Home schedule and attendance through December

by Real Big Devils Fan on Sep 27, 2011 2:15 PM EDT

With the business side of things in the news lately I took a look at our home schedule as it relates to how I think attendance will go. I am hopeful that many fans are excited for the season and will go to more games than they did last season. The Devils do have a few good partial plans such as the All Star Plan and the Flex Plan.

Here is my take.

Oct-8 vs Philly, sellout
Oct 10 Monday, 1pm vs Carolina on Columbus Day-let's hope we don't see a game on a day where 90% of the people either work or will be in school. Could be around 10k.
Oct 13 vs Kings, The Devils should do a promo like free magnetic schedule, it's a good matchup on paper and Devils fans should be psyched for this one, around 14k
Friday night Oct 21 vs SJ, 15k to see Colin White's return to Jersey.
Nov 2 vs Toronto and Nov 8 vs Carolina will have thin crowds unless the Devils do promos since they are both midweek vs teams that won't bring many fans here.
Nov 11, Friday vs Caps,. 16-16k
Nov 23 vs Columbus, Night before Thanksgiving, good night to have a college promo discount, 14k
Nov 26 vs NYI, 1pm start day after T-day, sellout
Dec 8 vs Ottawa, 12k
Dec 16 vs Dallas, Nidermayer might, sellout
Nov 20 vs NYR, sellout
Dec 23 vs Caps, sellout with lots of college students back home
Dec 28, vs Buffalo, a solid 16k as first game after Xmas always draws well (unless a blizzard hits)
New Year's Eve vs Pittsburgh, 16-17k maybe a sellout

Your thoughts?

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Pretty nice, this is the problem with varied pricing though, the Ottawa game is midweek against a team that is absolute trash. This game should cost 60 dollars for lower seats, and thirty to forty for mezzanine. Making those seats 85 dollars doesn’t help anyone.

And Kovalchuk speeds away, great moves, busting through, DID YOU SEE THAT?

by KovyisLove on Sep 27, 2011 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

Yea making a Sens game cheaper this year than it would have been last year is such a dumb idea. Stupid varied pricing.

by C.J. Richey on Sep 27, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions

… Im saying varied pricing is good, to an extent. But the difference is just not big enough.

And Kovalchuk speeds away, great moves, busting through, DID YOU SEE THAT?

by KovyisLove on Sep 27, 2011 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry for the snarky response. I think its a good start. They might make it cheaper if they can turn a profit this year from the new pricing system. Making a bigger cut would have been risky because then they would have lost even more money on those kinda games if no one shows up.

by C.J. Richey on Sep 27, 2011 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah but that’s what cheap promotions are for. People hear hey, this team sucks, but the tickets are really cheap, that’s how you get a young crowd to go.

And Kovalchuk speeds away, great moves, busting through, DID YOU SEE THAT?

by KovyisLove on Sep 27, 2011 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions

SJ

I think that Fri. night game will be less. They need to do a Halloween party or something . . .

I have respect for most sports fans with 2 exceptions: NY Ranger fans who grew up in New Jersey, and Dallas Cowboy fans who can't name the capital of Texas.

by Cherno77 on Sep 27, 2011 8:09 PM EDT reply actions

True, and the Yankees throw a wrench into all of the October games aside from 10/8

Might be too early for a Halloween, but some sort of giveaway is essential for the early season games.

The Devils have won more titles than all Philly pro sports teams combined in the last 25 years

by Real Big Devils Fan on Sep 28, 2011 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

I’ll be part of the Oct 8th and Dec 16th sellouts. Money is kinda tight, kiddo #2 on the way, and a brutal travel schedule for work kicked my season ticket aspirations in the nuts, but i wouldn’t miss either of those games for anything.

I’m not going to lie to you. It felt good and I’m going to do whatever is in my power possible to stay there as long as I can. - Petr Sykora on playing on a line with Elias and Parise.

by Murdoc on Sep 27, 2011 8:51 PM EDT reply actions

I forgot the Nov 5 Saturday night game vs the Jets

That should do well at the gate due to the novelty of the Jets back in town.

The Devils have won more titles than all Philly pro sports teams combined in the last 25 years

by Real Big Devils Fan on Sep 28, 2011 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

I think attendance figures will be slightly higher this season because the team has sold a lot of season tickets during the off-season. The new supporters section alone is nearly an entire section. I would expect to add anywhere from 1,000-2,000 people to all of the figures you listed.

I agree with you about Oct 10th. Nobody is off on this day anymore, it blows my mind as to why they seem to make this game an afternoon game every year. They should do that on MLK Day instead (i know they did last year)

You’re right about the first game after xmas. It always draws a sell out, I guess alot of people get tickets as gifts.

I disagree with you on New Years Eve. I would expect about 14K on that day. Historically it doesn’t attract a sell out, most people work a half day, and frankly I’m a huge Devils fan but I don’t want to go to a game on New Years Eve, there’s 40 other home games to choose from than such a festive night.

I disagree with the day before Thanksgiving as it historically does not attract big crowds.

I agree with you on the Jets game on 11/5 will draw a big crowd because for some reason a lot of people are excited about seeing the Atlanta Thrashers wear new jerseys.

by youngdog86 on Oct 3, 2011 11:12 PM EDT reply actions

NYE game is a Saturday afternoon, 3pm

I think you thought it was a Friday night.

The Supporters Section is not a full section of 122, it’s something likes rows 9-14, or close to that.

The Devils have led many to believe that it would be a full section (which it should).

I think this year the night before Thanksgiving game will do better, actually last year’s game vs Calgary was around 13k but had lots of loud and drunken fans which made it a better atmosphere.

The Devils have won more titles than all Philly pro sports teams combined in the last 25 years

by Real Big Devils Fan on Oct 6, 2011 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

12,000 plus for today’s game vs. Carolina. Above your prediction.

I have respect for most sports fans with 2 exceptions: NY Ranger fans who grew up in New Jersey, and Dallas Cowboy fans who can't name the capital of Texas.

by Cherno77 on Oct 10, 2011 4:31 PM EDT reply actions