It’s safe to say Dallas Stars fans are pretty excited for 2015-16. After acquiring Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya and Antti Niemi, the team is enjoying a big surge in ticket sales heading into the new season. According to team president Jim Lites, the Stars may even be approximately 80,000 tickets ahead of last year’s pace.
Via the Dallas Morning News:
Compared to this time last season, the Stars have sold about 80,000 more tickets when figured on a one fan per game basis, according to Stars president Jim Lites.
Now, that doesn’t mean the team will see its average attendance soar to 2,000 above the 17,350 it averaged last season _ the place only holds 18,532 _ or that they will sell out 100 percent this season. But it does mean the demand for tickets is noticeably increased and the popularity of the team could be on the cusp of something fairly big.
The old expression “spend money to make money” may prove to be true in the case of the Stars. The investment into Sharp, Oduya and Niemi may not pan out as the team hopes, but they should recoup a decent chunk of their investment by attracting a larger base of season ticket holders. The actual attendance figures will weigh heavily on whether the team is able to post a winning record, but they’re off to a great start before training camp even begins.
Though every team is structured differently, a team usually has to make the playoffs before they see a return on their investment. With the Stars nearing the maximum salary allowed, this roster will not only have to fill the building during the regular season, but may also have to make a significant playoff run in order to offset some of the big spending from this summer.
