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There aren’t many guarantees in life, politics or sports.
One assumed guarantee was a capacity crowd for an NHL playoff game in a Canadian city.
Ottawa fans are turning that notion on its ear.
For Thursday’s Round 2 opener against the New York Rangers, hundreds of empty seats were conspicuous at all three arena levels, a hot topic of discussion between whistles.
The development is stunning considering this is only the second time since 2007 the Senators have been among the final eight teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Just as the first sultry weather of the season screamed, ” Patio Bar!!” the Senators entertained the Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal. A crowd of 16,744 took in Ottawa’s 2-1 win at the Canadian Tire Centre, the smallest home gate this post-season by about 2,000. Official capacity is 18,572 but more than 20,000 attended Daniel Alfredsson night.
Seventy-five minutes before game time, the “Red Zone” was alive with fans, including a decent number in Rangers blue, but the lobby was quiet — crowds were longer in the outdoor face-paint lines than at the inside ticket windows.
A scalper outside Gate 1 reported that business was just OK. Like former Senators president Roy Mlakar used to say, the night of the week makes a difference in Ottawa. The scalper said weeknight games are tough even in the playoffs — “we’re just treading water” — Saturdays are better, partly because the out-of-town fans can get here.
“The locals, they like their good deals, the out-of-towners have the money,” he said. “Especially the New Yorkers. It’s nice to see those greenbacks.”
He forecasts better business for Saturday’s matinée.
Ottawa crowds are famously late-arriving, but some nights they don’t fill the joint. In what could only be viewed as a white flag of surrender, club staff left the top few rows of the 300 devoid of white rally towels. Unsold seats. Hundreds of other seats were adorned with towels that went unclaimed. Available to a good home.
How to explain it?
Welcome to the world of mini-game packs and slack season ticket sales in a grumpy government town. Senators fans have the luxury of picking their spots when it comes to attending playoff hockey games and are exercising that right. For civil servants with Phoenix pay issues that might mean going next year instead.
Now that the Senators are a two-round team, fans will have had the opportunity (or expense), by the end of this round, to see one of a half-dozen home games — there were three home dates in the Boston series. As someone in the press box quipped, “Too many games in April.” This was a November lament.
Ask yourself this question, because fans certainly do: Spend $96 for a 300-level seat plus $20-$30 for parking (a fan sore point) and $10 for a beer? Or catch the game for free on Elgin Street or the ByWard Market and enjoy a $7 domestic pint in 24C weather?
Nothing beats live playoff hockey. But the add-ons, the nightmare of getting parked and getting out of these suburban parking lots post-game, the higher ticket and parking costs of playoff hockey, are factors.
One of these years, spectators from the nation’s capital will be taking transit down to LeBreton Flats to watch Senators hockey in a new arena. Until that time, this is the reality. Hockey Night in Kanata.
Higher playoff pricing or not, Ottawa is one of the great bargains of the NHL. Of the remaining eight contending teams, the Senators offer the cheapest tickets this side of Anaheim, where the Ducks have to keep their prices down to be attractive in a non-hockey market.
Stubhub had CTC seats Thursday for as little as $46 U.S. ($62.50), meaning a diehard Senators fan could find a reasonable ticket without cashing in an RRSP.
This is no small luxury. Who among us hasn’t been in Montreal or Toronto on the day of a game and fretted over the obscene cost of buying a last-minute ticket, if there is a ticket available at all?
Senators fans have become a discerning bunch. It’s who they are. They didn’t load up on season tickets last summer, and even this compelling push by the local heroes can’t overcome the malaise.
Give fans here credit for not being the sheep who attended Maple Leafs games in the lost years from 2005-15. Empty seats can deliver a powerful message from consumers. But now is not the time.
Community pride is at stake. Ottawa shouldn’t have to rely on Leafs and Habs fans to fill their own building.
The players on the 2016-17 Senators have earned better support at their rink.
Surely it’s coming.
wscanlan@postmedia.com
查看原文...
