Sabres fans- are they stingy?

[huszabi]

I just red a column in the Buffalo News about only 6500 season tickets are sold for the next year.
I think, in a situation like now, every Sabres fan who has enough money has to buy a season ticket.
You can blame Bettman, you can blame the Rigases, you can blame the league there's no matter. The only important thing to try the Sabres keep in Buffalo. And if it's possible not only for the upcoming season.


So, what do you think?

[bduff54]

i wouldn't pay a load of money to see second rate players outthere

[sabres081]

Originally posted by bduff54
i wouldn't pay a load of money to see second rate players outthere no we dont have a hasek or big name players but we have satan and hope we have max we have a good team are guys just have to step it up there NO SECOND RATE PLAYERS

[BironsGirl43]

If I lived in Buffalo I would buy season tickets, no questions asked... but it is kind of hard for me to make it games that frequently living in Toronto.. but for sure I am going to go to games in Buffalo again next season!

[huszabi]

Originally posted by BironsGirl43
If I lived in Buffalo I would buy season tickets, no questions asked... but it is kind of hard for me to make it games that frequently living in Toronto.. but for sure I am going to go to games in Buffalo again next season!

I live in Hungary, but I was in Buffalo this spring to see live the Sabres (vs. Red Wings & Isles).
And I'm sure I will go again in the upcoming season.

Go Sabres!!

[BillsNYC]

eh...i wouldn't blame people for not buyin season tix...its a second rate team in disaray...buffalo is blue colar...theres other things that money could be spent on til they clean up their act...its not the fans fault this is happening...

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by BillsNYC
eh...i wouldn't blame people for not buyin season tix...its a second rate team in disaray...buffalo is blue colar...theres other things that money could be spent on til they clean up their act...its not the fans fault this is happening...

It is as much the fans fault as anyone.

I hate the fans that ask the team "what have you done for me lately" yet get POd when the team asks the same question right back.

There is a term for people that only support their team when they are doing well: BANDWAGON FANS

Buffalo has turned into a bandwagon town. The Bills struggled through cap hell last year and the fans were nowhere to be found. This year they have Bledsoe and high hopes, so the bandwagon is filling back up.

The Sabres barely missed the playoffs and the bandwagon fans jumped off. And they won't get on board even with the chance that the team will move. I'm getting really disgusted with the fans in WNY. I wouldn't be shocked if the team is taken from them and then they'll whine about how they supported the team when they went to the Cup finals.

Newsflash: Carolina and Florida filled the building when their teams went to the Cup. Are they good hockey fans? Heck no, they're bandwagon jumpers just like you.

And if you want to say I'm wrong about Buffalo being bandwagon fans, then prove it and buy tickets.

[huszabi]

Originally posted by Jim Bob


It is as much the fans fault as anyone.

I hate the fans that ask the team "what have you done for me lately" yet get POd when the team asks the same question right back.

There is a term for people that only support their team when they are doing well: BANDWAGON FANS

Buffalo has turned into a bandwagon town. The Bills struggled through cap hell last year and the fans were nowhere to be found. This year they have Bledsoe and high hopes, so the bandwagon is filling back up.

The Sabres barely missed the playoffs and the bandwagon fans jumped off. And they won't get on board even with the chance that the team will move. I'm getting really disgusted with the fans in WNY. I wouldn't be shocked if the team is taken from them and then they'll whine about how they supported the team when they went to the Cup finals.

Newsflash: Carolina and Florida filled the building when their teams went to the Cup. Are they good hockey fans? Heck no, they're bandwagon jumpers just like you.

And if you want to say I'm wrong about Buffalo being bandwagon fans, then prove it and buy tickets.


Absolutely agree!!

Go Sabres!!

[BillsNYC]

so you're saying that somebody who is just cutting corners, financially, should spend their hard earned money on a team that is low budgeted, in ownership disaray, doesn't look to have a promising season, and doesn't want to put the best players on the ice possible? why should the fans support that? what the sabres have to do is clean up their act and start spending some money, then the fans will start spending their money. its like giving them cash for minimum services...its bad business....

