Why is the Sabres' attendance so low?

[KovalchukFistPump]

This has to be one of the worst thread started by a Devils fans that I’ve seen recently.

I get hives from dumb JAQ attendance threads heaved at us and they throw one at another fanbase. Passive aggressively try to drag a different fanbase for not immediately showing up in droves for a team with a 11-12-2 home record and not in a playoff spot? Gross.

Hey fellow edgy Devils board member (there's so many it's hard to keep track who is who). I was asking an honest question. Not everything needs to be a troll/passive-aggressive post with an agenda. And I got a bit of an answer that COVID/border and the storm have affected things more than I expected.

 

[Oddbob]

Perhaps it is the insane price of tickets, insane price of parking, insane price of everything else, and the team isn't good yet. Also, pretty sure lots of teams attendance is suffering from the whole Covid situation. Oh, did I mention the insane price of stuff, that is also a reason.

 

[57special]

2 playoff rounds in 16 years will discourage even the most devout fan following. They, and teams like them, are exhibit A when it comes to why tanking is not a wise strategy, except in very limited circumstances.

 

[bleedgreen]

The Buffalo market is the last market in the US I worry about.

There’s some healing to do but making the playoffs will take care of everything.

 

[Guttersniped]

Hey fellow edgy Devils board member (there's so many it's hard to keep track who is who). I was asking an honest question. Not everything needs to be a troll/passive-aggressive post with an agenda. And I got a bit of an answer that COVID/border and the storm have affected things more than I expected.

I might have came on strong there, and I apologize for the tone, but I have a real soft spot for the Sabres and I loath attendance threads so it was a perfect storm really .

If it was a real question, hear ya go.

The fan base was very alienated after the Eichel blow-up and emotionally coming to terms with this being another reset/rebuild. Their ownership is problematic (I’ll just leave it at that.)

Both the Sabres and Bills have Canadian sales, and even STHs, which was obviously a problem when COVID happened and people couldn’t easily cross the boarder when the arena first opened up.

If you looked at their at their schedule & results you really would have had one major answer:

They started 7-3-0 and then had an 8 game losing streak. That really killed a lot of enthusiasm early on because people got a little too high on the team and then really pissed. It seemed like the same old, same old yet again and tempers flared. (Similar to an emotional state where long suffering fans chanted for a coach to be fired in the middle of the 2nd game of the season, hypothetically.)

Like the Devils, their away record is way better than home record. They’re 11-12-2 at home and 15-7-1. (Which sucks for both teams, stop doing it wrong guys and win way more at home lol.)

And finally they aren’t in a playoff spot yet, they’ve fought their way to a bubble team Bubble Team status.

But they have a ton of talent that’s flowering in a fun way, they’re scoring goals and more people will continue to get more excited about that. It’s a great sports market.

And considering how recent (or even not so recent) Sabres history is mostly a list of grievances and disappointments, it’s impressive how many of their young players are seemingly hitting their ceiling.

Well Mr. Super Star Tage blew through his ceiling but Dahlin and Cozens are really humming. Power, Quinn and Peterka are having great rookie seasons.

I’m glad that the Sabres are doing well, so they don’t get to have a high pick in this draft. Stop getting talent lol. Kulich and Rosen in the AHL, seriously, just stop.

 

[dalewood12]

I think it’s a mix of factors that have already been mentioned, including one that hasn’t:

The demographics of the Ontario Niagara Region, long a reliable community of Buffalo ticket-goers, are changing. With astronomical house prices in the Toronto area, a lot of residents, especially millenials and recently arrived immigrants, are moving to cities like Welland and St. Catharines. Crossing the border for a hockey game likely isn't that attractive to these new residents.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I might have came on strong there, and I apologize for the tone, but I have a real soft spot for the Sabres and I loath attendance threads so it was a perfect storm really .

If it was a real question, hear ya go.

The fan base was very alienated after the Eichel blow-up and emotionally coming to terms with this being another reset/rebuild. Their ownership is problematic (I’ll just leave it at that.)

Both the Sabres and Bills have Canadian sales, and even STHs, which was obviously a problem when COVID happened and people couldn’t easily cross the boarder when the arena first opened up.

If you looked at their at their schedule & results you really would have had one major answer:
View attachment 643071
View attachment 643072

They started 7-3-0 and then had an 8 game losing streak. That really killed a lot of enthusiasm early on because people got a little too high on the team and then really pissed. It seemed like the same old, same old yet again and tempers flared. (Similar to an emotional state where long suffering fans chanted for a coach to be fired in the middle of the 2nd game of the season, hypothetically.)

Like the Devils, their away record is way better than home record. They’re 11-12-2 at home and 15-7-1. (Which sucks for both teams, stop doing it wrong guys and win way more at home lol.)

And finally they aren’t in a playoff spot yet, they’ve fought their way to a bubble team Bubble Team status.

But they have a ton of talent that’s flowering in a fun way, they’re scoring goals and more people will continue to get more excited about that. It’s a great sports market.

And considering how recent (or even not so recent) Sabres history is mostly a list of grievances and disappointments, it’s impressive how many of their young players are seemingly hitting their ceiling.

Well Mr. Super Star Tage blew through his ceiling but Dahlin and Cozens are really humming. Power, Quinn and Peterka are having great rookie seasons.

I’m glad that the Sabres are doing well, so they don’t get to have a high pick in this draft. Stop getting talent lol. Kulich and Rosen in the AHL, seriously, just stop.

I disagree with the bolded. Gimme moar!

 

[DaveG]

Attendance rebounds tend to lag by at least a season when a team is coming out of a miserable stretch like they've had to endure this past decade.

This is the first time since basically the pre-Eichel years where it's not simply looking like false hope for the team.

 

[dortt]

Maybe the Sabres should try and attract local fans instead of relying on people in another country.
I guess Buffalo's not the great hockey market everyone says it is (yeah, we already knew it isn't).

those fans from another country are very much local fans. They literally only have to cross a bridge

 

[Mattilaus]

Maybe the Sabres should try and attract local fans instead of relying on people in another country.
I guess Buffalo's not the great hockey market everyone says it is (yeah, we already knew it isn't).

Will this is the dumbest thing I have read all day.

 

[eanyills]

those fans from another country are very much local fans. They literally only have to cross a bridge

This is something that a lot of people don’t realize. Southern Ontario is literally closer to downtown Buffalo than Buffalo’s own largest suburbs. You can walk into downtown Buffalo from Canada.

Everything in Buffalo taps into that market.