[drscruf]

So, with the loss last night to the Rangers, the Panthers have fallen to 2-8 at BankAtlantic Center this season. Sorry, but I can't consider a game not played in North America to be a home game,

Why is this? They have played very well on the road this season. Many nights at BAC, there are enough opposing fans to make it feel like a road game. It just makes no sense. On top of all this is the fact that they still have come out at home with flat starts and no jump. I don't understand why this is.

Can someone please enlighten me? :yucky:

[sharkdivmstr]

I don't get it either. Its always been a problem to have too many fans of opposing teams at home, but this season it is really problematic. I can imagine its discouraging to the home team. Maybe they like the road better because they don't have to face the crowd at home. At least on the road you expect opposition...

[Lord Stanley]

Florida isn't a hockey Market. Quebec and Winnipeg are plain and simple.

[JoeyHurricane]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 10:46 AM, said:

Florida isn't a hockey Market. Quebec and Winnipeg are plain and simple.

I fail to see how this comment has any relevance to a 2-8 home record for the Panthers.

[TML4ever]

not on the 2-8 record because my team is really not that great either but as far as having opposition in the arena... speaking for myself and my gang we are going to Sunrise in January. We had our choice of seats to select from, 7 together (not something we're used to here at home) and we are paying face value for them... again something unheard of at home. Your arena makes it easy for the opposition just in my simple case to be able to watch a game there because there is availability. Having some opposition in your home is still having more local fans at home. Having more opposition fans in the stands on a road game...? I don't think there's really an equation to it. Really the home is an advantage based on the line change rule alone. Don't get me wrong, there's always pressure to perform at home sure but have your fans at the arena even booed your team at home this year at all?

[CatWoman34]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 10:46 AM, said:

Florida isn't a hockey Market. Quebec and Winnipeg are plain and simple.

Did you post that in here just to start a fight?
-----

As far as why we can't win at home, it's a head scratcher. I don't think it's a crowd issue. I know most nights the BAC can be quiet, but usually when there's a solid crowd, I can hear the crowd either on the radio or on the TV. And the team knows there are dedicated fans (we know they read the official boards from time to time) and they're aware of your efforts to boost the atmosphere in the BAC (namely, the cowbells).

My guess it might be something to do with their pre-game schedule. On the road, you're with the team, you have a more regimented schedule. At home, you see your family, you eat at home, you drive to the rink, etc. Maybe there's something about the pre-game that just doesn't get them ready to play.

I have a hard time accepting that the fans are to blame because not enough show up. That takes the blame away from the team and puts it on the fan, who don't deserve it.

Perhaps coaching is to blame, maybe PDB and Co. aren't doing a good enough job on Game Day to get these guys ready to play.

Maybe it's the fancy hot tubs at II.

[Imber]

Yeah it's really turning into an abysmal home record. This is a team that has struggled to find a winning identity, so as small as the home crowd is, I think they do get nervous. How many of those losses have been blown third period leads? A lot of these guys are still very young. It also may have to do with the fact that our style suits the road more. Notice has everybody calls us "boring" which is pretty much how a good, solid road game needs to be played. That kind of style may not work as well at home. These are just some guesses.

[Lord Stanley]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 10:46 AM, said:

Florida isn't a hockey Market. Quebec and Winnipeg are plain and simple.

Of course I had no intentions of starting a fight folks. But your complaining about lack of home attendance well that makes me think that not enough people care about hockey down their as say a Canadian Market

[Imber]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 04:32 PM, said:

Of course I had no intentions of starting a fight folks. But your complaining about lack of home attendance well that makes me think that not enough people care about hockey down their as say a Canadian Market

I think people's issue is the question is why can't the Panthers win at home, not why do the Panthers have low attendance.

[CatWoman34]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 02:32 PM, said:

Of course I had no intentions of starting a fight folks. But your complaining about lack of home attendance well that makes me think that not enough people care about hockey down their as say a Canadian Market

Canadian markets have also had their fair share of attendance problems, and even this season they aren't immune to them. Ottawa has had empty seats, and even the Leafs have not been selling out their luxury boxes.

People care about hockey down South, there are just many different reasons why those people that once packed Miami Arena no longer come to the BAC. Be it their economic reality, the fact that the team hasn't made the playoffs in a decade, etc.

