Yeah, a bit busy licking his wounds…

We’re all in pain and speechless.

Posted by Johnny Cakes from Higgins Lake on 04/27/07 at 11:46 AM ET

I thought Motown had “Wing Fever”? The 2,000 empty seats suggest otherwise.

What’s your excuse for that, Puckheads?

Posted by Can'tStoptheGrier on 04/27/07 at 12:25 PM ET

Bad economy in Michigan. 

Many out-of-work in the Detroit area and points around, with a good many jobs in the manufacturing sector having been exported to you Californians’ best friends in Mexico. 

No jobs in Michigan even for the illegals pouring over the southern California border and making their way north—except in the celery fields and apple orchards.

Posted by O-Joe on 04/27/07 at 12:40 PM ET

Thusday, Apr 26, 2007 at 11:22 PM
By Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News

Announced crowd was 18,712, but there weren’t nearly that many. The cheapest ticket for Round 2 is $72. I’ll say it again. In this present economy in Metro Detroit, that’s just way, way, way, too much. The Wings are going to have to adjust next season, during the regular season and playoffs. Run more family nights, or those types of things, during the regular season. Economically, they’ve priced themselves out of this market.

Posted by O-Joe on 04/27/07 at 12:49 PM ET

The economy in Michigan is bad.  But I tend to cast more blame of Mr. “LittleCaesar” and his tix pricing.  For years Wings fans gladly paid through the nose so Mr. Pizza could bankroll a helluva talent laden team.  Now that the Wheel payroll is half what it used to be, does he cut tix prices—- hmmm—not no—but hell no!!  $90.00 for a nose-bleed seat—absurd!!!!

Wings fan has supported the Wheel for 20 yrs now, wheres the “payback” for that loyalty???

One of the few bad calls by the Illitch man!!!  But he really blew this one.

Posted by Jeff - -OklahomaWingNut from Ummm -- From Oklahoma Maybe? on 04/27/07 at 12:51 PM ET

O-Joe:  that $72.00 tix is for “standing room”  INSANE!!!!

Posted by Jeff - -OklahomaWingNut from Ummm -- From Oklahoma Maybe? on 04/27/07 at 12:52 PM ET

Part of the increase is probably an attempt to recoup the losses from revenue sharing dollars—since the more profitable teams are supporting the less profitable teams, he is using the time-honored technique of passing the costs on to the end consumer.  Stinks, but that doesn’t stop it from happening all the time.  A miscalculation on his part.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/27/07 at 12:55 PM ET

OkieNut:

Well, yeah, ticket prices kind of go hand-in-hand with the economy issue.  Prices are high, no doubt.  But there were still almost 19,000 on hand.

During playoffs past, there have always been a certain amount of “give back” and “hold back” tickets made available to the general public in the days leading up to the game.  Those were always sucked-up in short order.  That’s not the case anymore. 

Just a guess, but I suspect Ilitch was surprised by the number of “give backs” this year due to corporate seat holders electing not to execute their option on the playoffs package as they looked to cut back on ‘frivolous’ expenditures.
 
That put more tickets in play for walk-up buyers – many of whom are no longer in a position financially to support the Wings attendance-wise.  Their priority now is supporting their families. 

All that said, I do think overall interest in the Wings has waned a bit this year—Yzerman retiring, Shanahan leaving and the team’s recent history of getting bounced early in the playoffs all playing into that, IMO.

Posted by O-Joe on 04/27/07 at 01:41 PM ET

Just curious if any of you know…how much does it cost for a ticket to a Pistons game?  What about parking, food, etc?

Posted by Paul on 04/27/07 at 02:55 PM ET

never mind I checked.  you can get a ticket to the Palace for under $30.  and even if you’re up in the back, it’s like JLA you can still see the game just fine.

so which would you rather do, go to three Pistons playoff games or one Wings playoff game?  wake the F up, Ilitch.

Posted by Paul on 04/27/07 at 02:58 PM ET

Paul, I don’t think you grasp all of the hidden costs of running a professional hockey team, especially an elite team like the Wings.  It’s not like they can turn on a garden hose to get their ice.  It has to be purified and placed in chalices that are carried to the rink one at a time.  By virgins. 

And I’m not talking about virgins like Can’tStoptheGrier.  I mean the desireable ones.

Those kinds of virgins aren’t cheap.

Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 04/27/07 at 04:41 PM ET

Hmmmmm, 9:00 PST…... no post yet…probably at the Edgewater enjoying the shark platter…......

Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 04/27/07 at 11:00 PM ET

Not much action here tonight. Funny how you Puckheads got quiet after Game One. Are you ready to dance again tomorrow?

http://shavedice.blogspot.com/

Posted by Can'tStoptheGrier on 04/27/07 at 11:21 PM ET

It’s far from over. Looking forward to a Wings win on Saturday.

Posted by millsz from Brownstown, MI on 04/27/07 at 11:55 PM ET

Not much action because there wasn’t a game in the series tonight.  Nothing substantial to talk about.

And some of us might be tired from the overtime (only two, this time!) game in Anaheim.  Good win for Vancouver.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/28/07 at 01:19 AM ET

Or perhaps it’s just that, unlike Can’tStopTheQueer, we all aren’t such pathetic losers in life that we have nothing better to do on a Friday evening than sit in front of our computers and trade insults on the internet with one who is.

Dork…

Posted by O-Joe on 04/28/07 at 07:11 AM ET