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2013-2014 Attendance


Mike Brown

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I have to agree with you there.  I can't remember another season where so many Devils games were played during a heavy snowstorm that clearly affected people's willingness to travel to/from a game.  I think the way you are looking at it is a fair assessment. 

 

Another thing I've been noticing is how empty the building seems for the start of games - but it fills up by 7:30.  Anyone think that a 7:30 start time would be better to get people in the seats by the opening puck drop than the current 7 p.m.? 

 

I've noticed this too but strangely it's also the case for weekend games.. I mean, what's the excuse for showing up late yesterday? I think a lot of people misjudge how long it takes to travel down 21 and get into those parking lots (I called them the "scared white folks" because they stick to the major roads and only park within eyesight of the arena).. I take backroads through Newark and park on the street so I'm in and out in no-time

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See, I think there's a split right down the middle. I and other people I know who go to games or have season tickets would absolutely love 7:30 start times. For many of us coming from jobs in Manhattan, a "9-to-5" job doesn't even exist anymore; I wish.... For people who work in NYC, chances are you work until 6:30/7, possibly later. To get to the game by 7 for puck drop, I have to run out of my office and look like the a-hole running out before anyone else, including my bosses. That's more a commentary on the work-day and worker's rights after the recession than anything Devils- or hockey-related; the age of no paid-overtime and 10+ hour days... *sigh*

 

But yes, on the flipside, I totally understand they have to play that delicate balance between getting families and people to the West of Newark comfortable going to games, while trying to attract the commuter/PATH/Hudson County/New York base as well. It's a toughie... I know a few people who'd get season tickets if games started at 7:30, but like you said, I'm sure it'd affect countless others negatively as well.

 

This is a good point.  Now I don't live in north Jersey/NYC, but I do have a similar situation when I attend sports events in the DC area.  I typically work until 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM, and getting to a 7 PM game at the Verizon Center is difficult, if I want to change my clothes first.  (The Verizon Center is located between where I work and where I live; I typically take transit almost every day to work and pass underneath the Verizon Center location every workday.)  For obvious reasons the Verizon Center doesn't want you to bring too many outside bags in (though they are acceptable as long as you don't have food), and for almost as obvious of reasons I don't want to attend Capitals, Wizards, or Georgetown basketball games there wearing my slacks, dress shirt, dress shoes, and tie.  Some college basketball games (namely George Washington games; Howard probably fits in this category too but I've never been there because the teams I root for pretty much never play there) aren't as bad because usually they'll allow you to bring duffel bags in, their games rarely sell out, especially on weeknights, and in some cases the gyms are Metro-accessible.  (Everyone in the DC area calls the subway system the Metro.)  With other college basketball games, namely those at Maryland, American, and especially George Mason, a later start time helps immensely because they aren't Metro-accessible and I can get home and change before driving to the game.  I'm VERY fortunate with Nationals baseball games because my office is within walking distance of the ballpark, so I can simply change before the game and head back to the building and pick up my stuff when the game is over.

 

Having said all of the above, I'm unsure if I'd want NHL or NBA games to start later than 7 PM on weeknights, just because you end up getting home pretty late.  At least with those games, you know the game will likely be over in 2 1/2 hours or less.  By contrast, with baseball I KNOW I wouldn't want the games to start after 7 PM, partly because I can easily get to Nationals Park before the game starts because of where I'm located, but mainly because you never know if a baseball game will last 2 hours or 4 hours.

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Keep in mind, that figure is only SELLOUTS. Actual sellouts. So, although I feel 42 sellouts in a span of 69 home games is very good (and it is) many of the other 27 home games remaining that weren't soldout, still drew very good crowds. We've had 5 games this season of over 16,000+ that weren't considered sellouts. 3 games last season of over 16,000+ that weren't considered sellouts, etc..

It's still two seasons back-to-back of over 90% capacity anyway you slice it. --something this franchise has never had.

 

..perception is reality, and despite the overall good stats\numbers, people are still going to hear "Devils Hockey" and assume the Devils can't draw. But facts are facts, and the fact is; you can't help but feel good about where the attendance is over the last 2 seasons.

