Crappy Sabres Attendance can eventually lead to ....

[Earthquake Enyart]

The loss of the Bills, too. If the Sabres leave, the NFL will think long and hard about having a team in Buffalo. If the Colts or Chargers don't move to LA, there will be pressure on the Bills to move there. Plus who knows what will happen when, God forbid, Ralph bites the big one and the team changes hands.

This could spell big trouble.

[Buffarama]

You are absolutely correct. It will give Buffalo the signature of being too small to support a professional franchise.
What really torques me off too, is whenever someone mentions bringing Major League Baseball here, immediately the local media squashes the idea. These guys are doing a great disservice when they do this.
I'd rather spend $100-200 on a sports event , than drop $200 at a casino.

[Ebenezer]

Buffalo is dying...

[Rude American]

I don't understand why one sport would impact another, especially when the Bills get great crowds. Lots of teams move that leave another behind.

[Ð]

Yeah, remember that Green Bay NFL team, the Green Bay Goons. And the Minnesota Twins. Remember them ?

[casdhf]

I doubt the Bills will go anywhere, there is much more support for the Bills than the Sabres. Even last year, we managed to sell out some games, with one of the worst teams and smallest markets around.

[Buffarama]

Don't discount perception as a political excuse. The Buffalo politicians aren't exactly a stellar group of shiny citizens. Just look at all they've done for the area over the last 20 years. Sometimes I think the only reason Buffalo still has a zoo is because the animals won't leave.
OK, I'm not going to get political. I'm done.

[InTheBox]

I dont think The Buffalo Bills are going anywhere. Especially L.A. there is to much of a hardcore fan base here and they sell out most of there games every year.

[InTheBox]

Who is next in line to own the buffalo bills if something happen to him? Doesnt he have a son that runs the team anyways?

[Michael82]

I totally disagree! I think it's the exact opposite. If the Buffalo Sabres leave, then the city will hold the Buffalo Bills here and put all the money into them to stay here forever. IF the Sabres leave, I think it's better for the Bills in the long term. When the people can't afford tickets to both events, they have to choose. If there is only one...I think more people would go to the bills games and spend money on the Bills. The way I think of it....

Let's say you have two glasses of water. One is the Sabres, one is the Bills. Fill them both up with water. That's the way it is now, the water (money) stays between the two glasses (teams),now...take both glasses and put the water into a bigger glass or a pitcher. That's what happens with the money if one team leaves. More support and more money into the one team. So, don't you think if the Sabres left, that it would be better for the Bills in a way? Personally, I don't think Buffalo or Western NY can support two Major League teams and really might have to choose. Bills or Sabres? I choose the Bills! :up:

[Earthquake Enyart]

If the Sabres leave, then Buffalo becomes Green Bay. Nobody wants that.

[InTheBox]

what do you mean by that?

[Earthquake Enyart]

Buffalo will look like a cow town.

[MissBuffalo]

I wouldn't want Buffalo to become the next Green Bay, but I also don't see the Bills leaving because the Sabres left.

InTheBox--Ralph's daughter is next in line to own the team if he happens to kick the bucket. There is some speculation that she would sell the team, but who knows what her real plans are.

Buffalo is slowly dying Eb--but silly 'ole me is still contemplating moving back there!

[clumping platelets]

Come back Miss Buffalo :)

You miss this place, you love this place :chuckle:


Now the Sabres:

Right now, the entertainment portion of people's discretionary spending is presently focused on the Bills :)

[Ebenezer]

The bigger problem is the stigma that Buffalo has...and that is a topic that can on for days...

As far as spending...it is evident that the Sabres/Adelphia/Rigas family were GIVING away bundles of tix to everygame...we were there the other night and there was as many seats empty in the lower bowl as the upper bowl...there were boxes that were completely empty...the problem goes ALOT deeper than losing the common fan.

[clumping platelets]

:sadwalk:

[MissBuffalo]

LOL CP--I think I really do love that place!!! But I can't make up my damn mind!!! I really should just get it together and move back. The cost of living out there is a huge attraction. I wouldn't have to make $80,000 a year to buy a house. Plus the whole family thing.
I think I'm the worst decision maker in the country.

[Ebenezer]

also...hockey is too expensive...41 home games and the cheapest seat is $17 for SEASONS??

[Michael82]

Originally posted by Ebenezer
The bigger problem is the stigma that Buffalo has...and that is a topic that can on for days...

As far as spending...it is evident that the Sabres/Adelphia/Rigas family were GIVING away bundles of tix to everygame...we were there the other night and there was as many seats empty in the lower bowl as the upper bowl...there were boxes that were completely empty...the problem goes ALOT deeper than losing the common fan.

