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Islanders' Kansas City game tickets: As low as $10

I purchased my tickets for the Islanders Kansas City game a while ago, knowing full well that there would likely still be good seats available right before the event. As far as proving a market's viability for NHL hockey, I always thought a Tuesday night was a curious sell. But I imagine the Sprint Center takes what it can. (For the record, I'm neutral on K.C. as an NHL market. Selfishly, it's a manageable road trip, but I don't want the Isles there and am not qualified to judge whether they could make a team work.)

Anyway, you can bet I paid more than $25 for a seat. Today I got an email from the Sprint Center about tickets for this game (because every time I've ever made a consumer transaction with any Ticketbastard-affiliated outfit, they've seen it as right to continue spamming me with event info for that venue, even when I don't live there). The email advertises tickets as low as $10. Not bad seats, either: $10 would get me seated in the 25th row of the 100-level, in a section in the corner. Meanwhile, $25 would seat me 12 rows back at center ice. Quite a price drop going on.

(All prices mentioned are before "facility," "convenience" and "we-screw-you-because-we-can" fees, of course.)

This information is provided to you without further comment, because I thought you'd care. But as always, your comments are certainly welcome.

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KC has two pro teams. The Chiefs obviously do well, but its also do to football only being one game a week and the Chiefs do well due to a long football history in KC. It also helps that there is only one game a week. But I don’t see why anyone would think that KC is anymore of a hockey town then Nashville, Atlanta or Phoenix. Other then the built in rivalry with the Blues, there are no upsides.

One can argue that what appears to be a lack of interest (low ticket prices) could be due to it being a preseason game with teams that the locals aren’t interested in. But if you look at other sports who have had movements lately a lot of it is due to fan interest for exhibition games in the area and in regular season games which didn’t involve local teams.

Hopefully a dead crowd puts a bit of a damper on the move to KC. Of course if Wang can’t move them, there is always Basille waiting in the wings.

by Mark D on Sep 21, 2009 6:46 PM EDT reply actions  

It’s funny: The less excitement this game generates, the weaker one of Wang’s “hammers” in getting the Town of Hempstead to proceed. I don’t think he’d ever want to sell the team to K.C., but I’m sure he’d like it to be a stronger threat. (Of course, the NHL has shown any market can be a threat if it wants it to.)

But yeah, the market’s particulars aren’t overwhelmingly positive; of course the Royals have been awful for a long time. I hear from some locals who testify to an appetite and growing amateur hockey in the area, but it’d be an uphill climb that — like 2/3rds of NHL markets, would require a billionaire’s investment to move it along.

One counterpoint I don’t accept is the “hockey already failed in K.C.” meme. That was 30 years ago, under atrocious ownership. Hockey failed in Denver 27 years ago, too — and in fact, 33 years before the Blues arrived, NHL hockey failed in St. Louis. Conditions change.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Sep 21, 2009 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions  

And the Golden Seals failed before the Kings and Sharks.

Intresting question, is Wang threatening to move the Islanders to KC or to sell the team to a KC owner? Given that he seems to want to have a hand in the organization I can’t see him moving the team to KC while CA stays in LI.

The Islanders can make money, they made money even during most of the bad years pre 2000. I think the problem that he’s still feeling the effects of is giving Milbury free reign with the budget. I always preferred building the team up via the draft over a quick fix, and in the long run those 2 or 3 playoff runs are hurting us more then they ever helped.

by Mark D on Sep 22, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions  

I think he’s stated that he wouldn’t want to own the team other than Long Island, so it would be to a new suitor — of which there don’t appear to be many beside Balsillie.

Yeah, Wang’s biggest handicap, in many ways, was not knowing what he was getting into, including with Milbury. Regret.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Sep 22, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions  

would they re-shuffle conferences

playing agaist the blues could set up a nice rivalry, regardless if they moved to KC I would follow .

what evers best interest for the team. A new facility an up and coming team heading i
n the right direction it could work in a market like KC especially from Jan to May when nothing going on

by steelermafia on Sep 21, 2009 8:04 PM EDT reply actions  

First comment pointed out the Chiefs, but did not point out the Royals

And I think the Royals are something that are a better judging point than the Chiefs. A one-game-a-week, eight-weeks-a-year sport is an event. Not a typical common occurance.

The Royals have struggled They’ve had good times in the past but those were mostly bankrolled by a billionaire owner. When the money dried up, the team struggled. Attendance was there but… Well, it wasn’t and isn’t gangbusters. It’s steady.