[Player6600]

I agree with BillsNYC. Even though the multimillionaires are in trouble it doesn't mean I have to go and run to buy season tickets.

[eyedog]

you can call the fans what you like, but i won't go back to a sabres game until there is a owner in place who is willing to make an attempt at signing players who can win. at least the bills are making moves to better their team. and if the sabres can't do that and end up moving, then so be it.

[BillsNYC]

jim bob...i know what you're sayin...but if the fans rush to buy tix, then what lesson will the sabres learn? the team needs its boat rocked...and if we buy tix it means we support the dirrection that the team is headed in....which i don't think is the case...the bills are an excellent example...they are doing everything possible to make next year's team the best possible...how is that affecting the fans? they are buying tix and the hype is amazing...its the complete opposite with the sabres organization...they aren't making moves to get fans in the seats...they're actually doing the opposite, which is why the nhl has to sell the team to owners that want to make the sabres a playoff team...not bring in some average guys and hope they play hard enough and get lucky and make the playoffs...if this means the team moves...which i would hate to see...then so be it...the fans shouldn't have to spend their hard earned money on a less than par organization.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by BillsNYC
so you're saying that somebody who is just cutting corners, financially, should spend their hard earned money on a team that is low budgeted, in ownership disaray, doesn't look to have a promising season, and doesn't want to put the best players on the ice possible? why should the fans support that? what the sabres have to do is clean up their act and start spending some money, then the fans will start spending their money. its like giving them cash for minimum services...its bad business....

Yes, everyone should buy tickets and I'm a perfect example.

I have a 4 month old son and my wife just quit her job to stay home with him. We didn't renew our Rochester Rhinos season tickets because we had to cut back. But I am working hard to find a couple to go in with us on a Flex Pack to go see 3 games together. It's not a lot, but it's the best I can do and it's better than sitting and whining. And even if the team does leave, at least I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that I did all I could to keep the team here and wasn't sitting on the sideline doing absolutely nothing but complain.

You are either the part of the problem or part of the solution, I choose to be part of the solution.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
you can call the fans what you like, but i won't go back to a sabres game until there is a owner in place who is willing to make an attempt at signing players who can win. at least the bills are making moves to better their team. and if the sabres can't do that and end up moving, then so be it.

The Bills and Sabres comparison doesn't hold water in my book. The Bills have the benefit of revenue sharing and a salary cap that allows them to compete at the same level as every other team.

I'm not going to punish the Sabres because the NHL's economic system is messed up. The Sabres are my team and I'm going to support them as best I can.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by BillsNYC
jim bob...i know what you're sayin...but if the fans rush to buy tix, then what lesson will the sabres learn? the team needs its boat rocked...and if we buy tix it means we support the dirrection that the team is headed in....which i don't think is the case...the bills are an excellent example...they are doing everything possible to make next year's team the best possible...how is that affecting the fans? they are buying tix and the hype is amazing...its the complete opposite with the sabres organization...they aren't making moves to get fans in the seats...they're actually doing the opposite, which is why the nhl has to sell the team to owners that want to make the sabres a playoff team...not bring in some average guys and hope they play hard enough and get lucky and make the playoffs...if this means the team moves...which i would hate to see...then so be it...the fans shouldn't have to spend their hard earned money on a less than par organization.

Go tell that to Hornets fans in Charlotte. There is what will happen to the Sabres if fans have an attitude like yours. The Hornets set NBA attendance records. Then the fans got POd at the owners. The the owners asked for a new arena and the voters said no. So the owners started looking elsewhere and the fans stopped coming. Now the Hornets are in New Orleans and the Hornets fans in Charlotte have no NBA basketball this year. I guess they really showed the owners, huh?

