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Post by carolle on Oct 8, 2004 11:58:40 GMT
Taken from the N.E.P......
NEW DATE FOR STEELERS Nottingham Panthers' first home clash this season with rivals Sheffield Steelers will now be played on Sunday, October 31 (5pm).
The change from the original date of November 27 was because of another event at the National Ice Centre. Two other games have had to be switched.
Panthers general manager Gary Moran said: "We've just put out thousands of fixture cards so we apologise to our fans for any inconvenience.
"It would have been better had we been able to drop in our game with Sheffield 24 hours after the original date, but the ice probably wouldn't have been ready in time.
"Moving one date means other teams having to change theirs and it's meant some juggling around so I am very grateful for their co-operation."
The Edinburgh game at the NIC on October 30 switches to Thursday, November 25, while Bracknell are now in town on Sunday, January 30 instead of December 28.
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Doughnut
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Post by Doughnut on Oct 8, 2004 12:00:49 GMT
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ktglitz
Robert Lachowicz
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Post by ktglitz on Oct 8, 2004 12:29:37 GMT
It's a shame really as Capitals fans might have travelled for the Saturday fixture but we'll only see a few on the Thursday. Another problem could be getting British players that don't have work committments that can travel down. Oh well, will be good to see some old friends again.
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mmmbop
Simon Hunt
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Post by mmmbop on Oct 8, 2004 20:08:39 GMT
GUTTED. Ill be in Spain on the Steelers home game Thats shocking, and didnt they cancel it for a concert in the main arena? And if im not mistaken the NIC got its funding for holding Ice-sports as its main concern.... Well im not a happy chap
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Lynne
Pat Casey
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Post by Lynne on Oct 8, 2004 20:36:22 GMT
Can't say I'm a happy bunny about this either. We are in Nottingham for the Saturday night and were going to go to the Capitals game with my best friend... and now we can't! Can't stay for the Steelers game the next night, so I think I'm down to seeing the Panthers 4 times this season, not 5! PLEASE don't let them change any other home games in December!
Ah well, that's life I guess, and they have more than my erratic, occasional visits to the city to consider when they are setting their schedules!
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Jinty
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Post by Jinty on Oct 19, 2004 11:18:16 GMT
Why was it necessary to cancel the Capitals game on Saturday the 30th??? I had flights, a hotel and a car booked for this trip and now I've had to go and book more for the rearranged fixture.
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MP
Paul Adey
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Post by MP on Oct 19, 2004 11:51:46 GMT
Why was it necessary to cancel the Capitals game on Saturday the 30th??? Panthers would have to have played 3 games in 3 nights as we are scheduled to play the Racers in London on the Friday night as well. With the Steelers game on the 31st, not only would it have been 3 games in 3 days for us but 2 home games in 2 days, something which most clubs prefer to avoid. So unfortunately the Edingburgh game was the one most suitable for re-arranging I guess. Such are the joys of fixture changes - I've arrranged to get back from the Scottish Highlands in time for the Bracknell game on 28th Dec - and now they've gone and moved it...
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Jinty
Jade Galbraith
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Post by Jinty on Oct 19, 2004 12:05:56 GMT
Panthers would have to have played 3 games in 3 nights as we are scheduled to play the Racers in London on the Friday night as well. With the Steelers game on the 31st, not only would it have been 3 games in 3 days for us but 2 home games in 2 days, something which most clubs prefer to avoid. So unfortunately the Edingburgh game was the one most suitable for re-arranging I guess. Such are the joys of fixture changes - I've arrranged to get back from the Scottish Highlands in time for the Bracknell game on 28th Dec - and now they've gone and moved it... That's what I thought but just this weekend you managed to play three games on a trot and played very well from what I heard!!! Double standards come to mind as we all know the likes of Hull and Edinburgh are not wanted by the 'big' clubs.
