Recently, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News wrote a news article where he discussed some of the actions and issues of the current players on the Sabres (from ‘Inside the NHL: Fans have noticed Sabres’ lack of postgame salutes:’ The Buffalo News, Feb. 18, 2024). He speaks on their lack of post-game ritual of saluting the fans after a win in response to the “Fire Donny” chants after their 9-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 29, 2023. He speaks on the fact that the fans incessantly boo them off the ice in the first periods when they are losing in any capacity, and as someone who attends every home game, I can validate that it happens. I don’t personally partake in the actions of the “boo birds” in the crowd, but I can confirm that it happens nightly.
The players voiced how upset the fans are making them with these types of reactions, and it got me to thinking as to how to solve the issue. What actions could Sabres’ players take to prevent further booing on home ice? How could they truly stand up for their coach and show the fans that they are a better team than their record shows, and how can they respond to the adversity shown to them by the fans? The answers are actually fairly simple, so let’s get into it.
Sabres Need To Win More Games at Home
While it might sound simple and obvious, it really is the biggest reason that fans are so impatient with this team. The fan experience down at Keybank Center is a tough one between overpriced food and beverages, average giveaways and events, expensive parking, and then a poor on-ice performance from the team at the end of the night. The Sabres’ home record this season is 12-16-1, and last season it was also fairly poor sitting at 17-20-4. It is difficult for a lot of fans to have patience for a team that has a recent history of not showing up to win at home, and it is even harder to keep their voices silent for that same reason.
With only 29 combined wins in 82 home games, the vibe in Keybank Center is not a positive one as a whole. The Sabres may be getting booed, but they aren’t showing up to win games for fans who are looking for entertainment and are paying for that entertainment. That isn’t even considering the casual fans who show up for a few games each season, and all they get is to watch the Sabres play poorly. It doesn’t incentivize those fans to want to purchase more tickets, and it definitely…
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