Hockeytown is DEAD

[Hank 0]

I thought the article was good too. I always am amused at the reaction to a Drew Sharpe article. Often the first responses, containing many correctly-spelled words, just point out that he is a jerk with varying levels of vitriol.

The Wings set themselves up for this by not lowering prices upon the end of the lockout. They assumed that Hockeytown would be Hockeytown no matter what. Plus, usually the Tigers season ended in mid-July so people were eager, yea dying, for something resembling quality by the beginning of October. Even though the Tigers "underachieved" this season, they were still in it until the last week. Granted, the Lions have had a fast start, but everyone knows that that won't last. Plus, while every Lions game sells out, there's only eight games to sell out!

I think the NHL in general and the Red Wings specifically need to be very concerned about this. Not having a sellout for the first time in 10 years on opening day (and not even close to a sellout) in one of the top hockey markets in the U.S. does not bode well for the NHL.

I agree with your post and NeverForgetMac's as well.

It's a combination of things going on in the NHL and the fans being spoiled with a winner.

The schedule is a big concern because it's so weighted towards divisional teams. And since we're in a horrible division there's no sense of the Wings ever not making the playoffs. How excited can you get facing 3 of the worst teams in hockey 24 times?

But the product on the ice needs to improve as well. I think the hockey is lightyears better than it was pre-lockout. I hated the dead puck era. But they've got to find a way to get the game to resemble more of the 80's.

There's more speed today but defensive systems and ginormous goalie equipment have killed any kind of creativity in the league. When you have 7-8 skaters on the ice at any time, who couldn't care less about the puck, it makes for boring hockey.

There used to be a time when players wanted to score 50 goals or 100 points. Now those kinds of thoughts are dismissed as selfish.

Ugh, maybe I'm just getting old and I hate admitting it. But I loved hockey in the 80's. There wasn't any neutral zone traps, teams actually sent in 3 forwards to forecheck and the kind of tactics Pronger gets away with were dealt with swift justice (usually a Prober or Tony Twist right-hand).

I don't like to harp on the game that we see, but it feels so 'milk-toast'. Again, I have to reiterate that the last 2 seasons were much, much, much more enjoyable than during the dead-puck era. But the league needs to bring some character back to the game. Unfortunately, to do that, drastic changes need to be made and I don't think the league or fans are ready for them.

[OsGOD 3]

Well that depends.......does your office offer a fantasy league for its employees. Let's be honest, if they did, and you were one of the players, I bet there'd be fans inside your cubical cheering on your every move.

I'd sign OsGod to my fantasy office team.

True.. i went 2nd overall in the first round to paula down the hall

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

True.. i went 2nd overall in the first round to paula down the hall

Well, lets be honest OsGod. You're a solid pickup, but Paula is the Crosby of Wire Harnesses.

Put in some Saturdays at the office, and maybe you can give her a run for her money for the 08/09 season.

Sidenote: Who's Paula?

[Curban915 0]

This topic is getting better by the second, so what kind of fantasy night did you have last night?

[OsGOD 3]

Can i plead the 5th?

haha... i have know idea where i am going with any of this now.

[Curban915 0]

Yea you can if you would have said we may have all had to go to the bathroom cuz we would be sick. Or you would have gotten the ban.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

If we traded for Crosby and Iginla, we'd always have sell-outs. Why? Because people remeber how much they loved Yzerman and Shanahan. We dont have alot of NA players, and when your North American, you want to see some players you can connect with.

I'd still do to every game for 9$ if I lived in Detroit, but thats because I love Detroit.

Just wait, you think this is bad? Wait till Joe Sakic retires, Colorado wont sell out many games then. We're a superstar NA away from sell-outs. Michigans economy has quite a bit to do with it also, once it gets better, the Wings start selling out.

[OsGOD 3]

I'd still do to every game for 9$ if I lived in Detroit, but thats because I love Detroit.

Free beer yesterday too... its a myth... they make it sound good but in reality they don't hardly any $9. Its a ploy to get you to go down the joe so that will end up buying the more expensive seats. Maybe they should lower all the seat prices down by $13 cause then the $44 and $54 seats wouldn't be the only empty ones in the upper bowl.

Edited October 4, 2007 by OsGOD

[proc 0]

The article in The Detroit News where someone from the Wing's ticket office saying that the $44 seats aren't selling hit it right on the head.

$44 for seats in the upper bowl all the way up to row 20. Its wrong. I pay under $20 to sit 11 rows from the field at Comerica Park, but you have to pay $44 to sit way up at The Joe?

