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I was told rather sternly last night by a Melville executive member that in the playoffs, we better not be doing Melville/Yorkton games in Melville unless we're doing an equal amount in Yorkton. The reasoning was that the fans don't come if the game's on the radio. I have no beef with this particular person, infact I like him a lot. So if you're reading this, I intend absolutely zero offense, but I have the numbers to back up my argument.
First of all, we were perfectly equal during the regular season. We broadcasted two games in Yorkton (Oct/10 and Nov/21), and two in Melville (Jan/1 and Jan/30). We did every non-Saturday game in the season series. Attendance varied in both rinks in the 8 head-to-head matchups, and it was interesting to find in both rinks, the largest and smallest crowds were games not on the radio, but the second and third highest crowds were in broadcasted games. Here are the numbers, sorted from largest to smallest crowds.
Farrell Agencies Arena, Yorkton
Feb/1: 1496 fans, NOT on the radio.
Nov/21: 1451 fans, ON the radio.
Oct/10: 1314 fans, ON the radio.
Jan/3: 1002 fans, NOT on the radio.
Averaged 1249 when not on the radio, and 1383 for games we broadcasted.
Melville Stadium
Oct/11: 1061 fans, NOT on the radio.
Jan/1: 964 fans, ON the radio.
Jan/30: 922 fans, ON the radio.
Nov/22: 889 fans, NOT on the radio.
Averaged 975 fans when not on the radio, and it was, infact, 943... an average of 32 fewer fans for games we had on the air.
Overall, in both places, here's what attedance averaged.
In the four games NOT on the radio: 1112 fans
In the four games ON the radio: 1163 fans
And those numbers WILL increase come playoff time, whether we broadcast seven games or zero. My point of doing this wasn't to prove that radio puts MORE people in the seats, I'm just trying to say it doesn't KEEP people away. The numbers are so close each way that other factors could certainly contribute.
Plus, in this day and age, virtually every game in the league can be heard somewhere. The visiting teams have almost all their games on the air, and they're all online, and plus webcasting is coming, and is already here in some centres, meaning fans can sit at home and WATCH the games rather than paying their $12 at the door... yet no one seems to be fighting that. This might sound arrogant but as a radio station we do a lot more for our local teams than any webcasting crew does, in terms of promoting games, airing interviews, travelling with the team for road games, yet we're the ones at fault for hurting attendance? Come on now.
I can also assure that this year we aired less home games on GX94 than any other year. I saw last year's schedule, which was made before I got here, and they included 10 road and 5 home games for each team. This year for Yorkton, it worked out that we were able to do 15 road and 0 home. (The two Melville games count as Mils broadcasts). While in Melville, we wound up doing 13 road and 2 home. And it was supposed to just be 1 home, but a scheduling error on Feb 4th vs Estevan orginally had them going to Estevan.
I want to see the Mils, Terriers, Stamps, Wolverines, and every Junior Hockey team excel on and off the ice, and that means their bottom lines ($$$) as well, but frankly it's insulting when I personally get blamed for attendance when I put the amount of time in that I do to get these games on the air. Yes it's my job, but I could mail it in and just show up and do the games instead of getting to each game 2 hours ahead of time and going to bed at 3:00 am about 3 nights a week for half the year. That part I do because I love covering the teams and get as excited as anyone for them this time of year.
Get out, support your home team this playoff season, and if you can't make it, we'll have the games.
9 comments:
Don't take it to heart steiner, you do an amazing job, I'm on this blog everyday, I love reading what you have to say. The attendance #'s don't lie. Keep it up!!
got to agree! by far the best out there! I always go to games but if by some chance a guy can't make it, it's nice to be able to hear it on the radio!
Please don't let one person's opinion even tempt you to stop broadcasting games. Obviously, since you've posted the numbers to prove your case, this guys just looking for something to belly-ache about. We personally appreciate the fact that you put in so much time with our team. We love listening to your broadcasts of some of our son's games (we wish there were more)and we thoroughly enjoy this blog. Keep up the good work Craig.
Go Wayway go!
Totally agree with you Stein! I live in Saskatoon and would love to watch every game but unfortunately can't make it, so having games on the radio (especially during weekdays) makes listening to mils and terriers games possible.
For out of town family members, whether they are parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles radio broadcasts allow them to here their childs/grandkids/nephews play hockey.
I'm a believer that the majority of your listeners would attend games if they could, but the fact is some can't so taking home games off the air (esp playoffs) you'll be hurting all those fans more than anyone and that's not right.
Craig,
We have broadcasted all the home games in Weyburn since December. In talking with members of the executive here, they do not feel the games on the radio have negatively impacted attendance. I would suggest this is the thoughts of one mis-informed Melville director and not the opinion of the majority.
- Brad McNeil.
The best way to tell if you are doing a good job: Are both teams sometimes mad at you?
If the answer is 'yes', then all things are good!
Please do NOT stop Announcing Games, We are Parents of a Player on one of those Teams, and from out of Province. That is sometimes the only way we can get into the action. We always look forward to listening to the Game, and make that our Evening at Home with rest of Family Memebers.
Thanks so much!
I can't believe that someone is bellyaching about a free 3 Hour Advertisement for their Hockey team!!! Yeah, you will get a few guys who don't want to spend the money to go but with the games on the radio, you are causing excitement in the region!!
Do backouts work??? Well just ask the Late 80's CFL teams how blackouts hurt their bottom line!!!
Our family loves your broadcast, definately one of the top in the country. You are truly dedicated to our teams, and the radio station deserves to benefit from the highest profile playoff games. Does this Melville
Excutive member not realize that this series could be moved to Winnipeg and still hold record attendance. NO ONE WANTS TO MISS OUT on the HIGHWAY 10 RIVALERY !
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