It’s Halloween, and there’s a good chance the majority of seats for tonight’s game between the Islanders and Chicago at Nassau Coliseum will be occupied by the ghosts of Isles Fans Past. It’s a scary thought for an organization struggling to hold onto its fan base.
I hate to say it, but a couple of the sparse crowds this season reminded me of what it was like to cover a Knicks game at Philips Arena in Atlanta, where it seemed a large portion of the people in the stands were there to cheer the visitors. I suppose the Islanders will face that situation the first time the Rangers visit on the day after Christmas.
Just before the NHL lockout, the Islanders seemed to be gaining some traction with their fans in three straight playoff seasons even though they failed to move forward off the seven-game first-round loss to Toronto in 2002. But the lockout effectively killed that momentum for teams in weak markets.
You could say that’s a shame, but in the course of putting together the article about Islanders attendance that appeared in Monday’s Newsday, it became evident that the majority of markets in the league have survived the lockout in reasonably good shape. Even assuming that every team inflates its attendance to some degree, approximately two-thirds of the NHL is running around 85 percent of capacity. So, credit those teams with doing something right to connect to their fans.
Although it’s sad to see the decline in Islanders attendance from where it was in the glory years, it would be hypocritical for any sports writer to fault fans for voting with their feet. It’s the way fans should react when the product doesn’t meet expectations. Believe me, Knicks fans should take a clue from Islanders fans, but maybe there’s something to the cachet of Madison Square Garden that keeps them paying through the nose for an inferior product.
Since coming over to the Islanders beat, one thing that has impressed me is how important it is to the people working in communications and marketing to reach their fan base. They ran into a couple of major obstacles over the summer with the abrupt firing of general manager Neil Smith and the 15-year contract awarded to goaltender Rick DiPietro, two ownership decisions that undoubtedly fed the doubts of skeptical fans.
But the Islanders’ attendance problems were there before those decisions were made, so, let’s put the wisdom of those two particular moves aside for the time being.
If there’s one refrain coming from the fans that hits home with me, as a family man with a mortgage, high property taxes, one kid in college and another set to enroll next fall, it’s the high cost of tickets. It’s not just the Islanders. It’s all major sports franchises.
I know Mike Milbury’s name is a lightning rod for criticism from many fans, but in talking with the senior vice-president recently about the marketing of the team, it sounds as if he really is listening to the economic concerns expressed by so many fans. When I raised the cost issue, Milbury said there has been an internal debate regarding the emphasis on selling full season tickets, which are the lifeblood of any franchise, versus partial ticket plans to get people back in the building.
“How do you treat people who don’t want to be a full season-ticket holder?” Milbury asked. “There are people who either can’t afford to become a full season-ticket holder or don’t have the time. I feel people who buy partial plans should be treated like a season-ticket holder. They don’t get the same benefits, but still, get them the plans early and give them their choices.
“It’s a new day and age when it comes to marketing to your fans, and giving them choices is a very legitimate way to go. Let’s give them the options up front. Let’s show them the menu and let them make their choices. We need to treat those people who don’t come to all 41 games with as much respect as we can.”
As for those who can afford VIP treatment, the Islanders have added perks such as valet parking, have upgraded the accommodations in the luxury suites and have increased access to the team at Saturday practice sessions. The addition of Mike Bossy to the corporate sales team also was a welcome step.
“I think we’re getting a lot of things right,” Milbury said. “Now, we’ve got to get a few more points on the board and get a little momentum, and it will come back.”
That’s assuming the product is going to be good enough to remain competitive for a playoff berth. There will be plenty of time to analyze that. But at least, the Islanders management team seems to grasp the urgency of being more responsive to the fans’ needs.
Comments (46)
Great job Greg. It's nice to see that Newsday's finally stepping up to the plate with the type of in depth coverage Isles fans can't get anywhere.
Keep the posts coming. The worst mistake a blog can make is not consistently keeping it fresh. Even if the posts are small, it is better than days of nothing. Keep up the good work. I am sure if they can be competitive, the fans will come back.
Great article and blog, can't agree more with the price. Last year I had a 21 game pack where the tickets were 42 bucks each, down from 55. However, after the Smith firing and DP signing, there is no way I can see myself spending that type of money for what I deem a clueless organization. I will still watch every game on TV and try to get to the arena using an old college ID for 17 buck seats when I can. How the prices aren't cheaper for 300 level seats is mindboggling. How can i attend most Mets game and sit in upper deck for 9-15 bucks but have to pay 55 for a lousy Islanders game.
