The Buffalo Sabres are playing better hockey this season and have the exciting Jack Eichel in the lineup. Why has their average attendance dropped in 2015-16 compared to 2014-15? The Sabres are averaging 18,245 fans per contest according to ESPN, a drop compared to their mark of 18,580 last season. Though the numbers aren’t far apart, the eye test shows there have been a lot of empty seats and even empty rows close to the ice during Sabres games. Why?
The answer might be pretty simple – fans are bored.
The Buffalo News explored the topic and interviewed some fans, finding that the overall consensus is that the product on and off the ice is boring.
One fan stated:
“Whenever I have a game to go to I’d rather just give it away to someone else,” said Hamburg’s Chris Schmidt, who splits a season-ticket package and picked five games. “So far I have given away two of them to other family free of charge because I felt like there were better things to do.”
Another who went to two games this year:
“Both of them were just incredibly boring,” he said. “The whole time I was sitting there I was like, ‘Why am I here?’ It’s more of a displeasure with the actual NHL product rather than the Sabres.”
The NHL should love the comment above as it will give them additional fuel to tinker with nets and goalie equipment. They’ll believe additional scoring may sway a fan’s opinion.
One more fan:
“It seems like they’ve gotten back to the clutching and grabbing and tackling and obstruction. You’re not letting your players play. You’ve got guys out there like Eichel and Kane that can freewheel and play, and they’re not allowed to.”
Finally:
On game nights, a lack of enthusiasm is noticeable inside First Niagara Center. While the fans passionately explode when given reason, the opportunities to cheer aren’t extensive.
“The problem for me is there is no bonus or added excitement sitting in the arena compared to my couch,” said Jeff Hansen of Hamburg. “The arena is quiet and boring. There is no energy, no chanting, no yelling.
Is this an NHL problem or a Sabres problem? From the surface, it sounds like the Sabres and their fans are to blame. In-game entertainment is an area some teams do very well while others don’t really place a focus on, but shouldn’t the on-ice product trump the extras off the ice? It may also come down to pricing as the Sabres could easily deploy some promotions to fill the empty seats.
Some of the statements above will cause fans of other teams to roll their eyes and question just how big of fans the people interviewed even are. The Sabres are certainly more exciting than they were a year ago. It’s possible the disaster which was 2014-15 is still causing some fans to stay at home.
