The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Wild have a loyal fanbase and their home arena, the Xcel Energy Center, has a capacity of over 18,000 for hockey games.
When it comes to Wild home games at the Xcel Energy Center, do they consistently sell out the arena? Or are there empty seats for Wild games? In this article, we’ll look at the Wild’s attendance figures over the past several seasons and analyze if they regularly pack the arena to capacity for home games.
Brief History of the Minnesota Wild
Before diving into the attendance numbers, it’s helpful to understand the history and context of the Minnesota Wild franchise.
The Wild first began playing in the 2000-2001 NHL season as an expansion team. In the inaugural campaign, they sold out every home game as fans were excited to have a new NHL team back in Minnesota after the North Stars departed for Dallas in 1993.
The Wild played their first eight seasons at the St. Paul Civic Center, known as “The Old Barn.” It had a hockey capacity of around 15,000. Beginning with the 2008-2009 season, the Wild moved into the newly constructed Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. The state-of-the-art arena had a capacity of over 18,000 for hockey.
Minnesota Wild Attendance Figures and Sales
So how have the Wild done when it comes to selling out games since moving to the Xcel Energy Center? Below are the season attendance numbers and percentages of capacity filled:
Season | Total Attendance | Average Attendance | Arena Capacity | Percentage Full |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008-09 | 769,206 | 18,568 | 18,064 | 102.8% |
2009-10 | 745,508 | 18,108 | 18,064 | 100.2% |
2010-11 | 749,446 | 18,508 | 18,064 | 102.4% |
2011-12 | 751,288 | 19,396 | 18,064 | 107.5% |
2012-13 | 745,829 | 19,358 | 18,064 | 107.2% |
2013-14 | 751,741 | 19,490 | 18,064 | 108.0% |
2014-15 | 768,459 | 19,716 | 18,064 | 109.2% |
2015-16 | 796,347 | 19,908 | 18,064 | 110.2% |
2016-17 | 801,244 | 19,781 | 18,064 | 109.5% |
2017-18 | 802,547 | 19,816 | 18,064 | 109.7% |
2018-19 | 810,387 | 19,937 | 18,064 | 110.4% |
2019-20 | 794,617 | 19,504 | 18,064 | 108.0% |
2020-21 | 82,435 | 3,952 | 18,064 | 21.9% |
2021-22 | 703,623 | 17,302 | 18,064 | 95.8% |
The numbers show that in their first dozen seasons at Xcel Energy Center, the Wild had no trouble filling the arena to capacity just about every night. They exceeded 100% capacity for much of that time, which was due to standing room only ticket sales. The passion and excitement of the fanbase was evident by the packed crowds at home games.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Things changed in the 2020-21 season as the COVID-19 pandemic left games being played with limited or no spectators. The Wild drew under 22% capacity that season. In the following 2021-22 season, attendance rebounded but was still below the normal sellout figures, likely due to lingering effects from the pandemic.
Do Wild Games Sell Out Currently in 2022-23?
In the current 2022-23 season, Wild home games are back to consistently selling out once again. Through the first 10 home dates at Xcel Energy Center, the Wild have played in front of crowds of at least 18,000 fans each night.
Here are the announced attendance figures for the first 10 Wild home games of 2022-23:
Date | Opponent | Attendance |
---|---|---|
October 15th | Los Angeles Kings | 18,600 |
October 17th | Colorado Avalanche | 18,600 |
October 25th | Montreal Canadiens | 18,600 |
October 27th | Ottawa Senators | 18,600 |
November 1st | Montreal Canadiens | 18,600 |
November 10th | Pittsburgh Penguins | 18,600 |
November 15th | Nashville Predators | 18,600 |
November 17th | Anaheim Ducks | 18,024 |
November 19th | Carolina Hurricanes | 18,600 |
November 27th | Arizona Coyotes | 18,024 |
The great crowds reflect that Wild fans are back to packing the Xcel Energy Center to the rafters. While a couple games have been just under capacity such as the November 17th and 27th contests, they were still virtual sellouts with over 99% of seats filled.
Factors in Consistent Wild Sellouts
What are some of the factors that contribute to the Minnesota Wild consistently selling out games and filling the Xcel Energy Center to capacity?
Strong Fan Support and Hockey Tradition in Minnesota
Minnesota is known as the “State of Hockey” for good reason. There is a deeply rooted hockey culture and tradition across the state at the youth, high school, college and professional levels. Minnesotans grow up playing and watching the sport. Beyond just the diehard hockey fans, Wild games are a popular entertainment option for casual fans as well.
Limited Competition for Sports & Entertainment Dollars
The Twin Cities only has four major professional sports teams – the Wild along with the Minnesota Twins, Timberwolves and Vikings. With fewer teams compared to many other markets, the Wild don’t have as much competition when it comes to consumers’ sports entertainment budgets.
Strong Corporate Support and Suite Sales
Many Minnesota companies purchase full season ticket packages and suites at Wild games as business entertainment for clients. Companies see value in being associated with the highly popular local NHL team. Corporate season ticket and suite sales are a big driver in the Wild’s consistent capacity crowds.
Committed Season Ticket Base
The Wild have over 14,000 full season ticket holders as of 2022. That provides guaranteed revenue and attendance for 41 regular season home games each year even before single-game seats go on sale. The season ticket waiting list also indicates high demand within the market.
Engaged and Growing Fan Base
The Wild have done an excellent job cultivating their fan base, engaging existing fans and attracting new ones. Events like the annual Hockey Day Minnesota celebration bring in casual fans. Outreach initiatives across the state grow youth hockey participation. And the team’s success on the ice during the early 2010s brought many new fans into the fold.
Could Wild Sellouts Streak End in the Future?
While the Wild have reestablished their sellout dominance at home games in 2022-23, could declining attendance ever become an issue?
It’s unlikely in the near future unless the on-ice product suffers a significant decline. There is too much ingrained hockey culture and limited entertainment competition in the market. One factor that could gradually impact attendance decades down the road is changing demographics and population patterns. But the Xcel Energy Center will continue rocking for Wild home games for the foreseeable future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Minnesota Wild have enjoyed tremendous popularity since entering the NHL in 2000. Save for the 2020-21 pandemic season, they have consistently sold out home games at the Xcel Energy Center. Strong corporate support, a committed season ticket base and a hockey-loving fan culture ensure Wild home games will continue packing the arena for years to come.