Like a library

[Dragon]

What's happened to Cardiff Devil's fans being the extra man on the ice??
It's like a library!!
At least nobody can accuse us of only singing when we are winning - we dont seem to sing at all anymore!
I got hooked on hockey in the late 80's not because of the game but because of the atmosphere - last night fans were even still sitting in the seats when we scored, not up cheering and making noise
What's happened?
Is it because we have a large number of new fans?
Don't people know the words? (I even tried spelling it out so people could join in - gimme a D, gimme an E etc"
Anybody remember that Durham game where people out and about in Cardiff thought the fans were going to blow the roof off the WNIR?
How can we get that atmosphere back? How can we be that extra man on the ice for our team again?
Thoughts anybody on how to turn the library back into one hell of a noisy rink where opposing fans can't be heard because of the loud and proud Devil's fans?

 

[pjj365]

What's happened to Cardiff Devil's fans being the extra man on the ice??
It's like a library!!
At least nobody can accuse us of only singing when we are winning - we dont seem to sing at all anymore!
I got hooked on hockey in the late 80's not because of the game but because of the atmosphere - last night fans were even still sitting in the seats when we scored, not up cheering and making noise
What's happened?
Is it because we have a large number of new fans?
Don't people know the words? (I even tried spelling it out so people could join in - gimme a D, gimme an E etc"
Anybody remember that Durham game where people out and about in Cardiff thought the fans were going to blow the roof off the WNIR?
How can we get that atmosphere back? How can we be that extra man on the ice for our team again?
Thoughts anybody on how to turn the library back into one hell of a noisy rink where opposing fans can't be heard because of the loud and proud Devil's fans?

I'm not sure about this - maybe ask the players

But where I sit in Bl 1 the opposition fans are frequently out voiced by Bls 8, 9 &10 (or so it seems). Also Bl 1 rise as one for goals.

It may just be the arena and the perspective given by where you sit but I will admit there are times when it is like a library with no apparent reason

 

[Foxy]

I thought the atmosphere was good last night but then i do sit in Block 10

 

[Dragon]

I'm not sure about this - maybe ask the players

But where I sit in Bl 1 the opposition fans are frequently out voiced by Bls 8, 9 &10 (or so it seems). Also Bl 1 rise as one for goals.

It may just be the arena and the perspective given by where you sit but I will admit there are times when it is like a library with no apparent reason

I'm in block 5

I'm not sure about this - maybe ask the players

But where I sit in Bl 1 the opposition fans are frequently out voiced by Bls 8, 9 &10 (or so it seems). Also Bl 1 rise as one for goals.

It may just be the arena and the perspective given by where you sit but I will admit there are times when it is like a library with no apparent reason

I'm in block 5 and a group of us worked hard trying to get some noise going, which Mark the drummer joined in with - blocks 1 - 5 were quite vocal but didn't hear much from the rest of the rink - including the away fans, may be 5hats why it was particularly bad last night, maybe we need vocal away supporters which triggers blocks 8,9,10 which in turn starts the rest off - but last night I was dismayed at how quiet it was, and even more dismayed to see people still in their seats in blocks 6, 7 and 8 for the last 2 goals
I don't want to be a fan base that sings when we are told to - but equally I don't want to be known as the library

 

[Dragon]

I thought the atmosphere was good last night but then i do sit in Block 10

It always sound noisy when people immediately around you are making noise - but next game - take a look around the rink and see just how few are actually chanting, clapping, or just sitting there - you'll be shocked

 

[BostonBart22]

prob upset few here but i would try a season for away fans in block 6 or 7 , reason being i believe this end is the noisiest especially with the drummers and i would believe away fans would sing more at the drummer end of rink, remember wnir if i remember block 18 was the away section the same end as i am suggesting with devils playing at that end twice as they do now, think the away fans would interact more at the drummer end..

