Having established themselves as legitimate contenders, the Flin Flon Bombers are drawing slightly larger crowds to the Whitney Forum this season.
Compared to last season, the Bombers have increased attendance by an average of 22 fans a game, or three per cent, through their first 19 home match-ups.
Another positive sign: this season’s free-admission game, played Jan. 29, drew 1,749 fans – 202 more than last season’s free game.
Don Peake, a long-time Bombers season-ticket holder, has not been surprised to see a few extra people in the stands.
“When you’re a winning team, you get fans,” he said.
Peake said fans who do not have season tickets consider the team’s record when deciding whether to go to a game.
“If you have a winning team, you’re going to have the fans because it’s more exciting to watch a win than a loss,” he said.
Recent seasons have seen the Bombers play well until Christmas, Peake said, whereas this year their strong performance has continued.
“They’re gelling as a team,” he said. “They’ve got a helluva good team. These kids are playing their hearts out.”
Sean Black, who attends most home games, said he is a little surprised attendance has not gone up even more this season.
“I thought it might be a little bit higher than that,” he said after learning of the three per cent increase.
Black said there are many different options for people to spend their time and wondered whether money is a barrier preventing more fans from filling the rink.
Roger Morin, another long-time Bomber devotee, expects more fans to take notice of the club come playoff time.
“As the games are won, you get an increase in attendance, especially in the playoffs,” he said.
Through their first 19 home games this season, the Bombers averaged 690 fans compared to 668 in their first 19 games last season.
While that’s an improvement, it’s a far cry from a decade ago when the Bombers sold 874 season tickets and attendance was often in the triple digits despite a mediocre team.
By 2012-13, the Bombers were averaging 723 fans through their first 19 games – 33 more than this season.
But the years-long attendance decline is not the sole fault of the team, Peake said, citing population decline. He said drawing fans from outlying communities would help boost the numbers.
Others believe the franchise alienated many fans when it introduced numbered season tickets.
Prior to that decision, season-ticket holders essentially purchased as many tickets as there were home games. If a holder wanted to use five tickets at a single game in order to bring four friends, that was allowed.
Numbered tickets meant the holder had one ticket that was good only for each individual game. Miss a game and that ticket is no longer good.
Team officials defended the numbered tickets but have mostly abandoned the concept. This season the rule applies only to the last five games, with corporate tickets excluded.
Whatever the reason, Flin Flon is far from the only SJHL club with softening attendance, as officials from the Bombers and other teams have noted.
At least one Bomber official cites the rebirth of the Winnipeg Jets as a factor given the number of Flin Flonners who travel to Winnipeg to watch the NHL club. The Jets games not only quench fans’ thirst for hockey, but also leaves them with less money to spend on Bomber games.
That said, going forward Black is optimistic there are enough young people at the rink to at least retain current attendance levels for the Bombers.
“I don’t see it dropping off,” he said. “You know, up and down a percentage point or something like that [might happen], but I don’t think you’re getting much smaller than what it is.”
In Morin’s view, fans are getting their money’s worth.
“The entertainment value to me, it’s always been good,” he said. “I mean, you can’t get better entertainment value for the price.”
Whether the Bombers win or lose, Peake said he is personally satisfied as long as the team puts forth a good effort every night.
He believes the SJHL offers a more exciting product than the much larger WHL, saying the latter league is overly technical and lacks energy.
“With the SJ, it’s just give ’er,” Peake said.
Having won 21 of their last 26 games dating back to Nov. 14, the Bombers are commanding respect around the hockey world. Last month, Saskatchewan’s largest newspaper, the StarPhoenix, called them “a legitimate contender.”
Looking ahead to the post-season, Black is hopeful.
“Anybody on any given day [can win],” he said. “I think [Flin Flon’s chances] are pretty strong.”
Morin is of the same opinion.
“The guys I hang with, yeah, they’re excited,” he said. “They see basically the same thing I do. Everybody likes the team because they’re big, they’re strong, they skate well, they’ve got a really good goaltending duo.”
