the cap has gone up a lot since that first lockout, and if it keeps rising, hockey will be a tough sell in general


when that ticket goes up $10 more bucks in tampa, c bus, nashville, etc the product on the ice will need to be competitive for 80% of the seats to be sold IMO
- homiedclown

I do not agree on NSH they have turned into a big NHL city, they have developed the 2nd generation of fans now and are booming. Plus the NFL team sucks, but even if they were good, i still think NHL would flourish there.

Thats the thing its all season ticket holders in the 100s so they should know the chants and such. The last few years i undersatnd the team has sucked so poeple who never went to games starting going becuase people were giving there tickets aways, but this year... especially lately they have been awesome at home and the future is looking bright. Lets make these kids feel welcome and get rowdy.

Have you ever been to a Bandits game? The crowd is loud as hell and knows every chant, 3 year olds 80 year olds.... everyone is into it. Then you go to a Sabres game and its dead, even the leafs game i had more fun with the leafs fans in my section than the sabres fans, because at least they went back and forth and when i started chanting they would too. Then i could yell "blow leafs blow" which makes me happy. Plus im way louder than most people.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

Thats the atmosphere, if the Sabres could play music and chants and such all game it would be different for hockey. If the 100's cheered you wouldnt be able to hear them as the glass muffles a lot of sound. Smarter people can give the explanation why

I do not agree on NSH they have turned into a big NHL city, they have developed the 2nd generation of fans now and are booming. Plus the NFL team sucks, but even if they were good, i still think NHL would flourish there.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

They are at the point where the kids who became interested are now of the age to become season ticket holders. Its affordable and nice for the young business professionals. I know a few mid 20s ticket holders down there.

Thats the atmosphere, if the Sabres could play music and chants and such all game it would be different for hockey. If the 100's cheered you wouldnt be able to hear them as the glass muffles a lot of sound. Smarter people can give the explanation why
- hubie

I don't care about "hearing" them. I care about people actually caring about the game and getting into. Rooting for your team to win. Bandits was a bad example becuase of the music i know. Buffalo has the loudest and rowdiest fans for NFL and the biggest snoozers for NHL. It is crazy.

They are at the point where the kids who became interested are now of the age to become season ticket holders. Its affordable and nice for the young business professionals. I know a few mid 20s ticket holders down there.
- hubie

Exactly, they are at that 2nd generation now. And they will only grow stronger IMO.

Exactly, they are at that 2nd generation now. And they will only grow stronger IMO.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

Its pretty neat, the atmosphere down there from what i gather. Most of us are 3rd or 4th gens by now here im a 2nd gener

Absolutely. But you would think people who show up for a sporting event, even if they have 100 level seats, would understand the concept of cheering for the home team, may be not texting non stop, taking selfies. Then of course, every time a goal is scored, everyone is taking pictures/video of the goal celebration....not exactly sure what you're even going to do with that oscar-worthy footage, but whatever.
Basically, im calling out the mindset of these people that spend good dough to see a game and dont really seem to understand how to participate in it.
- seedy

There are people in the 200 level who don't stand and cheer when we score, which i can't (and don't want) to understand

I don't care about "hearing" them. I care about people actually caring about the game and getting into. Rooting for your team to win. Bandits was a bad example becuase of the music i know. Buffalo has the loudest and drunkest fans for NFL and the biggest snoozers for NHL. It is crazy.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

*fixed

I wouldnt want the sabres atmosphere to be the same as the Bills

There are people in the 200 level who don't stand and cheer when we score, which i can't (and don't want) to understand
- jcragcrumple

the 200 mentality of 10 mins left make your way to the parking ramp drives me crazy, almost makes going to games with my brother not worth it.

Exactly, they are at that 2nd generation now. And they will only grow stronger IMO.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

It's still kind of "empty" during the weekdays but it is definitely getting better here.

It's still kind of "empty" during the weekdays but it is definitely getting better here.
- jochfr

Going to a game there next year. I can't wait. I have heard a lot of good things.

