Barzal unhappy with Fan Support/Attendance at UBS Arena

[LiveLongandProspal]

There's already a glut of teams in the Northeast (and up until relatively recently there was a team in Connecticut as well) with blue-bloods like the Rangers and Bruins in the vicinity, with the Flyers and Penguins having a devoted following, and the Devils being an exciting team. Oh, and the Sabres too. That, coupled with the fact that the Islanders are a boring, unexciting team and it's not surprising.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Is he saying it's a joke because he's blaming the fans or is he saying that as a way to vent on how the season is going?

I think he’s saying it’s a joke because the most populous city in the entire nation can’t even fill the arena.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Thats all well and good, and I understand supply and command (TPB reference, don’t come at me).

But honestly at those ticket prices in New York City the arena should be close to capacity. If you can’t sell out a nice new arena for $11 a ticket then maybe it’s time for relocation.

UBS Center isn't in New York City. Long Island isn't considered part of New York City. And no one wants to f***ing take the LIRR to go there! Haha

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Maybe Barzal can offer to subsidize the exorbitant cost of tickets for a poor on-ice product (that he is partly responsible for) so more fans show up? If not, he’s a big baby for trying to shame anyone over their attendance.

Shaming implies he made the comment publicly or to the media, it looks to me like he’s having a conversation with a teammate on the bench so not sure that applies here

 

[Clode]

People will put up with a bad team thats at least entertaining or a boring team that still wins a lot. No one wants to fork over hundreds of dollars to watch one thats both bad AND boring.

 

[HolyGhost]

Home game for Barzal and Isles.

"This place is empty, " F-ing Joke Bro"


Reported attendance last night was around 14k.

Islanders are reporting as the 5th worst team in attendance this season

Maybe if he played better they would come

He does realize his team is 26th overall, right? And no where near the playoff

 

[Ratsreign]

Thats all well and good, and I understand supply and command (TPB reference, don’t come at me).

But honestly at those ticket prices in New York City the arena should be close to capacity. If you can’t sell out a nice new arena for $11 a ticket then maybe it’s time for relocation.

11 bucks is most likely the seats way up in the rafters, I’m sure nicer seats are much higher than that price. A bit of a disingenuous statement to imply all tix to sell out the building are only $11.

 

[Section 104]

Idk if it has anything to do with messages.

TBH it's kind of an oddball date/time. In the past, Islander home games on MLK Day (it's a US holiday) are early games - 3pm or 5pm because kids are off school. That usually boosts numbers. But inauguration, which is always on 1/20 (well, every 4 years at least to date), happened to fall on the holiday. So maybe the game was scheduled so as not to interfere?

I work, have school age kids & coach, so I don't have time to go to many games. But I would 100% have gone to a 3pm game yesterday.

As for Barzal - who cares? He can gripe if he wants so long as he plays hard.

I have heard that Lamariello doesn’t like day games because they interfere with a team’s routine. Now don’t take this as gospel but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true. It seems like a Lou move. And shouldn’t a team try to build a fan base by getting the kids in early.cime to a game and become a fan? that can’t stay up for a 1000PM finish? Or families who like in Mid Hudson valley or Connecticut or even New Jersey who don’t want to drive home after a night game?
Then again the Islanders are usually 10th in media attention in the New York Metro market. So they do little to promote themselves..that has never been Lamariello’s way.


I don’t think the parking situation where many spots are on the other side of Belmont race track and cost $45 helps. Yes, they have shuttle buses…a good number of them. . But that takes time or it’s walk out in the cold (although it is pretty much covered so you won’t get rained on.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

NYI is not an entertaining team rn

 

[The Macho King]

Get good?

 

[MoneyManny]

Still a lot less expensive than teams in New York who are well-attended.

You're not going to hear any argument from me that tickets to some teams are too expensive, but most those teams are objectively not hurting.

Another issue is at play here.

Do they match NYR's ticket prices when the NYI plays them at home? Odd situation.

 

[Machinehead]

Do they match NYR's ticket prices when the NYI plays them at home? Odd situation.

Yeah because all the Rangers fans are going, plus the Islanders fans. The demand is out of control.

 

[Section 104]

Do they match NYR's ticket prices when the NYI plays them at home? Odd situation.

I don’t think so but a good percentage of the crowd are Rangers fans. They can see their team at cheaper prices than at The World’s Most Expensive Arena. Plus a good percentage of Nassau and Suffolk county hockey fans are Rangers fans. It gets inherited and the Rangers get way more media attention than the Islanders.

The arena is nice although a good chunk of the parking is far away. They did get a train station (and track work) installed which there was none of at Nassau Coliseum (when built there were plans to install a light rail to Westbury but that never happened). One minor problem with the trains is the southern most line..the Babylon-Patchogue doesn’t go there so you would have to go to Jamaica and get a train east. It actually takes a couple minutes longer to go to UBS than MSG on the Babylon line.


One thing also with the team…the building of Nassau Coliseum happened to coincide with the founding of the WHA. So putting an NHL team in Long Island was useful in forcing the WHA to put the Raiders in Madison Square Garden…where union costs hurt them badly. Lots of times you need corporate support..and gee, does the former biggest employer..Grumman Aircraft..even exist on Long Island anymore? But the Islanders have had a pretty good tv contract with Cablevision so that helps. Also the Yankees and Mets have their own tv networks so theoretically they could want winter programming. But we will see what the future of RSNs are

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Much ado about nothing.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

11 bucks is most likely the seats way up in the rafters, I’m sure nicer seats are much higher than that price. A bit of a disingenuous statement to imply all tix to sell out the building are only $11.

I mean, of course not all tickets are that prive, but there are a TON of tickets under $30 each, and even lower bowl tickets are very manageable.

 

[Spektre]

Good time to trade Barzal to the Blues

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Barzal is gonna get ripped for this but I don't mind it , passionate about the game , too bad nobody watches the sport

 

[Divine]

The kid that won the Calder has a lot to say about fan attendance

 

[Oryxo]

Is there any actual evidence he said this, beside some guy lip-reading on Twitter?

 

[Green]

What is the problem with the present location? Bad roads/parking, or is it too congested because of proximity to the city v. Nassau?

it's right on the Queens/ Nassau border so it is a further drive for most fans than Nassau was and it is always a congested mess going and leaving the arena, but that's 1/2 it as once you get to the arena wether you drive there or take a train you have to wait around for a shuttle bus to take you to the arena or decide you don't want to wait for the bus and take a 15 minute walk and once it gets cold out and the team is not playing good you can imagine how enticing it is to go

Belmont park station is not a functioning station for the record you have to go to the Elmont station