That’s right: 100 level, center ice, where all the action happens. Which is to say, where you can actually see a woman reading a book in her $200 seat and get an epic view of people streaming to their cars with five minutes left, even when the Sens are carrying the play and making a real game of it. Your Ottawa Senators Fans: still totally alienating, even if I’m pleasantly surprised the building was 2/3rds full.
So: the game! Pretty good, these young kids can skate. There were a couple of chances that could have gone Ottawa’s way and then you’ve got a different game, but the Rangers made them pay for their mistakes and the next thing you know I’m three hot dogs and several Creemore in and we’re gonna go see Gabriel Landeskog play against the 67’s tomorrow. First star of the game goes to the guy who lip synched Eminem’s song from Eight Mile, second star to that creepy six year old who danced while wearing a demonic expression on her face to thoroughly creep out the crowd, and third star to Rob, who let me have the extra ticket and hauled my ass out to Kanata. Keep yer chin up, Karlsson, you’re aces in my book.
Welcome To Your Karlsson Years 
To be honest…I’ve lost a lot of motivation to go to games since Eugene Melnyk has been an owner.
I know that sounds absolutely off-the-wall batshit crazy, and it is to a degree, but allow me to elaborate.
When Rod Bryden was around, the dollar was around .76 cents American, the team was going bankrupt…you NEEDED to get your ass down there, PRONTO, or the team COULD WELL MOVE. Really, it could.
Nowadays, we have a billionaire owner and Cyril Leeder is telling us that season ticket renewals are peachy keen. In other words: “No Bob, we don’t need your money or attendance, things are great.” If I felt my $100-$150 per game was actually contributing to keep the team afloat or helping them out at all, I would go there. I’ve actually gone to a fair amount of Fat Cats games for several reasons: i)Awesome name ii)The owner doesn’t know if the team will be around a while…but he hopes so, gives me incentive and iii)Way cheaper than the trip to SBP.
I’ve heard a lot of people say they are cancelling their season tickets after this season because there hasn’t been a change at the top and they feel that change won’t happen until the team loses enough money. I kinda agree with them; I haven’t had seasons since 2005 or so, mostly because money’s been kinda tight and all for a big package. That said….the urgency to attend a game just isn’t there anymore.
Succintly:
“It’s there so I’ll use it when I feel like it.”
Unless Cyril Leeder and Eugene Melnyk make it clear that they need our money or else…of course.
Have a great Sunday.
We went to a 67s game today, and noted how they give away a flat panel TV at every game. An OHL team. I’m not expecting the same thing, really, from the Sens, but how hard would it be to, say, give a free jersey to every thousandth ticket sold? Or lower ticket prices by $10? James made a good point: Leeder has the easiest job in the world selling pro hockey to a Canadian market, and all he needs to do is ratchet up the value when times are tough, and he still kinda blows it. A chili cookoff, or Ruutu on a zamboni on Elgin won’t do it.
I’m not a big subscriber to the notion that someone should spend money on a sports ticket when a team is in financial trouble; pro sports isn’t a charitable cause, and I’d prefer if people donated money to a local cause and watched the game at home rather than worried about whether or not the billionaire pharmaceutical magnate who owns the team still thought of the team as a viable business opportunity. If the team is playing an entertaining brand of hockey, and wins games, and has an owner who’s willing to lose money in the short term to make money in the long term, it will be fine.
Anyway, going to a 67s game is such a rewarding experience. $17 tickets, an arena downtown, a great community of fans, and a good team. And they still give away swag. Can’t complain at all.
You’ve really impsrseed me with that answer!