Grizzlies and Predators

[qwertycc]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/hockey...5009662,00.html

Interesting article in the CA today comparing the Grizzlies and Predators and their struggles to woo fans within their respective markets and fans across the state. Both teams have been successful of late (the Grizzlies for a little longer), but neither has been able to solidify a regional or statewide fanbase. The Predators may have a difficult time since hockey is still not a traditional Southern sport (though growing in popularity). The Grizzlies may have a hard time drawing statewide support simply by being in Memphis. I know the Grizzlies have reached into the north MS market (Corinth, Tupelo, Oxford) and the Arkansas market (Little Rock). Have the Predators been able to grow a presence outside of the greater Nashville area? Is the lack of support statewide for these two teams evidence of a need for greater cooperation within TN? Perhaps both teams on well on their way to gaining statewide support, but what are everyone else's thoughts?

[Lexy]

The Predators have a base of season ticket holders from the Huntsville area in Alabama. They even have some in Western KY as well. I know of three families that drive form Madisonville, KY virtually every home game just to see the team. I guess it is all relative though. It could be better, but it certainly could be a lot worse. Give it a couple of years and this place will be nuts for the team. This year, thay stand a really, really good chance to win it all. Well see. I got my season tickets, anyone else got theirs?? LOL!!

[BnaBreaker]

The Preds just crushed the Blue Jackets in Memphis tonight 8-1...I was impressed. Granted it is the pre-season, but still impressive.

The Grizzlies probably won't go too far this season with Pau being out for half of the year. I think it might be a good thing in the long run though because this will give all of the Grizzlies talented young players a chance to soak up some big minutes and really improve their game and show the world what they've got. I think Rudy Gay was the best player to come out of the draft, and Jake Tsakalidis is probably the most underrated center in the NBA right now. Of course we still have Stromile Swift, Mike Miller, Chucky Atkins, Damon Stoudamire, and Eddie Jones, so we definitely aren't hurting in the talent category.

[idlewild]

I find the Grizzlies games much more entertaining than Preds games, the only reason the Griz cannot stretch into Middle TN is the perception of Middle Tennesseans on Memphis and Memphis related things. Sad but true. In that respect, Memphians should not support the Preds or the Titans.

[miami1855]

A good portion of the Preds fans come from hockey-based cities in the north like Detroit. These fans have relocated to Nashville to work for Saturn, Nissan, etc...

I think the tough thing about hockey, basketball and baseball is the fact that 75% of their games are held during the week. The Sounds, Grizzlies, Redbirds and Predators all have wonderful family-friendly products, its just hard to bring your family to an event that does not usually end until after 9-10 pm.

The Preds, however, are slowly growing into a worthwhile team. And the fact that they are continuing to spend on talent means that they will be contenders for several years. These teams may start getting some of the fed up Titans fans too.

[watnow1425]

I was at that game last night. In the Commercial Appeal it mentioned that one of the Preds strategy to get a fanbase in Memphis was to have fights. I counted about 4 or 5 fights, if there were no Refs there would have been about 15. I was born in Memphis and I like to watch and play Hockey. But I like the grizzlies better and if Memphis had a NHL team I would like them more, but I'm not going to drive 2 hours just to get to see a game.

I may never support the titans, just for what they did to Memphis. Thats just the way I feel.

Since we have a good basketball team at the UofM thats where the majority of my loyalty will go now.

BTW The intro for the Preds is awesome. The Ice going down the cumberland and the use of disco balls actually make you feel like your there. When the Pred attacks the Redwing is hilarious and it finally ends when the Pred climbs the Bellsouth building. But one thing that annoys me was everytime they scored they played a clip of a country singer saying "I like it, I want it, I want some more of it" and I had to survive it 8 times.

[Lexy]

I was at that game last night. In the Commercial Appeal it mentioned that one of the Preds strategy to get a fanbase in Memphis was to have fights. I counted about 4 or 5 fights, if there were no Refs there would have been about 15. I was born in Memphis and I like to watch and play Hockey. But I like the grizzlies better and if Memphis had a NHL team I would like them more, but I'm not going to drive 2 hours just to get to see a game.

I may never support the titans, just for what they did to Memphis. Thats just the way I feel.

Since we have a good basketball team at the UofM thats where the majority of my loyalty will go now.

BTW The intro for the Preds is awesome. The Ice going down the cumberland and the use of disco balls actually make you feel like your there. When the Pred attacks the Redwing is hilarious and it finally ends when the Pred climbs the Bellsouth building. But one thing that annoys me was everytime they scored they played a clip of a country singer saying "I like it, I want it, I want some more of it" and I had to survive it 8 times.

