Not really an answer to your question but I live in Winnipeg. But I’m still a Redwings fan over the Jets. Cheer for the jets when they aren’t playing the Wings.
RealChanandlerBong
I believe that, of the 6 Thrashers fans in existence, 2 became Jets fans and 4 hopped onto the Tampa Bay bandwagon 😉
*Shots fired*
CriticismMost3450
What happened to all the Atlanta Flames fans?
jgerri14
Atlantic Canadian checking in. I’ve been a thrashers/jets fan since they entered the league.
Intelligent-Spot-475
Ok so based on the responses of this we are learning even more why they got relocated lmao
Joemamacita
I will get downvoted into the ground, but the fan base left with the Atlanta teams. That’s why developing markets is important to the league. New markets, new fans and also new kids who want to be in the league. I doubt Austin Matthews becomes a player without the presence of the Coyotes.
votequimby420
they relocated because they didn’t have any fans
JEMHADLEY16
When the Whalers left Hartford in ’97, I dropped them like a bad relative…
Sauronsindexfinger
Atlanta had a choice of either Bolts (amazing talent) or Nashville (up and down but better than atlanta)
IJustWanToKillMyself
From Atlanta, I started cheering for the Rangers as my family is from the area. Unfortunately with both Atlanta teams moving to Canada there’s not much people could do to stay fans as in 2011 getting Canadian hockey on TV could be a bit annoying sometimes down south
silverandbleak
If your team bugs out you can cheer for any team you want! When the North Star abandoned us I became a Boston Bruins fan.
ShowerPig
My two favorite teams are now the Bruins and whoever is playing the Jets.
noahbjets
When the New York Americans dismantled in the 1920s I found myself without a team for a while and then became a huge whalers fan given Hartford’s proximity to New York! Man I hope we win the cup with Gordie Howe!!!
Stevey1001
I preferred the Trashers tbh
brechbillc1
Atlanta resident here. I can answer this question. The majority of Thrasher fans became Preds fans with some becoming Bolts fans. The city itself got somewhat shafted because the ownership group, Atlanta Spirit, acquired the Thrashers in a package deal with the Atlanta hawks and really did not want the team from the start. Therefore, there was never any incentive for them to actually spend on the team and make good acquisitions. They didn’t care about poor management or coaching whatsoever and were more than happy to let good players walk rather than actually bull around the team.
The fanbase itself was actually relatively loyal. You wouldn’t think it, but hockey is much bigger in Atlanta than you would believe. It has one of the largest men’s league in the country and has some of the highest youth hockey registration on the east coast. There are a lot of people that love the sport here and were not happy with the team leaving.
As for attendance, for a good portion of their tenure, the Thrashers were usually middle of the pack in terms of average attendance. But as a team in a new market, if you don’t put a good product on the ice, you will have a hard time filling seats. Hell, even Pittsburgh before Crosby and Chicago before Kane and Teows had empty barns before they got good. The fact that Atalta was middle of the pack in attendance for that long with how bad the team tended to be impressive.
As an Atlanta resident, I would love to see a team return to Atlanta. But if one ever does, it needs to be with a competent owner, who is willing to hire a good FO and spend the money to build a competitive team. Put a winning product together and grow the sport here even more.
Also, if a team does come back here, please build them a far superior practice facility than the Duluth Ice forum. That place is a dump.
Please_obtain_taco
I tried to but there was literally 0 coverage of them in GA, and streaming options weren’t as prominent as they are now. So off the wagon I fell. RIP Thrashers.
roccerfeller
Winnipeg lost their original NHL franchise and can relate to the hurt Thrasher fans. Some Thrasher fans I’ve come across recognize factors out of their control contributed to the franchise relocating to Winnipeg and so cheer for the team. Many do not, and Jets 1.0 fans are understanding of that pain. I live on the west coast in Canada and cheer for the Jets. You don’t need to be from Winnipeg or Atlanta to cheer for the club. Sometimes, you just respect the organization or a player or two, and next thing you know, you’re invested as a fan.
LeCyador
I am probably one of the weirdest fans. When I was living in Winnipeg, when the Jets moved to Phoenix I decided to start cheering for another team. The team I picked was the Thrashers because I liked their colors and wanted to paint my room their colors. Now, my dad was a BC boy, so he said no Thrashers colors and instead we cheered for the Canucks. I still cheered for the Thrashers, and the Canucks, but the Thrashers weren’t very good. Imagine my surprise when it looked like we were getting Phoenix back, then all of a sudden we have the Thrashers in town.
So, I kept cheering for the Thrashers, because they became my hometown team.
simpledeadwitches
RIP to the best hockey team name of all time.
Dreddit1080
Go flames go
GroundbreakingCow775
I don’t wish any fan to loose their team. It is painful how north american sports teams can just move
Tireseas
I was an Avs fan before the Thrashers existed and continued to be after they moved. I didn’t bear any resentment towards Winnipeg, but everyone else involved in the whole debacle can go fuck themselves to this day.
sonnytlb
Grew up watching the Bruins, since my family was from Boston. Just jumped back to them. Softened the blow that the Bruins won a cup right after the Thrashers left.
