Is Anybody Out There?!

If you haven't seen this yet, get ready for some rather striking statistics.

9,802 spectators watched the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Anaheim Ducks last night at Nationwide Arena. The place holds 18,500, officially, making it only filled to 52% capacity. Coincidentally on the same night, only 8,820 spectators watched the Atlanta Thrashers get thrashed by the Buffalo Sabres. Philips arena officially holds 18,545 people, making the arena only 47% full.

EDIT: On October 21, only 6,706 spectators watched the Phoenix Coyotes play the Los Angeles Kings in a capacity of 17,125. 39% capacity! 39%!!

Staggering.

It brings me back to my days as an intern with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. The team got somewhere between 3,500 and 4,200 fans on a regular basis. Even when the team reached the conference finals, there were only about 5,000, maybe a little more, on board. The Sovereign Center holds about 10,000 fans. I joked with now-LeafsTV correspondent Steve Dangle (www.twitter.com/steve_dangle) on his radio show that when the Royals had "white-outs" during the playoffs, it was more like a "blue-out" because of the majority of empty seats.

Where is everyone?

For a pro team on the top of the food chain of leagues to only fill LESS THAN HALF of their arena is SAD. Let's not mince words. It may be a slight against the marketing department, or the product on ice, but it's still depressingly unacceptable. If this trend continues, which it has been seen in other locales, mostly in the south (Dallas, Phoenix, Florida, Atlanta), then it may be time for something drastic.

In March, the Dallas Stars ran a promotion called "The Real Deal". Fans could get an upper level seat, Arby's meal coupons and a James Neal t-shirt for $25. The Stars are wrapping up "Ott-toberfest", where fans can get two premium lower level seats, two beverages and two Steve Ott t-shirts for $100. Attendance in Dallas is slowly getting better with the promise of a new season and proactive deals such as these. I like this trend.

Fans get more than a hockey game out of a hockey game.

Columbus, Atlanta, Florida, may have to start running really bold promos that give fans something else. I still like the Dallas Stars, and I regularly wear my James Neal tee that I got with the promo. It's all about identification with a team, or a player. Growing the game is every team's priority, and these promotions are a good start.

Fascinatingly enough, the BankAtlantic Center that houses the Florida Panthers have seats as low as $25 on a regular basis. And two years ago, the Panthers ran an absurd promo...something along the lines of 4 lower level seats, four drinks and hot dogs for $50. I could be wrong. However, this should be enough to gather SOME fans. Hard to believe it didn't achieve its desired effect.

A rebuilding team takes time, and the front office can only do so much to help the on-ice product. It's up to the marketing departments to create identification with the team or a certain player RIGHT NOW. If that can't happen, then these teams are in serious trouble.

Let's hope the ultimate of all ultimatums doesn't happen as a result of said trouble.