The Maple Leafs’ announced attendance for last night’s 2-1 loss to the Wild "was a season low 18,366," which is also "the lowest attendance figure in the 16-year history of the Air Canada Centre and the second time this season ... that the team failed to reach a sellout capacity (18,819)," according to Michael Traikos of the NATIONAL POST. It has been said over and over again that the Leafs "have some of the most loyal fans in all of sports," but that unwavering loyalty "apparently has a limit." Traikos: "All it took was the team losing 30 of their last 36 games." The lower-than-usual attendance figure "was the fans finally speaking up." If fans "want to send a strong message that management and ownership responds to, you ignore the team completely." The Leafs "are finally seeing that happen." The team's TV ratings "have dropped to the point" where the team was "removed from CBC's Hockey Night In Canada telecast on Saturday night" for the first time since '72 (NATIONAL POST, 3/24). In Toronto, Rob Longley writes the Leafs were "once the toughest ticket in town -- and among the most elusive in the NHL." But getting into the Air Canada Centre to see the Leafs "may be as easy as it has ever been." Hundreds of tickets "remained for sale on the team’s official website" less than an hour before last night's game, and "many of those at a deep discount." The team's Twitter account yesterday afternoon "trumpeted" a 50% sale price (TORONTO SUN, 3/24). THE HOCKEY NEWS' Adam Proteau writes it is "clear fans in Toronto are tired of seeing" the Leafs, but "don’t take that to mean Leafs fans are about to abandon this organization." There "may be a handful of non-sellouts here and there, but this will not be" the Blackhawks in the "dark" years under late Owner Bill Wirtz. The team has already announced that it is "freezing prices at current rates" for '15-16. As Leafs President Brendan Shanahan's rebuilding plan "becomes more apparent in the months and years to come, fans will find reasons to fill the rink" to capacity (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 3/24).
SMASHING SUCCESS: In Nashville, Jamie McGee notes the Predators "are on track to break their record of 25 regular season sellouts" tonight, and team President Sean Henry is "confident the team will reach 30 sellouts before the season ends." Increased ticket sales this season "have translated to a boost in concessions and apparel sales." Predators fans in December "set a single-game attendance high at 17,401, and after Saturday's game, the average attendance rate climbed to 16,835, the second-highest in franchise history." The higher demand for tickets "has been demonstrated among casual fans, as well as corporate partners" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 3/24).
