At Long Last... NHL Hockey Is Back!	by Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell

During the countdown to opening night, David Krajewski finishes installing a photo montage in the lobby of HSBC Arena.

(photo: Matthew Quinn)

What’s going on with Buffalo sports fans?

After all, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. During the long and torturous lockout, were we not told that hockey fans no longer care about the sport? Didn’t the pundits rank NASCAR, poker and bowling above the NHL, knocking the game from the ranks of the four major sports? Didn’t we all snicker when ESPN gave hockey the heave-ho, relegating the NHL to the Outdoor Life Network, home of “Fly Fishing For Dummies” and “Polar Bears Gone Wild – Uncensored”?

Yet Sabres hockey is back, and people are excited! Season ticket holders are renewing their seats. Fans are buying single game tickets. Restaurants and businesses downtown are gearing up to welcome folks back to the HSBC Arena. The (maintenance?) team is putting the spit and polish to the building as they gear up to open their doors for the 2005-06 season. Radio talk shows are already getting the calls “Why isn’t Regier signing any free agents? Teppo Numminen? TEPPO NUMMINEN?! That’s it? That’s all?” Billboards all around town scream out “The Future Starts This Fall!”

TV viewers care as well and want their hockey. The DISH Network’s viewers weren’t getting the Sabres package, but now they are. Direct TV subscribers were getting the games, but now we’re not so sure. Adelphia customers got their Sabres, but not the national games on OLN…unless they buy a premium digital tier…but the games are blacked out. Confused? So are we, but two constants remain… Rick Jeanneret will still be calling Sabres games, and come Saturday night around 8:45 pm, all of Canada will stop in their tracks to tune into CBC and see what Don Cherry has to say on Coach’s Corner.

Sabres Director of Ticket Operations John Sinclair reports that almost all past season ticket holders are on board, and the Sabres have actually increased their season ticket base this year. “As of this week we’ve sold over 8000 season tickets, a number we’re certainly not satisfied with but we’re still working on it”, said Sinclair. Since the lockout ended, the team has signed up over 1000 new season ticket subscriptions. “We’ve accomplished in two months what normally would take five.”

Of course, broad ticket price reductions have certainly helped. This season fans benefit from the team’s new variable pricing formula, where games are grouped into “gold, silver, bronze and value” categories, depending on the popularity of the opponent and the date of the game. Sinclair stated that single ticket buyers have been very knowledgeable about the new pricing scheme. “We sold a record number of single seats on September 17, and although we anticipated a lot of confusion and problems, things went smoothly.” Other than the ubiquitous Toronto games, which game was a popular seller? “Definitely the December 17 game vs Pittsburgh!” said Sinclair. “It’s a 5 pm start, the Bills are home later that night, and fans have the unique opportunity to do a Buffalo doubleheader or see the Bills on TV after our game. That should be a big sports night downtown.”

Speaking of downtown, eateries and pubs catering to hockey crowds have gone through some lean times during the lockout, and places like the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery have had to adapt. Service Manager Paul Jankiewicz said that they had to cut back staff, but actually reported a modest sales gain, thanks to more aggressive courting of their corporate accounts and aggressive co-promotions with the Buffalo Bandits. “Sure we missed the Sabres, but we understand that the lockout was a necessary step to keeping the NHL in Buffalo for the long haul” said Jankiewicz.

With three home games in the first week of the season, the Sabres are putting out all stops to welcome the fans back to HSBC Arena. Sabres Public Relations Director Michael Gilbert was tight lipped about specifics. “We have a few surprises in store on Opening Night” said Gilbert. Famed artist Ronan Tynan, one of the “Three Irish Tenors” and well known to baseball fans at Yankee Stadium, will be on hand on October 5 to lead the fans in his rendition of “God Bless America.”

Fans at the arena will also see a new TV studio erected on the club level, and viewers accustomed to watching the pregame show and the postgame “Hockey Hotline” will now enjoy the broadcast done right from HSBC Arena. “In addition to our new account services center in the pavilion, fans will also notice a new photo project underway throughout the arena. More will be added in the coming months, Gilbert said.”

For the record, most national sports websites and sports publications, including The Sporting News, TSN and Sports Illustrated, have the Sabres picked close to last place in the new NHL. Sinclair scoffed at such predictions. “I’ve told our customers over and over again, this lockout was all about you. This was so that we could have a chance to compete with the big guys by putting us all on a somewhat level playing field. Now it’s up to our hockey department to draft well, to put good personnel on the ice and I think our people are up to the task.”