Poor boys no more
Feb 21, 2004 9:33:24 GMT -5
Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Feb 21, 2004 9:33:24 GMT -5
"In general, Canada is a pretty good place to have a hockey team," Levitt said last week. "The media is very supportive, the community is extremely supportive. I think Canada is a great place to have a team."
The reasons for the changing fortunes of Canada's clubs are simple. First, there is the rise in currency, over which they had no control. But the previously low dollar also forced Canadian teams to be operated prudently in most cases.
Meanwhile, the appeal of hockey has faded in many U.S. markets, particularly those where the sport is new...
One major advantage all Canadian teams have is the deep-seeded loyalty of their fans. Compare that to U.S. markets, such as Florida, Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix and Carolina, where interest is on a steady decrease and thousands of seats sit empty most every night.
And while the attendance in those cities looks bad on paper, it's even worse in reality. Sources confirm that announced NHL attendance figures represent ticket distribution, including giveaways, and not the number of people in the stands. Which explains how the NHL can claim the Florida Panthers' attendance this season has been only 600 fans a game less than that of the Calgary Flames, despite obvious evidence to the contrary.
"If you got a turnstile attendance for many of those teams, it's terrifying," a source said...
"The NHL is nowhere without the Canadian teams, and they know it," said Joel Cohen, a Canadian living in the United States who publishes a monthly newsletter for teams called Hockey Business and Marketing Strategies. "The NHL needs to be in markets where there is a large interest in the game."...
One major difference between U.S. and Canadian markets seems to be how teams north of the border can sustain fan interest during down times. That's important in a gate-driven league where nearly half the teams don't make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, even some U.S. teams that have reached the Stanley Cup final, such as Carolina, Florida. Washington and Anaheim, have seen very little payoff long term.
Carolina provides the most dramatic example of that. Less than two years removed from a Stanley Cup final berth, the Hurricanes are dead last in attendance, despite being the most affordable night out for a family of four in the entire league...
- article
The reasons for the changing fortunes of Canada's clubs are simple. First, there is the rise in currency, over which they had no control. But the previously low dollar also forced Canadian teams to be operated prudently in most cases.
Meanwhile, the appeal of hockey has faded in many U.S. markets, particularly those where the sport is new...
One major advantage all Canadian teams have is the deep-seeded loyalty of their fans. Compare that to U.S. markets, such as Florida, Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix and Carolina, where interest is on a steady decrease and thousands of seats sit empty most every night.
And while the attendance in those cities looks bad on paper, it's even worse in reality. Sources confirm that announced NHL attendance figures represent ticket distribution, including giveaways, and not the number of people in the stands. Which explains how the NHL can claim the Florida Panthers' attendance this season has been only 600 fans a game less than that of the Calgary Flames, despite obvious evidence to the contrary.
"If you got a turnstile attendance for many of those teams, it's terrifying," a source said...
"The NHL is nowhere without the Canadian teams, and they know it," said Joel Cohen, a Canadian living in the United States who publishes a monthly newsletter for teams called Hockey Business and Marketing Strategies. "The NHL needs to be in markets where there is a large interest in the game."...
One major difference between U.S. and Canadian markets seems to be how teams north of the border can sustain fan interest during down times. That's important in a gate-driven league where nearly half the teams don't make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, even some U.S. teams that have reached the Stanley Cup final, such as Carolina, Florida. Washington and Anaheim, have seen very little payoff long term.
Carolina provides the most dramatic example of that. Less than two years removed from a Stanley Cup final berth, the Hurricanes are dead last in attendance, despite being the most affordable night out for a family of four in the entire league...
- article
