The price of playoff tickets is too damn high

[Travis Munroe]

This is a very rare occurrence... you can go to a flames game during the season and have 2 second bowl tickets for $100. The hottest ticket Calgary sees is going to demand a premium. Ask 100 people if they want tickets to a playoff game for $50 a piece and 95 say yes, ask 100 people if they want a regular season game for $50 and you will be lucky to have 30 say yes.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

So how should tickets be decided ?

Hey fans who have to pay for tickets regardless of the day of the game and opponent. Whether the team is good or bad.

But if we make playoffs now let's make sure we have cheap tickets so people who didn't financially support the team all season, and in seasons they didn't make the playoffs, can now get the best product?

Somehow that makes you a better fan than the rest of us?

I supported this team for close to 15 years as a STH.

Fans support the team in many ways including the buying of jerseys and other Flames merchandise. Then there's fans who buy single game tickets when they can.

How is the lottery system unfair? You already have your seats so I don't see how you have anything to complain about.

[Leondros]

Originally Posted by Dion

Somehow that makes you a better fan than the rest of us?

I supported this team for close to 15 years as a STH.

Fans support the team in many ways including the buying of jerseys and other Flames merchandise. Then there's fans who buy single game tickets when they can.

How is the lottery system unfair? You already have your seats so I don't see how you have anything to complain about.

It doesn't make him any better of a fan, but it makes him a better business proposition than you. Everyone seems to forget that professional sports is business first and foremost.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Leondros

It doesn't make him any better of a fan, but it makes him a better business proposition than you. Everyone seems to forget that professional sports is business first and foremost.

It would be poor business to forget other fans. Those other fans might someday be in a position to buy ST's. Yes you want to take care of STH's but at the same time you have to be looking to the future when more STH's are needed.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by chummer

The best place to watch the Flames play is on the road, usually way better value.

And so why do the Flames need a new venue? Wouldn't those other teams love to have the Flames problems?

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Dion

It would be poor business to forget other fans. Those other fans might someday be in a position to buy ST's. Yes you want to take care of STH's but at the same time you have to be looking to the future when more STH's are needed.

They aren't forgetting anyone. You can buy a ticket. You don't want to pay the price

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

There is nothing to analyze, the Dome is still sold out at these prices.

12 hours after tickets went on sale, there are still plenty available. We don't know if they sell out now.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Totally agreed but the next time the Flames and Mr. Bettman mention quality of life and how the Flames make it better then they can go pound sand.

Just because people are buying the tickets doesn't mean they should keep raising the prices if they actually care about Calgarians and if making money is all they care about then they need to be treated like a business only and get no public money.

I'll happily make that trade off.

The Flames make my quality of life better, whether I go or don't. Sorry they don't make yours.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

They aren't forgetting anyone. You can buy a ticket. You don't want to pay the price

I did pay the price for game 4 of the playoffs. Still doesn't encourage me to buy ST's again.

[Ace]

"Won" the draw to buy game 4 tickets, couldn't bite, just wasn't worth $500 for a pair of decent seats. If I could have got some greens though, thats a good price point. $700+ for a pair of lower bowl, $1000+ for a pair of club; IMO that's too high for round one tickets.

Definitely well priced for killing the resale market though, last time the flames were in the playoffs if you won the draw you automatically buy the tickets, it was a no brainer as you could easily sell them. I doubt I could even flip club seats at FV now if I couldn't make it.

[calgaryjohn87]

Originally Posted by Ace

"Won" the draw to buy game 4 tickets, couldn't bite, just wasn't worth $500 for a pair of decent seats. If I could have got some greens though, thats a good price point. $700+ for a pair of lower bowl, $1000+ for a pair of club; IMO that's too high for round one tickets.

Definitely well priced for killing the resale market though, last time the flames were in the playoffs if you won the draw you automatically buy the tickets, it was a no brainer as you could easily sell them. I doubt I could even flip club seats at FV now if I couldn't make it.

I couldn't flip ST at less then my price all season, including rangers and bruins. $70 a seat, I'm taking a loss at that price and I had to go through 4 different people to give the game away for FREE for the Rangers game.

