GDT: Amerks/Pirates Sun. 3/7/10, 4:00 PM, HSBC Arena

[Blue and Gold Forever]

Originally Posted by Bluey

I'm surprised they drew 11,000 last year vs. Albany.

Maybe they used the "Donner method" to bring in that many.....

I was at the 11,000 game last year. It was legit as far as size. As for sales?? Who knows. But why would they schedule 2 games this year if they didn't feel they would be as similarly successful this year?

Even if they gave tickets away last year - there still has to be interest in attending. There was a LOT of buzz last year about Gerbe and Kennedy. Not sure though that that would be enough to boost attendance to 11,000 - even with a lot of freebies.

Most fans of the Sabres probably don't pay too much attention to the AHL affiliate. It's tough to instantaneously root for guys you don't know - even if they are from your system. Maybe that's what the fans found out last year. I remember it took a good period and 1/2 before the fans got into the game. Back in the lockout year when the Amerks played in the arena - the place was rockin'. But that's because a good portion of the team had already done time with the Sabres.

[Charlie]

The hell it wasn't... The game is too fast now to allow these hits to continue... His shoulder made contact with his face and he should have let up.

Even the NFL is cracking down on this kind of bull****.

[dubblenikle]

HAHA. Plexiglass bangers. My girlfriend was asking why the hell they kept doing that. I just told her they must be special. They also were kept saying Grangani's name a ton. No matter what he did they would say nice pass grangani, or nice shot grangani. Either way I had to have been the first one up on that goal. It was a frickin Rocket.

[EricBourgeois]

Originally Posted by Charlie

The hell it wasn't... The game is too fast now to allow these hits to continue... His shoulder made contact with his face and he should have let up.

Even the NFL is cracking down on this kind of bull****.

What about the player's responsibility to keep his head up?

[Buffalo Super Fan]

First of all the Buffalo Sabres were playing that night at 7 PM at MSG in a very important game for the chase of Buffalo Ottawa for first in the Northeast Division with the 3rd seed that goes with it. Second there was very little advertising for the game. And third and the main point Buffalo isn't going to go to support a team at HSBC Arena without Buffalo name on there uniform in great numbers.

This is Portland's team for now soon to be Albany's not Buffalo's team so that is why the 4,000 in my opinion. I have been to a AHL game with 14,000 at HSBC Arena but that was during the NHL lockout season with blue ice they were trying.

To expect Buffalo to draw for a team that isn't there own is asking alot. Plus the Buffalo Bandits NLL played at home game the night before with over 16,000 fans and on that sunday UB had a first round MAC basketball tournment game at UB Alumni Arena.

Buffalo geting 3 or 4 thousand is good considering the timing. There is also MAAC basketball tournment in Albany with both Canisius and Niagara in it over the weekend that I would bet most Buffalonians were watching too. I personally was following all that stuff so there was little time to go to a Portland/Rochester AHL game the timing was just bad. They should have played this game during the NHL Olympic break when there was no NHL hockey.

Timing with that 11,000 game last year against Albany plays a big part too. I believe that game was on a week night with nothing going on in Buffalo if memory serves me. Amerks fans I will also add the UB Bulls football ticket renewals are due the 15 of March I just sent mine in friday so Buffalo fans may not have alot of extra money right now. Let's Go Buffalo

[bucky]

It's simple, not that many people really care about AHL hockey. I don't think there's anything more to it than that.

[LetsAddMoreBanners]

Originally Posted by bucky

It's simple, not that many people really care about AHL hockey. I don't think there's anything more to it than that.

That's been my thought on the whole attendance issue since day 1. The only reason why Minor League Baseball does any better is because of warm weather and fireworks.

[bdaly]

Originally Posted by Blue and Gold Forever

Most fans of the Sabres probably don't pay too much attention to the AHL affiliate.

Yep, it's as simple as that. It's asking a lot for a "major league" city to care much about a minor league team. Toronto doesn't give a crud about the Marlies, and goodness knows they love the Leafs (despite that team's ongoing flaws). The average major league fan doesn't do a lot of prospect watching -- it's as simple as that.

Buffalo managed a few nice AHL crowds, including last years, but I also remember some very modest ones. Heck, I recall a Hamilton game at HSBC (for whatever reason) back in the 90s that drew an "announced" crowd of 4K. Unless there are some nice deals out there, or there's some novelty (lockout, playoffs, etc), it's a hard draw -- most Sabres fans care about Miller, not Enroth.

[RWB]

Originally Posted by rochpenguin

Should be a good group sale this Friday from Harris RF Communications, though I think it is just the engineers and their families (for Engineers Week). We get to skate from 4:00-5:30 as well. Hopefully I'm not wrong.

Yeah the crowd is looking decent for Friday. Sections 105 and 111 are sold out and section 106 has only 5 seats left. 107 has 1 seat, 108 has 4 left and 109 has 16 left. Almost that whole side of the arena is sold out in the 100 level.

Right now the crowd would be announced around 4300, but I would guess it'll be pushing 6,000 by Friday night.

