Though the fate of the Buffalo Sabres may soon be decided, there are very few things that are certain in the team's future. While the Sabres are a vital asset to downtown Buffalo and are an integral part of any economic recovery in the area, Mark Hamister's plan to purchase the team is misguided.
The role of the Sabres in Buffalo's economic rejuvenation is complex. A lot of money has been spent in hopes of making downtown bustle, with few tangible results. Currently, the Sabres bring 5,000 to 10,000 people to the area on only 41 nights of each year, and other large events fill in only another 50 or so nights.
Hamister wants to increase the number of revenue-producing nights at HSBC Arena to upwards of 140. For him, the way of doing this is spending $4.5 million he does not have on a new sound system and arena renovations to allow larger tours drawing 5,000 to 7,000 people to occupy half the arena without a drop in the quality of the music.
Hamister's proposal, however, implies that these large acts are passing over Buffalo because of a lack of a venue. If those tours are passing over Buffalo, it is not because there is no place to play. With the new HSBC Arena allowing for larger events like Dave Matthews Band and 'NSYNC, and Shea's or UB's Center for the Arts or Alumni Arena picking up some smaller events, availability is not why concerts fail to grace the stages of Buffalo. Possible reasons also do not include poor sound or inadequate parking, as Hamister would like us to believe, which also means that his $7 million request for a new garage is questionable. The metro line runs right up the front door of the Arena, making it both easy and affordable to park elsewhere - on the South Campus, for example - and ride to games or concerts.
At the root of Hamister's claims is the question of whether the $25 to $40 million he says he needs would be better served going somewhere else. In the last decade, voters in Minnesota and across Canada have voted against using public funds to help sports teams. In Buffalo, however, many local downtown businesses rely on the Sabres to bring business into their establishments. The question is how much this business is worth to the taxpayers.
If Hamister is truly interested in putting fans in the seats and returning business to downtown Buffalo, it cannot be done while charging the same high prices for below-average events. Currently, the Sabres cannot make payroll even if they sell out every night of the season. As a result, the Sabres must rely on revenue from advertisements and contracts, which are difficult to secure for a product as unattractive as the Sabres.
To increase excitement and revenue flow into downtown Buffalo, Hamister should consider selling cheaper tickets. The demand for the Sabres is much lower than the supply; the price should reflect that, but at the moment it does not. Cheaper tickets will bring people to the area for the evening, and perhaps partnerships and deals with local businesses can be created. Also, cheaper tickets will allow for students to come to more games, and many would be able to take the Metro from South Campus and avoid parking downtown altogether.
Better marketing is a step to take when the team improves, and that can only be done when a solid owner is in place. If Hamister is really committed to the Sabres, he should worry more about the team on the ice and less about the concert sound, parking or the arena. Despite him championing himself as the savior of the Sabres, he has yet to show that he has any idea how to run the team.
Certainly, no one wants to see the Sabres leave and transform Buffalo into a one-sport town. That said, we must ask ourselves how deep our commitment is. Are we ready to turn over public funds to line Hamister's pockets? Especially when he is yet to show that he is capable of running this franchise successfully. Until Hamister can adequately explain where all of his funds are coming from, where they will go, and how he expects to help the Sabres, every native of this town and every fan of professional hockey has the right to be skeptical.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