I even had an incentive on kijiji, buy my tickets for less then my price and I'll give you 1st crack at playoff tickets for less then FV, still no biters.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

12 hours after tickets went on sale, there are still plenty available. We don't know if they sell out now.

lose on Saturday and I bet they don't sell out

[savemedrzaius]

The Leafs median price is at $292. I could never spend that much money on a 3-hour hobby. It's insane. That's how much some people make in a month here in China. Plus there's a good chance you are paying that much money to see them lose.

[aaron5425]

Originally Posted by bigbadboss101

Last I checked there were tickets in PL. Sec 14 and 5 I think (right near the center line). The map shows obstruction and partial obstruction. Are a good part of those two sections blocked by the camera? I assume the lower ones anyways?

I'm in PL5. Rows 4-10 are blocked by the camera - but, there were very few games when the camera was actually there. I spoke to a few ushers about it but never figured out the reason.

[Inferno]

I just checked my ticket from game 1 in 2015 to compare and it was $107 to sit in row 3 in the second level right behind the Canucks net. I think it was almost double the regular price but I actually thought it was pretty decent. And I managed to take a picture of this beautiful moment.

Spoiler!

[Poster]

When the owners locked out the players (twice) and promised them that all they wanted was a "partnership" they created an ethical obligation on their part to charge as much as they possibly could for tickets.

You can't tell the players they must tie their income to revenue and then not maximize revenue.

Lockout really benefited the biggest market teams and screwed the fans in Canada and small markets. Pre lockouts, teams in CRL, CGY, ANA, BUF etc were frequently in the cup final, but now it's dominated by teams like CHI, NYR, BOS, LAK, all teams that had historical droughts before lockout and salary cap.

[taco.vidal]

It makes him a Tier 1 fan.


#### the commoners.

Originally Posted by Dion

Somehow that makes you a better fan than the rest of us?

I supported this team for close to 15 years as a STH.

Fans support the team in many ways including the buying of jerseys and other Flames merchandise. Then there's fans who buy single game tickets when they can.

How is the lottery system unfair? You already have your seats so I don't see how you have anything to complain about.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Poster

Lockout really benefited the biggest market teams and screwed the fans in Canada and small markets. Pre lockouts, teams in CRL, CGY, ANA, BUF etc were frequently in the cup final, but now it's dominated by teams like CHI, NYR, BOS, LAK, all teams that had historical droughts before lockout and salary cap.

This is the exact opposite of the facts. The salary cap prevents the Rangers, Flyers, Red Wings, and three or four other teams (depending on which owner is willing to lose money for his ego) from buying up all the talent, as they used to do during the Dead Puck Era. Before the cap came in, Calgary was basically a farm team for the big markets for a solid decade. They made the '04 finals on smoke and mirrors.

[rhino]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

It's absolutely ridiculous in a city going through a rough economic time, that the Flames would raise the prices for the playoffs as much as they did.

I don't care how this makes me look but it needs to be said. MR Bettman and (Flames) company keep talking about how a new building will bring Calgarians a better quality of life but explain to me how the heck I'm supposed to afford going to a playoff game when the prices are so high? How is the saddledome in any way improving my quality of life? It's actually making it worse knowing I can't afford to go to a playoff game. A middle class fan who can't afford to attend your hockey game in a building that's not even new.

God help us when they actually build a building and raise the prices even more.

Calgary is in the worst economic times since the 80's and the Flames decided $110 was reasonable for nosebleeds? For seats that you can't even see the jumbotron? I know it's not 2004 still but those seats used to be $25 for playoffs. A 450% increase? Ridiculous.

Have you personally been hit by the "Hard Economic Times?" If so why are you worried about buying a hockey ticket and the price? If your quality of life is suffering because of the cost of a ticket price maybe you need to prioritize your needs and wants a little better. Despite Calgary being in a down economy there is still a lot and I mean A LOT of money in this city.

I think the soap box you are standing on is made of cardboard and it's raining.

[troutman]

Skiing at Sunshine is $100.

18 holes at Banff Springs is $250.

Plus, gas, lunch and beer.