The NHL released attendance figures showing numbers
"significantly ahead" of last season through the first 103 games
this season. An average of 16,191 fans attended the first 103
games, filling arenas to 90.6% of overall capacity, compared to
15,235 at 88.1% capacity through the same number of games last
year (NHL).
TOP TICKETS: In Detroit, Cynthia Lambert examines the high
cost of hockey ticket prices and why the NHL is the "most
expensive ticket in sports." Lambert notes Red Wings tickets
cost an average of $37.87, which is $151.48 for a family of four.
Red Wings Senior VP Jimmy Devellano: "I'm praying that ticket
prices will stabilize. There's no question, you get to a certain
point where people simply cannot afford to go to games." Lambert
notes some reasons for hockey's high prices are that ticket sales
are the "major revenue source" in the NHL as each NHL team
annually averages $3.5M from TV contracts, compared to $40M a
year for NFL teams. While Devellano blames rising ticket prices
on the increase in player salaries, NHLPA representative Steve
McAllister says, "All the costs of doing business have gone up,
as have revenues. The Fox deal and the growth in merchandise
sales are examples. Clubs set ticket prices, not players"
(DETROIT NEWS, 10/25).
