TBN piece on sagging attendance, enthusiasm in arena

[Claude_Verret]

Ok, I'm in my mid 30s and find myself wanting to go back to the days of the Aud. The game was different, the fans were different, and the place always seemed to have a buzz. It could be that I was a kid just getting into hockey but every game was entertaining.

 

I also remember the atmosphere in the goat head years, where we made playoff runs, as electric. A favorite memory was starting a "Ray Borque sucks" chant during the '99 Bruins series. That was a blast!

 

I think the primary issue is that the average fan's attitude toward actively participating in the game/atmosphere has nearly vanished. With Jumbotrons, cell phones, and mega sound systems endlessly blasting ###### rock the fan has been pushed further and further into the role of a passive consumer. IMO the best part of any game is being part of a sustained "Let's go Buffalo" chant. It's hard to pull that off these days, unless the fans bring it during a lengthy run of play. It would also help for the current team to play some playoff hockey to bring some more energy but I see the issue being more connected with fan attitude/expectation.

 

I fully intend on pissing off Avs fans here in Denver with plenty of "Let's go Buffalo" chants next month. Maybe some of you can join me.

I think you've pretty much nailed it. The last canes game I attended they had the customary blaring pop dance music going, and most everyone stared at the jumbotron watching as kids <12 did their best dancing to get their snippet of fame. In the middle of these quick shots of young kids having a blast, they stopped at a row of 20 somethings, probably 8 or so, every one either staring or typing furiously away on their cell phones.

[TrueBlueGED]

Yeah. I don't know that Buffalo's ever been in the same league as Montreal. Greatest hockey city in the world.

I'll make you $5 richer if you pull a John McLane in Die Hard 3 and walk through downtown Toronto with a "Montreal: greatest hockey city in the world" sign on.

[Eleven]

I'll make you $5 richer if you pull a John McLane in Die Hard 3 and walk through downtown Toronto with a "Montreal: greatest hockey city in the world" sign on.

 

No one would notice.

[That Aud Smell]

I'll make you $5 richer if you pull a John McLane in Die Hard 3 and walk through downtown Toronto with a "Montreal: greatest hockey city in the world" sign on.

Oh . I would do that, too.

 

The assertion has the advantage of being true, btw.

No one would notice.

Maybe not in GTO's financial district. But maybe in Mississauga.

[PASabreFan]

Yeah. I don't know that Buffalo's ever been in the same league as Montreal. Greatest hockey city in the world.

Wanna go Rust Belt then? Pittsburgh, Detroit, Columbus, all these buildings put us to shame. Nashville, too. And St. Louis. There's just something amiss here. Kind of hard to put your finger on. I've heard people say the fans in Buffalo are so focused they have no energy to cheer or get excited, they are so transfixed by the game. I call BS on that one.

[#freejame]

Wanna go Rust Belt then? Pittsburgh, Detroit, Columbus, all these buildings put us to shame. Nashville, too. And St. Louis. There's just something amiss here. Kind of hard to put your finger on. I've heard people say the fans in Buffalo are so focused they have no energy to cheer or get excited, they are so transfixed by the game. I call BS on that one.

When searching for Pittsburgh Penguins arena atmosphere, this was the first link that came up-- http://www.pittsburghsportingnews.com/greiss-pens-arena-pretty-dead/28239

Searching for Detroit atmosphere, most things point to it being lousy and uninspiring, though I couldn't find any recent articles one way or the other.

 

Columbus, Nashville and St. Louis all have great reviews for their arenas though both through fan-sites and in the press. Then again, the Cardinals have a great atmosphere at Busch so that don't surprise me. Columbus and Nashville both aren't traditional markets and go out of their way for the fan experience, which is highlighted when googling them. I'd rather not have the gimmicks personally, though I like the cannon in Columbus. 

[That Aud Smell]

I'm not sure all of those buildings put Buffalo to shame.

 

In my eyes, the team simply needs to reestablish itself as a playoff team. If that doesn't fix the arena atmosphere issues, then the matter can be revisited.

[Sabel79]

Columbus also has the advantage of an outstanding arena in the middle of a very fun area.  Been to a few games there, it's a well-managed experience overall.  Imagine if they had a good team to play in it...

[wjag]

Shooting fish in a barrel by using Montreal, but I agree. 

 

True.

 

I figured if the Habs could get excited about the Devils, they would be raucous against just about anyone else.  Their audience is full of corporate types and kids.

[PASabreFan]

I'm not sure all of those buildings put Buffalo to shame.

 

In my eyes, the team simply needs to reestablish itself as a playoff team. If that doesn't fix the arena atmosphere issues, then the matter can be revisited.

This was a topic in 2010 and 2011 too, though I'm sure eleven wouldn't agree. (Well, he might agree it was a topic.) It shouldn't come down to having a winning team, anyway. Not if Buffalo is the hockey town it's said to be. Not to mention that a true home ice advantage can mean a few points here and there and MAKE the Sabres a playoff team.

[Eleven]

This was a topic in 2010 and 2011 too, though I'm sure eleven wouldn't agree. (Well, he might agree it was a topic.) It shouldn't come down to having a winning team, anyway. Not if Buffalo is the hockey town it's said to be. Not to mention that a true home ice advantage can mean a few points here and there and MAKE the Sabres a playoff team.