Agree totally, the prices are way out of control. To sit in just the upper deck with a family of 4 is over 200 bucks just for tickets, crazy. Lower the prices and you will see the fans come back. Last year I bought a partial plan but after this summer there is no way I could spend the type of money again. Prices need to come down, this is not corporate Manhattan, this is Long Island. Bring the prices down. I watch every Islanders game and love them as much as I have for the last 20 years but footing the bill for tickets is just not worth it anymore when you have a family and mortgage to consider. Obviously 70 and 55 dollar seats in the upper deck are too pricy for the fan base.
Actually Rangers prices are cheaper. Got tickets to Isles/Rangers game at Garden this year and seats are 44 for 300 level seats at Garden and 30 for 400 level seats, cheaper then 70 and 55 dollar seats for 300's at the Coliseum unless you are sitting in last row. You figure that one out.
With Wang trying to make it a FAMILY FRIENDLY environment, I feel just like that, at the family table. Get rid of the sushi and start playing the chicken dance again. It's a hockey game - not DISNEY ON ICE! I hate having to censor myself, I want to be able to screem for, and at, the players with out being scolded.
Make me feel like I'm at a hockey game agian and I'll pay the high prices, win or loose. In the mean time I'll just go to a bar or sit at home and bark at the TV.
The deal for DP is just too bad. Why lock him up for 15 yrs when he has not proved himself worthy yet. Big deal if he wants to play here forever, that doesn't stop the puck. I won't pay money to see the 5 hole in net.
What trailer park do you live in Anthony? FYI "screem" is spelled scream and "loose" is spelled "lose". Have another beer at the townie bar, although congrats on "censor" I get the feeling its a big word for you. It must suck going to Islander games and having to act with class, how dare the Islanders!
Ya know, I post on another Islander board, and I had a discussion with another poster how HOCKEY is rarely the main focus with ANYTHING related to the New York Islanders. Whether it's the product on the ice, ridiculous contracts, bizarre management hirings/firings, an observation tower for The Hub, peripheral garbage aimed at toddlers during the live games, or scantily clad 18 year old girls shotting t-shirts at fans during intermissions, hockey is so RARELY the focus, when viewing how Wang has operated this organization as a whole. It bleeds into the PR department, which in turn has a hard time promoting a mediocre product, and has to harp on VIP parking and "IslanderTV", or what have you, BECAUSE THE HOCKEY AND THE ORGANIZATION IS NO LONGER GOOD NOR REPUTABLE ENOUGH TO SELL ITSELF!
Price alone is not the issue whn you look at how money is spent in our area.
While I agree that $55 seats in the 300s ends are ridiculous, a season plan costs $26 per seat-- which is a bargain--especially if it's split among among a few people.
Also, I was there tonight, any my thought on the game was that this is exactly the kind of game where they'd sell Family Fun Packs -- four tix for $99 bucks, T-shirts, and a hot dog. Even that went up to $125 this year. I ask which is better for the Isles: Four seats sold at $99 or no seats at ZERO revenue?
The bottom line is that people will not come out for a product they don't believe in and the Islanders have done a lot to damage their product--not the least of which is keeping the lightning rod (Milbury) around, which tells fans the organization is not really serious above dramtically improving on ice performance.
1) I was at last night's game and try to go to as many games as I can during the year (usually over half) and I understand why people aren't showing up - but they're playing better than many people think and I hope people show up again because the atmosphere is awful in there without the other fans.
2) Good point about the "Chicken Dance" - I can't believe they don't play it. The Ranjerks are out biggest rival and they're yelling out "Potvin S@cks" every chance they get and someone decided to take away something that most people like. Why was that?
3) More than the firing of Smith and the $15 year contract the fact that Milbury is still involved in this organization is a slap in the fact of all fans ...that being said I'll still go to games because the players on the ice deserve our support
The Islanders need to do something because right now it watching and seeing the atmosphere at the Coliseum is embarassing. Disgrace why are you getting on Anthony's case? He is right, Charles Wang wants the Coliseum to be a family atmosphere and not a NHL rink, well I guess it kind of is since it feels more line a local town rink then a loud NHL rink. Yes prices are way to high for the product and the arena they play in but winning will cure that but they need to generate an atmosphere in there, get the music pumping, get rid of the stupid mascots and lets see some Mites on ice between periods or the old shoot the puck from center ice to win a car. Get the chicken dance playing, the Coliseum has become the worst place to watch, attend, or play a hockey game again!