And don't give me this BS about not supporting a subpar organization. The Sabres are far from a subpar organization. The NHL has a messed up economic system, yet the Sabres have been a lot more competitive than many teams that are in similiar financial boats (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Anaheim, Florida, Tampa Bay, and Nashville) and some teams that are in better financial boats (neecd I mention the Rangers?).

The fans in Calgary have had to buy 13,000 season tickets per year for the past few seasons to keep the team in Calgary. And they have had a heck of a lot less to root for recently than the Sabres, yet they keep buying tickets. So the Sabres missed the playoffs last year. It was the first time that happened since they missed in Ted Nolan's first year as coach. And that was prior to the Regier/Rigas era started. And they only missed by 5 points last year.

And let's debunk some of the popular complaining points that are often thrown around by people that are trying to rationalize why they won't buy tickets:

1) Tickets are too expensive: Sabres tickets are in the bottom third in the NHL. If Buffalo can't buy tickets that are in the bottom third of the league, then they don't deserve a team.

2) The team needs to spend more on talent: If fans aren't buying tickets where is the money to pay these higher paid guys going to come from? Plus, with the team having bottom third ticket prices, why should the payroll be more than bottom third? Sabres fans are about the only people I know that expect to be able to buy a Cadillac Escalade for the price of a Kia Sportage.

3) The team is boring: First, say the league is boring and I'll agree. But the Sabres outscored Edmonton, Calgary, and Colorado last year and I bet most people would say that those teams were more exciting. Plus, the idea that the East is boring trap hockey and the West is wide open wasn't true last year. The East had 6 of the top 10 goal scoring teams in the league and the West had 7 of the top 10 teams with regards to allowing the fewest goals against.

Bottom line, the question being asked is what have the fans done for the team lately? It's the same question the fans are asking the team, so don't get your panties in a wad when the question is turned right back at you. So either buy tickets or start packing the boxes and call the moving vans.

[eyedog]

ok jim bob have you bought your sabres tickets ? i have bills season tickets which cost around $600 per year per seat, not $6,000 like the sabres. i understand the sabres have a different system to work under, but i'm still the customer and i won't spend money to see a minor league hockey team in a regular season game that means nothing. i used to, but no more,until we get a real owner who will try to win.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
ok jim bob have you bought your sabres tickets ? i have bills season tickets which cost around $600 per year per seat, not $6,000 like the sabres. i understand the sabres have a different system to work under, but i'm still the customer and i won't spend money to see a minor league hockey team in a regular season game that means nothing. i used to, but no more,until we get a real owner who will try to win.

Spare me the minor league BS. This is a team that missed the playoffs by 5 points last year and will be better this year.

Take you pessimistic BS elsewhere because I'm not buying it.

And who said you had to buy Sabres season tickets? Every little bit helps. So if you can't afford season tickets then buy a Power Play Pack or a Flex Pack or just go to more individual games than you went to last year.

But if you don't go to any games this year and the team moves due to a lack of support from the fans, then I don't want to here a peep out of you when their gone.

[Player6600]

I think jimbob and eyedog raise some good points. We don't want to be like Charlotte (but their owners screwed them badly) and hockey itself is the most entertaining game to watch live. TV does it injustive because it doesn't show the speed or full play of the game. Eyedog is right because season tickets are very expensive it seems as if you have to be very financially stable and if you don't feel the team is going in the right direction the decision is very easy.

[BillsNYC]

WAY TO MODERATE PLAYER :D

[Player6600]

thanks BillsNYC

[eyedog]

jimbob, it's hard to miss the play-offs in the nhl. maybe if they didn't trade their captain over a couple of dollars they could have made up those 5 points. instead we took on two young players who were not ready yet. you go ahead and pay the $100 for a game in january against atlanta. they will probably play half -assed and lose. oh, wait ,that actually happened more than once last year. and if they don't get a real owner who is trying to win then they might as well move then because i don't need to watch that. you never answered my question, did you buy sabres season tickets ?