These seat prices need to be cut in half. Then, the upper bowl will fill up.

Spare cash is tough to come by these days.

Now, as for the lower bowl...

How many of thsoe seats are company-owned? A bunch. How many of these companies have ties to the auto industy? A bunch I'd bet. And with the auto industry in a funk and places like Ford letting go of 35,000 people last Feburary, well, its easy to see why its not full.

[johnnyoski 0]

First off I think Drew Sharp is a poor sports journalist. His columns are usually more opinion than fact. He did bring up a couple of obvious theories but calling HockeyTown dead after one game shows his ignorance.

I also agree with most of the previous posters that its not just one thing thats keeping fans from the games.

The theory about us fans being spoiled is a good one. For an example look what happened to the Atlanta Braves. Their baseball team won the division or made the playoffs some 20 consecutive years and guess what...they weren't close to selling out playoff games towards the tail end of that streak. Its all about the people running the team having the vision to change with the times.

They've done a great job putting a great team on the ice post-salary cap and I guess they thought that was enough to keep the people coming in at those prices. Then the top brass thought setting 200 tickets/game at $9 would be the answer. Well I think its time for them to go back to the drawing board.

[OsGOD 3]

The article in The Detroit News where someone from the Wing's ticket office saying that the $44 seats aren't selling hit it right on the head.

$44 for seats in the upper bowl all the way up to row 20. Its wrong. I pay under $20 to sit 11 rows from the field at Comerica Park, but you have to pay $44 to sit way up at The Joe?

These seat prices need to be cut in half. Then, the upper bowl will fill up.

Spare cash is tough to come by these days.

Now, as for the lower bowl...

How many of thsoe seats are company-owned? A bunch. How many of these companies have ties to the auto industy? A bunch I'd bet. And with the auto industry in a funk and places like Ford letting go of 35,000 people last Feburary, well, its easy to see why its not full.

My company owned 10 seats in the lower bowl.. they gave up theres this season just like we did. Companies aren't dumb either... Facing financial problems in the auto industry AND keeping season tickets AND laying off people... Priorities people, priorites and at least my company knew the Tickets were to go first.

I agree $44 should be $31 and the $54 should be $41 to go along with some of the $22 going down to $9

Edited October 4, 2007 by OsGOD

[Offsides 21]

UGH...this is my most unfavorite topic...let's have a goalie war instead.

Who even cares. Good....people who wants seats can finally get them...if you aren't there, don't complain. Why does it even matter, does it really affect your 'fan-ness'.

The Red Wings don't have to be the most popular thing in the world for me to like them...and it doesn't affect my pocket book. Mike should lower prices if it's affecting him.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

UGH...this is my most unfavorite topic...let's have a goalie war instead.

Who even cares. Good....people who wants seats can finally get them...if you aren't there, don't complain. Why does it even matter, does it really affect your 'fan-ness'.

The Red Wings don't have to be the most popular thing in the world for me to like them...and it doesn't affect my pocket book. Mike should lower prices if it's affecting him.

:rotflmao:

It's hilarious to hear Offsides rip this topic apart when OsGod is so passionate about it.

Jen, is OsGod talking too much about this at home?

[BlakChamber 8]

The sad thing Dallas can sell out most of there games and it in Texas .

What's sad about that? It's good for hockey.

And Rob Parker is still way worse than Drew Sharp.

[Heaton 1]

I'm like some people and I just bury my head in the sand, as long as I can watch every game and enjoy it I'm not all that concerned about it because I do my part and there's nothing else I can do. I go to my 15 games a year, I buy my Red Wings gear, getting in a tizzy about it isn't going to help anything. I can understand people being passionate about it and I don't fault them for it, but for my own personal enjoyment, I stay away from the leagues problems.

The NHL isn't going anywhere, even with the problems, so I'm just going to watch the games, play my fantasy hockey and debate on the forums. Works for me.

[lfd250 1]

Let's really look at the other teams in Motown

Pistons - wait they aren't in Motown and like most of Detroit they stole the name Detroit. Prices aren't that much different and I've never been to a game, but fights break out there just as much as at the wings game.

Lions- Selling out their games. Lets see 8 games???? So if you want to see a game your choice is limited. They too just had an article in the paper, need to sell more tickets so the game wouldn't be blacked out in Detroit, there's no threat of that at JLA.

