Skyhawks attendance - The fans have the answer

The North Bay Skyhawks organization is baffled by what they say is sagging attendance. According to the NOJHL website the Skyhawks are averaging 1,635 fans per game from attendance figures from nine of the first 10 Skyhawks home games this season. The best attendance figures so far come from a September 23rd game against the Sudbury Jr. Wolves as 2,349 was the recorded paid attendance. The week before 2,204 fans came to watch the Blind River Beavers a day before the NHL Hockeyville game between the Atlanta Thrashers and New York Islanders. However, if you average the attendance without the top two figures, the average drops significantly to 1,451 paid attendance per game.

The numbers aren’t dismal but the organization is wondering what’s keeping the fans away and here are your answers:

Well in my opinion the reason for the declining attendance is the lack of quality players that we (North Bay fans) are used to seeing. Watch a game tape from the first 3 years of the Skyhawks existence in North Bay and then look at a game tape of this year’s or last year’s team. They are nowhere close in talent and physical presence.

I know of about 30-40 people that don’t come anymore because they would rather sit at home and watch TV. They say it’s more entertaining. I love watching hockey but last season and so far a bunch of games this season I’ve been playing video games on cell phone that’s how exciting it is to watch.

Randy Blake
North Bay

I think the Skyhawks attendance is about what really should be. In the past 4 years they were higher for different reasons. The first year people just wanted to fill the void left by the Cents leaving. In the second year the Dudley-Hewitt Cup was in town and the Skyhawks had a very good team. In the third season we had won two championships back-to-back and were looking at a third. Last season two words Darren Turcotte. The problem this year is no novelty and a team that doesn’t look as good as past years. I think by the end of the season the numbers will be back up.

Blake McChristie
North Bay

The reason the hawks attendance is down this year, in my opinion, is a result of all the hype surrounding the possible purchase of an OHL club last year. The buying public has had the idea that the product is second rate driven home to them for a year now.

Floyd
North Bay

It’s very simple. As a fan you get tired of being blamed for a poorly run franchise.

Even the media blasts the fans for having an opinion. As one fan said it best the problem is this team has no class! They don’t get along with anybody - other leagues, their own players and their fans even when they got so much support and when you try to talk to them they are in total defensive mode instead of encouraging people to participate. So for the first year in so many years of supporting the local teams we decided to pay as we go and joined curling were we are accepted. Every time Blanchard opens his mouth the attendance goes down.

Ace
Bonfield

I think a lot of fans are tired of the NOJHL - Blind River, Manitoulin. etc. The league is pretty weak and the hockey is not that great. If we could get into the OPJHL, Northern Division, I am sure the attendance would rise. The old Trappers used to average 2,500 per game. This is still a hockey town just give us some good hockey. By the way a lot of tier two hockey teams would love to average 1,300 per game.

Gary Gilchrist
North Bay

I am the ultimate hockey person with a 6 year old boy who plays but we have not been to one single game this year. First reason is poor quality of hockey (league). We want to actually see players who are going somewhere and got their start here like former Skyhawks forward Yves Bastien.

The second reason is the 7:00 p.m. game or 7:30 p.m. are too late on a school night for my son since his bedtime is 9:00 p.m.

Randy
North Bay

I think the reason for the decline in attendance is due to more than one factor.

1. Having 2 other teams play within North Bay's vicinity certainly hasn't helped. People I have talked to say the hockey is just as good as the games played here.

2. In the last year or so, too many good players have either left the team, or been traded. People can't identify with the players, due to the fact that every week or so, new faces show up.

3. People are still hoping that an OHL team will come to this city, and with all the rumors that have floated around, people just don't know anymore.

4. They always play the same teams. No variety.

5. Prices have gone up for both tickets, and food at the arena, and portions have gotten a lot smaller.
There are more reasons, but these are just a few of them.

Antoinette Delarosbil
Season ticket holder since 1995

To me, I think the attendance at Skyhawks games are getting smaller every year due to the fact that there are only 6 teams in the league and we get to see the same teams play over and over. Who wants to see Manitoulin play? I can hardly wait until this Sunday when the Islanders come in and see what the attendance is going to be.... Being a season ticket holder since the OHL, I keep telling people that we have to support the Hawks and if we don't, we won't have any hockey in town except the Trappers. I don't think it has anything to do with the OHL exhibition game or the NHL Hockeyville. I honestly don't think North Bay is a hockey town like everybody says it is. If they were, we still would be getting over 2000 + attendance.

Randy Bishop
North Bay

I think part of the problem is not enough teams in the league. They need to expand or failing that join the southern loop, also its early yet. You had baseball playoffs, big NFL games, etc. I believe they'll attract bigger crowds now that the cooler weather has set in. Even NHL teams have trouble drawing in October and November. I have no doubt the crowds will be back up again.

Max
North Bay

I moved here last year from the north and started going to the games last year and perhaps because we only get midget hockey this was much more exciting. This year it has become monotonous with the same teams over and over. Inter-league play with the southern teams would give us an incite as to just how good the Hawks really are.

One thing that irked me with the team was that Turcotte was the coach only as long as Blanchard let him, ie: Blanchard was on the bench barking out orders alongside Turcotte. What does this do to the players? Who do they listen to? Either Turcotte is the coach or find one that can and then Blanchard stick to managing.

Sports at Nippising and Canadore is quite popular and I would suggest running a cheap if not free shuttle bus to the residences for pick up and drop off of fans to the next game. I'm sure after a week of studies it would be a relaxing evening. Perhaps some complimentary tickets to the student union to raffle off - get them going to the game. Maybe they'll like it and come regularly. High school hockey is popular as well! What is the Skyhawks Director of Marketing doing?

Kirk
North Bay