Sports Comm Blog #1

In the world of professional sports, there are only a select few franchises with rich histories and die hard fan bases. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the most storied franchises in the NHL with the strongest fan base in the game. Through the years of success, it has found a faithful fan base that is comparable to teams that constantly make the playoffs in other pro sports like the: New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the LA Lakers. The spin off is that the Maple Leafs may have won many Stanley Cups, but in recent years they have yet to make the playoffs in 7 years and still have the faithful that sells out and supports the blue and white night after night. In many sport markets, many fan faithful would have lost respect and found a new team to follow and cheer for that may be successful during the present time.

In Canada, "Leafs Nation", is notorious throughout the country. In the article "Inside the Mind of a Leafs Fan", by Bob Duff shows the emotional investment and monetary investment that any die hard Leaf fan makes. Duff talks about a sports journalist from Ontario named Peter Robinson: "A veteran junior hockey journalist from Barrie, Robinson has been unable to shake his inner passion for the Maple Leafs, a love affair he estimates has cost him more than $12,000 in tickets and other game-related expenses during the club’s current seven-season non-playoff skid, the NHL’s longest active run of post-season absences". The investments that he has made towards supporting the Maple Leafs have proven the continuous love and commitment any die hard fan would make towards their sports team.

Growing up in a strict Canadian hockey culture and a fan of the Calgary Flames, I have seen the market and fan base in Calgary drop during years of consistent misses of the post-season. This has been proven in many other Canadian cities unlike Toronto. It is almost mesmerizing how in a city that demands winning, the fans are able to dish money into the Leafs and sell out the Air Canada Centre every night after consecutive years of missing the post- season. The Maple Leafs continue to lead the NHL in the highest grossing income in tickets sales and apparel sales. This can only be attributed to the fans of Toronto, and their willingness to constantly dish out cash from their pockets in hope of one day seeing their team win. As a whole, there are very few storied franchises that are able to keep a fan base so committed. This is possible due to the pride and belief that these fans are part of a special group of dedicated fans with high expectations that stick through thick and thin. Emotionally man of these fans have seen many great players come and leave Toronto under questionable management, but still stand by decisions that are made by the front office. There is a feeling within these fans that their are addicted to their team and it keeps bringing them back for more every season. In a hockey market that is constantly scrutinized by the media, the fans immediately expect the most out of and treat their players like royalty despite the fact of loss for so many years.