nash61 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I ranked all the major Non-NHL teams in North America in terms of attendance, and this is what I came up with.Noticably absent from this list are Toronto and Hamilton1. Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)- 11,7242. Hershey Bears (AHL)- 9,8723. Calgary Hitmen (WHL)- 8,9734. London Knights (OHL)- 8,9535. Chicago Wolves (AHL)- 7,9096. Lake Erie Monsters (AHL)- 7,8457. Providence Bruins (AHL)- 7,8178. Fort Wayne Komets (CeHL)- 7,7709. Houston Aeros (AHL)- 7,32410. Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL)- 7,25311. San Antonio Rampage (AHL)- 7,13412. Vancouver Giants (WHL)- 6.94413. Charlotte Checkers (AHL)- 6,76814. Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)- 6,60815. Ottawa 67s (OHL)- 6,50716. Spokane Chiefs (WHL)- 6,44317. Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)- 6,42318. Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 6,36519. Ontario Reign (ECHL)- 6,30920. St. John’s Ice Caps (AHL)- 6,29721. Toledo Walleye (ECHL)- 6,25222. Wichita Thunder (CeHL)- 6,24923. Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)- 6,22624. Kelowna Rockets (WHL)- 6,08225. Portland Winterhawks (WHL)- 6,07526. WB/Scranton Penguins (AHL) -6,02827. Stockton Thunder (ECHL)- 5,91628. Windsor Spitfires (OHL)- 5,85929. Manchester Monarchs (AHL)- 5,70130. Victoria Royals (WHL)- 5,660 On September 20, 2012 at 0:50 AM, 'CS85 said: It's like watching the hellish undead creakily shuffling their way out of the flames of a liposuction clinic dumpster fire. On February 19, 2012 at 9:30 AM, 'pianoknight said: Story B: Red Wings go undefeated and score 100 goals in every game. They also beat a team comprised of Godzilla, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, 2 Power Rangers and Betty White. Oh, and they played in the middle of Iraq on a military base. In the sand. With no ice. Santa gave them special sand-skates that allowed them to play in shorts and t-shirts in 115 degree weather. Jesus, Zeus and Buddha watched from the sidelines and ate cotton candy. POTD 5/24/12, POTD 2/26/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEW.ERA Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Hitmen always draw well. I remember during the last lockout, the Hitmen always had 10000+ every home game, went thorough the roof during playoff time too. JETS|PACK|JAYS|NUFC|BAMA|BOMBERS|RAPS|ORANJE| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sodboy13 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 It's nice to see numbers for pretty much every AHL team on that list on an upward trend from a few years ago. Lake Erie has shown some especially stunning growth, considering that Cleveland was a dead zone during the BaronSharks era. Is there some sort of package deal they're using with Cavaliers tickets or something? On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said: For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA. PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Not surprised to see Quebec City top the list. They have a 15,000-seat arena and a virtually unmatched passion for the game. I can't wait to see them off the list.Hershey has always supported the Bears really well. Just out of curiosity, I looked up the CSA for Harrisburg. Alas, only about 687,000. But if you add nearby Lancaster with 524,000, you can get it up to juuust over a million! Ah, to dream of an NHL that ridiculously supersaturates the northeast and midwest. Fort Wayne being near the top surprises and amuses me. I wonder if they could ever be more than beer league.Noticably absent from this list are Toronto and HamiltonLeafs or nothin'. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walby2 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I ranked all the major Non-NHL teams in North America in terms of attendance, and this is what I came up with.Noticably absent from this list are Toronto and HamiltonInteresting list. Thanks for putting it together.I'm not terribly surprised by Toronto's absence from the list since it is not a sports town in any way, shape or form. The Leafs are the sole exception to that and even then the stands are filled with corporate suits entertaining each other as opposed to real fans. I am not surprised at all that AHL and OHL teams there are poorly supported.However, I am a bit surprised by Hamilton's absence from the list. Hamilton is in that sweet spot of having a lot of local media to cover the Bulldogs but without the extensive local competition for the sports dollar (yeah I know there are the Toronto teams and the Sabres but it's not the same as direct competition right in the same town). In addition, the Bulldogs have firmly established themselves and have a track record that includes some impressive degrees of success including championships. Combine it with a good facility and a largish market and I wonder why the crowds are as small as they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walby2 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Fort Wayne being near the top surprises and amuses me. I wonder if they could ever be more than beer league.They were in the IHL for decades, including the 90s when that league briefly had major league aspirations. It was around then that they punched out and went to the CHL. Given the unwavering fan support there, I'd say it's too bad because they deserve the AHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I am a bit surprised by Hamilton's absence from the list. Hamilton is in that sweet spot of having a lot of local media to cover the Bulldogs but without the extensive local competition for the sports dollar (yeah I know there are the Toronto teams and the Sabres but it's not the same as direct competition right in the same town). In addition, the Bulldogs have firmly established themselves and have a track record that includes some impressive degrees of success including championships. Combine it with a good facility and a largish market and I wonder why the crowds are as small as they are. Maybe because Toronto sports fans aren't particularly passionate about the Canadiens' prospects. Quebec City wasn't, either. No wonder they'll probably end up in Laval. