176 replies to this topic

[MCFreshWes]

I am done going to games this post season... Out of state people bitching about our lack of attendance will have to pony up the money and attend a game before i dish out any more money to go!

I live in Nebraska now but made it back for Round 1, Game 5. I plan on being there for a SCF game, if we make it...but I'm not bitching about lack of attendance. I understand not being able to afford it.

[Vladinator]

There are a few factors, most of which have already been mentioned:

1) High prices. The price of playoff tickets is unreal. There is no way that the average fan can afford going to 1 game, let alone all of the playoff games. I can't afford the prices in the regular season, let alone the playoffs.

2) Michigan economy is in the crapper.

3) Other sports entertainment. The Tigers are doing great, the Pistons are dominating...the Wings aren't the only good team in town anymore.

4) Name recognition factor. Not long ago, we had a line-up featuring so many future hall-of-famers that you would think you were seeing an all-star game. I've had a few people tell me that they weren't into the Wings this year because it just isn't the same anymore. We were spoiled with the line-up that we put on the ice for a few years there, it is hard to get SOME people excited about a line-up that really doesn't feature the stars anymore. In 2002, fans paid to see a line-up that featured Yzerman, Shanny, Hull, Lidstrom, Hasek, Robitaille, Chelios, Feds....for name recognition, this line-up just doesn't stack up.

[Jon]

the economy out here is probably doing better than in the detroit area,

In the OC, really, ya think?

[FUUFNF]

In the OC, really, ya think?

if you factor in the cost of living in southern california, the poor michigan economy is a wash (at best). what kind of house would $400K buy in michigan? in the "OC" that would buy you nothing.

[ttbrunke]

Two tickets to the sdabres here will run you about 300 - 400 hundred for OK seats as well and everyone say that Buffalo is among the cheapest so I don't think it's too far off. Still I think it is expensive I have only been to 1 game so far.

[LionsAndRedwingsAndPistonsOhMy]

We're all at home, watching the games, wishing we could afford to go to the games.

Just for my wife and I to go.......$350 for good tickets, $15-20 parking, $40-60$ Refreshments, Hourly Babysitting including drive time around $80, gas to get to The Joe around $20.

I figured that it would cost roughly $550 to see ONE PLAYOFF GAME. We could fly to Vegas, stay in a hotel, and still have pocket change to gamble for that. It's not like I'm poor, but DAMN!

[FUUFNF]

I just hocked one of my favorite guitars to make this months morgage payment and enough gas money for my girlfriend to make it to work last week and this week. It's hardly an 'excuse'

EDIT: Thank god for Illich's' $5 Little Caesars Hot N Ready!!! =P

and you think that doesn't happen out here in southern california? if people are too poor to attend a hockey game then they shouldn't go, but to me that's not why the wings can't sell out a playoff game this year.

[LionsAndRedwingsAndPistonsOhMy]

what kind of house would $400K buy in michigan? in the "OC" that would buy you nothing.

That would buy you a vey nice house in a very nice neighborhood in most areas of the state. In my area, a 3,000 sf 4 br/2 bath home with 2 1/2 car garage on 5 acres would run you around 200k-250k, depending on quality.

[FUUFNF]

That would buy you a vey nice house in a very nice neighborhood in most areas of the state. In my area, a 3,000 sf 4 br/2 bath home with 2 1/2 car garage on 5 acres would run you around 200k-250k, depending on quality.

exactly. out here in orange county, that MIGHT buy you a crappy condo, in a crappy neighborhood. i don't live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. it's about 1000sq foot in a decent neighborhood, and my house recently appraised for about $550K. my monthly mortgage is about $3,500 per month. so basically the high cost of living out here cancels out the poor michigan economy excuse in my book. but i'm still make it a priority to go to as many wing games as i can. granted, i do have the benefit (if you want to call it that), that the wings don't play too many games out here, but have made it to every game wings game out here for the last 3-4 seasons.

[Calgary Wings Fan]

and you think that doesn't happen out here in southern california? if people are too poor to attend a hockey game then they shouldn't go, but to me that's not why the wings can't sell out a playoff game this year.