[insagt1]

Amerks are now the only team in the AHL with no shootout losses.
Hershey and Lake Erie the only teams with no OT losses.

Amerks getting healthy in the standings again...if the season ended today, they would qualify for the playoffs in any division. That hadn't been the case lately. Their 37 wins is one of the leagues top win totals.

Wonder if this latest surge will translate into a larger crowd on Friday? Would be nice to top 6,000 again...as impossible as that seems anymore. With a 10 point lead on Lake Erie, and only 15 games to play, it would also be nice to be able to start putting them in the rearview mirror and concentrate on staying in 2nd place, and playing winning hockey into the post season.

If Henry can get one more goal and Duco two more, Amerks will have 11 players with 10 or more goals....which is pretty decent.
I wonder if Daniel Steiner has played his last game for the Amerks??

[bdaly]

Originally Posted by RWB

Right now the crowd would be announced around 4300, but I would guess it'll be pushing 6,000 by Friday night.

I believe I heard on the TV ad that it's a Wegmans night too -- ticket vouchers are available for $12 that can be redeemed for premium seats. So that should be another nice bump. I agree that 6K seems like a reasonable goal with where they are right now; it's been a while since they've hit 6K.

And on Insagt's point on the surge helping attendance, I actually bet the bump we're seeing so far for Friday has more to do with the promotions and better marketing than the streak. But, it certainly doesn't hurt.

[Dorky Dave]

Originally Posted by bdaly

I believe I heard on the TV ad that it's a Wegmans night too -- ticket vouchers are available for $12 that can be redeemed for premium seats. So that should be another nice bump. I agree that 6K seems like a reasonable goal with where they are right now; it's been a while since they've hit 6K.

.

With all of the deals that are out , the heavy marketing on radio and tv and the recent play for the boys coupled with the fact that they have been on the road and this is only 1 of 2 Friday nigght games this crowd should be the biggest of the season with a crowd approaching the 8000 range that should be do able

[Buffalo Super Fan]

I don't agree with the whole Buffalo is a major league city doesn't care about minor league sports that is way to general labeling. If Buffalo didn't care about minor league sports than the Buffalo Bisons, Buffalo Bandits and UB Bulls football that is basically mid major in the Mid-American Conference wouldn't draw flies.

So I take acception to Rochester fans putting Buffalo fans in the Toronto Marlies and city of Toronto catagory. Buffalo isn't like a Toronto or a New York City were there are millions and millions of people mega city that can act to cool for the room. Buffalo is small town america that is what we are major league sports or minor league sports we are a small town that isn't changing with a Stanley Cup or a Super Bowl. It would be great but we are what we are a small town that happens to have two major league sports teams.

We are alot closer to you guys in Rochester than you think. Buffalo isn't some huge mega city. We were a minor league town for years like you guys in Rochester and we know were we came from. We drew well and one of our Buffalo old weathy families the Knox brothers award Buffalo strong fan support in the AHL with the old Buffalo Hockey Bisons with a NHL franchise in 1970 when Buffalo was a much bigger city.

The Buffalo Bills were from a upstart AFL that merged with the NFL in 1970 and the NFL became huge in America. I never in Buffalo got the oh were major league look at us out of Buffalo ever. I live here 42 years and never did I ever see or hear Buffalonians thumb there noses and say I not going because it is garbage minor league sports.

We outdraw you guys who are a top minor league city in baseball and lacrosse last year so I wouldn't say it as simple as Buffalo in major league and doesn't care about minor league sports because that is untrue. If that is how Rochester reads Buffalo you don't know our city as well as you think.

Buffalo isn't like that if it was we would have 3,000 fans at NLL Buffalo Bandits lacrosse games like the New York Titans and I wouldn't be on this board if I thought like that.

UB Bulls average between 15,000 to 20,000 for college football games in the MAC Mid-American Conference. The Buffalo Bisons IL average 8,000 a game last year in a down year. I never came accross a Buffalo sports fan that said I not going to the Buffalo Bisons or Buffalo Bandits game today because you know there not major league like the Buffalo Bills NFL or Buffalo Sabres NHL.

I not saying that those type of fans aren't in Buffalo I sure they are. I just saying I never came accross any in my circles in Buffalo. Buffalo sports fans enjoy sports and like to root on the hometown Buffalo sports teams. We have always been like that long before the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres and will be like that forever even if the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres left Buffalo.

To put Buffalo in that catagory is generalizing or sterotyping the city of Buffalo. I want add that another thing Buffalo on tuesday had a major concert in Billy Joel/Elton John with tickets going for $150 a piece according to the Buffalo News concert review HSBC Arena was pretty close to full. That is why I say economics and timing has alot to do with the low attendance for the sundays AHL game in Buffalo.

With that type of ticket price for a concert on tuesday plus the Buffalo Bandits NLL on saturday with 16,000 plus at $23 a ticket window individual prices. Plus Buffalo Sabres NHL games on friday and wednesday and friday again tell me where is the money coming for for the AHL game with two teams not from Buffalo it is simple economics.

