The creation of the Pacific Division is arguably the most seismic change in the history of the American Hockey League.

For the most part, it’s been a successful venture.
That said, it’s been far from far sailing and issues remain.

The Stockton Heat were sitting ducks for a few seasons.
It was no surprise when the Calgary organisation opted to pull up sticks this past summer despite the best season on the ice in franchise history.

Distance from Calgary was one glaring issue, but so were dwindling crowd numbers.

Attendances averaged around 4500 through the first two campaigns but decreased gradually, finishing at 1,713 in the final season of the team’s existence.
The Flames are culpable for a proportion of the blame and do not have the best record in their history with farm teams.

Calgary rebranded the team as the Wranglers, which currently plays out of the Saddledome.
It’s early in the season, but the Wranglers are only drawing in an average of 3,200 patrons through six games.

Another Pacific team struggling to draw fans is the San Jose Barracuda.

Now, the Barracuda is a slightly different case.
From the outset, the team has been based in San Jose.
Up until this season, they shared the SAP Center with the Sharks.

It has proved a story of steady decline, coupled with the team not enjoying the success of its early years.

The first three seasons were a success, with crowds of over 4,000 in attendance to watch a team that made the playoffs. In the second season, the Barracuda made it to the third round before being despatched by Grand Rapids.

Through 2018-2020 the team posted average attendances of 3,680 and 3,512, ranking in the bottom four of the AHL.

Fast forward past the pandemic season, and fans did not return to watch San Jose’s farm team in 2021-22.

The average attendance of 1,789 would have been a league-worst but for the Stockton Heat’s paltry 1,713.

Undoubtedly winning just nine times at home and only twenty of 68 games didn’t help matters as San Jose was officially the worst team in the American League last season, rooted to the foot of the standings.

Hopes would have been high for a bounceback in attendance for the 2022-23 campaign.

A move to Tech CU Arena, a multi-purpose arena in San Jose, California specifically built to be the home of the San Jose Barracuda.
Situated just three miles away from SAP Center, the location would not be a problem for fans.

An influx of San Jose’s brightest prospects are with the AHL team this season and surely that would prove a draw.

The likes of William Eklund, Daniil Gushchin, Thomas Bordeleau, Brandon Coe, Scott Reedy, Tristen Robins, Ozzy Wiesblatt, Artemi Knyazev and Santeri Hatakka.

Little has improved numbers-wise in the stands despite San Jose getting off to a roaring start by winning four on the bounce to begin the season. Since then the Barracuda has recorded just a lone victory in the following six games and attendance has been poor.

San Jose ranks 32nd in attendance, drawing in an average of 2, 291 through six home games.

A low point was the most recent Thursday evening game (a curious day of the week for an AHL team to play) as only 1,134 patrons attended.
Ironically the Barracuda won that game, coming back from a two-goal deficit and defeating Ontario in a shootout.

Having pumped money into a brand new arena and facilities, it has to be of concern to the San Jose organisation that fans are only trickling into the 4,200-capacity building located in the city.