The Business of HockeyDiscuss the financial and business aspects of the NHL. Franchise sales, valuations, TV contracts, ratings, expansion, relocation, the CBA and work stoppage discussion goes here.
NHL lockout has little impact on minor league attendance
I was definitely among the group who thought attendance would increase but now that I think about it, this shouldn't be too unexpected.
Pittsburgh fans, for example, are not going to drive to Wilkes-Barre to see their AHL clubs. Rangers fans aren't going to head out to Hartford.
I wonder how well the few minor league teams which share a market with their parent club have done. I'm pretty sure that the Marlies have seen an across the board increase in attendance, topped off with what will be a sold-out Air Canada Centre game this boxing day.
Its not surprising because NHL and minor pro or junior hockey are different products. Pricing is completely different and the demographics at the games are much different.
lol now watch all the pro owners posters back peddel and make excuses because there whole thing was they don't need the players and can just get AHL and CHL players put them in NHL jerseys and boom fans will flock in....
True, but every Canadian NHL city with the exceptin of Winnipeg has CHL teams. Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, with Mississauga near Toronto and Boisbriand outside Montreal. Also, Plymouth and Windsor are on either side of Detroit.
Having said that, the Vancouver Giants attendance hasn't increased like some thought it would. being in a rebuilding year and having NHL fans say "Well they suck this year so I'm not going to bother" doesn't help either. Too bad because even with the losses the games I've been to have been pretty exciting.
Wolves attendance is down 1,400 under last year's average. Wish I had the number for their average just til this date last season.
Toronto is up 700.
Those are the only 2 places with NHL and AHL teams.
Abbotsford/Vancouver could be considered the same. Since a lot of people who go to the games in Vancouver are located in Surrey, which happens to be right between Vancouver and Abbotsford.
I think the lockout is a wet blanket over hockey interest in North America. I guess some European leagues with lots of NHL players might have had increased interest.
So, maybe something that has been reviewed; where has the 1.7 billion in revenue gone? (who has profited from stoppage?) (assuming roughly half season is gone)
NBA?
AHL-ECHL (no)
NFL?
Poker?
Pockets
Last edited by ti-vite: 12-25-2012 at 06:01 PM.
Reason: space words
So, maybe something that has been reviewed; where has the 1.7 billion in revenue gone? (who has profited from stoppage?) (assuming roughly half season is gone)
NBA?
AHL-ECHL (no)
NFL?
Poker?
Pockets
The biggest chunk is probably still sitting in STH accounts with the teams.
Other than that, non-corporate $$$'s have likely been spent on other discretionary spending - restaurants, movies, vacations, iPads, whatever. Virtually every academic study has shown that a team/arena generates little new economic activity - it just displaces other spending in the region.
Corporate $$$'s - corporate STHs, luxury boxes, advertising & sponsorships, broadcast $$$'s - are a little more complicated. Some has been shifted elsewhere, some has been deferred and unspent.
lol now watch all the pro owners posters back peddel and make excuses because there whole thing was they don't need the players and can just get AHL and CHL players put them in NHL jerseys and boom fans will flock in....
This completely ignores the established brands and markets.
People like rooting for their city. They aren't fans of the actual games. As long as someone from city x can say they are better than city y, you'll have fans watching it regardless of sport.
