56 replies to this topic

[Derek21]

DR doesn't deserve to be called a hypocrite. He's always been a good fan of the Devs on this board but because attendance is mentioned, he's not a real fan ?

Most of you are all diehard fans of that team. DR still follows them loyally from Ottawa. I'd imagine it would be tough to follow them and also get out to Continential Airlines Arena from there.

Didn't DR attend a couple of Ottawa-Devils games in Kanata?

[westcoastdevfan]

I live in California, don't blame me.

[GA Devil]

Ugh!! I don't get it. You either like the game of hockey or you don't. I rather enjoyed the chess game going on between Burns and Tortorella.

Boring? Burns said it best: (paraphrasing) "I'd rather win 2-1 than get embarassed in a 7-6 loss.

[devilsrule33]

He said he would rather win 1-0 then win 7-6. I think any coach would rather win 2-1 then lose 7-6.

[devilsrule33]

Thanks Derek. I attend every Devils game against Ottawa in Ottawa. In the playoffs it will be tough to get tickets if Ottawa and NJ play each other but I will try. Even if that means sleeping outside the Corel Centre one night. I would do that to have a chance to get to a Devils playoff game. But season ticket holders can reserve seats so I could get a friend to reserve for me.

[Zamode]

Derek posting a Brooks' article on this subject is adding fuel to the fire and a dig.

[HellOnICE]

The excitement level doesn't overwhelmingly matter. $50 cheap seats do.

[sheeps]

It is easy for an out-of-stater/out-of-provincer to complain about attendance because they can not be blamed. But it is hard when you are faced with high ticket prices, an arena in the middle of a swamp, horrible traffic problems, and little public transportation esp. no train service. Ottawa has multiple bus lines for an arena exclusively. We have relatively nothing! Which game would sell out faster, 34th Street Penn Station or Route 120, Meadowlands. This team deserves a new arena and a sold-out crowd. I agree, I wish we had more people in the stands, but I'd take a win with nobody in the crowd over a loss in front of a sold-out crowd. Gary Thorne can subtlely dig us all he wants.

[ice dog]

for people saying that attendance is due to the Devils being "boring", I think thats insane...I would much rather see a well played tight checking, low scoring game, than a sloppy shoot-out, with a ton of defensive break downs...plus the fact that the Devils are kings of this style, and a smothering force in the playoffs make it all the more entertaining!

[Germanator]

Okay, now here comes the propably farest ankle from that you can look at it, it's my ankle*G*

Basically I perceive three facts as main reasons.

1. It's the prices. But you already talked about that enough.

2. It's the arena. I know a lot of people who do not feel attracted by it for the reason it doesn't support noise or whatever...can't say much more about it. <_<

3. It's the state and city situation. You're not only living in an accumulating area of cities, in fact these are hockeytowns. To the North you'll find a majority of Rangers-fans that fill the Garden and not forget the Isles, and as soon as you cross the border to the south, you will see people wearing Flyers-jerseys if I imagine that right. The Devils are competing for a "limited audience" (though it's an amazingly big audience) along with the many other sports teams in your region. And the upper two reasons might destroy the rest potential. -> in a place where the Devils would be in a monopoly position, they could as well demand higher prices than now and were still sold out.


A quote from another hockeyfan dealing with the same issue about the Devils:

"You can get from Times Square to the Meadowlands in about 10-15 minutes on the bus.  But no one in New York wants to see the Devils.  They want to see the Rangers.

My guess would be the Devils fan base stretches from the Hudson River to about Princeton.  West and south of there, you are a Flyers fan.  East of there, you are a Rangers fan.  Although there are a lot of people living in that area, the demographics aren't real favorable for hockey.  Throw in the fact that the building is only accesible via mass transit from downtown New York, and you've got problems, hence the reason the Devils want to move to downtown Newark near mass transit."

[devilsrule33]

I am sure some fans feel why spend 400 bucks when the team doesn't play very exciting hockey. I am not saying all but I am sure there is a good portion.

[NJDevs4978]

I am sure some fans feel why spend 400 bucks when the team doesn't play very well. I am not saying all but I am sure there is a good portion.

Not playing very well???

[HellOnICE]

Doesn't play very well. I guess the 108 pts in the season, and the second round means just that. If you mean entertaining, than those people, the handfew, will probably not buy tickets for a vary of other reasons as well. You want entertaining go see the Leafs, Red Wings, they play entertaining. Oh wait, no they don't. What about the Flyers? We scored more and allowed the same, so techinically we had a more "entertaining" season.

[devilsrule33]

I meant not playing the style they may like or feel it is boring.

['7']

it was tampa, game 1, weeknight. No real chance for a sellout. The NHL is not very popular anymore, it's not as exciting. The Devs are especially boring but we would still get a sellout if the Rags, Flyer, Isles, or Leafs were here for a playoff game.

Devils should get at least 18,000 for todays game.

[westcoastdevfan]

it was tampa, game 1, weeknight. No real chance for a sellout. The NHL is not very popular anymore, it's not as exciting. The Devs are especially boring but we would still get a sellout if the Rags, Flyer, Isles, or Leafs were here for a playoff game.

Devils should get at least 18,000 for todays game.

thanks '7' glad to see your positive outlook never changes.

['7']

well, when the subject is Devils attendance, there aren't many positives.....