10 Year Season ticket holder - this organization is lost! I pay a lot of $$ for tickets in the 200's section - they have no idea how to breed loyalty - charging $20 per game for VIP parking - hey I'm a VIP for simply buying all 41 games - show me some loyalty by giving free parking. The atmosphere is pathetic at Coliseum:
Lose the following:
Milbury
Ice Girls
Sparky(it's embarressing)
Stupid promos
Hey, Mr. Wang - fans don't care about that stuff, and frankly we don't care about luxury boxes, fancy food etc. - just give us a team that scratches and claws to win every game - then the casual fans will come back.
We care about passionate players, Islander tradition and want an owner who really wants to bring the Stanely Cup back to LI !
Lets see: Samllest arena in the league,, smallest crowd, Management making awful decesions, only way to get to arena is drive through terrible LI traffic. Pay for parking, not enough bathrooms, mediocre team. The only real draw anymore is the Icegirls.
The Ice Girls are a disgrace! I don't like the fact that they're selling KIDS as sex objects. I'm a young guy and it even makes me uncomfortable, especially when some fat slob is yelling "WOOHOOO YEAHHH" at somebody's DAUGHTER. It is SICKENING! Even if they are 18, they are still high school girls and college freshmen. How long until Wang appears on "To Catch A Predator"?
Glad to see an Islanders blog. I hope the Newsday brass understands the "If you build it..." concept with their Islander coverage.
Like the guy before me said, you don't need to write a gigantic post everyday...just little snippets here and there about prospects, potential draft picks, trade rumors, etc.
A good example to follow is Peter Abraham's ultra-popular Yankees blog on LoHud.com
Anyways, I think a new Coliseum will be what fixes the Isles' attendance woes. I'm upset to see the LI legislature dragging their feet on this, but Wang's new arena/shopping mall/convention center can be what turns Uniondale and the Isles franchise around.
1) Firstly we don't believe Long Island is a weak hockey market. In fcat its a strong market with a weak club
2) Second, wasn't the lockout supposed to make tickets affordable again? At least thats what bettman was spouting during the owner inposed work stoppage.
agree totally, get rid of ice girls and sparky and get the place to start acting like an NHL arena, wang treats us like a minor league team with all the stupid promos, we want a good team at affordable prices, i could careless that the arena sucks as long as i don't have to pay through the nose for it, forget the sushi and all that bs, get us a winner and affordable prices and the fans will be there
This is what needs to happen with the NYI:
1 - The clowns in the Nassau County government cancels the Nassau Hub.
2 - Fustrated, Wang moves his team to a Canadian city where his committee concept is laughed at. Under the terms of the move, he cannot take the name or any likeness of the Islanders (similar to what happened to Art Modell when he moved the Browns to Baltimore).
3 - Gary Bettman awards a franchise to Long Island. Under these terms, they must use the name New York Islanders and logo. In order to get a franchise, a new arena needs to be built and it is built in Suffolk near the Pilgrim State site, easy accessible by car and railroad.
4 - The rightful losers would be Wang and Nassau County, and the winners would be LI hockey fans and Suffolk County.
Here is my list of things that need to be done to improve the atmosphere at the Coliseum:
Lose:
Sparky (Please God)
Terrible ingame entertainment (SpongeBob Squarepants song)
$100 Upper Level Seats
Do More of:
Getting the crowd pumped by playing some real music (ACDC, Metallica, Tool) Not this terrible early 90's techno.
Bring back good promo's (Bobble Head Nights)
Lower the dam prices, it is cheaper to go to the Garden then the Coliseum
Most importantly improve the on ice product
It really feels like an ECHL atmosphere since the place has focused all its attention on kids. The orginization has really taken the hockey atmosphere out of the Coliseum and this really needs to stop. The Coliseum needs to be an intimidating place to play it is has not been since the 2002 playoffs vs Toronto.
"3 - Gary Bettman awards a franchise to Long Island. Under these terms, they must use the name New York Islanders and logo. In order to get a franchise, a new arena needs to be built and it is built in Suffolk near the Pilgrim State site, easy accessible by car and railroad."