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
jimbob, it's hard to miss the play-offs in the nhl. maybe if they didn't trade their captain over a couple of dollars they could have made up those 5 points. instead we took on two young players who were not ready yet. you go ahead and pay the $100 for a game in january against atlanta. they will probably play half -assed and lose. oh, wait ,that actually happened more than once last year. and if they don't get a real owner who is trying to win then they might as well move then because i don't need to watch that. you never answered my question, did you buy sabres season tickets ?

I answered your question earlier in the thread if you would take the time to read.

If it's so hard to miss the playoffs, then why have the Rangers missed for 5 straight years despite having one of the highest payrolls in the league?

And spare me the Peca BS. Peca didn't want to be here any longer. GET OVER IT.

All your sorry excuses for why you no longer support the team just goes to show that you are a bandwagon jumper and not a true fan.

Calgary has 13,000 people that buy season tickets despite the fact that the team hasn't made the playoffs in like 5 years. It's too bad that Buffalo doesn't have fans like that because if they did there wouldn't be a question about the team staying here.

[eyedog]

peca didn't want to be here any longer, just like hasek, because they knew the owners were not committed to winning. they got lucky to have an all-world goalie to cover the asses of the mediocre players up front, thus they only had to pay hasek. peca wanted to stay, but the cheap, lieing, stealing owner would not pay him or anyone else what they are worth.
so you go ahead and split up your flex pack amongest your neighborhood, i'll wait to see who the next owner is before i buy another ticket.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
peca didn't want to be here any longer, just like hasek, because they knew the owners were not committed to winning. they got lucky to have an all-world goalie to cover the asses of the mediocre players up front, thus they only had to pay hasek. peca wanted to stay, but the cheap, lieing, stealing owner would not pay him or anyone else what they are worth.
so you go ahead and split up your flex pack amongest your neighborhood, i'll wait to see who the next owner is before i buy another ticket.

If you do that and the team leaves town because nobody steps up to buy the club and keep it here because of a lack of fan support I don't want to hear a single word out of you.

The Rigas ownership of the Sabres is done with.

MOVE ON.

The choice now is support the team or it will move. I'm choosing to support the team.

If you choose to sit on the sidelines and pout, then so be it. But I'm not going to listen to your pessimistic BS. The Sabres were my team before Hasek, Peca, Nolan, Rigas, Regier, and whoever you want to bring up and that fact isn't changing now. I'll just have to live with the satisfaction of knowing that I stepped up to the plate to keep the Sabres in Buffalo when far too many people were sitting on the sidelines moaning about the state of the club.

Hey, the Rangers might be good this year, why don't you jump on their bandwagon?

[eyedog]

jimbob don't give me any **** about buying tickets and supporting the sabres. i'm confident in saying i've bought more tickets to the games over the last 30 yrs. than you have. you should be thanking me for doing it so you are able to sit home in crapchester and watch the games on tv. since your a big hero why don't you dig a little deeper and buy a couple of season tickets instead of your 3 games out of your split up flex pack.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
jimbob don't give me any **** about buying tickets and supporting the sabres. i'm confident in saying i've bought more tickets to the games over the last 30 yrs. than you have. you should be thanking me for doing it so you are able to sit home in crapchester and watch the games on tv. since your a big hero why don't you dig a little deeper and buy a couple of season tickets instead of your 3 games out of your split up flex pack.

If I could, I would.

And what anyone has done in the past doesn't mean jack. Sports is all about what have you done for me lately. And lately the bandwagon jumping Sabres fans in WNY have caused the team to be close to getting shipped out of town.

Keep sitting on the sideline slappy. I just want to be able to sit at the back of the bandwagon and put a nice old size 11 in your teeth when you try and jump on in a couple of years when the team is winning again.

Once again, if you aren't a bandwagon fan, then buy tickets.

