OT: I am calling you out-Buffalonians are fair weather fans

[Ebenezer]

So, yesterday, Gary Bettman basically told our duly elected officials to fish or cut bait. I will put my skepticism aside for a minute and not come to the conclusion that this was some orchestrated ploy to get the area to pony up and get things straight in order for Hamister's bid to go through. I will also forego the thought that this is nothing more than a dog and pony show that opens the door and we can all wave goodbye as the Sabres drive out of town.

What I have to say goes to a level beyond the day to day operations of the any pro sports team. I am calling out the fans of Buffalo. I, and I may be the only voice in the wind, do not belief that this is a rabid sports area. We are rabid about the Bills. We will lay down and die if it means winning the Super Bowl. We are not, however, a good sports town. The arena is full when the Sabres are winning but traditionally when they are bad the arena is empty. Thus, fair weather.

I keep hearing about afordability. What about the other sports this town has or has had?? Who supported the Stallions or the Blizzard?? Tickets were cheap for those games. It appears that nobody likes soccer. I'll give fans that one.

What about the Bandits? When they were champions and new people flocked to the Aud to see them. The games were exciting; more so than the Sabres. Tickets were cheap; more so than the Sabres. The same is true today. How many people go to the games? How many sell-outs were there last year? Win and show, lose and stay home? Thus, fair weather.

How about university sports? Sure, put Canisius against St. Bona at the Koessler Center and it is sold out. Have Canisius play (enter any non-major college team here) on any other Thursday night and nobody shows. How many people go to UB basketball or football games. Niagara almost went to the National Championships in college hockey a couple of years back. How many people went to those games? By the way, tickets for those games were in the single digits.

How about other sporting events? The Bisons? I go to 5 games a year. There are less than 6,000 in the seats. Women sports? Forget it. A sale at Steinmart gets more attention in this town than women's sports. High school sports? You have got to be kidding me. I know we don't live in Texas. I know we don't live in Florida. But, how many people went to the Section VI championships at the Ralph in October? How many non-students or parents of players go to football games on Saturday's during the fall? How many non-students or parents of players go to basketball games in the dead of winter?

Sorry, let's face it. Buffalonians have this warped view that we deserve the Sabres and the Bills. We are deluded into thinking we are a GREAT SPORTS TOWN. This is incorrect. We are a Great Bills Town. Nothing more, nothing less. Unless the Sabres are winners the people don't show up. Forget minor league. Forget college. Forget high school. Fans in this town only want the major leagues and they only want a winner. Expense may keep some people from the Sabres games but it doesn't prevent people from supporting these other sports outlets. By my definition, that is not a great sports town.

:ebenezer:

[Earthquake Enyart]

When the Breski's left I felt the same way.

[Novacane]

We are a Great Bills Town. Nothing more, nothing less.



Well said!

[Voltron]

It is the same every where. When I lived in Houston people would cry out for an NHL team yet I would go to the AHL games to see the Houston Aeros and every time I had a seat right on the glass. The Aeros won the cup that year and the only time I saw people in the stands was right twords the end of the season when they clinched a playoff spot. I saw the same thing happen to the Rockets back when Barkley played. I think it was his last year. You could buy a ticket for the game at the door and walk in and take your pick of awsome seats that the season ticket holders wern't using.

I feel for you Eb because I like hockey too but lets face it. What John Rigas did put a bad taste in a lot of peoples mouths. He bought a team with stolen money and then would put in players and coaches that he knew would only make it so far (it seemed to me). I knew John Rigas. I lived 4 miles from his house. He was cheap. It has always seemd to have big holes in one spot or another for as long as I can remember. They had the best goalie in the leage 2 years ago and they still couldn't win. I think people are fed up with the teams in Buffalo loseing. Ralph has tried to do something about it. I think if the Sabers want to stay then management should do something to save it.

[Ð]

I said to all my buddies 10 years ago that pro sports will eventually eat itself. With teams lining up for gov't handouts i.e. pretty much all stadiums/arenas, etc. being publicy funded, it just shows that the current business models do not work.

Some would say that the people in the smaller market cities are stupid for allowing their pro teams to leave/move/fold, etc. . I say the smart people in those cities are the ones who stay away.
The smaller market team's troubles are just the canary in the coal mine alerting to a pending disaster in pro sports.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge sports fan.

[WG]

Originally posted by BledsoeTOreedfor6
We are a Great Bills Town. Nothing more, nothing less.



Well said!

I'll second this!

Doug,

Agreed, at some point all of this "salary whining" over $10M more per season when guys are already being paid astronomically will kill things.

[casdhf]

Yeah, Buffalo sucks...glad I don't live there

[colin]

The NHL in general is pretty screwed up though. There are no where near the revenues to justify the salaries spent on the players, the NHL is pretty bush league, the management from the top on down is bad. It might need a big shakeup, and it might have to get smaller.

[ArcticWildMan]

Simple fact of life...people like WINNERS. If you put a sub-par team on the field/ice, nobody is going to pay to watch them lose.

The Sabres are mediocre at best, and down right pathetic at worst. Put together a team with quality players that has a winning record, and people will come see them play.

And I'll agree with Bledsoe2Reed...Buffalo is a football town. Any other sport is second fiddle. I could really care less of the Sabres leave. Hockey doesn't interst me anymore. The season is too long and the talent level in the league is too diluted with too many teams (just like baseball).