Please with all your knowledge of Detroit inform me as to why the people are not attending? I live in Calgary and $400,000 will buy a nice condo or duplex... not a big fancy house so what's your point? The games here are always sold out and you wanna know why. Cause the Flames have sucked for years and years and now they are a decent team so people are now finally going to games. 6 years ago they were giving tickets away to try and fill the building. If the Ducks were basement dwellers for years would they be sold out? Well they have the greatest fans ever don't they? Get a life buddy? your clueless ...i go to the WIngs game when they are in Calgary too, but im not gonna say fans in Detroit are not fans cause they can't afford it.

Edit : Spelling

Edited by Calgary Wings Fan, 09 May 2007 - 05:22 PM.

[WingsZR2]

and you think that doesn't happen out here in southern california? if people are too poor to attend a hockey game then they shouldn't go, but to me that's not why the wings can't sell out a playoff game this year.

So people not being able to afford tickets you understand, however you can't understand why they aren't going?

[OsGOD]

Ford just axed the Wixom assembly plant... That will pollute the already increasing unemployment rate in MI... Not to mention all the little businesses that fed off the plant members. Sorry, working in the Auto industry first hand... I know it sucks and michigan is ALL auto type work... Its going knowwhere but down... THANK GOD they re-elected Granholm for more time! Her paycheck will rise while ours gets eliminated!

the nose-bleeder seats at the honda center also go for around $100, and they've been sold out even before the wings qualified for round 3.

What's the $71 tickets they offer on ticketbastard?


http://money.cnn.com...ment/index.html
Cali may also have a poor economy but they have a lower unemployment rate by 2.3% which plays a very big role in affording tickets.... The economy might be lacking on the left coast, but at least you can say more of your population is actually pulling in some sort of paycheck. Michigan is the 2nd to last and that is only by .4%. Granny has us sitting at a pleasant 7.1% unemployed... up from 6.5% Kudos to her driving away MORE businesses.

Edited by OsGOD, 09 May 2007 - 05:33 PM.

[FUUFNF]

Please with all your knowledge of Detroit inform me as to why the people are not attending? I live in Calgary and $400,000 will buy a nice condo or duplex... not a big fancy house so what's your point? The games here are always sold out and you wanna know why. Cause the Flames have sucked for years and years and now they are a decent team so people are now finally going to games. 6 years ago they were giving tickets away to try and fill the building. If the Ducks were basement dwellers for years would they be sold out? Well they have the greatest fans ever don't they? Get a life buddy? your clueless ...i go to the WIngs game when they are in Calgary too, but im not gonna say fans in Detroit are not fans cause they can't afford it.

Edit : Spelling

kindly point out where i said that "fans in detroit are not fans cause they can't afford it"?

So people not being able to afford tickets you understand, however you can't understand why they aren't going?

no, i just don't believe that economics is the main reason why they aren't going.

[Calgary Wings Fan]

kindly point out where i said that "fans in detroit are not fans cause they can't afford it"?

Sorry bout that im assuming thats what your getting at. You said you don't think high prices and economy are the reasons for fans not attending so what's one to think? Please enlighten me with an explanation then as to why they are not sold out?

[FUUFNF]

I'm in central Michigan, within the last 3 yrs, I can think of roughly 6 HUGE factories closing shop and moving to Mexico without notice, leaving a flood of over 1000+ unemployed good people standing in the unemployment line. (this is within a 75 mile radius, btw)

There was a job fair last summer for approx 85 Pizza Hut, wal-mart, taco bell part time jobs opening up. That job fair (without realization) became chaos with all the attendance showing up. They estimated over 2000 people showed up within a 4hr time frame. Police literally had to direct traffic, close off the street, and near by parking spaces were being taken away from places like K-mart, Wal-mart, hotels, and any other business within a 1/2 mile radius.

I live near this area, became such a big deal that it was even talked about on the 9&10 news.

All this for 85 part time taco bell / pizza hut jobs.

If you don't see it first hand or live it like I do on a day to day basis, then you are only 'clueless' to our unemployment rate. (in my specific area.)

i never denied there is a big unemployment problem in michigan. but that doesn't entirely explain why no red wing playoff games has been sold out so far this season.

just out of curiosity, how are the other michigan sports teams doing in attendance this year?