Fred, that is the most brilliant and best idea ever! I love that one! Get Wang and these idiots out of here and bring in a whole new operation!!
Fred I like your thinking, unfortuatly if the Islanders were ever to relocate I do not think a team would ever come back after what has gone on here the last 15 years. Also if they did move out of Nassau I think I would rather see them in Queens say near Shea rather then Suffolk.
Greg...Milbury made a rare point...Getting more points, and momentum going will bring the fans back. But many of us are not ready to give Wang the cash after turning us into a joke.
$26 end 300's are a bargain? That should be face value. 70 and 55 dollar seats are a joke, get the prices in the $20 range and fill up the 300's and make your money off of concessions, then get rid of the stupid mascots (its humiliating) and cheesy music to get the real fans back, the fringe fans will follow
and bring back jiggs... great article by logan on the attendance at coliseum, how about shining a light on the isles fan love of jiggs, how about bringing him back in a limited role, like saturday nights, stayed up til 1am on the west coast even though had to get up for work at 5am just to hear jiggs
Hey Logan please please get an editor or learn how to write. Sorry, but listen....as usual, today's article is inaccurate on at least two different points. One is your math for the scoreless streak....may want to check that. The other is, of course, in the first sentence of your article (when did Chicago score their second goal??? I know the answer).
Other than that, maybe you could learn how to write a game log that at least conveys the game happenings in cronological order, as opposed to the mumbled jumble of re-cap you throw in at the end of EVERY article you write.
Can Newsday not get a real hockey guy to write the Isles articles... at least Logan has learned that the "A" on the jersey is for Alternate...not assistant as he constantly used to say.
just curious...lachance, how you stayed up later on the west coast to watch the isles..considering it is three hourse earlier there?
isles were on west coast to start season, i live on the island
how are islanders regular season prices the same price as mets playoff tickets... wang get the hint, lower the g'dam prices
The bottom line with this team is they are bad, boring to watch and have no identity. The attendence situation is one that has its roots from almost 20 years of putting a poor product on the ice. The Islanders have never done a thing to cultivate fans and lived off the fat of the glory years for as long as they could. They never thought about the fans when the place was sold out just by season tickets in the early 80's.
Many casual fans and young fans rooted for the Rangers in the 90's, because they were winners and we were losers, and no one wants to root for a loser. The bottom line is after 20 years of losing we have lost a generation of fans.
I usually attended about 20-25 games a year until the 2000 season. Since then I have been to a total of 5 in 5 years. The number 1 reason I don't go is because of the cost, too expensive for a family. Another reason is the poor product on the ice.
The coliseum can be a great place and fun, but management needs to get a clue
The #1 factor why I don't attend as many games as I used is cost. Even in the late 90's when the team is awful I would attend 20-25 games a year using an old college ID and get seats for 10 bucks. However, I am not spending the amount of money tickets are today. If tickets were in the $20-$25 dollar range for the 300's I would still attend around 25-30 games a year. Now with these prices they are lucky if I go 5 times a year. Love the blog idea, hopefully Wang is reading.
Two reasons why attendance is down: Price and no identity. Price has been pretty much discussed, but the fact that organization has no identity. Yashin has just ruined the identity of this team and the team has nobody who you can love right now except for maybe Blake and he isn't good enough to form an identity around. There is no identity to this organization anymore, even look at broadcasters. Bring back Jiggs and a former Islanders as color man (Potvin?). Who wants to hear from life long Rangers fan and Jaffe hasn't impressed anybody. The radio broadcast sounds like a SUNY college station. Where is Barry Landers and Bobby Ny? Get rid of Sparky, orange jerseys and all the other garbage that goes on during the game. Every whistle I feel like a clown car is goign to come out. I don't care if the building is old, it still rocks when its full and creates a unique advantage compared to the arenas of today. Its not that hard Isles management, listen to your fans!!!
there are more people on this blog than go to games
Great post!! Hit the nail on the head. I moved from Long Island almost 3 years ago, when on the "Isle" I would go to 10-15 games a season, I love this team. Had I still lived back home, I don't know if I would go to that many games. Wang made some dumb moves this off season as we all know, and I cannot see my hard eatned money lining his pocket! So, being down south within 6 hours of both Atlanta and Tampa, I see the Isles play in those cities and watch everyother game on Center Ice! Hopefully if the boys keep winning fans on the island will start showing up again.