You can't spend what you don't have money wise. If you want to say the AHL lost out to bigger events I agree. Buffalo might have dug down in the wallet if it was a Buffalo team meaning there own plus you would have season tickets sold well in advanced in the summer. But if you saying that it is because Buffalo doesn't like AHL hockey because it has major league teams I would disagree with that.

To put a label on Buffalo like we could careless about minor sports because we have two major league teams and wouldn't want to waste our time is very wrong and I would disagree with that generalization about Buffalo.

With Buffalo it is hit and miss and timing plays a big roll how you will draw for AHL games in Buffalo. If Rochester fans think that if Buffalo lost the Buffalo Sabres tommorrow to another city and a Buffalo AHL team replace the Buffalo Sabres NHL and you think we will only draw 4,000 plus for the AHL in Buffalo with our own AHL team with no Buffalo Sabres. Then I have some swamp land to sell you Florida.

We would average 8,000 to 9,000 yearly in the AHL with no Buffalo Sabres anymore in Buffalo anybody thinking anything less is reaching if your going to go by a few AHL games by two non Buffalo teams. Our season ticket base for AHL hockey my guess would be 5,000 to 6,000 alone and that is being on the really really conservative side just the Buffalo businesses buying up the season tickets in the really good sections of HSBC Arena. Then with the big 18,000 plus arena you would draw like the Buffalo Bisons IL 10,000 to 14,000 when holiday season comes around like thanksgiving break and christmas break.

I disagree I think Buffalo even in the AHL instead of the NHL would draw better than my Buffalo Bisons IL baseball. Two reasons one Buffalo is a boarder city. Fort Erie, Niagara Falls and St. Catherines are hockey crazy they still would go to HSBC Arena to watch hockey one over baseball. Two nothing to do in Buffalo in the winter. It took the Buffalo Bisons IL along time to build there fan base back after going nearly a decade with no baseball in Buffalo. Buffalonians like to go outside, vacation also we like playing in our parks, beaches and backyards for Barb-B-Ques. The Buffalo Bisons IL battled that for along time and in some ways still do.

In the winter Buffalo can't do as much so hockey weather it is NHL or AHL would be a huge draw in Buffalo and bigger than baseball and this is a baseball fan telling you this. See that is why I am so surprised about the Rochester Amerks AHL still struggling attendance wise. What are Rochester folks doing in the winter cold months? Bowling I don't know I ask. In Buffalo bowling is still big and sking but after that not alot to do in the winter cold months other than head to the HSBC Arena to check out the Buffalo Sabres or Buffalo Bandits?

Now I am not saying some wouldn't go away ticked off that Buffalo isn't major league because there would be fans ticked off but what I am saying is they would be replaced by fans like myself that could afford to go to games again regularly in Buffalo. If Buffalo had no NHL hockey Buffalonians wouldn't say major league Sabres are gone I don't like AHL hockey I not going. Buffalo is a good sports city period the Bills and Sabres fans would be ticked off if they left but the sport of hockey and football would go on in Buffalo believe me.

I don't hang on every word Ralph Wilson and Tom Golisano say about major league sports in Buffalo personally or care if they threaten me it goes in one ear and out the other. If they go and move away other business people would take there place with minor league sports teams in Buffalo like before we were major league because we are to large of a city to not have some kind of minor league sports teams just on economics Buffalo would be in the AHL if the NHL left Buffalo. The AHL is giving Albany back another hockey team so if the Buffalo Sabres left Buffalo would get AHL hockey and we would draw in my opinion.

I would still be a fan of Buffalo sports teams in the AHL and in college football or the Arena Football League weather it is major or minor it makes no difference to me. I don't go to games because it is major league or minor league. I go to games to win and be entertained for 2 1/2 to 3 hours nothing more.

The Buffalo Sabres are getting ready for the NHL playoffs and I more fired up for Buffalo Bisons IL season opener because we are loaded talent wise. The Buffalo Sabres will go a round or two on Ryan Miller's great goaltending and then be done I love the Buffalo Sabres but that is reality they can't beat the Pittsburgh's and Washington's of the world with more talent anyone thinking other wise is justing hoping or wishing which is fine just telling you like it is.

The Buffalo Bisons IL it is Governors' Cup or bust because the team on paper is that good. Ike Davis is going to have a monster year if he doesn't make the New York Mets he is tearing the cover of the baseball for the New York Mets. Chris Coste looks his usually self hitting well. I am more optomistic about the Buffalo Bisons than my Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills combined.

Fans in Buffalo have already said if the Buffalo Bills leave Buffalo for another city there done with them for good and would follow UB Bulls football fulltime as there favorite football team in Buffalo. That doesn't sound like major league or nothing to me. It sounds like a good sports town to me period. Let's Go Buffalo

[Kent]

I swear his post are getting longer and longer just to tick us off.

Dude very few if anyone are reading these.

[insagt1]

agreed--an occasional rant is OK but this is way over the top.