By now even the most casual hockey fans have seen the pictures of a porous BB&T Center taken when the Florida Panthers took on the Ottawa Senators. The pictures show empty seats in all areas of the building, and many people took to Twitter to mock and sneer at the South Florida franchise.
The lowly Panthers—a team that has only made the playoffs once in the last 13 seasons—are an easy target. For some it is easy to say that Gary Bettman made a mistake expanding to Florida. South Florida, maybe, but hockey in Tampa Bay has been a major success.
It is easy to poke fun at the Panthers and suggest relocating them. It is easy to do all of this because South Florida is not considered a hockey market.
It is a fair statement, but to be honest, Columbus and Nashville didn't become hockey markets overnight. They are two areas that have had a surge of excitement lately when it comes to the fan experience and the talent on the ice.
It isn't a coincidence that these two markets will be holding the next two All-Star Games, because the spectacle will be a celebration of what has been built in those areas.
Back to the ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Tom Urtz Jr.
NHL Franchises That Have Recovered from Crippling Attendance Issues
October 24th, 2014 by Tom Urtz Jr. Leave a reply »
Advertisement