"Boston playoff hockey seems like Pittsburgh playoff
baseball -- empty," according to the BOSTON GLOBE, as 2,500 seats
remained unoccupied when the Bruins hosted the Panthers in the
first playoff game at the 17,565-seat FleetCenter Wednesday.
Michael Madden theorizes the "sudden supply of tickets" was a
result of season ticket holders choosing not to buy playoff
tickets -- which were put on sale in March at a time when the B's
playoff hopes "seemed dismal." He notes the $34-70 price of
tickets was also a "factor" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/25). Bruins GM
Harry Sinden maintained that empty seats for a first-round series
"wasn't a new experience" for the club, noting: "That's a normal
crowd for the first round of the playoffs. It's about 10-15
percent under a sellout, which it always was at the Garden"
(Karen Guregian, BOSTON HERALD, 4/25). Thursday night's
announced attendance for Game 4 of the Panthers-Bruins series was
14,810 (USA TODAY, 4/26).
REAX: Bruins winger Rick Tochet calls the situation
"frustrating" and "disheartening": "The fans here are good fans
and they're tough. They want to see a good product. Obviously,
they're not too excited and we're not, either" (BOSTON GLOBE,
4/25). Said one scalper, "This is as bad as it gets" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 4/25). HERALD columnist Karen Guregian called the sight
of empty seats "embarrassing": "At first look ... it appeared
thousands of fans had come wearing the new Bruin shirts. Wishful
thinking. That sea of yellow in the balcony was unfilled seats"
(BOSTON HERALD, 4/25). The GLOBE's Kevin Paul DuPont: "The fans
want a little bang for their buck" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/25).