If you are a bandwagon fan, you don't buy tickets, and the team leaves town then keep your freaking mouth shut.

[eyedog]

well i won't be buying tickets at this time for you to sit on your ass in front of the tv. i'll wait to see who the new ownership is, and if thats not good enough for them ,then so long, don't let the door hit ya in the ass. to be honest, i'm sick of watching the boring regular season games that don't mean squat, unless your fighting for that last play-off spot every year. so they have the honor of getting their ass kicked by the #1 seed. so jimbob i'm sick of dishing out a $100 a night for you to sit home in front of your tv. you better line up more flex packers or they may be playing in portland.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
well i won't be buying tickets at this time for you to sit on your ass in front of the tv. i'll wait to see who the new ownership is, and if thats not good enough for them ,then so long, don't let the door hit ya in the ass. to be honest, i'm sick of watching the boring regular season games that don't mean squat, unless your fighting for that last play-off spot every year. so they have the honor of getting their ass kicked by the #1 seed. so jimbob i'm sick of dishing out a $100 a night for you to sit home in front of your tv. you better line up more flex packers or they may be playing in portland.

And I'm sick of the whiny bandwagon fans, so I guess we're even.

So what are you going to whine about when there are new owners and the team is run in the exact same fashion as it is now?

New owners aren't going to change the fact that the NHL's economic system is warped beyond belief and the Sabres can't afford to have a marquee talent and surround him with enough talent to win games. With the budget the Sabres have there are two choices:

1) Go with the plan that they have going now which is have good young talented players, but none that make much more than the league average and compete to make the playoffs.

or

2) Have one marquee player that eats up a quarter to a thrid of the payroll budget and surround him with a roster full of rookies and AHLers. You know, kind of like the Panthers with Bure and the Ducks with Kariya. How much fun are those teams to watch?

[eyedog]

if the team is run the same way i then do the same thing i'm doing now. i don't buy tickets. if they want to put an effort into winning, i will support them, if not, it's up to you people like you jimbob because i won't do it any longer.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
if the team is run the same way i then do the same thing i'm doing now. i don't buy tickets. if they want to put an effort into winning, i will support them, if not, it's up to you people like you jimbob because i won't do it any longer.

What's your definition of "effort into winning"?

I see Darcy Regier working his butt off to provide the best team possible with a $34 million payroll budget.

Now if you're an accountant that can prove to me that the payroll should be more than $34 million then go right ahead. But it's a fact that the Sabres are in the bottom third of the NHL in revenues and average ticket price. So it would extend that they are in the bottom third of the NHL in player payroll.

So I don't get why the Sabres should spend more on players than the revenues they are taking in will allow.

Once again, why do some fans think they should pay for a Kia Sportage and get a Cadillac Escalade? Please explain this one to me.

[BironsGirl43]

Cant we all just get along??? Anybody wanna join me in singing Koombaya.. lol??? ;) :D

[eyedog]

i won't be paying for anything. i'll sit home and watch on tv. effort into winning translates to owner spending money out of his pocket to improve team. if that cannot be accomplished in this small market and they are losing money and they continue to trade their best players because they can't pay them, then i don't buy tickets any longer. to me it makes no sense to watch and hope they snag the last play-off spot. instead i'll sit back and hope everyone else ponies up the cash for tickets.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
i won't be paying for anything. i'll sit home and watch on tv. effort into winning translates to owner spending money out of his pocket to improve team. if that cannot be accomplished in this small market and they are losing money and they continue to trade their best players because they can't pay them, then i don't buy tickets any longer. to me it makes no sense to watch and hope they snag the last play-off spot. instead i'll sit back and hope everyone else ponies up the cash for tickets.

Why should the owner have to pay money out of his own pocket? It's a business, not some toy unless your name is Mark Cuban or Paul Allen.

[eyedog]

well then we better hope we get an owner like that.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
well then we better hope we get an owner like that.

