Sabres' brass LOVES Leafs fans at FNC

[Stoner]

So that's the discussion here? whether pegula is openly inviting leaf fans or not?

 

I guess I'm the minority here that doesn't see a problem. I mean really, I read the article (wonder how many of you didnt) and I fail to see any kind of conspiracy. even if I could slightly see the silhouette of the link that's being made, who cares!! Even if pegula phoned the guy up, I don't care of he wrote the article himself! I come from a place where the low cap team sells out! Very few opposing fans who couldn't be heard if they shouted. (when the shares come to town I get heard don't get me wrong!) The point I'm going for is, our owner isn't half the owner Pegula is. But if we had empty seats, he could fly out Vladimir Putin of he felt like it. it's like complaint about the president but you didn't vote! Get your vote in and go to a game or 2. Maybe it would be as loud when we score as when the leafs do

The original post was not about Pegula. I never blamed Terry for it. I wondered what Terry would think of it and suggested if there was a time to meddle in the business side, this was it. Others, conveniently, made this thread into something else.

[NHLBUFF]

I think this does sort of get to the issue that I am interested in discussing: How do fans of the OneBuffalo teams feel about the potential for Pegula Sports and Entertainment to be courting not just out of town fans, but fans of opposing teams?

 

Taking it to a different level: How about courting corporate entities based in rival markets? Like, what if following a reconfiguration of the NFL divisions (where the new AFC North is Browns, Bengals, Steelers, Bills (I've heard this may happen)) PSE were to sell a suite, or perhaps a share in a suite, in the FNC and in the new football stadium to Dick's Sporting Goods (based in Pittsburgh, btw) with the idea being that Dick's would bring Penguin and Steeler fans to Buffalo for games? I'm just spit balling here.

One would be naive to think Pegula won't do everything in his power to maximize every penny. you don't become a billionaire without doing whatever it takes to make $

http://www.thespec.com/living-story/6255194-shuffle-off-to-buffalo-to-watch-the-leafs/

 

Why do the Sabres love enemy fans in their building? Because they'll stay at the Marriott and buy donuts the next morning? The linked article is a very thinly veiled press release from the Sabres about what to do before and after a game (hint: you don't have to leave Pegulaville).

 

That sound you just heard is one more of the million things you do to win a Cup getting flushed down the toilet. You don't do anything to see your home ice advantage get hurt, let alone actively encouraging it. WTF! What's next, taking a couple of games to Hamilton each season? I mean, why not? It would do wonders for future attendance in Buffalo, and Timbit sales.

 

Smell, please spare me your tired "Pangloss/prescriptive tendency" routine. For a franchise that bragged that "Starting today..." there is no defending this statement by one of the team's vice presidents, who I presume is speaking for the franchise itself. Speaking of which, I wonder where Terry comes down on this. Meddling? On the business side, on something that impacts the team, hell yes. He can't possibly love Leafs fans in the building in droves, can he, being the fanatic superfan that he is?

The original post was not about Pegula. I never blamed Terry for it. I wondered what Terry would think of it and suggested if there was a time to meddle in the business side, this was it. Others, conveniently, made this thread into something else.

So that's your story and you're sticking to it?

[That Aud Smell]

One would be naive to think Pegula won't do everything in his power to maximize every penny. you don't become a billionaire without doing whatever it takes to make $

I don't think one would have to be naive to think this would not happen. You do recall him disavowing profit motive as a driving factor, do you not?

[NHLBUFF]

Sorry about the poor punctuation and grammar btw. Not a huge fan of smartphone keyboards

[MattPie]

I think this does sort of get to the issue that I am interested in discussing: How do fans of the OneBuffalo teams feel about the potential for Pegula Sports and Entertainment to be courting not just out of town fans, but fans of opposing teams?

