FanHouse’s Kevin Schultz takes a look at the NHL’s first-month attendance numbers, and it’s bad news for the NHL, at least in the short term:
Only nine teams had an average attendance higher than their average attendance last season. On the flip side, 18 teams are down, including five which are down more than 10 percent from their 2008-09 averages.
One obvious example is the Chicago Blackhawks, which averaged 22,000-plus per game last year; in October, the Hawks averaged 20,309. Not good. That said, it’s just a month, and it’s early in the season, and, if I may utilize an unscientific gut perception here, the NHL certainly seems to be making some headway in awareness department. Or that could just be my imagination. Thus far, the numbers say otherwise.
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Sources
Just wondering where you are getting your results from?
I have read in several other places that revenues are indeed up over last week.
I would assume the point of this blog is to let the reader know that revenues are down over last years numbers?Your Hawks example is not a good one to use. The United Center was renovated over the Summer and the 300 level was altered to have less seats. Instead they build a couple of bars and put a bunch of flat screen TV’s there to watch bulls and hawks games. The revenue stream generated from the 20,300+ fans they are drawing is significantly more than last year and that number is the new seating capacity of the UC.
Sorry, but if your going to try and scare the hockey viewer with this please present sources and… Maybe do some research on your only example so you won’t look silly!!!
by hawkfan81 on Nov 4, 2009 11:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Source
The source is linked in the first sentence of the post. Also, he never mentioned revenues in the post. Revenues may indeed be up, but the average attendance is indeed down. It’s early and I would gather it will go up, but it can’t be a good thing that average attendance is down.
"It was almost like if Harry didn't call it, it wasn't real." - Jayson Stark
by Chris Haines on Nov 5, 2009 8:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Every Blackhawks game at the United Center this season has been a capacity crowd. Last season’s number includes the 40,000+ that packed Wrigley Field for the Winter Classic, and the actual capacity at the UC has been dropped because of renovations on the 300 level.
If my math is right, after eight games, the Blackhawks are operating at 103% of capacity. Last season, after eight games, they were at 104% of capacity due in large part to playing the rival Red Wings and Blues at home, which they have not yet.
So yes, to echo hawkfan81, you needed to do some more research. I would particularly expect more from someone that writes for NBCChicago.
by Dr. Ice on Nov 5, 2009 11:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Why would anybody use the Blackhawks
attendence figures to highlight in an “NHL Attendence Down” story? With even this Blackhawks fan in California knowing the capacity of the UC has been lowered, this is a flawed post.
With PHX down 32%, Tampa Bay off 13%, The Islanders off 12%, Anaheim down 11%, and Nashville sliding by 10% — that’s where this story lies.
There’s no story of doom and gloom on Chicago’s west side — but that seems obvious to anybody, save for the writer of this post.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Nov 8, 2009 3:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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