One assumed guarantee was a capacity crowd for an NHL playoff game in a Canadian city.
Ottawa fans are turning that notion on its ear.
For Thursday’s Round 2 opener against the New York Rangers, hundreds of empty seats were conspicuous at all three arena levels, a hot topic of discussion between whistles.
The development is stunning considering this is only the second time since 2007 the Senators have been among the final eight teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Just as the first sultry weather of the season screamed, ” Patio Bar!!” the Senators entertained the Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal. A crowd of 16,744 took in Ottawa’s 2-1 win at the Canadian Tire Centre, the smallest home gate this post-season by about 2,000. Official capacity is 18,572 but more than 20,000 attended Daniel Alfredsson night.
Seventy-five minutes before game time, the “Red Zone” was alive with fans, including a decent number in Rangers blue, but the lobby was quiet — crowds were longer in the outdoor face-paint lines than at the inside ticket windows.
A scalper outside Gate 1 reported that business was just OK. Like former Senators president Roy Mlakar used to say, the night of the week makes a difference in Ottawa. The scalper said weeknight games are tough even in the playoffs — “we’re just treading water” — Saturdays are better, partly because the out-of-town fans can get here.
“The locals, they like their good deals, the out-of-towners have the money,” he said. “Especially the New Yorkers. It’s nice to see those greenbacks.”
He forecasts better business for Saturday’s matinée.
Ottawa crowds are famously late-arriving, but some nights they don’t fill the joint. In what could only be viewed as a white flag of surrender, club staff left the top few rows of the 300 devoid of white rally towels. Unsold seats. Hundreds of other seats were adorned with towels that went unclaimed. Available to a good home.
How to explain it?
Welcome to the world of mini-game packs and slack season ticket sales in a grumpy government town. Senators fans have the luxury of picking their spots when it comes to attending playoff hockey games and are exercising that right. For civil servants with Phoenix pay issues that might mean going next year instead.
Now that the Senators are a two-round team, fans will have had the opportunity (or expense), by the end of this round, to see one of a half-dozen home games — there were three home dates in the Boston series. As someone in the press box quipped, “Too many games in April.” This was a November lament.
Ask yourself this question, because fans certainly do: Spend $96 for a 300-level seat plus $20-$30 for parking (a fan sore point) and $10 for a beer? Or catch the game for free on Elgin Street or the ByWard Market and enjoy a $7 domestic pint in 24C weather?
Nothing beats live playoff hockey. But the add-ons, the nightmare of getting parked and getting out of these suburban parking lots post-game, the higher ticket and parking costs of playoff hockey, are factors.
One of these years, spectators from the nation’s capital will be taking transit down to LeBreton Flats to watch Senators hockey in a new arena. Until that time, this is the reality. Hockey Night in Kanata.
Higher playoff pricing or not, Ottawa is one of the great bargains of the NHL. Of the remaining eight contending teams, the Senators offer the cheapest tickets this side of Anaheim, where the Ducks have to keep their prices down to be attractive in a non-hockey market.
Stubhub had CTC seats Thursday for as little as $46 U.S. ($62.50), meaning a diehard Senators fan could find a reasonable ticket without cashing in an RRSP.
This is no small luxury. Who among us hasn’t been in Montreal or Toronto on the day of a game and fretted over the obscene cost of buying a last-minute ticket, if there is a ticket available at all?
Senators fans have become a discerning bunch. It’s who they are. They didn’t load up on season tickets last summer, and even this compelling push by the local heroes can’t overcome the malaise.
Give fans here credit for not being the sheep who attended Maple Leafs games in the lost years from 2005-15. Empty seats can deliver a powerful message from consumers. But now is not the time.
Community pride is at stake. Ottawa shouldn’t have to rely on Leafs and Habs fans to fill their own building.
The players on the 2016-17 Senators have earned better support at their rink.
Surely it’s coming.
wscanlan@postmedia.com
查看原文...
