Sabres’ Popularity Growing In Western NY; NHL Team Notes

Sabres Becoming Most Popular Team In Western New York

The “balance of power” in Western New York “appears to have shifted” from the Bills to the Sabres, according to Matt Higgins of the N.Y. TIMES. The Bills have “historically ... come first” in the region, but the team not made the playoffs the past seven seasons. The Sabres have sold out 55 consecutive games and last October capped season-ticket sales at 14,800 for HSBC Arena; there is a season-ticket waiting list of 6,000. The Sabres’ new sweaters occupied seven of the top ten selling jerseys on NHL.com in February, and sales of team merchandise during that same period was up 1,000% over the same period last year. Sabres RW Adam Mair: “The community, the talk shows, 24 hours a day they’re talking about Sabres, no matter what station you turn to.” Higgins notes the Sabres have the “highest ratings and most viewers” on Versus. Sabres-Rangers Game Four on Tuesday earned a 24.8 Nielsen rating in Buffalo, or about 158,000 HHs, the “highest ever for a hockey game on Versus in New York state,” compared to a 1.5 in N.Y. Versus President Gavin Harvey: “We crushed ‘American Idol’ up there” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/4).

Predators Fail To Average 14,000 Fans Per Game For Second Straight Season

MAPLE LEAFS: In Toronto, Lance Hornsby reports the Maple Leafs will raise tickets by roughly 5% across the board following a two-year freeze. Prices for ’07-08 will range from $37-182 for season tickets and “slightly more for the few thousand seats that are on public sale.” Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment President & CEO Richard Peddie said of the price increase, “We have 99% renewals so far (on season tickets). We didn’t try to hide this from the public, in fact we let everyone know much earlier this year, by a letter we sent out in February” (TORONTO SUN, 5/4).

PREDATORS: The Predators failed to average 14,000 in ticket sales this season, and if they fail to average 14,000 in consecutive seasons, the team can void its contract with the city of Nashville, and Owner Craig Leipold could relocate the franchise by paying about $18M in exit fees. The city does have the option of using public funds to “buy enough tickets to get the Preds up to 14,000 per game.” But in Nashville, David Climer writes, “By imposing this 14,000-or-else clause, Leipold would send the message that he expects the tickets to be gobbled up or that taxpayers should cover the difference.” Climer: “Hardball does not play well here. The general consensus is that any business ... should pay its own way” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/4).