Hockey Night in America

[Two or less]

Hockey night in America

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Posted: December 14, 2006

 

 

 

A series of little lighted signs greets you in the concourse at Buffalo Niagara International Airport:

 

 

Enjoy this beautiful season

Go Sabres!

 

Is that two thoughts or one? Do Buffalo fans even know the holidays are here amid all the Sabres celebrations since October? They hope the good times run long past New Year's Day.

 

The Sabres are a team with speed, depth and two quality goaltenders. Many of the players developed together within the organization. They know one another's strengths and weaknesses, and they are friends. The Sabres have skill but perhaps more often are categorized as hardworking. General manager Darcy Regier has built a team for the postlockout, salary capped NHL, and Lindy Ruff coaches it well.

 

Rest of Story- http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=158953

 

Good story. I don't know if this is the whole story or of the mag will have more, but feels like she was writing and then was told to stop so she quickly ended it. lol.

 

None the less, good story bout our city and fans!

[All Along The Watchtower]

On a recent Friday night, HSBC Arena was playoff-loud during a shootout against the Rangers. When Ryan Miller made the save that secured a Sabres victory, the building shook with noise and a wave of high fives and hugs moved through the arena.

 

One night later, with the team on the road, a downtown bar filled as game time approached.

Me thinks she's talking about us! :beer:

[Stoner]

 

 

Rest of Story- http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=158953

 

Good story. I don't know if this is the whole story or of the mag will have more, but feels like she was writing and then was told to stop so she quickly ended it. lol.

 

None the less, good story bout our city and fans!

 

I just hope all this passion sticks around when the team falls back to mediocrity at some point (hopefully a long time down the road and only for a little while). As long as the commitment is there from ownership and fans can see a plan (oops) for bringing the team back, there's no reason to ever go back to the lukewarm support of some past seasons. It's really in the hands of the fans now. We've gotten everything we've asked for. If support doesn't remain strong (if not increase -- I'm thinking ticket prices here), we have no one to blame but ourselves if the franchise turns out not to be financially viable after all. I honestly believe the events of the past year have seeded this team a generation of fans, just as it happened in the early 70s.

 

One final thought: what happened to the idea that Buffalo is too poor to support a team?

[mrjsbu96]

great point PA, and I am with you a 100%. it is very easy to support a team that is winning like this; but where will the true fans be during a sub-.500 season.

 

as for your last point, i never thought buffalo was too poor to support a team, but maybe the question is it too poor to support two teams? (bills and sabres, obviously...)

[mediumishot]

ive been a fan as long as i can remember, im 21 so thats not that long, but i know what it means to be a real fan. im sure if this team does get mediocre again, you will see the bandwagon support wain and things will go back to the lukewarm support. but i as well as just about everyone here will be behind them all the way...plus if they do start to suck ill get to go to more games!

[X. Benedict]

ive been a fan as long as i can remember, im 21 so thats not that long, but i know what it means to be a real fan. im sure if this team does get mediocre again, you will see the bandwagon support wain and things will go back to the lukewarm support. but i as well as just about everyone here will be behind them all the way...plus if they do start to suck ill get to go to more games!

 

I think this team has won a generation of fans that will be around to stay.

[LabattBlue]

I'm glad she didn't mention that scumbag or his son by name. Why are they not in prison? :angry:

 

"Not so long ago, a crooked owner and bad economy left seats empty and the Sabres bankrupt, their survival in doubt."

[wjag]

Hell she could have written those 200 words without even visting the city. If they paid her to visit and that is all she came up with, I'd fire her on the spot.

[topshelfcookies]

I just hope all this passion sticks around when the team falls back to mediocrity at some point (hopefully a long time down the road and only for a little while). As long as the commitment is there from ownership and fans can see a plan (oops) for bringing the team back, there's no reason to ever go back to the lukewarm support of some past seasons. It's really in the hands of the fans now. We've gotten everything we've asked for. If support doesn't remain strong (if not increase -- I'm thinking ticket prices here), we have no one to blame but ourselves if the franchise turns out not to be financially viable after all. I honestly believe the events of the past year have seeded this team a generation of fans, just as it happened in the early 70s.

That's a really interesting point PA, and I think a remarkably valid one. We have been a bit spoiled by this team...the Sabres did everything they could to make game more accessible for both season ticket holders, as well people who will just go to a few, or maybe 1 game a season. No increase in ticket prices this season, even though it was obvious that there was a large demand for tickets.

 

People on this board have brought up comparisons between this team and the Bills of the early 90's, and while I've stated before and will state again that these Sabres can't quite compare with those Bills teams, there is a similarity in one aspect. The Sabres success is building a core fan base, especially among (and this sounds funny) young kids. This is so hugely important in my opinion, for a fewreasons.

 

1- Kids, lets say between ages 6-16, have very limited purchasing power themselves, but create a huge demand for merchandise as well as tickets. Since this team is such a likeable team (there are no TO type players that make it hard to root for them) it's easy for parents to support the product.

2- I have 7 cousins, some boys, some girls as well as two sisters, all between ages 7 and 15, and since around last January all have become big Sabres fans, yet their interest in the Bills varies from just a little, to non-existant. My one sister, who is in 7th grade and is a complete girly-girl...loves shopping, clothes, etc and couldn't tell you one thing about hockey, other than that it's played on ice last October, now routinely makes an effort to watch the Sabres, and is asking for merchandise this Christmas. She can name about half their roster and is starting to "get" hockey, yet could pretty much care less about the Bills.

 

I coach a youth instructional sports program in the area (KidsPlay) and I've noticed over the last 4 years, that during the football season, fewer and fewer kids are describing themselves as Bills fans. Yet, if you bring up hockey, all will immediately describe themselves as Sabres fans, no question. I think this is where the similarity to the Bills teams of the early 90's is. When I was in elementary school and the Bills were in the Super Bowl every year (seemingly) loving the Bills wasn't even an option. It was almost like breathing. All of my friends, now in their 20's, we all still love the Bills and would consider football our favorite sport. There are certainly parts of the game that drive me nuts, and I love hockey, but I pay more attention on a league-wide basis to football.

 

I think however, that kids that are developing an interest in sports right now, are doing so not because of the Bills, like what happened with my friends 15 years ago, but because of the Sabres.

 

While there are short term benefits to the team, like increased merch. sales in kids jerseys and stuffed Sabretooth dolls (the arena store has like 6 different sizes of them...about 12 litters worth), there are significant LONG-TERM benefits as well, which should help to sustain and grow a core fan base in years to come, as the kids now, grow into their 20's.

[Stoner]

That post was top shelf, Top Shelf. Especially the part about my point being "remarkably valid." :) Seriously thanks for that insight.

[Eleven]

Just when I'm about to write off Yorio as a complete idiot, she has to come through with an article that makes me happy to be a Buffalonian.

[wjag]

Just when I'm about to write off Yorio as a complete idiot, she has to come through with an article that makes me happy to be a Buffalonian.

Exactly what did she say? I'm disappointed in the article.

[Eleven]

Exactly what did she say? I'm disappointed in the article.

 

"Not to knock good American fans farther south, but there is a deeper passion for the game in Buffalo. The city's proximity to the border produces a Canadian-like love for and knowledge of hockey. The people of Buffalo watch Hockey Night in Canada, fight tough winters and enjoy months of outdoor ice."

 

She understands how Buffalo hockey works, and what makes a community into a hockey town. Note the reference to outdoor ice; that's a lot of the culture here, or at least it was when I was a kid. And I'm watching HNiC now.