The price of playoff tickets is too damn high

[Northendzone]

^ I just took a look at stub hub and for $174 $us I can grab a seat in row 5 of PL15.

For $12 more is can sit in the mid row 20 something of the 200's.

Be interesting to track price throughout the day tomorrow.

[Dion]

nm

[calgarywinning]

Great thread.

Ultimately the Flames have decided to price tickets to the public at scalper prices to eliminate the resale profit by scalpers or opportunists.

It just makes it totally unapproachable for the non season ticket holder fan base to approach. I get the whole supply and demand concept. I have season tickets which I dutifully try to sell 1/4 shares of, in good times and bad. Won the lottery for Game A tickets and logged into to see ticket prices and quickly logged off. Not approachable.

The STH prices are approachable and especially when sharing with a group of guys/gals. I think that the scalper market shouldn't set supply and demand. Just as the STH price does not gouge the people who have a bigger vestige in the season and the team. Somehow, there should be a hybrid solution. Like if you are selling the tickets to verify they are not being scalped. It wouldn't be that complicated. This alone would control supply to people who are fans and profit which is not realized by the team or the fans for continued support of the organization.

I just think that when the prices get set by the stub hub market you eliminate the ability for a fan to come to the game and especially a playoff game which could make them a fan for life. It's a different game and unforgettable experience. Somehow there should be a better solution out there. Eliminate the opportunists.

As an STH holder, reselling the game for profit versus providing it to family, friends or fans at cost is not an option. To the credit everyone of the people that share my seats are adamant, as I always play devils advocate and tell them what the seats are selling for, that the playoffs are for being there and watching the game. No way in hell are we selling, shrinking supply, increasing demand.

Also, in my opinion, there is nothing like watching a game live. Especially a playoff game. We can look to more mature markets to see what the future may look like. Do we want to block access and the future to the highest bidder exclusively? I.e. Toronto where the team doesn't have fan pressure to be competitive (love what this new team has going, but that history is indicative of a pure supply and demand system) where ownership doesn't have to answer to the fan.

I guess my feelings are that Hockey, based on it's nature in Canada, should always remain approachable and there is a frustrating balance. It's clear to see in US markets that it can operate financially under these circumstances (granted much higher population to draw upon, probably attracting the more casual fan). The Canadian supply demand is higher because we don't have competition, like NFL, NBA and MLB among many other options for your entertainment dollar.

[GGG]

One thing the flames could do if they wanted to is to tie Photo ID and Credit Card requirements to tickets sold to the general public for playoff games. This would allow them to reduce the cost while not just turning money over to the scalpers. This might be a prudent decision for all the press level seats. As these seats would get your future STH access and get them hooked on the product.

Overall when you can buy tickets to a regular season game for $6 a ticket and get upgraded to a box when you arrive I don't see the issue with charging as much as the market will bare for the premium games.

It sucks to see people priced out but it is very understandable why the flames do it this way.

[calgarygeologist]

I just took a look at Ticketmaster to see what is still available for tonights game and it looks like the Flames did indeed price the tickets a little too high. Venue seats are sold out for the nose bleeds (actually I think there were two individual seats for sale.) But lower bowl tickets starting at $236 per seat are still plentiful. There are about 80 pairs of side by seats available throughout the lower bowls with a lot of single seats available as well.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I just took a look at Ticketmaster to see what is still available for tonights game and it looks like the Flames did indeed price the tickets a little too high. Venue seats are sold out for the nose bleeds (actually I think there were two individual seats for sale.) But lower bowl tickets starting at $236 per seat are still plentiful. There are about 80 pairs of side by seats available throughout the lower bowls with a lot of single seats available as well.

I got 37 pairs just checking on the app.

In an arena of 19,000+, that's nothing, as definitely not an indication of tickets being priced too high. You can bet those last few tickets would be long gone if the Flames weren't down 2-0.

[rohara66]

There are 15 groups of multiple seats (mostly pairs, couple sets of 4 available) in the lower bowl available on ticketmaster (not including resale tickets).

Second bowl there was no pairs the other day but appears a couple new rows were added in the corners. Other then that its slim pickings.

Nosebleeds there are zero pairs. Only a couple singles scattered around.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I got 37 pairs just checking on the app.

