NHL OPENING WEEKEND: NORTH OF THE BORDER DISORDER?

     A look at the NHL's opening weekend finds that, at least
initially, the league's U.S. cities are outdrawing their Canadian
counterparts.  Of the 12 teams that had their home openers over
the weekend, eight sold out -- all of them American.  Three of
the four cities short of sell-outs are Canadian, but Tampa Bay --
 at 94% on Friday and 82% on Sunday -- drew over 20,000 for each
of its games.  The ThunderDome holds 28,000.  Toronto and
Montreal are yet to open their home schedules.  Listed below are
attendance and percent capacity for each game (USA TODAY, 1/23;
THE DAILY).


  
 
    
 
      
FRIDAY
    
  
  
 
    
BUF 
      at NYR
    
 
      
18,200
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
CHI 
      at DET
    
 
      
19,875
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
STL 
      at SJ
    
 
      
17,190
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
TOR 
      at LA
    
 
      
16,005
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
PIT 
      at TAM
    
 
      
26,387
    
    
 
      
94%
    
  
  
 
    
CAL 
      at WIN
    
 
      
13,382
    
    
 
      
87%
    
  
  
 
    
ANA 
      at EDM
    
 
      
14,967
    
    
 
      
86%
    
  
  
 
    
DAL 
      at VAN
    
 
      
12,038
    
    
 
      
74%
    
  
  
 
    
 
    

    

  
  
 
    
 
      
SATURDAY
    
  
  
 
    
MON 
      at NYR
    
 
      
18,200
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
QUE 
      at PHI
    
 
      
17,380
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
TOR 
      at SJ
    
 
      
17,190
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
WAS 
      at HAR
    
 
      
15,635
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
FLA 
      at NYI
    
 
      
14,106
    
    
 
      
87%
    
  
  
 
    
STL 
      at VAN
    
 
      
12,558
    
    
 
      
78%
    
  
  
 
    
ANA 
      at WIN
    
 
      
9,725
    
    
 
      
63%
    
  
  
 
    
 
    

    

  
  
 
    
 
      
SUNDAY
    
  
  
 
    
PHI 
      at BOS
    
 
      
14,448
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
CAL 
      at DET
    
 
      
19,683
    
    
 
      
100%
    
  
  
 
    
BUF 
      at TAM
    
 
      
22,952
    
    
 
      
82%
    
  
  
 
    
EDM 
      at LA
    
 
      
13,160
    
    
 
      
82%
    
  
  
 
    
NJD 
      at HAR
    
 
      
12,054
    
    
 
      
77%
    
  
  
 
    
OTT 
      at NYI
    
 
      
10,311
    
    
 
      
63%
    
  


     NOTES:  "In the United States the 3 1/2-month lockout is
already a distant memory to hockey hungry-spectators.  But in
Canada, cradle of the game, healing will apparently not be so
speedy" (Neil Campbell, Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/23)....The
smallest crowd the Canucks had last season was 12,479; they drew
12,038 on Friday (VANCOUVER SUN, 1/21).... Noting the small
crowds in Winnipeg, Dave Roberts writes, "There was a feeling
Winnipeggers had crossed the Rubicon:  They've grown accustomed
to the absence of hockey during the labour hiatus and may be able
to live without it in the future."  With public funds necessary
for a new arena, "such indifference" rekindles the possibility
that the Jets will play elsewhere next year" (Toronto GLOBE &
MAIL, 1/23).
     GAME ON!  Spotted during ESPN's Friday night NHL broadcast
were lockout-related spots by Starter and Bud Ice.  The Starter
spot had scenes of last year's playoffs with an announcer calling
the game as if it were a negotiation.  Excerpt:  "The lockout is
over!  The lockout is over!  Holy cow, they've reached a
collective bargaining agreement!"  Bud Ice featured two spots,
both with action highlights.  The tag-line for one of the Bud
ads:  "You miss it? -- This is the ice."  The NHL also ran its
"Game On!" spot with a scene from "Wayne's World" (ESPN, 1/20).
The NHL is spending $10M on the "Game On!" campaign.  While the
league managed to keep sponsors Anheuser-Busch, Nike, Molson and
Ford on board, NHL Enterprises COO Rick Dudley admits the lockout
slowed momentum in adding new sponsors.  The NHL and NHLPA are
discussing a promotion with McDonald's, possibly with trading
cards (Gayle MacDonald, FINANCIAL POST, 1/21).