The Baton Rouge Zydeco have brought the fast-paced rhythm of professional hockey back to the Raising Cane’s River Center, hitting both sweet and sour notes along the way during their inaugural season.
Baton Rouge had been without a hockey team for two decades after the Kingfish called it quits in 2003 and eventually relocated to Victoria, British Columbia, as the Salmon Kings.
So with the Zydeco’s season now complete, and amid the backdrop of the city having lost the Kingfish after just seven years due to decreasing fan support, the question is whether the Zydeco can be a sustainable long-term franchise in Baton Rouge
As the Business Report details in a new feature about the nascent team’s inaugural season, so far, the signs are positive. Ticket sales account for 60% of the Zydeco’s revenue, says owner Barry Soskin, and the team drew an average of around 3,900 fans per game.
