Columbus Blue Jackets fans apparently haven’t wanted to leave their couches amid the team’s woeful start.
Television ratings on Fox Sports Ohio climbed in October from a year earlier, but smaller crowds turned out at Nationwide Arena during the first five home games.
From opening night through Oct. 31, a 23-day stretch in which the Jackets posted a 2-10 record, an average 10,500 households tuned in to watch games on Fox Sports Ohio, according to Nielsen ratings.
The 1.16 household rating over that span was up 54 percent from the first 12 games of the prior season, an increase that the regional sports network attributes to several factors outweighing the team’s poor performance.
“Generally, yes, ratings tend to correlate with team performance,” General Manager François McGillicuddy said in an email. “However, the increase we’ve seen in Blue Jackets ratings are a result of several things – the Jackets’ strong finish last season, the anticipation coming into this season, the great matchups early in the season, and the dedicated fans that remain engaged, passionate and committed to this team.”
The Blue Jackets’ woeful play led to the firing of head coach Todd Richards, and though the team has improved under the leadership of John Tortorella, it remains in last place with a 3-10 record.
Despite the upswing in TV viewers, attendance at Nationwide Arena through five home games hasn’t kept pace.
The Blue Jackets ranked 25th of 30 NHL teams with 14,774 fans per game, down 5 percent from last year’s full-season average 15,511 in 41 home contests, according to ESPN.com.
President Mike Priest said last year that an average of 16,000 fans – of an 18,500 capacity – is one ingredient needed to make the team profitable.
Credit to the Columbus Business Journal who originally published this article
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
