Calgary Flames Experiencing Attendance Issues

[AintLifeGrand]

And yet they aren't remotely similar. We are talking about profitable blue chip Canadian franchises experiencing a reduction in attendance.

pls stop the cultural appropriation ; The Flames are a blue chip Southern US Franchise that happened to have been relocated to Canada

 

[jackjohnson]

Yes, the Flames are struggling. But, I don't think this is fans not showing up because the team is in a rut. This is happening across Canadian NHL games whether the team is playing well or not. This was the scene with the Canucks team on Saturday night:



I think any story about attendance at Canadian clubs needs to looked in context with how much inflation is affecting the average Canadian family. Fewer people are able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on the occasional NHL game when they need that money to pay for groceries and childcare.

You are expecting the Canucks who have made playoffs only once in the last 10 years to have full attendance and have their fans pay $400 tix per seat?
If the Canucks start looking more and more competitive am sure it will become a full house but with the inflation, rising interest rate and people having less money for leisure, of course it will look bad. I would be surprised if Canucks had full attendance after the last couple of years they have laid eggs. Am sure it will turn around.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

They should be paying people to come watch the team they've put together. I don't know why anyone would spend their money to watch this shit.

Yeah, the Huberdeau-Kadri show is going to be just awful for years to come.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

They also announced they weren't going to rebuild . Good on flames fans for not wanting to pay for a bad product

 

[Baby Pettersson]

Yes, the Flames are struggling. But, I don't think this is fans not showing up because the team is in a rut. This is happening across Canadian NHL games whether the team is playing well or not. This was the scene with the Canucks team on Saturday night:



I think any story about attendance at Canadian clubs needs to looked in context with how much inflation is affecting the average Canadian family. Fewer people are able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on the occasional NHL game when they need that money to pay for groceries and childcare.

This is the only correct answer here.

 

[Love]

Yes, the Flames are struggling. But, I don't think this is fans not showing up because the team is in a rut. This is happening across Canadian NHL games whether the team is playing well or not. This was the scene with the Canucks team on Saturday night:



I think any story about attendance at Canadian clubs needs to looked in context with how much inflation is affecting the average Canadian family. Fewer people are able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on the occasional NHL game when they need that money to pay for groceries and childcare.

Exactly this. Quite frankly I think “normal people” are sick of the cost of doing “normal stuff” in this country. Being middle class isn’t enough to afford a Canucks game anymore. Or at least it’s incredibly hard to justify spending hundreds of dollars to watch something that’s free at home.

There’s a much larger conversation about affordability in Canada which is the biggest problem facing the country at the moment. So it’s really no wonder that arenas are looking like this.

 

[Prairie Habs]

love to see em come home to Atlanta

As much as I'd love to see the Jets relocate (personal animus) , the Flames would be awesome with a better 10 year outlook IMO.

Would a team last that long in Atlanta?

 

[Seanaconda]

Don't they have a deal lined up ? Idk if they care anymore but they should try to have a decent team when the new arena opens

 

[McShogun99]

Yes, the Flames are struggling. But, I don't think this is fans not showing up because the team is in a rut. This is happening across Canadian NHL games whether the team is playing well or not. This was the scene with the Canucks team on Saturday night:



I think any story about attendance at Canadian clubs needs to looked in context with how much inflation is affecting the average Canadian family. Fewer people are able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on the occasional NHL game when they need that money to pay for groceries and childcare.

Most people would love to go to games but with everything getting so expensive in Canada, going to a hockey game is at the bottom of most people’s list right now. Then factor in greedy owners charging ridiculous prices for concessions and tickets.

 

[Regal]

In a gate driven, stars and elite players are what get people into seats. The Flames have exactly none of those. They're an old mediocre to outright bad team with little in the way of futures. So yeah, it shouldn't be surprising that fans aren't excited.

I know people in freakin’ townhomes whose mortgage has gone up 6-800 a month from interest rates rising. That’s a big hit on the disposable income for things like games.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Teams that struggle in the standings struggle in attendance.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Wow, almost 1/3 of Canadian franchises are struggling at the gate. This is why Canada is no longer a viable market for NHL expansion.

 

[awegrzyn]

There will be few times that will actually fold.

 

[ACLEVERNAME]

Canada turning 3rd world infront of our eyes. All part of the plan lmao

 

[AussieBomberJet]

Canada turning 3rd world infront of our eyes. All part of the plan lmao

At least the US is several steps and decades ahead of us in the same regard.

 

[TropicOfNoReturn]

Yes, the Flames are struggling. But, I don't think this is fans not showing up because the team is in a rut. This is happening across Canadian NHL games whether the team is playing well or not. This was the scene with the Canucks team on Saturday night:



I think any story about attendance at Canadian clubs needs to looked in context with how much inflation is affecting the average Canadian family. Fewer people are able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on the occasional NHL game when they need that money to pay for groceries and childcare.

My situation exactly. My wife and I both earn respectable salaries, yet coming out of the pandemic it's a constant stress to afford raising our young kids happily and healthily, and pay our mortgage/strata fees.

I'd love to go to multiple Canucks games per season, like I used to. I may make it to one this season.

 

[ZJuice]

There is no future in Canada. We will all be homeless while hundreds of thousands of investment properties owned by a few will sit empty. I am surprised Oilers tickets are as expensive as they are still and that people still go.. I almost drove to Calgary last year to watch hockey because tickets were $16 a pop.

 

[190Octane]

I wish our franchises in the sunbelt could use these same excuses… instead we’re just told that we aren’t traditional hockey markets and don’t deserve our teams.

 

[ACLEVERNAME]

At least the US is several steps and decades ahead of us in the same regard.

This supposed to be some witty clapback? lol The "gods" will reign from the mountain tops just as they once did long ago. History is cyclical.

That's why I can only afford a game a year and attendance is dwindling in many established markets

 

[WTG]

I wish our franchises in the sunbelt could use these same excuses… instead we’re just told that we aren’t traditional hockey markets and don’t deserve our teams.

You can get good tickets for ~60 bucks in Florida. Let's not pretend these Canadian markets can't EASILY get a sellout at Florida prices.

Hell, I'd kill for those in Seattle. Prices are insane here.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Good. Move em. Let Murray find some other schmucks to build his arena for him. Calgary doesn't need to shell out for anymore baby bitchass billionaires.

You're about a month late. They've already agreed on a new arena deal.

 

[12ozPapa]

I’m not trolling, isn’t it safe to say a lot of teams are struggling on attendance currently?

 

[CanadienShark]

Team sucks, arena sucks, area isn't great. Not many reasons to go right now.

 

[thaman8765678]

Have you watched a Flames game this year? Now, imagine subjecting yourself through that without being able to switch off the game. And paying $20 for parking and $10 per beer.

 

[Panthers Propaganda]

Yes, the Flames are struggling. But, I don't think this is fans not showing up because the team is in a rut. This is happening across Canadian NHL games whether the team is playing well or not. This was the scene with the Canucks team on Saturday night:



I think any story about attendance at Canadian clubs needs to looked in context with how much inflation is affecting the average Canadian family. Fewer people are able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on the occasional NHL game when they need that money to pay for groceries and childcare.

This is a good point, I paid $5 for a f***ing bell pepper recently, I might pay for ONE hockey game this year but only because my Panthers only come to town once a year. If I’m a family in Calgary struggling to make ends meet I sure as f*** am not dropping hundreds to watch a team lay a turd on the ice.

There’s a reason some of the Canadian teams are taking a hit to attendance. The most indebted population on the planet, at some point luxury spending comes down. Especially when I can stream it from my bath tub at home without getting coughed on taking public transit.