Average Crowd Numbers - Related to Success on the Ice or Not?

[smbmetal]

Hope you don't mind @brian I've copied and pasted your post from the Squad so Far thread so not to take that thread off topic.

The thing is crowd numbers will not dwindle with a lack of success. Only the people on here care about the result and the standards of hockey. As long as the night is fun and entertaining with lots of hype the bums will be on seats. We have won very little in the last few years but crowds and season ticket sales are up !
How else do you explain that fact ?
Yes , the team needs to be competitive but as for winning trophies, I think management sees that as an incidental bonus if it happens.

I certainly can't explain why crowds remain high with no success on the ice and think you're probably right about that the night being fun and entertaining makes fans turn up regardless of the product on the ice.

I just don't see how that model can stay sustainable on it's own. Yes, it is at the moment, but I still don't think it work forever without success on the ice.

The Steelers team certainly work hard off the ice trying to attract new fans and I guess there's been a number of free tickets given away which has in turn helped with returnees.

From my point of view, I was lucky enough to watch Steelers teams win trophy after trophy season after season, so always attributed higher crowds with success. Perhaps now as long as off the ice activities remain exciting we could finish in 6th place and still have plenty of people turn up?

[ginger]

All relative - apart from 18/19 season, we have been in the hunt for trophies every year, even if the last one was 19/20 season. I don't count the elite series as really was there to help the GB players and to test out what could be done with COVID uncertainty.

Since our last league title, Cardiff and now Belfast built excellent teams and have been the main competition. In leagues where spending is comparable (and I strongly suspect it is between the 3 teams), then it's always going to be difficult to win trophies. But as long as we are constantly in the hunt, I think we'll continue to see good crowds.

Give us 5 straight seasons like 18/19 and it might change, but effectively we are in more of a position like most relatively successful football teams (Arsenal probably not a bad comparison) - because we could win, more people want to see it.

Off ice team doing a fantastic job over the last few years which is why I get annoyed at people having a go at Tony Smith - I've not worried once in the last 10 years that we wouldn't have a Steelers team at all the next season. Compare that with the 10 years prior to Smith where every summer was terrifying. Know which I prefer!

I'm not as fussed by the off ice stuff - I'm a hockey fan so for me it's about the on ice quality and it's good. Easily best it's been since the ISL. It might be less physical but it's still great hockey. And it's a damn sight better quality than NIHL which looking at ticket prices is on par with EIHL (still don't get that).

Basically, most people will accept not winning trophies if you've been in with a good shot. They recognise there's two teams playing and can beat each other any given night. But I would expect drop off if we finished 6th every year and never made it to challenge cup semis or play off weekend. Wouldn't disappear, but I think we'd lose at least 1000 on a regular basis.

[Brian]

SMB , I don't mind at all you using my post as a conversation piece as I find it an interesting paradox. I agree with much of what is written above but would add another. Its a tricky line for the eihl powers that be, including Tony.
We have 2 maybe 3 ( if you count us ) very strong teams. They need teams to play and if they run away with all the trophies every season this could result in losing teams , a la Edinburgh , and consequently losing the viability of the league.

[Foggy]

Best thread I’ve seen in a long while, and I think Ginger has put into words exactly what I would have said if I had the skill to write down exactly what I’m thinking. So thanks Ginger and thank you SMB for the Thread

[19Steelers]

Thoughtful article and very true on the tremendous off ice work at the Steelers. But that can only sustain crowds for a limited time. It needs to be back up by challenging for trophies and/or exciting hockey. In the early days it was the excitement that got the crowd going despite what we would now see as an inferior product on the ice. Physical hockey gets the crowd going and entices them to come back.

[ginger]

Thoughtful article and very true on the tremendous off ice work at the Steelers. But that can only sustain crowds for a limited time. It needs to be back up by challenging for trophies and/or exciting hockey. In the early days it was the excitement that got the crowd going despite what we would now see as an inferior product on the ice. Physical hockey gets the crowd going and entices them to come back.

Like I said, we have been in the hunt for trophies. As long as we keep that up, I can't see a massive downturn in crowds as long as the energy is continued in promoting the club.

In terms of exciting hockey, compare with probably the other big sporting draw, football. Most games of football have only a handful of exciting moments in a 90 minute game. Hockey might lull in games, but an exciting moment is never an unlikely possibility. My dad always said a bad game of hockey was infinitely more exciting than a bad game of football and I totally agree.

So I think it comes down to supporting your team. There'll always be those who start coming less over the years but if you're constantly replacing with new fans then you should stay at a good level.