It's not the team that is the problem. It's not even the area that is the problem -- It's the decline of the area that the government has done nothing about. Capitol Towns are supposed to be upkept, classy neighborhoods. The Government in Connecticut has not invested anything back into Hartford, so many businesses have chosen to leave the area.
Hartford is nothing like what it was in the 1990's. Have you been?
It's run down, it's old, there is nothing happening on weekends other than the 3 main bars across from the arena and the 2 dive bars around town. Several restaurants and clubs have been through several owners in the past few years, there is minimal retail commerce, there is a theater that does not show anything of originality (no reason to go there).
Crime is higher than it used to be, the poverty rate is definitely higher (there are a lot of homeless people), thus the area is not the safest. Parking lots are all a rip off -- lots across the street from the arena charge as much as $20 to park for events... $20 for AHL game parking is insane. You can park a few blocks away for $7, but again, this is supposed to be a kid friendly environment, but now its a high crime zone, so how motivated are you to bring your kids there?
Ironically, that petty 3-4k attendance number is the only thing that Hartford has left to keep the city bolstered up... Beyond that, there is some corporate and that's about it--that and the The Xfinity Amphitheater is a couple miles away. West Hartford is a very nice town, but there's minimal public transportation around, so you're ****ed without a car.
Hartford as a WHOLE is the problem, not the team
Piughkeepsie is not only a dump, but it's the middle of ****ing nowhere. There's absolutely NOTHING going on up there.
