Re: SNC 2012-13 Regular Season Thread
Ok, I will finally bite on the SNC crowd situation and attendance in general even though I wanted to stay out of this due to the fact that this issue surfaces every year at this time.
My feeling on the poor attendance this year is due to a number of issues.
1. Poor economy limits the family income. The limited income is divided into many pots and I am sure that the SNC hockey or any sporting event is a luxury compared to other necessities for many families.
2. Competition from other sporting events in the area on an average weekend is stiff. No disrespect to SNC SID but SNC does not promote their sporting events very well. The dedicated SNC hockey fans are typically at the games most of the time. The casual hockey fans of Green Bay and the surrounding area have options such as the Gamblers, Deacons, and high school sports. Average Joe who is looking for somewhere to go on a snowy weekend does not even think of SNC hockey because they do not even know that a game is going on. The bottom line on this one is that our standard crowds are getting older and SNC is not promoting itself well to get younger and more fans to the games via whiteout games and other promotions. Remember, the Gamblers had roughly 7,000 fans on Saturday night just to throw a teddy bear on the ice after the first goal of the game. Nice promotion that gets the crowd in the door.
3. The "no fun bunch" police of SNC has had an impact on the crowds, primarily the SNC students. I will not blame anyone on this as I understand that well behaved student fans are necessary but you cannot tell me that in the past, this issue was taken way over board. Thank you SNC SID for getting involved on this to improve the situation. Hopefully the students come back and enjoy themselves in a respectful manner.
4. Students should not pay to get into the hockey game. I think that their tuition and expenses that they have to juggle at SNC should be enough. Remember that their price to get in is worth roughly 2 beers at the local establishment. Sad but a true statement for students who are deciding how to stretch their limited entertainment budget on the weekend.
5. The quiet crowds in the remaining sections has and will continue to be a mystery to me. I have and many others in my area have tried get people off of their back sides to cheer. It is sad to see that we have a wonderful product on the ice that is treated like a library or theatre. I think that somehow the noise in your section should be electronically tied into the heating system in your area. The louder and more active you are, the heat in your section goes up!
The bottom line is that SNC hockey is the best hockey in town and that it should get promoted this way. As mentioned before by Pete and GBhockeygal, a group of volunteers are available to get involved to assist on some of these issues. As a proud SNC allum and past hockey player, I want to see SNC hockey thrive. I know that this can be done in an effort to make sure that the fan base is as good as the product on the ice.
