Arizona Republic writer Sarah McLellan captured this image, five minutes into the second period, and others from the press box of Friday night's Phoenix Coyotes game against the Los Angeles Kings. Announced attendance: 6,706.
I suspect the announced attendance was not quite the number that bothered to show up for the game. Those actually sitting in the seats may have been less than 6,000.
Meanwhile the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs had an announced attendance of 6,539 for today's game against the Oklahoma City Barons in Copps Coliseum. Yup, the same arena that Jim Balsillie wanted to use to house the Hamilton Coyotes if only the NHL would have let him buy the team. That was of course over a year ago and there is still no owner in Phoenix. And no crowds either.
So if 6500 Hamilton hockey fans will come out for an NHL game, finding another 10,000 to come out for an NHL game in Hamilton should not be a problem. But then Hamilton will not help Gary Bettman get a national broadcaster to pick up NHL hockey.
No comments:
Post a Comment