JonTheWizard
Mandatory “fuck Atlanta Spirit” comment.
Across_the_Diverge
From being a fan of a team that was ripped from their city over money, fuck no. I wouldn’t root for the Baltimore Ravens if my life depended on it. Idk how any Thrashers fan could be ok with that and root for the Jets. I just found a new team.
some1337
As a huge Thrashers fan and season ticket holder, I can say no Jets not at all, I will always cheer against the Jets. I do like the Red Wings and Predators now.
kymeechee
Sucks that everyone just does “no fans haha” thing with Atlanta. If you saw them during any of the years they weren’t basement dwellers (which was a bit rare, sure), you’d see that they sold decently well. The issue wasn’t the fans, it was Atlanta Spirit and, supposedly, Gary Bettman’s stubbornness with the Yotes.
Canadian__Ninja
Once upon a time the Thrashers were my second team, mostly because of the colours and also because I was a big fan of Kari Lehtonen’s when he was drafted. It was so depressing seeing how little ownership cared about the team, and the reputation local fans got from the wider fanbases for poor ticket sales as a result. I did not follow them to Winnipeg, I just went solo with the Avs.
WorkingSoggy3149
I don’t pull for the jets as an atlanta guy. I mostly just pull for the predators and the canes because they are the closest and represent southern hockey florida aside. The only team I seriously support is the ECHL team in atlanta called the gladiators, super fun games, would recommend if you get the chance though ik they aren’t nhl!
Rajaboom
I am a bitter former Hartford Whalers fan. When the team moved to Carolina, they were dead to me. I’ve been a Montreal fan ever since. For many years, the ownership group wouldn’t even acknowledge that the team existed before they were the hurricanes, although the new owner has actually been pretty cool about incorporating some old Hartford stuff.
jouelle1
From LA, so I just dropped the thrashers and kept the Kings. It’s a shame they were run into the ground. Miss hockey in Atlanta
mcgillibuddy
🦗🦗🦗
BoysenberryAshamed59
As someone who grew up an Expos fan, find a new team. Fuck the relocated one.
AnybodyReasonable180
If a team does come back to ATL maybe Arthur Blank could get it started .
Koke1
I followed the jets, got attached to the players
SwedishMeatwall
With an owner that cares, hockey it Atlanta would work, and would be a top 20 market in this league. I will die on this fucking hill.
abrahamisaninja
Those jerseys are still top tier though
1Glick
Atlanta is good at setting up NHL teams for Canada. Also The Gladiators. [This is the Way].
Some_Uzername
When the original Jets left for Phoenix they died for me, so I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t respect Thrashers fans for abandoning the team. If soke Thrashers fans became Jets fans, great. If they hate the Jets, it’s within their right.
39 Comments
Not really an answer to your question but I live in Winnipeg. But I’m still a Redwings fan over the Jets. Cheer for the jets when they aren’t playing the Wings.
I believe that, of the 6 Thrashers fans in existence, 2 became Jets fans and 4 hopped onto the Tampa Bay bandwagon 😉
*Shots fired*
What happened to all the Atlanta Flames fans?
Atlantic Canadian checking in. I’ve been a thrashers/jets fan since they entered the league.
Ok so based on the responses of this we are learning even more why they got relocated lmao
I will get downvoted into the ground, but the fan base left with the Atlanta teams. That’s why developing markets is important to the league. New markets, new fans and also new kids who want to be in the league. I doubt Austin Matthews becomes a player without the presence of the Coyotes.
they relocated because they didn’t have any fans
When the Whalers left Hartford in ’97, I dropped them like a bad relative…
Atlanta had a choice of either Bolts (amazing talent) or Nashville (up and down but better than atlanta)
From Atlanta, I started cheering for the Rangers as my family is from the area. Unfortunately with both Atlanta teams moving to Canada there’s not much people could do to stay fans as in 2011 getting Canadian hockey on TV could be a bit annoying sometimes down south
If your team bugs out you can cheer for any team you want! When the North Star abandoned us I became a Boston Bruins fan.
My two favorite teams are now the Bruins and whoever is playing the Jets.
When the New York Americans dismantled in the 1920s I found myself without a team for a while and then became a huge whalers fan given Hartford’s proximity to New York! Man I hope we win the cup with Gordie Howe!!!
I preferred the Trashers tbh
Atlanta resident here. I can answer this question. The majority of Thrasher fans became Preds fans with some becoming Bolts fans. The city itself got somewhat shafted because the ownership group, Atlanta Spirit, acquired the Thrashers in a package deal with the Atlanta hawks and really did not want the team from the start. Therefore, there was never any incentive for them to actually spend on the team and make good acquisitions. They didn’t care about poor management or coaching whatsoever and were more than happy to let good players walk rather than actually bull around the team.