Tigers- Oh they had over three million ohhhh yeaaa! Let's see no school so there are tons of school kids going. You don't have to worry about school the next day. Tons of Church groups, boy scouts, girl scouts, safty patrol, from all over the state comeing. It's cheaper for a family to go to a Tiger game then to go on summer vacation. Yes I know they have a good team, and were in the chase to the end. I too will take my kids to a game during the beautiful sunny days, were I don't have to dress them for the cold or worry about how they'll act in school the next day because they were out late.

Don't panic people it's not like we are going to lose the team if we fall in attendence. Osgood is right, it's expensive and may be this will be an eye opener to Moneybags as he puts it. But for me, I don't know if I'll be able to afford tickets once the new arena is built, the city of Detroit isn't going to pay for it. So get to a game, choke on the million dollar beers. You probably aren't going to like the new ticket prices when the new arena is built.

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

The Red Wings don't have to be the most popular thing in the world for me to like them...and it doesn't affect my pocket book. Mike should lower prices if it's affecting him.

This. Although it sucks seeing the empty seats, I think the Wings are as popular as they have always been. I think there are a lot of fans who are now out of state that simply can't make the games. Outside the Rangers I believe the Red Wings still have the highest national tv draw. I also recall reading somewhere that the Winged Wheel is the most recognized sports symbol in the world.

Mike still has the money from the fans, the fans spent it on the Tigers this year. And they probably will next year too. Baseball is just the new sport in this town, and as infuriating as it is to me that the Wings get very little respect for setting jaw dropping records in terms of winning and winning and winning and winning and winning, it is something I can learn to accept.

[OsGOD 3]

:rotflmao:

It's hilarious to hear Offsides rip this topic apart when OsGod is so passionate about it.

Jen, is OsGod talking too much about this at home?

I am actually on the same side as her... i think it is a piss poor debate about your Fan-ness or the support of the wings by comparing it to the amount of people paying outrageous amounts for 2-1/2 hours of entertainment. OHNO it was opening night and they didn't sell out... Um hello it was the effing ducks! I care about seeing that team so much i almost passed out. Apart from Bert I have no interest in that team ever.

I will always side with the fans and not with owners or media BOOOHOOOing cause their billions were lowered by a few pennies. Sorry folks the joe isn't sold out... put up or shut up! I say that alot about this subject. and I follow suit... I am not dishing out the cash to go, and i am not complaining about it either.

Let's really look at the other teams in Motown

Pistons - wait they aren't in Motown and like most of Detroit they stole the name Detroit. Prices aren't that much different and I've never been to a game, but fights break out there just as much as at the wings game.

Lions- Selling out their games. Lets see 8 games???? So if you want to see a game your choice is limited. They too just had an article in the paper, need to sell more tickets so the game wouldn't be blacked out in Detroit, there's no threat of that at JLA.

Tigers- Oh they had over three million ohhhh yeaaa! Let's see no school so there are tons of school kids going. You don't have to worry about school the next day. Tons of Church groups, boy scouts, girl scouts, safty patrol, from all over the state comeing. It's cheaper for a family to go to a Tiger game then to go on summer vacation. Yes I know they have a good team, and were in the chase to the end. I too will take my kids to a game during the beautiful sunny days, were I don't have to dress them for the cold or worry about how they'll act in school the next day because they were out late.

Don't panic people it's not like we are going to lose the team if we fall in attendence. Osgood is right, it's expensive and may be this will be an eye opener to Moneybags as he puts it. But for me, I don't know if I'll be able to afford tickets once the new arena is built, the city of Detroit isn't going to pay for it. So get to a game, choke on the million dollar beers. You probably aren't going to like the new ticket prices when the new arena is built.

hehe you may want to remove an "o" cause i wouldn't want him coming in here and saying, "huh, we did i say that?" haha

Edited October 4, 2007 by OsGOD

[Dabura 12,207]

The trade deadline shall make it all better.

(I hope)

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I am actually on the same side as her... i think it is a piss poor debate about your Fan-ness or the support of the wings by comparing it to the amount of people paying outrageous amounts for 2-1/2 hours of entertainment. OHNO it was opening night and they didn't sell out... Um hello it was the effing ducks! I care about seeing that team so much i almost passed out. Apart from Bert I have no interest in that team ever.

I will always side with the fans and not with owners or media BOOOHOOOing cause their billions were lowered by a few pennies. Sorry folks the joe isn't sold out... put up or shut up! I say that alot about this subject. and I follow suit... I am not dishing out the cash to go, and i am not complaining about it either.

No worries OsGod. I was just having a little fun with it. It was just funny to see Jen come in and make that comment on a patented OsGod subject.