KC, in my personal opinion, is not a ripe market for another pro team in any sport. And I’d much sooner think the Isles take up the offer to move to the Boroughs of NYC than to another market all together.

To strive, to seek, to find, and to forever keep it Raw. Raw Charge.

by John Fontana on Sep 21, 2009 8:07 PM EDT reply actions  

And I’d much sooner think the Isles take up the offer to move to the Boroughs of NYC than to another market all together.

I’m with you there; it would be interesting to see how much support followed them. A lot of people can’t stand the thought.

The Royals are a tough case because they’ve been run so poorly for so long, and they’re a summer sport. Corporate support (and a rich benefactor) would be the key. But in places with hot, outdoorsy summers but cold winters, it’s nice to have a ritual like hockey to bring you out of the house. Still, would it make sense for the NHL as a whole (and player/owner revenue partnership) to move a team there? Not over Hamilton, certainly.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Sep 21, 2009 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

I figured the situation of the Royals was well known enough not to bother mentioning it.

by Mark D on Sep 22, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions  

This game would be a sell out...

in Las Vegas. The annual Frozen Fury pre-season game between the Kings and Avs’ always does. As much as I hate the MGM Grand Garden Arena, I still go each year. As much as I don’t think LV is ready for a team due to the current economy with 15% unemployment, still a better choice than KC.

by FireGarthSnow on Sep 21, 2009 10:10 PM EDT reply actions  

The NBA would have to be the first sport to have a team in Vegas, then Hockey might follow. Baseball and Football will refuse to put a team there till the very end.

by Mark D on Sep 22, 2009 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions  

Don't know about the NBA

During the All-Star weekend, there were over 5,000 arrests made. Not sure the city wants to go through that 40 times a year. Plus the betting will always be there, At least with the NHL, there is already betting in Canada. ProLine I believe it’s called? Plus the casinos here don’t take a lot of action on individual NHL games, mostly futures bets on who will win the Cup.

And we have an ECHL team here already. Ironically, they were a Calgary affiliate until the Lames moved their AHL affiliate to Abbotsford from Quad Cities. Now it is a …….(gag) Coyotes affiliate.

by FireGarthSnow on Sep 22, 2009 1:26 AM EDT up reply actions  

K.C. attendance

Not saying it would be a shutout, but I’m not sure this game wouldn’t normally do better (and who knows what it will be like until we get there — it’s possible they were discounting lower bowl seats to fill it up, as those were I think as high as $150 originally).

I always find this guy interesting for a hockey in K.C. perspective:

To make up for the lack of a regional team, I think AEG was banking on the Islanders appearance generating a buzz in KC. As far as I can tell, that hasn’t happened. I think KC fans understand the Islanders are not on the brink of moving here, and that we’re being used as a bargaining ploy again. Not exactly inspiring stuff.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Sep 22, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions  

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New York Islanders Roster

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Josh Bailey 12 LW 10/2/1989 190 6-1
Rick DiPietro 39 G 9/19/1981 190 6-1
Mark Eaton 4 D 5/6/1977 215 6-1
Michael Grabner 40 RW 10/5/1987 185 6-0
Travis Hamonic 3 D 8/16/1990 203 6-2
Milan Jurcina 27 D 6/7/1983 253 6-4
Andrew MacDonald 47 D 9/7/1986 196 6-1
Matt Martin 17 LW 3/8/1989 210 6-3
Al Montoya 35 G 2/13/1985 203 6-2
Mike Mottau 10 D 3/19/1978 190 6-0
Matt Moulson 26 LW 11/1/1983 205 6-1
Evgeni Nabokov 20 G 7/25/1975 200 6-0
Aaron Ness 55 D 5/18/1990 170 5-10
Nino Niederreiter 25 RW 9/8/1992 205 6-2
Frans Nielsen 51 C 4/24/1984 184 6-0
Kyle Okposo 21 RW 4/16/1988 205 6-0
Jay Pandolfo 29 LW 12/27/1974 190 6-1
P.A. Parenteau 15 LW 3/24/1983 193 6-0
Rhett Rakhshani 49 RW 3/6/1988 190 5-10
Marty Reasoner 16 C 2/26/1977 205 6-1
Dylan Reese 42 D 8/29/1984 201 6-1
Brian Rolston 11 LW 2/21/1973 215 6-2
Steve Staios 24 D 7/28/1973 200 6-1
Mark Streit 2 D 12/11/1977 197 6-0
John Tavares 91 C 9/20/1990 202 6-0
Tim Wallace 36 RW 8/6/1984 207 6-1
Calvin de Haan 44 D 5/9/1991 187 6-1

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