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Florida Panthers: Some reasons that have caused for low attendance

By Luke Kendall

SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 8: Florida Panthers fans have messages for their team during warm ups prior to the start of the game against the Buffalo Sabres at the BB
SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 8: Florida Panthers fans have messages for their team during warm ups prior to the start of the game against the Buffalo Sabres at the BB /
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The Florida Panthers have a league wide reputation for poor attendance. Let’s look at some of the causes of this problem that has always plagued the Panthers.

Playoff runs or special nights can bring a great crowd to the BB&T center. However, most Panthers games are trademarked by empty seats. Florida averaged 14,620 fans per game last season, ranking them 26th out of 30 NHL teams.

One reason for the lack of fans is the climate in which the Panthers play. Hockey is very popular in places where people play pickup games on frozen lakes. In tropical south Florida, many people don’t play hockey and lots have never skated on ice before. Other southern cities are in the same boat as well.

The Arizona Coyotes and Carolina Hurricanes are the two lowest in average per game attendance throughout the league. Anaheim (#22) and Nashville (#20) aren’t very far above the Panthers either. There’s a lot more to it than just location though. Tampa is 8th, despite their warm weather and New Jersey is #27 on the list.

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Another factor is the relative newness of the franchise. Four of the NHL’s “original six” teams are in the top 5 of the average attendance list. They have been around for long enough to become a multi-generational tradition in their cities. People who remember going to games as a kid now take their children and grandchildren to the arena. Compare that to the 24 years of Panthers hockey and the attendance gap makes sense. It also doesn’t help that Florida only made the playoffs five times in those 24 years.

One more thing the Panthers have working against them is the location of their arena. Sunrise is a very nice town and its residents do support the team. The problem is that Sunrise is a long drive for the people who live near downtown Miami (isn’t convenient). For most of the sports fans among the nearly 3 million residents of Miami-Dade county, it makes more sense to see the Heat downtown than to see the Panthers in Western Broward.

Next: Florida Panthers: Expected players on the second power play unit

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