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MP
Paul Adey
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Post by MP on Oct 19, 2004 12:26:01 GMT
That's what I thought but just this weekend you managed to play three games on a trot and played very well from what I heard!!! Double standards come to mind as we all know the likes of Hull and Edinburgh are not wanted by the 'big' clubs. LoL! Not quite like that I hope Jinty! There wasn't much choice last weekend in Amiens - the 3 games had to be played in 3 days. Don't think there is any question of us (as a "big" club) not wanting the likes of Edinburgh and Hull visiting. I and many others are looking forward to your visit. We had over 3500 people in for the game against Hull and a few more when the Flames came so there is no problem with regard to attendances at the Crossover games in Nottingham. Seems to be just a matter of expediency. The Sheffield game had to be relocated to a weekend date as it is one of the biggest paydays of the season. If Panthers have to play at home twice on consecutive nights then the gate at one of the games is going to suffer. With Sheffield in town on the Sunday then the gate for the Capitals game on the Saturday would have been well down on normal. So from the financial point of view it makes sense to rearrange the Capitals game in the hope that we get a bigger crowd when it is played. A second advantage is that it gives Panthers a rest day after the London game before they face the Steelers. It is very unfortunate for you Caps fans who want to come to the game but I think you will find it is down to logistics and finances and nothing to do with considering the game to be a second class fixture.
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Jinty
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Post by Jinty on Oct 19, 2004 12:41:30 GMT
I do hope you were not laughing at me MP? I appreciate that Sheffield will bring more fans than the Capitals, I'm not that dumb, but by moving the Capitals game to a Thursday night you run the risk of having just 2 Caps fans there, me and Caps Webmaster, that to me is the biggest travesty here. I come to Nottingham on a fairly regular basis and I've been telling everyone in Edinburgh, that will listen, what a fantastic facility you have. Now though, most of them will not see this for themselves as it would mean taking 2 days off work, which everyone I've spoke to are not prepared to do. I know most BNL teams have a lower attendance for midweek games, is this the same in the EIHL? Capitals also tend to travel to midweek games down south with a short bench due to players work/studies commitments. I guess this game will be no exception and I can honestly say I am not looking forward to seeing the final scoreline. Ok, rant over.
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Post by heja on Oct 19, 2004 13:09:16 GMT
Yes, but when you have to pay £13 pound for a game that is an almost garunteed sell out, then people are not going to go on saturday at all and will end up getting only about 2000 people there(most season ticket holders) which will be just boring abosolutly no atmosphere because it is such a big building with a high roof.
Where as by moving it to a thursday, we will get a bigger home crowd and pretty much normal size maybe 500 less. around 3000-3500 and not lose as much money.
Panthers could of kept it as it was and played two home games in two days and got nobody going to the capitals game, or moved it like they have and still get the same amount for the steelers game and an increased amount for the captitals game.
Even if you (capitals) brought more fans on the saturday, the attendance would of still been very very low.
Now even if it wasn't steelers it would still have been a very bad idea to play two home games in two nights as you would get a reduced attendance for both games instead of just 1. losing very vauleble money that all teams need in this country
Well that is a totally different situtation, as we had no choice over the fixtures at all same as the other teams (don't even think Amiens had a choice of when they could hold it, it had to be that weekend or none.)
I can assure you the likes of hull and edinburgh are wanted by us (suposidly)'big' clubs, i know for definate the fans want them.
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MP
Paul Adey
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Post by MP on Oct 19, 2004 14:05:36 GMT
I do hope you were not laughing at me MP? Far from it Jinty - you asked a serious question to which I gave you an honest answer. Tim (Heja Panthers) has set out the economics of the case in the post above. It is an economic reality that playing the game the Saturday would cost Panthers money.There would be more fans travelling down from Edinburgh but their numbers would be more than offset by the number of Nottingham fans who gave the game a miss due to the double header weekend. Our gates are smaller for mid-week games as a rule, but the crowd should still be bigger than for the double header Saturday, with a higher proportion paying on the door as opposed to season ticket holders. In the end it comes down to economics - The running costs for arena teams are high so they have to look to maximise their income.
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Helen B
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Post by Helen B on Oct 19, 2004 14:17:55 GMT
Since Steelers matches are 'pay day' matches then in theory because people want to see these games then we could have travelled down during mid-week. I know that there has been mid-week matches v. Steelers that have had 5500+ supporters in the buildings because we are willing to travel because it's not that far.
