NHL Labor Settlement: Fifteen Teams Plan Ticket Price Cuts

Fifteen NHL teams have announced price cuts, while 12, including the Wild, will “keep their pricing flat,” according to Kent Youngblood of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Three teams have not yet announced ticket prices for the upcoming season. Prices for the Wild will range from $12-80, “with an average per-seat price of $50.72, the same as it was” for the ’03-04 season and would have been for the canceled ’04-05 season. Wild Senior VP/Business Operations Matt Majka said that season-ticket renewals “could exceed 16,500 and that the waiting list exceeded 6,500.” For season-ticket holders, the Wild’s opening-night game October 5 will be free (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/27).

Predators Hope Ticket Discounts Will Draw Fans

DEVILS: Devils President, CEO & GM Lou Lamoriello said that he “will not be using the one-time 67[%] buyout on any of his signed players to create salary cap space.” He previously said that he will be “unable to tender qualifying offers to all of his restricted free agents.” Those who do not receive qualifying offers by Sunday will become unrestricted free agents (Mark Everson, N.Y. POST, 7/27).
PREDATORS: The Predators are offering season-ticket holders a discount ranging from 4-51%, depending on seat location. Season-ticket prices are reverting back to the franchise’s inaugural ‘98-99 season, costing $10-57 per game. The Predators’ average season-ticket price will be $37.12 per game, one of the lowest in the league. Concession prices for opening week home games will also revert to inaugural season costs, and in October and November, concessionaire Sportservice will offer free popcorn for Tuesday games and $1 hot dogs on Thursdays. Season-ticket holders will receive free tickets to the September 25 preseason game against the Hurricanes (Predators). In Nashville, David Climer writes the Predators “need to do whatever they can to get warm bodies in the seats. Something tells me $1 hot dogs aren’t the answer.” Predators Owner Craig Leipold said his goal to sell 10,000-12,000 season tickets is “achievable.” Climer: “Achievable? Yes. Likely? Of course not.” Season-ticket sales were reportedly 5,000-7,000 for the ’03-04 season (TENNESSEAN, 7/27). USA TODAY’s Tom Weir notes Leipold plans to spend about $28.6M on payroll –- “the maximum the Predators could spend and still qualify for [$7-8M] in revenue sharing.” Leipold: “What we’re going to budget for is to break even. We believe our ticket revenue may be down, but the revenue sharing can offset that” (USA TODAY, 7/27).