 

Notice that The Buffalo News wasn't publishing articles about it in 2010 and 2011?

 

I also can't agree w/ many of the other cities you listed above.  They sound the same.

[SwampD]

The only arena I've been to that stood out as being different than all the rest was the Garden.

It was packed and it was loud,… and they were playing the Sabres.

[Eleven]

The only arena I've been to that stood out as being different than all the rest was the Garden.

It was packed and it was loud,… and they were playing the Sabres.

 

I've been to MSG, ACC, and whatever they call MCI Center now; the only time I noticed any of them to be significantly more energetic than the average night at FNC was a semi-finals game at MCI.  The Rags game was a place to be seen, the Leaves crowd is Chet and Muffy all the way up to the rafters, and the Caps didn't have fans when I lived there.

[SwampD]

I've been to MSG, ACC, and whatever they call MCI Center now; the only time I noticed any of them to be significantly more energetic than the average night at FNC was a semi-finals game at MCI.  The Rags game was a place to be seen, the Leaves crowd is Chet and Muffy all the way up to the rafters, and the Caps didn't have fans when I lived there.

It's now the Verizon Center. I went there when they had fans. Very similar to FNC.

The Mausoleum on the LI, same.

The Rock in NJ. I'm pretty sure if you were on the upper tier and saw a friend across the ice in the 100s, you shout and have a conversation with them. And as to a secondary ticket market?… there isn't one.

MSG rocks. I love going there. The only thing better is

FNC in the playoffs.

 

Really want to get to Montreal, though.

[That Aud Smell]

It shouldn't come down to having a winning team, anyway. Not if Buffalo is the hockey town it's said to be.

I love it when your prescriptive tendencies show up.

I also can't agree w/ many of the other cities you listed above. They sound the same.

Agreed.

[wjag]

I go to Verizon center (couple of games a year).  The place is pretty lively these days,  When they are in the hunt, there is a buzz in the building.  Fun place to watch a game these days,

[PASabreFan]

Notice that The Buffalo News wasn't publishing articles about it in 2010 and 2011?

 

I also can't agree w/ many of the other cities you listed above.  They sound the same.

Hmmm I'm not so sure. Vogl was on this topic a while back, around the time he thought the fans were booing Doug Allen. It wasn't in the Pegula Era, I don't think.

I love it when your prescriptive tendencies show up.

I love it when I don't know what the fook you're talking about.

[That Aud Smell]

Booing Dougie. Lulz.

 

Sure that wasn't Harrington? Vogl is usually smarter than that.

[PASabreFan]

Booing Dougie. Lulz.

 

Sure that wasn't Harrington? Vogl is usually smarter than that.

It was surely Vogl. The fans do make a weird sound when he comes out. It's an oo sound. Not oo like "Ullmark," more like "Linus."

[That Aud Smell]

 

So, it was Vogl. He should listen nowadays. The "boo's" for Dougie are fairly deafening.

 

#Ddooooouuugggiiieeee

 

(Those are *not* boo's, never have been, and it's dummy territory to insist otherwise.)

 

((Not saying you're insisting the same.))

[PASabreFan]

So, it was Vogl. He should listen nowadays. The "boo's" for Dougie are fairly deafening.

 

#Ddooooouuugggiiieeee

 

(Those are *not* boo's, never have been, and it's dummy territory to insist otherwise.)

 

((Not saying you're insisting the same.))

I wasn't suggesting they are boos. But I can see why someone would think he was being booed. The thing is, he's not Stu Allen or Drew Allen. The cynic in me says the noises are at least somewhat sardonic.

 

Forget Philadelphia. Buffalo fans have become the quickest to pull the trigger on booing in the United States. They booed the Sabres into getting rid of previous in-game host Nicolas Picholas. They boo anthem singer Doug Allen. They boo the refs. They boo the opposition. They boo the power play.

http://buffalonews.typepad.com/sabres/2007/10/sabres-in-game-.html

[That Aud Smell]

Have you been in the arena when he's greeted with his Dougie's?

 

I've sat in various sections all over the arena. People like Doug.

[Weave]

I wasn't suggesting they are boos. But I can see why someone would think he was being booed. The thing is, he's not Stu Allen or Drew Allen. The cynic in me says the noises are at least somewhat sardonic.

http://buffalonews.typepad.com/sabres/2007/10/sabres-in-game-.html

 

OK, I laughed at that link.

[That Aud Smell]

I remember the Nicholas Picolas debacle. That was funny. It was also fallout from Black Sunday.

[beerme1]

Hmmph. I think the Boston crowd sucked for most of the game last night. They were awful quiet in there. I think this is more normal now than most are willing to admit. It's hard to cheer when you're texting you know.

I generally leave my phone in my pocket except at intermissions.

 

For me ACC, Bell Centre, MSG and Tampa and of those MSG was the most fun crowd that hated us Sabre jerseys in the crowd. I'm thinking of a roadie to Nashville next year.

I'm starting to get a kick out of some folks who seem to think we are alone with the dead arena syndrome. Hell even in the great hockey town of Montreal they have chicks tossing t shirts and leading cheers in the upper bowl to generate some noise. 

 

Want a difference in arena entertainment? MSG has a live band playing on a balcony in the bowl. We have dancing garbage cans from twin city on the jumbotron. It is such a bush league presentation in our rink.