Everything's groovy, NHL says

by James Mirtle on Nov 3, 2008 4:16 PM CST Comment 17 comments

It's the end of the opening month of the season, time for another perky press release from the brass at NHL headquarters in New York:

The National Hockey League just completed a record October that saw more fans attend and tune in to games than ever -- while being treated to close games, more scoring and some spectacular individual performances.

The per-game attendance average of 17,388 and the percent of capacity (94.1%) set NHL records. It was the first time in League history that average October attendance surpassed 17,000 per game. October's total attendance was up 3.1% over October, 2007. Leading the way were dramatic percentage increases in Chicago (+71%) and Washington (+24%).

Just to provide a wee bit of balance, however, here is a look at some of the not so rosy numbers in the attendance column so far.

Seven teams have higher attendance so far than last season's full year average:

	Teams	2008	2009	Change
1	Chicago	16,814	21,416	4,602
2	Washington	15,472	17,509	2,037
3	St. Louis	17,610	18,913	1,303
4	Detroit	18,870	19,802	932
5	Phoenix	14,820	15,376	556
6	Carolina	16,633	17,002	369
7	San Jose	17,411	17,496	85

Five other teams have posted identical attendance to last season's average: Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota, Montreal and Vancouver. They all sellout every game.

All 18 other teams? Their attendance is down, in come cases way down. Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Ottawa and Nashville are averaging 1,000 fewer fans a game this season to this point, and Columbus and New Jersey aren't far behind.

(Keep in mind that I'm using the ESPN figures and that the European games are skewing things a bit for four teams involved here. Buffalo is down only because the Winter Classic totals are included in last year's numbers and is otherwise doing fine.)

	Teams	2008	2009	Change
13	NY Islanders	13,640	13,528	-112
14	Dallas	18,038	17,909	-129
15	NY Rangers	18,200	18,060	-140
16	Toronto	19,434	19,232	-202
17	Anaheim	17,193	16,948	-245
18	Boston	15,384	15,114	-270
19	Colorado	16,842	16,552	-290
20	Philadelphia	19,556	19,215	-341
21	Florida	15,436	15,078	-358
22	Pittsburgh	17,076	16,498	-578
23	Columbus	14,823	13,977	-846
24	New Jersey	15,564	14,708	-856
25	Nashville	14,910	13,886	-1,024
26	Ottawa	19,821	18,682	-1,139
27	Los Angeles	16,606	15,465	-1,141
28	Buffalo	19,950	18,590	-1,360
29	Atlanta	15,831	13,260	-2,571
30	Tampa Bay	18,692	16,015	-2,677

The season's a month old and four teams are already under 14,000 fans a game, including Nashville, which is trying to get over that target as part of its lease arrangements. Revenue sharing also becomes a problem for teams that have very low attendance like this.

That's not in the press release.

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Kings Attendance

has been brutal so far. Can’t say I blame ’em for not showing up.

by RudyKelly on Nov 3, 2008 4:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Saw Pat Sajak on TV the other day at the Kings game. They had to repair the glass in front of him from a puck/hit or something.

I know this comment doesn’t pertain to anything, but hey – Sajak supports LA hockey.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Nov 3, 2008 6:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Remember, It's October

You’re comparing apples & oranges, James, by comparing current figures to 2007-8 total season averages. The NHL release is talking about October’s figures relative to previous Octobers.

In Nashville, for example, October & November are tough months due to the college and pro football seasons. After the New Year attendance picks up considerably. I haven’t gotten my hands on last year’s game-by-game numbers, but I believe Nashville is close to, or marginally higher than, where they stood at a comparable point last season.

by Dirk Hoag on Nov 3, 2008 5:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

That’s definitely noted here.