That "clip" is actually a Preds specific rendition of Tim Mcgraw's song, "I like It, I love it". It is the only one of it's kind in the league and is pretty "Nashville". I like it, and so do most others here. But hey, were Nashville and it's only fitting.

idlewild, that is pretty narrowminded about the support for other teams. I have never said, "I'm not going to an NBA game in Memphis cause I might get shot." I am just not going to spend an arm and a leg on a ticket in the nose bleed section just to watch a bunch of cry baby NBA players give half an effort. That oges for both the home team and the away team in any NBA city. That is why I prefer college ball over NBA. College players have something to play for, whereas NBA players get payed whether they give a darn or not. That is why hockey appeals to me so well. Most of these guys had nothing when they got here and they play with much more heart and intensity game in and game out. But by no means am I going to NOT support a team just because of what the majority of people (in your eyes or mine) perceive my city or yours. That is just a pathetic excuse either way you cut it.

[nashvol85]

The BEST fans live in the south. When they want to be, they are knowledgeable and fanatic. They are loud, annoying, and loyal. If we can hook the Grizzlies and Predators to Tennesseans, we will create one of the strongest, loudest, most loyal, and best fanbases in the entire continent.

I already know that some fans are this way...they need to spread the disease.

I know that not all of y'all are Vols fans, but take a hint from them on how to be the most loud, annoying, and obnoxious fans around. That's what good fans are.

btw, I'll cheer for the Vols, Predators, Titans, and Grizzlies until the day that I day.

[ricky_the_great]

i go to grizzlies games, redbirds games, dont think i would drive to a predators game, but i certainly would cheer for them if was there.

unfortunatly for the titans, i can never support them.

[Lexy]

unfortunatly for the titans, i can never support them.

I feel ya man. I don't care for them either. LOL!!!

I would love to see a NBA game in Memphis. I just usually have a hockey game to go to on the same night. LOL!!

[BnaBreaker]

i go to grizzlies games, redbirds games, dont think i would drive to a predators game, but i certainly would cheer for them if was there.

unfortunatly for the titans, i can never support them.

On the continent? Yeah...no. Tell that to the fans of the Boston Bruins, Denver Broncos, Toronto Maple Leafs, Miami Heat, and Jaguares Chiapas among others...

[watnow1425]

This is what the Forum looks like with ice,

[Lexy]

Interesting. It does look like some thought was put into having an ice floor on it. Perhaps an AHL team could set up shop there someday. That would be really cool if they affiliated themselves with the Preds!

[watnow1425]

They made the Forum capable for hockey, indoor football, and basketball. But unfortunately i doubt a hockey team of any league would be able to share the Forum with the Tigers and Grizzlies.

We do however have a CHL team, the RiverKings, who are affiliated with the New York rangers though. But they play in Desoto County now which I think is hurting their attendence since they use to play in the Mid-South Colliseum. Now if you want to go to a RiverKings game you have to deal with the Mississippi State Troopers!

[satalac]

I find the Grizzlies games much more entertaining than Preds games, the only reason the Griz cannot stretch into Middle TN is the perception of Middle Tennesseans on Memphis and Memphis related things. Sad but true. In that respect, Memphians should not support the Preds or the Titans.

i wouldn't say that. nashville has never really been that big of a basketball city. especially not like memphis has. i don't believe it's middle tennessean's perceptions of memphis. i don't see a reason for memphians to not supports those teams (well ok, maybe the titans, but hey, ya'll got a year with them ). if professional sports are to survive in smaller markets like memphis and nashville, we'll need the support from the whole state.

[Clobber]

i wouldn't say that. nashville has never really been that big of a basketball city. especially not like memphis has. i don't believe it's middle tennessean's perceptions of memphis. i don't see a reason for memphians to not supports those teams (well ok, maybe the titans, but hey, ya'll got a year with them ). if professional sports are to survive in smaller markets like memphis and nashville, we'll need the support from the whole state.

Yeah, the Titans can blow it out their butt. But I agree there should be some effort at mutual support or mutual promotion between the Grizz and Preds.

[memphian]

I went to the Preds game last week - it was a blast (and I must say a LOT more fun than any Grizzlies game I have been to). But then again - I like NHL more than NBA.

Watching the Preds made me really wish we had a team in Memphis. And the attendance was just as good as most Grizzlie's games. Don't get me wrong. I like the Grizzlies but I will not pay the outrageous ticket prices to watch such a slow-paced game. I have a coworker that gives me tickets sometimes.

I am also tired of hearing my fellow Memphians belly-aching about the NFL. Get over it - we're too close to NoLa, Dallas and St. Louis to have ever had a team. Memphis is lucky to have landed the NBA.

[jrox]

I went to the Preds game last week - it was a blast (and I must say a LOT more fun than any Grizzlies game I have been to). But then again - I like NHL more than NBA.

Watching the Preds made me really wish we had a team in Memphis. And the attendance was just as good as most Grizzlie's games. Don't get me wrong. I like the Grizzlies but I will not pay the outrageous ticket prices to watch such a slow-paced game. I have a coworker that gives me tickets sometimes.

