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Post by eric8199 on Sept 20, 2007 9:08:31 GMT -5
Why was the crowd so small last night??? Opening night is usually Wednesday night, right? Or am I wrong on that one? We normally sell out opening night. Last night we were hardly half-full. It was disappointing really. Did everyone just get word that the team was going to suck this year and decide not to show up? I think we'll prove that you can't judge a team's future performance in the offseason.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Sept 20, 2007 9:23:59 GMT -5
Why was the crowd so small last night??? Opening night is usually Wednesday night, right? Or am I wrong on that one? We normally sell out opening night. Last night we were hardly half-full. It was disappointing really. Did everyone just get word that the team was going to suck this year and decide not to show up? I think we'll prove that you can't judge a team's future performance in the offseason. I don't believe the Spirit have ever sold out a week night game. I think the home opener 2 years ago was that 7-2 "stinker" loss to Plymouth and that was on a Wednesday night too. The attendance that night was about 3500 as I recall. Last year the home opener was on a Saturday night after opening the season with a loss on the road at London the night before. I remember it well because it was the 1st game I ever attended at the JLC and we needed to drive back in time to make it to the home opener. I don't recall who the Spirit played and I don't recall the attendance but it was not even close to a sell out, maybe 4200. |
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Post by spiritfan8 on Sept 20, 2007 9:27:24 GMT -5
Via the grapevine--so take it for what it's worth--I heard season ticket sales were down significantly. And it sure didn't look like there were many walk-up sales last night. Opening night has been on Thursday before--never on a Wednesday, I don't think, although I'm not sure that Wed. vs Thur. would matter. Be interesting to see the size of the crowd on Saturday.
The "Stink" will certainly not be a pushover, as they are rated higher in the always-accurate pre-season polls than the Soo.
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Post by eric8199 on Sept 20, 2007 9:28:57 GMT -5
I was at last year's opener, and for some reason I though it was a sell out. I also used to get the media sheets for every game and there were usually about one or two sellouts each season, and I thought they were typically opening night games and/or games against teams who brought busses of people with them.
In addition, the first ever opening night I KNOW they sold out because I tried to get tickets to it and could not, so I went to game two instead. lol.
Either way, I was still disappointed.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Sept 20, 2007 9:32:57 GMT -5
Via the grapevine--so take it for what it's worth--I heard season ticket sales were down significantly. Season tickets sales for 07-08 are down 33% in the ShanghaiSpirtFan household. I only renewed 2 of my 3 seats.  It could have been a 100% reduction with my move to China however so I think I have done my fair share to continue supporting the Saginaw Spirit. |
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Sept 20, 2007 9:54:36 GMT -5
Here we go folks. Here are the game sheets from the OHL website for all of the home openers in the Spirit's history: 07-08: www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=14458Wednesday 9/20/2007, Attendance 3359, Soo 7 Saginaw 5 06-07: www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12327Saturday 9/23/2006, Attendance 5527 Sellout, Guelph 4 Saginaw 3 05-06: www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=11527Wednesday 9/21/2005, Attendance 4603, Plymouth 7 Saginaw 2, my memory was really good except I was a little low on the attendance 04-05: www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=10762Thursday 9/30/2004, Attendance 5497 Sellout (before addition of suites), Saginaw 2 Sarnia 1, I was wrong about never selling out a week night game however this might be the only one in Spirit history 03-04: www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=5410Saturday 9/20/2003, Attendance 5497 Sellout (before addition of suites), Saginaw 5 Windsor 0 02-03: www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=4615Saturday 9/21/2002, Attendance 5496 (1 short of sellout before addition of suites), Sarnia 5 Saginaw 2, 1st game in franchise history |
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Post by spiritfan8 on Sept 20, 2007 9:54:40 GMT -5
According to the Snooze, the Senators sent Daniels back today, so he will be here for Saturday night. Hope his good camp in Ottawa carries over.
Also mentioned in the article was that Lepera arrived at the Dow at 420 pm yesterday. That probably gave him just enough time to dress for warmups!
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Post by spiritsam on Sept 20, 2007 10:20:24 GMT -5
so what "should" they do re the goalie situation and what do you think they "will" do?
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Post by aj0512 on Sept 20, 2007 10:21:58 GMT -5
In the 2005-06 season, a home game at the very end of the season against Plymouth (when the Spirit and Whalers were battling back and forth for 1st place) was a sellout. It was a Wednesday night game and I believe Igor Larionov was there.
The big drop in season ticket sales doesn't really surprise me. It's no secret that a lot of people weren't happy with all the off-ice changes, which can unfortunately have a big affect on attendance.
In other news...looks like Daniels will be in the lineup on Saturday, which should mean Perron will be released, thus freeing up an OA spot, and Sinfield will be in the lineup as well (or maybe Berard). I sense a trade coming soon to ease the OA situation. The Saginaw News also confirmed that Zelenbaba was cut from the team on Wednesday as we pretty much already knew.
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Post by spiritsam on Sept 20, 2007 10:25:07 GMT -5
so they are going to keep that lepara kid up for the year?
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Post by aj0512 on Sept 20, 2007 10:28:05 GMT -5
My guess is that Lepara will be with the Spirit for the time being...all depends on how the Hoyle situation goes.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Sept 20, 2007 10:50:40 GMT -5
In the 2005-06 season, a home game at the very end of the season against Plymouth (when the Spirit and Whalers were battling back and forth for 1st place) was a sellout. It was a Wednesday night game and I believe Igor Larionov was there. You are correct aj0512. Here is a link to the gamesheet. It was on Wednesday, March 15, 2006. It was a sellout and Saginaw won the game 2-1. A win at the Soo on Friday, March 17th set up the epic battle for the Western Division title that went into OT in Plymouth on Saturday, March 18th. Michal Birner scored on a Pat McNeill rebound to tie the game with 1 second left in the 3rd period to send the game into OT. If Saginaw had managed to get the game to a shootout they would have won the West but it wasn't meant to be. Evan Brophey won it for Plymouth at 3:29 of the OT. Best hockey game I have ever seen. www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12182 |
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Post by spiritfan8 on Sept 20, 2007 11:23:30 GMT -5
Oh yes, remembering that game almost brings tears to my eyes. We had total strangers jumping up and down, screaming and hugging when Birner scored. (If I remember correctly, SSF, your son and I were two that exchanged jumps screams and hugs!!!)
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Post by donjohnson on Sept 20, 2007 11:39:37 GMT -5
Everyone is going crazy in this thread with about nine seperate issues that would each warrant it's own thread. I will attempt to discuss (and hopefully end) a few of them here:
Goaltending:
Daniels will start and Lepara will back up. Daniels has proved over time that he is a very capable starting goaltender and Lepera proved last night that he can play on short notice as needed.
Attendance:
Gentlemen and Ladies of the board...we have this discussion every year, attendance will not, i repeat, will not increase until January. Everyone must have used the secret tunnel to the arena and not noticed the weather. IT WAS GORGEOUS!!!!! The average hockey fan is going to skip the cold, dark arena in favor of outside activities. I was a bit surprised that the opener was not busier but i'm sure the weather had a little to do with that. As far as season tickets go, for everyone you know that gave up some, there are others who decided to buy this year. I would bet season tickets are around the 2300-2500 mark again this year. We all know that group sales make up the majority of our attendance numbers and there weren't that many groups there last night.
Beer:
There is definitely a scam going on...luckily, I was not a victim but my co-worker was. I moved to the odd sections this season and if you buy from the "chicken-fingers" stands the beer is the normal size and normal price. However, apparently there is a stand nearby that is charging the same price for about 3/4 of the amount of beer. It's a travashamockery. Trust me, donjohnson loves his icycold adult beverages and this WILL be taken care of immediately.
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Post by aj0512 on Sept 20, 2007 14:37:20 GMT -5
Couldn't have said it myself. I still get goosebumps when I think about Birner scoring that goal. No doubt in my mind we would have won had we gotten to a shootout, but that's the way the puck bounces. I have a copy of that game I obtained from the coach's office, but it's with the Whaler announcer. I can only wonder how Brady called that goal.
Wow, we are way off topic now, lol.
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