The Philadelphia Flyers are having a bad week. It’s a line you should expect to read about a team with +700 odds make the NHL playoffs. However, it’s not even Labor Day. The Flyers haven’t started the 2022 season (aka tanking for Connor Bedard).
What the puck is going on?
Comcast Spectacor announced on Aug. 29 Marc Vetri will join restauranteurs Jose Garces and Stephen Starr in opening an outpost at the Wells Fargo Center Club level. Vetri plans to serve pizza at MVP in the former spot of Bistro. The next day, the Flyers introduced the “Flyers Pass” which includes a ticket to four games each month of the season (October – April) for $99 per month. Then, on early Tuesday evening, continuing with their countdown to the season based on players’ numbers, the Flyers social media posted a picture of Nic Deslauriers. The next day, the Flyers deleted the tweet.
Philadelphia Flyers rough week on social media
Marc Vetri new restaurant at Wells Fargo Center
Vetri’s MVP is part of the Well’s Fargo Center’s club level $350 million renovation project that also included upgrades to the concourses and a 4K kinetic scoreboard that was installed in 2019. After the Flyers finished 26-46-11, missing the playoffs and failing to bring in any big free agents, Flyers fans would much rather have a 30+ goal scorer on the ice than a James Beard winner off the ice. However, many arenas continue to add more upscale dining offerings and the Flyers are no different. Why have fans go to dinner before the game at one of the many fine restaurants in Philadelphia when you can bring the restaurants to them at the Wells Fargo Center? Also, the Flyers aren’t the only tenants in building (for now) as the Sixers play there at least until their lease ends in 2031.
Flyers Pass ticket package
The Flyers Pass includes a ticket to four games each from October – April for $99 each month. Game dates will be released throughout the season. The Flyers posted about the Flyers Pass on Twitter and turned off the comments. But you can’t turn off quote tweets:
- Manny Benevides “We want the fans to listen to our plugs, but we sure as shit don’t want to listen to the fans. Fans should be SEEN and not HEARD”. Cowardly and disrespectful. There is no shame in your game @NHLFlyers and there really should be.”
- Pat Mahoney – Here’s the professional hockey team in the city turning their comments off because they know the fans will rip them to shreds
- And the always on-point Zoo With Roy – or $150 per month you can play third line left wing
Comments are also turned off on the Flyers Pass post on Facebook. The Flyers took a “pass” and didn’t even post about it on their Instagram.
Lower level full season tickets for the Flyers range in price $6,750 up t0 $16,652. Upper level season tickets for the whole season start at $1,763 and go up to $4,357.
Currently on StubHub, the cheapest Flyers tickets are in the $40-55 range per game.
Flyers season countdown
Flyers social media started a countdown to the 2022-23 season about 49 days out by posting player whose jersey matched the day. It’s a common practice among pro teams social media to get fans excited for the upcoming campaign.
On August 30, with 44 days left until Flyers drop the puck and our expectations drop even lower, the Flyers posted a picture of No. 44 Nic Deslauriers. The Flyers signed the 31-year-old fourth liner to a four-year contract on July 13.
The Flyers missed out on signing free agents like Dylan Strome, Nazim Kadri and, in perhaps the ultimate dagger, South Jersey native Johnny Gaudreau. Instead, the flyers signed Deslauriers and brought back 35-year-old defenseman Justin Braun. Free agency for the Flyers was more like a Little Caesars $5 Hot-N-Ready than Vetri pizza.
The Flyers deleted the Deslauriers tweet and it is not on Instagram. However, it is still up on Facebook.
Some of the top comments are:
- They turned off comments on ticket package posts
- And 45 days until another season of disappointment is upon us
- In 37 years of following the Flyers, I have never been this unenthusiastic and dead to this team as I am now.
- Please don’t do a countdown
- You’re a garbage organization. I hope all of my fellow Flyers fans are smart enough to attend ZERO games this season. You deserve none of our money for the joke product that will be put out on that ice this season.
Why are fans mad at the Flyers?
Flyers fans are fired up and not in the “lets get Flyer-ed” way. Why?
- The Flyers haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1975
- Fans are fed up with the owners, Comcast Spectacor. The heart and soul of the Flyers was its founder Ed Snider who died in 2016. Without his leadership, the Flyers have been a rudderless ship.
- Failure to commit. The Flyers won’t admit it’s time to tear it down and commit to a rebuild.
- The front office failed to trade players like Claude Giroux and Jake Voráček when they had real trade value.
A public relations penalty or not?
The Flyers last made the Conference Finals in 2010. You don’t expect Philly fans social media comments to be “best of luck on your hockey, guys” and “you’re doing a great job.”
Even though fans boo, and angry tweet, it shows they are still engaged with the team.
Brian Hart, a communications strategist and founder and president of Flackable, a Philadelphia-based national public relations agency, commented:
“Philadelphia sports organizations know the fans are a passionate bunch, online and in-person. We love these teams. And when we boo, it’s because we care.”
“If they’re getting mocked, ridiculed and ratioed with each post, it’s not the worst “bandaid” strategy while they scramble to create some optimism and hope among the fanbase.”
“In the best cases, brands delete tweets when they get immediate mockery and recognize the misstep. But if just one influencer or media outlet screenshots the regrettable tweet, it’ll live on forever.”
“Advertising themselves as a team with family discounts isn’t the worst strategy right now, though social media might not be the right avenue to do that. They need to take control of the narrative. The Sixers did it for years with “The Process” and built a cult following of fans during those years. The Flyers need to set expectations, take control of the narrative and reframe what this season is all about.”
Philadelphia Flyers 2022-2023 odds
Just how bad will the Flyers be? Oddsmakers put the Flyers as long shots to make the playoffs (+700) and they are tied with the Canadiens with the worst odds to win the Eastern Conference (+10,000).
The Flyers finished with just 61 points last year.
How many team points are sportsbooks projecting for 2022-2023?
- DraftKings Over 76.5 (-115)/Under 76.5 (-115)
- BetMGM Over 78.5 (-115)/Under (-115)