Flames have had significant drop in attendance this season

The Calgary Flames’ struggles for a second straight season appear to be taking their toll on the fan base.

The Saddledome hasn’t been as lively this season as in years past, largely due to the Flames’ struggles. They sit with a 34-35-5 record through 74 games and will soon be eliminated from playoff contention.

Though optimism has increased among the fan base under the direction of rookie general manager Craig Conroy, it is still a hard task to sell tickets when the team is struggling. That has been the case this year, as the Flames have had one of the largest drop-offs in attendance among all 32 teams from a season ago.

As per Sound of Hockey, the Flames’ attendance has changed by -2.6% from a season ago. That ranks 30th in the league, with only the Washington Capitals (-4.3%) and the Winnipeg Jets (-4.7%) taking bigger hits.

In 2022-23, the Flames averaged 17,956 fans per game, which ranked 14th among all NHL teams. This season, however, that number has dropped to 17,449, which puts them 25th in the league.

What makes this more concerning is that tickets to games haven’t been unaffordable by any stretch. There were games early in the season where press-level seats were available for less than $10, a price that fans in any market would normally pounce on.

Like all Canadian markets, the Flames fan base is a passionate group who cares about their team. That said, it is clear that they are fed up and will need to see signs of improvement before giving up their hard-earned dollars to attend games. The pressure will be on management to make it happen, as they will be relying on big attendance numbers by the time their new arena is ready to open its doors for the 2026-27 season.

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