WE NEED HIM BACK: The Owner of Winnipeg Jets, Mark Chipman, wants to sell the team
WE NEED HIM BACK: The Owner of Winnipeg Jets, Mark Chipman, wants to sell the team
In order to secure the team’s future in one of the league’s smallest markets, owner Mark Chipman says the team must restore its high attendance.
Chipman stated in an interview with The Athletic that the team’s season ticket base is below 9,500 this year, compared to roughly 13,000 three years prior.
“We need to return to 13,000, or I wouldn’t be being completely honest with you,” Chipman stated. The current situation we are in is not going to work in the long run. It simply isn’t.
With 13,306 fans on average, the Jets are playing to 87.4% capacity at the 15,225-seat Canada Life Centre, which is the third worst percentage among the 32 NHL teams. The typical number of attendees is second-worst to the 4,600-seat college rink that is home to the Arizona Coyotes.
Even though the Jets are in the running for the Central Division lead, attendance has increased recently. However, the low number of season tickets makes it difficult to fill the rink every night. This season, the team has only sold out four games.
When the Jets returned to the NHL in 2011, they were among the most popular tickets in the league, selling out 332 games in a row. In 1996, the original Jets relocated to Arizona.
The current team has only won three post-season series in Winnipeg, not exactly enjoying much success in the playoffs.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the other major professional team in the city, haven’t had the same experience in the CFL. The Blue Bombers are the individuals who have participated in four straight Grey Cup games. Last season, Winnipeg had the best average attendance in ten years, leading the league with 30,449 attendees.
The Jets are attempting to win back fans by inviting previous ticket holders back to a game this season, Chipman told The Athletic.
For every fan, Chipman says they have an important message.
Chipman stated, “We try to convey to those people that we’re trying to win.” And we need to stay up if we want to succeed or compete. There’s no way we can match the Leafs’ gate. It truly is amazing. Nothing compares to that. However, Edmonton performs much better than we do, and that’s harder to accept, right? because we regard one another as equals.
“I understand Edmonton is a larger city and they have a history of winning numerous Stanley Cups, but I believe that most people in Edmonton and Winnipeg have a healthy respect for one another.
On Tuesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is coming to Winnipeg to meet with corporate sponsors and watch the team play the St. Louis Blues.
When it launched its “Forever Winnipeg” marketing campaign in April of last year, the organization expressed its initial concerns regarding attendance.
It’s a bit of a tinderbox because of its history, Chipman said. “Looking back, we weren’t aiming for drama, but it made people’s hair stand up.” That wasn’t our intention; it was our fault. Therefore, it goes beyond simply not wanting to come across as whiny about this.or inspiring compassion, there’s also the concern of not coming across as menacing in any manner.
