams. Seems every great atmosphere being mentioned are all playoff teams methinks there may be a trend
I completely understand the revenue sharing aspect. The fans that say "I don't understand why the Sabres need it" are way off base here.
However, having been to 10 other NHL arenas, they are right in saying when it comes to arena atmosphere, First Niagara Center is outright amateur hour. Hopefully, eventually winning games will help, but it's not everything. When you go to places like Toronto, Montreal, New York, and Detroit, you feel like you are at a big time event. That's not the case with the Sabres. The arena production (and MSG Buffalo's as well) feels like it's being run out of a makeshift studio out of somebody's basement. The Sabres need give its patrons way more bang for their buck, especially in lean times like this. The NHL outsourced its production to Major League Baseball, and the visuals on both the NHL Network and NHL.com has been night and day. I think it's time for the Sabres to go down a similar path. - buffalofan19
When me and Vince went to the Rangers game a month ago he said "Man this is a quiet building". I was embarrassed. I forgot that I was just used to it.
I really don't know what the Sabres should do(besides winning) to make it better. As far as Amerks games, I get those. It's an AHL game so the gameday presentation is a little more silly. It wreaks of desperation to get people into it and give them their $$$ worth, but that's okay. It's supposed to be that way. All I can say is I can't image that Saturday night at MSG that they had dancing garbage bins on the jumbotron.
Location: Wonderful things can happen when you sow seeds of distrust in a garden full of (bum)holes Joined: 07.01.2007
Apr 4 @ 11:11 AM ET
The Flyers arena seems pretty exciting .
- cabin
As long as you use some intelligence, you can easily stay out of trouble in Philadelphia. The bumhole factor that comes out of there actually makes places like that fun to watch a game in.
A lot of folks will disagree with me, but I think the Sabres went too far in regards to the "family" theme, and it's killed the atmosphere.
Name a great atmosphere of one of the non playoff teams. Seems every great atmosphere being mentioned are all playoff teams methinks there may be a trend - hubie
Location: Matt Ellis is my patronus, NY Joined: 06.28.2011
Apr 4 @ 11:13 AM ET
As long as you use some intelligence, you can easily stay out of trouble in Philadelphia. The bumhole factor that comes out of there actually makes places like that fun to watch a game in.
A lot of folks will disagree with me, but I think the Sabres went too far in regards to the "family" theme, and it's killed the atmosphere. - buffalofan19
I dont really see the family theme, they took away most things that were designed for kids. remember Sabretooths playhouse? gone... something i could take my son to, they used to have where kids could shoot I believe that is gone. Rope line for kids is cool however.
As long as you use some intelligence, you can easily stay out of trouble in Philadelphia. The bumhole factor that comes out of there actually makes places like that fun to watch a game in.
A lot of folks will disagree with me, but I think the Sabres went too far in regards to the "family" theme, and it's killed the atmosphere. - buffalofan19
Remember when they had Nicholas Picholas as the gameday "MC" and people would boo the poop out of him. Then they would have to have him sending directly next to a small child every time they showed him just to get people to stop?
I always remind people that Kiss 98.5 is part of the WGR family of stations and they've been in charge of the gameday for years. We also have to remember we have a huge population of Amherst and West Seneca moms who really want to be Janet Snyder so all their kids hear in the minivan is Kiss(not 89's version of KISS). So the whole family is feels right at home putting up with that whole scene dominating the FNC.
Location: Wonderful things can happen when you sow seeds of distrust in a garden full of (bum)holes Joined: 07.01.2007
Apr 4 @ 11:22 AM ET
Name a great atmosphere of one of the non playoff teams. Seems every great atmosphere being mentioned are all playoff teams methinks there may be a trend - hubie
The "suits" concept in Toronto is overstated. I went to a Toronto-Buffalo game about 5 years ago, and it was louder in there than any game at the HSBC Arena that season. That being said, having been there for an NHL game, an NBA game, and a concert, I think the Air Canada Centre might simply be better designed for holding in sound than the First Niagara Center is. However, that building is only about 2 years younger. It's a palace.
Location: Wonderful things can happen when you sow seeds of distrust in a garden full of (bum)holes Joined: 07.01.2007
Apr 4 @ 11:24 AM ET
Remember when they had Nicholas Picholas as the gameday "MC" and people would boo the poop out of him. Then they would have to have him sending directly next to a small child every time they showed him just to get people to stop?
I always remind people that Kiss 98.5 is part of the WGR family of stations and they've been in charge of the gameday for years. We also have to remember we have a huge population of Amherst and West Seneca moms who really want to be Janet Snyder so all their kids hear in the minivan is Kiss(not 89's version of KISS). So the whole family is feels right at home putting up with that whole scene dominating the FNC. - Buffalo--Sabres
It's definitely their target audience, and something that Larry Quinn started catering too, especially after 2007-2008. It seems that Ted Black and the Pegulas kept up with it, simply because it worked dollar wise.
Location: Matt Ellis is my patronus, NY Joined: 06.28.2011
Apr 4 @ 11:27 AM ET
because of this specific thing i was able to win my Fantasy hockey league.. i had a team of turds.. but turds that played alot.. - IndianaSabresFan
I lost in my championship. Last night the guy had like 9 points in the Chicago game alone, to say i got my azz handed to me is an understatement. ALso having Bob DOmingue and Allen as your keepers wasnt a good week
Name a great atmosphere of one of the non playoff teams. Seems every great atmosphere being mentioned are all playoff teams methinks there may be a trend - hubie