I am also tired of hearing my fellow Memphians belly-aching about the NFL. Get over it - we're too close to NoLa, Dallas and St. Louis to have ever had a team. Memphis is lucky to have landed the NBA.

I hate to correct you but unless something has changed the NHL had the most expensive tickets out of the 4 major sports my friend. And the Griz averaged over 16K last year. Was there 16k at the game last week?

[Lexy]

I hate to correct you but unless something has changed the NHL had the most expensive tickets out of the 4 major sports my friend. And the Griz averaged over 16K last year. Was there 16k at the game last week?

Actually Preds tickets can be had for $14 day of game. They rank as one of the lowest in ticket sale prices in the league, and that is ALL leagues. Not just NHL.

[Clobber]

I hate to correct you but unless something has changed the NHL had the most expensive tickets out of the 4 major sports my friend. And the Griz averaged over 16K last year. Was there 16k at the game last week?

Our hockey capacity is only 12 K, so the best we can hope for, if we actually wanted it, would be the AHL. This is because the city built the forum to be a b'ball-first arena, and correctly so. If you check out the pics, they had to remove seats where the right blue line is; looks like 1/3 of the rink is where seats normally are.

Getting over the NFL almost seems akin to bending over and encouraging further shenanigans from jerks like Adams and accepting double standards like the legislature did to Memphis when it sought stadium funding. Memphis needs to realize it deserves better treatment than that. It seems like everyone wants to treat Memphis like a second-rate city, even some Memphians. I think it's definitely changing; this message board is a great example. It's similar to (but nowhere near) a battered spouse or child syndrome, where the mindset needs to change to see they deserve better, they should expect better from others and themselves, and they're capable of achieving a greater potential. You get told you're worthless enough times, you start telling yourself that and accepting it. It used to be as omnipresent in Memphis as the humidity when I was growing up. Thankfully, it's changing. But during the time period when the NFL was denied to us, and when the Chicks were prepared to leave, that was esteem-wise tough on our collective psyche.

And just look how far we've gone and how much we've accomplished since!! We have to remember where we've come from to appreciate how far we've gone and remember the differences between the mindsets that helped make that change happen. I don't do that to dwell on the negatives. I do that to motivate myself to always expect more -- more respect, more effort, higher aspirations -- from businessmen, local, state, and national politicians, and the citizenry (and mostly myself).

[franktown]

I'm only a teen now, and so I would have been really young then....so can somebody give a semi-unbiased account of what seems to have happened to Memphis with the Titans/NFL?

[rocky top buzz]

Memphis tried for about 30 years to get an NFL team, and when a franchise finally came available (Houston Oilers), Nashville was the City that got them, not Memphis.

That's the story in a nutshell. But really, as a relatively new Tennessean, I've realized that Memphis and Nashville really just don't like each other. Last year when Nashville hosted a pre-season NBA game, it was the Hawks, not Griz, that the city picked. Does that help?

[memphian]

Was there 16k at the game last week?

No my dear, I doubt there were 16k at the hockey game but I also doubt that I have seen 16k at any of the NBA games I went to - albeit they were against teams like Minnesota. Lets just say I saw as much interest in hockey as I have for basketball. Do I think the NHL would do well here? No. Do i think the NBA has done well here? No - but I am glad we have them.

[frankliner]

I love the Preds. They probably rank as my favorite team in TN period. I grew up in the South all of my life and just started to like hockey since they moved here. I guess I'm the type of fan they hope to convert, lol. The fan experience, great marketing, and pace of game just combine to create a great environment. I am glad to see that they achieved over 10K in attendence in Memphis. Hopefully they'll continue to put a preaseason game there in future seasons (and maybe even a regular season game) so that we can share the wealth of a GREAT team .

[rocky top buzz]

Hockey has many things that football fans like, including contact and a fast pace. And the shootout instead of the tie is a great addition.

There are a few reasons why myself and many other's in the south don't like hockey:

- The season is too long. (It's a winter sport; don't start until November)

- No local connection (everytime I hear someone on TV or radio who works with the preds, they have a candian accent?

- No stand-out atheletes since Gretsky (No T.O., or Peyton, or Jamal Lewis?)

- confusing point system (just give us win's and losses with a percentage)

- Why do they need 2 'halftimes'? Switch to 4 quarters

- Again, season is way too long.

- Same problem as baseball and basketball: too many mid-week games

As far as the long seasons and mid-week games, I would say the same for MLB and NBA (and Nascar). The early games in those sports mean nothing, whereas the early games in the NFL and NCAA carry so much weight because there are so few games. That makes the event more exciting.

As far as mid-week games are concerned, take a page from college baseball. They typically play one mid-week game and then 3 weekend games. In MLB, I would suggest series on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the occasional Tuesday Wednesday series.

For the NBA and NHL, Play games on Friday and Saturday, or Saturday and Sunday, and then 1 mid-week game. You could shorten the season to 5 months (then 1 month extra for playoffs) and still get in about 60 games.