Fitzmagic Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 we had a playoff game at home? Would it be anything like VS Dallas in 2007 or louder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 I remember playoff games that couldn't sell out in the 90s, including the greatest comeback ever. The sad truth is there are a lot of people who won't go to games when its cold. First playoff game will be rockin'. Then if they don't go any father people will lose interest. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 I remember playoff games that couldn't sell out in the 90s, including the greatest comeback ever. The sad truth is there are a lot of people who won't go to games when its cold. First playoff game will be rockin'. Then if they don't go any father people will lose interest. PTR IMHO, the attendance had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the fact that we had just lost to the Oilers the week before, Thurman and Kelly were both injured, and it looked like our team was fading fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 IMHO, the attendance had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the fact that we had just lost to the Oilers the week before, Thurman and Kelly were both injured, and it looked like our team was fading fast. Correctamundo. There was the feeling that "the run is over" and the Bills were doomed to defeat, without Jimbo and Thomas, even at home, because the Oilers had given us such a drubbing the week before. And for 33 minutes, that feeling was accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalobillsfootball Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I remember playoff games that couldn't sell out in the 90s, including the greatest comeback ever. The sad truth is there are a lot of people who won't go to games when its cold. First playoff game will be rockin'. Then if they don't go any father people will lose interest. PTR It's so nice we can always count on your positive input at all times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McD Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 IMHO, the attendance had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the fact that we had just lost to the Oilers the week before, Thurman and Kelly were both injured, and it looked like our team was fading fast. This is 100% accurate, AND count in the fact Bennett was out as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 (edited) My "positive" input is just the facts and my opinion based on what I saw in the 90's. Playoff games were a tough sell back then, especially after a couple of Super Bowl losses. Part of the reason was that the Bills had to sell all 80k tickets in one or two weeks. What you say about that Houston game is correct. There was a lot of doubt going into that game. It also came after two SB losses. But what about the 4th AFC title game vs Kansas City? Ralph Wilson was giving free tickets to the people who were shoveling snow at the stadium! And Ch 2 still had to buy the last 5k! Sorry to come off like a downer but this is what happened. Maybe some of the old timers can back me up. I have vivid memories of being depressed that Bills fans were too jaded to buy tickets. PTR Edited December 14, 2010 by PromoTheRobot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 My "positive" input is just the facts and my opinion based on what I saw in the 90's. Playoff games were a tough sell back then, especially after a couple of Super Bowl losses. Part of the reason was that the Bills had to sell all80k tickets in one or two weeks. What you say about that Houston game is correct. There was a lot of doubt going into that game. It also came after two SB losses. But what about the 4th AFC title game vs Kansas City? Ralph Wilson was giving free tickets to the people who were shoveling snow at the stadium! And Ch 2 still had to buy the last 5k! Sorry to come off like a downer but this is what happened. Maybe some of the old timers can back me up. I have vivid memories of being depressed that Bills fans were too jaded to buy tickets. PTR Selling all of the tickets for a facility holding 80,000 seats in a short period of time was a challenge that few other franchises had to deal with. The reconfigued seating holding approximately 70,000 seats made more sense. There was a time that Ralph Wilson was talking about adding seats up to 100,000 capacity. The local authorities quickly shot that idea down noting that the infrastrucure (roads, police, parking etc.) for the area couldn't handle such an expansion. You don't need to shy away from your claim that the cold weather is a factor in tapping down attendance figures. Last Sunday was an example of that. You can also factor in that the holidays and its financial committments should also be factored when looking for reasons why there are less ticket sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1B4IDie Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 (edited) My "positive" input is just the facts and my opinion based on what I saw in the 90's. Playoff games were a tough sell back then, especially after a couple of Super Bowl losses. Part of the reason was that the Bills had to sell all 80k tickets in one or two weeks. What you say about that Houston game is correct. There was a lot of doubt going into that game. It also came after two SB losses. But what about the 4th AFC title game vs Kansas City? Ralph Wilson was giving free tickets to the people who were shoveling snow at the stadium! And Ch 2 still had to buy the last 5k! Sorry to come off like a downer but this is what happened. Maybe some of the old timers can back me up. I have vivid memories of being depressed that Bills fans were too jaded to buy tickets. PTR When the team goes to the AFC championship game 5 out of 6 years, I think you had a point. Fans were like, "Ah, its a divisional playoff game, who cares." I don't think we have to worry about that anytime soon. If the Bills make the playoffs and have a home game in the next 3 years it will be an insane event. I will be there. If we go to to the AFC championship every year from 2015-2021 then maybe yeah they might sell out a divisional round, but lets not pretend that this will ever happen again in the history of the Buffalo Bills. Its kind of irrelevant. Edited December 14, 2010 by Why So Serious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I agree that it would be a madhouse. My friends and I glow with excitement when we speak of the possibility. Fans back in the day of the comeback game were a bit complacent with so much success and home playoff games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernMan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 (edited) My "positive" input is just the facts and my opinion based on what I saw in the 90's. Playoff games were a tough sell back then, especially after a couple of Super Bowl losses. Part of the reason was that the Bills had to sell all 80k tickets in one or two weeks. What you say about that Houston game is correct. There was a lot of doubt going into that game. It also came after two SB losses. But what about the 4th AFC title game vs Kansas City? Ralph Wilson was giving free tickets to the people who were shoveling snow at the stadium! And Ch 2 still had to buy the last 5k! Sorry to come off like a downer but this is what happened. Maybe some of the old timers can back me up. I have vivid memories of being depressed that Bills fans were too jaded to buy tickets. PTR I think a lot of it has to do with a large portion of the (non season ticket)fan base that whose payckecks take them from week to week. That being the case, when tickets go on sale at the end of December, the cookie jar is usually empty after taking care of the wife and kids at Christmas. Also, the cold reduces the numbers of willing attendees. In September those aforementioned wife and kids are ready for the tailgate festivities and a nice day at the ball park. Once the 15 degree temps come, those whiny kids who'd rather be at home with their new video games and a wife who has to remove 10 layers of clothes to pee aren't quite so willing anymore. Add to that the seniors who are a lot less likely to brave the cold, and suddenly the majority of the willing ticket buyers are limited to a bunch of hearty single guys who are always up for a party and something to do after hunting season has ended. I really think Christmas spending was the biggest factor in the poor playoff ticket sales. If I had little kids, I'd have a tough time telling them they couldn't have their Johnny 7 automatic rifle this year cause pop has come up short after having to chip in for a keg of beer, pay $25 for parking, spend $30 at Wegmans, and another $65 or more for a playoff ticket, plus overpriced concession beverages. The difference between Buffalo and most major cities is the shortage of corporate-owned season tickets. The Bills depend on those week to week blue collar workers. Edited December 14, 2010 by DML2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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