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Olympia Stadium Fan

JLA Crowd Lifeless?

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This probably isn't a new topic but in watching last night's game on TV, I couldn't help but notice once again how lifeless, even dead, the crowd was. For those that attend games in person on a regular basis, is this normal? I even heard a caller on XM 204 about a week ago, a visitor from out of town, who said that Wings fans don't even bother to get out of their seats for a goal. How can this be? Have the Wings become just the "same old, same old" in terms of the JLA crowd? For someone who has lived through many years of bad hockey in Detroit I find this apparent disinterest discouraging (read some fans are spoiled brats). And I don't buy the argument that there is no or severly reduced interest in the team because Steve Yzerman is no longer on the team. Hey, if you don't want to do your "duty" as a fan, give your tickets to someone who does care. I'll step off my soapbox now.

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I was there last nite, section 222 nose bleed.

People were dead in the first but by the time the third rolled around they we reacting well to what was going on. Any goal, big save or even mild hit got a reaction with some standing and applausing.

Sorry I don't spell well.

It wasn't the loudest, but people had a good time.

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I have a portion of season tickets and this game last night was the most dead it's been all season. The Nashville game back on Jan. 17th was pretty loud, but I can understand last night being dead. 1) It was a Wednesday game against a non-playoff team. 2) That 2nd period had zero action, nothing happened. 3) It was the Chicago Blackhawks.

As for the Wings fans not getting out of their seats for a goal? Everyone got up when we scored.

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It's frustrating and painful watching the game from California and seeing the crowd so lifeless.

With the exception of the last two games I attended on December 31 and January 2nd (I was sick and had no voice) I am typically VERY LOUD when I go to that arena...well all arenas. Although you can hear me scream when the crowd was completely quite during Yzerman's retirement speech when he acknowledged Red Wing fans all over the country.

I am always SUPER loud when I go and I intend on being that way on March 4th and the 6th when I will be in attendance.

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I've been to 5 or so games a year each year, and unfortunately this is a sad but true fact. Every time the Wings score a goal, I jump out of my seat, but I look around and at least half the place is still sitting, some nights even more than half. I don't know why this is really, because it's not like the goals aren't exciting. I honestly think that if Ilitch builds a new arena, it will draw bigger crowds (not sell-outs, but actual butts in the seats), which will only make the atmosphere better.

People around here have gotten use to the Wing's winning ways, so maybe that plays into it too. If more games were back and forth scoring battles, I feel the excitement would increase, but unfortunately we live in a city where they ice a very strong hockey team, and it shows in the standings each year.

THe last time I was at playoff game was back in 2002 against Colorado, and I remember the energy then was wild. So I am hoping at the very least, that the Joe get's hoppin' when the playoffs roll around.

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It's not just this year. It's been like this for quite some time now. The crowd is filled with non-hockey fans. The lower bowl is filled with people in suits who bring their boss, or co-workers or parents get tickets and give them to their kids, and they bring friends who don't really know much about hockey...people who generally don't care about hockey. They fill up these seats because they can afford the tickets. Now, if you want to attract a better audience, i think general costs on tickets, merchandise, and food needs to go down. Also, with hockey becomming less appealing every year, I don't forsee the crowd issue getting much better.

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Depends a little bit on the opponent and what day of the week that game takes place. Weekend crowds are a little more vocal, but during the week quite a few people will leave at the beginning of the 3rd period regardless of the score.

I've been to about 9 games and would have to say the Buffalo game was the loudest. And that was a weekday game...go figure.

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I was at the game last night and I was probably the only one in my section doing the chants and screaming! UNTIL the third period where the crowd came to life after Dats goal. It was nuts after that. Like Heaton said I think it was a lot to do with who we were facing. Had it been the Preds, Stars..etc.. I think the crowd would of been WAY better and more into it.

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Guest ZetterBurger40

The Joe is always dead at garbage matchups like Chicago (unless its a weekend game), Columbus, Phoenix, and the rest of the s*** teams that are in town the majority of the year. The games against Nashville, Colorado, Edmonton, MTL, Toronto, etc are awesome and the crowd is really into it. As arrogant as it sounds, I think that its hard for fans to get into watching the same s***ty teams that come into town every other week.

Edited by ZetterBurger40

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What you watch on TV and the what you actually hear at the game are two different things. My sister and her husband called me from the game last night during the third period. They were in section 224 and I could barely hear her talking people were being so loud...

