This is in response to some of our so called experts statements that "It's not the economy" that is keeping the Red Wings from filling the arena. Don Cherry, Mitch Albom, and Barry Melrose seem to have lost touch with the average person trying to make a living and support their family. Earlier in the year, Melrose make some comments about all the empty seats at the Joe. Yesterday, in his article "Wings come out big, so why don't the fans" (see Detroit Free Press from May 9) Mitch Albom claims it is not the economy. Now this morning on Sportscenter Don Cherry makes the same claims that it is not the economy. Cherry claims that it has to do with the Wings current style of play. Cherry said that quote "Detroit is a redneck town who wants to see a rockem sockem style of play". Well, I'm here to say what I think most of you already know. It is the economy! Our so called experts argue that the Tigers, Pistons, and Lions still manage to draw fans. This is true but there are many factors that must be taken into consideration that I won't waste my time discussing in this thread. I would like to point out that although the Pistons are always sold out, you can look around and see a lot of empty seats in the arena. The corporations who buy up many of these tickets can't even seem to give them away. What the empty seats do tell me is that alot of Michiganders (with the highest unemployment rate in the country) have their priorities in the right place. It's more important for them to take care of themselves and their families than pay a rediculous amount of money to go see a game that you can enjoy on T.V. Me, yeah I'll bite the bullet and go to a couple of Tiger games this year. This is the sport I love the most. I'll also be supporting the Red Wings, Pistons, and Lions in my easy chair in front of the television! All I can say to Don, Mitch, and Barry is that "I" can't afford to go to the Red Wings game and I'm sure alot of others would tell them the same. Besides, alot of these games are on weekdays. I have to get up at 5:00 a.m. every day to get ready for work!
those empty seats that you see in the first few rows are sold, the tickets are paid for. back in the 90's many professionals would pay for those seats & hang out at the olympia club ( probably to brag about how close to the ice their empty seats were) now it seems there are even more empty seats along the ice, i can't even begin to guess why seats that are paid for are not being filled.
Last playoff game I attended went for $125 per. That was in 1999. What are the prices for round 3 with Dallas? It used to be, if you want your season ticket for next year, you had to buy all 4 rounds before the playoffs started, and if the Wings were eliminated, you would apply those unused tickets toward next season. And sales would tell me "if you don't like it, we have a waiting list for your seats".
Yes, times have changed. That is why it is the economy! These sports people (journalist, analyst, etc.) just don't seem to get it. It really is annoying to listen to them because they are so clueless!
I love the Wings style of play. All I asked for Christmas was tickets to a Wings game. I got it and was very happy to go. My mom spent a good bit on regular season tickets. I couldn't afford the regular season games, let alone playoffs.
It is the economy, at least to some extent. There are only so many dollars that people in Detroit and the surrounding suburbs can afford to spend on going to see sporting events. With the increase in attendance by the Detroit Tigers, thats money spent that didn't used to be. So, family A got season tickets to the Tigers, because they are contenders now, and since they spent the money on that, they can't afford the Wings playoff tickets anymore. They used up their budget. Further, with the Piston's success, they are faced with having to choose whether to get Wings tix or Pistons tix. When you have two teams in the playoffs from the same town, playing at the same time, choices have to be made, about which team you want to see, about where you want to spend your money. When the Red Wings were in the middle of their 3 Stanley Cups, the Tigers sucked. The Pistons sucked. (The Lions did too, but their season doesn't overlap the NHL playoffs at all, so really aren't figuring into this) The Wings were the only good show in town. That is no longer the case. People are being forced to pick and choose more now, because of the Tigers and Pistons being better teams than they were. If Don Cherry thinks its because of Detroit's style of play, he is an idiot.
