I ripped the NHL representatives of South Florida in one of my last pieces but after going to a Panthers game last night, I have been enlightened some. First off, the Panthers don't play in the city of Miami or on the outskirts even. Their home, the BankAtlantic Center, is nearly an hour away in Sunrise, Florida. Sunrise is like a smaller scale Cranberry & the arena sticks out like a massive pimple. Parking to the game was FREE. Three tickets to the game were a total of $30. Its like the Panthers are screaming at us, "Please come to a game! Just show up!"
The fans of the Panthers can be divided into two categories: serious ones who bleed for the hockey team & mall-rats. Yins know what a mall-rat is, right? People (usually teenagers too early adults) who go to the mall for the purpose of chilling out. Not too buy anything. Just using the mall as a backdrop for a social gathering. These fans walk around the arena aimlessly, don't pay attention to the game, & chat endlessly about nothing.
The serious fans are lost in the shuffle. They are loud. Very loud. It was surprising too hear how loud they get when you think about how few of them there are. They also know the game & have passion about the Panthers. None, however, are from Miami. They are exiles from other cities who claim the Panthers as their own. I enjoyed talking to them. Sadly, there are not enough of these fans & the future of the struggling Panthers franchise will probably end in relocation. Sorry, guys.
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