This then brings a new question to mind. If you take away all the free tickets...how many seats were actually getting sold? My guess....it's not much more than what it currently is. That's the big problem, the only way they could get a full house was by giving the seats away. Hmmm. Does this mean that maybe Buffalo never really sold a ton of tickets and it was always 12,000 or so seats, but the rest was free...or what ? :scratch:

[clumping platelets]

That's a major part of the problem. 41 games........it's difficult to buy seasons knowing that you can't go to some of the games and need to scramble to find someone to buy them from you.


Miss Buffalo: PM!!

[Ebenezer]

Apparently....the trend may have gone back further than that...For years EVERY Sabres game was "SOLD OUT". During the 70s and early 80s the box scores and media guide always showed the same number (I think it was 16,433)...and there were always empty seats...All of sudden, even when seats were cheap, the games were not sold out. Freebies have probably been around for a long time.

[clumping platelets]

Then how do WE get some :scratch:

[Michael82]

Originally posted by Ebenezer
Apparently....the trend may have gone back further than that...For years EVERY Sabres game was "SOLD OUT". During the 70s and early 80s the box scores and media guide always showed the same number (I think it was 16,433)...and there were always empty seats...All of sudden, even when seats were cheap, the games were not sold out. Freebies have probably been around for a long time.

So, doesn't this mean that Buffalo might NEVER have been able to support the Sabres...but Rigas gave away tickets to fool the NHL to keep them here?

:feedback:

[Earthquake Enyart]

What are you guys talking about? In the 16,433 days, they did sell out. They didn't have all the boxes in the Aud that they do in HSBC.

I got my freebies for the Hawks from my pal Tony Zamboni on the ice crew.

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Earthquake Enyart
The loss of the Bills, too. If the Sabres leave, the NFL will think long and hard about having a team in Buffalo.


NOT! They are not gonna pull a team that is selling out every game. NHL is rinky dink compared to NFL.

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Earthquake Enyart
Buffalo will look like a cow town.



Buffalo is a cow town!:bowl:

[Judge]

Originally posted by Earthquake Enyart
If the Sabres leave, then Buffalo becomes Green Bay. Nobody wants that.

Do some research- the metropolitan Buffalo area has 1.2 million people. It isn't Green Bay.

For cryin' out loud- this kind of crap and Eb's "Buffalo's dying" are the WORST attitude possible.

[Rude American]

Originally posted by BledsoeTOreedfor6



NOT! They are not gonna pull a team that is selling out every game. NHL is rinky dink compared to NFL.

NOT! The NHL plays an 82-game season. The NFL plays 16.

[Rude American]

8x70=560

41x17=697

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Rude American
8x70=560

41x17=697



Problem you have there is the most expensive Bills seat is $48, not 70 and the nosebleeds are $17 for Sabres.


You are comparing apples and oranges.

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Rude American


NOT! The NHL plays an 82-game season. The NFL plays 16.

What the heck does that have to do with me saying NHL is rinky dink compared to NFL?

NHL can't come near the popularity of the NFL. It's a rinky dink league and thats why they can't get any TV contract worth mentioning.

[Sabre Ally]

Originally posted by BledsoeTOreedfor6




Problem you have there is the most expensive Bills seat is $48, not 70 and the nosebleeds are $17 for Sabres.


You are comparing apples and oranges.

70 and 17 were attendance numbers, not dollar figures :doh:

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Sabre Ally


70 and 17 were attendance numbers, not dollar figures :doh:


You may be right but I don't think so.

Rudes example was 8x70=560 and 41x17=697

Thats 8 bills home games x ticket price and 41 sabre home games x ticket price


If 70 and 17 are attendance #'s those are some pretty sad attendance #'s.:hamrhed:

[Sabre Ally]

Not really, 17 would be decent for a Sabres game. So he's off by 10 on the Bills games, give him a break, he doesn't even live here. :rolleyes:

[Novacane]

I think we are thinking differant things.. What did you mean by 17 and 70 being attendance #'s. You're confusing me?

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Sabre Ally
Not really, 17 would be decent for a Sabres game.


I said 17 was the dollar amount of a ticket. You said 17 was an attendance #. Are you saying if 17 people came to a sabre game that would be decent? I know you don't mean that?

[Sabre Ally]

17 thousand.

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Sabre Ally
17 thousand.




ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhh! Those #'s would make everyone happy! Maybe he was talking about attendance #'s. Rude?


If I was wrong........... :cheers: forgive me!

[Rude American]

17,000 people go to a hockey game.