Cheers

The trade deadline shall make it all better.

(I hope)

The Wings added Bert and Calder, and that didn't do a thing. From what I recall, the Wings didn't sell out a single home game during the 07 playoffs.

How is this years trade deadline going to be any different than last years?

Edited October 4, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[Wing-in-avs-town 123]

There have been many good points brought up in this thread, however, I really don't think it has anything to do with the NA-vs European players or that the wings are boring & predictable. You want boring, the Devils own the market on that! The fact is the averge "Joe" hockey fan can't afford to go a game. Heck, I bought the center ice package for what I would of spent to go to the Avs game last night. This will be felt by all the teams in the league this season. The avs had their 1st non sell-out opening day, since they've been here. So I don't think its a "hockeytown" thing as much as its a money crunch for the fan.

Edited October 4, 2007 by Wing-in-avs-town

[Guest MrSandMan]

I can speak for me. I live in Big Rapids Michigan. Home of Ferris State, where Chris Kunitz from the ducks played before stardom.

Me and my girl went to a Ducks/Wings game last year. We won 1-0 (boring game) and our seats SUCKED ASS! We had obstruction viewing seats. I was very disappointed. Those seats shouldn't even be allowed to be sold!

With that said. We Paid over $300 for a Suite and $20 for parking. Long exhausting ride back and forth. (8hrs round trip). All in All- That trip cost us over $600.00 (a 48 hr vacation for $600. WTF!?!?!)

Not worth it! I'd rather stay home and watch the game from the big screen... or go down to this cool little hockey pub locally and celebrate a win with friends.

What actually pisses me off was there were HUNDREDS of empty seats in good viewing areas.. I wanted to steal one (as nobody was using them) and the JLA staff wouldn't let us. Bull s***!

Unless I can get a front row seat for under $40 bucks. I wont go again. Or if JLA can set up a couples package for a 3 day stay at a nice motel for under $300 with a game and food... then I would do it.

But to pay $600 for an exhausting 48 hr vacation isn't worth it.

Lastly, we tried to sneak into the VIP room in the basement.. and security wouldn't let us meet the boys. BULLs***!

I'm staying home from now on! It's more fun watching the game at the Pub!

[Gizmo 21]

The article in The Detroit News where someone from the Wing's ticket office saying that the $44 seats aren't selling hit it right on the head.

$44 for seats in the upper bowl all the way up to row 20. Its wrong. I pay under $20 to sit 11 rows from the field at Comerica Park, but you have to pay $44 to sit way up at The Joe?

These seat prices need to be cut in half. Then, the upper bowl will fill up.

Of course the problem is that they are likely "stuck" with the situation this season. If they suddenly cut prices, that'll tick off the people that have already coughed up the current prices for seat for the games already released... as well as season ticket holders. They'd have to come up with some convoluted "refund" or "credit" system to try and keep those folks from getting restless.

If you really want a good barometer of what's the "right" ticket prices for JLA, watch StubHub! The secondary market is where to good data is at!

[OsGOD 3]

What actually pisses me off was there were HUNDREDS of empty seats in good viewing areas.. I wanted to steal one (as nobody was using them) and the JLA staff wouldn't let us. Bull s***!

you bring up a very good point. The Vipers (god rest their awesome souls) would hardly ever sell out the palace... but they looked it on tv. Why because the folks at the Palace would have their workers scour the upper bowl to find fans and move them down to fill up the lower bowl. in areas where they camerea will show and nobody except ******* media writers looking to start a fight would know the wiser.

We were the receprient of a move down from the upper the lower during several occasions during the lockout... heck me and my friends even got in Sport Illustrated during one of the games... about the NHL lockout (no not the most recent one)

If moneybags really did have an issue with the perception of his team he would be doing someting like 1) lowering prices or B) moving around people to make the arena seem more full.

and like you said, those $9 should not even be allowed to go on sale they are horrible, let alone when they were $22 up to this year. Its like saying, I didn't RAISE ticket prices again, but not letting on that he did cut 2% of the joe bucks to over 16,000 season ticket holders. Its all perception that is the ONLY reason those $9 are offered to the public... to perceive that he is doing his part to lower prices to get people to come... Sorry that is still not good enough.

So yeah movin' on.

[Offsides 21]

Don't get me wrong...I get sick of hearing fans complain about anything...but this topic is older than old...and imo no argument...either go or don't. But what's the point about whining what other fans do. Maybe they're all bandwagoners....or maybe they're poor....whatever the case, it really doesn't affect anyone.