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash61 Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 I am a bit surprised by Hamilton's absence from the list. Hamilton is in that sweet spot of having a lot of local media to cover the Bulldogs but without the extensive local competition for the sports dollar (yeah I know there are the Toronto teams and the Sabres but it's not the same as direct competition right in the same town). In addition, the Bulldogs have firmly established themselves and have a track record that includes some impressive degrees of success including championships. Combine it with a good facility and a largish market and I wonder why the crowds are as small as they are. Maybe because Toronto sports fans aren't particularly passionate about the Canadiens' prospects. Quebec City wasn't, either. No wonder they'll probably end up in Laval.I will second that. Being from Hamilton, I will not go to a Bulldogs game unless they're playing the Marlies or I'm given tickets.I'm surprised to see Houston and San Antonio at 9 and 11, respectively. On September 20, 2012 at 0:50 AM, 'CS85 said: It's like watching the hellish undead creakily shuffling their way out of the flames of a liposuction clinic dumpster fire. On February 19, 2012 at 9:30 AM, 'pianoknight said: Story B: Red Wings go undefeated and score 100 goals in every game. They also beat a team comprised of Godzilla, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, 2 Power Rangers and Betty White. Oh, and they played in the middle of Iraq on a military base. In the sand. With no ice. Santa gave them special sand-skates that allowed them to play in shorts and t-shirts in 115 degree weather. Jesus, Zeus and Buddha watched from the sidelines and ate cotton candy. POTD 5/24/12, POTD 2/26/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Bunky Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Fort Wayne being near the top surprises and amuses me. I wonder if they could ever be more than beer league.They were in the IHL for decades, including the 90s when that league briefly had major league aspirations. It was around then that they punched out and went to the CHL. Given the unwavering fan support there, I'd say it's too bad because they deserve the AHL.They're moving to the ECHL this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walby2 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Maybe because Toronto sports fans aren't particularly passionate about the Canadiens' prospects. Quebec City wasn't, either. No wonder they'll probably end up in Laval.Toronto sports fans don't seem to care much for the Leafs prospects either, which goes back to my earlier point about Toronto being a bad sports town. It's OK; there certainly are worse things to be.As for Hamilton I'm sure there are other hardcore fans who regard the Bulldogs as Montreal's team, but I don't think Bulldogs management can be expected to sway those people. You'd think there are enough genuine hockey fans and other people interested in buying tickets (parents with kids, people just looking for a night out) for the team to do well in the Hammer, but perhaps not. Besides, I don't know how much the "farm team" dynamic really has to do with it given that Hamilton didn't do a great job with the OHL either.Perhaps Hamilton should watch and learn from others. Winnipeg was a pretty good AHL city and it now has the Jets. Quebec got behind its QMJHL team and it's probably next in line for the NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams80 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Fort Wayne being near the top surprises and amuses me. I wonder if they could ever be more than beer league.They were in the IHL for decades, including the 90s when that league briefly had major league aspirations. It was around then that they punched out and went to the CHL. Given the unwavering fan support there, I'd say it's too bad because they deserve the AHL.Blame ownership. Supposedly they owed the Professional Hockey Players Association money and as a result spent most of the 2000s playing in leagues where players were not members of said union. That's biggest reason why the not-IHL lasted as long as it did. On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said: You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now. On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said: Today, we are all otaku. "The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010 The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 There's no place for Hamilton in an NHL that has pretty much crystallized its media footprint. If they had gotten in 20-25 years ago, maybe it would've worked (counterpoint: the Senators still haven't completely won over Ottawa!), but that's all the Leafs' territory now. I'll never buy the argument from the diehard hamiltoniks who insist that there are millions of unaffiliated casual NHL observers waiting for a team to call their own. First of all, there's no such thing as a casual NHL observer. And I don't get how a team with fans from coast to coast to coast can't even make inroads in their own backyard. Come on: they're The Passion That Unites Us All, not The Passion That Unites Toronto And Oshawa But That's Pretty Much It.Basically, too much of the Leafs' value is derived from the fact that their television deals cover way more than the purest sense of the GTA, so good luck shoehorning a team into Hamilton or the vaguely defined zone of Southern Ontario. I don't want teams in vaguely defined zones, anyway. