The Buzz is Gone in Hockeytown (W/ Article)

[ManLuv4Clears 7]

We as hard core fans that spend time talking about this team online need to look at the situation with our blinders off too. Red Wings hockey in Detroit and the surrounding area isn't as popular as you all make it out to be. Anyone that listens to sports radio in the area can attest to this. The Lions, Tigers, and Pistons all get more press and coverage than the Wings. 97.1 spends most of it's day talking about whether or not the Lions are going to take Stafford with the first overall pick in the draft. Last year at BW3's in Warren I had to convince a waitress to put a Wings playoff game on a TV because they had everything showing the NFL draft, the Tigers game, and a Pistons playoff game. Granted, there will be some people at the bar watching the games and enjoying it, but it's not as hardcore as we all make it out to be. It's simple supply and demand, there's an over supply of high priced tickets, and no demand for them at regular season price let alone playoff pricing. No offense peeps, but not everyone out there loves this team and the game as the people posting on lgw.com.

[OsGOD 3]

It's simple supply and demand, there's an over supply of high priced tickets, and no demand for them at regular season price let alone playoff pricing. No offense peeps, but not everyone out there loves this team and the game as the people posting on lgw.com.

yeah i was pissed to see the promotional $30 tickets and the lower end of the price range sold out!

[Nic 59]

I'm with ya OsGOD.

As everyone else said. The buzz is far from gone in Hockeytown. The buzz is as loud as ever. Poke your head into any BW3 or sports bar or one of the many houses having a playoff party. The only thing that's gone is butts in seats at JLA. So we've been in the playoffs for many, many years. So we're spoiled. We still love our team and watch the games enthusiastically. It's MUCH more effective to gather up al your friends in front of a TV and spend $15 bucks on a case of beer/$20 on a bar tab than it is to spend bare minimum $75+ (just ticket gas and parking nothing else) to go down to the Joe. If my bank, car insurance company and cell phone provider would like to give me a 'special Wings are in the playoffs and are playing to a half empty arena' pass on my bills this month, I'll pony up and buy a ticket.

It's much more possible at all for most of us to split a case of beer with some friends and turn on the tv and yell and cheer at it. Every single person that comes over here to watch games would MUCH rather be at JLA. It's just not possible for any of us. Half of my friends and family are on unemployment/desparately seeking work/working damn near minimum wage jobs. Anyway, enough of that.

The point that I'm trying to make is that it's not that many, many people DON'T WANT TO go to the games. It's that they CAN'T. The buzz is alive and well. The cash flow and job market are what are dead.

Edited April 16, 2009 by Nic

[Guest Shoreline]

Did you bother checking the "overall" category.... The Wings are in 2nd place among your oh so special % symbol. So what is the problem here? Sounds like a bunch of bitching and moaning to me.

LOL. Why would I click Overall (i.e. to include arenas from other cities) when we're talking about Detroit?

Damn that was funny.

Edited April 16, 2009 by Shoreline

[OsGOD 3]

I'm with ya OsGOD.

As everyone else said. The buzz is far from gone in Hockeytown. The buzz is as loud as ever. Poke your head into any BW3 or sports bar or one of the many houses having a playoff party. The only thing that's gone is butts in seats at JLA. So we've been in the playoffs for many, many years. So we're spoiled. We still love our team and watch the games enthusiastically. It's MUCH more effective to gather up al your friends in front of a TV and spend $15 bucks on a case of beer/$20 on a bar tab than it is to spend bare minimum $75+ (just ticket gas and parking nothing else) to go down to the Joe. If my bank, car insurance company and cell phone provider would like to give me a 'special Wings are in the playoffs and are playing to a half empty arena' pass on my bills this month, I'll pony up and buy a ticket.

It's much more possible at all for most of us to split a case of beer with some friends and turn on the tv and yell and cheer at it. Every single person that comes over here to watch games would MUCH rather be at JLA. It's just not possible for any of us. Half of my friends and family are on unemployment/desparately seeking work/working damn near minimum wage jobs. Anyway, enough of that.

The point that I'm trying to make is that it's not that many, many people DON'T WANT TO go to the games. It's that they CAN'T. The buzz is alive and well. The cash flow and job market are what are dead.

A ******* men!

Got a 65" TV this year to watch the games from my couch... rock on

Edited April 16, 2009 by OsGOD

[Doc Holiday 0]

This is my point Shoreline. 100% my point, it's a real 'F.U.' to the state of Detroit that the Illitches kept the price at $105 a ticket for FIRST ROUND. They want a sold out place? $50 a ticket, first come first serve arena wide. They'd make up the difference in beer and LITTLE CEASAR pizza.

I already told you ticket prices in Detroit are relatively low compared to other arenas.