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I get frustrated. I've been to two games this year. The Toronto one was decent overall, but mostly because the Leafs fans made it that way. Hometown fans were so quiet that the Leafs contingent (all standing-room, of course) practically ran the show for most of the game, and when we were banging in goals, nowhere near enough people stood up.

Then I caught a Blues game that was worse by magnitudes. I didn't hear a single respectable Let's Go Red Wings chant that whole night. Nobody around me stood up and celebrated, nobody was vocal, nothin'. Geezers and kids and unenthusiastic fans. It was a joke.

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I was at the Toronto game as well...that was my 6th game this year...and you're right, if it wasn't for the Leaf fans, JLA would have been dead...its a far cry from the excitement the wings brought in the 90's. I hope we see that again, soon.

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Guest ZetterBurger40

Then I caught a Blues game that was worse by magnitudes. I didn't hear a single respectable Let's Go Red Wings chant that whole night. Nobody around me stood up and celebrated, nobody was vocal, nothin'. Geezers and kids and unenthusiastic fans. It was a joke.

All a result of a horrible division, and an even worse schedule..It sucks, but that's the way it is unfortunately- Detroit has been spoiled with a great team for a long, long time and people just don't get excited about seeing the Blues, Blackhawks, and Blue Jackets come to town every week.

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What you watch on TV and the what you actually hear at the game are two different things. My sister and her husband called me from the game last night during the third period. They were in section 224 and I could barely hear her talking people were being so loud...

Then why is it that when I watch games from other arenas on TV the crowd appears so much louder? Do other networks have more mikes than say FSD? I doubt it.

And so your family members were busy yacking on a cell phone at a game? That is rather telling.

Quite frankly, when I noticed how quite it was on TV last night it was during a part of the game that the Wings weren't giving the crowd much to cheer about.

I at least somewhat disagree with that...for example, in the first period Dom made two big saves in rapid succession and the crowd's reaction? Not much more than a murmur.

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Guest ZetterBurger40

Then why is it that when I watch games from other arenas on TV the crowd appears so much louder? Do other networks have more mikes than say FSD? I doubt it.

Actually, other networks to include more/less crowd noise into their TV feeds- if I remember correctly, weren't the Predators pumping fan noise through the house speakers a couple of years ago?

I at least somewhat disagree with that...for example, in the first period Dom made two big saves in rapid succession and the crowd's reaction? Not much more than a murmur.

You are wrong. I was there and the crowd was going bonkers when Hasek made those (and other) saves.

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I went to the November 10th game against Nashville, and that was a great game. The crowd was really into it, there were quite a few Let's Go Wings chants, and everybody was really into the game. I, like many others, think it's just the teams that were playing on that night that has something to do with it. Think about it... A weeknight game against Chicago? Most people won't get very exited over that. If it was a weekend game, than there probably would have been some more exitement. Or if it was a better team, than there would have been more exitement.

I was listening to the game on the radio, and I thought the crowd was actually pretty loud from what I could hear. Maybe it was just me, but the crowd sounded pretty good.

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it has been dead lately. The reason being is because these days, most of the seats are owned by corporations that either don't use the seats at all.........or use them, but don't give a flying fruck about the game. give the seats back to the fans!!!

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I couldn't agree more with those of you who went to the Toronto game.

If it wasn't for the Leafs fans it would have been one of the lamest atmospheres I saw this season. My entire row was empty for the majority of the game.

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Red Wings fans are spoiled. I wouldn't expect the crowd to be overly loud unless one of the West's marquee teams are in town, honestly, until the playoffs start.

The playoffs are another matter. I don't think there'll be issues like that then.

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a strong playoff run will turn the fans at the Joe around pretty quick. But I will admit the JLA crowd overall is pretty weak. But on the other hand, tickets sell out so I don't complain. Ive been to 4 games this year, with the last being against Colorado last month, the crowd was pretty adnimated in my opinion.

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Guest ZetterBurger40

OK, I'll defer to you assuming you were at the game. Perhaps FSD toned down their mikes then as it certainly sounded quite on the telecast.

I don't disagree with you that the crowd is quiet at times, but again, the schedule is just plain brutal for generating excitement/interest...FSN's crowd noise levels are definitely not flattering, though.

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