Here is a good reasoned response. He has dual loyalties. He likes our team; comes to games; macs on our players; but loves the Pens. I guess I will have to take it as it is which is what I wanted to see: your opinions on what this all means. So thank you.
Ted's Take
I’m a Caps fan, but I seem to only be able to go to games with friends who are rooting for the other team. (It does make for an interesting evening, to say the least..) But I can understand only going when your favorite team is in the building. Actually going to the game is not exactly the cheapest way to enjoy hockey, so when my friends go ahead and lay the money down to go, they want it to be for a game they’re REALLY going to enjoy (read here, favorite team). Even though most of them don’t have anything against the Caps, it’s just not worth that much money for them (they can watch the game on tv for free if all they want to see is hockey) if they’re not attached to the players. (PS: This is not a complaint about ticket prices, just a statement of fact)
I grew up in upstate New York as a Ranger fan back in the days of Giacomin and GAG line. I moved to the DC area in 1983. I used to come to the Capital Centre to watch and root for the Rangers but with the realignment of the divisions and ESPN losing the hockey contract the opportunities to see the Rangers became fewer and fewer. But the Caps were on HTS every game. It took a while but I’ve become a Caps fan. I have had season tickets for several years now. I hope the Rangers do well (which by itself separates me from most Caps fans *LOL*) but I root for the Caps now. I think I came to realize that I loved the game more than a team and adpoted a team to be part of the game…if that makes any sense.
Gotta agree with this guy. I have been a Caps fan for almost 30yrs. I am 34 now and I will never be anything but a Caps fan no matter where I live in the future.
Some times the solution (at least partial) is standing right in from of you. A DC transplant fan base with ties to the sport but have no childhood team loyalties…..which just so happen to share loyalties to the same country of your marquee player. Would a new marketing effort to russians/eastern europeans make solve this problem?
Question: In order to get fans more into the games, why not try some of the following:
1. Post on the big screen the updated scores of the teams we are hunting down for the playoffs?
2. Is there anyway to get a live feed like NHL Live does if only for 60 seconds or so? Obviously there are rights involved but at the very least option #1.
Just a couple random thoughts on how to get the crowd more informed and geared up.