CALGARY – Calgary Flames fans had hoped to fill the so-called Red Mile again this spring, to cheer on their team, but there will be no playoff hockey in Cowtown this year.
It brought back memories of the excitement of 2004 when the team made it to the Stanley Cup finals.
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However, the fun is not being re-created this year.
Jennifer Bibeau hoped for a repeat performance. “We bought season tickets this year,” Bibeau told Global News. “We were hoping to go a little further with it.”
Instead, fans like Kelly Scott head into the last home game of the season hoping there would have been a post-season.
“Yeah, it was a disappointing year. It’s going to be a good year next year,” Scott said.
Calgary’s bars and restaurants are lamenting the lackluster season, as well.
Without the playoffs, good weather and packed patios are what Jon Molyneux and the Concorde Entertainment Group are hoping for.
“Things seem to be okay. We’ll see what happens next week with no Flames and no Canadian teams in the playoffs,” Molyneux said.
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The Calgary company owns some of the city’s most popular beer houses and restaurants. And this year, business is down for more reasons than the lack of a playoffs berth for the Flames.
The layoffs and a lack of corporate spending because of oil’s slide are adding up.
“The city could have definitely used it, but the sun coming out early is going have to do for this year,” Molyneux said.
The lack of success may also make the Flames’ pitch for a new arena and football field a harder sell, as the team wants the City of Calgary to kick in taxpayer funding.
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Veteran sports journalist George Johnson says we shouldn’t be surprised by the team this season.
“Last year was wonderful… but I think what happened was everyone came into it, media included, with these over inflated expectations,” Johnson said.
He said if the team can resign its key players, and luck out at the draft, maybe there’s a chance next year.
“I think they’ll be looking for improvement and if that means the playoffs… then huzzah!”
“Better Luck Next Year” is a week-long series airing on Global National looking at the impact of Canada’s Stanley Cup playoff drought on the teams, the fans and the seven cities home to NHL teams. Watch Global National at 6:30 p.m. ET/AT and 5:30 p.m. MT/PT.
WATCH: More stories from Global National’s “Better Luck Next Year” series