The Ralph holds about 73,000. Ford filed hold 65k. I used 70k as a round number. 17 and 70. Sheesh.

My point was that the NHL will sell a similar number of tickets as the NFL this year.

[Rude American]

BTW, nowhere in HSBC can you buy a $17 ticket. The cheapest you can get is 25.

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Rude American
BTW, nowhere in HSBC can you buy a $17 ticket. The cheapest you can get is 25.

Cheapest season tick is $17 a game!

[Novacane]

Originally posted by Rude American
17,000 people go to a hockey game.

The Ralph holds about 73,000. Ford filed hold 65k. I used 70k as a round number. 17 and 70. Sheesh.

My point was that the NHL will sell a similar number of tickets as the NFL this year.



OK OK! OK! :drinker:

Point taken!

[Sabre Ally]

Cheapest tickets are $25.

Or $18 if you buy seasons, but you have to buy a full season for $738 to get that "bargain", and that's for the nosebleeds.

http://www.sabres.com/tickets/prices.html

[Rude American]

I was talking single game sales.

One time we had top row seats. If you've never been that high up, let me tell ya, it's up there. The plus side is that with nobody behind you you can stand up to watch the game if you feel like stretching. The down side to that thought is that you're then 3 feet higher. :D

[Rude American]

B2R46,

I'll agree that the NFL has a larger general fan base, but in terms of annual ticket sales they're close.

[Novacane]

Yeah......because they have so many games. That is part of the problem selling season tix. WHo has the time to go to 41 games? Not me!

[Sabre Ally]

Ya know, if I had the damn money, I would go to 41 games! Damn, it really pisses me off that the people who can afford it don't go and the people like me that really WANT to go can't. :angry:

[Novacane]

It should not piss you off. Other people have differant things going on in thier lives. I could afford the season tix but no way I have the time to go to 41 games. I live 45 miles away, would have to get a sitter for the kids every game, be gone from 5pm till midnight. If I was single or did not have kids maybe.

41 games is a big time commitment besides the $$$ commitment.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Well, when you have time, you can see the Adirondak Red Wings next year.

[Novacane]

The Sabres are not going anywhere EE. Where are they gonna go? Aside from a very few cities the NHL is a money loosing operation everywhere. Everyone says Paul Allen wants them. Thats all rumor. I heard he does not like hockey and has no interest in owning an NHL franchise.

[lordofgun]

OR you could drive to Elmira to watch the Jackals :D

Only $10...and there's no nosebleeds! :D

[don137]

The Bills stopped hosting games for prime time match ups because it was very difficult to sell out. The Bills get good support from our Canadian friends, Rochester, Jamestown, etc. but many of them wouldn't go to a prime time game because they would get home so late and have to work the next day. The same can be said for the Sabres. Many people don't come from Rochester, Jamestown, etc. to weeknight game because they have to work the next day. I'm sure if Buffalo had more day games on the weekend after football season they would have good attendance. Unfortunately the Sabres needs the people from all over the region to buy tickets but that most likely won't happen.

[Buffarama]

There is almost nothing I loathe more in professional sports than daytime NHL games, especially at playoff time.
Hockey should be played at 7:30 at night, ask anyone :)

[don137]

Originally posted by Buffarama
There is almost nothing I loathe more in professional sports than daytime NHL games, especially at playoff time.
Hockey should be played at 7:30 at night, ask anyone :)

I enjoy night games also. I am just saying it would help the Sabres attendance because there will be more fans coming from outside of Buffalo to attend the games.

[Judge]

Originally posted by don137
The Bills stopped hosting games for prime time match ups because it was very difficult to sell out. The Bills get good support from our Canadian friends, Rochester, Jamestown, etc. but many of them wouldn't go to a prime time game because they would get home so late and have to work the next day. The same can be said for the Sabres. Many people don't come from Rochester, Jamestown, etc. to weeknight game because they have to work the next day. I'm sure if Buffalo had more day games on the weekend after football season they would have good attendance. Unfortunately the Sabres needs the people from all over the region to buy tickets but that most likely won't happen.

I'm sure if the NFL and ABC/ESPN wanted a Bills home game on the night schedule next year, the Bills will host another prime time game.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Weekend matinees are good to take kids to.

[don137]

Originally posted by Judge


I'm sure if the NFL and ABC/ESPN wanted a Bills home game on the night schedule next year, the Bills will host another prime time game.

I'm sure the Bills will be on MNF next year but it will probably be on the road. If I remember correctly the Bills asked to not host prime time games because they have a tough time selling tickets.

I agree EE that matinee games are good to take kids to.