Attendance at a Vancouver Canucks game was the lowest it has been in nearly 16 years when the team took on the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night.
According to statistics from the NHL’s website, 15,589 fans showed up to the Rogers Arena—more than 3,300 spectators shy of the Rogers Arena’s 18,910-person hockey game capacity.
Attendance figures have not been that low since Dec. 10, 2001, when just 15,370 people went to watch the Canucks take on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
No Vancouver home games have had a lower attendance than 16,000 people since then.
In addition to bemoaning the Canucks’ 4-2 loss to the Jets, hockey fans were quick to point out the large number of empty seats in the arena on social media.
Official attendance was 15,589 last night at Rogers Arena.
— Jason Brough (@JasonBroughTSN) October 13, 2017
#Canucks attendance last night 15,589.
— Sir Earl (@Sir_Earl) October 13, 2017
Lowest home attendance since Dec. 10, 2001 (15,370 for a 1-1 tie vs. Tampa).https://t.co/BpPtQVPWbB
Anyone who thinks dwindling attendance is a #BCLions problem, take a peek at the #Canucks crowd tonight.
— BC Lions Den (@BCLionsDen) October 13, 2017
Canucks announced paid that's paid attendance just over 15,000 That has to be a concern
— McDarryl ���� (@CopyDarryl) October 13, 2017
But the team’s chief operating officer, Jeff Stipec, said Thursday’s game was “an exception” and that there is cause for optimism, citing single game ticket sales that are 30 per cent higher than at this time last season.
“We’ve got something to build on,” he said. “We think it’s going to be our low watermark for the year.”
The decline in attendance comes amid already low expectations for the 2017-18 season.
Last week, the team was offering rock-bottom ticket prices and a variety of perks and prizes in a bid to draw fans to the arena ahead of the Canucks’ home opener against the Edmonton Oilers.
More than 18,800 fans showed up to that game. By the time Vancouver played the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, however, attendance had already dropped off by nearly 1,600 spectators.
The Canucks will face the Calgary Flames on Saturday. Tickets to that game are still available for as little as $58.