I know where the Edinburgh fans are coming from, the weekend date was good for them because it meant 1. they would have a full team and 2. more could travel to the game, but by putting it mid-week it now means instead of getting 4000 in, the Panthers will only get 3000 if they are lucky.
I wouldn't have minded traveling to Nottingham for an away match on a Tuesday (can't do weds or thurs) night because it's only 1 hour from where I work and 1 1/2 hours from home.
just my 2p worth
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MP
Paul Adey
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Post by MP on Oct 19, 2004 15:03:37 GMT
Helen, I don't think you'll find either Panthers or Steelers keen on staging our local derbies on a weekday night. Yes the crowd would be better than average for a mid-week game but would be smaller than a Saturday or Sunday would attract. Just look at the Challenge Cup final last season - neither building sold out for mid-week games even then. Mid-week fixtures are unfortunate. I'd decided that I could combine a visit to the Discovery with a hockey match when we played Dundee this season. So what happens..... we play the Stars on a Thursday night just before Christmas..... Oh well, it was a nice idea.
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Jinty
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Post by Jinty on Oct 19, 2004 16:04:00 GMT
Since Steelers matches are 'pay day' matches then in theory because people want to see these games then we could have travelled down during mid-week. I know that there has been mid-week matches v. Steelers that have had 5500+ supporters in the buildings because we are willing to travel because it's not that far. I know where the Edinburgh fans are coming from, the weekend date was good for them because it meant 1. they would have a full team and 2. more could travel to the game, but by putting it mid-week it now means instead of getting 4000 in, the Panthers will only get 3000 if they are lucky. I wouldn't have minded traveling to Nottingham for an away match on a Tuesday (can't do weds or thurs) night because it's only 1 hour from where I work and 1 1/2 hours from home. just my 2p worth Thanks Helen, I had the same thought but have given up trying to discuss the topic. For the record Helen, there are going to be more Capitals fans coming to our fixture in Sheffield than usually travel to away games south of the border. The chance to see EIHL teams is very refreshing to a lot of us compared to seeing Dundee/Fife/Newcastle umpteen times as season like last year.
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DoUrden
Ken Westman
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Post by DoUrden on Oct 19, 2004 16:07:35 GMT
Thanks Helen, I had the same thought but have given up trying to discuss the topic. Thats because you are being selfish and only think about what would be better for you personally and not actually listening to what people are saying. Yes moving the fixture may make it harder for you but if you look at the bigger picture it's the best way round it for everything else. It's impossible to please everyone all the time and it's just unfortunate for you that in this case you are the one that has to lose out.
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Post by Alf Garnett on Oct 19, 2004 16:10:52 GMT
I'm guessing that I'm in a minority of 1 here but the fixture switch for the Steelers game actually works in my favour.I was due to have to work the weekend of 27/28 November but I don't have to work on the new date.
Still as DoUrden states above you cannot please all the people all the time.
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Helen B
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Post by Helen B on Oct 19, 2004 18:38:32 GMT
the re-arranged fixture works in my favour too as I am down in Aldershot the weekend it was meant to be on, but I can also see where the Caps fans are coming from when some have got flights and cars booked they can be expensive to change and are generally not cheap either. I'm just making a point that there will be more willing to travel from Sheffield to Nottingham mid-week than can travel from Scotland. Mid-weeks are difficult for me to get to, unless they are monday, tuesday or friday (like that ever happens). But if I'd booked to go to Scotland (like I have) for our games vs Fife and Dundee in November and they both got moved, I would be very miffed. And I think this kind of situation has actually happened to some Giants fans, and I don't think they were pleased.
At the end of the it's Nottingham and the Arena's cockerel up and their revenue will probably suffer as a result.