But for a lot of these markets, it’s not a question of it being October hurting them at the gate. Tampa, Atlanta and LA have all had massive decreases in ticket sales in terms of season’s tickets and packages and that’s what’s dragging things down in the early going.

by James Mirtle on Nov 3, 2008 6:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I hear you, James, but I think the table, and the way you lay it out, implies that the majority of the league is in a downturn, and I doubt that’s the case. I’d say it’s more of a situation where some markets that are giving fans a reason to get excited (Chicago & Washington in particular) are getting rewarded at the gate, and those that are disappointing them (Atlanta, L.A.) are getting punished. That’s the way it should be.

by Dirk Hoag on Nov 3, 2008 8:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed. This post is about spotting attendance trends early and providing some balance to the “good news!” the NHL is trumpeting. Nothing more.

by James Mirtle on Nov 3, 2008 8:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow; I just noticed a neat feature of this site; your reply just showed up without my having to refresh the page… very Web 2.0!

It is a funny thing, though, how hockey fans, who want their sport to grow and succeed, react to hearing a positive press release from the NHL by dissecting it and look for a gruesome truth that’s being overlooked. I presume that it’s a holdover from the bad old lockout days, when fan interests were tossed on the pyre as billionaires squabbled with millionaires. It’ll take a long time to erase that memory (or about five minutes if Gary Bettman stepped down).

by Dirk Hoag on Nov 3, 2008 8:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not sure I’d characterize myself as a hockey fan looking for gruesome truth. I just don’t think the reality of the situation is as rosy as what’s being touted here.

Games in Atlanta, Long Island and LA have been empty so far this season, and the Panthers are comping tickets like no one’s business.

by James Mirtle on Nov 3, 2008 9:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can’t wait until we don’t have to hear about how football depresses NHL attendance anymore. If a city can’t support sports that play on different dates and have wildly difference price points (and the Predators have been pretty good lately) then maybe they don’t deserve a team.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Nov 3, 2008 7:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Sure we don’t really have major college football but Buffalo does have the Sabres and the Bills in an economically depressed area, still Ralph Wilson Stadium is sold out every Sunday and HSBC Arena is sold out for just about every game as well. The football excuse seems like a cop out to me.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com

by David Oleksy on Nov 4, 2008 9:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

here’s an actual journalist, someone willing to dig deeper than the press release. look for nhl’s press release to be in newspapers across the continent, glossed over by some hack who never looked deeper.

luckily, we know where to find your hockey news where it’s more than just a squib.

Don't be afraid to take a few steps back, but you better keep moving forward.

by wlittle on Nov 3, 2008 11:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

San Jose has sold out all its games this year (and was close last year), so it can’t increase any more. I do think the economy is a factor. People aren’t going to scrape together money to watch a team that is struggling.

I’m surprised to see Detroit with an increase.

by makfan on Nov 4, 2008 2:40 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'm surprised, too.

Did the Wings decrease the ticket price, or did the Stanley Cup really give them momentum? I mean, the automotive industry in that city has been failing for years. Add to that the more recent struggles…how the heck is that happening?

by Doogie2K on Nov 4, 2008 8:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

NJ

I was at the Devils/Sabres game last night and from the attendance it seemed like I was watching a Trenton Devils game not an NHL team. It was actually pretty demoralizing even though I was rooting for the Sabs (yes I realize its November and a Monday game but still…).

The population of Pominville keeps rising!

by Blackcapricorn on Nov 4, 2008 8:39 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

It's not just New Jersey

it is happening in many NHL cities. I’m glad you seen a good game.

Go Sabres!

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com

by David Oleksy on Nov 4, 2008 9:04 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Things are not that great in Buffalo

While that big drop is due to the winter classic, attendence is down a bit in Buffalo. The team has only been 100-200 short of a sell out most nights, but two years ago they had sold out every game in the season at this point.

Blue and Gold (of Buffalo)

by Ebscer on Nov 4, 2008 6:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I’ll say I was really bothered by the attendance the other night for the Sabres/Devils game. Maybe its the fact that FIOS doesn’t carry MSG or MSG+ in HD here in NJ and that I watched that game on VS HD…but it was very noticeable that attendance was not very high…Thank god Shaq showed up!!

by DarrenS on Nov 5, 2008 2:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs