Before I start you should know that this was originally written between games 5 & 6 of the Flames/Red Wings series, before last nights elimination game.
 I want to know how Detroit manages to continue calling itself “Hockeytown” in light of the attendences at the Joe Louis Arena during their first round series with the Flames. If official figures are to be believed each game was a sell out but if you watched any of the Red Wings home games during this series you would have seen a lot of empty seats, reports out of Detroit suggest even as many as 2000 each home game!!
These empty seats have been put down to “difficulties” in getting playoff tickets to some season ticket and corporate ticket holders (so I read). If ever there were two customers that any sports franchise does not want to upset it is your bread and butter, season ticket buyers and corporate business. Both of these parties bring a lot of money into a franchise, upfront and preseason without knowing the product that is going to be on the ice, so why upset them by not getting them their Stanley Cup playoff tickets?
Season ticket holders pay as much as they do because they love their team and the sport of hockey and there is no way any of them would miss a play off game (mitigating circumstances of course). If I was a season ticket holder and didn’t get my play off ticket I would be banging down the door until they let me in.
Now Calgary on the other hand was the complete opposite. Here we had such a demand for tickets that we had to hold a lottery every home game for only 1300 tickets! Why was there only 1300 tickets because everyone else who had access to tickets was going to the games and come game time I couldn’t see 2 free seats let alone 2000.
 So with this kind of, good and bad, support during the first round of the Stanley cup playoff’s I ask you where would you call “Hockeytown”, Detroit or Calgary?Â
Clearly Calgary. Detroit fans, like typical Americans, balme everyone but themselves for their problems (i.e. game 5 end.) Who started that crap? Detroit with a low blow to the knees of Daymond Langkow. Don’t get me wrong, Flames didn’t deserve to win, but if the Wings win the Cup, the parade will be in a small school yard park for their dozen or so loyal fans.
First off, wait til Detroit gets further into the play-offs and THAN watch the attendance. Detroit has dissapointed its fans the past however many years with very early round exits so I think Wings fans are content to put too much into Detroit. Not to make any excuses, I just dont understand why this board cant just drop it and leave it alone. Detroit beat Calgary, they’re moving on, the Flames are going home. Thats it, end of story.
Its almost like you’re digging for things to complain about.
Same with this guy who posted before me, The Lebda hit was low, there was a penalty being assesed and Langkow sucker-punched him. Uncalled for, let the refs do their jobs. The funny part about it is you all hate Detroit since they picked up Bertuzzi, and why? Becaues he sucker-punched someone and it got really bad. Same thing could’ve happened with this situation.
I hope to stay apart of these boards and while a fan of the Flames I dont bring that way too biased opinion. But I would just REALLY like to see the board move on and accept the better team won. Stop making excuses. Everyone in Calgary KNEW the flames probably wouldnt have made it past the first round no matter WHO their opponent. And not for the amazing Kipper in net, they probably wouldnt have even made the play-offs!
As for Detroit being “hockey-town”.. do understand that Detroit has 3 amazing teams in the Wings, the Tigers and the Pistons. So most of the fans are gonna jump on whatever band-wagon they can. As would Calgary if they had more than a hockey team. Just mark my words, now that Detroit has advanced past the first round you will see the arena filled! ! !
Thanks for the comments Dave. Believe me, I do not condone Mclennan or think the Flames should have moved forward or were ‘robbed’. PUt it this way. If Mclennan hadn’t tapped Franzen (was that who it was) nothing would have been done by the league, and it was a tap, to the padded stomach. stupid yes, suspendable sure…. anyways, Calgary didn’t deserve to win but there is no way Langkow’s punch was anything, sucker punch? I guess, but look at the replays, his leg was the problem, not the face.
As the writer of this blog I would like to remind you that this was written before game 6, when the flames were eliminated, and has no mention at all of the goings on in game 5 becasue that is not the intention of the piece. I wished to open the discussion regarding the apparent lack of support for the Red Wings during their home games versus the Flames.
Whilst the Red Wings have done poorly in the first round over the last couple of years, I don’t see that as a valid reason for staying away from the games. If the Flames fans had done that at the end of the seven year drought when there was no play off hockey, then there would have been no one at the games. As it was all home games were a complete sell out and have continued to be so for every playoff home game since.
Hey Calgary,
Living in Los Angeles and awaiting the Ducks-Wings WCF…I am proud to be from Detroit and happy to be in Southern California. Just purchased my 65 inch plasma and will be high deffing and high sticking the rest of the playoffs! Surround sound as well.
Now look Cowtown,Canuck! Your cup in late 80’s nonwithstanding…give it up. We have not only an original 6 rich history of Cups over the span of NHL lore BUT we also have continued it into this decade. A cup this year is expected and a few thousand idiots who stayed home for the first home games are just reacting to the heartache of the last five years.
My advice. Whoop it up during Calgary days or whatever you call it…visit Denver for a better version of you…and bow before the mighty winged wheel of hockeytown. You are the Avalanche of present day.
The Revue(ready for a game 5 dominant Saturday)is thru.
Why are you talking about Denver, talk about your own building, your own city, your own team. Denver has sold out consistently, congrats. Detroit can’t even sell out in the playoffs. Stop living in the past. Original six means nothing if you can’t put bums in the seats.
The price, people in Detroit cant afford it. Thats actually a legit excuse.