 

The Devils' attendance numbers were up this year because their sth numbers were up.  Now it's a plus sign the Devils' sth numbers increased off a non-playoff season, but with all the early renewals many sth's didn't know we'd miss last year in March, or that Kovalchuk would walk home to Russia.  Not to mention the possibility of an outdoor game definitely spiked renewals/new sth sales.  Let's see how the numbers go after this year assuming they miss again.

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See, I think there's a split right down the middle. I and other people I know who go to games or have season tickets would absolutely love 7:30 start times. For many of us coming from jobs in Manhattan, a "9-to-5" job doesn't even exist anymore; I wish.... For people who work in NYC, chances are you work until 6:30/7, possibly later. To get to the game by 7 for puck drop, I have to run out of my office and look like the a-hole running out before anyone else, including my bosses. That's more a commentary on the work-day and worker's rights after the recession than anything Devils- or hockey-related; the age of no paid-overtime and 10+ hour days... *sigh*

 

But yes, on the flipside, I totally understand they have to play that delicate balance between getting families and people to the West of Newark comfortable going to games, while trying to attract the commuter/PATH/Hudson County/New York base as well. It's a toughie... I know a few people who'd get season tickets if games started at 7:30, but like you said, I'm sure it'd affect countless others negatively as well.

 

Yeah it's also about when you leave games too.  If you have kids nobody wants to leave after 10 PM depending on the commute time.  Especially on weekdays, getting home past 11 would be just as bad as not having enough time to get there.  Personally I love getting home before 10:30 on weeknights, but I don't have any problem making 7 PM starts so everyone's going to have a different perspective. 

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I have to agree with you there.  I can't remember another season where so many Devils games were played during a heavy snowstorm that clearly affected people's willingness to travel to/from a game.  I think the way you are looking at it is a fair assessment. 

 

Another thing I've been noticing is how empty the building seems for the start of games - but it fills up by 7:30.  Anyone think that a 7:30 start time would be better to get people in the seats by the opening puck drop than the current 7 p.m.? 

 

2010-2011 had a lot of snow games as well.

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I agree. It's clearer and clearer the season ticket base has grown this year. After a bad stretch of games, I always imagine a huge dip in attendance is looming. And while attendance hasn't been GREAT, all things considering (pretty bad/frustrating/boring season), the crowd has been pretty constant. Hope for the new owners' sakes, we can make the playoffs, it'll make a huge difference next season as far as attendance goes.

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I agree. It's clearer and clearer the season ticket base has grown this year. After a bad stretch of games, I always imagine a huge dip in attendance is looming. And while attendance hasn't been GREAT, all things considering (pretty bad/frustrating/boring season), the crowd has been pretty constant. Hope for the new owners' sakes, we can make the playoffs, it'll make a huge difference next season as far as attendance goes.

 

We're averaging 90% capacity which is the highest ever since opening the Rock excluding last year.

 

2007-2008: 88.3%

2008-2009: 89.6%

2009-2010: 88.1%

2010-2011: 83.8%

2011-2012: 87.4%

2012-2013: 97.1%

2013-2014: 91.6% including Stadium Series Game; 90.2% NOT including Stadium Series Game

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I have to agree with you there.  I can't remember another season where so many Devils games were played during a heavy snowstorm that clearly affected people's willingness to travel to/from a game.  I think the way you are looking at it is a fair assessment. 

 

Another thing I've been noticing is how empty the building seems for the start of games - but it fills up by 7:30.  Anyone think that a 7:30 start time would be better to get people in the seats by the opening puck drop than the current 7 p.m.? 

Lou always HATED 7:30 games at CAA

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A lot of people leave early in close games too lol...the family of three in front of me ALWAYS clears out a few minutes before the buzzer, even in tie games.

 

fwiw supposedly we have 8700 season ticket holders, according to Hugh Weber at one of the sth yearly gatherings.

Edited by NJDevs4978
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