What's the $71 tickets they offer on ticketbastard?

dunno exactly where you're looking, but if i search ticketmaster.com for 1 ticket (at any price), there are none available for any of the 3 games at the honda center.

[BringHomeTheCup!]

i never denied there is a big unemployment problem in michigan. but that doesn't entirely explain why no red wing playoff games has been sold out so far this season.

just out of curiosity, how are the other michigan sports teams doing in attendance this year?

The economy is a HUGE factor in the Wings not selling out. Add in no advancement past the second round since '02, the Tigers recent World Series run, and the hype that the Pistons bring. I don't follow basketball at all, I hate it in fact, but just from watching ESPN, the Pistons seem to be the only 'good' team left in the Eastern Confrence (basketball got it right, why hasn't hockey?) so they are favorites to be in the finals. Plus I've heard they release like 500 $18 playoff tickets.

The Wings playoff ticket prices are way too high. In most cases, for the first round, ticket prices jumped %100+. I know when I goto games, I sit in the Upper Bowl, these tickets went up %158 or something like that for the first round. It only gets worse as we prgress. I've heard the third round these same tickets are going to be about %200 increase. It's just nuts.

Add in that most Wings fans don't live anywhere near the Joe, gas is over $3.00 per gallon ($3.20 where I live), plus increased playoff parking prices, and food, the price for 2 people to go to a playoff game is easily over $350, and that's with cheap seats. If you want good seats, you are looking at well over $500 for one game. There aren't many people who can afford this. Especially when you can go to a Tigers game for about $100.

[stactum]

I wanted to clarify some things here; PURE ECONOMY and HIGH LIVING COST are two opposite things. When you can't buy a nice house for 400K this is one thing, but when you literally don't have a job or you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow - that is totally different.

BTW, I am from Wisconsin and I've been to R1 G2 and R2 G2 and it's been awesome, but I was able to go just because I wasn't on any of the season games (I usually go to see Wings play Chicago in Chicago).

Another reason I might think of would be that with all HD technology I don't mind to see a game at home on my 50' screen and see all repeats etc.

[Zion]

the nose-bleeder seats at the honda center also go for around $100, and they've been sold out even before the wings qualified for round 3. i'll probably be paying about $150-$200 per ticket within the next few days. the economy out here is probably doing better than in the detroit area, but the cost of living is a lot higher as well. that being said, i don't really buy into the high ticket prices and bad economy excuses i've been hearing.

Typical Californian. Doesn't know what the f*** he's talking about.

I've lived an hour from Anaheim and an hour from Detroit, so I am well aware of the differences in the economy. I don't give a f*** what "excuses" you "buy into". You're not from the area, so how the f*** would you know? It must be because the Wings suck and the fans don't like them. That's the only possible reason they're not selling out.

Edited for spelling

Edited by Zion, 09 May 2007 - 05:53 PM.

[jmonte345]

Sorry bout that im assuming thats what your getting at. You said you don't think high prices and economy are the reasons for fans not attending so what's one to think? Please enlighten me with an explanation then as to why they are not sold out?

Because we aren't real fans

FUUFNF seems to have it all figured out so why not share so we can get those seats filled.

[OsGOD]

i never denied there is a big unemployment problem in michigan. but that doesn't entirely explain why no red wing playoff games has been sold out so far this season.

just out of curiosity, how are the other michigan sports teams doing in attendance this year?
dunno exactly where you're looking, but if i search ticketmaster.com for 1 ticket (at any price), there are none available for any of the 3 games at the honda center.

Sure it does... No job, no money extra money, no tickets to a luxury.. who does it not explain the lack of selling out. Note that it wasn't until the prices raised that fans stopped going.

Pistons aren't selling out, neither are the Tigers....

They weren't available but I was just noting that they do in fact have a ticket option about $28 less than the lowest rate the wings are selling for. I am not sure how many rows that $71 price is good for, but I know at the Joe the $99 tickets are only for the last 5 rows. Then you jump OVER the $100 mark.

Edited by OsGOD, 09 May 2007 - 05:57 PM.