 

Taking it to a different level: How about courting corporate entities based in rival markets? Like, what if following a reconfiguration of the NFL divisions (where the new AFC North is Browns, Bengals, Steelers, Bills (I've heard this may happen)) PSE were to sell a suite, or perhaps a share in a suite, in the FNC and in the new football stadium to Dick's Sporting Goods (based in Pittsburgh, btw) with the idea being that Dick's would bring Penguin and Steeler fans to Buffalo for games? I'm just spit balling here.

 

I don't think you turn down anyone that wants to buy a suite (even if I feel like that's not a truly plausible scenario). If there's a waiting list for suites, raise the prices. :) Maybe I'm less worried about it since a single suite doesn't really matter that much; they'll be too busy choking down caviar to cheer (or in this case, salads with french fries).

Edited February 3, 2016 by MattPie

[NHLBUFF]

I don't think one would have to be naive to think this would not happen. You do recall him disavowing profit motive as a driving factor, do you not?

I believe he didn't buy the team to make money, but if there is an opportunity to make money, one would be naive to think he wouldn't do it.

[nfreeman]

I believe he didn't buy the team to make money, but if there is an opportunity to make money, one would be naive to think he wouldn't do it.

 

You could probably express your opinion here without calling those who disagree with you "naive."

[That Aud Smell]

I believe he didn't buy the team to make money, but if there is an opportunity to make money, one would be naive to think he wouldn't do it.

 

but what if that opportunity involved actively diversifying the allegiance of people in his arena or stadium?

 

You could probably express your opinion here without calling those who disagree with you "naive."

 

i think he's phrasing it in a respectful way, fwiw.

[darksabre]

but what if that opportunity involved actively diversifying the allegiance of people in his arena or stadium?

 

 

i think he's phrasing it in a respectful way, fwiw.

Agreed. It's not being directed at any one person. He's using it generally. 

[NHLBUFF]

Thanks for watching my back boys! I'm disagreeing with you, but I was trying do so in a respectful manner and still get my point across. I meant no offense to you Smell. Wasn't even implying you were naive! But I did say naive in 3 posts in a row. I'll cool it okay Nfreeman! Haha

but what if that opportunity involved actively diversifying the allegiance of people in his arena or stadium?

 

 

i think he's phrasing it in a respectful way, fwiw.

That's the argument. at which point does the FO start broadoning the horizon? When locals can't buy tickets to see there team because they're sold out to other fans, then that's a huge problem. In my opionion the responsability is on the fans, the local ones to be precise.

Edited February 3, 2016 by NHLBUFF

[That Aud Smell]

In my opionion the responsability is on the fans, the local ones to be precise.

 

Hmm. Interesting.

 

It could create a bit of a moral hazard, though, couldn't it?

 

It's the team's responsibility to create a product that the local fans (and corporate purchasers) will clamour to see play live.

[NHLBUFF]

Hmm. Interesting.

 

It could create a bit of a moral hazard, though, couldn't it?

 

It's the team's responsibility to create a product that the local fans (and corporate purchasers) will clamour to see play live.

I seen that one coming. It is most definetly a valid argument. I think they are trying to come up with a long term solution for that, it takes time.

 

When Winnipeg bought the Atlanta thrashers they were a pretty terrible team, now they are a bubble team that won't make the playoffs. None of that mattered because they knew what they had because they lost it before. They sell out and are passionate, even though they aren't icing a very appealing product. this is the case with almost every Canadian franchise. something to think about.

 

I'm sure everything work out. Seems to be the way things are headed. Once Buffalo gets good again I have a feeling seats will be filled with blue and gold! We're on our way to being the new Chicago, fans from everywhere bandwaggon hopping on board. THE SABRES WILL BE FINE

[That Aud Smell]

When Winnipeg bought the Atlanta thrashers they were a pretty terrible team, now they are a bubble team that won't make the playoffs. None of that mattered because they knew what they had because they lost it before. They sell out and are passionate, even though they aren't icing a very appealing product. this is the case with almost every Canadian franchise. something to think about.