 

[kingmo19.1]

What's happened to Cardiff Devil's fans being the extra man on the ice??
It's like a library!!
At least nobody can accuse us of only singing when we are winning - we dont seem to sing at all anymore!
I got hooked on hockey in the late 80's not because of the game but because of the atmosphere - last night fans were even still sitting in the seats when we scored, not up cheering and making noise
What's happened?
Is it because we have a large number of new fans?
Don't people know the words? (I even tried spelling it out so people could join in - gimme a D, gimme an E etc"
Anybody remember that Durham game where people out and about in Cardiff thought the fans were going to blow the roof off the WNIR?
How can we get that atmosphere back? How can we be that extra man on the ice for our team again?
Thoughts anybody on how to turn the library back into one hell of a noisy rink where opposing fans can't be heard because of the loud and proud Devil's fans?

If your comparing modern day v the 80’s WNIR, I’d put it down to:-

1. WNIR was acoustically superior plus allowed standing fans. No plexi in those days so the noise carried.
2. The WNIR 80’s era was more adult based and a slightly more intimidating arena. Sadly the Viola now doubles up as a crèche.
3. Far better music and fan involvement at the WNIR. No forced chants and dead-puck music required.
4. The on ice product was far more physical and entertaining in the WNIR days. We might be successful now but the style of hockey we play will put you to sleep most games. Its soooooooo boring to watch.
5. Viola holds more ‘corporate’ clients Some of which appear to be there for the food and drink but appear somewhat disinterested in the actual game.
6. Lawless was great at driving interest in the product and his PR skills were excellent. No internet/twitter required in those days, you just latched onto the guys enthusiasm.
7. The league had real characters in the late 80’s, most teams had a villain or two. These days the league is devoid of any characters (maybe excluding Noble from Coventry).

Boil the above into one and you can see why it’s like a library!

 

[Wannabe2]

I think all venues are quieter than they used to be, not just ours. I don’t shout as much as I used too, but still love watching the game, the hockey skills are far superior than ever, the speed is faster, our ice pad is bigger than ever giving more space for the puck holder. It’s very true that the hockey characters have disappeared, and that’s a huge shame, also in the WNIR away teams brought more fans who added to the noise factor, plus the place was so much smaller, last night when we came out hitting and scoring our gaff was far from being a library, we then eased off and the noise did also. Myself I don’t think anywhere is noisier than our gaff week in week out. It’s also very true that we are far more family based now than ever.

 

[CaldicotDevil]

It’s a tough debate because there’s so many factors.

Our target market has changed since the WNIR days. The organisation is following the NHL and targeting more families to push revenue with merchandise and food sales. This naturally changes the dynamic of match nights with; the choice of music, more kids match nights, chuck a puck etc. I remember watching the Bruins at TD Gardens a few years ago in the upper bowl. They started to have a “dance off cam” with Drake songs. The old school fans were fuming but the youngsters were loving it.

If adapting to this new target market means a safer and long term future for the devils then I’m happy to adapt.

Also worth noting there’s not many characters in the league anymore. The over the years we’ve had the pantomime villains to rile us home fans up but this season we just have Noble, Lepine & Fitzy and they’re all in the twilight years.

 

[Dragon]

If your comparing modern day v the 80’s WNIR, I’d put it down to:-

1. WNIR was acoustically superior plus allowed standing fans. No plexi in those days so the noise carried.
2. The WNIR 80’s era was more adult based and a slightly more intimidating arena. Sadly the Viola now doubles up as a crèche.
3. Far better music and fan involvement at the WNIR. No forced chants and dead-puck music required.
4. The on ice product was far more physical and entertaining in the WNIR days. We might be successful now but the style of hockey we play will put you to sleep most games. Its soooooooo boring to watch.
5. Viola holds more ‘corporate’ clients Some of which appear to be there for the food and drink but appear somewhat disinterested in the actual game.
6. Lawless was great at driving interest in the product and his PR skills were excellent. No internet/twitter required in those days, you just latched onto the guys enthusiasm.
7. The league had real characters in the late 80’s, most teams had a villain or two. These days the league is devoid of any characters (maybe excluding Noble from Coventry).

Boil the above into one and you can see why it’s like a library!

