Can Ottawa survive a rebuild?

Can Ottawa (the city and team) survive a rebuild period? Toronto fans support their team through thick and thin (mostly been thin), but Ottawa's had it's hard times and has come close to relocation, so if the team struggles for some time, trades off their star players, will the fans still support the team (financially)?

I started the voting with a no. I hope I'm just being pessimistic and I hope to be proven wrong if and when the time comes. But, it's not impossible to think. The team was once near bankruptcy and with the ever fluctuating economy, who can be assured financial stability? The majority of fans were likely at one time Toronto or Montreal fans, or other, and if the team continues to struggle and rebuilds, trading away their franchise players, what's to stop fans from reverting to their old teams?

A losing team will mean losing fans and losing money. Bettman is probably salivating at the thought of moving a Canadian team.

I answered Yes. I think the city and fans would support the rebuild as long as the organization is honest and they find a way to entice fans to go to the games during that time.

They may still find a way to attract fans, but ultimately it is seat in Donkey policy and as well as the ticket sales. They might have to significantly lower ticket prices and Melnyk may not feel like paying out of his pocket.

I'm voting yes, mainly because Ottawa IS in a re-build and so if people don't support our team, they will go the way of the Nordiques, Jets, etc... I personally do NOT want to see that happen.

And like EIlliottRules pointed out, all management has to do is BE honest with the fans and season ticket holders... Once they KNOW what they can expect to see right now and hopefully in the future, I think all will be well.

Any team that plans to go through a rebuild needs to set the expectations early, keep echoing this day in and day out and lay out a clear plan so the fans can understand what is expected and what is coming. Fletcher did this somewhat with the Leafs and they kept hammering that the fans should not expect a competitive team as they go through this process.

Surprisingly, the games coming up are close to being sold out. I think the World Juniors helped to reiginite that spark and remind the fans why they love hockey.

The Leafs have and will always support their team, win or lose.

Will (Ottawa) fans continue to pay $30-200 to watch their team lose?

Prove me wrong fans, prove me wrong.

ElliottRules wrote:Surprisingly, the games coming up are close to being sold out. I think the World Juniors helped to reiginite that spark and remind the fans why they love hockey.

Heh. I think the World Juniors reminded them how bad the Sens really were after watching a bunch of kids give it their all and leave it all on the ice to WIN.

Not an issue. We're a powerful franchise - and this IS rebuilding. Bad news right now in Ottawa.

I think it'll be a fairly (2-3 years) quick rebuild, so we shouldn't have to suffer too long.

504Heater wrote:Not an issue. We're a powerful franchise - and this IS rebuilding. Bad news right now in Ottawa.

I think it'll be a fairly (2-3 years) quick rebuild, so we shouldn't have to suffer too long.

A rebuild when the core is in it's prime is a bad bad thing, something is broken. Plus $7M plus players usually aren't part of a rebuild and we have our share of those. Confusing times...

We may go down to averaging 16500-17000 during the rebuild but the excitement in the city will grow will the develpment of prospects and hard working players.

I think it depends on the type of rebuild we're talking about. If the management shows that they are looking to turn this around quickly, like Philly, then yes.

If they decide to talk a long term approach then I'm not so sure. Sports fans in Ottawa are fickle, but as long as management shows they are doing the right things fans will stay around. Hell the Rough Riders have got to have just about the most loyal fans there are. Those guys put up with crap for about 15 years and still kept coming, although less and less each year the management screwed around.

I think Melnyk will want to do this right and it will be a 2-3 year rebuild.

If the city doesn't support a team during what should be a quick rebuild, they don't deserve the team.

The Sens have been in the playoffs for 11 straight years. The franchise deserves a mulligan. If Elliott is all that fans hope, and cutting out dead weight like Neil, Gerber, and Fisher, the Sens will contend for the division next year.

If we cant, we dont deserve that team, and we can only blame ourselves.

This is the type of question that has Sens fans labelled as turncoats and wagoneers. We shouldn't even be talking about this and if you're thinking it, then...I agree with the poster above, if we can't survive a rebuild we don't deserve a team.