You have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing that happen and still have the team be in Buffalo.

The only chance the Sabres have to be financially competitive is to have some sort of revenue sharing/salary cap/luxury tax system put into place during the 2004 CBA war.

The only reason the Bills can compete with other NFL clubs is because they have revenue sharing and a salary cap. The same type system would have to come into existence in the NHL or the Sabres will have to continue to do more with less.

It sucks, but that's the reality of the situation.

Besides, even rich owners like that charge ticket prices that are far higher than what the Sabres currently charge. Rich owners get rich by being smart businessmen, not by throwing money away.

[Papaduke]

Yeah this purse fight is kind of old. Eyedog... don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out. Turn in you Miro Satan secret decoder ring to the club treasurer.

[eyedog]

it's in papaduke. i'll sit back and let the rest of the suckers buy tickets to watch that crap. so jimbob based on what your saying, and i am aware of it and agree with you, since there is no revenue sharing the sabres really can't win unless they fall into another hasek. which they probably won't, so why bother spending big money on tickets. i'll sit back like you and catch a game on tv now and then. if thats the way it's gonna be then let them leave. they are just taking up time until the bills start anyway.

[huszabi]

Nice words Jim Bob!!

I'm living in Hungary, and I will buy some tickets, also.

We have all hopes, the team will be more experienced and therefore better like last year. We have some very good young talents and a massive goaltending situation now.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by eyedog
it's in papaduke. i'll sit back and let the rest of the suckers buy tickets to watch that crap. so jimbob based on what your saying, and i am aware of it and agree with you, since there is no revenue sharing the sabres really can't win unless they fall into another hasek. which they probably won't, so why bother spending big money on tickets. i'll sit back like you and catch a game on tv now and then. if thats the way it's gonna be then let them leave. they are just taking up time until the bills start anyway.

If that's the way you feel, then fine.

But personally I'm OK with supporting a team that has to compete on a limited budget. And as long as the team is doing everything within their power to win, then I'm behind them. And with everything Darcy Regier has done this offseason, he has earned my support. Regier has had the toughest job this offseason and he has done a fine job, IMO.

[BillsNYC]

Originally posted by BironsGirl43
Cant we all just get along??? Anybody wanna join me in singing Koombaya.. lol??? ;) :D

Birons...pass the bong :D


you both bring up great points....i'm stuck in the middle. my beef ain't with the sabres or regeir...its soley with the ownership. the new guys have to do a better job of increasing the payroll, cuz i agree that darcy does everything in his power to get the best value for the dollar. buffalo is like the islanders of the last 15 years...bring in some cheap players with potential...and when they get good and expensive...trade em! i don't think bandwagon is relevant here...the sabres could get lucky and win the cup next year, or lose every game, and my views would remain the same..the owners need to do a better job with increasing the payroll.

[BironsGirl43]

Originally posted by BillsNYC


Birons...pass the bong :D



LOL!!!! :D You so craz-ay!

[eyedog]

i also believe that darcy is doing a good job considering the circumstances that he is working under. i am watching whats gonna happen with s. bassin. i am not too familiar with him other than that he is a hockey man, which is good. i hope it all works out.

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by BillsNYC


Birons...pass the bong :D


you both bring up great points....i'm stuck in the middle. my beef ain't with the sabres or regeir...its soley with the ownership. the new guys have to do a better job of increasing the payroll, cuz i agree that darcy does everything in his power to get the best value for the dollar. buffalo is like the islanders of the last 15 years...bring in some cheap players with potential...and when they get good and expensive...trade em! i don't think bandwagon is relevant here...the sabres could get lucky and win the cup next year, or lose every game, and my views would remain the same..the owners need to do a better job with increasing the payroll.

Your comparison is completely bogus. The mid-90s Islanders clubs had by far the lowest payrolls in the NHL. The current Sabres at $34 million are in the bottom half and perhaps the bottom third, but they aren't at the bottom of the entire league and by a wide margin.

