How Often Do Teams Not Sell Out in the Playoffs?

[Goose]

Ottawa didn't sell out tonight, which is mind-blowing to me that a Canadian team could not sell out a playoff game, let alone a second round game.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/plenty-empty-seats-senators-rangers-series-opener-ottawa/

How often does this happen around the league? I know some teams don't sell out in the regular season often enough, but does it happen in the playoffs very often?

 

[Future GOAT]

Surprising if true.

 

[PuckSeparator]

Just heard this on SN. Unbelievable.

 

[PhoenyX]

The Senators, playing in the second round for the first time in four years, sold out only one of three home games in the first round against Boston. The club struggled with attendance during the regular season too -- tied with Columbus for 24th overall at 87.4 per cent capacity.

 

[HammertownHockey]

What an embarrassment. Complete joke of a franchise not selling out a playoff game in a Canadian market, unbelievable tbh

 

[Bob Cole]

What an embarrassment. No wonder Melnyk is a cheap ****

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Location problem? Are they in the middle of nowhere? bad public transit/commute? Are they in the Ghetto? Shed some light please.

 

[Shwag33]

Damn bettman and his southern expansion! Need more canadian teams.

 

[TB1299]

Couple of contributors.

1- Min 30 min drive from downtown. No subway or good means on transit. You can take the regular bus which can be brutal.
2- terrible sales and Marketing team
3- After Detroit and Sanjose they have been in the playoffs most in the last 20 years
4- its not a corporate town. Its a government town. Many cities hsve large corporations who buy tickets. Ottawa does not have this luxury. They usually have the highest walkin sales in the league.

When this team moves downtown with the new arena it wont ever be an issue.

 

[olli]

Don't know Ottawa but when i went there i remember being told their arena was away from most of the city.

 

[The Macho King]

Couple of contributors.

1- Min 30 min drive from downtown
2- terrible sales and Marketing team
3- After Detroit and Sanjose they have been in the playoffs most in the last 20 years

I don't see how 3 contributes to that at all.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Damn bettman and his southern expansion! Need more canadian teams.

Yeah, one team sure paints a broad and definitive picture for all the other franchises.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Couple of contributors.

1- Min 30 min drive from downtown
2- terrible sales and Marketing team
3- After Detroit and Sanjose they have been in the playoffs most in the last 20 years

Wow I remember Ottawa being good couple years ago, but damn I would have never guessed that. They had monster team back in the day with Chara, Redden, Heatley, Aflredsson..

 

[PuckSeparator]

The Senators, playing in the second round for the first time in four years, sold out only one of three home games in the first round against Boston. The club struggled with attendance during the regular season too -- tied with Columbus for 24th overall at 87.4 per cent capacity.

Pretty embarrassing to be perfectly frank. Sens fans get defensive about this but I guess the Sens DO need Habs and Leafs fans to A) fuel the rivalry and B) fill out the seats and make it look like a packed house.

On top of all that, they win the game and look to be in a pretty good spot against a lacklustre Rangers team.

 

[Goose]

Couple of contributors.

1- Min 30 min drive from downtown
2- terrible sales and Marketing team
3- After Detroit and Sanjose they have been in the playoffs most in the last 20 years

This is a surprising stat to me. This would probably contribute, yeah.

 

[amethyst]

Karlsson alone is worth the price of admission Not a good look on the Sens.

 

[olli]

Couple of contributors.

1- Min 30 min drive from downtown
2- terrible sales and Marketing team
3- After Detroit and Sanjose they have been in the playoffs most in the last 20 years

I wouldn't have guessed that.

 

[MarkStone]

I could mention the difficulties a good portion of government workers (biggest job market in the city by a landslide) have had in the past year with receiving their pay due to a new system being implemented, and the threat of these troubles occurring to people who haven't yet been effected having an impact on attendance but I feel that isn't the juicy hot-take answer that the OP and subsequent posters are looking for.

 

[Matt24]

According to Chris Johnston, the announced audience was 2000 seats below capacity. That's pathetic.

 

[olli]

Weren't there comments in the first game of the first round about how loud their building was?

 

[Moncherry]

Couple of contributors.

1- Min 30 min drive from downtown
2- terrible sales and Marketing team
3- After Detroit and Sanjose they have been in the playoffs most in the last 20 years

How would this prevent a sell out? Fans get tired of their team being good?

 

[WilliamNylander]

According to Chris Johnston, the announced audience was 2000 seats below capacity. That's pathetic.

Wow...brutal

 

[Clamshells]

I blame Toronto fans for ruining the atmosphere of the building. Who would willingly pay to spend time with the people you hate the most at work?

 

[Goose]

How would this prevent a sell out? Fans get tired of their team being good?

Sort of, the novelty of a playoff game wears off after you see a few. Especially being a Game 1 where they can't clinch. If Sens hadn't been in playoffs for 10 years I would guess it's a sell out. People in Edmonton right now, for example, would kill for tickets because it's been so long.

 

[SENSational]

No excuses. That's actually really bad. But a couple things, the first round was all sold out, the arena is literally in the worst place possible. There's no doubt a downtown arena would easily sellout. Also sens fever in the city is really high.