Season ticket sales dropping in Winnipeg
Little activity from NHL teams leading to March 8 trade deadline
In 1996, the original Winnipeg Jets were sold to an ownership group in Phoenix, moved to Arizona and rechristened the Coyotes.
Fifteen years later, the Jets were reborn when an effort to find new investors for the Atlanta Thrashers failed, forcing that franchise to relocate to Winnipeg.
Last week, Jets owner Mark Chipman voiced concern over his club's declining seasonticket base, down from 13,000 three years ago to 9,500 this season.
Chipman stressed the urgency of getting those season-ticket numbers back to 13,000. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will meet with corporate sponsors in Winnipeg on Feb. 27 to drum up more support for the club.
The Jets enjoyed strong fan support since 2011 but their attendance has declined in recent years, putting them near the bottom of the league.
Several factors are behind this, including the COVID pandemic and the resulting rise in the cost of living. However, there were signs before 2020 that attendance was starting to wane in the NHL'S smallest market.
The Jets' fan and corporate base isn't as large compared to other NHL markets. They play in a smaller arena and offset that by charging higher prices for their home games. Until this season, the quality of the on-ice product had declined. There was also a sense among the fans that the club took their goodwill for granted.
These issues are concerning but the Jets aren't in any immediate danger of relocation. Finding suitable solutions should ensure they remain in Winnipeg.
Failure to do so, however, could lead to history repeating itself.
LACK OF ACTIVITY
The NHL'S annual trade deadline is Friday, March 8, at 4 p.m., AST.
Unlike recent years, there's been little activity in the trade market. The only two deals of note occurred three weeks ago when the Vancouver Canucks acquired Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames while the Jets brought in Sean Monahan from the Montreal Canadiens.
Blame a lack of salary-cap space among the playoff contenders. With the salary cap only rising by $1 million for this season, many teams have little room to make significant acquisitions.
Some are waiting until March 8 to accrue sufficient cap room. Others are trying to make dollar-for-dollar moves. Some are trying to convince potential sellers to retain part of a player's salary to facilitate a trade.
Business will likely pick up in the coming days. Most of the activity might not take place until deadline day.
PWHL NOTES
. . . The Feb. 16 “Battle of Bay Street” between Toronto and Montreal at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena set a new attendance record for a women's professional hockey game of 19,285.
. . . There's speculation Toronto could hold their home playoff games at Scotiabank Arena. Their current home rink, Mattamy Athletic Centre, only holds around 2,500 fans. They're bound to draw more than that in the postseason, especially if they face Montreal again.
. . . Another history-making moment occurred on Feb. 11 when Boston and Minnesota staged the first trade in league history. Boston acquired forward Susanna Tapani and defender Abby Cook from Minnesota in exchange for defender Sophie Jacques.
. . . Second-place Minnesota also suffered a blow on Feb. 25 as forward Taylor Heise was placed on long-term injured reserve with a shoulder injury. The first-overall draft pick is fourth in team scoring with three goals and six points.
. . . Entering this week, Toronto captain Blayre Turnbull and teammate Allie Munroe are the leaders among Maritime skaters with three points each. Montreal's Sarah Bujold and New York's Jill Saulnier each have one goal.