The issue regarding NHL attendance has never been more important than ever. And its decline has raised an uncomfortable question: Why are there more and more empty seats at games?
Last Tuesday’s Frozen Frenzy was certainly entertaining, but not entertaining enough to sell out arenas across the league.
Then, Thursday night’s game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Utah Mammoth saw Rogers Arena noticeably empty. The situation is coming to a point where the league has to be concerned about the uncomfortable trend.
As Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discussed on Daily Faceoff, the problem with NHL attendance starts with ticket prices.
“I think with ticket prices, they’ve lost the plot a little bit. I think that’s true across the board. We saw Vegas have their first game, I think in franchise history, that was not announced as a sell out the other day. I think Vegas has lost the plot a little bit with their connection to that fanbase,” Yaremchuk declared.
Vegas had been the leader in NHL attendance for several seasons in a tow. But now, it seems that fans have been feeling the bite of high prices.
But it’s not that fans necessarily don’t want to go to games. It’s just that it’s becoming increasingly unaffordable, as Hutton pointed out.
“I think that’s right where my mind goes when you start to look at attendance. It’s just the fact that the cost of living nowadays for people going to games, and people with families, and just putting gas in your car and figuring out how to manage life whether it’s you or it’s with a family…”
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
NHL Attendance Drop Isn’t Just Limited to Ticket Prices
The drop in NHL attendance starts with ticket prices. But there are other factors that make a family outing a costly proposition for hockey fans.
A study by Rhiannon O’Donohoe at Casino.org discussed the cost of game-day concessions at various arenas around the NHL.
The data showed that a concession basket at MSG sets back New York Rangers fans $96, headlined by the TopDog Five Pounder, coming in at around $36.
Meanwhile, the Rangers share the league’s priciest beers with the Golden Knights, clocking in at $16. That’s one of the reasons why Vegas’ sellout streak came to a screeching halt.
The study found that the average concession basket around the league comes in at $37.65 per person. Multiply that by four or five attending a game, and it’s no wonder why NHL attendance has sunk the way it has.
NHL Increasingly Dependent on TV Deal
Ultimately, the decline in NHL attendance has prompted the NHL to become increasingly dependent on its TV deals. When looking at how other sports like the NBA and NFL get significant income from TV, the NHL is trying desperately to wean itself off ticket sales.
It’s also the reason why the league is so adamant about returning to the failed experiment that is Atlanta, while trying hard to enter Houston.
Those are two of the United States’ largest TV markets, ones that the NHL can only hope to penetrate ahead of its next major TV deal.
With the cost of living rising across the board, NHL attendance will find a major challenge. But unless there’s a way that teams and arenas can make the in-person experience more affordable, families will find it increasingly difficult to see their favorite teams and stars.
NHL Attendance Drop Raises an Uncomfortable Question