The Predators' Stanley Cup run ended last night, but the success the team has experienced this season already has assured one thing -- tickets for the '17-18 season "will be at a premium," according to Mike Organ of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. The same franchise that "found itself in jeopardy of being sold 10 years ago as it struggled to establish an average attendance of 10,000, is concerned today with where to cut off season-ticket sales in order to keep enough individual game tickets available to keep fans satisfied." Yesterday's Stanley Cup Final Game 6 marked the 52nd time this season -- 41 home games, 11 playoff games -- that Bridgestone Arena "has been sold out for a Predators game." Predators President & CEO Sean Henry said, "This past year we finished the season at about 10,000 season-ticket equivalents, and right now we're right about 12,000 season-ticket equivalents. When we start next season, we'll probably be about 13,500 or 14,000." Henry said that "probably will be the cutoff for season tickets." At 14,000 season tickets, it will "leave about 3,000 individual game tickets available for the arena, which seats 17,113 for hockey games." This marked the "first regular season in franchise history that all 41 homes games were sold out" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 6/12).
FLYING OFF THE SHELVES: Henry said that he was "informed the team has the second-highest merchandise sales in the playoffs in the history of the NHL." Demand for Predators gear has been "so high the team has had to make some unusual requests in recent weeks." With all NHL teams set to have their jerseys manufactured by Adidas starting next year, production of this year’s uniforms have "ground to a halt." However, that "hasn’t slowed demand" from Predators fans. To accommodate fans, the team has had to "purchase stock from NHL.com, Dick’s Sporting Goods and sports apparel website Fanatics.com, as well as resort to other methods." Delaware North GM of its Bridgestone Arena operation John DonVito said, "We tried to trade with other stores in and around town to the point where when we had certain sizes that we had and others didn’t, we offered straight trade." Henry said that during a Game 5 watch party at the arena, merchandise sales were "at least double what they were during a regular-season game" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 6/12).
FEELING GOOD: In Nashville, Joe Rexrode noted Predators Chair Tom Cigarran "anticipates wide-ranging benefits from the team's first Stanley Cup Final." Cigarran said, "I expect that we’ll have more influence at the national level than we’ve had before. The publicity for the league has been terrific. And NBC is very happy with the way we’ve managed this process, the fans in the street and the whole thing Sean has done with the famous artists singing the national anthem" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 6/11). Rexrode wrote Cigarran "deserves a decent-sized chunk of the credit for where it is today." Predators ownership has been a "tumultuous enterprise." But this year it is "booming, and the organization's evolution has much to do with Cigarran's successful run" as chair since he took over in '09 (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 6/11).
PUMP THE BRAKES? In Montreal, Jack Todd writes NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's "misbegotten Sunbelt experience carries on apace." In a way it is "fitting the league is going to Las Vegas because Bettman’s whole Sunbelt plan is a house of cards." Todd: "Yes, Nashville is flying high today -- but so were the Carolina Hurricanes a decade ago, and the Florida Panthers during the Year of the Rat -- but some losing seasons and their fans melt away like ice on a Saguaro." Real hockey markets can "survive prolonged stretches with mediocre teams." Todd: "Yes, Nashville gives great crowd and puts the dead-from-the-waist-up Leaf fans of Toronto to shame, but will they hang in through losing seasons? Unlikely" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 6/12).