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBubba Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Nobody in Toronto gave one flying s--t about the Marlies for their entire existence until they made their Calder Cup run (including this poster). At that point, everybody jumped on their bandwagon and the stretch drive/playoff games were always near-sold out (it's been 8 years...we'll take anything). Barring an extended lockout, I see things going back to the status quo for the first professional hockey team in Toronto to play in June (I wish I was kidding) until they go on another playoff run. Nobody cares about your humungous-big signature. PotD: 29/1/12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportstar1212 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Nobody in Toronto gave one flying s--t about the Marlies for their entire existence until they made their Calder Cup run (including this poster). At that point, everybody jumped on their bandwagon and the stretch drive/playoff games were always near-sold out (it's been 8 years...we'll take anything). Barring an extended lockout, I see things going back to the status quo for the first professional hockey team in Toronto to play in June (I wish I was kidding) until they go on another playoff run.In the Marlies first season (2005-06), I went to roughly 10 games plus playoffs. They also drew decent crowds, from what I remember. Then the novelty wore off, I guess. As well, the St. Mike's Majors in Mississauga drew little crowds. I was one of the few loyal supporters. Like the Marlies nobody gave two :censored:s about them until they got the Memorial Cup in 2011. The only game they sold out last season (other than Memorial Cup), was game 7 of the OHL finals. And even then, the crowd was 80% Owen Sound fans.Needless to say, no hockey other than NHL and the Leafs sells here in Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sodboy13 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Weren't the Roadrunners faring relatively well until the Leafs ran them out of town? On 1/25/2013 at 1:53 PM, 'Atom said: For all the bird de lis haters I think the bird de lis isnt supposed to be a pelican and a fleur de lis I think its just a fleur de lis with a pelicans head. Thats what it looks like to me. Also the flair around the tip of the beak is just flair that fleur de lis have sometimes source I am from NOLA. PotD: 10/19/07, 08/25/08, 07/22/10, 08/13/10, 04/15/11, 05/19/11, 01/02/12, and 01/05/12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash61 Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Weren't the Roadrunners faring relatively well until the Leafs ran them out of town?Roadrunners (one season of existence)- 4,587Marlies (total avg)- 4,501 On September 20, 2012 at 0:50 AM, 'CS85 said: It's like watching the hellish undead creakily shuffling their way out of the flames of a liposuction clinic dumpster fire. On February 19, 2012 at 9:30 AM, 'pianoknight said: Story B: Red Wings go undefeated and score 100 goals in every game. They also beat a team comprised of Godzilla, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, 2 Power Rangers and Betty White. Oh, and they played in the middle of Iraq on a military base. In the sand. With no ice. Santa gave them special sand-skates that allowed them to play in shorts and t-shirts in 115 degree weather. Jesus, Zeus and Buddha watched from the sidelines and ate cotton candy. POTD 5/24/12, POTD 2/26/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I'm glad to see that the former Majors have changed their name to the Mississauga Steelheads. It didn't make much sense to me to call them St. Mike's after leaving St. Michael's College School.I still think the Sudbury Wolves ought to be in the same division as the Soo Greyhounds, but barring a major realignment, I don't know it that will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 This list should immediately be shown to every person who thinks the Whalers should come back. On 4/10/2017 at 3:05 PM, Rollins Man said: what the hell is ccslc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBubba Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 This list should immediately be shown to every person who thinks the Whalers should come back.I saw a comment on YouTube saying "Jets: 2011 / Nordiques: 2012 / Whalers: 2013 / Expos: 2014 - LET'S DO IT". I was going to explain to him that just because an old team had a cool logo doesn't mean that they can support or will receive a team, but I forgot the video. I can't believe some people don't "get" how this stuff works, thinking a team can just pop back up and do well because a handful of people buy their vintage merchandise. The same applies for Coyotes fans who simply can't grasp the concept of "A team costing its local government $25M a year in government subsidies should not be allowed to operate", insisting that selling out a number of playoff dates cancels out the past three years of the "Chelm-dale" fiasco. Nobody cares about your humungous-big signature. PotD: 29/1/12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash61 Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 This list should immediately be shown to every person who thinks the Whalers should come back.Granted, Hamilton has sold over 14,000 season tickets in less than 48 hours TWICE, when attempts have been made to bring the NHL there. On September 20, 2012 at 0:50 AM, 'CS85 said: It's like watching the hellish undead creakily shuffling their way out of the flames of a liposuction clinic dumpster fire. On February 19, 2012 at 9:30 AM, 'pianoknight said: Story B: Red Wings go undefeated and score 100 goals in every game. They also beat a team comprised of Godzilla, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, 2 Power Rangers and Betty White. Oh, and they played in the middle of Iraq on a military base. In the sand. With no ice. Santa gave them special sand-skates that allowed them to play in shorts and t-shirts in 115 degree weather. Jesus, Zeus and Buddha watched from the sidelines and ate cotton candy. POTD 5/24/12, POTD 2/26/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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