Lack of atmosphere

RedDevil17

RedDevil17

Well-Known Member
#61
#61
During preseason I found the atmosphere to be pretty good mainly because we were throwing hits and playing physical. Lord said in his interview that we’d addressed that part of our game which it looked like we had at that moment in time...evidently not! Apart from Dixon, Blood and Louis who else throws hits? However, since the start of the regular season onwards I’ve found the atmosphere to be really dull and some games it’s been like being in a library and even sometimes like a morgue. No noise whatsoever. You’d think with more people in the rink compared to the BBT the atmosphere would’ve improved due to more people being in the rink in a higher capacity arena? Clearly not and I think it’s down to our style of play. Whilst EU style hockey is good, I think some people prefer to mix it up with some old time devils hockey too. We barely hit so fans don’t get off their seat and that’s the boring part. It’s good scoring 7 odd goals but winning games by that margin every week is extremely boring and tiresome. I personally prefer a hard hitting physical team with skill which excites me and gets me off my seat.
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#62
#62
Okay just for you Kingmo 19.1 I wouldn’t do this for anyone else, I have to admit although it’s only a teeny weeny itsy bitsy bit, the atmosphere this season is lacking. There my friend I have said it, now let’s get on with winning the whole kaboosh.
Happy Sometimes Hockey Days
 
P

pjj365

Well-Known Member
#63
#63
The atmosphere is not really flat - just different to the "good old days"

The "Oles" the other week were so criticised on a thread yet that is atmosphere

I tried to answer the question without expressing a personal opinion - perception maybe (and for 1 certainly the perception of friends and family we have brought along)

Personally I love what we are seeing and I love winning - I just wish the groups (particularly Stags - to point 2) enjoyed it just for the hockey and not for the booze and selfie opportunities
 
K

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
#64
#64
Wannabe2 said:
Okay just for you Kingmo 19.1 I wouldn’t do this for anyone else, I have to admit although it’s only a teeny weeny itsy bitsy bit, the atmosphere this season is lacking. There my friend I have said it, now let’s get on with winning the whole kaboosh.
Happy Sometimes Hockey Days
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Respect is due :)
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#65
#65
RedDevil17 said:
During preseason I found the atmosphere to be pretty good mainly because we were throwing hits and playing physical. Lord said in his interview that we’d addressed that part of our game which it looked like we had at that moment in time...evidently not! Apart from Dixon, Blood and Louis who else throws hits? However, since the start of the regular season onwards I’ve found the atmosphere to be really dull and some games it’s been like being in a library and even sometimes like a morgue. No noise whatsoever. You’d think with more people in the rink compared to the BBT the atmosphere would’ve improved due to more people being in the rink in a higher capacity arena? Clearly not and I think it’s down to our style of play. Whilst EU style hockey is good, I think some people prefer to mix it up with some old time devils hockey too. We barely hit so fans don’t get off their seat and that’s the boring part. It’s good scoring 7 odd goals but winning games by that margin every week is extremely boring and tiresome. I personally prefer a hard hitting physical team with skill which excites me and gets me off my seat.
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Who else throws checks, try Faryna when he is fit, atmosphere dull ??? , must try my local library soon for my fix, maybe try 2 or 3 libraries and blow my mind, maybe a visit to Pidgeons can lift my spirits, I could compare it to our IAW. Myself if I really thought this, I would seriously think about knocking it on the head, why would I spend my hard earned money on boring, uninterested, librarian morganish stuff, when I could trip out watching City.
 
RedDevil17

RedDevil17

Well-Known Member
#66
#66
Wannabe2 said:
Who else throws checks, try Faryna when he is fit, atmosphere dull ??? , must try my local library soon for my fix, maybe try 2 or 3 libraries and blow my mind, maybe a visit to Pidgeons can lift my spirits, I could compare it to our IAW. Myself if I really thought this, I would seriously think about knocking it on the head, why would I spend my hard earned money on boring, uninterested, librarian morganish stuff, when I could trip out watching City.
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Faryna has been injured pretty much all season. It is incredibly quiet and it is like being in a library, especially when you’re beating the likes of Fife and Braehead by 6/7 goals. Feel free to go to the library! I just think the hockey being played is rather boring and I want to see us mix it up a bit. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see us winning but I like a close competitive hockey game with lots of grit and hitting and we aren’t seeing that. I’m just overall very bored with the EU style of hockey. Give me NA style Devils old time hockey any day of the week. No reason why we can’t win games with gritty physical hockey.