And as far as new ownership upping the payroll, why? The revenues aren't there to support a higher payroll. Just look at the history of the team. The Knox family ran up $70 to 80 million in debt. The Rigas family doubled that number to the $150 million range. Now you may doubt the Rigas numbers, but do you really think the Knox family cooked the books? I don't.

The only way payroll will be increased for the longterm is if they can boost revenues. And in the NHL the #1 revenue stream is ticket sales. So, to boost revenue would ultimately mean............higher ticket prices. Throughout the league there is a direct corrolation between ticket prices and payroll. So if you really want the owners to boost payroll I will suggest you get ready for a ticket price increase.

Just look at the Caps last summer. They raised ticket prices, traded for Jagr, and then raised ticket prices again.

The same thing will happen here if they raise payroll I would suspect.

[Thumper]

All it comes down to is this? Do you love hockey? I mean...Do you really LOVE hockey? I do. Jim Bob sounds like he does. I don't want to take anything away from your arguement, eyedog. Your point is seen and definitley heard......But my question is the biggest one. If you love hockey, and you want a professional team in your city, then you should love those first 30 games that mean "nothing". Just to see Miro on a breakaway, and almost feel your heart stop....To see Biron stretch his body across the crease to make a huge save.....To see Rhett Warrener or Jay McKee crush somebody along the boards.....To see Rob Ray drop the gloves a few more times this season.....Just to watch Stu Barnes drill it home from the top of the slot in Overtime......This is why I watch hockey. Because I love everything about it. I'll go to games this year...I'll go to as manygames as my wallet can handle. No, I can't afford season tickets....But I'll go to as many as I can afford. If I can't have a home town team to root for after this season, I'll be sick. Doesn't everyone get that feeling? Just think of how your heart thumps in the playoffs when the Sabres are down a goal in the 3rd period....Or the joy you feel after they trounce Philly 8-ZIP. That would all be gone, Sabres fans...All of those emotions.

The Rigas's screwed us all. But you know what? They'll be getting screwed in jail. Don't let John Rigas be the Buffalo Sabres Hockey killer. We're so much better than that. Us fans deserve the last laugh. I want this to be the greatest season of all time for the Sabres. I want to see every game sold out.....I agree the product on the ice needs to be improved, but for f's sake, the product in the stands needs to be the best it's ever been to see hockey ever again in this town.

What's is going to be?

[BillsNYC]

Originally posted by Thumper
All it comes down to is this? Do you love hockey? I mean...Do you really LOVE hockey?

What's is going to be?

even if you love hockey...you shouldn't have to fork up bucks to pay to see a mediocre team. thats like the sabres putting out a bunch of below avg players on the ice that have no chance and saying..if you love hockey, it shouldn't matter whos playing. if thats the case..i'll watch college hockey...i watch pros to see the best...and that what i expect to see...

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by BillsNYC


even if you love hockey...you shouldn't have to fork up bucks to pay to see a mediocre team. thats like the sabres putting out a bunch of below avg players on the ice that have no chance and saying..if you love hockey, it shouldn't matter whos playing. if thats the case..i'll watch college hockey...i watch pros to see the best...and that what i expect to see...

Give me a break.

The NHL required Minnesota and Columbus to sell 13,000 season tickets to be granted expansion franchises.

Calgary and Edmonton have to sell 13,000 season tickets to qualify for the canadian assistance program the NHL has.

Why should Buffalo not have to support the Sabres in a similiar manner?

[mikeylikess99]

look for season tickets sales to double, perhaps even trilpe when bassen group take over....i thin you may even see a rally of some sort by the new group....ALL I CAN SAY IS THA ONCE AGAIN YOU WILL SEE EXCITING HOCKEY ONCE AGAIN.......CANT WAIT FOR THE YEAR TO START...... check this out....alan maislan and frank duross, the business people and financial backers of team...both are very successful.....sherry bassen gm and operations officer and part owner....and yes ted nolan behind the bench.....now i realize people like jbob might cringe at such a thought but perhaps by xmas you will have a differing of opinon.....btw jb kudos go out to you for at least trying to whip up tickets...its not easy starting a new family......just my two cents worth......was also wondering why i havent heard anything bout chat in here...does that mean no ones interested......

