Coyotes Turn To Paperless Season Tickets To Curb Costs

The Coyotes for the first time this year have "gone paperless" with their season tickets, and the new procedure "curbs costs," according to Haller & Rodgers of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Instead of individual game tickets, each customer "has a card that, swiped upon entry, is good for each game on the home schedule." Coyotes Dir of Ticket Operations Doug Vanderheyden called the savings from paperless tickets "significant." A Ticketmaster spokesperson said that one sports team "reported saving $15,000 after going to a paperless system." Haller & Rodgers note paperless season tickets are "affecting the secondary ticket market," as without paper tickets, secondary-ticketing companies "have no inventory to sell." Season-ticket holders "can forward tickets to friends or co-workers by managing their accounts online" if they cannot attend a certain game. But the system has some "potential problems." Since not everyone "has a credit card," parents "have had to accompany children to event gates." Fans also "worry about longer lines because of the time it takes attendants to swipe credit cards and print location receipts." Haller & Rodgers note the Suns are "experimenting with similar methods," while ticketless entry also is "starting to be used for concerts" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 10/9).

WHITEOUT EFFECT: The Coyotes have sold out their Saturday home opener against the Blue Jackets at Jobing.com Arena. A "limited number of standing-room only tickets in the upper level" went on sale Friday at 10:00am local time for $15 (AZCENTRAL.com, 10/8).