Blazers have a long way to go before 2020 Memorial Cup

I’m sure the team would tell you attendance is not where they’d like it to be.

The Blazers rely on a loyal group of legacy season ticket holders, a demographic that is literally dying, and always struggle to attract young families and university students.

It’s a shame, because those fans may not pay the bills, but they certainly breathe life into the building.

What’s keeping them away?

It’s a riddle that the team is working to solve, and certainly involves the team competing among an ever-growing host of entertainment options.

I’m willing to bet timing of evening games is one of the problems here.

This is an idea that can work for the entire WHL: hold more afternoon games.

The Blazers held a few afternoon games this season, and the attendance numbers in those games certainly tell a story.

One was on New Year’s Day, a day that few people like to even get dressed, let alone go out to yet another holiday season event.

The attendance was about standard for the season.

Another afternoon game was on Family Day last month.

The score was 4-1 for Edmonton, but the number that was far more encouraging was 5,578 – the paid attendance.

Not only that, the energy in the building was terrific.

The Teddy Bear Toss game in December was another losing result on the ice, but a win in the stands with nearly 5,000.

There are a lot of factors that go into scheduling, and the league itself has a great responsibility, but allowing young families to enjoy games without worrying about the kids’ bedtimes would be a big checkmark.

More afternoon games would also result in more people heading out for dinner at downtown pubs and restaurants after the sounding of those final whistles.

It’s a competition out there, and this team needs to do as much as possible to get ahead if it wishes to win the Memorial Cup – both on the ice and in the stands.

by Two & Out

Blazers have a long way to go before 2020 Memorial Cup

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