On fan atmosphere at the Prudential Center

Let’s see: either Devils fans are being boorish and booing our players, which they say they never are/do because they are such a great fanbase…OR it’s Flyers fans chanting “Boosh.” Either way you slice it, it doesn’t look good.

I’ve been to a bunch of Devils games at the Rock. My old job used to have season tix. That place is always sparse. When they play the Rangers there’s by far more Ranger fans there. There’s always a big contingent of Flyer fans when they play there… It’s just a fact that Devils fans need to own up to. That team doesn’t draw nearly as well as it should and it never has.

Devils fans are in a weird position of being a minority in their home state. South Jersey is probably 80-20 Flyers fans and North jersey is probably 60-40 Ranger fans.

I was in section 15 about 17 rows up. That is lower bowl, behind and to the right of where Marty was in goal in the 1st and 3rd. There was 8 seats to my left empty the entire game.

There were 100’s of other empty seats in the lower bowl all game long.

Reality check time Devils fans. It’s not your fault the NHL shoehorned you into NJ.

Actually, the excuse made by some of the fans over there when I tried to go over there counter John Fischer’s points linked above, “well of course a building of 20% Flyers fans are going to be heard loudly screaming Boosh because Devils fans are not saying anything then.” To which I add, unless you like idiotic fans telling you that you should not be over there because you have not won a cup in 30 years, don’t do what I did. More to the point, though, maybe the Flyers fans were near a microphone, but it sure as heck sounded a little more than just 3,000, if we are going by Fischer’s estimate the crowd was 80-20. I mean, those were loud Boosh chants. Correct me if I’m wrong, but 3,000 fans would not be that audible in a stadium whose capacity is 17,625, right?

For the recored any orange shirts wearing fans screaming BOOOOOSH you see tonight while watching the game on TV is actually a faded red Devils shirt and they are screaming DOOOOOSH

why is this such a sore point with Devils fans? It’s long been documented that the arena has problems filling up. I know what an empty arena looks like, I visit the Bank Atlantic Center in S. FL every year. It looks earily similar to the pic sent to Travis.

I think most hockey puckheads have been making the following joke for years…

“Man, I feel sorry for Devils fans…all 12 of them.”

Personally, if I was a Devils fan, I wouldn’t give two craps about what people said about attendance, I’d have 3 stanley cup championships plugging my ears.

Devils prove one thing winning doesn’t bring fans when you play a brand of hockey that is less exciting than watching paint dry. So you have boring style plus being stuck between New York and Philly plus you stadium is located in Newark of all places. They really have no shot.

Former SBN hockey chief and current ProHockeyTalk editor Brandon Worley:

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/flyers-vs-devils-the-fans-are-even-into-it.php

If the crowd was any indication on Thursday, there were certainly a number of Flyers fans in attendance. ILWT is playing it off as the crowd “booing” Brian Boucher when he touches the puck, but anyone who’s been to Flyers game knows that “BOOOSH” call when they hear it; it certainly seemed to this third-party observer that there was a strong contingent of Flyers fans in attendance.

You can’t fault John for getting defensive; after all, who wants their fanbase attacked in the midst of a playoff series? But it certainly seems there’s some merit to the Flyers’ fans point about the lack of Devils fans, and straight out denying it all comes across as a bit petty

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I’m personally surprised no one wrote this here yet. Since the Rock was built, those seats that your buddy took a picture of are what they call “The Club” seats. The arena is also equipped with 2 bars where you can watch the actual game from: The Fire Lounge, & The Ice Lounge.

Now these seats mostly go for like $200 – $250 and give you access to either the Fire or Ice Lounge. Some other lower ones give access to the Goal Bar, which I don’t think you can see the game from, but it’s still a patrician meeting spot. Most people in those seats were watching the game from those Lounges. Look at your buddy’s picture to the right and see how they’re more filled. Those AREN’T CLUB seats – they are the Goal Bar (I believe Gold or Yellow sections).

Before the Rock figured out what they were going to do with these, in 2006, I snuck into the Ice Lounge during the second Devil game ever at the Rock . . . . and I didn’t leave for the entire game (now you must show your ticket and get it stamped or a bracelet or something like that) partly because this lounge offered me a better view and they’ve got a hell of a bar and food atmosphere with chairs and tables to view from. The point being is that you have a full ice view of the game and a great spot to watch them from. Same goes with the tables that they have around the concourse on the 2nd level. (For the first time in Game 1, I saw them using the curtains up there to block the view – that was weird – I guess they do want people in the seats). Walk by them tonight and see for yourself.

The fact is that the game was a sellout, no matter how you try to spin it. John F. at our blog says it was 80% – 20%, and I buy that.

Hey it’s true – Philly fans are as passionate as you see. The media loves to try and slam Philly fans, but that only makes the loyalty and passion stronger. CLICK ON MY PROFILE – I KNOW HOW IT IS . . . for 2 sports out of the year. It’s never a surprise when Flyer fans make the trip up (or Ranger ones). I get to be a part of that crowd too. So, when the Phillies fans invade Nationals’ Park, I get it – GREAT FANS. However, being a Devil fan does give me some empathy for the Nats fans . . . SOME.

I can go into how it’s harder to be a Devil fan in New Jersey. Some people in Bergen, Essex and Hudson feel like they gotta be enamored with NYC – so they go for the Rangers. Hey – Newark is NOT NYC or Philly. The Devils don’t have that “city” pull, pure and simple.

They’re a small market area like Kansas City, I mean look at the map of New Jersey.

For now, until people like me who grew up with the Devils get older and increase our purchasing power, there will be some attendance issues. But, it’s getting better and to me, offers the strongest sense to re-sign Kovalchuk – attendance has jumped since he’s come on board look how the attendance numbers have been since the trade. (You’ll have to click on each individual home game score. He was traded around Feb 3rd).

It is just harder to be a Devils’ fan. Kevin Smith said it. You’ve got the NJ Ranger fans who’m I’ve already mentioned and you South Jersey Flyer fans – so it truly carves up the state. I definitely have more issue with Ranger fans in NJ than Philly fans in South Jersey – because Ranger fans have the Devils on TV and South Jersey fans don’t.

BTW – I lived in Margate and Somers Point and went to Bullies’ games a lot too. When they moved in 2005, I moved up to North Jersey and I felt it was symbolic. I LOVED going to those Bully games. But they aren’t the same. The South Jersey Shore has no white collar economy as mentioned in the book, No Minor Accomplishment, when the AC Surf’s struggles were mentioned. North Jersey has the businesses, the corporations and the purchasing power to keep the luxury boxes filled and those Club Seats sold. Believe me, big bucks up here in North Jersey.