Yes - I have memories of the noise in the WNIR, but actually my comments are more based on the fact that each year we seem to get quieter and quieter recently
You make very valid points however and the "noise recipe" - what could our club do now to take your points 3 and 6 and work with the fans to create more noise
My thoughts run to announcers like Phil ? and Jason Harrold - the latter of which would often start tapping his Mike when the crowds went quiet to start the chants off again, and the former who create such a period break exhibition many people raced back to their seats after buying food etc to enjoy the show
Its not just about fans chanting and singing more, it's also about the club helping promote that sort of atmosphere - a good start may be the (non disintegrating) card clackers of previous seasons, maybe an announcer (No disrespect to Todd) who can get the crowd going as per previous examples, maybe a "noisiest block competition" as per WNIR

Would love the Devil's fans to be the noisiest fans again

 

[Wannabe2]

Who’s noisier though, genuine question.

 

[Earnie]

I am not a noisy fan. I need my air for breathing!
First period was the best ever , exciting and noisy. Then it was game over- not too much to get noisy about was there?

 

[Diafol]

Earnie is spot on.

The intensity dropped considerably after the first period (hardly surprising considering the result was never in doubt after that point) and so there wasn't much for the crowd (particularly the casual fans) to get excited about.

That's not a criticism of Lordo or the players - they did their job and did it well.

 

[Kevlar68]

I also think that more people now are going for the game, watching ice hockey itself and not so much the party atmosphere.
The WNIR was more of a hockey/party night on game night even with some entertainment from the little lad (forgotten name, sorry) in his Hawaiian outfit, paddle and sunglasses paddling to the theme from Hawaii 5-0, at one stage it extended to a shark chasing him.
Different era all together, the game is much bigger now and more serious and that includes the fans.
Just my thoughts on the matter.

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

When you’ve got a family oriented crowds with lots of new fans I think that will impact on the noise. That said, how the team is playing is going to have a big impact, the noise at some of those CHL games earlier in the season was deafening.

 

[Herlofsky31]

A few new chants apart from ‘Devils *duh duh duh* Devils *duh duh duh*’ might help!

I think regular attendees/season ticket holders do make a noise to different degrees, but not so much the ‘casual’ fans/newcomers, some of which don’t have a clue what’s going on in the actual game and are just there for the night out. Maybe the casual fans outnumber the ‘hardcore’ on an average game night?

 

[davew]

I also think that more people now are going for the game, watching ice hockey itself and not so much the party atmosphere.
The WNIR was more of a hockey/party night on game night even with some entertainment from the little lad (forgotten name, sorry) in his Hawaiian outfit, paddle and sunglasses paddling to the theme from Hawaii 5-0, at one stage it extended to a shark chasing him.
.

That was (our now retired lino) Sam Motton when he was much younger!

 

[BostonBart22]

It’s a tough debate because there’s so many factors.

Our target market has changed since the WNIR days. The organisation is following the NHL and targeting more families to push revenue with merchandise and food sales. This naturally changes the dynamic of match nights with; the choice of music, more kids match nights, chuck a puck etc. I remember watching the Bruins at TD Gardens a few years ago in the upper bowl. They started to have a “dance off cam” with Drake songs. The old school fans were fuming but the youngsters were loving it.

If adapting to this new target market means a safer and long term future for the devils then I’m happy to adapt.

Also worth noting there’s not many characters in the league anymore. The over the years we’ve had the pantomime villains to rile us home fans up but this season we just have Noble, Lepine & Fitzy and they’re all in the twilight years.

All the games with noble this year I've seen . .he's changed hell of a lot..not as feisty as other years.

 

[Wannabe2]

It’s more of a pussy league now, good skillfull hockey, but not a lot of grit and passion, that part of the game is dying unfortunately.

 

[RedDevil17]

No reason why we can’t see more hits and fights. Lord mentioned that it got the crowd and players energised so if that’s the case why don’t we do it more often? I’ve noticed a little bit more physicality in recent weeks and I’ve also noticed the atmosphere is picking up a bit. If we play the physical hockey like Nottingham do every game plus if add in the talent we have we can get this building energised. We saw what it was like against Guildford earlier on where we hit everything that moved, hopefully more of the same please! I loved a good old fashioned hard clean hitting hockey game! Let’s go Devils.