I don't think Illitch is the problem.

[ilmickeyli 40]

I'm 2 hours away from the Joe, and usually see several playoff games a year.. Until I see some desire out of them, I'm not going to go. Not going to spend 300-400 one night on arrangements, tickets, food/beer, to have them not show up.

[Mike 0]

Saying the Joe will be 50% full tonight is just stupid. It will be more than 50% full, but it won't be sold out. Just because the arena isn't full doesn't mean that no one supports the team. A family of 4 doesn't necessarily have $500 to drop on a hockey game. I'm willing to bet that that money goes to feeding and clothing the family before it goes to a hockey game. Feeding your family > hockey game. Anyone who thinks otherwise is stupid. Try to get one of the cheaper $30 tickets and you can't. They are sold out. It's not a question of support, but a question of price.

There are plenty of ways to support our Red Wings besides going to the arena. We will always love our Red Wings, that's why we are Hockeytown. Once this economic crap is over with and people have some extra money, the Joe will be full once more.

Edited April 16, 2009 by Mike

[Hank 0]

This is my point Shoreline. 100% my point, it's a real 'F.U.' to the state of Detroit that the Illitches kept the price at $105 a ticket for FIRST ROUND. They want a sold out place? $50 a ticket, first come first serve arena wide. They'd make up the difference in beer and LITTLE CEASAR pizza.

No kidding!

Even if I wanted to take just my wife or a buddy to the game, I can't afford a $150 night.

Everyone knows that with a $100 ticket comes parking, concessions, etc. It's nearly impossible to go to a Wings game and not buy a $40 hotdog and pop.

Illitch is obviously senile. $105 for a seat 12 rows back is more like 3rd round material in this economy, if not Stanley Cup pricing.

Good luck with that Mikey.

There's nothing better than watching a game live, but compared to a $105 ticket, in a SMALL seat, my comfy couch, beer fridge and beautiful 52" 1080p HDTV does pretty good. And I get to eat all I want and watch the game with my wife and two sons.

GO WINGS!

There are plenty of ways to support the Red Wings besides going to the arena. We will always love the Red Wings, that's why we are Hockeytown. Once this economic crap is over with and people have some extra money, the Joe will be full once more.

Nicely put. Unfortunately, I think a great majority of lower bowl tickets are owned by corporations like the Big 3 or companies that live off the Big 3's contracts.

Until the economy rebounds and large corporations don't mind shelling out for these prices, the lower bowl will either be empty or filled with people who bought standing room only tickets.

Edited April 16, 2009 by Hank

[Heaton 1]

50% full arena is a pretty massive hyperbole.

P.S. this is the same article they fun every year in the 1st round.

[Nero 20]

I just did a search for NINE TICKETS TOGETHER and BAM! Row 9. Ouch.

I just did a search for OVER NINE THOUSAND TICKETS TOGETHER and BAM! But, seriously. I'm sure everyone here would go if they could afford to.

[amsoil33 13]

http://www.stubhub.com/detroit-red-wings-p...16-2009-779161/

[Mike 0]

I just did a search for OVER NINE THOUSAND TICKETS TOGETHER and BAM! But, seriously. I'm sure everyone here would go if they could afford to.

Damn straight. The only reason I am going is because I know someone who has a suite and I can go for free. If it wasn't for that, I would be at home rooting on the Wings. I'm a poor student and $100 a ticket is not in my budget.

[ManLuv4Clears 7]

You do realize stub hub is just a third party broker site and you can go onto ticketmaster.com and see the number of tickets available.

[wingfan1991 221]

http://www.stubhub.com/detroit-red-wings-p...16-2009-779161/

few hrs ago i was on the site, and it showed 36 tix available, now its at 10. and yes we know stubhub is 3rd party, but still nice to see tix are moving regardless.

just checked ticketmaster and doesnt seem like any tix are avilable for tonight (unless im doing something wrong)? check the link http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0800425B...mp;minorcatid=9

Edited April 16, 2009 by wingfan1991

[Hossa7.4 0]

This really bothers me that there may be more BJs in the JLA than in the parking lot.

But i hate when people say it's because of the game the Wings play. Wings games get tons of viewers on TV, and the natinoal ggames are among the best rated. We've been selling out seats for years with the Euro style of play, and only started dipping last season, when the economy tanked in Michigan even worse than before. And, surprise surprise, when the national economy followed they're selling less.

It's economics, plain and simple.

I agree with everything you said, I also think it's the fact that we've been so good for so long -- that does take some of the "shine" off of things. If we hadn't been in the PO's for 10 years people would be more excited. Guaranteed. People trying to twist this into a Euro thing or no fighting thing are just playing politics.

another thing that really bothers me is the JLA offered Jacket Backers **discounted** tickets to this game but the Wings organisation can't do that for it's own fans?

