Does winning matter?

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

 

You guys are forgetting basically 0 for the 80s (I know Taro, its not quite that, but 0 for the 80s is easier to type out), and the Aud was puny.  There were stretches of half filled seats between games against Adams division foes and games against Pittsburgh. Darth Sator, anyone?

You always needed to provide base level entertainment to get the fans to come.

idk, and it's been a long time since I lived around there so times and type of ticket buyers does change. If Buffalo is like Canada though (and to some extent I think it is) then they should sell out with a winner. Canucks are not much better than Sabres and they don't provide much extra entertainment and yet that's a really hard to come by ticket. Is it really that different?

[kas23]

I think perspective matters. 
 

For the league, having a team win on the ice doesn’t matter. It’s a zero-sum game and someone is always going to win. “Winning” to the league means are revenues rising. 
 

For owners, winning probably means something. Mostly as a status symbol. They usually make money anyways (see TOR). 
 

For players, until they get older, yes, winning is almost everything. If we had a winning team, they would flock here, palm trees or not. 
 

For fans, I think entertainment is higher on the list, but winning gives you that warm feeling, even though you had nothing to do with it. 
 

For Pegula, no, winning doesn’t matter. 

[Weave]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

idk, and it's been a long time since I lived around there so times and type of ticket buyers does change. If Buffalo is like Canada though (and to some extent I think it is) then they should sell out with a winner. Canucks are not much better than Sabres and they don't provide much extra entertainment and yet that's a really hard to come by ticket. Is it really that different?

I was responding to “the old days” and the idea that the aud sold out every game for years. It did that when the team was good, and entertaining. But there were significant stretches where the team was mediocre to bad, and there were plenty if seats available for walk up sales during those times. Today, the difference isnt the fans. Its that the significant stretch is old enough to be entering high school.

[DarthEbriate]

As long as EEE is the mandate, winning doesn't matter.

We are at 5 years + 4 days since Pegula's statement that the Sabres would be EEE (no such limitations on the Bills, naturally). He has not made a public Sabres statement  that they're attempting to win since. Well... except that the Taylor Hall signing wasn't just playoff, but Stanley Cup contenders (which wasn't a public statement, simply released video).

[bob_sauve28]

13 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Really?  
 

I have not seen a Sabres home game victory in about 12 years. I have not attended a Sabres sellout since 2007-08.   Most Sabres games feature dejected fans, cursing and complaining , and are not fun at all.  Good players do not want to be there, even most average players do not want to be there.  But you can get out the door and get home faster, as you drive home you wonder why you spend any money on them.  I made a decision to stop going to their home games last year, no regrets.   
 

Bills home games are massive events and require a full day commitment.  Fans attend from all over the country.  The Bills and their fans get positive national media attention.    They win almost every home game and they are an NFL powerhouse.   It’s a team good players want to be on   

No comparison.  

I agree there is no comparison, I'll take a Sabres game any day of the week over a football game to go to.