Southern Hockey Towns (NHL)

[Hankster]

It IS up 15.7% on the year so far over last year. That is huge considering a game two seasons ago would only attract around 10,000 to it. Now it inches closer to 15-17,000 on game nights. It is going to take some time, but when it gets there, Nashville will be one of the leaders in attendance. It just takes some time though.

Right on, Lexy. Up until the 2004 season, the Predators had NEVER had a winning season. The attendance is increasing noticeably and frequent sellouts are just around the corner. You can feel a hockey fever running through Nashville and it is gaining steam.

Tampa Bay WON the Stanley cup. That's awesome for any city's attendance. But over 20,000 a game, and averaging 104% of capacity!!!...Way to go, Tampa!!!

[Lexy]

I Agree Hank. At the Philly game the other day it was almost a sellout with over 16,000 there. It is just a matter of time for folks. Football season is winding down and not too many basketball fans in the area that are diehards enough to stay away from hockey. Lets face it, the Titans are playing for a draft pick (or at least they SHOULD be right now). So the enthusiasm and media attention has to go somewhere. The Preds are the logical choice right now.

[nashvol85]

Section 303 = best section in hockey

Nasty, irritating, loud, annoying...they really can get into the opponents' heads. I especially love the "Chelios is a sissy" chants from last season's playoffs where every time that poor soul's skates touched the ice, he was verbally assaulted.

Even Melrose and Buccigross have mentioned Section 303 before...

http://www.section303.com/taunts.htm

taunts menu is on the left side.

P.S.

<----section 303 season ticket holder (w/ my brother and dad)

[Lexy]

Section 303 = best section in hockey

Nasty, irritating, loud, annoying...they really can get into the opponents' heads. I especially love the "Chelios is a sissy" chants from last season's playoffs where every time that poor soul's skates touched the ice, he was verbally assaulted.

Even Melrose and Buccigross have mentioned Section 303 before...

http://www.section303.com/taunts.htm

taunts menu is on the left side.

P.S.

<----section 303 season ticket holder (w/ my brother and dad)

My wife and I are season ticket holders in section 303. I remember the playoffs like it was yesterday.

[nashvol85]

My wife and I are season ticket holders in section 303. I remember the playoffs like it was yesterday.

What row? We're a lil up high...row P.

[Lexy]

We actually set in row M when we go. My work schedule makes me cry when I think about how much I paid for the tickets and how little I have a chance at going. Right now though, it looks good for the Chicago game Thursday. That may change.

[Subway Scoundrel]

Best Hockey Town---------RALEIGH !!!!!!!!

After a year off and close to 30th place in 03/04, Hockey is back in Raleigh. It is where Duke, Carolina and State fans can come and cheer for the same team.

Attendance is getting better. The expensive seats did not sell well because they were 42 games and mostly corporate. So it looks like the place is empty on TV but the endzones and upper decks are full, especially on weekends. The corporations were waiting to see what happens. Now they are starting to fall into place. We keep changing with Chicago between 23rd and 24th place in attendance.

We have some strong sponsors but could use more. GSK and John Deere who have local National HQs are not bad. Now Carquest (local company) and even Lenovo (former IBM devision--ThinkPad) are big sponsors and of course, the local Home town hero RBC or RBC Centura, the building namesake.

We made it once in 2001 to the Cup finals and the place was on fire. We lead the SE division now and aiming for it again, this time to take the whole thing.........

Watch out for the All Star game in Raleigh in 2009 or 2010.

Go Canes !!!!! (and Chelios is a sissy !!!!!!)

[Lexy]

(and Chelios is a sissy !!!!!!)

Well there's something we can all agree on.

[Subway Scoundrel]

Canes win Stanley Cup !!!!!!!!!

Sorry I had to throw this one back up top !!!!!!!!!

In the next 7 years, I say that Nashville and Atlanta will take one.

It is a great thing for your city and your team.

[Greenville]

I didn't even remember that Nashville had an NHL team. I saw them listed as a choice, and thought, "Wow, they must have a great minor league experience to be considered a 'hockey town' along with these other cities with NHL franchises!" After reading the thread some, I remembered that Nashville indeed has an NHL team. Ha ha.

[TampaTKE]

Congratulations Hurricanes!! At least the Stanley Cup stays in the South for another year!!

RBC looked great on national television. At least I can say that the Tampa Bay Lightning had a better record than the Canes (5-3) throughout the year.

Would you say Raleigh is a Hockey Town?

[redjeep77]

As much as we're proud of our canes, the "southern hockey town" is an oxymoron. There's just not a high enough percentage of people who enjoy the sport as we do. Up north, literally every person in town (say for example, Detroit) is glued to a game. Even with all of the carpet-baggers, i don't think it remotely compares. Hopefully in the future it will, but as of right now, the "southern hockeytown" still doesn't have hockey in it's blood.

[Subway Scoundrel]

As much as we're proud of our canes, the "southern hockey town" is an oxymoron. There's just not a high enough percentage of people who enjoy the sport as we do. Up north, literally every person in town (say for example, Detroit) is glued to a game. Even with all of the carpet-baggers, i don't think it remotely compares. Hopefully in the future it will, but as of right now, the "southern hockeytown" still doesn't have hockey in it's blood.

Although Raleigh has been on the edge as the season rolled after the lockout. Toward the middle of the season, people really started to notice and keep up via 1) some going to games 2) watching games on TV 3) keeping in the newspaper. Yes, it is not Canada nor will it ever be. But this is the building block to build on as you saw in TB after they won.

And that is Raleigh. In Charlotte, they only had AP reports on games and was barely covered in The Observer.

Still work to be done but great steps/leaps were made this year.