[Kristin102678]

Originally posted by Jim Bob


Yes, everyone should buy tickets and I'm a perfect example.

I have a 4 month old son and my wife just quit her job to stay home with him. We didn't renew our Rochester Rhinos season tickets because we had to cut back. But I am working hard to find a couple to go in with us on a Flex Pack to go see 3 games together. It's not a lot, but it's the best I can do and it's better than sitting and whining. And even if the team does leave, at least I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that I did all I could to keep the team here and wasn't sitting on the sideline doing absolutely nothing but complain.

You are either the part of the problem or part of the solution, I choose to be part of the solution.


That's nice Jim Bob... Good for you.. But what about those of us for whom it would be absolutely impossible financially to get seasons... does that make us bandwagon fans? I'm a student who works as much as I possibly can between classes and I make just enough to pay my bills and (most of the time) keep gas in my car. I have been watching my Sabres since I was 8 years old and the only time I miss a game is when I have to work or I am at school. So am I a bandwagon/fairweather fan for that??

[Kristin102678]

Originally posted by Jim Bob



Once again, if you aren't a bandwagon fan, then buy tickets.



How many times are you going to say that if we don't buy tickets we're bandwagon fans?! What am I supposed to do, let them cancel my car insurance or repo my car or garnish my wages so I can buy tickets? Then I won't be able to afford anything, nevermind tickets!

[Jim Bob]

Originally posted by Kristin102678


How many times are you going to say that if we don't buy tickets we're bandwagon fans?! What am I supposed to do, let them cancel my car insurance or repo my car or garnish my wages so I can buy tickets? Then I won't be able to afford anything, nevermind tickets!

If you read the entire thread it was aimed at people that can afford season tickets but choose not to because they feel like the team is "boring" and other BS.

I understand that there are plenty of diehard fans that have been priced out of being able to support the Sabres through season tickets. I am one of them since I have a 4 1/2 month old son and my wife left her job to stay home with him. And that's why it ticks me off that the Sabres might leave because people who can afford to buy season tickets aren't buying them. And yet these people bought tickets when the team was coming off a season when the Sabres went to the Stanley Cup Finals.

I'm not calling people that can't buy season tickets bandwagon fans. I'm calling people that did buy season tickets in 99-2000, that can still afford them now, and don't buy them bandwagon fans.

[sabres081]

Originally posted by Jim Bob
there ticket prices arnt much diff than sabres check it out and ottawa under 8000 season tickets nunber 1 last year 90 islanders where last

Your comparison is completely bogus. The mid-90s Islanders clubs had by far the lowest payrolls in the NHL. The current Sabres at $34 million are in the bottom half and perhaps the bottom third, but they aren't at the bottom of the entire league and by a wide margin.

And as far as new ownership upping the payroll, why? The revenues aren't there to support a higher payroll. Just look at the history of the team. The Knox family ran up $70 to 80 million in debt. The Rigas family doubled that number to the $150 million range. Now you may doubt the Rigas numbers, but do you really think the Knox family cooked the books? I don't.

The only way payroll will be increased for the longterm is if they can boost revenues. And in the NHL the #1 revenue stream is ticket sales. So, to boost revenue would ultimately mean............higher ticket prices. Throughout the league there is a direct corrolation between ticket prices and payroll. So if you really want the owners to boost payroll I will suggest you get ready for a ticket price increase.

Just look at the Caps last summer. They raised ticket prices, traded for Jagr, and then raised ticket prices again.

The same thing will happen here if they raise payroll I would suspect.