The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Fans support Monsters regardless of record
The Monsters this year will miss the AHL playoffs for the ninth time in their 11 seasons in Cleveland. But they receive plenty of support from the community, Jeff Schudel writes.
The Monsters are in their 11th season playing at Quicken Loans Arena, and for the ninth time in those 11 years they will miss the playoffs.
This season has been the worst since the Monsters arrived for the 2007-08 season, and yet the fans continue to support them. They ranked third in the AHL in attendance heading into their game against the San Diego Gulls on March 25 at The Q with an average attendance of 8,927 a game.
So what continues to attract the loyal fan base to The Q game after game?
Maybe it’s just in the blood of Cleveland sports fans. Attendance for Browns home games has dwindled, but FirstEnergy Stadium should have been a ghost town the last two years based on the product 76 Lou Groza Boulevard has churned out.
This Browns season should be better. The fans who have remained loyal can boast they hung in there through the worst of times.
The Monsters’ front office does a superb job of promoting their product. The “Purple Game” played March 24 against the Gulls is a perfect example.
Players wore purple sweaters on the night focused on cancer awareness. The crowd of 15,290 was the second-largest of the season, bested only by the 15,434 that saw the Monsters lose to the Iowa Wild, 3-1, on Jan. 27. That one was Cleveland Rocks Night. Fans received a black T-shirt with the season schedule on the back resembling a souvenir from a rock concert.
Oddly, the attendance this season is averaging about 400 more per game than the magical season of 2015-16 when the Monsters won the Calder Cup in their first season as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate. Stars from that Monsters team, including Oliver Bjorkstrand, Sonny Milano, Josh Anderson (injured), Zack Werenski and goalie Joonas Korpisalo have helped the Jackets move into third place in the Metropolitan Division of the NHL.
The Monsters lost again on March 25 when the Gulls scored twice in the third period to fly home 2-1 winners. The Monsters played four games in the homestand and lost them all. The final score is secondary to most fans.
“We enjoy the hockey,” said Jason Hillegas of Aurora, who along with his life, Karen, have had front row seats on a corner for five years. “There’s more to the game than the winning and losing. We understand it’s a minor league affiliate.
“It’s more about the development of the players. We want them to go succeed in Columbus. It’s great when they win here. We got spoiled the first year of the affiliation change, winning the Calder Cup. It hasn’t been quite as successful since, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun coming here.”
The Monsters hold the record for the largest crowd to ever watch a professional hockey game in Ohio. The Q was packed to the rafters with 19,665 fans the night the Monsters won the Calder Cup. That beats any crowd the Blue Jackets have drawn in Nationwide Arena.
The Monsters have won 12 of 34 home games so far this season (four home dates remain) and still the fans continue their support. A crowd of 11,735 watched the March 26 game. The Monsters played better than a night earlier in a 4-3 overtime loss to San Diego, but still came up short.
“You’re always encouraged when your team makes an adjustment and they listen and put the game plan in place,” Coach John Madden said. “Last night, I didn’t think we deserved a point in that game and we got one. Tonight, I thought we deserved to win and we didn’t.
“You have to keep plugging away and work on the positives. There were a lot of positives in the (March 26) game.”
The fans see the development, and Madden sees the fans. He and the players are grateful for the support.
“It’s awesome,” Madden said. “We’re very fortunate to play in front of such a large crowd in a great building with great fans. A lot of teams don’t get to do that. We’re extremely happy and we’re appreciative.”
Two more big promotions remain on the Monsters schedule. The 3 p.m. April 8 game with San Antonio is “Pucks and Paws Day.” Pet dogs get in for $5 a ticket when accompanied by a ticket-buying master. Fan Salute Night on the final night of the season is 7 p.m. April 13 in a game with Manitoba.