The fanbase itself was actually relatively loyal. You wouldn’t think it, but hockey is much bigger in Atlanta than you would believe. It has one of the largest men’s league in the country and has some of the highest youth hockey registration on the east coast. There are a lot of people that love the sport here and were not happy with the team leaving.
As for attendance, for a good portion of their tenure, the Thrashers were usually middle of the pack in terms of average attendance. But as a team in a new market, if you don’t put a good product on the ice, you will have a hard time filling seats. Hell, even Pittsburgh before Crosby and Chicago before Kane and Teows had empty barns before they got good. The fact that Atalta was middle of the pack in attendance for that long with how bad the team tended to be impressive.
As an Atlanta resident, I would love to see a team return to Atlanta. But if one ever does, it needs to be with a competent owner, who is willing to hire a good FO and spend the money to build a competitive team. Put a winning product together and grow the sport here even more.
Also, if a team does come back here, please build them a far superior practice facility than the Duluth Ice forum. That place is a dump.
I tried to but there was literally 0 coverage of them in GA, and streaming options weren’t as prominent as they are now. So off the wagon I fell. RIP Thrashers.
Winnipeg lost their original NHL franchise and can relate to the hurt Thrasher fans. Some Thrasher fans I’ve come across recognize factors out of their control contributed to the franchise relocating to Winnipeg and so cheer for the team. Many do not, and Jets 1.0 fans are understanding of that pain. I live on the west coast in Canada and cheer for the Jets. You don’t need to be from Winnipeg or Atlanta to cheer for the club. Sometimes, you just respect the organization or a player or two, and next thing you know, you’re invested as a fan.
I am probably one of the weirdest fans. When I was living in Winnipeg, when the Jets moved to Phoenix I decided to start cheering for another team. The team I picked was the Thrashers because I liked their colors and wanted to paint my room their colors. Now, my dad was a BC boy, so he said no Thrashers colors and instead we cheered for the Canucks. I still cheered for the Thrashers, and the Canucks, but the Thrashers weren’t very good. Imagine my surprise when it looked like we were getting Phoenix back, then all of a sudden we have the Thrashers in town.
So, I kept cheering for the Thrashers, because they became my hometown team.
RIP to the best hockey team name of all time.
Go flames go
I don’t wish any fan to loose their team. It is painful how north american sports teams can just move
I was an Avs fan before the Thrashers existed and continued to be after they moved. I didn’t bear any resentment towards Winnipeg, but everyone else involved in the whole debacle can go fuck themselves to this day.
Grew up watching the Bruins, since my family was from Boston. Just jumped back to them. Softened the blow that the Bruins won a cup right after the Thrashers left.
Mandatory “fuck Atlanta Spirit” comment.
From being a fan of a team that was ripped from their city over money, fuck no. I wouldn’t root for the Baltimore Ravens if my life depended on it. Idk how any Thrashers fan could be ok with that and root for the Jets. I just found a new team.
As a huge Thrashers fan and season ticket holder, I can say no Jets not at all, I will always cheer against the Jets. I do like the Red Wings and Predators now.
Sucks that everyone just does “no fans haha” thing with Atlanta. If you saw them during any of the years they weren’t basement dwellers (which was a bit rare, sure), you’d see that they sold decently well. The issue wasn’t the fans, it was Atlanta Spirit and, supposedly, Gary Bettman’s stubbornness with the Yotes.
Once upon a time the Thrashers were my second team, mostly because of the colours and also because I was a big fan of Kari Lehtonen’s when he was drafted. It was so depressing seeing how little ownership cared about the team, and the reputation local fans got from the wider fanbases for poor ticket sales as a result. I did not follow them to Winnipeg, I just went solo with the Avs.
I don’t pull for the jets as an atlanta guy. I mostly just pull for the predators and the canes because they are the closest and represent southern hockey florida aside. The only team I seriously support is the ECHL team in atlanta called the gladiators, super fun games, would recommend if you get the chance though ik they aren’t nhl!
I am a bitter former Hartford Whalers fan. When the team moved to Carolina, they were dead to me. I’ve been a Montreal fan ever since. For many years, the ownership group wouldn’t even acknowledge that the team existed before they were the hurricanes, although the new owner has actually been pretty cool about incorporating some old Hartford stuff.
From LA, so I just dropped the thrashers and kept the Kings. It’s a shame they were run into the ground. Miss hockey in Atlanta
🦗🦗🦗
As someone who grew up an Expos fan, find a new team. Fuck the relocated one.
If a team does come back to ATL maybe Arthur Blank could get it started .
I followed the jets, got attached to the players
With an owner that cares, hockey it Atlanta would work, and would be a top 20 market in this league. I will die on this fucking hill.
Those jerseys are still top tier though
Atlanta is good at setting up NHL teams for Canada. Also The Gladiators. [This is the Way].
When the original Jets left for Phoenix they died for me, so I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t respect Thrashers fans for abandoning the team. If soke Thrashers fans became Jets fans, great. If they hate the Jets, it’s within their right.