Oh and the same repetitive chants are boring too! The bern fans had loads of creative chants and look at the atmosphere they created. They completely out sung us and there were less than 200
 
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Johnnybravo1927

Johnnybravo1927

Well-Known Member
#67
#67
Been a slow decline in atmosphere since the BBT. A few exceptions but by and large I just dont find myself entertained as much as I used to be. Due to the larger ice and subsequent playing style there are less hits and therefore less fights. A new slicker hockey is in play, its very pretty but not as much fun.
Another reason is the leagues standards are higher, better and better players are in the league every year and there seems to be a lot less characters. Its become a bit sterile now. I decided this summer to not renew my season ticket and so far have absolutely no regrets. I watch a few games but am happy to pick and choose.
 
hip check

hip check

Well-Known Member
#68
#68
The first game of hockey that I ever saw was in 1986, can't quite remember the opposition but Peterborough rings a bell, the first thing that I noticed was the atmosphere..it was electric, air horns everywhere and they even sold spare gas canisters in case yours ran out.
It was even claimed the noise from 2,500 people at the WNIR was louder than the Arms Park when Wales played.
The hockey was physical and exciting, not very skilful but full blooded and no quarter asked or given. These are the things that made me fall in love with the game.
Things have come a long way since those heady days, the hockey is less physical and violent (those fights were real dog eat dog) but quicker and more skilful, wonderful to watch but I often wonder if I were to go to a game now for the first time would I find it as enthralling as when I first went in 86? The hockey quality is spades better now but is it as exciting as it was in those early years and is the atmosphere as special as it was?
 
O

OJLloyd

Well-Known Member
#69
#69
I think the key to atmosphere is not necessarily big smashing hits and goons punching each other, but competition and genuine excitement.
The last period against Red Bull at home, and generally speaking the first couple of periods in the early league games were all a great atmosphere. I even lost my head a couple of times and stood up shouting at the refs/opposition.

The problem is not that we aren't throwing enough hits or that there aren't enough fights, it's that we are rarely involved in games which are competitive until the end.

I imagine home games against Nottingham and Belfast will be a good atmosphere, and it is for the other teams to catch up to us.

In the intervening period the idea of a standing/dedicated singing part would perhaps reflect the atmosphere at the away CHL games, but that involved a lot of booze, which I know some people get upset about as well.
 
N

no74

Member
#70
#70
A lot of the issues raised here are relevant with regard smaller pads, more hits, more competitive games etc. All this added to the atmosphere but things have changed...thankfully for the better. As much as I hope they do, these 'happy hockey days' may not last though - long term fans have experienced this already...a few times. Sooo, why not embrace them while they are here: Red army chants at the end of a winning period, constant carnival-esque drumming etc. If the hockey the team is producing is better then maybe we should pick our game up too!?!?!? I'm sure the players would appreciate it. The atmosphere, while being related to the (fantastic) product on the ice can only truly depend on us. Things have changed - change with them.
 
R

RTfarty

Active Member
#71
#71
RedDevil17 said:
Faryna has been injured pretty much all season. It is incredibly quiet and it is like being in a library, especially when you’re beating the likes of Fife and Braehead by 6/7 goals. Feel free to go to the library! I just think the hockey being played is rather boring and I want to see us mix it up a bit. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see us winning but I like a close competitive hockey game with lots of grit and hitting and we aren’t seeing that. I’m just overall very bored with the EU style of hockey. Give me NA style Devils old time hockey any day of the week. No reason why we can’t win games with gritty physical hockey.
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It's all good and well saying you prefer this style of hockey, but that isn't the Devils brand anymore. Todd, Lord and the players care more about winning games, keeping players healthy and ultimately winning trophies. If that's at the expense of a handful of fans who find that boring then so be it.

Not to mention throwing hits is taxing and poses even bigger risks when you're playing on an international size ice pad. Teams have to play smarter defensively if they want to win games now, that means a greater emphasis on positional play and stick work, and less on the physical side of the game. The sport is entering a new era of speed and skill, sports is a results business first and EU hockey is here to stay.
 
