Nobody really knows what’s happening with the remainder of the 2019-20 National Hockey League season. All we know for sure is no hockey will be played between now and the end of August at the Scotiabank Saddledome due to the provincial ban on large events and the city’s status as a lingering COVID-19 hot spot.
But what about the 2020-21 season? It certainly seems like the Calgary Flames could be playing in front of a reduced crowd if/when the season begins in December (or even January). What would that look like, and would that even be feasible?
The status quo
Alright, let’s deal with an uncomfortable truth: unless something has drastically changed in recent years, the Flames are in the bottom third of the league in revenues and are receiving revenue sharing.