See what I mean..why are we complaining about this guy not going to the games? How is this whiny racist gonna make going to the hockey games better?
lets face it the island can't and won't support a pro hockey team.we had the nets with julius and lost them.its over face it
Wang shoulg NOT get our support, especially since he's a crook and should be in jail with Kumar right now.
"Wang shoulg NOT get our support, especially since he's a crook and should be in jail with Kumar right now."
Making rash dumb statements without knowing all the facts...Another trait of the Islander fan...
Went to my first Isles game since the early 70s last week. The tix were a gift from a vendor--$85 each!!! Labelled "VIP," there was no legroom. There was no "VIP" service. Though it was a Sat nite, only about 40% of the arena was filled, mostly with kids. (In fact, I gave two extras away to a kid and his mom who couldn't afford tix). I love the Isles, but I saw the new fanbase: Kids were told that players going to the penalty box were "taking a timeout" by their dads. I wanted to curse a few times during the game, but I felt I was at a school play, not an NHL game. Still, Ted Nolan may bring real fans back--and hopefully the ticket prices will become sane...
I've been an Islanders fan since listening to Germain Gagnon get their first GW goal with a radio under my pillow when I was 10 years old.
Now, I bring my own kids to the game, and the thought that no cursing, family friendly promos, Sparky, and Ice Girls makes me anything less than a real hockey is truly sad.
If the Isles win, they will draw. Before Wang, Sparky, and Ice Girls came along (and I'm not defending Wang's hockey decisions) and when goalies were getting "serviced" in the tunnel, only 6,000 fans filled the building.
Don't kid yourself, most other franchises--including successful ones--do the same kid friendly activities in their arenas. And while the Ice Girls are not what brings me to the game, they're sure much better entertainment on commercial breaks than the grizzled men who clean the ice in the Meadowlands in janitor uniforms.
If loutish behavior and goonery is what you desire, become a Flyers fan. And don't forget to ask how many Cups have they won in the last 30 years.
Charles Wang gets a bit of a bad wrap. If it weren't for him, this team would be in Kansas City or Hamilton. No one else wants to own this team around here.
The reason the Isles don't draw is two-fold.
A) LI is so darn expensive. I can't afford to spend $40 for a ticket and $10 to park and another $20 for food and drink. That's $70, which is too much for me.
B) We have three teams in this region - and it's the fourth-most popular sport (maybe closer to sixth or seventh if you include golf, lacrosse, etc.) We're oversaturated. But the NHL won't move these teams - they love the NY area market for sales and marketing, even if the Devils and Isles don't draw flies.
Why is playing the Chicken Dance inconsistent with a kid-friendly atmosphere? My kids love it and my 4 year old already tells her friends that the Ranger$ s--k. Bring back the Dance, if that is what fans want. Also, what is Merrick talking about goalies getting serviced in the tunnel?
After so so many years of disappointment, why are we not using the young guns like Chris Campoli???? We find them and then we trade them. When will the madness stop??? The new NHL doesn't need the slow footed Hill's, the lazy Zthnik's, when we have great young players for bargain prices.
Firstly, he Isles must get rid of Sparky the Dragon. Last time I checked Dragons are not indigenous to Long Island. It is disgraceful and a slap in the face to a life long Isles fan to have a moronic orange and blue creature running around the Coliseum. It does not induce any excitement nor does it make me want to return to the Coliseum. Coupled with its lack of bathrooms, poor beer selection, overpriced tickets, and pathetic players it does not take an MBA to figure out why the Isles are last in attendance. Secondly, the Ice Girls serve no purpose, if you are trying to cater to children, why exploit teenage girls who can barely skate? I want to see a professional hockey team, not the Big Apple Circus or Prostitutes on Ice. Lastly, Wang, if you want your team much like your corporation to go down in flames, you should keep Milbury in his current post, I am confident that he knows as much about “what the fans want” as he does about coaching and putting a winning product on the ice.
i love the ice girls but tolerate sparky cause kids love the dragon. at least the tv time outs are consistant, unlike the players! and the players are paid a hell of a lot more than the mascots! go figure!!
Bourne is totaly worth extra dollar then Rush Hour 3! I think 3rd part rearly as interesting as the first! But this was great!