So they haven't made the playoffs since 2001 and thye could not sell out before, but now the bandwagon is full. I hate when people jump aboard the wagon regardless if you say "now" I support the team. Where were all the "fans" years ago? Haters. Losers. etc...... PS
2007-03-27 06:46:27 · 35 answers · asked by pittpenguins71 4 in Sports ➔ Hockey
Hey zaphodsclone's - thats the year I was born - DICK not just Malkins number so get some things straight before you make assumptions. A-HOLE.
2007-03-27 08:36:20 · update #1
This is why the city of Pittsburgh doesn't fully deserve an NHL team... They have never been a stable franchise.
As early as the mid 1970s the ownership group experienced cash flow issues.
The Penguins almost folded in 1975 when their creditors demanded payment of back debts.
The Pens nearly moved in 1984... because of lack of fan support - a year before they drafted Mario Lemieux.
what will happen if Crosby leaves Pittsburgh as a free agent or after he retires... will the NHL have to deal with this again...???
BTW... I don't hate the Penguins, I just don't like seeing teams in cities where no one really cares about Hockey, and history has shown that Pittsburgh is a bandwagon hockey town...
2007-03-27 08:07:32 · answer #1 · answered by Virus Type V 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The Penguins have always had fans. Seriously - Pittsburgh is a sports town. We love and support all of our teams...especially when we move away from the city. The black and gold blood runs deep and that doesn't go away...
So what? The Pens are having an amazing season with amazing players. They're selling out the Mellon Arena every game, leaving standing room only. Playoff tickets sold out in 13 minutes. And they sold out so fast because of the season ticket holders, not because of the "bandwagon" fans. This is a good thing!
The Pens had a crappy season last year, but they still sold out games. Fans. TRUE fans. I've stuck by my team since I was 9 years old. Last place, Stanley Cups, lock out, the era of Sid the Kid...it's all about supporting your team, no matter what.
And you know what? There's always going to be new talent joining the team. New talent and skill always attracts attention, which in turn could equal new fans. That's great! I wish that the league could have more fans and more tv time and more ESPN coverage. So I wouldn't be complaining about the NHL getting new fans, no matter what team they're cheering for...be it the Pens or the Sabres or the Red Wings...
Let's Go Pens!!!
2007-03-27 17:52:16 · answer #2 · answered by Pens4Ever 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pittsburgh has had loyal fans for a very long time the only thing that kept fans aways was all this arena talks for over several year and losing money the government didn't really want to help so why go to a game when the team is not supported by the city officials. this team has been in the league for 40 years and are the next 6 that entered the league after the 67 expansion from the original six. I'm glad they stayed the fans deserve this very much for sticking with their team the Pittsburgh Penguins and I'm not a Pens fan at all. IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THIS FAN SUPPORT THE TEAM WOULD OF BEEN GONE FOR SURE. its the fans that kept this team alive.
GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
2007-03-27 10:12:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in Pittsburgh and have been a fan all my life. I've supported them last season when no one would even care to think about them. The only reason they have a lot more fans this year is because they are such a cinderella story from being the second worse team last year. Also, we have an amazing and exciting roster this year with Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Fleury.
A little side note...I've read many Answers on Yahoo! comparing Ovechkin and Crosby. What is comes down to is there is no comparision at all. Crosby dominates Ovechkin in everything. And every hater of Crosby is just jealous because there team does not have the best player in the league..
2007-03-27 08:17:04 · answer #4 · answered by Mr.NiceGuy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well even the bandwagon fans will be around cause they should be winning for the next few years without question. The funny thing is gonna be when they lose in the playoffs and the bandwagoneers get all discouraged and stop being so fake about their love of the team. Until next yeasr when they are real contenders.
I will offer this though even a non Pittsburgh fan has to be watching them. Three of the top young players in the game is a huge thing.
2007-03-27 08:59:44 · answer #5 · answered by bourgoise_10o 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll admit that I am totally on the bandwagon, and here's why. Pittsburgh is now exciting to watch. I am a hockey fan, in a market with no NHL team... Vancouver is geographically closest and San Jose is my old hometown, so those are my two "home teams", but the people of Pittsburgh are lucky to have what they have. It was inexplicable to me in December and January to be watching this young, exciting team, so obviously at the beginning of a dynasty, and yet the games weren't sold out!?!?! Totally inexcuseable. Though Seattle is never on anyone's list of cities that the NHL will come to, I had this hope of Lemieux coming to talk to our mayor.
So yeah, I am a bandwagon fan, because I don't live in Pittsburgh, and I never liked Mario, but if I had to pick a team from the East, it'd be the Pens. With or without Crosby. Who dives. Like an Italian soccer player.
2007-03-27 07:17:53 · answer #6 · answered by smd 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Each team will get its share of bangwagon fans when they are successful. When a team has success after many bad years, it seems like they all come out of the woodwork at once. Those kinds of fans don't deserve to revel in the team's success. It's the fans who stick with their teams through the bad times that deserve it.
To the previous poster who said the Flyers only have bandwagon fans, you have no idea what you're talking about. The team was brutal in the early 90s, and they still sold out every game. Even this season, which barring a late surge will be the worst in team history, they still draw quite well despite ticket prices that border on absurd.
2007-03-27 08:05:03 · answer #7 · answered by Jack R 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Bandwagon fans drive me nuts. Where were those fans when the Penguins stunk year after year? I was there, from the time they were crap until now. I supported the likes of Mike Eastwood, Sebastien Caron, Alexei Morozov, and company. I was there when they had Craig Simpson, a young Mario, and Wendel Young. I will be there when they have their worst teams. I've been a lifelong fan of the Penguins, so it pisses me off when someone who doesn't have a clue about the team's history suddenly decides to ride the wave. I cannot wait until there is a sudden increase of Pirates fans (like that will ever happen). I've been a lifelong fan of that team, too. I even buy their merchandise, even though year after year they stink.
2007-03-27 07:40:20 · answer #8 · answered by Snoop 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wasn't at Pens games until last year on the grounds that we couldn't afford tickets... except for the occasional high school trip when the tickets cost like 5 bucks.
A lot of the new fans are like me: they were little kids when we won the Cups in the early 90s... and now that we are finishing high school or college and have some money we can afford to go to games... thus the enourmous popularity of the Pens in college and high school students, and the success of the Student Rush program.
But there are still a lot of band wagon fans around... I don't particularly like them... but at least its not like the Flyers who ONLY have bandwagon fans
2007-03-27 07:45:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey suffered through the "fire sale" and through the number one picks. I wasn't so sure about letting Patrick go, although it worked out great. It wasn't so much I was sure of Patrick anymore either, it was I know what he COULD be. I really wasn't expecting the team to make the playoffs this year. Yeah thrilled they did. Bring on the bandwagon, it just means the team is doing good. Since I don't live close enough to go to the games I don't get upset if they get sold out lol.
2007-03-27 08:31:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