The club averaged 2,811 fans per game during 2024-25, a slight increase from last year. This season was the first to feature 32 home games rather than the 34 the team has been playing for more than a decade.
For a fifth straight season, the Sea Dogs have tumbled down the league's attendance rankings, finishing 10th this past year. That places them behind markets like Shawinigan and Cape Breton and just above Charlottetown. A decade ago, it seemed impossible that the Sea Dogs and Islanders franchises would someday have similar attendance figures.
Here's a breakdown of Saint John's attendance numbers over the years.
| Season | Total | Average |
| 2005-06 | 156,694 | 4,477 (4th) |
| 2006-07 | 134,354 | 3,839 (6th) |
| 2007-08 | 139,214 | 3,978 (5th) |
| 2008-09 | 133,613 | 3,930 (5th) |
| 2009-10 | 140,779 | 4,141 (4th) |
| 2010-11 | 152,237 | 4,478 (4th) |
| 2011-12 | 155,060 | 4,561 (3rd) |
| 2012-13 | 135,732 | 3,992 (4th) |
| 2013-14 | 116,380 | 3,423 (5th) |
| 2014-15 | 121,782 | 3,582 (5th) |
| 2015-16 | 123,399 | 3,629 (4th) |
| 2016-17 | 142,829 | 4,201 (3rd) |
| 2017-18 | 144,723 | 4,257 (4th) |
| 2018-19 | 116,511 | 3,427 (5th) |
| 2019-20 | 107,042 | 3,345 (6th)* |
| 2020-21 | 25,123 | 1,478 (3rd)** |
| 2021-22 | 89,846 | 2,643 (5th)*** |
| 2022-23 | 100,536 | 2,957 (7th) |
| 2023-24 | 93,850 | 2,760 (8th) |
| 2024-25 | 89,948 | 2,811 (10th) |
*Final two home games cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
**All 17 home games played under COVID-19 capacity restrictions
***Three home games played under COVID-19 capacity restrictions
These numbers aren't good. We all know this.
This blog has been around since 2009 and attendance has always been a hot topic. Everyone has their opinions on what the team should be doing to get more people attending games (and that's good!).
The bigger problem, to me, is that I'm not seeing as many of those opinions anymore. I'm not hearing as many anymore. I have no market research to back this up, but I do fear overall interest in this team is at an all-time low.
People are quick to point out ticket prices – but the cheap ticket nights the Sea Dogs had this past season didn't exactly pack the building.
The economy is bad, sure. But it's bad in a lot of junior hockey markets – markets that haven't seen the attendance dip Saint John has seen over the past decade.
Now, it can be turned around. Just look at what has gone on in Sydney the past couple years. The Eagles improved their on-ice product, they (and the municipality) improved their building, the improved their game day production, they improved their community engagement... you get he point here. Hopefully Saint John can see this type of renaissance soon.
When I speak to staff or media from other markets about the Sea Dogs, one of the first things that's brought up is the attendance problem. That's not good. And players are no doubt talking about it as well, which isn't good as we further enter the recruiting era.
It was hard not to sit back at the Wildcats game on Saturday night and think about how far the Sea Dogs have to go to get to that. Packed house of 8,500. Great atmosphere. All the bells and whistles the Avenir Centre has. NHL quality video production. And, obviously, a great product on the ice.
The Sea Dogs can get there – but they'll need to push themselves there. Hopefully this market can be reignited.
Are you surprised? Its common knowledge that Saint John supports only winners. Look back ... Mooseheads , Vitos ,SJ Flames and cup winning Seadogs teams are the teams that Saint John supports and packed the rinks. The team assembled the last couple years are not that and could be playing midget AAA and struggle. There hasn't been any entertainment value for the price of the tickets the last couple years. Yes prices were lowered a bit but way to late. Hopefully the tide will change in 2025-2026.
ReplyDelete@Anon
ReplyDeleteAnyone supports winners. Winning is fun. When your team is a contender, it's likely to be more involved in intense games, which makes a big difference.
I used to be a 5 year STH to the Flames and had seasons for the first few years of the Sea Dogs. My wife and FIL were former Mooseheads STH. But they didn't renew this year. And no, we aren't boomers.
Q hockey has gotten boring, and the quality has gone downhill compared to other emerging leagues in the States. There's zero entertainment factor. No hard hits because of a 15+ game suspension. Fighting is banned. Why would I pay $20-$25 a ticket when I can see AUS hockey for half the price, beers being $6-$7 at the AUC, and I see pretty well the same players who played for the Maritime Q teams last year?
The Q as a whole needs to step up their game if they want to win back fans like myself. My wife and I go to Halifax Thunderbirds games instead, even though the price is much higher, because we are entertained -- though they always lose in agonizing fashion LOL.