Last year’s attendance numbers for the National Lacrosse League’s Vancouver Warriors were celebrated as something of a success, even as the team finished at the bottom of their division.

Yes, the team was eighth out of 11 teams with an average of 6,833 visitors per night at Rogers Arena, but that was a big improvement on how their predecessors in the NLL, the Vancouver Stealth, performed.

The second season of Warriors lacrosse has seen the same $5 beer prices and party atmosphere, but it’s also come with the addition of team ambassador Paul “BizNasty” Bissonnette.

The result?

After 12 games (six at home), the Warriors hold a slightly lower average attendance (6,769) and the same position at the bottom of the West Division, albeit in a much closer race (they’re only three and a half games behind the leader, Saskatchewan).

In terms of attendance, Vancouver is now ninth out of 13 teams in the expanded NLL.

Sure, it’s probably a bit of a disappointment that Bissonnette’s presence hasn’t led to a big jump in terms of gate revenue. But it’s likely also something of a relief that the team hasn’t really suffered a sophomore slump that new professional sports teams in a market often experience after the excitement of year one.

There are only six more games left on the season for the Warriors (and three at home, including the season finale against Sakatchewan). Here’s hoping the team can make up those points in the standings—and post some solid attendance numbers in the process.

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