[drscruf]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 02:32 PM, said:

Of course I had no intentions of starting a fight folks. But your complaining about lack of home attendance well that makes me think that not enough people care about hockey down their as say a Canadian Market

This has NOTHING to do with my question. So, you're suggesting that because the Panthers are playing better on the road this season, that's because those games are in "hockey markets"? In other words, the city they play on determines how well they play? Really? That makes no sense at all. And, I wasn't complaining about home attendance in the first place.

The topic isn't about the South Florida market. That's an old and dead argument. If Quebec and Winnipeg were such great markets for an NHL team, they'd still have them. They don't. Period.

To completely get off base, the reason you get such easy access to seats down here is because the team has been horrendously mismanaged and mediocre for the better part of a decade. In sports terms, that's forever. Putting it another way, it's been almost since Winnipeg had an NHL franchise. Because of said management and mediocrity, fan interest has waned. After all, it IS South Florida and the sporting choices alone are endless. To suggest there are few hockey fans down here is ludicrous. There are TONS of hockey fans here, the problem is that most are not Panthers fans. Trust me, there are plenty of people here who will come out for their "old" teams (i.e. Boston, Buffalo, New York, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Philly, any Canadian team, etc.). The challenge for Panthers management is, and has always been, to put a team on the ice that would convince those fans to not only show up to the one or two visits from their "old" team, but show up for the rest of the season and root for the Panthers. Again, it's been 10 years since a playoff appearance. Winning sells.

I completely disagree with the premise that because the "home" crowd can be so mixed is an issue with on-ice results. If they were THAT soft mentally, winning in "hockey markets" should be nearly impossible. And, recent evidence refutes that argument anyway. Last season, the Panthers were 22-12-7 at home. This year, it's 3-4-3, or 3-7 (vs. 6-4-1 on the road). My earlier post was incorrect. So, getting back to the original question. What's the problem with the home record?

[InvisibleC0w]

A few seasons ago I would have sat here and said that god the fan base here sucks. All honestly this is the best/worst year (so far) to be a fan. Even with the opposing teams fans in the crowd, there has been a GOOD amount of Panther fans at the arena. Last year I would go to a Wednesday game and look around and it would be half empty. This year, it doesnt feel like that. I think our attendance has been fine but not great. What makes that bad is the fact we have been selling 75cent lower bowl seats and the place still isnt packed.

Yes, Winning sells. Our home record is not making people want to come to the games even if they have to pay 4 bucks for 3 lower bowl seats. When we had real good crowds and had a chance to bring the fans in, we lose and because of that fans are losing interest. This is all just my opinion but I can't think of anything to say about this team anymore. I think I did my part in going to the games and supporting them but there giving me reason to just sit down and just go yay a team. :teehee:

[drscruf]

I agree with your sentiment, but that really isn't answering the question either.

I didn't bring this up to denigrate the fan base. It was a serious question about why the on-ice results for the Panthers aren't better. I have a hard time believing that it has anything to do with the fans.

[tk90]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 09:46 AM, said:

Florida isn't a hockey Market. Quebec and Winnipeg are plain and simple.

Market legitimacy is irrelevant. The Blues draw decent crowds for most home games, and we still blow at home. Phoenix doesn't draw very many fans, and look how good they've been at home this season. I don't think the fans have anything to do with it, or anything else for that matter. Maybe it is just a coincidence. What else could it be?

[drscruf]

Lord Stanley, on Nov 26 2009, 02:32 PM, said:

Of course I had no intentions of starting a fight folks. But your complaining about lack of home attendance well that makes me think that not enough people care about hockey down their as say a Canadian Market

I found this response commenting about our attendance from a Penguins GDT specialist (a team that was nearly sold a few years ago) who hails from Toronto, sporting a Leafs sig, yet claiming their team to be the Bruins (another team that had attendance issues not long ago) most odd. No offense intended here.
And, of course, it's completely irrelevant. Again, I wasn't commenting on home attendance. I was (am still actually) commenting on home ice play.

Quote

Market legitimacy is irrelevant. The Blues draw decent crowds for most home games, and we still blow at home. Phoenix doesn't draw very many fans, and look how good they've been at home this season. I don't think the fans have anything to do with it, or anything else for that matter. Maybe it is just a coincidence. What else could it be?

Thank you for this post. Thank you.

[drscruf]

I think I've answered my own question. Having missed the last two home games due to work and seeing two nice fat wins, I have come to the conclusion that the Panthers don't win at home when I show up. And, this bodes well for the New Year's Eve game as well as the Jan. 3 game against Pittsburgh as I'm missing those too. Bet the house!