I promise to make this my last Atlanta comparison (unless something really juicy comes along
) but it's really striking how casual this board can be about writing off falling-demand indicators in Detroit while raking other cities over the coals for
the exact same symptoms. I'm to believe that Detroit has low interest due to playoff fatigue from all their past success, their arena is inconveniently located downtown so people can't be bothered to go there, and corporate ticket holders can't pawn off playoff seats
for free, and none of this should raise any red flags about a general decline in interest within the market?
Exact same symptoms?
Then you have selective reading going on, tarheel. Wings fans have acknowledged the fall in the STH base from the peak days (2004), and furthermore the economic crisis in this region is very real. Last year, half of all the homes moved in this area were foreclosed properties. The unemployment rate in many of the counties surrounding the Wings home, and statewide, were ~15%! Real incomes have not only fallen but there are few opportunities for jobs of any kind, so people leave the state.
TV ratings however are still among the highest in the country, and are higher than the Pistons. If you really want to consider what is going on economically and interest-wise here, you'll pull up the plight of the NBA team too.
I will agree that the numbers are less than the peak years ('97-2004), but it is nowhere as simple as you make it out to be.
What is truly worrisome though, and you will refuse to consider this, is that in spite of the mess here, the Wings are still at the top echelon in the league for revenues. Chew on that, tarheel.
That doesn't change the fact that empty seats represent lost revenue. Again, it seems a bit glib to suggest the Wings can't be bothered with little frivolous factors like people showing up and purchasing merchandise, because they make so much TV money that it doesn't matter.
Wings are 4th in the NHL for HRR per Forbes. Only the NYR are higher
of American teams. Where the hell are the supersized markets???????
[/quote]Can't argue with that. What a dumb system that would provide incentives to "tank" financially. Still, even if they are "working for the recipient' teams, their lost dollars affect the health of the league as a whole,
which in turn comes back on the Wings eventually. IMO, that's not the kind of profit teams should be pursuing.[/quote]
No, it doesn't. The health of the league is a burden being borne by the top ten for the bottom fifteen-- that qualify. Some teams are hurt by this too (the Isles come to mind).
There are health issues, but what you refuse to consider is that this isn't the best solution to this problem-- and that all the teams have the SAME problem. You simply jump to the point that if someone doesn't like this solution, they're saying there is no problem. Consider separating things to their root causes and then go from there.
One size does NOT fit all.