Ticket/Attendance Discussion: The Sequel

[blueandgoldguy]

It's kind of funny, back in 2011 everyone thought the arena was in a great location and the new stadium was in a bad one. Now it's the other way around.

A 1000 foot by 700 foot footprint for the stadium would be disastrous in downtown. An absolute deadzone 99% of the time.

With all the troubles happening around downtown, there have been plenty of new residential buildings being constructed over the past decade. Many are happening as we speak. And people keep moving in. ie. the new tallest in Winnipeg is mostly occupied.

The arena and stadium are both in ideal locations given their respective usage.

 

[jetsmooseice]

A 1000 foot by 700 foot footprint for the stadium would be disastrous in downtown. An absolute deadzone 99% of the time.

With all the troubles happening around downtown, there have been plenty of new residential buildings being constructed over the past decade. Many are happening as we speak. And people keep moving in. ie. the new tallest in Winnipeg is mostly occupied.

The arena and stadium are both in ideal locations given their respective usage.

Oh yeah, I'm with you. The arena makes sense downtown. I have a hard time imagining it being anywhere else, even when a new one is eventually built.

I was commenting on how the perception of their locations has evolved... the traffic issues at the stadium have been sorted out after being a real problem the first few years, and downtown has become a less appealing place over the last 10 years but as you point out, the situation is improving after bottoming out during the pandemic era.

 

[Cypruss]

Oh yeah, I'm with you. The arena makes sense downtown. I have a hard time imagining it being anywhere else, even when a new one is eventually built.

I was commenting on how the perception of their locations has evolved... the traffic issues at the stadium have been sorted out after being a real problem the first few years, and downtown has become a less appealing place over the last 10 years but as you point out, the situation is improving after bottoming out during the pandemic era.

Not sure if downtown is really improving much for the better. I have worked down here for over 20 years and certainly much worse since the Covid situation began. There are some key metrics in a report published this week that show Winnipeg as having some very serious issues. Having said this, in all my time coming downtown for evening games, the worst situation I have ever witnessed is some aggressive panhandling....and I'm certain that would/could be prevalent in any major city near their arenas.

Just wonder how many people don't feel comfortable coming downtown with their kids due to these sort of statistics...and we do know the arena is located in the vicinity of some of the hot-spots for these sort of crimes.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

TNSE Sales Department:

I’ve heard more from Jets ST rep(s) in the last 12 months than I have in the previous 12 years I’ve had seasons. They’re asking mostly the right questions: what can we do better (a lot), do you have a hard time moving unused tickets (yup), and on and on. No sleazy attempts at upselling to higher priced seats, which was the only reason any reps bothered to reach out to me in previous seasons.

Problem is they should have been doing this a long time ago, and treating those 13K holders and 8K waitlist members like a precious commodity.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Whatever convineice the central location offers is offset by the "ambiance" of downtown

I'm honestly not sure where I'd drop a new one today. PA Stadium is OK for 9 games a year.. but 41?

AFAIC, that baseball stadium is a complete waste of prime downtown real estate. It would be a perfect place to build an 18,000 seat arena and barring further development, plenty of open area nearby for premium parking. Just got to get rid of those stupid Goldeyes but who knows... maybe it won't be long before they and that bush league they're in cease to exist. Now, by the time we need a new arena, might have to build a 10' "border wall" around the whole thing, with armed guards patrolling the area (maybe a few snipers up on the wall for good measure) but hey, whatever it takes to protect your paying customers, right?

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Some interesting takes, still think that if you had a 16000 seat arena in south Winnipeg it would be sold out every game!

Downtown Winnipeg in 2024 isn't exactly downtown Winnipeg in 2011 and not in a good way, far from it!

And True North is just helping to make it worse. You want downtown to thrive, gentrification, not low income accommodation is the way to go.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

I don't know...I like the baseball stadium and having the Goldeyes as another entertainment option in the city...even if the team and the league is the equivalent of single A baseball and full of failed draft picks and never-weres. IMO, we have the best outdoor baseball stadium in Canada - an all individual seater with an open concourse that allows a view of the field and good protection from elements thanks to the 30 suites above, and a newly added craft beer corner. Really all it would need are 500 bleacher seats in right field to make it perfect.

The Goldeyes are no longer the hot ticket they once were 20 years ago, but they can still draw decent crowds from time to time. Their last game of the season during the championship drew a near-sellout.

 

[oldcoot]

If someone isn't going to the games because they're afraid of being downtown (in secure walkways), they sure aren't going to be comfortable after dark outside anywhere else in the city. It's just as sketchy. Just today there is a reddit post on an attempted mugging in broad daylight near Abinojii Mikanah.

 

[ps241]

I guess I am in the minority but I love the location of our Arena. When its minus a million degrees out I can drive or Uber from my house (Heated garage) to heated underground parking for a fraction of the cost of most cities. I don’t even need a coat. It doesn’t take me long to drive even tough I live in the South East part of the city.

I get that there can be some rougher characters at times but I haven’t had any real problems.

 

[surixon]

I guess I am in the minority but I love the location of our Arena. When its minus a million degrees out I can drive or Uber from my house (Heated garage) to heated underground parking for a fraction of the cost of most cities. I don’t even need a coat. It doesn’t take me long to drive even tough I live in the South East part of the city.

I get that there can be some rougher characters at times but I haven’t had any real problems.

One of the reasons they are doing that portage place redevelopment is to try to address some route cause issues around the arena imo. Hopefully that and the Bay redevelopment can make a positive impact on affected people in that area.

I also am fine with the location and maybe with continued development and public/private ventures we can get to a safe and vibrant downtown.

 

[tbcwpg]

And True North is just helping to make it worse. You want downtown to thrive, gentrification, not low income accommodation is the way to go.

They WERE required to put in low income housing as part of the grant they got from the city but they managed to get that taken out of the grant language.