Can the Sabres paint "HOCKEYTOWN" across the ice?

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

This article pretty much sums up the town regarding the hockey team:

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=249329

Here's how good the hockey fans are in Buffalo: While TV ratings in the rest of the U.S. pushed to reach numbers posted by drunken drivers, the citizens of this mid-market media area were watching the Stanley Cup finals at five times the national rating.

And the Sabres weren't even in the finals.

Such is the passion for pucks in greater Buffalo. These fans even surpassed the Game 5 rating in the L.A. market, where the Ducks were winning the Cup.

There's no Disney Land in Buffalo; Niagara, Ontario, is nice but you can only see Ripley's so many time. There's no surf in Buffalo; the closest thing is where the Niagara River goes downhill real fast. Goat Island will never be confused with Long Beach.

So, OK, there aren't the distractions in Buffalo there are in Anaheim, where the Cup landed. Other than hockey, the only thing these cities have in common is James Cameron. The Titanic man is from an Ontario burg on the north shore of the Niagara.

And although both cities have hockey, Buffalo's passion for it is unsurpassed. Anywhere.


America's Best Sports City, NHL category, even loves its team when it loses. Example: Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, won by the Senators to eliminate the Sabres, drew a 28.4 rating for NBC. And games 1-4, all on Versus, drew ratings between 21.9 and 27.6.

Now chew on this: NBC's three games in the finals had a rating of ... 1.6. Repeat: 1.6.

Anomaly? Not considering Buffalo's rating for the All-Star Game was 7.1, while the next-best market number was Pittsburgh's 2.8.

If the NHL posted numbers one-tenth as good across the U.S. as it does in Buffalo it would be giddy. Gary Bettman would Riverdance from Erie to Ontario.

And these folks aren't staying home, either. Every Sabres home game last season was a sellout. That's 18,690 for 41 nights at HSBC Center. And of course, with Cup hopes sky-high, every playoff game was a sellout, too.

There was such demand for the playoffs, Time Warner Cable added Versus HD to its lineup.

'Nuff said. Buffalo, you rule.

I found this on BR.com from DumontFan.

[SabreEleven]

Even though we ***** and moan about this team and the FO, we will always be Sabres fans to the end...even though *****ing and moaning to some people mean we hate the Sabres.

[JD]

It should say "HOCKEYTOWN (since '06)"

[patmoran2006]

It is Hockeytown.. For now.

Many people are Bills AND Sabres ticket buying fans. But for those who are not fans of both, the Bills still reign supreme.

Buffalo fans overall obsession with Buffalo is due to them winning. It's not like we've been selling out the arena for several years.

I remember writing a cover story for a local magazine just in 2003 that was called "Why So Blue". It was a cover that illustrated an entire section of empty blue seats and talked about sagging attendance and community interest in the team.

This will be an interesting year with the key losses but the return of a team that's been to the conference finals two straight years. Tickets are obviously at a premium as there was basically already a waiting list for season tix before the offseason, so you cant really judge by THIS particular year coming up.

Im interested in seeing tix sales next season. I think it comes in the middle-- I dont think you'll see the support as when we had Briere and DRury, but It certainly won't fall back to like it did 4 years ago either.

[Dr. Lecter]

The Sabres will sell out every game again. They already have 14,500 tickets sold each game.

[patmoran2006]

I know that.

I said NEXT season is what I'm interested in seeing.

[Earthquake Enyart]

It is Hockeytown.. For now.

Many people are Bills AND Sabres ticket buying fans. But for those who are not fans of both, the Bills still reign supreme.

Buffalo fans overall obsession with Buffalo is due to them winning. It's not like we've been selling out the arena for several years.

I remember writing a cover story for a local magazine just in 2003 that was called "Why So Blue". It was a cover that illustrated an entire section of empty blue seats and talked about sagging attendance and community interest in the team.

This will be an interesting year with the key losses but the return of a team that's been to the conference finals two straight years. Tickets are obviously at a premium as there was basically already a waiting list for season tix before the offseason, so you cant really judge by THIS particular year coming up.

Im interested in seeing tix sales next season. I think it comes in the middle-- I dont think you'll see the support as when we had Briere and DRury, but It certainly won't fall back to like it did 4 years ago either.
This post gives me douche chills.

[chernobylwraiths]

I remember in the mid 80's when the chant around town was..

GO BILLS!!! and take the Sabres with you

What Pat says has some merit. The Sabres weren't selling out when the team wasn't making the playoffs. But I'm sure attendance was much higher than in places like Carolina, New Jersey and any team in California. I also bet the TV ratings were still higher than most markets back then as well. People just don't see the need to spend money for a product they feel is inferior.

[THATHURMANATOR]

The Sabres are set up to be a very good team for years to come. I can't forsee them falling in attendance too much for 5 years at least.