 

Don't be so sure.

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/Get-your-Jets-tickets--theyre-available-365053741.html

[Sabres Fan in NS]

One would be naive to think Pegula won't do everything in his power to maximize every penny. you don't become a billionaire without doing whatever it takes to make $

 

 

So that's your story and you're sticking to it?

[Thorner]

Don't be so sure.

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/Get-your-Jets-tickets--theyre-available-365053741.html

 

I can speak to this, living there. When the team first came back, and as to be expected, tickets were nearly impossible to get. There are lots, lots more available now, with some people even having trouble giving them away at times. Some of the luster has definitely worn off, and the honeymoon period is definitely over. Still very ardent fans here, but it's cooling off with the team's performance. It's just the way it is in sports.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Thorny

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Damn phone.

 

Yes. The original post did not blame Mr. Pegula.

[That Aud Smell]

I can speak to this, living there. When the team first came back, and as to be expected, tickets were nearly impossible to get. There are lots, lots more available now, with some people even having trouble giving them away at times. Some of the luster has definitely worn off, and the honeymoon period is definitely over. Still very ardent fans here, but it's cooling off with the team's performance. It's just the way it is in sports.

 

Good stuff.

 

And that is just the way it is in sports.

 

So, what if an owner were to hedge against that by actively recruiting fans of other teams to come to his building?

[NHLBUFF]

Don't be so sure.

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/Get-your-Jets-tickets--theyre-available-365053741.html

That article put a fairly negative spin on it. The upper section(300's) of the MTS center is the only section in which you can buy a ticket that hasn't already been purchased by someone else. So 300-900 tickets depending on how many sections the decide to open up. So it's still technically a sellout. which is almost always the case for every sellout team.

[Thorner]

Good stuff.

 

And that is just the way it is in sports.

 

So, what if an owner were to hedge against that by actively recruiting fans of other teams to come to his building?

 

I take no issue with it, as it just makes sense from a business perspective. To me, it just doesn't come anywhere close to opening up any kind of "slippery slope" possibility where by some reason one day a hockey arena is somehow evenly populated by home/road fans, or even a demographic in any way approaching a 50/50 split. Home fans are always going to make up the large majority, and when a team gets good, it's always going be the local fans filling the building as they will be the ones willing to pay the most.

 

A situation would never be created where seats desired by Sabres fans would be taken up by opposing fans. It's the powers that be preferring hockey fans (albeit not necessarily Sabres fans) to empty seats.

[That Aud Smell]

Excellent, Thorny. I appreciate that. I'm just about done with the matter now.

[K-9]

You could probably express your opinion here without calling those who disagree with you "naive."

The lack of appreciation for language is astonishing. Is naive the new N word around here? Perhaps if we weren't so defensive half the time, we might better understand that words used in proper context aren't insults at all but rather just a way to describe something.

 

Words like naive or ignorant do not mean stupid or dumb. All of us are naive or ignorant about things. All of us.

 

None of this is directed at you personally. But I have been railing against the bastardization of our language for a while now and your post just struck a nerve. Sorry if my own ignorance offends.

[IKnowPhysics]

The lack of appreciation for language is astonishing. Is naive the new N word around here?

nfreeman can be a real naive sometimes.

 

Generally speaking.

 

Or maybe I'm just ignorant.

[That Aud Smell]

You the real MVP, IKP.

[Stoner]

Since SDS brought it up, if there's a problem with posters getting turned off, he might look at how new posters are treated around here.

[That Aud Smell]

Since SDS brought it up, if there's a problem with posters getting turned off, he might look at how new posters are treated around here.

 

I try not to engage in the FNG approach.

 

I had some back and forth with a somewhat non-grammatical sorta new guy in this thread. My initial reaction was "Who's this jabroni?!" But once I got past that, I realized he had salient points to make.

 

Making new people feel welcome should be a priority.

 

I know that nfreeman often extends a "welcome" message.