How many people showed up for the free SC parade last year, 1.5 million? Don't tell me Detroit doesn't love their Wings. Better than 18,000 in the area parking lot like some franchises.

[ShanahanMan 473]

I can't wait to see Don Cherry not shut the f*** up about this.

[Nic 59]

I agree with everything you said, I also think it's the fact that we've been so good for so long -- that does take some of the "shine" off of things. If we hadn't been in the PO's for 10 years people would be more excited. Guaranteed. People trying to twist this into a Euro thing or no fighting thing are just playing politics.

another thing that really bothers me is the JLA offered Jacket Backers **discounted** tickets to this game but the Wings organisation can't do that for it's own fans?

How many people showed up for the free SC parade last year, 1.5 million? Don't tell me Detroit doesn't love their Wings. Better than 18,000 in the area parking lot like some franchises.

I agree with you 1,000%, especially about the JLA and Jacket Backers thing.

And i think the attendance of the parade last year should be case and point about this whole damn thing. If we win again this year I expect the turn out will be pretty damn close to the same. Case and point again.

[Frozen-Man 144]

If people didn't go see their team play because they thought the team was boring, the Minnesota Wild would be playing in an empty arena 9 out of 10 nights.

Spoiled fans + high ticket prices + less than exciting opponent + bad economy = empty seats.

QFT

[joshy207 156]

I already told you ticket prices in Detroit are relatively low compared to other arenas.

I don't think Illitch is the problem.

Incomes are also higher in many other cities. A job in Detroit that pays $25K will pay $32K in Chicago and over $40K in New York and California. Relatively speaking, Red Wings ticket prices are high. Attendance at the Joe was s***ty in the 2nd half of last season and in the early playoff rounds. I figured Ilitch and his new marketing genius would have seen the problem and cut ticket prices drastically this year. Instead they raised prices, so attendance woes continued. It will continue to get worse until the economy rebounds or the Wings slash ticket prices.

[Heaton 1]

Vancouver even had empty seats last night and they didn't make the playoffs a year ago.

[Holmstrom96 347]

I picked up five tickets to Game 2 for $47 dollars each (adding in extra charges). I'm up in 203B Row 26, yeah, it's up there, but I'm happy with it.

It's sad they are having issues selling tickets, but they are way too expensive. I love hockey above all, but I go to more baseball games because it cost 75% less than hockey.

[jollymania 162]

its because most wings fans who want to go dont live in MI, not all wings fans would pass seeing playoff games. I am going to at least 1 this year hopefully despite being in another state

[Guest MrSandMan]

Last year my wife and I went to see the Wings (vs Ducks) during a regular season game. Our tickets were repetitively cheap, like $35 each (I think), but we could literally touch the wall behind us and there was this big thing blocking our view. The seats were so horrible that they shouldn't even charge for them... in fact, there shouldn't even be seats there.

Even though we planned the game way in advanced, it was still hard to schedule a room... but we did manage to find a decent place to stay downtown detroit (Antheneum Suite -- which was kind of getto, actually). So, all-in-all the entire trip with food, gas, shelter and the game cost over $600.

To be honest, the experience was horrible for the money. I'd rather watch the game on TV and actually get to SEE the game, rather than some stupid obstruction. I wanted to move down to empty seats that nobody claimed, but there was Joe Louis staff everywhere!

So, if it makes me a less of fan because I refuse to pay that kind of money to see a game, then so be it. I'd rather spend the money in Traverse City and stay at the Grand Traverse Resort; in the Tower... and eat good food. Or I'd rather go on a cruise with my hard-earned money.

I'll watch the game on TV or go to a playoff game, but won't spend more than $15 for tickets, as long as I am close enough to high-five a player as they're walking back to the dressing room. Anything less, f*ck no!

Edited April 16, 2009 by MrSandMan

[DatsyukianDeak 0]

We are spoiled in Detroit with the Wings, It is hard to spend money to go see them in a first round playoff game, most people don't want to go until the Finals or Semi-Finals. I for one dont have the extra $250 bucks to spend on a Game One ticket. Free tickets or cheap tickets I am always up for. They need to get the ball rolling on a new arena as well, the Joe is 33 years old and in major need of updates or something to entice fans to check it out. The halls of the Joe representing the Wings of old and the current ones on each pillar as you walk around it. The old school scoreboard that hangs in the rafters that is fully outdated. Going to the game in Nashville seeing there arena almost 9years old now was amazing. Spending 8.50 for a beer, 13.50 for a 5 dollar hot and ready, if your lucky enough to figure out where to park the cheapest your getting it is 5 dollars with a long walk through Cobo outside and up the 7 million stairs in to the entrance.