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Jinty
Jade Galbraith
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Post by Jinty on Oct 20, 2004 8:42:39 GMT
Thats because you are being selfish and only think about what would be better for you personally and not actually listening to what people are saying. Yes moving the fixture may make it harder for you but if you look at the bigger picture it's the best way round it for everything else. It's impossible to please everyone all the time and it's just unfortunate for you that in this case you are the one that has to lose out. How dare you call me selfish!!!!! You don't know me and yet you make such a sweeping statement like that. At least the others who have put their point across and tired to expalin the situation have done so in a more friendly matter. For the record, did it ever occur to you that I am thinking from the Capitals point of view and their other fans too?
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Post by heja on Oct 20, 2004 8:46:47 GMT
there would be more steelers fans willing to go but you would still lose about a 1/4 or more of the steelers fans and a few nottingham fans which would be alot more than what we would miss if most capital fans that were going to come now don't
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Jinty
Jade Galbraith
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Post by Jinty on Oct 20, 2004 8:49:14 GMT
there would be more steelers fans willing to go but you would still lose about a 1/4 or more of the steelers fans and a few nottingham fans which would be alot more than what we would miss if most capital fans that were going to come now don't Of that there is not doubt. At the end of the day I will be in Nottingham for the weekend of the old fixture and for the new fixture also regardless.
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DoUrden
Ken Westman
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Post by DoUrden on Oct 20, 2004 9:01:42 GMT
For the record, did it ever occur to you that I am thinking from the Capitals point of view and their other fans too? Yes and my point still stands. It's impossible to please everyone all the time and so sometimes the minority have to be put out to make it easier for everyone else. Which is exactly what has been done. By moving like it has been we have 1 angry Capitals fan on here ranting and raving. Had we moved it so the Steelers game was an unsuitable night there would be many more than 1.
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MP
Paul Adey
Hail hurts and rain is cold. Summer in the mountains
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Post by MP on Oct 20, 2004 9:25:28 GMT
At the end of the it's Nottingham and the Arena's cockerel up and their revenue will probably suffer as a result. It isn't the "Arena's cockerel up" Helen. The Arena chose to replace the original fixture with a gig, which will earn them a great deal more income than even a Panthers - Steelers hockey game. As a hockey fan that is damn annoying but is within their contractural rights, and the economics obviously make sense. The Hallam did much the same when they chose not to make any ice time available for the Steelers over the Christmas period (though at least in that case fixtures didn't have to be re-arranged). Hockey clubs are businesses and if they can't cover their costs they cease to exist - as has happened all too often in the British game. Hence the juggling of fixtures to try and ensure as big a crowd as possible for the game against the Steelers. Galling though it might be, we do have to stand back and look at the larger picture however inconvenient individual events might be to us personally.
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Jinty
Jade Galbraith
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Post by Jinty on Oct 20, 2004 10:14:11 GMT
Yes and my point still stands. It's impossible to please everyone all the time and so sometimes the minority have to be put out to make it easier for everyone else. Which is exactly what has been done. By moving like it has been we have 1 angry Capitals fan on here ranting and raving. Had we moved it so the Steelers game was an unsuitable night there would be many more than 1. There may only be me on here voicing my opinion but there are many more up here not happy. There are a few people who would have loved to come to Nottingham but can't because the fixture has been moved to a Thursday. If you wish to continue your abusive line at me DoUrden then feel free to come see me on the 25th Nov, I'll be in block 3 and if you need me pointing out to you, just ask Shaggy, he knows who I am. Over and out of here.
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Helen B
Terry Kurtenbach
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Post by Helen B on Oct 20, 2004 11:03:55 GMT
I said it was Nottingham AND the Arena's cockerel up.
If the Panthers had paid the deposit or whatever then the match would not be moved because there would have been a contract but since the Panthers did not then the match could be moved. So it's both their cockerel up's.
The original fixture meant I could not go, and the rearranged one means I can but I can see other supporters perpective on this issue.
And finally for my 2p worth, I can't believe the Panthers wouldn't do 3 in 3 days because we had to do it at least twice last season if not 3 times, because of the availability of Arenas and we still won the league. The double header issue we have about 3 or 4 this season and yes while the attendance is generally lower for the Sunday thats nothing new because it always has been, but one can always do some kind of deal to get the fans in on double header games.
OK i'm gonna stop now and get off my soap box. I will see you all on 31st i'll be in Block 2
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