The Sabres' season-ticket renewals are at the "lowest number in at least seven years but still respectable" considering the team finished the '13-14 season with the worst record in the NHL, according to John Vogl of the BUFFALO NEWS. Season tickets "figured to be a tough sell," but 93% renewed their packages for '14-15. The fear of "never getting tickets again" likely "helped the Sabres achieve" the renewal rate. The team also "increased their season-ticket rebate, essentially negating" the price increase announced in May. The Sabres typically return 2.5% of the season-ticket cost to fans "in the form of a rebate card." The SabreBucks "can be used for concessions or merchandise inside First Niagara Center." This year, to counter the 4% increase in season tickets, the Sabres "upped the rebate" to 6.5%. The coming restaurant and Tim Hortons in HarborCenter "will also accept SabreBucks, another renewal perk." It all "added up to a total of 16,000 season-ticket holders, including those added from the Blue & Gold Club," which features people who pay $100 to be put on a priority waiting list for season tickets. The Sabres this year "capped season-ticket sales at 16,000 last season." The team had a 98% renewal rate in '10-11 and "had back-to-back record years" of 99% in '11-12 and '12-13. They "dipped" to 97% last season (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/13).
CANUCK IF YOU BUCK: Vancouver-based CKWX-AM's Sonia Aslam wrote "apparently there is no demand" for Canucks tickets on the secondary market. Vancouver Ticket Owner Kingsley Bailey said that compared to the same time last year, he "has seen a drop" of about 40%. Bailey: "If they want to drop prices, they can. But if they don’t feel they have to and the demand is there -- that’s their call. But as far as what I know ... the demand is definitely lower and if they really want to get an increase in fans, even the average fan that wants to go to the odd game, they’re going to have to lower prices" (NEWS1130.com, 9/12).
