Gerbera Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Wow, where do I begin? I can't say enough about the reception of the Comets here in Utica. It seems like there are promotions for just about EVERY game. The Comets recently offered a "win and your in" event 2 weeks ago. If the Comets won the game (Tuesday night game) then ALL fans would receive a voucher for a FREE ticket to the next home game....they won! They also offer $2 beer nights (Labatt's) for weeknight games. The 50/50 drawings are HUGE, in the 6K to 10K range for EVERY GAME. The Comets offer a great ticket deal for groups of 10 or more. You can get a $15 ticket for $12.The Comets return the favor by getting out in the community. It seems like they are somewhere all the time, signing autographs and helping with charity functions. They really support the local youth hockey programs too. Some of the players even show up to practice with the kids. The attendance has been awesome, as I mentioned above. We are leading 5 other cities in attendance despite our capacity The only drawback is some local biased media. It seems our local ESPN affiliate STILL believes the Comets interfere with their beloved college hockey team. The Utica College men's hockey team STILL plays to sold out or near capacity crowds. They (radio hosts) just don't give the Comets the coverage they deserve. But, it's ESPN, what else can you expect when it comes to pro hockey? I encourage all of you to check out the Comets face book page. That shows exactly what's going on with the Comets in our area. I think this 1st season has exceeded everyone's expectations. If there's 1 thing that Mike Gillis did to perfection as the GM of the Vancouver Canucks, is the imaging and charity work of the franchise. Even in Vancouver, it is pretty frequent you see Canucks and their players participate in the local charity events and volunteer work. I think these type of work are really important to the people and also brings up the popularity of the club. I am glad to see they bring over the cultures and get our prospects involved in community work at an early age. Although I am not an expert at running hockey teams, I will guess the cost of running a stadium should be pretty high for an AHL club. Since the salaries of the players are lower, their biggest financial difficulty should lie in the stadium's maintenance. The good thing about having a smaller stadium is the lower cost to operate the facility and the lesser demand for the club to sell tickets. I mean, it is easier to fill a 3000-4000 people rink than a 15,000 one. Also, this reduces the stress of ticket pricing so they are able to offer more discounts and cheaper tickets as well. Aqulini are smart businessmen. I truthfully believe they have already get people to calculate all the costs for them. I am sure they will spend a lot of money in Utica, but I am sure they will make sure the team is successful and make them money back in the future too. Seems like Utica is having quite a successful year despite the playoff hopes diminishing, hopefully is a 3 way win situation for the people in Utica, Canucks, and our prospects. Please post more insight about Utica! I absolutely love reading your 1st hand experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utica Fan Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Here's something for all Canucks fans to enjoy, if your interested in how MUCH the Comets mean to our area. Check out a great 3 part series from our local news channel, WUTR eyewitness news. It's called CometsCraze and it can be found on the CNYHOMEPAGE link. just google CNYHOMEPAGE COMETSCRAZE PART1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utica Fan Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 There is something about "small town hockey" that is just so special. I mean, since the Comets have come to Utica, this city has changed, big time. No matter where you go in Utica, people are talking Comets hockey. The restaurants and bars all have Comets schedules posted in and around their facilities. It seems like every business wants to be "the official this or that" of the Comets. The Civic pride alone, is just incredible. Everywhere you go, people wear Comets merchandise. The rivalries between other cities like Syracuse, has renewed a sense of pride in this city, that I have never seen before. The ownership has really gone overboard too, in a good way. They have given this team so much public exposure. The Comets seem to be everywhere in the community. They always seem to be at charity events. I think the highlight of the season was the "Pink the Rink" night for breast cancer. The Comets pink jerseys were auctioned off after the game which raises over $30k in1 night. Utica may be one of the smaller AHL cities, but we can support our team in a big way. Our building may be small, but to us, it's just big enough. Our attendance average is STILL above other teams with larger venues. Our 50/50 drawings are equally impressive averaging $5k with weekend draws averaging ABOVE 10k. Utica has now achieved 9 sellouts this year. Though that may seem insignificant, we NEVER saw these attendance numbers when the Devils where here AND the Devils are a "local" team. This entire area has gone "Comets Crazy". It's just a incredible feeling to have hockey back in Utica again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Glad to hear the great support you guys are giving the farm club Utica Fan (We could use some of that in Vancouver right now...). You guys have a bright future there IMO. You'll have gotten through the first year growing pains and you've got some pretty damn good young players that will likely be heading there next season. Better players + great fan support...it should be a good season for you next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utica Fan Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 I know I've posted this somewhere else, so forgive me. Utica's next home game, on March 21st vs. Adirondack, will, with a packed house, push this years attendance over the 100,000 mark. What's even more remarkable is that, since that home opening sellout back in October, I have yet to hear from ANY of the naysayers, including that Peoria spokesman. I wonder why? Hmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tortorellatheboss Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 And here I thought Americans hated hockey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utica Fan Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 You thought wrong,... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 it's southerners that hate hockey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utica Fan Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 I think he was referring to the group at that sports station ESPN. None the less, I just returned from the Aud box office with our tickets for the March 23rd game vs. Milwaukee. I sponsor a Comets game through my work. I am happy to report that I sold 60 tickets for this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utica Fan Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 The Utica Comets have announced that Friday's game (3/21) vs. Adirondack, has been sold out! This marks the 11th sell-out this season at the Aud. This will boost our attendance to OVER 100,000 this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wshdrvvn Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 The Utica Comets have announced that Friday's game (3/21) vs. Adirondack, has been sold out! This marks the 11th sell-out this season at the Aud. This will boost our attendance to OVER 100,000 this season. That is quite a mark to hit considering the size of the building! keep that up and the AHL will be hard pressed not to find an affiliate for Utica going forward. (only say that cause of the short term agreement the canucks have with utica and the overt want to move to abbotsford) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck or Die Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I don't really want the Canucks to change affiliates anymore. I want them to stay in Utica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wshdrvvn Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I don't really want the Canucks to change affiliates anymore. I want them to stay in Utica. Agreed, Utica is awesome. I'm definitely a comets fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higgyfan Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Agreed, Utica is awesome. I'm definitely a comets fan. Me too. Utica is a fantastic place for the team. Go Comets Go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utica Fan Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Thank you all for the votes of confidence. Hopefully, the hockey Gods will keep the Canucks affiliate here for the long term. I know that some would like them in Abbottsford, and that would be a strategic location, but, we here in Utica, have grown attached to this team. We will support hockey no matter the franchise, but the Canucks have made AHL hockey possible again, here in Utica. For that reason, to us, it seems extra special to see THIS franchise grow here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyHound93 Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 The farm team being in Utica actually seems better then if it were in Abbotsford for travel reasons. There are no teams close to Abby at all. The advantages of Abby though is that the local Canucks fans can get a chance to see our players in the system grow and the easy call ups. That being said, I still like the Comets being in Utica and reading through this thread, and the other Utica thread it seems the fans out there have grown attached to the team. It's really nice to see the positivity coming out of Utica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking mama Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 The City of Abbotsford...really wants the Canucks farm team in Abby. The Calgary Flames sucked them into signing a sweet-heart of a deal for the Flames organization...where they are protected from losses. The tax-payers see the foolishness of that long-term deal now & the low attendance for Heat games is also a reflection of that. The President of Hockey Operations for The Flames is none other than...Brian Burke. Burke is not a fan of the Aquilinis.. who fired his good buddy, Dave Nonis to hire Mike Gillis. Gillis was the agent who negotiated Bure's acrimonious departure from VAN in the 90's ,when Burke was with the 'Nucks under a previous owner. Things got even more frosty between Gillis & Burke...when GM Gillis charged the Toronto organization & Burke with tampering...when they previously tried to tempt the Sedin twins out of VAN. It is going to be a good long frosty while... before these guys ever see eye-to-eye on much of anything - now that Burke has joined the rival front office of the Flames. Ironic I know. Frosty....Heat & Flames...get it?! Burke & Nonis supported the Gaglardi group... who lost a legal fight to buy the Canucks. Francesco Aquilini was once a part of this Gaglardi group ...only to break away & put forth a more successful bid for the team on behalf of his own family. The Gaglardi's cried foul...& lost...but now own the less lucrative, Dallas Stars. The status-quo is the way things will be....for almost another decade...unless Gillis is fired or the Aquilini's sell the Canucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Not sure what point was trying to be made with the previous post, but I like the farm team being in Utica, but I'd love it being in Abby too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonMexico Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 The location of the farm team is rather inconsequential now with Canucks having to play in every barn on the east coast of the USA. If the team is thriving in Utica, then let them stay there. I am torn to think of whether or not the Canucks farm team relocating to Abbotsford would be a good thing. Take a look at the apathy towards the parent club on this board right now. That is guaranteed to trickle down to the team if it was much closer. Right now, the seperation is a good thing. Utica has their own fans and are seemingly quite attached to the team. Why mess up a good thing? I personally do not want to drive out to Abby to watch a game. I doubt I would ever go any more often than I go to a Giants game (which is a couple of games). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wshdrvvn Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 where we would cut down on travel time for callups immensely, we would then be multiplying the miles it takes to play the away schedule. Utica is in a good spot on the east coast; there are plenty of teams within a reasonable distance. AHL travel is pretty brutal no matter where the team is located. being on the east coast relieves a lot of that though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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