Flyers season-ticket base remains stable
ALLENTOWN - It appears Flyers fans have bought into general manager Ron Hextall's rebuilding plans. The Flyers' season-ticket base remains stable even though the team is coming off a season in which it missed the playoffs for the second time in three years - and Hextall was unable to make any major offseason moves because of limited cap space.
ALLENTOWN - It appears Flyers fans have bought into general manager Ron Hextall's rebuilding plans.
The Flyers' season-ticket base remains stable even though the team is coming off a season in which it missed the playoffs for the second time in three years - and Hextall was unable to make any major offseason moves because of limited cap space.
The Flyers, their farm system greatly improved under Hextall, have sold 16,000 tickets per game, a slight drop of about 500 tickets per game from the previous year.
Shawn Tilger, who heads the Flyers' business operations, said he was "appreciative but not surprised" that the season-ticket base was still strong. The Flyers averaged 19,271 fans per home game last year, fourth in the 30-team NHL.
"Our fans are not blindly loyal. They understand the game and believe in our organization's commitment to winning," he said, adding the fans make the Wells Fargo Center one of the league's "toughest buildings for opponents."
The Flyers were outstanding at home last season (23-11-7), but only five teams had a worse road record (10-20-11).
Tilger said the Flyers have 3,000 tickets available for most games; he said the average ticket price is $74, putting the team in the middle of the NHL pack.
Flyers to be honored
The Flyers will pay tribute to three of their retired stars before games this season - Kimmo Timonen on Oct. 14 vs. Chicago, Danny Briere on Oct. 27 vs. Buffalo, and Simon Gagne on Nov. 17 vs. Los Angeles.
Each player will be honored against one of his former teams. Gagne won a Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2012, and Timonen won a Cup with the Black Hawks last season.
Breakaways
The Flyers play their first home exhibition game Tuesday against the Rangers. On Friday, they host the Islanders in a game that has been moved to 6 p.m. to accommodate the city's travel plans for the Pope's Francis' visit. Fans attending Friday's game will receive free hot dogs, soda and popcorn.
Goalie Steve Mason is expected to start Tuesday. . . .The Flyers signed 6-foot-5, 196-pound defenseman Philippe Myers, 18, to an entry-level contract after he impressed the team on a tryout contract. He is expected to go back to his junior team, Rouyn-Noranda.
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