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Le Grande Orange · 10-05-2009, 03:27 PM

I'm going to offer the following data as it seems to show an interesting relationship between how the Maple Leafs perform in the NHL and how the Blue Jays do in terms of attendance.

Code:

        Jays     Jays   Maple Leafs
Year   Record   Per Gm  Playoff run
-----------------------------------
1977   54-107   21,263     2nd
1978   59-102   19,291     3rd
1979   53-109   17,675     2nd
1980   67-95    17,288     1st
1981   37-69    14,247     1st
1982   78-84    15,753   missed
1983   89-73    23,832     1st
1984   89-73    26,049   missed
1985   99-62    30,862   missed
1986   86-76    30,315     2nd
1987   96-66    34,302     2nd
1988   87-75    32,039     1st
1989   89-73    41,678   missed
1990   86-76    47,966     1st
1991   91-71    49,402   missed
1992   96-66    49,732   missed
1993   95-67    50,098     3rd
1994   55-60    49,287     3rd
1995   56-88    39,257     1st
1996   74-88    31,600     1st
1997   76-86    31,967   missed
1998   88-74    30,300   missed
1999   84-78    26,709     3rd
2000   83-79    21,058     2nd
2001   80-82    23,359     2nd
2002   78-84    20,221     3rd
2003   86-76    22,216     1st
2004   67-94    23,457     2nd
2005   80-82    24,876  no season
2006   87-75    28,422   missed
2007   83-79    29,144   missed
2008   86-76    29,627   missed

It seems perhaps the Jays were helped in that at the same time the Jays were doing well (late 1980s and early 1990s) the Maple Leafs were doing poorly. From 1989-92, the Leafs missed the Stanley Cup playoffs three times and were bounced in the first round the other time.

Notice how the Jays' attendance drops by 20% in 1995, and drops again in 1996 at the same time the Leafs were in their fourth consecutive season of making the playoffs. In the spring of 1997 and 1998, the Leafs miss the playoffs and the Jays' attendance stays relatively stable.

But look at the big drops in Jays attendance in 1999 and 2000, in spite of decent records. Those drops coincide with the realignment of the NHL which saw the Leafs go into the same division as Ottawa, Montreal, and Boston, and the Leafs making it to the 3rd round in the spring of 1999 (the Leafs were eliminated on May 31). The five seasons of 2000-04 which saw the Leafs making playoff runs saw the Jays' attendance remaining steady in the 22,000 range.

The 2004/05 NHL season was cancelled, so no Stanley Cup playoffs in the spring of 2005, and for the next three seasons after that the Leafs miss the playoffs, which at the same time sees the Blue Jays per game attendance figure rise nicely.

Now, of course, correlation is not causation, but the numbers are interesting nonetheless.

10-05-2009, 03:27 PM	#40
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	I'm going to offer the following data as it seems to show an interesting relationship between how the Maple Leafs perform in the NHL and how the Blue Jays do in terms of attendance. Code: Jays Jays Maple Leafs Year Record Per Gm Playoff run ----------------------------------- 1977 54-107 21,263 2nd 1978 59-102 19,291 3rd 1979 53-109 17,675 2nd 1980 67-95 17,288 1st 1981 37-69 14,247 1st 1982 78-84 15,753 missed 1983 89-73 23,832 1st 1984 89-73 26,049 missed 1985 99-62 30,862 missed 1986 86-76 30,315 2nd 1987 96-66 34,302 2nd 1988 87-75 32,039 1st 1989 89-73 41,678 missed 1990 86-76 47,966 1st 1991 91-71 49,402 missed 1992 96-66 49,732 missed 1993 95-67 50,098 3rd 1994 55-60 49,287 3rd 1995 56-88 39,257 1st 1996 74-88 31,600 1st 1997 76-86 31,967 missed 1998 88-74 30,300 missed 1999 84-78 26,709 3rd 2000 83-79 21,058 2nd 2001 80-82 23,359 2nd 2002 78-84 20,221 3rd 2003 86-76 22,216 1st 2004 67-94 23,457 2nd 2005 80-82 24,876 no season 2006 87-75 28,422 missed 2007 83-79 29,144 missed 2008 86-76 29,627 missed It seems perhaps the Jays were helped in that at the same time the Jays were doing well (late 1980s and early 1990s) the Maple Leafs were doing poorly. From 1989-92, the Leafs missed the Stanley Cup playoffs three times and were bounced in the first round the other time. Notice how the Jays' attendance drops by 20% in 1995, and drops again in 1996 at the same time the Leafs were in their fourth consecutive season of making the playoffs. In the spring of 1997 and 1998, the Leafs miss the playoffs and the Jays' attendance stays relatively stable. But look at the big drops in Jays attendance in 1999 and 2000, in spite of decent records. Those drops coincide with the realignment of the NHL which saw the Leafs go into the same division as Ottawa, Montreal, and Boston, and the Leafs making it to the 3rd round in the spring of 1999 (the Leafs were eliminated on May 31). The five seasons of 2000-04 which saw the Leafs making playoff runs saw the Jays' attendance remaining steady in the 22,000 range. The 2004/05 NHL season was cancelled, so no Stanley Cup playoffs in the spring of 2005, and for the next three seasons after that the Leafs miss the playoffs, which at the same time sees the Blue Jays per game attendance figure rise nicely. Now, of course, correlation is not causation, but the numbers are interesting nonetheless. Last edited by Le Grande Orange; 10-05-2009 at 03:30 PM.