In an arena of 19,000+, that's nothing, as definitely not an indication of tickets being priced too high. You can bet those last few tickets would be long gone if the Flames weren't down 2-0.

If I remember econ 101, they are pretty much perfectly priced. The firm is not maximizing revenue if the product is always sold out.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

If I remember econ 101, they are pretty much perfectly priced. The firm is not maximizing revenue if the product is always sold out.

Nosebleeds are obviously too cheap if people were purchasing them with such high demand.

[loob job]

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.

Just so you know, that's the price of a regular season Leaf game, $110 in the upper deck.

[calgaryjohn87]

Originally Posted by GGG

One thing the flames could do if they wanted to is to tie Photo ID and Credit Card requirements to tickets sold to the general public for playoff games. This would allow them to reduce the cost while not just turning money over to the scalpers. This might be a prudent decision for all the press level seats. As these seats would get your future STH access and get them hooked on the product.

I agree with this his 100%. When I bought Garth Brooks tickets I wound up not being able to go and tried to sell the, , had a guy give me money then I had to transfer his mo eh back as I couldn't transfer the tickets hours before the event, ticket master told me I had to go to the arena with ID then give the guy the tickets. I don't know how it works with "gifting" tickets to a family or friend but I would like to see this done with Flames game playoff tickets

[robaur]

well in order to get season tickets to the toronto maple leafs, you have to first buy a Personal Seat License ...runs like $100,000 to $150,000 and THEN you will have the opportunity to buy the season tickets.

Yes.....to be a season ticket holder of the leafs...u must pay atleast $100K upfront for the PRIVILEGE to buy the tickets.

#perspective

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by robaur

well in order to get season tickets to the toronto maple leafs, you have to first buy a Personal Seat License ...runs like $100,000 to $150,000 and THEN you will have the opportunity to buy the season tickets.

Yes.....to be a season ticket holder of the leafs...u must pay atleast $100K upfront for the PRIVILEGE to buy the tickets.

#perspective

I don't think every season ticket for the Leafs requires a PSL. There is a long wait list for the non PSL seats, but it's there.

[GullFoss]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I don't think every season ticket for the Leafs requires a PSL. There is a long wait list for the non PSL seats, but it's there.

My understanding is that the waiting list is for a PSL. The leafs dont sell the PSL, but holders of PSLs are free to either sell their PSL or return it to the leafs. If a PSL gets returned to the leafs, its given to the next person in the waiting list. Not sure why people would ever return the PSL than sell it, but some do...

Also, there exists two types of PSLs. The old PSL is inherited from the days of maple leaf gardens and only requires you to buy leaf tickets. The new PSL requires you to buy both leafs and raptors tickets...obviously the leafs only PSL sells at a premium.

The value of a PSK seems to be roughly = (average scalp value of ticket - STH ticket price)/0.06

[flamesflames2014]

Looks like a bunch more tickets were just released on ticketmaster for tonight. Almost whole rows empty in 214 and 103. Maybe player hold release?

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by flamesflames2014

Looks like a bunch more tickets were just released on ticketmaster for tonight. Almost whole rows empty in 214 and 103. Maybe player hold release?

Even NHL players were like "Damn, that's expensive!".

[jg13]

Originally Posted by flamesflames2014

Looks like a bunch more tickets were just released on ticketmaster for tonight. Almost whole rows empty in 214 and 103. Maybe player hold release?

Yes. 103 is family and friends section for players.

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by flamesflames2014

Looks like a bunch more tickets were just released on ticketmaster for tonight. Almost whole rows empty in 214 and 103. Maybe player hold release?

There was an entire row in 207 released this morning as well. $130 a pop which is a bargain IMO. They sold quickly by the looks of it.

[CedarMeter]

I've been looking all morning on ticketmaster and I noticed Sec 217, Row 1, Seats 17 - 24) were the color blue(meaning they aren't resale tickets) and they were selling for 525.00 a pop. Those tickets are now the red color(resale) and selling for 457.00. So it looks to me the Flames bought the tickets for nothing and then put them on for resale at a lower cost.

Edit- now they're 437.00 a ticket.

[Draug]

^^^ That's interesting .... Flames can really control the market and the scalping that way.

Price the tickets at the very threshold of affordability for 19,000 people, then lower the price on the last few hundred tickets that don't sell and still ensure a sell out. Good way to maximize revenue.