Devils Vs Giants - PO Semi Final - 20th April - FO 19:00

[Ocko]

Don’t we get free ice where the arena teams have to pay for the stadium? So putting us all not that far apart.
End of the day, ticket prices etc is high so people want a return on their investment.

Belfast are owned by the same company as the rink so don’t pay a penny. Average over 6k fans per game, pretty much double the income. (They have 3 full time assist coaches!)

Sheffield, according to their own press release, have their best ever aredeal. They average over 7k fans a game, 4k more than us. On an average of say £15 a ticket, they’d need to be paying £60k per game for us to be in the same postion.

Nottingham pay about 10k per game. I’ve seen the rental costs a few years ago when I rented the facility. 10k is a few hundred fans.

When we first had IAW it the free ice deal was a game change, but that was before all the other teams got their act together. Back then Sheffield and Belfast were getting 4-5k fans per game.

Bring sad we’ve not beaten them to trophies is like Aston Villa being upset they haven’t won the Premiership over Man City or Liverpool.

Every fan was a return on their ticket, Fife fans would say the same.

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

When ticket income is king, where do people realistically think we should end up? I think too many of you were spoilt during the Andrew Lord years.

We play in the 5th biggest rink; we will never be able to spend what Sheffield, Nottingham and Belfast do, soon Glasgow will catch up too. For as long as we play in a little rink that will always be the case.

Reality and the expectations of what a lot of you expect are very, very far apart. A second place finish and making POFW is realistically doing quite well.

If that is the case and I believe there is some merit to that argument then surely the club needs to manage expectations around silverware. The club is giving out the message that it expects silverware. If limited budgets due to a small rink means the Devils are destined to rarely compete for silverware then the club needs to adjust to that & to not send out unrealistic messaging.

 

[Ocko]

Results wise, isn't this season pretty similar to Du Ponts? And he was out on his ear, so i guess it wasnt deemed acceptableby the owners. What's different this time around?

No idea.

Maybe, along with Todd, they are closer to the team than the rest of us and see how the team was coached and managed. How he was as a leader. You’re asking an impossible question that only those involved within the club would know.

 

[Ocko]

If that is the case and I believe there is some merit to that argument then surely the club needs to manage expectations around silverware. The club is giving out the message that it expects silverware. If limited budgets due to a small rink means the Devils are destined to rarely compete for silverware then the club needs to adjust to that & to not send out unrealistic messaging.

What competitive organisation trying to sell tickets and build excitement is going to say that? I’m sure most teams put out the same PR every year.

They probably do intend to compete for trophies, the reality is that is more difficult than it seems. If you were a bookmaker, before the season starts, what odds would you give us against Sheffield and Belfast?

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

What competitive organisation trying to sell tickets and build excitement is going to say that? I’m sure most teams put out the same PR every year.

They probably do intend to compete for trophies, the reality is that is more difficult than it seems. If you were a bookmaker, before the season starts, what odds would you give us against Sheffield and Belfast?

Well looking at the messaging between all clubs the Devils have always sounded very bullish on winning silverware. We certainly don't get that level of messaging from a lot of teams in the league. It's one thing to say "we want to compete for trophies" another thing to say "we aim to win trophies".

Edit: the Devils outfit often talks about "a winning culture" & not a lot of teams say that.

 

[BostonBart22]

What was the turnout like at the Vindico yesterday. ?

 

[Instigator]

Do we need Steelers to win tonight in order for us to qualify for a continental cup chance next year?
What are the options? Does the continental go to league runner up or playoffs runner up?

 

[moggy#9]

Do we need Steelers to win tonight in order for us to qualify for a continental cup chance next year?
What are the options? Does the continental go to league runner up or playoffs runner up?

My understanding is that if Belfast win they get it. If Steelers win, we get it.

 

[BostonBart22]

My understanding is that if Belfast win they get it. If Steelers win, we get it.

Could do without it , and concentrate on league . I know it's another jolly in Europe but very expensive to the club, I would rather spend it on top end players who want to compete on match nights

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

What was the turnout like at the Vindico yesterday. ?

About 40-50 fans I'd say

 

[E.D.S.]

Could do without it , and concentrate on league . I know it's another jolly in Europe but very expensive to the club, I would rather spend it on top end players who want to compete on match nights

I joined the podcast late that Todd was on in the Saltbox so I'm sure someone will correct me but I'm sure I heard him say that hosting the Conti Cup did work out financially well, more so than travelling away.
Europe gets a big thumbs up from me. We should be able to manage Europe and a good league Campaign.
The memories alone are worth it.

 

[Finny]

Results wise, isn't this season pretty similar to Du Ponts? And he was out on his ear, so i guess it wasnt deemed acceptableby the owners. What's different this time around?

I'd say finishing 2nd in the league instead of 4th under Dupont was a difference?

 

[moggy#9]

I'd say finishing 2nd in the league instead of 4th under Dupont was a difference?

I'd say there's certainly been an improvement organisationally under PR. It's a question of having the players who can execute effectively.

 

[Finny]

I'd say there's certainly been an improvement organisationally under PR. It's a question of having the players who can execute effectively.

Definitely. Towards the end of the Dupont era I never really believed going into a game with Belfast or Sheffield that we would win.
This year I did. Obviously we didn't win every game but we won 3 of 6 v Sheffield and 4 of 7 v Belfast.

The issue is consistency. And I question whether we have enough players with the right mentality too.

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

Definitely. Towards the end of the Dupont era I never really believed going into a game with Belfast or Sheffield that we would win.
This year I did. Obviously we didn't win every game but we won 3 of 6 v Sheffield and 4 of 7 v Belfast.

The issue is consistency. And I question whether we have enough players with the right mentality too.

Yeah, it's our games vs Nottingham, Coventry etc where we just didn't show up that cost us in the league.

 

[Finny]

Yeah, it's our games vs Nottingham, Coventry etc where we just didn't show up that cost us in the league.

Whatever the hoodoo is with Nottingham we have to get over it.

Belfast and Sheffield repeatedly run over Nottingham whether it be at home or away. We need to do the same.
Same with Coventry but to a lesser extent.

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

Whatever the hoodoo is with Nottingham we have to get over it.

Belfast and Sheffield repeatedly run over Nottingham whether it be at home or away. We need to do the same.
Same with Coventry but to a lesser extent.

Spot on. Belfast when they win the league just rack up the points vs Nottingham & Coventry. Plus for all the talk of rivalry between Sheffield & Nottingham there isn't actually much of one. Sheffield win nearly all their games vs Nottingham. Someone posted the Sheffield v Nottingham stats on social media last year & going back many years, while I can't remember the stats- my recollection is that it's very one sided in favour of Sheffield.