Quote:
Originally Posted by Canon1990
Wow, I have to think this will be the final nail in the coffin for the Isles franchise.
Brooklyn? I mean i'm happy for the true Isles fans, the ones who actually support the team and buy tickets a couple times a year, they can still do that but the casual fans? They aren't going on a train/subway to see the Isles. They will probably lose a ton of loyal season ticket holders as well because they aren't going to want to go take the train every single game.
Another thing is the arena is so tiny! Isles averaged 13,000 fans a game last season, this arena only holds 14500, so even when they get good again they won't be bringing in as big of a profit as they could, say if they had 19,000 seats.
Another thing, they just moved away from where most of their fans are, Long Island, they moved into an area filled with Ranger/Devils fans. That will hurt sales as well.
Their firs year they will probably make out ok, since its a new building, and everyone will want to catch a game there, but after that, I have some series doubts on how good financially the team is going to do there.
It would have been best for the league as a whole, if they had moved up to Canada, where the rink will sell out every game and merchandise would be sold out everywhere, pumping more and more money into the league. As much as Isles fans dont want to hear that.
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Totally disagree. The move might be tough for Suffolk fans, but for people in Nassau, they can take the LIRR to Atlantic Terminal. They'll have no problem getting the fans to Brooklyn- it's not that far away. I mean, there's plenty of hardcore Rangers fans from the Island who get into Manhattan.
The move to Brooklyn means that they'll start attracting a new market. They'll get more corporate sponsors with the move, they'll attract Wall Street types for whom it's a quick subway ride away, and they'll be able to consistently sell out Barclay's. They'll eventually end up with more of a Winnipeg model than that of a large market team. However, it will be new, it will get people in there, and they'll start making money. It's definitely good for the Islanders, and by extension good for the Rangers.