For those that continue to complain about attendence and pricing:

The Monsters are in the top ten in attendence in the entire AHL. That is in their first year as an expansion franchise. Not too shabby.

We have already surpassed the total attendence numbers from the Barons best year in Cleveland with 17 games remaining. Not too shabby.

You are watching players who have still only played together for about 3-4 months total, ever. That pretty much explains the win one lose one stretch we have been on. We are still not out of the playoff hunt.

Next year we will begin the season with a core group of guys who have had 1 yr of experience under their belt. Add to that signings and additions made by the Avalanche and you will probably see us near the top next season.

Did we expect a Calder Cup in the first year with all new players and a team made up of practically all kids?

Patience. This team is doing great things and is heading in the right direction. The prices are right in line with similar markets in the AHL. If you are so concerned with $26 seats you could go pay $80 in Columbus. Think this is just minor league hockey? Weird because we've had 6-8 players on our roster play in the NHL this season. Not to mention 2 or 3 guys with over 200 games in the NHL. That doesn't happen on accident.

We may lake depth but we have players who are NHL caliber and will have long careers with the big boys.

I suppose we could go back to the Barons days when the team openly stated they were not concerned about winning. Just developing players. Did you enjoy having 1,500 fans in the arena whether it was a weekday or weekend? Are you disappointed that we have an owner in Dan Gilbert who expresses his strong desire to make this team a winner and Colorado's committment to the same philosphy? Is a $4 increase in club seat prices not worth having a product that is actually worth coming to see? Do you know we also have $10, $16 and $20 seats?

I know everyone is always going to find something to complain about but I think you all should take a step back and see what is really being built here. Tell me how much fun you have after the game tonight and tell me then if you wish it could be like the old days. $20 club seats and nobody in the stands.

I had never even seen a hockey game live before this team. Now I am a hockey fan. A minor league AHL team, not an NHL team, made that happen.

quote:

The prices are right in line with similar markets in the AHL. If you are so concerned with $26 seats you could go pay $80 in Columbus. Think this is just minor league hockey? Weird because we've had 6-8 players on our roster play in the NHL this season. Not to mention 2 or 3 guys with over 200 games in the NHL. That doesn't happen on accident.

You can certainly get into Jackets games for much less than $80, but I'm thinking that you're trying to say the $26 seats at the Q are similar in location to the expensive tickets at Nationwide. If that's the case, and it's in line with the rest of the league, then I suppose I wouldn't complain too much about it. That's great news about the attendance rankings though! How many AHL teams have message boards on the same level as this one?

About the last part of your statement though...I do see it as just minor league hockey. The same as I see the Clippers as just minor league baseball, even though some great players like Jeter, Soriano, Rivera, Pettitte, Mattingly(just to name a few) came through here.
And their tickets are considerably cheaper, but it's hard to really compare the two, being different sports in different cities.

The $80 dollar Blue Jackets seats are the same as the $26 dollar ones here. If you paid $26 bucks in Columbus you would be in the upper deck. I like what the Monsters are doing and am really glad Gilbert owns the team. I'm definitely going to renew my season tickets next year

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy:
The $80 dollar Blue Jackets seats are the same as the $26 dollar ones here. If you paid $26 bucks in Columbus you would be in the upper deck. I like what the Monsters are doing and am really glad Gilbert owns the team. I'm definitely going to renew my season tickets next year

Just remember those $26 seats are $23 if you buy season tickets...Thats a savings of $120

i paid much less than $23 for my $26 seats and that's why i go every single game. i simply can't afford even $10 a game for all of them, but they closed off those tickets anyway.

i think the biggest problem in the price is that they play at an arena better than most nhl venues, which costs a ton to operate. i understand the reason for the prices, but they're still high. AA baseball seats in a VERY nice stadium are $8 and $9.

it would be really nice if the NHL had an exhibition game or an irregularly scheduled game at the Q. many monsters fans have never seen the live quality of an NHL team (who have a ticket pricing strategy that ensures half-empty arenas, just watch a tuesday night game on versus network). i love AHL hockey, but the NHL is a faster game of the world's best players. it's a world of difference. the monsters who played for the Avs are AWESOME (especially hensick), but they're second and third liners at this point. Still fun to watch, but no where near the peak of their abilities yet.

but the closing of the upper bowl really limited the curious from a night of cheap fun to an investment into a sporting event. i don't know anyone who goes to a game alone, so for a family of 4, the difference between cheap seats and club seats is pretty staggering ($68!). if they want to make hockey work in cleveland, giving away tickets, promotions and cheaper door prices for a couple years would totally do the trick.

Good point Tommy, I pay $34 a seat for the 6 game ticket package to the columbus blue jackets. I think attendance is very good for the monsters season so far. You can't expect a weekday night to draw 5000+, so drawing about 7000 average on friday and saturday nights really helps.

they do give away tickets, look at all the groups they have on the weekend, i mean i was there for the rochester beating and my whole row is usually empty but when we got there our whole row was full. our seats are on the attack twice side off to the side boards, we we're the idiots trying to start the wave, myself wasnt participating but thats where i am. so if were breaking attendance records that is why the promotions for companies and ticket giveaways. **** my friends got ticket vouchers for two club seats and all they had to do was redeem them @ the box office for tickets.
i've said it before the closing of the upper bowl is right on and should be closed for every game. if anyone saw the all-star game (i did) the broome county war memorial only had one tier and we have three so that says alot about the arena size of some of the teams in this league. yeah ticket prices could be a little lower but they arent and the q is one if not the best place to watch hockey.
oh yeah ned in the early 90's they did use to have nhl exhibition games in clevo, i remember seeing the penguins and detroit in town. that would be great if they can do that again.