Battalion attendance down 4.2 percent
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Brampton Battalion attendance for the 2008-09 Ontario Hockey League season totaled 81,754, a decrease of 4.2 percent from a year ago.
A crowd of 2,843 for the final game of the regular season, a 5-4 victory via shootout Sunday over the Oshawa Generals, put average attendance for 34 home dates at 2,405.
Total Battalion attendance in 2007-08 was 85,323, an average of 2,510 per game and 3,569 more than this season, which produced the sixth-highest attendance in the club’s 11-year history and the lowest since 2003-04, when attendance was 73,898.
The Battalion’s season attendance record was set in 2005-06 with a total of 92,962, or 2,734 per game.
The Battalion established a single-game attendance record on Feb. 19, when 4,842 saw a 5-1 victory over the London Knights. That broke the mark of 4,835 set Feb. 17, 2005, also for a London visit.
Group sales accounted for 19,596 tickets, or 24.0 percent of the total. Group tickets were down 3,930, or 16.7 percent from the total of 23,526 last season, which was the second-highest group number ever.
“Considering the tremendous season our team had, particularly at home, it’s disappointing that our attendance dropped by more than four percent,” said club president Mike Griffin. “The single biggest factor was a decrease of 4,000 in group sales to our lowest group number since the 2003-04 season.”
Non-group attendance actually rose by 361 on the season, which saw the Troops attract 31,919 fans over the last 10 home dates, an average of 3,192 per game.
“We averaged almost 3,200 for our last 10 games dating to Feb. 1, and that provides optimism that the team will receive strong support for what we’re hoping will be a long playoff run,” said Griffin.
The Battalion opens a best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Peterborough Petes at home at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Troops host the second game at 2 p.m. next Sunday and, if necessary, the fifth game at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, and the seventh game at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 31.
Tickets are available at the team’s office at 7575 Kennedy Road South from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets may be purchased at the QuarterMaster Retail Store at the same address from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The box office is scheduled to open two hours before game time on game days.
Tickets also can be purchased online.
Further information can be obtained from Battalion Headquarters at (905) 874-2393.