Going to a game there next year. I can't wait. I have heard a lot of good things.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

There may be some people around here you can meet up with.
Its a cool venue and atmosphere

There may be some people around here you can meet up with.
Its a cool venue and atmosphere
- hubie

Staying with family whos backyard is the Smokey Mountains, but plan on going to NSH and spending a few nights there. I am a hugs country music fan, so between that adn the NHL game it should be great!

Staying with family whos backyard is the Smokey Mountains, but plan on going to NSH and spending a few nights there. I am a hugs country music fan, so between that adn the NHL game it should be great!
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

I heard Nashville has a small country music scene

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.
- buffalofan19

I honestly think this makes such a huge difference in atmosphere at stadiums. A football example: I have lived in Ann Arbor for a lot of years, and the largest stadium in the country is here (the big house). It used to always be said that it wasn't a great atmosphere because it was so quiet. A few years back they added massive buildings on either side to serve as suites/pressbox, and sound started getting contained more. It is so much louder now than it was, despite no increase in success or capacity.

I heard Nashville has a small country music scene
- hubie

And it's turning into rapcrap.

Going to a game there next year. I can't wait. I have heard a lot of good things.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

I had a lot of business in Nashville between 2000 - 2005. It was one of the worst places I have ever been.

I bet its different now.

And it's turning into rapcrap.
- cabin

Not in the local bars and pubs there though. Thats mainstream poop.

I had a lot of business in Nashville between 2000 - 2005. It was one of the worst places I have ever been.

I bet its different now.
- Der Kaiser

Yeah i don't know about then, but now i heard it is very nice. Though i wish my wife wasnt coming with me

I do not agree on NSH they have turned into a big NHL city, they have developed the 2nd generation of fans now and are booming. Plus the NFL team sucks, but even if they were good, i still think NHL would flourish there.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

carolina sold out all the time when they won the cup

now its less than 65 percent

look at florida before this season


small market teams need to sustain fringe playoff status to thrive

give the preds a few 80 point seasons and by year 3 they will be like the canes and yotes

I agree with Pach this is a whiny article. I am not a season ticket holder, but two things jumped off the page at me:

1. The person said "When I bought the tickets, I just wanted to be able to see more games, but now I want more than that."

2. Of the five teams analyzed, Buffalo's prices were the lowest by 10% over the next cheapest city.

Pretty tough to say the tickets are a ripoff when they give you everything you bought them for at a price that's considerably below all the competitors.

And "the product on the ice sucks" isn't a legit response, either.

In Buffalo, the best seats in section 307, at the "shoot twice" blue line, are $2,150. In Edmonton, seats at the same location cost $4,500 - $4,950 Canadian, or US$3,846 . In Winnipeg, seats at that location are US$2,465
- Der Kaiser

I don't think anybody is saying they are getting ripped off. If they were, they wouldn't get the renewal rate they do. I don't think it's whining to say they could get more bang for their buck. My issue at the arena has been presentation. It's been bad since around 2010, even when the team was still making the playoffs, albeit not a cup contender. The life started to be sucked out of the place and it got worse every year. Couple that with a couple of historically bad seasons, you have a dead rink, even when there are things worth cheering about. This team has put on a better show with even lower ticket prices in the past. They simply stopped doing it. The Buffalo Sabres are in the big leagues. There are a lot of ways that the organization could start acting like it.

It's still kind of "empty" during the weekdays but it is definitely getting better here.
- jochfr

they have worked hard in marketing for the weekday games

after saying that, if they are picking 4th in a few years the seats will be there for the taking 7 days a week instead of 4

Not in the local bars and pubs there though. Thats mainstream poop.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

I can believe that.

carolina sold out all the time when they won the cup

now its less than 65 percent

look at florida before this season


small market teams need to sustain fringe playoff status to thrive

give the preds a few 80 point seasons and by year 3 they will be like the canes and yotes
- homiedclown

Most great sports traditions were built with winning, both early and often. There are exceptions, Buffalo being one of them, but for the most part, when you refer to the "tradition" of teams, they are built around championships. You can't expect new markets to gravitate to a mediocre to piss poor product every 7 out of 8 seasons and expect it to sell.

And it's turning into rapcrap.
- cabin

are you talking about nashville or buffalo?