The man who granted Winnipeg a National Hockey League franchise 13 years ago says he believes that the Jets will overcome struggles to keep fans in the seats.
“This is a place — Winnipeg — where hockey matters,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said at a 5 p.m. CT Tuesday press conference before the Jets’ home game against the St. Louis Blues.
“I believe that this is a strong NHL market. I believe that ownership has made extraordinary commitments to the Jets, to this arena, to the downtown area, involving hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said.
“I’m not sure why people are now speculating that somehow they’re not going to be here.”
Bettman’s Winnipeg visit comes shortly after public lamentation by the owners of the city’s NHL team about low attendance and possible impact on the team’s future.
The Jets say Winnipeg’s season-ticket base has decreased 27 per cent in three years from approximately 13,000 to just under 9,500.
Bettman said he was not interested in speculating how the situation with the Jets’ attendance came to be, saying it “kind of doesn’t really matter.”
“This will get sorted out. I don’t believe that this is a crisis, but I do believe as with any team and any market, that there needs to be collaboration between the community, the fan base and the club, and I believe ultimately it will be here,” he said.
“Obviously, the attendance needs to improve, but it will. I have confidence in the organization … and this community.”
Jets not on ‘razor’s edge’
In an interview published in The Athletic last week, Mark Chipman — the chairman of the Jets and owner of True North Sports and Entertainment — said the team needs to get back to a season ticket base of 13,000, and current attendance numbers are “not going to work over the long haul.”
When asked Tuesday about those comments, Bettman said he shares Chipman’s view, but added that the deadline to get fans back in the seats is not dire.
Chipman’s recent comments show that he’s focused on ensuring that the Jets fan base is “maximally engaged,” said Bettman.
“I applaud the effort, but we’re not operating under … a razor’s edge. This is part of the evolution of what franchises sometimes go through.”
Despite icing a team that’s battling for top spot in the Central Division, the Jets have the second-lowest average attendance at 13,098. Only the Arizona Coyotes, who are temporarily playing at 4,600-seat Mullett Arena in Tempe, draw fewer fans.
Bettman says the Jets are widely known around the NHL as “a model franchise, well-run from top to bottom,” rejecting the notion that the NHL’s board is concerned about the team.
“If we didn’t believe in places like Winnipeg, we never would have bought the Jets back.”
The NHL commissioner said he was “mystified” by the tension that appeared to surround his visit to the city following Chipman’s comments, saying he wasn’t visiting to address a particular need or concern, although he met with some business leaders.
Asked for his message to Winnipeg Jets fans, Bettman was concise: ”Get over your anxiety and come to games.”
After Bettman and Daly met with reporters, they joined Chipman on the ice to talk to about 500 fans in the stands and answer some of their pre-submitted questions.
Chipman recognized the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and recession on fans, but said the organization is trying to be strong and healthy for everyone.
“It’s not something that we can do on our own,” he told the fans. “There are very few levers that we can pull. But one is the number of people that come to games, so that’s why it’s so important to us.”
He’s aiming to get back to a season-ticket base of 13,000, including more corporate support.
‘The shine comes off’: fan
Martin Hafenbrak, a Jets fan who was at Tuesday night’s game, has been a season-ticket holder with a group of people for the past six years. He joined a waiting list when the Jets came back to Manitoba.
He goes to about 20 games per season and plans to keep his share of tickets as long as his group stays together, but he understands why some people have stopped going.
“You get through those first 10 years but after a while the shine comes off,” Hafenbrak said before the game. “People grow up, they have families … other priorities, and that’s kind of what happened here.
“We’re a smaller market, there’s not as many people to pull from.”
Bettman’s reassuring tone didn’t surprise him and he’s not worried about the team moving.
“I don’t think they want to move the Jets,” Hafenbrak said. “Realistically they get a lot more money from expansion.”
‘I think they’re safe’
Hilary and Ian Moffatt brought their sons, Owen and Emmett, to Tuesday’s game.
While the family doesn’t have season tickets, Ian said he tries to get to as many games as possible.
“I was about 10 years old when the Jets left.… I was devastated. ” Ian said. “I have a great time every time I come … and I will continue to come.”
While he’s not worried about the team leaving, he has given some thought to boosting his support for the Jets.
“Maybe I will buy in to a season-ticket package, but I think they’re safe,” Ian said.