NHL Panthers Consider Adding Premium Seating Area At Center Ice

NHL Panthers season-ticket holders in "three prime sections at BankAtlantic Center received a letter more than a week ago advising them of tentative plans to convert part of the lower bowl into an 'ultra-premium, all-inclusive' area known as Club Red" beginning in '12, according to Craig Davis of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The season-ticket holders were given "first right of refusal or the option of choosing comparable seats at a 50 percent discount" for the '12-13 season. One season-ticket holder said that he was told his seats "would cost $22,500 apiece, which would cover other events at BAC in addition to Panthers games." He added that he "paid about $5,000 for two seats at center ice in row 15 for the upcoming hockey season." Panthers owner Sunrise Sports & Entertainment is "aiming to boost the revenue potential from those prime seats." Club Red members "would have access to a plush bar and lounge area with high-end food and beverage options." Panthers and SSE President & COO Michael Yormark said that a decision "hasn't been made to go ahead with Club Red but could come by the end of the month." The sections that would "become Club Red -- 134, 101 and 102 -- straddle center ice behind the team benches." There would be "672 seats in the area." The team said that the change "would affect about 180 current account holders who occupy about 360 seats." Pricing "has not been set," but a job posting on the Panthers' website "for a sales director for Club Red said tickets would start at $20,000 per year" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 8/21).

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: Yormark said that Club Red "isn't designed for a corporate clientele and pointed [out] that more than 80 percent of current season-seat holders are individual consumers." However, the SUN-SENTINEL's Davis noted Club Red ticket pricing is "out of reach of most household entertainment budgets." Yormark said, "We probably need to sell about 200 memberships, which is not that big a number when you think about the size of the market. We have a lot of confidence that we'll get this done. We're not creating something that's never been done before." He added, "Our responsibility is to continue to find ways to increase our revenue so that we can maintain this beautiful facility and so that we can continue to put a competitive product on the ice. ... I had one (fan) ask me today, 'Does this mean with this program that it protects the future of this franchise, that it will enable the franchise to continue to fund a hockey team that can be very competitive?' My answer was, 'Absolutely. Yes'" (SUNSENTINEL.com, 8/20).