Kevlar68

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
#72
#72
WNIR, BBT or IAW, whether there is a great atmosphere or no atmosphere, aren't we going to watch our team and the game of ice hockey?
I don't go to a concert, cinema, theatre or any other sporting event for the atmosphere I go to see the event printed on the ticket, that's what I paid for. If there is an amazing atmosphere it's a added bonus.
Again, my reason for going is to watch the game and nothing else.
 
Mooney#16

Mooney#16

Well-Known Member
#73
#73
In a nutshell ice hockey on the whole has been cleaned up. It’s across all of hockey be in NA or Europe. Be it for good or bad is a different debate but some people are craving hockey that simply doesn’t exist anymore. The game has changed not just the Devils but they have been switched on enough to be ready for it. Whether the new brand of global hockey is what fans really want seems born out by atmosphere’s everywhere but to avoid a life of frustration it seems easier to just embrace it and support despite and accordingly to your passion for the team in front of you.
 
B

BostonBart22

Well-Known Member
#74
#74
hip check said:
The first game of hockey that I ever saw was in 1986, can't quite remember the opposition but Peterborough rings a bell, the first thing that I noticed was the atmosphere..it was electric, air horns everywhere and they even sold spare gas canisters in case yours ran out.
It was even claimed the noise from 2,500 people at the WNIR was louder than the Arms Park when Wales played.
The hockey was physical and exciting, not very skilful but full blooded and no quarter asked or given. These are the things that made me fall in love with the game.
Things have come a long way since those heady days, the hockey is less physical and violent (those fights were real dog eat dog) but quicker and more skilful, wonderful to watch but I often wonder if I were to go to a game now for the first time would I find it as enthralling as when I first went in 86? The hockey quality is spades better now but is it as exciting as it was in those early years and is the atmosphere as special as it was?
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spot on...my first game was bitter rivals Telford what a season.... bring back the air horns..but read somewhere they are banned from devils games a while back...
 
Mazzoak

Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
#75
#75
Without wanting to upset anyone, l think the past should remain in the past and some really should learn to move on.
In my experience, an amazing anything is never as amazing the second, third, fourth and so on time around. Try to replicate atmosphere, almost forcing it, is just going to disappoint, great occasions tend to be spur of the moment one offs when you least expect it. Just enjoy the moment for what it is.
 
hip check

hip check

Well-Known Member
#76
#76
By and large as most of us will agree hockey is now skill/speed based but I still think there is room for the more physical side of the game, I also believe this side of the game does get people out of their seats.
Other "contact" sports such as Gridiron, Aussie rules and Rugby League haven't cut back on the physical aspect of their sport and I believe that part of those sports is what their fans enjoy immensely, cutting back on that part of the game would diminish the spectacle imo and ultimately the atmosphere, I believe the same applies to our favourite sport, people like to see some physicality and cheer loudly when a big hit goes in.
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#77
#77
Pretty certain if the Inferno was around in 1988 we’d have a similar thread about the atmosphere being worse than the first season and less hits.

And I’m just as certain we’ll continue to get these threads each season going forward.

At times this season the atmosphere has been subdued. At times it’s been brilliant.

However, this season is also giving me some of the best hockey I’ve ever seen and I wouldn’t change any of it.
 
DevilDom

DevilDom

Well-Known Member
#78
Thread starter #78
Yes things move on and again I state it wasn’t my intention to start a debate on the style of hockey more how we could improve the atmosphere. It seems like for a large majority the style of play and atmosphere are inter-linked.

For what it’s worth I love the fast, skilful game we play at the moment but also miss some of the grit and hard hitting hockey we used to play.

I guess much like in the political world, dismissing the views of one set of fans and telling them to like it or lump it ‘move on’ or just ‘get over it’ doesn’t really work unless you want to alienate or lose that part of your fan base.
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#79
#79
Finny said:
Pretty certain if the Inferno was around in 1988 we’d have a similar thread about the atmosphere being worse than the first season and less hits.

And I’m just as certain we’ll continue to get these threads each season going forward.

At times this season the atmosphere has been subdued. At times it’s been brilliant.

However, this season is also giving me some of the best hockey I’ve ever seen and I wouldn’t change any of it.
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Amen to that, some of the hockey these lads are producing is sublime, I still look forward to the next match as much as ever thankfully, am I entertained, I sure am it’s still the best ticket in Cardiff and long may that continue.
 
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